This week's resources offered many examples of ways that "students could use tools and technologies to create artifacts in order to resolve disequilibration" (Laureate, 2009). If, like Dr. Orey states, we are always trying to reach a balance between what we "think" is reality and what truly "is" reality, then by challenging our students to explore outside their schema we induce the need to either assimilate or accommodate new information so that it fits into their world (Laureate, 2009). The booklet project done by Lynda Donovan's sixth grade language arts class shows that when students were asked to reflect on the novels they read, the end product wasn't a few meaningless paragraphs. Ms Donovan pushed them out of the typical book report schema and inspired them to actively create an artifact representing their knowledge using Microsoft Publisher. Ms. Donovan stated that the project took a lot of"trial and error" in using the technology for the students to achieve their end product (Laureate, 2009). Using technology for a project such as this also exposes students to many 21st century skills such as, organization, communication, presentation, research skills, time management, and reflection (Orey, 2001). Not only did the technology allow them to learn about reading and writing in a different way, but it also taught them many other valuable skills.
Have you ever heard the phrase, everything I needed to know I learned in Kindergarten? Dr. Mitchel Resnik of M.I.T agrees with this idea. His blog on Edutopia, Kindergarten is the model for lifelong learning, is worth the read because I think it relates deeply to the ideas behind the constructionist theory and how project-based learning can continue beyond Kindergarten.
Speaking of Kindergarten, you may be very inspired by this video I also found on Edutopia, Beginning the Journey: Five-year-olds drive their own PBL projects. I just started serving Kindergarten in the art room this year and I have found them to be the most creative and amazing little beings. What I don't understand is what happens to those beautiful creative minds? They just seem to vanish, sometimes as quick as first grade. Is it because their instruction is based less on the Constructionist theory of learning? Is this where technology can play a role in older students classrooms? I hope so.
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Constructionist & Constructivist Learning theories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
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You made a good point about enduring understanding. I agree that allowing students to create projects using technology enables that to get a deeper understanding of the material being learned.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Ms. Donovan probably got more out of her students because she allowed them to create their projects using Microsoft Publisher than she might have if they were just writing a report or even giving an oral report of what they read. You are so right that projects such as these teach students so much more than just the topic being explicitly taught.
Thank you for sharing the great article and video about Kindergarteners. I am one of the teachers in our building that use technology the most. The Principal posed the question about what will happen to Kindergarten students as they move the grades...will their use of technology stop? I feel badly about this question being posed to my colleagues, but I am not going to stop exposing my students to the great uses of technology just because others are not willing to use it. I am going to share this video with my ITRT and administration.
Karen,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the two sites on Kindergarten. The PBL projects those little kinders are involved in is very impressive. I have always said that the only way we will ever truly know what our students are really capable of accomplishing is by giving them unlimited opportunities.
I was also intrigued with Ms. Donovan's Microsoft Publisher novel project. It was evident that her students struggled with creating concrete poems for their novel. They said it was very difficult, but yet they were determined to get their shapes perfect. I admire their commitment to their project.
If you ever find out what happens to those kinders' creative little minds, please let me know. Enjoy your time with them!
Donnel
I was very impressed with edutopia's article about Kindergarten. As a teacher of Kindergarten, I agree with the author in saying that everything that you need in order to be successful is taught in Kindergarten. I do notice a lot of creativity with my Kindergarten students and I believe that it is a huge part of their development as emerging learners. Why can't all grade levels be like that?
ReplyDeleteI do agree that KIndergarten has become somewhat standardized. My children have to know how to read and write several sentences before going on to first grade. Developmentally I know that some children are not ready for that, but according to grade level benchmarks they should be. Overall I feel that as long as teachers do not lose the majority of playtime of Kindergarten then I believe that kids can be receiving of most academics. It is all about how the teacher presents the content.