Final Course Reflection #7.

What are your suggestions for improving the design of this course?

First, present more information and guidelines for collaboration. Maybe that could be the coursework for the first week. Let everyone research or read articles about collaboration and respond to a prompt or question in the discussion area. If everyone has input they might "buy into" it more and have a chance to better understand the expectations. Once the roles are clear let the class members choose roles for the different chapters but require that everyone experience each role once. Think of an alternate activity to replace the quizzes or at least revise the roles a little so the editor isn't using a scoring guide he/she didn't create. Maybe there should just be a general guide for everyone to use.

I think all the topics we covered were important but I would have liked to have spent more time on the technology topics in chapter 8. I wasn't very familiar with some of them so I would have liked more information or activities with them. Finally, I think the course needs to incorporate more constructivist methods than just the wiki writing. The wiki writing was a great learning experience but I think it would have been even more beneficial to participate in or plan activities involving other constructivist methods.

Final Course Reflection #6

Please comment about building quizzes and answer keys, and on grading your peers.

I really feel that the quizzes were a traditional rather than a constructivist based assessment. I would have preferred doing other activities rather than taking quizzes. My first role was as editor but since we didn't have a quiz builder I didn't have quizzes to grade. So I really didn't experience grading my peers except on the 4 objective questions for chapter 8. When I was the quiz builder on a previous chapter we didn't have an author but I was very pleased with the alternative way we devised for the class members to take the quiz. At that point though there was confusion grading quizzes because the scoring guide wasn't posted for everyone to know how the answers were being graded. Once the scoring guide/rubric was posted with the quiz questions I think it was easier for everyone to know what the expectations were. Also, I think it was hard for the editor to grade quizzes from a rubric/scoring guide he/she didn't create.

Final Course Reflection #5

As a result of your experience in this class, are you more likely or less likely to assign collaborative wiki writing assignments in your teaching situation?

I really don't think the 6th-8th grade students I work with are ready for writing for a wiki. They would need more preparation for this type of collaborative work because they prefer projects that involve multimedia tools and resources. I will recommend collaborative wiki writing to our district gifted teacher because it would be a great venue for her students to publish their research for an authentic audience.

Final Course Reflection #4

Please compare the experience of doing research and authoring a textbook for a class (like this one) versus the traditional way of reading and studying and assigned textbook for a class

Since I love to research, I really enjoyed reading and learning about constructivism on my own. While doing research I was able to "veer off the path" and investigate related ideas or topics so I really did construct my own knowledge. I wouldn't have been able to do that by reading and studying an assigned textbook. I was also very aware of organization, deadlines and the quality of my writing since my peers and any Internet user could read my work. On the other hand though by reading the other class members' chapters and taking the quizzes I felt like I was still reading an "assigned textbook".

Final Course Reflection #3

Please comment on your experience of others observing and/or critiquing your writing in the WikiBook.

I really didn't experience any problems with class members observing or critiquing my writing There didn't seem to be anyone else editing my work once it was posted in the wiki.

Final Course Reflection #2

Please evaluate the emphasis on collaboration in writing the WikiBook chapters.

I really enjoyed learning how to use the Google docs sandbox. It was definitely a progressive learning experience as the first time when we just pasted information in it and then we developed better ways to organize the information. Using the sandbox really helped to write the chapter and it was a great way to collaborate note-taking. Having organized and conscientious group members made the collaboration process easy and rewarding

My frustration with the collaboration process was that I only had one active partner for each chapter I was assigned. I never experienced working in a group of three. It was questionable up until the deadline (or after) if the third person was going to participate. For the first chapter I worked on there wasn't a quiz builder, for the second there wasn't an author and for the third there wasn't a quiz builder. So by having one missing member the other two member couldn't fully fulfill their roles. There needs to be a way for the instructors to know as soon as someone drops a class or at least make it clear from the beginning to inform the instructor if they can't participate.

Final Course Reflection #1

Please describe your overall experience in this course?

I really learned a lot about constructivism this semester especially through researching for my chapters. I find myself referring back to constructivist principles as I work with teachers now on planning research projects. I feel like the only real constructivist method was the collaborative research and writing used for the wiki chapters. I would have liked to have used and experienced methods other than the wiki.

Reflection - The Future

As I've been thinking about the questions for our course reflection and critique I've decided to use what I've learned about constructivism and set several goals for next year when helping teachers plan or revise research projects.
1. I want to help the teachers make their projects more student-centered by giving the students more choices and having input in what they want to learn.
2. I want to promote having students construct their own knowledge and take more responsibility for their learning.
3. I want to encourage the teachers to use collaborative learning to engage students in problem-based learning projects that use critical thinking skills. I want to get them past just regurgitating back facts.
4. Finally, I want to provide more support in integrating technology into their projects. I really want to convince at least one teacher to switch from having all students making a Power Point presentation to allowing choices such as creating a digital movie with Photo Story 3 or Windows Movie Maker or using Comic Life. My dream is to get some teachers and students interested in podcasting.

