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Heather Kurto

The Myth of Learning Styles - 0 views

  • . While many of those scientists seek to discover general principles of learning, we all acknowledge that there are differences among students. Understanding these differences and applying that understanding in the classroom can improve everyone's education
  • First, whether we call it talent, ability, or intelligence, people vary in their capacity to learn different areas of content
  • Second, and often intertwined with ability, students differ in their interests. If a student loves the piano, or basketball, or chess, or the biology of frogs, that student will no doubt learn material related to that subject faster than another one who does not share that fascination.
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  • Third, students differ in their background knowledge, and that difference influences their learning
  • Many students will report preferring to study visually and others through an auditory channel. However, when these tendencies are put to the test under controlled conditions, they make no difference—learning is equivalent whether students learn in the preferred mode or not
  • The emphasis on learning styles, we think, often comes at the cost of attention to these other important dimension
  • just as our social selves have personalities, so do our memories.
  • Finally, some students have specific learning disabilities, and these affect their learning in specific ways.
  • The proof that the learning-styles theorist must find is that for some sort of content—whether it be math, poetry, or dodgeball—changing the mode of presentation to match the learning styles helps people learn. That evidence has simply not been found.
  • While such evidence of learning styles would serve as a proof that they exist, the lack of evidence does not prove definitively that they do not exist
  • Teachers should take into account the differences in learners' abilities. And adjusting a lesson not just to be appropriately pitched at the students' level of ability but to take into account their background knowledge and interests is surely an important first step in fostering learning.
  • if a student believes she is a visual learner and therefore disengages and daydreams when a lecturer turns off the PowerPoint and tells a story, this will prevent her from learning the concept through a compelling narrative. And while these beliefs may not have as direct an impact on performance reviews as they do in K-12 settings, a belief in learning styles occasionally shows up in student evaluations of teaching:
  • (can the auditory learner learn geography through hearing it? Can the visual learner become better at music by seeing it?)
  • Third, learning-styles theory has succeeded in becoming “common knowledge.” Its widespread acceptance serves as an unfortunately compelling reason to believe it
  • econd, learning-styles theory is sometimes offered as a reason to include digital media in the classroom.
  • . We shouldn't congratulate ourselves for showing a video to engage the visual learners or offering podcasts to the auditory learners. Rather, we should realize that the value of the video or audio will be determined by how it suits the content that we are asking students to learn and the background knowledge, interests, and abilities that they bring to i
  • Assessment of student interest can also be a useful tool for deciding how to approach the material in a given class
  • Students differ in their abilities, interests, and background knowledge, but not in their learning styles. Students may have preferences about how to learn, but no evidence suggests that catering to those preferences will lead to better learning. As college educators, we should apply this to the classroom by continuing to present information in the most appropriate manner for our content and for the level of prior knowledge, ability, and interests of that particular set of students.
  •  
    Great article for all teachers. Thank you!
alexandra m. pickett

The Digital Citizen - My Sojourn in the World of Web 2.0 by Irene Watts-Politza - 3 views

  • “You are interacting with one single individual at all times.  There is no ‘class’ …”
    • Lisa Martin
       
      Thinking about this really helped me redesign my course profile :-)
  • “Design a course with the student perspective, one who has never taken an online course before” (Pickett, What Works?).
    • Lisa Martin
       
      Great advice! I have a hard time sometimes with this, because there's part of me that also wants to design it for someone who not only hasn't taken an online course, but perhaps isn't very tech savvy :-)
  • I must find a balance, however, in order to complete the necessary tasks well so I can savor the doing of those that have salience.
    • Lisa Martin
       
      I need to find balance myself. I think the only reason the way I'm doing things right now is ok is because I live alone. I will eventually have a family, and I want to be an online instructor...I will certainly need to figure this out!
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  • I realized that the online environment is actually a type of classroom; is that why course language includes such terms as “area”, and “room”?
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      e u r e k a ! ! !
  • The resulting ah ha moments became the core of my entry …
  • One activity that I am especially excited to observe is the students tweeting from their placements when they make a course- to- practice connection.
    • Lisa Martin
       
      great idea!
    • Maria Guadron
       
      AWESOME idea! Love it.
  • How am I simultaneously learning how to be an online student and instructor?
    • Lisa Martin
       
