STEAM by Design

Alicia Morales

CO

Blog STEAM by Design retrieved from https://www.smore.com/nts29-steam-by-design October, 2016.

Summary: Blog that collects stories from other schools/teachers who are implementing STEM projects. Blog connects reader to a series of links to other sites that focus on design, technology, science and content making. There are also links to other useful articles. Most of the examples are contributed by teachers working with young students, elementary level. Great show of creativity.

Overcoming the crisis in curriculum theory: A knowledge-based approach.

Jana Brubaker

CT

Young, M.  (2013).  Overcoming the crisis in curriculum theory: A knowledge-based approach.  Journal of Curriculum Studies, 45(2), 101-118. Doi:10.1080/00220272.2013.764505

After reading a couple of articles that referenced Michael Young’s article, I thought that I would finally look at the article by him. Young believes that we have a responsibility to prepare students for their future careers.  This requires knowledge rather than just skills.  We need to teach students the knowledge of the past so that they can build on it for the future.  Teachers often put all of their stock in their own expertise, or in the student’s ability and motivation to discover.  Curriculum should find a balance between these.  However, curriculum is often constrained by people and politics, and choices limited.  The real crisis, however, is that curriculum theory fails to deal with epistemological questions concerning truth and, therefore, cannot define knowledge.  If we teachers cannot define knowledge for ourselves, the politicians will do it for us.  Students are entitled to knowledge; Young asks what a curriculum would look like with knowledge as its goal.  
In short, this type of curriculum would prepare students to engage in a dialogue with specific disciplines, and prepare them for this type of dialogue in their careers.  Overall, this was a fascinating article that challenges curriculum theorists.  It is no wonder there are so many responses to this article.  I completely agree that knowledge needs to be fully defined for education to be successful. Students need to be prepared to engage with the world of ideas; those ideas underlie every career path and discipline. If we do not empower them with this knowledge, they will remain at a disadvantage.

How do we do PBL - Project Based Learning?

Gabrielle Thormann 

CO, ET, CU

Weyers, M. (2014). PBL Project Planning: Matching Projects to Standards.  Edutopia, retrieved from:  http://www.edutopia.org/blog/pbl-pilot-project-planning-standards-matt-weyers-jen-dole

This article is the third article of a series of articles about how to implement project-based learning (PBL) in a middle school.  Before discussing this article, it’s useful to mention the two previous articles and beyond:  a stream of articles comprises a journal of implementing PBL.  In Minnesota a group of educators started with a reflection on current teaching practices that developed into a District Strategic Plan.  The teachers took the plan to their administrator with their mission statements with one being: "Byron Public Schools will leverage real-world tools and skills to develop in students a passion for learning."  This particular public school is its own small district, and thus as part of a state mandate this public school partnered/”integrated” with other public schools.  It took time and steps to create the Project Based Learning program.  When they were ready, teachers introduced the program to parents and students.  Key points of the philosophy behind the program were presented.

This third article is useful in that failures are pointed to and rethinking begins. The success of a project based on kiva.org is noted, as two PBL sites and resources were used, and parent involvement and collaboration is spoken of.  Taking a glance at the next article, the focus is primarily on the development of real-world projects:  one again based on The Kiva Project, one on a local environmental nature center, and one entrepreneurial project based on a TV show format. 

By following the next arrows on the bottom of this article, one can continue seeing the development of their program.  I appreciate this series of articles as a journal and reflection of how teachers created and implemented a program they had never done before.

Open Educational Resources: big opportunities in small towns

Taylor, Andrea
CA
Schwartz, K. (2016, July 11). How Teacher-Created Free Online Resources Are Changing the Classroom. Retrieved from: http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/07/11/how-teacher-created-free-online-resources-are-changing-the-classroom/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29.

Summary: This is an amazing article explaining the benefits that can be reaped when a school is dedicated to Open Educational Resources (OER). It is centered around Discovery Middle School in Liberty, Missouri, and the drive that social studies teacher, Eric Langhorst, has to develop new and engaging learning materials. One of the most common complaints that kids in school have is that school is boring and they hate the material. Well that cry has been heard, and the past few years school districts all over the country have begun to develop new lesson plans. These plans no longer rely on the texbook, rather they use any OERs necessary to help their kids interact, engage, and thrive throughout the entirety of the curriculum. Districts all over the country work together to grow the movement and allow their kids to work together across the country.