Reflection - Pulling It All Together

Last week the 8th grade science teacher met with me to plan 2 projects before the end of the school year. (Since science is now an area for 8th grade MAP testing she postponed these activities until after MAP testing). She wanted students to research diseases and create a PowerPoint. I said, "Do you really want to watch 135 PowerPoints?" So as we talked I kept coming back to the principles of constructivism that I learned in this class. Now the students are working in groups and they are choosing a disease group they are interested in. There are 8 tables in the library so there are 8 disease groups for the students to choose from. The students are given this scenario - More and more people are dying from these diseases. Money is needed for research and you have a chance to get a grant for research money for your disease group. Develop a presentation to convince/persuade a panel from St. Louis University to fund their research project. Yes, they are still doing a PowerPoint but hopefully they won't be "cookie cutter". They are deciding what they need to include to impress and convince the panel. We started the project today and it went really well. On each library table I had put the name of the disease group, some books from the library that might help them and a laptop. They chose their disease group yesterday so when they came in the library today they just sat down at the table and began discussing with their group members. They made a web to develop their guiding questions/topics and then divided up the research among the group members. At the end of the day today the 8th grade science teacher said she heard some of the students say that this project is fun. That's quite a compliment from 8th graders, especially towards the end of the school year.

Resource - YouTube podcasting video

This short (4 minute 30 seconds) video presents the basics of podcasting for educators in a very simple and straightforward manner.

Cassinelli, C. (2007, July 3). Integrating podcasting into your classroom. Retrieved April 7, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExkMeQfuLGc

Resources - Podcasting on the internet

While researching podcasting last week I found the following websites to have very interesting and useful information.

Reynolds, C. & Bennett, L. (2008, July 7). A social constructivist approach to the use of podcasts. ALT Newsletter. Retrieved April 4, 2009, from http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk/e_ article 001142653.cfm

Seitinger, J. (2006, July 31). Be constructive: Blogs, podcasts, and wikis as constructivist learning tools. Learning Solutions. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from http://www3.griffith.edu.au/03/ltn/docs/Design_Strategies.pdf

Shelley, N. (n.d.). Podcasting in the classroom. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~nshelley/index.html

Tuttle, H.G. (2008, September 22). Constructivism and web 2.0. Message posted to http://www.hotchalk.com/mydesk/index.php/hotchalk-blog-by-dr-harry-grover-tuttle-on-teaching/372--constructivism-and-web-20

Vincent, T. (2009, February). Podcasting for Teachers & Students. Retrieved from http://learninginhand.com/podcasting/Podcasting_Booklet.pdf

Resources - podcasting articles

Here's a list of articles on podcasting:

Diott, A.M. (2007, April). A (pod)cast of thousands. Educational Leadership, 64(7). Retrieved April 6, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Lee, J. W., McLoughlin, C. & Chan, A. (2008, May). Talk the talk: Learner-generated podcasts as catalysts for knowledge creation. British Journal of Educational Technology, 39(3). Retrieved April 6, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Lipscomb, G. B., Guenther, L. M. & McLeod, P. (2007, April). Sounds good to me: Using digital audio in the social studies classroom. Social Education, 71(9). Retrieved April 3, 2009 from Academic Search Premier database.

Schmit, D. (2007, January). Creating a broadcast empire...from the corner of your classroom! Multimedia & Internet@Schools, 14(1). Retrieved April 6, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Vincent, T. & van't Hooft, M. (2007, April). For kids, by kids: Our city podcasts. Social Education, 71(9). Retrieved April 3, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Zuger, S. (2009, February). The science of class collaboration. (How it's done). Technology & Learning, 29(7). Retrieved April 7, 2009, from Science Resource Center database.

Resources - Podcasting books

These are 2 practical books for learning the basics of podcasting and using it in the classroom.

Schmit, D. (2007). Kidcast: Creative podcasting activities, strategies and ideas. Bloomington, IL: FTC Publishing.

Schmit, D. (2007). Kidcast: Podcasting in the classroom. Bloomington, IL: FTC Publishing.

Resource/Reflection - LoTi

I became aware of LoTi (Levels of Technology Implementation) Framework several years ago at the Midwest Education Technology Conference. Then last summer for a Webster class I had to take the LoTi DETAILS Questionnaire, analyze the results that showed my current level of technology implementation and create a plan for improvement (reaching a higher level).

Recently reading information on collaborative learning and technology and technology integration (for another class) reminded me of those LoTi framework levels. So I decided to review them. Wow! I found many changes to the website. First, LoTi now means Levels of Technology Innovation. Then they've updated the DETAILS Questionnaire and it's now the LoTi Digital-Age Survey which is aligned with the initiatives set forth by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and with ISTE's National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for Teachers and Administrators. I took the new survey and was quite surprised/impressed/overwhelmed by the questions. They definitely focus on new digital technologies, nontraditional assessment, and student-centered learning. The results are customized for each person and provides information on Current Instructional Practices (CIP), Personal Computer Use (PCU), and LoTi (Levels of Teaching Innovation).

There's so much information I haven't had time to process it all. It's definitely worth visiting their website and learning more about it.

LoTi Lounge. http://www.lqhome.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/lotilounge.woa

Reflection - Is Integrating Technology the Same as Using Technology?

Before taking this class I would never have thought to question what integrating technology in a learning environment truly means. I thought it simply meant educators and/or students having the knowledge and skill to use technological tools -hardware or software- for educational purposes. Teacher can enhance a lesson with an online video or a PowerPoint presentation or have students research on the Internet but now I question if just including technology in a lesson or activity is really integration.

