How can learning be effectuated by a teacher?

As teachers we need to make learning real and meaningful to our students. So much of what our students learn in school can be so abstract. If we want our students to be motivated to learn we have to attach meaning to the things which we are teaching. Our students need to be able to recognize how what they are learning can benefit them and how they can use it to improve their own quality of life. Students constantly ask the question, "When am I ever going to use this?" If we are creating meaning for our students as we teach them, they can answer this question for themselves.

We can make learning meaningful by applying the principles that we have learned from the various learning theories we have studied. Each of these theories seem to suggest ways that we can attach meaning and context to learning. Also, these theories provide ways for us to help our students take ownership of their own learning, and when students can do this they can be motivated to find meaning in what they are learning. We should engage our students in learning activities that will challenge and lift them to greater heights of learning. Essentially, we need to be teaching our students how to teach themselves and become competent, self-motivated, and independent learners who can tailor their learning to meet their own needs and aspirations.

My answer to how teachers can effectuate learning has evolved immensely. At the beginning of this course my answer to this question was simply that a teacher needs to be there for his or her students. However, I don't know if I could have really described what "being there"meant. I now believe that "being there" means teaching your students how to rely on themselves and their learning abilities. As they learn to do this we can be there to provide feedback and encouragement and guide them as they lead themselves.

What is Learning?-Extra Credit

Learning is the process of connecting existing knowledge with new knowledge and finding meaning and application within that connection. For example if I would like my students to learn to use graphic design principles when creating various graphics and layouts, my students will first need to determine what they already know about graphic design. They can then use what they already know and connect it with what they learn about graphic design principles. As they make these connections they should be able to find meaning. What I mean by finding meaning is is they are able to see why this knowledge is important and how they can use this for their own growth and benefit. The students should be able to determine what graphic design principles mean to them and how they can use them for their own refinement and development.

In my first attempt to define learning I believe I defined it as the connection of prior knowledge with that of new knowledge. Throughout this class I have begun to realize that attaching meaning to what one learns is probably the most important part of learning. We should be able to recognize what learning a particular subject can mean for us, how it can refine us, and how we can apply this knowledge in authentic contexts of life. If we can't use it or make it meaningful ourselves, then why learn it?

Social Constructivism-How can learning best be effectuated by a teacher?

As teachers, I think that we need promote independent learning in our classrooms as much as possible. More often than not, we continually try to spoon feed knowledge to our students, rather than allowing them to discover it on their own. We need to take a step back from our role as a teacher and become more of a learning assistant. We need to allow our students to take ownership of their learning and then make ourselves available to our students when they feel they have reached a point where they can progress no further. We can then be the person the student goes to help refine their understanding.

Social Constructionism-What is Learning?

Learning is using the best of what you have of your own abilities to acquire new knowledge, and then seeking outside resources to refine and perfect your understanding of that knowledge. Far too often we a spoon fed information and don't take the opportunity to use our own ability to be and independent learner. I think we would be amazed at what we can learn if we really pushed our own learning abilities.

An example of this is with the media. I think the media is always trying to spoon feed us information and we accept whatever they give us. Rarely do we take the opportunity or time to do research on our own. If we did do this, maybe we could find come to our own conclusion on various issues. We could then test the accuracy of our conclusion by consulting with others who might be an expert the the topic that we are studying.

Week 13: Bruner-How can learning be effectuated by a teacher?

As teachers, we can help our students understand abstract ideas by allowing them to experience concrete ideas. These concrete ideas need to be representative of abstract ideas. As the students experience the concrete, we as teachers need to help them to connect the concrete representations with the abstract. As we do this, students will continually spiral to higher levels of understanding.

Since most of the material that my students learn requires using a computer, students are confronted with abstract ideas all the time. They have to be able to understand the processes a computer goes through to compute information. I constantly have to find ways to provide students with concrete examples that effectively represent the abstract. I find that the more hands on experience I give my students, the more likely they are able makes connections and understand the abstract subject matter.

Week 13: Bruner-What is Learning?

Based on Bruner's theories of learning I would define learning as the refinement of knowledge. I agree with Bruner's hypothesis that any human being can learn something about even the most abstract of ideas at any age. I think when we are learning something new, we start with what we know and as we have direct experiences with the topic at hand, our knowledge evolves to a higher level of understanding.

As a teacher of Mulitmedia, every year I get students who have very little knowledge of computers let alone multimedia, and I am always amazed to watch their understanding evolve throughout the school year. As these students have direct experiences in multimedia, they start to make connections with what the knowledge that they brought to the class. Gradually over time and with enough exposure to multimedia, they make connections and are able to learn and create actual functioning multimedia.

