Week Eight - June 11
Mindtools, Cognition and Knowledge
Jonassen, Peck & Wilson (1999). Chapter 6: Learning by Reflecting with Technology: Mindtools for Critical Thinking
Norton & Wiburg (1998). Chapter 5: Designs for Knowledge
First presentation over and done! Quite a relief! I
really enjoyed our evaluation of the PBS Nova website on Roman Baths.
Browsing a site with a critical eye is an enlightening experience.
Searching skills are often proposed as a necessary ability for students
in performing effective research. Learning
to search for information is an art that improves with practice and technique.
Upon completion of this assignment, I would propose that being able to
effectively evaluate a site in terms of learner need is also crucial to
effective research.
Our discussion broached the topic of rubric choice.
Although the PBS website failed miserably when measured against the
California rubric, some thought it still merited presence in a classroom
discussion on Roman Civilizations. Teachers
should choose rubrics to reflect their needs, resources and learners so that it
isn’t necessary to measure a site/paper/text etc. against an unforgiving
ideal!
To foster an environment of critical thinking students must understand and use information as opposed to simply memorizing. Norton & Wyberg as well as Jonassen, Peck & Wilson, stress the important of technology integration of a constructivist nature. This is, student s using what they learn to solve problems. This area will be a major component of my final project as too often I see teachers using technology to fulfill an objective requirement as opposed to use to enhance student understanding. Computers labs are frequently utilized by the same teachers again and again and not at all by others. Students should have access to technology regardless of which teacher happens to be in their classroom. I am not saying that technology use is a measure of a teachers worth, and those who do not utilize technology are ineffective teachers. My argument dates back to early discussions on teacher ability, practical resources and training. These are all factors entering into my final project and I feel that both chapters provide excellent examples and theories on technology use to foster a constructivist environment.