What's integration then? An article on Edutopia explains that effective technology integration is achieved when its use supports curricular goals and the 4 key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts. According to the LoTi framework (http://loticonnection.com/lotilevels.html), the teacher who is integrating technology is promoting an inquiry-based model of teaching that involves students applying their learning to the real world. Their students are fully engaged in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources. Isn't that what constructivism and collaborative learning is all about?
Now I think that in order to truly integrate technology a teacher needs to establish a student-centered learning environment rather than a teacher-directed classroom.

Resources - Elementary Science & Constuctivism

Anyone teaching elementary science and interested in implementing constructivism should check out these resources.

Bergman, D. (2008, June 1). Bug talk: A learning module on insect communication. Science Activities: Classroom Projects and Curriculum Ideas, 45(2), 29-38. Retrieved March 11, 2009 from ERIC database.

Kato, T., & Van Meeteren, B. (2008, June 1). Physical science in constructivist early childhood classrooms. Childhood Education, 84(4), 234. Retrieved March 11, 2009 from ERIC database.

This book, which is available from Webster's library, has information on constructivism,
learner differences, inquiry, assessment, interdisciplinary ideas, and technology in elementary science education.

Martin, D. J. (2000). Elementary science methods: A constructivist approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Reflection - What does "helping" a classmate really mean?

Collaboration requires students working in groups. As I mentioned before students need guidance and instruction in how to work together. Another facet of working together is helping a group member or classmate learn. Teachers often tell students to ask 3 classmates for help before they come to them or they tell one student to help another. In my experience "helping" usually means "telling the answer" to another student. I've had students tell other students or even their teacher that I wouldn't help them because I didn't just tell them an answer. This same concern was addressed in an article on collaborative inquiry that I read for my chapter. The author reminded the reader that students must understand that "telling an answer" or "doing someone's work" is not helping a classmate learn. The author explains that helping means learning to ask the right question so that the other person grasps the meaning or explaining with an example. This is accomplished by the teacher actively and clearly explaining, demonstrating and developing these understandings. I think a teacher needs to model this constantly, even if a student just wants to know what a word means. The student can be questioned about the sentence the word is in, reminded to use context clues, or the teacher can use the word in another sentence. I love to see the smile on a student's face when I say, "See, you did it!'

Resources - Reading, Writing & Collaborative Learning

These books which provide great ideas on implementing collaborative/inquiry learning in language arts classes are available at Webster's Library -

Dale, H. (1997). C0-Authoring in the classroom: Creating an environment for effective collaboration. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.

Short, K.G. & Harste, J.C. (1996). Creating classrooms for authors and inquirers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Reflection - working in groups

As I read more and more about learning communities and different types of collaborative learning, a common theme has emerged - Teachers must first instruct students how to work together. I have read articles about group work from preschool through graduate school (online and distance learning) and they all repeat that same theme. It's really made look at the 6th-8th grade classes I work with. Teachers will have students work on an activity or project in groups but then get frustrated. When I think about the cause of their frustration it usually goes back to the fact that the students didn't work well together. In order for students to work successfully together they need to have appropriate communication and social skills in order to create a caring, accepting, and supportive environment. It isn't just a matter of the teacher "telling" the students how to work together. Remember we're looking at constructivist principles. Students must be involved in establishing rules, procedures and roles for collaborative work. I believe they can do it with the proper guidance and support.

Resources - Collaborative learning basics

You can find basic information about collaborative learning and what to do to prepare students for working in collaborative groups at these websites.

Educational Broadcasting Company. (2004). Workshop: cooperative and collaborative learning. In Concept to Classroom. Retrieved March 13, 2009 from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/coopcollab/explor_sub5.html


Hamm, M. & Adams, D. (2002, Spring). Collaborative inquiry: Working toward shared goals. Kappa Delta Pi Record. Retrieved March 18, 2009 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4009/is_200204/ai_n9054348

Resources - collaborative learning

These are some resources I read while researching for my chapter on collaborative research and writing:

Barclay, K.H., & Breheny, C. (1994, September). Letting children take over more of their own learning: Collaborative research in the kindergarten classroom. Young Children 49(6) 33-39.

Gokhale, A. (1995, Fall). Collaborative learning enhances critical thinking. Journal of Technology Education, 7(1). http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v7n1/gokhale.jte-v7n1.html

Jonassen, D., & Others, A. (1995, January 1). Constructivism and computer-mediated communication in distance education. American Journal of Distance Education, 9(2), 7-26. Retrieved March 6, 2009, from ERIC database.

Trent, M. (1996, March 1). Beyond the comfort zone: Collaborative learning and the national writing project of Louisiana. Retrieved March 14, 2009, from ERIC database.

Viggiano, E. Teaching tip sheet: Collaborative writing. http://wac.gmu.edu/supporting/tip_sheet_collaboration.pdf

Reflection/Resource - collaborating online

We've reached the halfway point in this class and this week I've been thinking about the successes and challenges I've encountered. I've really used my research skills more in the past 8 weeks than for any other class I've taken. It's definitely been more challenging than helping 6th-8th graders research. I've enjoyed locating information and posting resources on the blog and I feel that I've posted resources and reflections consistently. I've also been successful in using google sandbox and I think organization is key to keep it from getting too messy. The wiki sections that I was responsible for look good even though I had some technical difficulties posting a quiz. My biggest challenge has been with the collaborative group work. My first two goups actually consisted of only two active participants . So for the first chapter I worked on there wasn't a quiz builder and for the second there was no author. My partners and I worked around those challenges and overall I think we did a great job. Today I was at Webster's library to check out a book for my research and I came across another book that really caught my attention, Collaborating Online: Learning Together in Community. Although the book is intended for faculty who are teaching online, it has information on constructivism and collaboration that is relevant for any educational setting. It was interesting to compare some of the ideas in the book to some of the experiences I've had with online classes. When I came acrosss the chapter "Collaboration Challenges", I was intrigued because some of the issues presented related to some of the challenges we have faced with this class. This really is an interesting and timely resource.