      Great way to think about it
  • Something that has been proven to work is frequent, immediate instructor feedback.
    • Lisa Martin
       
      This is a HUGE difference I notice between Alex and other instructors. She has definitely built her social presence with me this way. Her podcast on my learning activities was an eye opener for me. It made me feel so good that she had ACTUALLY looked at my work! I have often wondered if other teachers REALLY did that.
  • Aug 04 2012
  • Reflecting on the online course design process, I realize I have made a tremendous transition from first-time student to instructor in the space of one semester. What I have learned about myself is that I have an affinity for designing in the online environment. 
  • I am technology-proficient.
  • While I am not yet a full technophile, I am surely no longer a technophobe!
  •   I so deeply enjoyed the reading and studying portion of this course … it opened a new world of theory to me, made more exciting by the historic proximity of the leading researchers in the field. 
  • I kept telling myself, “You need the experience if you want to be an instructional designer!”
  • So, reflection has proven its worth yet again:  reflecting on my work in designing EED406 thus far is proof that research-based best practice works.
  • discussion is the heart of online learning. 
  • students’ learning is demonstrated through the vehicle of discussion.  
  • blog posts are personalized records of learning, thinking, and being. 
  • It is not about what the instructor wants to hear, it is about hearing the student’s articulation of what is being learned that is essential to evaluating the content of a blog post.
  • Through trying to be “fearless” about using technology, as Alex advises, I have come to learn that confidence is something that one must exercise in all spheres of the online environment.
  • we can not help but to teach when we learn and to learn when we teach.
  • “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” This is certainly true of discussion forum.  We learn with and for each other: as  you learn, I learn. 
  • (Think Twitter, Irene!) 
  • It causes me to reflect on the similarities between online and physical communities, something I had not thought of before.  Could it be that we really are, slowly and steadily, growing into a genuine community?
  • I am a student whose understanding of connectivism and heutagogy is being developed experientially through taking this course.
  • Teaching presence also involves anticipating students’ needs based on monitoring progress and being ready to find that perfect something to support the student’s learning.
  • I have spent my academic life I believing that I have to ‘go it alone’, since I walked home from school alone the first day of first grade.  Strangely, this course, in which I spend so much time alone, is teaching me that I don’t. 
  • complaints, above, I think about the layout of the course; if it’s too many clicks away or the explanations aren’t clear, students become anxious, lose interest, and possibly
  • I just finished what may be my last discussion post for ETAP640. As I went through the post process, I was cognizant of each step: read your classmates’ posts; respond to something that resonates within you; teach (us) something by locating and sharing resources that support your thinking;  include the thinking and experiences of classmates; offer your opinion on what you are sharing; cite your resources for the benefit of all; tag your resources logically.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      hi irene!
  •  
    Student Reflections @wattspoi on "Heutagogy & its Implications for Evaluative Feedback" http://t.co/xiuWsCsD #lrnchat #edchat
alexandra m. pickett

etap687 Joan Erickson - 3 views

    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Brilliant! i love how you have made your thinking visible to me here!!!
  • 2) leaving my comfort zone and exploring methods I had little training in. 
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      i am so glad you choose #2, joan!
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  •  Synthesizing and formulating a mini-thesis is where learning becomes meaningful for me; this is where mere information becomes MY knowledge
    • Shoubang Jian
       
      Well said. I couldn't agree with you more.
  • Then I think about the etap course now.  The teaching presence is so apparent.  I see it from the professor in the way shes asks questions and my classmates in their posts.  I listen to the exemplar courses interviews and think “wow, it must be interesting to be in that course!”
  • I don’t really care how students categorize me as a certain type or style of teacher.  I want to know if I am a good teacher in terms of challenging students to obtain knowledge. 
  • ” yeah, Joan Erickson is not easy but she can get you to do really good work.  And you know you are learning stuff in her class.”  
  • learning.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      don't forget to self assess : )
  • But does it make sense to a novice learner’s eye?
  • I love my subject, but I have failed to utilize the human nature to my advantage.  I forgot how powerful social interaction, motivation (how to engage), and the need to feel ownership can be in helping students learn. 
    • Sue Rappazzo
       
