Reflecting Upon My Personal Theory of Learning

Looking back on the first assignment for this class, there is nothing that I would modify in what I originally wrote. That being said, I would add something to my personal learning view.

Music is a subject that requires a lot of higher-level mental operation, cognitivism, in order to be successful. Music is also an emotional subject. In Brain Research and Learning, Dr. Pat Wolfe stated, "emotion is a catalyst for learning." Music is a subject that I love, which is why it has been a big part of my life for 32 years. I became a music teacher to pass on that love and my knowledge of music to my students. Students also need to create music, constructivism/constructionism, in order to be successful. Dr. Michael Orey defined constructivism as "a theory of knowledge stating that each individual actively constructs his/her own meaning." He defined constructionism as "a theory of learning that states people learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others." When people become involved in music, they create in order find meaning, and they create in order to show their love of music to others. Since that is the case, I would have to revise my personal view of learning to combine my cognitivism with constructionism/constructivism.

The one adjustment I need to make is related to the use of paper materials. My school already limits the amount of paper and copies that the teachers may use. I would like to reduce, if not eliminate, the use of paper in my classes. In addition, I want to reduce the number of copies that are made. The two technology tools that I will use to meet this goal are the internet/computer and my Interwrite board. All of my music classes will be required to use an internet-based theory program to learn foundational material. I will provide classwork/homework and exams for my students to complete and submit to my email for grading. I will also require my students to complete some of the classwork/homework assignments using the Interwrite board. By having my students complete the work on the Interwrite board, I can observe individual students at work and comment on their thought processes. In addition, the rest of the class can also learn from watching their classmates work.

There are two long-term goals I would like to achieve. The first is related to preparation. Music is not an easy subject to learn, and I should not prepare for it as if it is easy. There is plenty of music related technology available online for students to use and learn from. I need to spend the time researching and cataloging what is available for my students. Listening to examples of music, viewing musical scores, watching old concerts, and writing music are among the many music-related activities available for students now. The other long-term goal I have is to eliminate the use of paper in my classes. Most, if not all, of what I do in class can be done without paper. I will have a class set of computers available next year. Assignments can be completed using the computers. Exams can be given using the Interwrite board and clickers. The only paper that I should need to use is for send home progress reports.

Resources

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program two. Brain Research and Learning [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program seven. Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

Social Learning is defined by Dr. Michael Orey as "students actively engaged in constructing artifacts and conversing with others" (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). This ties in directly with the definition of cooperative learning, which "focuses on having students interact with each other in groups in ways that enhance their learning" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). In essence, we are dealing with the concept of group work.

Group work, or cooperative learning, is an advantageous way for students to learn and process material. It allows teachers the opportunity to be facilitators. The teacher introduces new concepts, then the students take the lead and learn the material on their own, while the teacher observes and guides the learning. Students can be placed in permanent (base) groups in such a way that each person's strength can be taken full advantage of. The material that the students have learned can be presented in a variety of ways, including web pages, PowerPoint presentations, videos, and wikis.

The material itself can be learned in several ways. The first way is where each student researches the entire topic, discusses it with their group mates, then comes to a consensus. Web pages and wikis are great ways for students to create this type of presentation. This method, however, can quickly result in one member of the group doing all the work while the other members do nothing and take credit. The second way, utilizing a "jigsaw" strategy, requires each student to research one sub-topic each, then come together with their group members to build the whole product. The "jigsaw" method relies on each group member doing their own part of the work to create a complete project. The students can"come together" during school hours, or after school through Skype, a wiki, or email. The key to being successful using either method is communication. The students must collaborate frequently in order to create a finished product.

Resources

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2007). Program eight [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

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