Paloff, R.M. & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Resources - articles

Here are 2 more articles I found interesting as I was researching this week:

Artino, A. (2008, June 6). A brief analysis of research on problem-based learning. Online Submission. Retrieved March 10, 2009, from ERIC database.

Gordon, M. (2009). Toward a pragmatic discourse of constructivism: Reflections on lessons from practice. Educational Studies 45, 39-58. Retrieved March 9, 2009 from ERIC database.

Reflection/Resource - Project MO-Bridge

I recently received an e-mail from MOREnet about a special project they are promoting. Project MO Bridge is a ten part virtual fieldtrip series that looks at the math, science, economic, historical, cultural, engineering and aesthetic aspects of building a bridge. The Missouri Research & Education Network (MOREnet) in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and Roundtrips sponsor the programs. The Missouri Department of Transportation is actually building a new bridge across the Missouri River at Glasgow, Missouri (http://www.modot.mo.gov/northcentral/glasgowbridgeproject.htm). What a great opportunity for students to participate in an authentic learning activity! Each program in the series is offered live via videoconferences and Internet web streaming. Although this current project is halfway over, classes can still participate in the remaining five programs. As I was reading about the 10 programs in this series I was thinking what a great constructivist project this is. Students are able to learn what it takes to build a new bridge—from dream to design to construction to operation - as it is actually being built. They interact with experts in a wide variety of fields and in certain programs work from the perspectives of different community members

As I was reading about this project I also learned about RoundTrips which is student-centered distance learning developed by classroom teachers (in St. Louis) for other classroom teachers. By visiting their website you can learn more about MO-Bridge and read about the past projects. Materials from past projects are available and can still be used even though they aren't live. The website also states that they can help you create your own virtual fieldtrip. What a great resource right here in St. Louis!

Project Mo-Bridge. http://www.roundtrips.org/index.html

Resource - USA Today & project-based learning

USA Today newspaper offers complimentary educational resources including lessons and projects. Keep in mind that USA Today does offer some grants for classroom subscriptions.

One project that I recently read about is Improbable History. This four-week project is based on the 1960s cartoon, Improbable History. Students work in pairs and take a ride in the "Wayback Machine" trying to fix history so a current problem doesn't occur.

Information about this project can be found at

Improbable History. USA Today Education. Retrieved March 6, 2009 at http://usatodayeducate.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Improbable(2).pdf

For more information about the programs and resources available for teachers go to the education home page:

USA Today Education. http://www.usatodayeducate.com/wordpress/

Resources - Constructivism & Science

Here are some articles supporting integrating constructivism in science classrooms:

Beamer, T., Sickle, M. V., Harrison, G., & Temple, G. (2008, Fall). Lasting impact of a professional development program on constructivist science teaching. (Report). Journal of Elementary Science Education, 20(4), 49(12), 49-61. Retrieved March 5, 2009 from Science Resource Center database.

Haney, J., Lumpe, A., & Czerniak, C. (2003, December). Constructivist beliefs about the science classroom learning environment: Perspectives from teachers, administrators, parents, community members, and students. School Science and Mathematics, 103(8), 366-377. Retrieved March 1, 2009 from Science Resource Center database.

Haney, J., Wang, J., Keil, C., & Zoffel, J. (2007, June). Enhancing teachers' beliefs and practices through problem-based learning focused on pertinent issues of environmental health science. Journal of Environmental Education, 38(4), 25-33. Retrieved March 5, 2009, doi:10.3200/JOEE.38.4.25-33 from Academic Premiere database.

Hemler, D., & Repine, T. (2002, April). Reconstructing the geologic timeline: A constructivist slant to a classic activity. The Science Teacher, 69(4), 32-35. Retrieved March 5, 2009 from Science Resource Center database.

Rita, R. (1998, May). Integrated constructivism. The Science Teacher, 65(5), 24-8. Retrieved March 5, 2009 from Science Resource Center database.

Windschitl, M. (1999, April). A vision educators can put into practice: Portraying the constructivist classroom as a cultural system. School Science and Mathematics , 189-197. Retrieved March 5, 2009 from Science Resource Center database.

Resource/Reflection - Constructivism in early childhood classrooms

As a former kindergarten teacher, I was very interested in the article "When Children Make Rules." Classroom rules are traditionally made by teachers but constructivist principles advocate allowing children to have input in developing class rules. In preschool and kindergarten, I thought. How would that work? This article explains that constructivism does not mean complete freedom. Constructivist teachers aren't permissive and they must at times exert external control. The authors present four general guidelines for using external control. The first guideline emphasizes the importance of providing an environment of cooperation and community. This also supports the concept of "learning community" that I researched for the wikibook. As I read examples in this article of young children helping to make rules through class discussions, I thought about a workshop I went to on classroom meetings in relation to character education. It's really the same thing- letting students have a voice and giving them choices. It totally makes sense that if we want students to think for themselves and exercise autonomy we must let them in on decision making - even in kindergarten. This article really makes that seem possible.