Review: This is  great article to read if you are new to the concept of Open Educational Resources. It explains the benefits as well as includes an inspiring video that shows the benefits they can have on the students. This article also showcases the difficulties that come into play as well. Teachers develop new and amazing lesson plans, but struggle with whether or not to share it with others because (1) they do not own the materials included, and (2) they are many times not compensated for all of their hard work. Some schools realize the work that teachers put into the new curriculum and compensate them for their contributions, while other teachers continue to do this for the sake of the kids' education. I think it is an incredible concept, one that I wish was in place when I was in high school. I love that they teach kids to utilize technology positively.

An old problem needs a new solution: Incorporating librarian-led legal research instruction into directed research

Gary Lui

Talley, N. B. (2014). An old problem needs a new solution: Incorporating librarian-led legal research instruction into directed research. Legal Reference Services Quarterly, 33(4), 292-309. doi:10.1080/0270319X.2014.972209

Summary:
The Talley (2014) article believe librarian-led legal research courses are the best way to teach law students legal research. The article specifically mentions a pilot program implemented by Rutgers University School of Law – Camden in order to help improve law students' legal research skills. "The pilot program increased students’ exposure to legal research through librarian-led instruction that incorporated pedagogy to help students learn valuable legal research skills" (Talley, 296). What makes the pilot program successful is that it increases law students' exposure to legal research instruction.

The article also mentions modeling, which is when law students are introduced by law librarians to new resources and research strategies (300).  "The librarians modeled proper research techniques by showing students how to locate materials in the library catalog, searching by keyword, subject heading, or author" (305). Librarians' implementation of legal research pedagogy such as modeling are therefore providing support to law students.

Evaluation:
I decided to post about this article about a pilot program with librarian-led instruction because this pilot program is trying to replace the old bird units way of teaching legal research which is to give little to no instruction to law students who lack basic legal research skills. I think the author of the article designed the most effective legal research course for the law students. Those law school students who come into law school without basic legal research skills will now through the pilot program be better legal researchers by being given the opportunity to model the law librarian and ask questions to the law librarian during the legal research process.

Rock Star Lesson Design for Common Core and 1:1

Megan Westcoat

CA

Corippo, J., & Cue Inc. (2015, April 13). Rock Star Lesson Design for Common Core and 1:1. Retrieved November 14, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAWzEwHb4vw

Traditionally this blog talks about text articles we have found helpful in our learning journeys.  However, it is also a class about stretching our definitions of learning and teaching, and that both of those things can take place anywhere, at anytime, and presumably over any type of medium.  So while it is not an article, this is instead a YouTube video of a presentation made at CUE RockStar’s 2015 National Conference.  Jon is the Director of Academic Innovation for CUE.  According to its website,   “CUE inspires innovative learners by fostering community, personalizing learning, infusing technology, developing leadership, and advocating educational opportunities for all. “ 

  It is funny to say I was inspired to learn more about Mr Corippo after meeting him because I didn’t even formally meet him.  He happened to be having a discussion with some teachers in a library where I was just shelving books.  But I found myself slow-moving amongst the stacks because I wanted to over-hear more and more about what they were talking about.  And Mr Corippo, especially in real life, is a person who makes me, at least, want to be a better educator. 

  This presentation that I tracked down after that library encounter is about Lesson Planning and as it says in the YouTube description: “Rock Star Lesson Design means a healthy dose of PBL, SAMR, App Smashing, EdTech, OER, and more. Ideally all at once! “   While not calling them by the names, per se, he touches on a variety of models in the Birds Unit books by Dr. Loertscher.

   The video is an hour long so it’s not a quick fix, but he delves into all kind of things, including the idea that our lessons are about the concept not the content which means we can make their lesson accessible.  He wants them to think, “This is fun, I can do this, what are we doing tomorrow?”   He advocates for immediate assessment instead of taking home piles of work.  The more we do something, we go from knowing to understanding and that in the grand scheme of things,  forces us to consider our classes and assessments.  As he says, “It doesn’t matter what their math scores are if they never take math again.” 

  His lesson ideas are not one-hundred percent constructivist, but his message is clearly applicable to what we are learning here, including that our lessons must be transformative.  We are honing skills that can be used at another place or time and even out of context that demonstrate a deep understanding of the material.

