Constructionism is one of those theories
that just makes sense to me. While all theories have a place in my class, this
one is front and center every day. The idea behind the constructionism theory
is that students create an artifact to share with others in order to learn
(Laureate Education, 2011). One class that I teach is focused on using Adobe
software applications to design and create various products. The class is set
up so that students engage in a lot of self-discovery. In my experience with
technology and students today, this is the best way for them to learn. They are
constantly using their phones or ipods, helping them to establish a specific
schema about how technologies work in their lives. In my class, I encourage
students to call upon their prior understandings and see what connections they
can make with the new applications. This is an accommodation mechanism, but also
encourages assimilation in regards to the new software (Laureate Education,
2011).
Throughout the process of using the new
software to create products such as logos, business cards, advertisements, and
other items, students are forming hypotheses in their minds about how the tools
of the software work and what the final product will look like (Pitler,
Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). In order to further encourage the development of
these hypotheses, I may pair up the students so they can discuss their ideas
with a partner. This has helped open up the lines of communication in my class
to the point that I do not have to direct the students to partner up any more.
They are constantly working together or discussing a tool or topic of the
software, then taking what they discussed back to their products to test it out
and see how it works. If it does not turn out to be what they are looking for,
they automatically turn back to their partner, or maybe even a different one,
to help generate new ideas and hypotheses (Pitler, et al, 2012). Finally, I
have the students record their hypotheses and findings into a blog. We use a secure
blog resource called Kidblog (www.kidblog.org).
This is a way for them to communicate their thoughts and participate in a
discussion regarding what tools and processes did and did not work throughout
the project (Pitler, et al, 2012). The blog follows along with the constructionism
theory in a simple and natural way, as students have to think through the
process and call upon existing schema to help discover and communicate new ideas and understandings
as they work to link the knowledge to their current situation (Laureate Education,
2011).
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer).
(2011). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist
learning theories
[Video webcast]. Bridging learning
theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learnCourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E.R., & Kuhn, M.
(2012). Using technology with classroom
instruction that works (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA”ASCD.
Vicki,
ReplyDeleteYour class structure sound very similar to mine. You use small groups and encourage independent discovery with peer help when needed. I like the use of blogs you describe and I remember from previous posts that you use blogs some as a bell ringer. Have you integrated blogs in your class in other ways? Do your students only blog during school or class time or have you been able to get any participation at home? I see so many possibilities for blogs but I am having some difficulties coming up with relevant and meaningful ways to use this tool. Great Post.
I have only used blogs for bell ringers and exit slips up to this point. I, too, and struggling to find good ways to use blogs. I facilitated a professional development session about how to use Google Blogger to other teachers in my building. They were all very intrigued by the idea, but were having the same issue as we seem to be having. One teacher thought she might try doing a public blog where she could post the homework for the week and any other announcements that need to be made as a way to better communicate to parents. I encouraged her to try it and report back with how it goes! I thought about trying to have small groups complete a blog post to reflect on a project they completed. I'm just not sure how to make this happen smoothly!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like you've been working constructionism in your classroom really well! I agree that students are able to use background knowledge of other tech to learn new systems or applications, they are very adept at connecting the new facts into their schema.
ReplyDeleteMandy
Vicki,
ReplyDeleteOur classroom organization seems similar. I too like to group students to create their artifacts. I also noticed that your class utilizes cell phones and iPads. At my school students are only allowed electronic devices provided by the school. It seems like such a hinderance to how electronic devices can be implemented. Maybe my district will leave the ice age soon. Thanks for the great post!
Yes! I love your idea of using a blog. You have explained constructionism as it can be connected with generating and testing hypotheses in a clear and simple manner! The term “generating and testing hypotheses” sounds so big and ominous. I don’t think it needs to be. I found a great site with specific ideas on how to actually implement the big term. I have inserted my own comments in parentheses. This is from: http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/gene.php
ReplyDeleteFine-tune your use of inquiry by focusing on how students generate and test hypotheses and predictions. Research suggests best practices for instruction:
1. Good questions make better hypotheses. Teach students how to frame a good question. Help them narrow their inquiry to a topic they can reasonably explore. (Students will “build” or construct their own question. Working collaboratively may provide a richer question.)
2. Ask for explanations. Encourage students to explain their hypotheses or predictions aloud. This will prompt them to explain their understanding of underlying concepts, giving you a window into their understanding. (Perhaps students can utilize technology by using some type of recording device-next week’s assignment? What is it, Voice Thread?)
3. Watch for (and mediate) misconceptions. If students are basing a prediction on a false premise or conceptual misunderstanding, set up activities to challenge their thinking. (Yikes, this goes a little higher in thinking and ability levels. Do our students know what a false premise is?)
4. Scaffold investigations. Structure their learning experience to maximize results. Provide them with a framework for investigating. (Constructionism, scaffold, structure, framework, BUILD)
5. Use role play. Acting out characters (Hamlet) or agents (red blood cell) prompts students to make predictions. Based on what they know about their role, how will their character react? How will the agent interact with other agents? (Students will have to build their script. Activity is built or set up with the questions provided.)
6. Highlight patterns and connections. Help students recognize patterns in their findings. Show them how to transform raw data into graphs or other visual representations that will help them see patterns and make connections. (The graphs require technology to present the artifact. The other visual representations can be made via technology.)
7. Use questioning strategies. Ask questions throughout the inquiry cycle—when students are posing questions, while they are investigating, when they analyzing results or presenting conclusions. At each stage, challenge them to explain their reasoning and defend results. (I love to ask them to explain their reasoning. This is such a simple yet crucially important strategy. I had a student say that they hated a story we read. She gave no explanation. Come Monday I will be asking her why, what didn’t she like, and specifically what made her come to this conclusion in her evaluation. She knows I am not disrespecting her, because I have set up the conditions where the students know an answer like this will not fly with me. I think she forgot. I love to question the students because I really want to know what and how they are thinking!)
Hope this provided some food for thought.
Debra