DeVries, R. & Zan, B. (2003, September). When children make rules. Educational Leadership, 61(4), 64-67.

Resources - project-based learning books

Here's a guide for teachers who want to implement project-based learning activities. What makes this one different? It has a technology focus for the 21st century by addressing web 2.0 tools - wikis, blogs, podcasting, skype, flickr etc.

Boss, S., Krauss, J. & Conery, L. (2008). Reinventing project-based learning:
Your field guide to real-world projects in the digital age.  Washington, DC:
International Society for Technology in Education.

The title of this book caught my attention because it mentions that dreaded word - "test". The first part of the book reviews differentiating instruction and then includes model projects for the four core subject areas.

Schlemmer, Phil & Schlemmer, Dori. (2007).  Teaching beyond the test:
Differentiated project-based learning in a standards-based age: For grades 6 & up.
Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing.

Resources - 2 articles on Inquiry/Experiential Learning

This aritlce describes a high school social studies experiential learning project where the students renacted an 1840s wagon train. My sharing anecdotes from this experience the author hopes to inspire other teachers to initiate experiential education in their school.

Byerly, S. (2001, May). Linking classroom teaching to the real world through experiential instruction. Phi Delta Kappan, 82(9), 697. Retrieved February 28, 2009 from Academic Search Premier database.


This article states that the ability to conduct inquiry is basic to an understanding of science. The authors present the findings of a study where the authors assessed the ability of students to pursue inquiry. What did the results show? - Teachers need help to move beyond superficial science teaching.

Pine, J. & Aschbacher, P. (2006, December). Students' learning of inquiry in 'inquiry' curricula. Phi Delta Kappan, 88 (4), 308. Retrieved February 28, 2009 from Academic Search Premier database.

Resource/reflection - an impressive learning community

As a result of researching for my wiki book chapter, I've really become interested in learning communities and inquiry and problem-based learning. So over the past week I've been searching the Internet and found some great websites for online collaborative projects and have posted information about some of them. Another one that I discovered is KIDPROJ which is a part of KIDLINK and enables students through high school to join global educational projects. Some of the projects are very short term, some just involve posting artwork or comments, while others involve a longer time committment. While I was browsing the website I came across a map that showed schools participating in current projects and one marker looked like it was in Missouri. The school is in Hannibal and there's a link to the teacher's website http://www.smithclass.org/. Wow! I want to be in his 4th grade class. He has a page for project-based learning (http://www.smithclass.org/proj/projects.htm) where he writes,
"Project Based Learning in a global classroom is about as close as a kid can get to the real world - while being in school all day! We keep a project atmosphere alive in all that we do. That means we stay open-minded about assignments and discussions, recognizing that everybody knows something about something, and nobody knows everything about everything - even the teacher! Students' great ideas often reshape our whole lesson plans! Kids use their thinking skills and communicate, plan, problem solve, create, and evaluate."
That's what being a learning community is all about. His class has friends in the UK, Pakistan, Japan, South Africa and more. There's a class wiki, blog and podcasts. His class participates in Internet chess and actually has matches with classes from several countries. I would love to visit his classroom and see it in action. Hannibal really isn't that far from St. Louis!

KIDPROJ. Retrieved February 25, 2009 from http://www.kidlink.org/KIDPROJ/index.html

Smith, T. (2009). Terry Smith's 4th Grade 2008-09. Retrieved February 25, 2009 from http://www.smithclass.org/

Reflection/Resource - CIESE

Here's another site that offers online projects. CIESE (The Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education) began in 1988 with a goal of improving K-12 science and mathematics education through the use of technology. According to the curriculum overview page "CIESE curriculum projects use ‘real-time’ data from government and commercial databases; engage students in telecollaborative projects using ‘pooled’ data from shared, Web-based databases; involve student publishing on the Web; and provide access to unique and primary source information." This link http://www.ciese.org/currichome.html will connect you to the K-12 projects. I wish I could get some teachers in my school to participate in one of these online projects. They hesitate to get involved with projects because of the emphasis on preparing for the state test (MAP). The more I read about constructivism and project-based learning the further I feel my district is moving away from this type of learning. Everything is curriculum and grade-level expecation and testing, testing, testing. Teachers get so focused (and feel pressured) on the "what" they have to teach that I think they feel they have to be the "fountain of knowledge". I think we're making many students more dependent on the teacher rather than independent learners.

Resource - iEARN

iEARN(International Education and Resource Network) provides opportunities for teachers and students around the world to collaboratively use technology to enhance education and improve the world. There are over 150 projects that are designed and facilitated by teachers and students to fit their curriculum and classroom needs and schedules. Every project not only meets curriculum needs but also has to answer the question, "How will this project improve the quality of life on the planet?" These projects are great ways to establish global learning communities. Learn more about these collaborative projects at http://www.iearn.org

Resources/reflection - science videos

As I was searching this week for information in the Webster library catalog for my wkikbook chapter on learning communities, I discovered an online professional development video on inquiry learning in science. When I accessed it I realized that most teachers in the St. Louis area also have access to this Annenberg Media website (learning.org) through MOREnet. In order to access these professional development videos through Webster you do need to create an account. I watched the 1 hour video "Setting the Stage: Creating a Learning Community" which is the second workshop in the series Learning Science Through Inquiry. This series consists of 8 -1 hour videos for K-8 science teachers. "Setting the Stage: Creating a Learning Community" presented segments of science lessons showing strategies that teachers use to establish a learning culture in an inquiry classroom. It was interesting to see actual lessons and how students responded to these strategies and activities. I also enjoyed watching how the teachers interacted with the students and established interpersonal relationships. One statement in the video that really stood out was that before starting an inquiry activity the teacher must consider the amount of experience each child has previously had working independently. You can't just expect every child to be ready for this approach.