I think this is what Bruner meant by his hypothesis. Everyone brings knowledge to the table, and given enough exposure to and experience in a certain subject, connections will be made and knowledge is gradually refined to higher understanding.

Week 12-Situated Cognition: How can learning best be effectuated by a teacher?

Teachers can effectuate learning by providing students with meaningful hands-on learning experiences. For example, if I wanted to properly teach my students the process of applying for a job, I need to create activities that allow them to experience this process. I could have them actually look for a job online or in a newspaper, fill out a job application, create a resume based on their skills and experiences, and participate in an job interview. By taking the students through these activities, they are not just being told the process, they are experiencing it. Through these experiences, they can become accustomed to the job application process and see and experience it for themselves. I believe by allowing the students to do so, they will be able to remember and do what they need to and will therefore be all the more prepared when it comes to applying for a job. I think this is what is meant by situated cognition.

Week 12-Situated Cognition: What is Learning?

Based on this weeks learning theory, I would say that learning is experiencing. It is one thing to read from a book or listen to someone try to explain something, but it is completely something else to actually go out and be right in the middle of it experiencing a concept first hand. For example, I could try to explain to someone who has never driven a car before how to drive and they might understand the concept, but they won't be able to do it. The best way for them to learn to drive a car is to get behind the wheel and experience this. Through this experience the brain is working along with the rest of their body and the body as a whole is becoming accustomed to the concept. When an individual is having an experience, they can have failures and successes and see the results of their choices in a given situation. Through this process, deep and meaningful learning occurs.

Week 11, Case Based Learning: How can learning best be effectuated by a teacher?

Teachers should look for every opportunity they have to give students life-like experiences in the classroom. The teacher can do this by presenting students with real-life scenarios for the students to engage in. These scenarios should give the students the opportunity to recall their own previous experiences and to gain from the experiences of others.

One of the most memorable learning experiences that I had in high school came from my 11th grade US History class. Our teacher wanted us to understand what situations many immigrants were faced with in this country before certain labor laws were put into place. To do this, he took us into the little gym of our high school with the light low. He had us perform various tasks and made us sit on the floor to do so. As we were completing the tasks he would yell out instructions to us in Czech. After this activity, we discussed what conditions we were under and how we felt about those conditions. We then compared our experiences to those of early immigrants and the work conditions that they were exposed to. I can honestly say that I gained an understanding and even an appreciation for what immigrants went through during that period of history. To this day I can still recall much of what we discussed on that day, and I could give you a good idea of what it was like for immigrant workers before certain labor laws were put into place.

To me, this is a great example of a memorable learning experience. We didn't just talk about the working conditions of immigrant workers, we experienced it, and we were able to share each others thoughts and perceptions on the whole situation. This case-based learning activity is something that I will remember for the rest of my life, and I can honestly say, it is something that took me to a higher place in learning.

Week 11, Case Based Learning: What is Learning?

Based on this weeks learning theory I would say that learning is engaging in new experiences, sharing experiences, and learning from others experiences. I think a lot of times students are expected to meet learning expectations by memorizing and then recalling information when asked to do so. So much pressure is put on teachers to have students pass state tests that curriculum is based upon teaching to the test. Students should have educational experiences that they will remember and use in the future. What good is it to a student if all they can do is recall information for a test to only forget it later. Real life experience is the best and most meaningful teacher and students should be given as many experiences as possible that will expose them to new ideas and information.

Week 9-Motivation: How Can Learning Be Effectuated By a Teacher?

Based on this weeks reading and topic, I believe that a teacher must create a comfortable and inviting learning environment for all students. This environment should encourage students to be curious, ask questions, and participate without feeling threatened.

Personally, I try to be friendly and open to my students. I also try to foster respect in classroom relationships and create a safe, non-threatening learning environment. However, I still have students who seem unmotivated, afraid to participate in classroom activities, or even ask for help. I am continually asking myself, how you motivate the unmotivated? Any thoughts or suggestions?

Week 9-Motivation: What is Learning?

To enhance my definition of learning, I would add that learning is finding answers to questions about what is not known. If you have questions you are motivated to seek out answers, and this in turn helps to expand the mind and its functional abilities.

I have always wondered how you motivate unmotivated students, and after studying this weeks reading, I wonder if the answer to this question is creating curiosity. It seems like a lot of unmotivated students, have little interest and lack curiosity about the unfamiliar. If they lack curiosity, they are less likely to be motivated to ask questions, or to ask for help.

Week 8, Human Development-How can a teacher effectuate learning?

