I had forgotten to embed my activity into my reflection post, so please excuse my error!

Standardized testing. A hot topic of debate among educators, and one of which most people already have an opinion. Standardized testing has received plenty of negative attention, and most educators would agree that we are over-testing our students. If you are not as familiar with this debate, or wish to learn more, check out this website which lists pros and cons, as well as some statistics, about standardized testing.

http://standardizedtests.procon.org/

Of course, there are reasons to have this testing, or else it would have disappeared a long time ago. However, looking at how we stack up against other countries, is it really doing the job?

Then there is the fact that a bit of a rebellion is brewing among parents and teachers on the topic. In Virginia, law makers are looking to reform SOL testing this year.

Let me know your thoughts and how you think standardized testing should play a role in our children's education.

Reflection on Module 1

What do we know about how people learn?

Motivation plays a huge role in how people learn. When properly motivated, a student can go from basic knowledge and understanding to the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, such as analyzing and synthesizing. Dr. Coffman (2013) states, “Without student motivation, engagement will not happen and deep inquiry will not take place” (p. 2). From my personal experience, I know that a lack of interest in certain subjects in school led to poor learning of the subject overall. I was able to recall and understand information just enough to earn the grade I wanted. Unfortunately, grades were my primary motivation throughout most of my school career. This extrinsic motivation was not enough for me to be curious and to have a desire to learn more. However, in the very few subjects where I was intrinsically motivated, my knowledge of the topic is far greater and I am able to apply that knowledge to problems I wish to solve. I do not consider myself a creative thinker or a naturally curious person. I went through school with my eyes set on graduation so that I could be done with education and actually start to learn. I love the quote by Mark Twain where he said, “Don’t let schooling interfere with your education.” I believe that it is our challenge, as teachers, to make sure that students actually learn as they work towards their diplomas. While we cannot provide that intrinsic motivation because it has to come from within the student, I believe that we can foster curiosity and creativity in our students through inquiry based lessons, which will increase their intrinsic motivation.

What are the competing/complementary theories of learning that we will be exploring in the course?

In working through Module One, one of the theories that stood out to me was the debate whether teachers should focus more on core content or 21^st century thinking skills. As a core content teacher with an SOL test looming at the end of the year, I certainly believe that the information learned in the core classes is important. At the same time, however, I have had many classes where I have learned about many topics, but they seem completely irrelevant to the skills I need to succeed in the world today. Unfortunately, a high school and even a college diploma mean very little to employers, as we can see by unemployment statistics. So much more is expected of our students in order to be successful, and a traditional core focused education does not prepare them properly for the workforce today. In order to prepare our students for their futures, which is a primary goal of education, we must provide them with the skills necessary to succeed. Technology and problem based solving are two important areas regarding this. But should we neglect the core subjects? Certainly not! Our goal is to bring these skills into our core classrooms in order to give our students the best education possible. The article we read in this module really summed up the debate quite nicely.

Who are digital age learners and how do they change a classroom environment?

Our digital age learners are those who grew up during the technology boom. Students today are certainly digital age learners. Many of them grew up using technology since they were toddlers and as a result are used to a highly engaged learning experience. As a result, students require more stimulation in the classroom. Lecture and recitation are not enough for students anymore, and teachers are coming to realize that they have to provide engaging lessons. While this may require more work for the teacher, this type of learning opens to the door to the problem based inquiry learning that results in a deeper level of thinking and problem solving.

What do these ideas mean for your teaching?

Due to resources available in the school system where I grew up, technology in the classroom was limited. I am not as adapted to technology as some of my peers, and I would say that I have a foot in both doors. I am a skeptic when it comes to technology, though I do realize that it is useful and is here to stay. Because of this, I know I will have to work a little harder in order to integrate technology and inquiry based lessons into my own curriculum. I am sure that as I become more familiar with technology and learn about what it is capable of, this will become easier.

Sources:

Coffman, T. (2013). Using Inquiry in the Classroom: Developing Creative Thinkers and Information Literate Students (2nd ed.). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education. 

Images

http://writenowna.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/bebe-ipad.jpg

http://wsdblueandgold.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/ava-and-wyatt-work-together-in-mrs-dyers-classroom.jpg

I made it!

Hi there!

I am still not sure exactly what is happening or what I am doing yet, so please be patient with me. I am not the most technologically savvy person, and I am the first to admit that. Any tips or hints you could give me (or support if you are feeling the same way I am) would be greatly appreciated.

Chelsea