Private Universe Project in Science is another series availabe through Annenberg Media and includes 9 -90 minute video workshops for K-12 science teachers. The first workshop includes an introduction to constructivism and the final workshop is "Constructivism: A Vision for the Future".


Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. (1995). Private universe project in science. Retrieved February 16, 2009 from http://www.learner.org/resources/series29.html

Thirteen/WNET New York. (2000). Learning science through inquiry. Retrieved February 16, 2009 from http://www.learner.org/resources/series129.html

Resource - ePals.com

This is a FREE service that provides students, classes, and schools world-wide opportunities to connect with each other through ePals School Mail, ePals School Blog and Classroom Match. It's a great way to participate in a global collaborative project. Get more information and take a tour of the available services at http://www.epals.com/

Resource - Global SchoolNet

Looking for an online collaborative project? Global SchoolNet's mission is to help teachers find collaborative learning partners and appropriate projects. There are project based learning opportunities for every grade level and subject level. Tour their website at http://www.globalschoolnet.org/index.cfm

Reflection/Resource

I found an article presenting the results of a study that compared teaching multiplication to 3rd graders using constructivist and traditionalist approaches. I was intrigued because the study involved 4 classes in 2 schools in a St. Louis area public school district (it didn't name which one though). The article only gave a few specific details on the lessons. It stated that the constructivist lessons were based on the three levels of representation by Bruner and the constructivist instructors used concrete materials first to introduce new concepts. The traditionalist approach involved teachers following the school district's mathematics curriculum and explaining procedures and students completed practice worksheets. By comparing the results of the pre- and post-tests the researcher found no statistical differences between the two groups of students in regards to their achievement of multiplication concepts and skills. Both groups improved their multiplication concepts and skills. I was surprised by these results but it was a small study involving only 71 students for 10 lessons. Would studying a larger group for a longer period show different results?
One thing that really stood out was a comment by the teacher using the constructivist approach. She felt that there were classroom management problems because the students were using concrete materials with which they were unfamiliar. She reported that the newness and change in routine casued the children to become more active than usual or desirable. I guess I question how a teacher could expect to just teach 10 lessons based on the constructivist approach and expect students to just "behave". The article in my previous post looked at constructivism as a culture, not just a fragmented collection of teaching techniques. Constructivist teachers need to immerse themselves in this culture. So is it beneficial for students to be exposed to constructivist based activities that are just inserted into a learning environment whenever a teacher feels like it or should constructivism be the classroom's culture?


Chung, I. (2004, Winter). A comparative assessment of constructivist and traditionalist approaches to establishing mathematical connections in learning multiplication. Education, 125(2), 27-278. Retrieved February 13, 2009, from Teacher Reference Center database.

Reflection - challenges of constructivism

The article "The Challenges of Sustaining a Constructivist Classroom Culture", which I listed in the Phi Delta Kappan resources in my previous post, complements chapter 1.4 (Today's Controversies in Constructivism) in our wikibook. According to this author one of the main challenges is the teacher, mainly because the teacher has to change his/her background knowledge about teaching. Our personal histories (as students and teachers) involve experiences with traditional teacher-centered instruction. Also, constructivist instruction places new demands on teachers. Using the term "facilitator" sounds simple but actually it's much more complex than being a dispenser of knowledge. The constructivist teacher not only has to be familiar with the principles of the subject/topic being studied but also must be prepared for a variety of ways students can explore these principles. Teachers must also be prepared to respond to the needs of a situation by having a wide range of strategies to support their students' understandings as they engage in problem-based projects. For constructivism to be effective in a school/classroom there must also be major changes in the curriculum, scheduling, and in assessment. Constructivist instruction requires a big committment on the part of administrators and teachers. The author recommends observing how constructivism operates in other schools. Is anyone familiar with a St. Louis area school that has constructivist instruction?

Resources - Phi Delta Kappan articles

Phi Delta Kappan is a professional magazine that I browse through every month when it's delivered to my library. I enjoy reading its articles because they seem more practical than those in some other educational journals. Yesterday I decided to search for articles on constructivism in past issues using Academic Search Premiere. The following 8 appeared interesting and I will comment on several of them later.