      This is very moving Joan. You must be a great teacher to think this way.
  • I don’t know yet if my online students will step up to the plate, actively and enthusiastically contribute what they know to the community.
    • Francisca Capponi
       
      Hi Joan (4) I have the same fear, I think they will be more slow that we expect, so we have to be patient, and encourage them to participate at first, and wait till they feel comfortable participating, but I hope it will work after a while!
  • Kind of like a wedding planner who walks through the empty reception hall and can foresee the problems with lighting, photography, food, and traffic pattern…  I am the course designer, it is my job to minimize any possible glitches.  It is my job to provide students with a doable and engaging learning environment.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      exactly!!
  • I see more clear vision of myself as an educator.  During this summer course I was confronted with questions that challenged my teaching practices. I started asking myself why I wouldn’t try to trust my students more, let them develop the social presence in the f2f class?  What was the harm in that I wouldn’t even consider trying it?
  • I’ve finally made the connection between theory and application.  I witnessed firsthand the benefit of social constructivism.  It can be done.  Our etap687 course is a living proof.
  • I understand myself better as a learner.  This course pushed me to think honestly what I truly want to do. 
  • Taking education courses  is like a spring that feeds into my puddle, bringing fresh new perspectves and ideas.  I needed it.  It’s reshaped my outlook on teaching.
  • For weeks and weeks I was obsessed with making Jing videos, trying new communication tools. 
  • have 2 weeks left.  I want to make a difference.  I CAN make a difference.  I can use the web 2.0 applications as my allies.  There is enough time for me to plan and implement changes in the f2f courses before school starts.
  • My reflecting puddle may seem small, because there is so much to learn and I’ve just begun.  But my puddle is deeper and its water runs clearer now.  Taking education courses  is like a spring that feeds into my puddle, bringing fresh new perspectves and ideas.  I needed it.  It’s reshaped my outlook on teaching.
  • 2 weeks ago I wrote my tagline on this blog as my “reflecting puddle”.  I still think it’s a puddle; it is still small(but so much deeper!).  I can recount the discoveries on this etap687 journey when I stare into the puddle.  I see the following things:
  • ’t believe we are coming to the end of this course.  It wasn’t that long ago I was installing diigo toolbar, signing up for voice thread, and setting up this blog site.
  • Now the excitement of trying new tools has settled a bit.  I start to think how technology tools will impact my teaching. 
  • My self efficacy is low.  Does it matter in the end?  I only have two  options:  If I cant’ seem to do the work, I should leave the course.  Or, I try with my darnedest effort, and see where I land. Time to take a chance!  I think I will have a lot to gain!
  • So this is what I’m gonna do:  I will blog here periodically and document my journey in the Ed Psych course.  Let’s see if I can be honest with myself.  Learn because life in general is interesting and worth exploring, and I can’t capture all on my own.  So I go to the experts and learn knowledge from them.
  • For weeks and weeks I was obsessed with making Jing videos, trying new communication tools.  I thought WOW, these are the coolest things I’ve learned this summer!  Now the excitement of trying new tools has settled a bit.  I start to think how technology tools will impact my teaching.  What other tasks should be let go in order to make room for the new things in my practice?  What educational principles do I base on to justify the changes?  What kind of measured learning outcomes and students’ perceived learning do I anticipate after the changes are implemented?
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      hi joan!
  • I added several communication tools.  I want the students to feel that I want to talk to them.  I want them to hear and see me.  (again, teaching presence and social presence.)
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      good point
Melissa Pietricola