One my lasting take aways is the implied connotation that a student already knowing how to do something is inherently bad. After all, it as educators our job is to teach them new things.  But Corippo flips it on the views and asks,  “Is there a better thing to say than ‘I know how to do this?’”  Before watching him I would have said “no” but just that 30 seconds made me consider the empowerment a student feels when knowing how to address a problem, that students should be building upon things they already know and that by knowing something already means they can do it fast and add something possibly more complex to it at a later date.    

Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, and Social constructivism

Panneck, Brook

ET

Hung, D. (2001). Theories of Learning and Computer-Mediated Instructional Technologies. Educational Media International, 38(4), 281-287. doi:10.1080/09523980110105114

This article describes the major schools of thought in educational theory, namely- Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, and Social Constructivism. The paper proposes a framework for using these theories in online instruction and lists technologies for supporting the different theory implementations. I proposes that all of these theories have a place in the classroom.

Not only does it provide explanations for these theories, but it has a table that shows each of the theories, and explains the instructional design/delivery respectively. It has a table outlining, the processes of learning, type of learning, instructional strategies, and key concepts. Additionally, it has a table showing the different types of learning tools and technologies to support each of these technologies. Lastly it illustrates tools used to support active learning among groups and individualize learning.

This is a great paper for those that want to get a basic foundational understanding of what these theories are, how they can be taught and the technologies that support the teaching. It is also a great jumping off point to learn more about these theories individually. I recommend checking out the references at the bottom of the article to find more great articles that this author used.

Toward constructivism for adult learners in online learning environments

Panneck, Brook

ET

Huang, H. (2002). Toward constructivism for adult learners in online learning environments. British Journal of Educational Technology, 33(1), 27. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=5894267&site=ehost-live

This article views adult online learning through the lens of constructivism. If you ever took part in online learning when it was first getting off the ground, you may remember the typical bird unit/behaviorist methodology employed. Many of these online learning experiences utilized televised technology to deliver instruction, where the sole source of information came from the instructor. Online learning has, for the most part, come a long way since then, though you will still find the typical bird units still being used, and quite often. This article explores the need for constructivist methodology for adult online learning, by first exploring this history. The last sentence of the first introductory paragraph, perhaps sums it up best- “…adult learners always bring their unique learning characteristics to the learning situation, so an effective instructor should recognize learners’ characteristics to help them learn best” (Hang, 2002, p. 27). Though that particular outlook should be applied to all learners of any age.

The article justifies the need for newer constructivist online learning formats for adult learning based on their unique circumstances of work, family and other responsibilities not typically present with other types of learners. It explores a history of constructivism theories, which by the way, I would recommend that classmates explore this article to find great references to constructivism theories, and adult learning theories. It also explores online learning technologies and addressed how these “cognitive tools” provide support for the online learner, in their learning processes (21^st century skills can be found here also).

After reviewing various theories mentioned above, the article addresses issues associated with constructivist approaches to online learning, both for the instructor and for the learner. It then explores, through the lens of constructivism, interactive learning, collaborative learning, facilitating learning, authentic learning, learner-centered learning, and high quality learning. It then concludes with a justification, need, and proposal for applying these constructivist theories to the adult online learning environment.

This is an excellent article. It reviews educational theories- specifically online learning/instruction. It also includes a lot of great information relevant to 21^st century skills, constructivism, and adult learning theory. The references to other articles are a bonus, making this a great article for other classmates to check out and keep in their personal libraries. 

Marlonsson, Snow

IL

Chant, R. H., Moes, R., & Ross, M. (2009). Curriculum Construction and Teacher Empowerment: Supporting Invitational Education with a Creative Problem Solving Model. Journal Of Invitational Theory And Practice, 1555-67.

Chant, Moes and Ross (2009) advocate combining the Creative Problem Solving Model with the Invitational Education model to foster teacher-creativity to blunt the effects of copious standardized testing. They assert that it is administration’s role to design a curriculum thus so that teachers can exercise the freedom to delve deeper into some content despite pressure to teach to the test. The paper outlines a case study of this model at the elementary level. The goals of the study were to shift students’ work products from individualistic/ product-oriented tasks to process-focused collaborative endeavors using inviting processes characterized by trust, optimism, care, respect and intentionality.

This article solidly illustrates its premises by referring to the case study. The ideas represent another way to break away from bird units and add complexity to lessons.

The references used to support the research were consistently old, which raises some concern about the accuracy of the brain and psychology-related research referenced in the article.