I think it is important for a teacher to present students with various and challenging learning opportunities that allow students to use the cognitive skills that they posses at their operational level, and that will stretch those abilities. By stretching these abilities they can start transitioning into more advanced operational stages. Refering back to the example of my four year old daughter (see previous post), my wife and I are trying to challenge my daughters current abilities so that she can start to transition into concrete operations. We are trying to accomplish this by teaching her concepts such as sharing with others. Sharing can be hard for her sometimes, but when she does, we try to show her how it makes others happy and how rewarding it can be to help other people be happy. By teaching her the concept of sharing, she is able to start looking outside of herself, and see things from other perspectives. This whole process that we are taking her through is stretching her current abilities and helping her to progress toward more concrete operations.

Week 8, Human Development- What is Learning?

Based on what I have learned about the different operational stages that come with age, I would say learning is the development of the mind and the processes it uses to grasp new information. When contemplated, it really is interesting to see how the capacity of the human mind develops from a sensory-motor stage, learning by exploring physical surroundings, to a formal operational stage, with the ability to analyze and comprehend abstract material. I see this occurring in my two daughters who are two and four. I see my four year old in the preoperational stage, being self-centered and still trying to learn how to see things from others viewpoints. My wife and I are trying to teach her how to sympathize with others and see the world from outside of herself. She is coming along with this, and the more she develops, the more enjoyable she is. I see my two year still doing a lot of exploring with the physical world around her. She is so eager to learn about everything, and wants to do everything that her older sister can do. I really enjoy seeing her in this stage. To her everything is so new and exciting, and this is how I think the process of learning should be.

How can a teacher effectuate learning?-Schema Theory Week Six

A teacher can effectuate student learning by bringing to the students' minds an existing schema that will help them learn new information, perform tasks, or learn new skills. For example, I teach multimedia classes where my students learn how to create digital media and digital presentations. If I wanted my students to create a digital presentation on an some sort of debated issue such as universal healthcare, I would have to present this project in the light of an issue paper that the students would have done in English class. Since most of my students would have had to write and issues paper at one time or another for English, we might start this project discussing as a class, the experiences the students had in writing that paper. We could discuss how they researched the topic, where they found sources, how they organized their information, and exactly what information their paper contained. We could then discuss the expectations for their digital presentation and how it is similar and how it is different from their English paper. Hopefully, by doing so, the students will have an existing schema in their head that will help them learn how to create a digital presentation on an issue.

What is Learning?- Week 6 Schema Theory

In discussing learning in the context of schema theory, I would suggest that learning is evaluating how you see or perceive things around you based on the experiences you have had and using existing perceptions to develop new perceptions and ideas about things that you are unfamiliar with. To illustrate, if I have used a dishwasher my whole life to wash dishes, and my wife makes me learn to wash dishes by hand, I would evaluate what I know about how the dishwasher washes dishes. I would consider the facts that the dishwasher uses soap, sprays jets of water on the dishes, rinses after washing, and then drys the dishes. Based on this schema, I would then assume that in order for me to wash dishes by hand, I will have to learn to perform those same steps. In this instance, I am using a predefined schema to learn a new information and skills.

Week 5-Meaningful Learning: How can learning be best effectuated by a teacher/trainer

A teacher should constantly be making connections between students' existing knowledge and the knowledge needed to learn something new. A teacher can do so by learning as much as possible about what each student already knows and has experienced. Instruction should then be adjusted accordingly in order to make meaningful connections between existing knowledge and new knowledge. Once these connections are made, the teacher should allow the student to use these connections in a number of different learning contexts. For example, if I want to teach my students time management and organizational skills for school, I need to find out what experiences my students have had in the past in managing or organizing something. Most students have had to clean or organize their room at home. Using this knowledge, I can make a connection of how organizing a room can be similar to organizing and managing school work, projects, and activities. I can then expose my students to different situations, where they can practice using what they have learned about time management and organizational skills. Examples of such situations could include having them create a calender of their upcoming week at school or creating a plan breaking down a big project into tasks and setting due dates for each task.

Week 5-Meaningful Learning: What is Learning?

After studying the theory of Meaningful learning, I would say that this theory supports my original idea of learning. I have always believed that learning is connecting existing knowledge with new knowledge, and I might add to that definition, the idea that learning being able to use these connections in different contexts leads to a higher level of learning such as mastery. To illustate, if a car mechanic knows how to replace a clutch in a car that has five gears, and he is able to connect that knowledge with how to replace a clutch in a truck with six gears, he has learned a new skill that he did not know before. If he takes that new skill in a new context such as replacing the clutch in a big tanker with seven or more gears, he is moving towards mastering the skill of replacing a clutch in any type of vehicle.