Rethinking Schools Online - 0 views

  • A person can teach in one of Milwaukee's 125 publicly funded private schools without even a high school diploma.
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      Does this really make sense? Without a high school diploma? How does that really improve student learning, but online learning?
  • "teacher proof"
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      Maybe we could just have one super-teacher make a video and post it to you tube and that would solve all our problems..
  • Such approaches ignore fundamental issues of resources, teacher leadership, teaching and learning conditions, and the need for much more time for teachers to collaborate, assess student progress, and improve their teaching skills.
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  • 20 percent of all new hires leave the classroom within three years. In urban districts, the numbers are worse; close to 50 percent of newcomers leave within their first five years.
  • Poor children are the most likely to be taught by the newest and least-qualified teachers
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      The point here is that they are new and unseasoned. In my experience, these often can be the most energetic and creative. Simply saying they are the newest does not necessarily mean they are the least-qulified.
  • But if students rarely — if ever — see a teacher of color, or if teachers of color feel isolated and/or burdened by being "the only" in their schools, educational quality suffers.
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      Perhaps online educators are colorless? This would help address this problem.
  • Such "conversation" implies thoughtful dialogue. We need to create the institutional spaces where in-depth reflection and discussion about good teaching take place on a regular basis.
    • Melissa Pietricola
       
      The one risk would be that online education became so common place that we could teach remotely and miss out on this collaboration.
  • "We have tried to figure out how you can have creative and constructive resistance and how you can layer in your knowledge . . . to try to craft something that has integrity and matches what we know about learning."
  • It's a matter of reform grounded  in the classroom, of respect for teaching as a profession, of a broader vision of social justice, and of improved organizing and collaboration.
Diane Gusa

ETAP640student FIR reflections - 1 views

shared by Diane Gusa on 07 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • Fook and +Askeland (2007) explore the benefits of critical reflections. They point out that reflection is an intentional practice of exploring underlying assumptions in thought processes, for the purpose of achieving growth.  They explain that this practice is useful for an individual to be able to understand their own thinking, and gain better insight into what drives their behaviors.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      link please!
  • Did You Know Video
  • Ian’s post about faculty ignoring technology forced me to reflect on my own biases.
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  • It has taken nearly 2 years for the administration on our campus to support the request of one of our faculty members to provide infrastructure and equipment to use Elluminate. Elluminate (http://www.elluminate.com) is a web based tool that provides opportunities for distance learners to stay in their location and participate in synchronous, real time lectures, seminars, or presentations with other members in a different location.
  • Furnborough and Truman (2009)
    • Diane Gusa
       
      Hi Francis, I too am guilty here, and this course has taught me the importance of redundancy. I beleive it will cut down on the many emails I get by students who "forget" what is expected.
  • June 20th, 2011
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      francia: there are 2 blog posts due for each module. for module 2 they were due between june 6-19th.
  • it is ideal to make the online environment as effective as possible to meet the learning objectives, and the learners needs.
    • Donna Angley
       
      Yes, very good point - and as I'm learning week after week, there are many technologies out there to help with meeting the objectives. What I've realized in the past 2 weeks or so is that I didn't have very clear objectives. Once I clarified those, I found it easier to begin to build my course and visualize the modules.
  • This includes the feedback I so diligently write on their assignments.
    • Donna Angley
       
      I am so guilty of this; Alex had left me feedback in several areas, and I didn't realize it. I wasn't checking back frequently enough. Live and learn.
  • I honestly don’t see how all of this technology has necessarily improved life for the poor, the hungry, and the uneducated
    • Donna Angley
       
      I agree that perhaps these populations aren't benefiting from the technology yet, but the potential is huge. Imagine being able to reach out to poorer communities via online learning. Urban schools have a really difficult time recruiting and retaining quality teachers. It's not unheard of for an uncertified teacher to teach in an urban school, because they are so desperate for teachers to man the classrooms. If some of the learning can happen online, or if they could offer blended classes, it could have real potential to raise graduation rates. Online learning is still fairly new in the grand scheme, but it is spreading like wildfire. More people will come on board, great minds will (have) come together for Best Practices, and the proof will be in the student outcomes.
    • Diane Gusa
       
      Hi Francia, Sorry for spelling your name wrong in last sticky note. What you are trying to achieve is a paradigm shift....it takes time, but it can happen Diane
JJ Wagner

Module 4 assignment - Wagner - 0 views

    • JJ Wagner
       
      Congruent triangles section is more for Translations. Great resources though, especially rotations which are the toughest for students to grasp.
    • JJ Wagner
       
      This page shows examples of parallel lines cut by a transversal (alt int angles, alt ext angles, etc). Will help students to prove parallel lines given these known angles.
    • JJ Wagner
       
      REALLY great applet to show that the exterior angles of ANY polygon add up to 360 degrees.
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