It
is amazing to find myself nearing the completion of another course towards my
Master’s Degree in Education from Walden University. It is even more amazing to look through my notes from the
past seven weeks and review all of information that has been covered, learned, and
in my case, possibly re-learned from years ago. Prior to the start of this course, the title alone, Bridging Learning Theory and Instruction,
had me confused. Now, not only do I
better understand the name of the course and the material covered, but
also the impact such knowledge can have in the classroom and student achievement.
At
the start of class I felt very strongly about constructionism
as the primary learning
theory. While I still
recognize that giving students the opportunity to construct their own knowledge
has a powerful impact on their learning experiences, I have gained a deeper
appreciation for the cognitive learning theory (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011a). With this knowledge I aim to provide
students will stronger opportunities to connect new knowledge to previous
experiences, allowing students to make connections in their brains upon
encountering new information (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011a).
Knowing
and understanding learning theories and using appropriate instructional
strategies that incorporate technology can have a positive impact on students
and their educational experience (Pitler, Hubell, & Kuhn, 2012). Understanding how the brain processes
information helps a teacher determine the best approach to instruction
(Laureate Education, Inc., 2011b).
Some lessons are best served through repetition and reward while others
work best with active student engagement.
Having knowledge of technology resources to match learning theories
brings about improved experiences and instruction for students.
As
a result of what I have learned regarding learning theories, instructional
strategies and the use of technology, my goal for integrating more technology
into my classroom is to plan more cooperative and collaborative learning
experiences for my students. Providing
students with the opportunity to build music artifacts demonstrates their
growth and understanding about music. These experiences engage them in their
learning and help deepen their understandings (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011c).
Storybook
and Voice Thread are new technology tools
that I plan on using with my students, along with continued use of Power Point. These tools provide students with an
opportunity to offer their reactions to music in linguistic and non-linguistic
form. This opportunity for dual-coding, as
developed by Paivio,
enables students to view a graphic representation along with written text, which
strengthens their ability to understand new material (Laureate Education, Inc.,
2011a).
Lecture
and direct instruction from the teacher are the least effective means of
instruction because they lack student involvement and engagement (Laureate
Education, Inc., 2011d). I have
become familiar with strategies that I had never considered being a part of my
instruction process, and am equipped with technology tools to implement
them. More importantly, these
strategies are tied to learning theories, supporting the need for students to
be a part of their learning experiences.
Through
the use of Power
Point or the Storybook
app for the iPad, I would like to have students create a multi-media
presentation that explains the meaning of the lyrics of the Star Spangled
Banner. In second grade, music students sing verse one, however, many of the
words and phrases to this 200-year-old song are difficult for them to
understand. I discuss the history
of the song and offer them my explanations and interpretations. In third grade, I would like to have
the students create a slide show of their interpretation of the meaning of the
lyrics to verse one, then in fourth grade add more slides with their
explanation of verse two, and in fifth grade add verse three to their
presentation. I would like to burn
their presentation to a disc that each student could take home with them as
they leave the elementary at the end of fifth grade, as a memento of elementary
school.
Another
addition I would like to make using technology in my classroom is having
students work more with composition software. We frequently discuss what we hear and see in music
regarding pitch, rhythm, form, tempo, dynamics, and tone color, but I would like
to provide students with the opportunity to construct their own music, working
with these elements in a way that is meaningful to them. Making decisions about which pitches
and rhythms to use could help build a greater understanding of the terms and their
importance in musical compositions.
Assigning a composition project once a quarter would be the best way to
begin working with this new technology.
A rubric would be presented to the students helping them understand the required
elements such as time signature, number of measures, note values to be used,
and other basic musical parameters.
As the students’ experience with composition grows, more elements can be
added. The advantage of using
technology for composition is that the students can have immediate feedback,
hearing the sound of their piece, and easily make any changes or corrections to
their project.
Technology
cannot replace quality instruction but it certainly can help a valuable tool
enabling teachers to help students reach greater heights of academic
understanding and accomplishment.
References:
Laureate
Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program five: Cognitive learning theory [Video
webcast]. Bridging learning theory,
instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate
Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program one: Understanding the brain [Video
webcast]. Bridging learning theory,
instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate
Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011c). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist
learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging
learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate
Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011d). Program thirteen: Technology:
Instructional tool vs. learning tool [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved
from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Pitler, H.,
Hubbell, E. & Kuhn, M., (2012). Using
technology with classroom instruction that works
(2nd ed.). Denver, Colorado: McRel.
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