In this week's learning resources, Dr. Orey discussed how constructivism is simply when students are actively engaged in the learning being presented to them and being able to create an artifact to demonstrate what they have learned.
With technology, students see their world and interests from outside the school walls and being transformed into the classroom. It becomes fun and exciting to them when iPod touches and lap tops and Smart Boards become part of learning. Technology is a great motivational tool that sparks interests and turns learning into something that is fun, not something that has to be done. In the end, it all comes down to critical thinking and active student engagement. With technology, both are evident.
Every year, my class is part of an opera program funded by the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. They love learning about the opera and seeing it live, but this year I really wanted to take it up a notch. One of the assignments that the students have is to come up with a series of questions about the opera and interview a partner, and every year this is written in a notebook and lost forever at the end of the school year. This past year, I had them record interviews using iPod touches that we have in class and uploading them onto podcasts. We were able to create our own little news conference station and it was a huge success. Parents and administration views the site over and over. I have been doing this program for three years and have never seen my students so motivated than I have this year, because technology held a big role. It helped motivate them to be critical thinkers and gave them a better understanding of the information. In turn, they created a wonderful, meaningful, final artifact.
Matthew,
ReplyDeleteAnytime technology is introduced in the classroom, students become interested. I love your idea of a podcast to prepare/motivate your students to become excited about the opera program. The podcast project was probably a first for many of your students and they will forever remember the project and what they learned because of the influence of technology.
Does your school provide the ipod touches for each classroom? or do you fund these on your own?
Matthew,
ReplyDeleteI think you provide an excellent example of how technology can be used to motivate your students. You’ve taken a good assignment and, as you’ve stated, “took it up a notch” by adding tools that students are interested in using to create artifacts which can be shared with others. After creating a podcast for a previous class, I too am interested in having my students create podcasts of their own in my newspaper and English classes. Although in my high school we are lagging behind in terms of technology, this is definitely something I would like to explore. I hope that my students will also be motivated by new technology as yours were, and I look forward to what they will create using these tools which will make learning more interesting and meaningful to them.
Regina
Liz,
ReplyDeleteThere are about 12 iPod touches that we use. It is shared throughout the grade and therefore shared in the classrooms between students. It was very exciting for them. Not too long ago, I was still going on the check the site where we posted the podcasts and it was still getting some visits from the students. I hope this is something they will be able to continue in the future.