BLOG POST MODULE TWO- Katherine Crawford

-Isms

I concur with Bill Kerr's take on -isms. I know that my process of creating lessons is one where I just forge ahead in a creative spiral and then reflect, analyze and synthesis the learning afterward. I believe that Kerr and I would see eye to eye on this method. I think all -isms are important and play heavy roles in educating our learners but no one method should be used solely and teaching should not all be conformed to methods and theories. Theories are explanations for what we are already doing, that is not to say that if a certain theory works well with a group of students that a teacher shouldn't actively seek out more with that theory and integrate it into their classroom. A well-balanced classroom environment is one that allows learners to seek out multiple theories by which to consume their education.

Kerr asks:
Should we stick to -isms or should we be more pragmatic and just cherry pick different useful ideas out of the various theories?

I think that we should cherry pick...if we agree that there are a myriad of learners that are trying to engage in our classrooms, why wouldn't we want to give them a selection of techniques to grasp information.

BLOG POST MODULE ONE- Katherine Crawford

What are your beliefs about how people learn best?
I think everyone learns differently...I know I am a non-traditional learner and I have been trained by great schools to force myself to learn in the way that schools are structured. I teach students that learn like me and it is very interesting to see the difference that they experience for that one hour of the day...they are the most successful in the class. I very often have to chastise students for thinking in my classroom, where in another room that skill would be praised. I think schools are trying to move into a direction that allows them to educate children the way that they learn best using methods like differentiation. This system is very flawed though because somewhere we have forgotten that students learn the way they learn best for the rest of their lives...not just K-12. I do not see the same changes in higher education...students who are successful in schools that accommodate for them, fail later in college because conformity becomes the norm again. I love to organize Professional Development because when I don't we sit in chairs for 8 hours and listen to lectures. If it doesn't work for every kid in our class, which we all know, why would it work for a room full of adults...the fact that the concept does not transfer and grow with us is a problem. I am a huge fan of Sir Ken Robinson and I really enjoy his theory of educating the "whole" child and not just their head...watch this for more...http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
I educate a student's mind and body and that is very evident in the work that I do. The sad thing is that I am on the chopping block and there are so many kids that will no longer be receiving that education.


What is the purpose of learning theory in educational technology?

Theory is incredibly important to teaching but most of the ways that we present education are inherent. Teachers need to understand the structure behind what they do because they can use it to enhance their process. Now that educational technology is being integrated into our classrooms, it is important that teachers have a strong theory background that they can pull from in order effectively use technology to facilitate learning. I can see it from two angles...either the teacher that starts with theory and builds technology into it or the teacher that starts with the technology and works backwards to institute the theory to ground it.