Airasian, P., & Walsh, M. (1997, February). Constructivist cautions. Phi Delta Kappan, 78(6), 444. Retrieved February 6, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Baines, L., & Stanley, G. (2001, May). We still want to see the teacher. Phi Delta Kappan, 82(9), 695. Retrieved February 6, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Baines, L., & Stanley, G. (2000, December). 'We want to see the teacher.'. Phi Delta Kappan, 82(4), 327. Retrieved February 6, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Chrenka, L. (2001, May). Misconstructing constructivism. Phi Delta Kappan, 82(9), 694. Retrieved February 6, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Funk, C. (2003, November). James Otto and the pi man: A constructivist tale. Phi Delta Kappan, 85(3), 212-214. Retrieved February 6, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Hackmann, D. (2004, May). Constructivism and block scheduling: Making the connection. Phi Delta Kappan, 85(9), 697-702. Retrieved February 6, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Maurer, M., Bell, E., Woods, E., & Allen, R. (2006, December). Structured discovery in cane travel: Constructivism in action. Phi Delta Kappan, pp. 304,307. Retrieved February 6, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Windschitl, M. (1999, June). The challenges of sustaining a constructivist classroom culture. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(10), 751. Retrieved February 6, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Resources - teachertube videos

Take a break from reading and check out these short videos on teachertube.com. that show constructivist based lessons in an elementary classroom.

Bedley, T. (2008, October4). Constructivist social studies lesson. Retrieved February 5, 2009 from http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=d883a497732cc580f712

Bedley, T. (2008, March 12). Fantastic alternative for correcting daily math work. Retrieved February 5, 2009 from http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=9a9b0e535d990943cffa

Bedley, T. (2008, December 14). Peer review lab - Amazing engagement and critical thinking. Retrieved Feb 5, 2009 from http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=2701880b013f2fceae94

Reflection - Constructivism & Multimedia article

I came across this article when I was using Academic Search Premiere and was intrigued by the fact that the author is on the faculty at Multimedia University in Malaysia and it focused on multimedia and constructivism. I requested the article last Sat. because the full text was not available through Webster's library and received it through e-mail Friday. As I began reading the article I became really curious about the school's name so I did some research and found the university's website http://www.mmu.edu.my/index.htm and became totally fascinated with the school. What an interesting place!
The article presents basic information about constructivism and reinforces the roles of the students and teachers. It reminds the reader that a teacher in a constructivist classroom is not the "sage on the stage" but "a guide on the side". The author also explains a six level multimedia development process. I was disappointed that this project was performed by students in a college level interactive multimedia course. I was hoping that it would show implementation with a junior high/high school setting. Also the author didn't mention until the 6th page of the article that Macromedia Director was the authoring tool they used in the class to create the multimedia projects. I'm not familiar with that program so I researched it and discovered it's now Adobe Director. After reading about it I think it would be too advanced for the students in my school. I would have also like to have more samples/examples of the projects created by the students in this course. There was only 1 page that showed 3 screens from one group's multimedia project.
Although overall I was disappointed in the lack of multimedia application for me, I found the general information about constructivism and using multi-media projects very useful. It reinforced that students enhance their critical thinking, problem-solving , and communication skills which is necessary for real-world situations. The more I read about constructivism the more I think about how it could be integrated in my school (grades 7-8). It seems that students need to be self-motivated in order to conduct the project research and need adequate background knowledge. My school has a very large ELL population and it's very challenging because often they get very frustrated due to their lack of vocabulary and background knowledge. Has anyone successfully implemented a constructivist activity/project in their classroom?


Neo, M. (2007). Learning with multimedia: Engaging students in constructivist learning. International Journal of Instructional Media, 34(2). Retrieved January 29, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Resources - online books

These 2 books on constructivism are online and can be accessed through Webster's library catalog.


Brooks, J. G. (1999). In search of understanding: The case for constructivist classrooms. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Retrieved January 29, 2009 from http://www.netlibrary.com.library3.webster.edu/Details.aspx

Oldfather, P., West, J., White, J., & Wilmarth, J. (1999). Learning through children's eyes: Social constructivism and the desire to learn. American Psychological Association. Retrieved January 29, 2009, doi:10.1037/10328-000

Reflection on blog resources

The blog that I mentioned in the previous post led me on interesting journey. This always happens when I look for information on the internet - I start clicking links and following paths and then I am far away from where I started. When I was reading this blog posting about constructivism, I clicked on the author's problem-based overview link which led me to an article Overview of problem-based learning: Definitions and distinctions. The article presented a brief history of problem-based learning - I didn't know that it started as an instructional approach in medical schools to help improve physicians' clinical problem solving skills. As I was read further, I came across the statement "The goals of PBL are both knowledge-based and process-based" which immediately brought to mind the Show-Me Standards. The article also compared and contrasted PBL to project-based learning and inquiry-based learning. I found this very interesting because often all 3 are grouped together making it seem that they are the same approach.

Another interesting thing I learned from my journey is that this article is in The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning which is a publication from Purdue University that began in 2006. There have been four issues of this publication and they are online. All of the articles can be accessed as pdf files at http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/ijpbl/. Naturally I had to access all the issues and view the tables of contents and check out the articles. I plan on coming back to this resource later.

Savery, J. R. (2006). Overview of problem-based learning: Definitions and distinctions. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning 1(1), 9-20. Retrieved January 27, 2009 from http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/ijpbl/vol1/iss1/3/

Resource - An Educational Technology blog

I found this blog written by an assistant professor in instructional technology at Utah State University as I was researching. This particular posting is from 2007 but he is still posting on his blog as of December. It seems constructivism and problem-based learning can definitely cause some controversy.

Holton, D. (2007, March 2). Problem-based learning, constructivism, and inquiry learning a failure? Message posted to http://edtechdev.blogspot.com/2007/03/problem-based-learning-constructivism.html

Resources - Problem-based learning

Here are two more books for teachers interested in implementing problem-based learning.
The first one is by the same author that I mentioned in my previous resource post on problem-based learning and it is available at Webster's St. Louis campus library.

