Week 15

1. How does this topic fit into what I have learned already in this course?
Ch. 9 and 10 were pretty logical in the sense that all the technology supported learning concepts followed the principles we have learned in Ed. Psych. For example, when students build models their primary motor cortex is activated and students gain a better understanding than just seeing it. Therefore, models like the Jasper Woodbury and mostly all the other presented models, it enable students to control information using multiple senses and hands on components. By physically measuring and then inputing the information for group or global data, they are gaining ownership in their work. The chapter described the importance of scaffolding, which is key for any cognitive lesson with or without technology incorporated. Also, the model that enabled students to receive immediate and direct feedback when typing answers relates to the idea of correcting misrepresentations.
This weeks readings also fit into last weeks ideas of building classroom environments. Essentially, by using technology, students experience all four of the main environments, especially the community environment if they are sharing information with a larger group of people on the web.

2. What am I still not clear on in this week's reading(s)?
Its not that I don't understand "Classtalk" but I just don't see when it would be used in an effective manner. Chapter 9 said that it was good for getting an estimate where students ideas fall, but that seems like a huge waste of time. Why would they even include this material with the Jasper Woodbury season if it overall ineffective? I would have like to known instead what the Jasper Woodbury model proposes to use for real assessment of student work, or who class discussions and started and facilitated during projects, or even how often. To me it seems like there would be a lot of individual group discussion, but not much whole class talk until the project had been completed.

3. Under what conditions would I apply this material to my own teaching/work?
Well, If I want to be a "good teacher", I would apply this technology based material every day I teach! It I wanted to be a realistic teacher, I would say that effectively planning a technology project for the given subject and implementing it maybe once every 3 weeks, once a month if they were long projects, would be ideal. That way it is still exciting and different, but it occurs often enough that students gain experience working with the program and building on prior knowledge and experiences with it. I could honestly see myself doing this a technology based project to bring the real world into the classroom once every unit. Technology is a really effective skill, as practical as real life correlation, and it is increasingly demanding every year!

Week 14

1. How does this topic fit into what I have learned already in this course?
Ch.6
The concepts of learner, knowledge, assessment, and community centered classrooms all encompass different features that support different cognitive functions. In the first- learner centered classrooms, students have the opportunity to explore cognitively information and materials while asking why. I would describe learner centered as incorporating the most metacognition. The knowledge centered classroom allow students to build on what they know and use their cognition to explore information and "make sense" of the material. This creates the most opportunity for students to discuss preconceived ideas and correct misunderstanding. The assessment classroom allows students to gain feedback on their work and understanding. The last- community centered, allows for motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic) by a variety of people in and outside the classroom. The community centered also produces Pollyanna principle where positive memories can stimulate recall.

Ch. 7
By covering a multitude of information on a large scale with going in depth in my mind is comparable to divided attention. The more features there are, the less focus and attention paid to each distinct concept. This can be true if multi concepts are presented at one time, or over the course of a week. Also, hands on explorations are the best way to provide in depth activities to expand knowledge.

2. What am I still not clear on in this week's reading(s)?
With the interactive lecture (p167), where students correct erroneous beliefs- how does providing examples and lecture pull all the deeply rooted information (wrong or right) from a student. When do you do this, after you have taught a lesson as a review? Wouldn't the misunderstandings than take away from what they have just gained through the lesson?

I think the concept of bridging is more accurate and students have a better opportunity to correct their misunderstandings in a linear fashion.

3. Under what conditions would I apply this material to my own teaching/work?
This information helps me to picture the type classroom I hope to create- in terms of which centers are most beneficial and to what extent can each be enforced. Ch.7 also reinforced the fact that allowing students to solve problems independently enables them to control their cognition while still obtaining the information through an active model.

week 13

1. How does this topic fit into what I have learned already in this course?
This FINAL chapter builds on what we have already learned- it is a schematic book that I thought would never end. The main themes that were-addressed were 1, and 2; cognitive processes and active and remarkable efficient and accurate. In addition, speaking and the process it entails, employs top-down functioning- a concept we learned back in chapter 1. Interestingly enough, just as we fail to notice speech errors (ch. 2), this process is identified as slips of the ears- because we fail to notice many slips of the tongue. When learning about infants memory of language, ch. 6 principles of the spacing effect was reinforced to promote the idea that children acquire more language when it is spaced out over time rather than at all once.

2. What am I still not clear on in this week's reading(s)?
I saw this video, similar to the demonstration video in the text, where a child was watching a tv and then an adult would say big bird and they would look at big bird, they would say grover and the child would look at grover, etc. This child was about 1.5 years old- at the age where you don't produce systematic language yet. Based on this video, and the one with kids looking at happy vs sad faces to correspond to the emotion- I would like to know at what age do children start to recognize and relate things. Just because they can't say anything doesn't mean that they don't understand. If this is the case, would working with children to identify descriptives- ie pick up the yellow ball- improve their cognitive performance in the future?

3. Under what conditions would I apply this material to my own teaching/work?
The information about children's speech was relevant to my understanding that as teachers we often have to "clarify" or ask the students to give us more information (even if we do understand) to ensure that the whole class has common ground. Likewise, the text said that less effort is made to establish common ground if there are time constraints. I agree with this statement because as teachers, we are always pressed for time- so we are often limiting our examples to one or two rather than provide many for every new concept. Perhaps if a stronger common ground was established for each new idea (using more examples/ analogies/ etc.) children would better understand the information.