The two concepts I read about this week in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works is Cues, Question, and Advance Organizers and also summarizing and Note Taking. The first strategy I read about this week was Marzano’s thoughts on Cueing and Essential Questions. (Mazanno, 2007). It is so key for our student’s to post the initial Essential Question. It should be no mystery to our student’s what they are learning. We need to explicitly tell them what they will be learning today. We need to post the main idea of the lesson, the essential question of the unit of study, and refer to it often as we are studying the skills we will be learning in our units of study. Marzanno said, “ Asking student’s to use background knowledge to answer essential questions aligns with research showing higher-order question s produce deeper learning than lower0order questions do (Marzano, Pickering, Polock, 2001 pg. 78). Students need to be able to synthesize information that is not directly stated to them. Through the use of higher-level questions, students learn the thinking skills necessary for learning.
The second strategy from Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works is summarizing and note taking. Graphic representation for note taking has shown to increase student achievement. (Pitler, 2007). When students take notes and use the notes they take, they are able to remember the information that is being taught. I have seen this work in the classroom. I teach my student's what is key when they are taking notes. I have the interactive Smart board and will highlight what is important and key words for them. I remind them they don't have to write everything down but key important facts. Our textbook reminds us that key words are important. The student will synthesize the information when they focus on important facts.
A new tool for me this week was concept mapping. It is a great visual for student’s to know what we are studying. We can post our essential question and refer and build upon our concept map as we are teaching our unit. I have used Virtual Field Trips while teaching Social Studies before. I have many new links to other virtual field trips that I can use. I really like history.org virtual field trip. It not only teaches the student’s about the town of Williamsburg, but it also teaches key concepts in the Revolutionary War. It gives students an understanding of why our country went to war and why they wanted their independence. It explores deeper than they didn’t like taxes. It gives them an idea of how colonists felt betrayed by their government.
How does all of this relate cognitive learning theories? Learning is commonly defined as a process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in one's knowledge, skills, values, and world views (Illeris, 2004; Ormrod, 1995). When teachers set clear objectives, one’s skills and values can be changed. One can learn and grow in the environment they are in. Teachers can change the way a student learns by the right environment and by implementing technology into the classroom.
Illeris. (2001). Learning theory (education). In Wikipedia. Journal of
Transformative Education (2): 79-89. doi:10.1177/1541344603262315. Retrieved July 11, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_theory_(education).
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with
Classroom instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Robertson, B., Elliot, L., & Robinson, D. (2007). Cognitive tools. In M. Orey (Ed.),
Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/.
I am glad that you try to teach your kids that they only need to take notes on key information. I was shocked that my third graders this year could not summarize or pick out main points. They thought they had to mark everything in highlighter or on the other end that their summaries of a story could be just two sentences. I had to go back to the beginning and work with them step-by-step. Taking time for this made other lessons so much easier later on, but I was actually frustrated at first because I thought the K, 1, & 2 teachers should have worked with their students on this skill. However, those teachers said that is not their focus. I find it interesting that Marzano (2001) has nine instructional strategies and this happens to be one of them. I feel it is very important to teach students this skill even at a young age. I, like you, utilize the SmartBoard. Students can easily go up to the board and mark out sentences or highlight important parts. We can easily erase and modify these markings too. Thank you for your insights into the strategies this week.
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Marzano, R.J., Pickering, D.J., & Pollock, J.E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
I am glad that you are starting to work on key points in third grade. K and 1 is a little young. They might be able to start working on this in 2nd grade. What grade level is summaries of a story key. I remember doing this in 2nd grade when I taught it. It is very important to teach key points. I tried this with highlighting one sentence per paragraph this year. Many students struggle with this task. It takes a lot of modeling. You can use the technology and Smart board in this effort.
ReplyDeleteHi Cami –
ReplyDeleteI love that you say it should be no mystery what students are learning. It is so true. Often times I see when students ask, “why do I need to learn this?” it is because they are unaware of what the objectives are. This has definitely become one of the first steps I take during the introduction of new concepts. I think it helps myself and the student clarify any misconceptions, confusions, and stay focused. I think this helps students readily identify what key elements are important and activate some critical thinking! Great observation!
I have never used www.history.org and since I don’t teach history will look at it recreationally, but excited to pass it on to my partner teachers.
Nice Post.
A colleague and I applied through the counties department of education in 2006 for a trip to Colonial Williamsburg. I had a one year old and really didn't think they would select us to go. To my surprise they did select us and I had to arrange with my mother-in-law and husband to take care of the kids and spent a week there engrossed in United States history. It changed the way I teach history and the way I teach Language Arts. I incorporate Language Arts and Social Studies together. This website is really good (one of the best I've seen). I use the website all the time. They also offer really good media on this site too.
ReplyDeleteI have never done a virtual field trip with my students before. I am eager to explore the link you included in your blog and use it with my students. How often do you use virtual field trips with your students and what kind of reaction do you get from them?
ReplyDeleteIn our school we are not allowed to go on actual field trips anymore so I think virtual field trips would be a great addition to my classroom. If i find them to be successful I will definitely share the information with my colleagues and encourage them to use virtual field trips in their classrooms. As far as I know no one has used them in my school before so I may be a first!
I use the Williamsburg Virtual Field Trip when I introduce the Revolutionary War Unit. We spend about 2 months on this topic. The kids will go to the computer lab and explore the history.org website.
ReplyDeleteI am sad that you do not get to go on field trips. Perhaps you can find good virtual field trips for Social Studies.