Lambros, A. (2002). Problem-based learning in K-8 classrooms: A teacher's guide to implementation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.


This second book is another resource with practical suggestions and sample problems. It also has a chapter on integrating e-learning technology.

Uden, L. & Beaumont, C. (2005). Technology & problem-based learning. Hershey, PA: Information Science Publishing.

Reflection

While I was researching for our chapter section last week (and getting very frustrated), I accessed a graduate student's paper on essentialism. A statement that she quoted from Philosophical Foundations of Education (1992) really caught my attention - "philosophy does not appeal to some people because it provides no clear-cut answers to pressing problems." No wonder I was having so much difficulty with our section on essentialism vs. humanism. I thought it was just because it has been a really, really long time since I've studied philosophy. After reading that quote I thought "that's me" - I like clear-cut answers and avoid disagreement. At least the quote made me feel better about not relating to essentialism.

Ersek, V. (2008). Essentialism. Retrieved January 20, 2009, from http://pangea.tec.selu.edu/~versek/Essentialism Paper.pdf

Resource - Problem-based learning

I found this resource in the professional development collection in my library. It's a teacher-friendly book on problem-based learning for middle and high school teachers. It gives practical tips for developing problems for classrooms and includes ready to use sample problems and assessments.

Lambros, A. (2004). Problem-based learning in middle and high school classrooms: A teacher's guide to implementation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Resource - Is All Constructivism Equal?

The article The Many Faces of Constructivism explains that constructivist classrooms invite different constructivist responses and approaches for students. Constructivism is a toolbox for problems of learning. I found the author's analogy very interesting - he proposes looking at constructivism like a Swiss army knife with various blades for various needs. That definitely made me visualize constructivism in a new way!

Perkins, D. (1999, November). The many faces of constructivism. Educational Leadership, 57(3), 6-11. Retrieved January 24, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Resource - Questioning strategies

As I was reading the article on constructivism and literature in my previous post I remembered a book on questioning that a fellow teacher had recommended - Learning to Question to Wonder to Learn by Jamie McKenzie. It's an excellent resource on learning and teaching questioning to guide high level responses from students. More information about the book can be found at http://fno.org/qwl/qwl.html.

McKenzie, J. (2005) Learning to question to wonder to learn. Bellingham: FNO Press.

Resource - Constructivism and Teaching Literature

This article is very helpful for language arts teachers who want to incorporate constructivism by having their students do more talking and thinking about the literature they read. It is based on the "Questioning the Author" approach.

McKeown, M. G., & Beck, I. L. (1999, November). Getting the discussion started. Educational Leadership 57 (3). Retrieved January 17, 2009 from http://www/ascd.org

Resource Log 1

I came across the Speak Up program as I was searching for resources on President-Elect Obama's inauguration for the 8th grade social studies teacher. Speak Up seems to really tie in with constructivism because the students participate in a real-world experience that leads to further discussion, collaboration and authentic activities. Every year students are given a chance to share their viewpoints on key educational issues through an online survey. This year there is a special inauguration mini-survey that is open through Jan. 20th where students give their ideas to President-Elect Obama for improving education. The question they respond to is "Imagine you are the President of the United States and your #1 education goal is to make sure every student is prepared for the jobs and careers of the future. What is the one thing you would do to improve schools to ensure that all students receive the education and skills they need to be successful in life?"

There will be a Congressional briefing on Capitol Hill to release the findings on March 24. The survey results are also compiled and school districts can then access their local data.

What a great opportunity for students to have their voices heard. I can definitely see this as a starting point for further discussions on education, government and even careers. Our 8th graders have just completed a research project on careers in preparation for a Career Day at the end of the month. I can also see students preparing questions to ask the presenters about the education and skills to be successful in their careers. Do they feel the schools are preparing students to be successful in their field?

To me this website is a great way to begin a learning activity that combines constructivism and technology.

Speak Up. Retrieved January 15, 2009, from http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/

Discussion Week 1

What is your reaction to this course overview?

My first reaction was "Wow!" This isn't exactly what I expected but I'm very intrigued with the idea of using the Web 2.0 tools in an online class. I'm comfortable with a blog and I've had a little experience with GoogleDocs but I've never contributed to a wiki. So that should be a new and interesting experience, especially writing a textbook collaboratively. I must admit I'm overwhelmed with the idea of keeping up with the blog and all the other assignments. I had difficulty finding the time to post and respond consistently on the book discussion blog I created two years ago for the 6th-8th graders at my school. So this year I haven't used it. Also, I'm not fond of tests and quizzes - I'd much rather work on a project. So when I saw the quizzes on the calendar, I thought. "Oh, my!" Hopefully once we begin Module B everything will fall into place for me.

How do you feel about a 100% constructivist and collaborative course like this?
I'm comfortable with the concepts of constructivism and collaboration but I'm not sure how it will work online. I'm used to brainstorming and talking ideas over face to face with people so this will definitely be a new and challenging experience.

How do you feel about publishing your learning on wikis and blogs?
I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my writing. I constantly reword and change my writing so often it takes me twice as long to write something as it should because I'm never totally satisfied with my work. It's a little intimidating to think anyone in the world will be able to read my blog and our wiki but I think I will be more comfortable as the semester progresses.