Monday, August 31, 2009 How can learning be best effectuated by a teacher/trainer

As a teacher, I am constantly asking myself how I can get more of my students to succeed in my classes. I have many students who do well naturally. They work hard, turn their work on time, and they seem to enjoy being in class. Among those students, I have others who really struggle throughout the whole school year. These students have difficulty getting motivated to even start on their course work. I find that these are the students who are usually late to class, and who have a hard time staying on task. I teach classes in a computer lab, and this alone creates a lot of challenges. Some students would rather play on the internet than learn with the rest of the class. Those who struggle are often on my mind. After studying Behavior analysis this week, I realize that I have been focusing on negative behaviors of these students, while I should be focusing on teaching them productive behaviors for my classroom. Maybe there are some of them who have never been taught how to succeed or get things done, and this is why they exhibit behaviors that appear to be negative. While I teach them positive behaviors, I can reward them when they exhibit these behaviors. By doing so, I may eventually be able to replace those negative behaviors with positive behaviors. This would in turn lead to these students learning, and being a productive part of the classroom.

I still am asking myself, how I can effectively recognize and reward good behavior in my students. Verbal praise is an option, but will that be enough? What other rewards systems could I implement? Anyone have any ideas?

What is Learning-Week 3 Behavior Analysis

After studying behavior analysis this week, I would add to my definition of learning by presenting the idea that learning is refinement of your thinking, attitudes, and behaviors. We should all be striving to better ourselves each day and try to become valuable and productive members of our community and society. Our thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors determine who we are and we should be evaluating those constantly to see if they are inline with what we see ourselves being in the future.

In the few years that I have worked with teenagers in the classroom, I have noticed that those who struggle with school and with life in general are those who don't know who they are, who they want to be, and they aren't able to recognize that their current ways of thinking are holding them back. Those students who do know who they are and what they want to become also seem to understand what personal attributes, such as behaviors, they need to develop in order to be successful. Book smarts are important, but if a student doesn't know how to interact and work with others, or how to get things done on time, they may not be very successful. I would say learning these type of behaviors and attitudes are just as important as learning what's in the books or the curriculum.

How can learning be best effectuated by a teacher/trainer (be specific/give examples)?-Week2-Behaviorism

As teachers we are constantly trying to teach our students new behaviors in thinking, learning, and reacting in an educational environment. We try to instill in them how to behave generally in the classroom, with their peers, and in settings where they are faced with taking a test, writing a paper, or working on a group project. As teachers we can effectuate this by creating stimuli that will effectively reinforce desired behavior. We also need to make clear to our students what the consequences will be based upon their actions. These consequences should be both negative and positive depending on the situation.

I had an experience with this in my classroom today. I want my students to display good citizenship and attentiveness in my classroom. I have a rule in my classroom that if a student leaves the classroom without my permission for any reason, I mark them absent, which in turn results in a call to their parents. I had two students leave early without my permission and I marked them absent. These students' parents had seen that they were marked absent, and the students were negatively reinforced for their actions. These students were aware of this consequence, they chose to react and test it out, and they received the consequence that was expected. I hope that I effectuated learning of classroom citizenship in the situation and that these two students will learn a new behavior that will be desirable for our classroom environment.

What is Learning?-Week 2-Behaviorism

In my post from week one, I discussed how learning is the connection of prior knowledge and skills with new knowledge and skills. After reading and contemplating the topic of behaviorism, I have come to the realization that learning would also involve the connection of existing behaviors and attitudes with ones that are foreign or new to us. As teachers, we are constantly trying to teach our students new behaviors and expose them to new ideas and perspectives in hopes of developing their attitudes of people, places, and ideas. We try to accomplish this by considering what stimuli our students may have been exposed to in the past and how they may have responded to that stimuli. Based on this information, we can create effective stimuli that will result our students learning and developing new desired behaviors and attitudes.

How can learning be best effectuated by a teacher/trainer (be specific/give examples)?

A teacher can effectuate learning best by simply being there for the students. "Being there" would include providing unique learning opportunities, constantly evaluating the students, providing feedback, and guiding the students to their end goal. For example, I teach multimedia classes and often have certain projects for my students to complete. If I am going to be there for my students, I need to provide them with a unique project that will allow them the opportunity to use prior knowledge to discover new information or to develop a new skill. As they are working on this project, I need to evaluate the progress of each student and provide them with feedback where necessary. By doing so, hopefully I can successfully guide them to the end goal in mind. If I omit any of the above mentioned elements of my "being there, " my students may not be able to connect the beginning with the end and could easily get off course from getting to that goal.

What is learning?

I define learning as a process where existing knowledge is met with new information to create further understanding of an idea, concept, or skill.