My Personal Learning Theory has not changed too much since Week 1 of this course. I still believe that it is very important for students to be fully immersed in the language and to be motivated to learn by desire to gain the knowledge. I also still feel that Kolb’s and Roger’s Experiential Learning Theories are on what I base my personal theory. However, after listening to Dr. Wolfe describe how the brain functions and how memory and learning take place I feel more connected to the reasons behind my beliefs.

            I received my teaching license from the Alternate Route Program and I always felt that I was lacking something in my education. I had the teacher’s “intuition” to create a good lesson but I could never explain why I used the strategies and methods that I would use. This course has enhanced that part of my education. I understand how a brain functions and how memories are stored. I now know why immersion and experiential learning are important for my students. My students need to make those connections and build the networks in their brains. Technology is a wonderful way to engage my students in virtual tours, auditory assignments, and movie making for dialogs. These creations and experiences will stick with my students longer and have more meaning in their lives then just repeating some phrases and conjugating verbs in class.  They will hear constant reinforcement in the target language and begin to incorporate more vocabulary into their daily language.

            I would like to incorporate a few technology tools in my classroom. This year I have used a blog site in our course work that I would like to utilize in my classroom. I hear my students complain about using technology for education and I want them to feel more comfortable using technology for real world situations. I want to create a teacher blog page for my classes next year, one per grade level. I want the students to be able to ask questions in the target language (for 8^th grade) about their homework or classwork and get a response from a classmate or myself. I think this would help the students feel more like they are a learning community not just a struggling individual.

            I would also like to incorporate a journaling blog page for each student. In previous years my students would keep a portfolio for the year. I have moved away from this assignment and I think I would like to start it up again. I want my student to see how much they have improved over the course of the year. I would incorporate both written and auditory assignments so the students could see their growth in both written and spoken language. I think students need to feel confident and secure in their language skills to be able to take risks speaking in class, so I want them to see how much they have improved.

            I would like to make a few changes in my instructional practice regarding technology. I want my students to have the ability to use computers or iPads more in class. I would like the students to use them to either complete their journaling blogs, complete textbook aural activities. I ultimately would like my students to Skype with a classroom in Quebec or France. I want my students to be exposed to more native speakers from around the world so partnering up with a school in Quebec or France is a goal of mine. They would be able to use what they are learning in class to have authentic conversations with native speakers. I get chills just thinking about the wonderful impact that would have on their learning, not of just basic terms but also of the culture and slang of kids their age. I need to start applying for grants to purchase the ipads or computers that my students will need to use and I want to ask my PLC’s about schools they partner up with for this type of class-to-class interaction. 

            Thanks for listening.

Corrie :-)

Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning is an important social learning strategy for the 21st century classroom. Social Learning Theory states that students learn from creating an artifact based on the knowledge that they gathered and by socializing within a group to solidify and more fully comprehend what they have learned (Orey, 2001). Cooperative learning "focuses on having students interact with each other in groups in ways that enhance their learning" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, 2012, p.73). Pitler, Hubbell and Kuhn also go on to discuss that cooperative learning binds the students together so they will strive to succeed in the project as a team (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, 2012) . This increases class moral and student confidence by ensuring that each member is an important and integral part of the group. Cooperative learning must be set up by the teacher in advance so that the students are aware of their roles in the group. Pitler, Hubbell, and Kuhn state that this strategy can back fire if not enough prep work is done to prepare the class for working in their groups (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, 2012). This supports the social learning theory idea of learning from one's mentor, or in this case the teacher.  Teachers need to model and explain the role of each group member and monitor the classroom to ensure every one is on task and working towards the goal of the group.

Skype and Google Docs are some examples of technology used in cooperative learning. These applications enable students to work with people outside the classroom. Whether it is in their own homes across town or across the globe, students can use these applications to share knowledge and discuss ideas no matter where they are. This is what social learning theories are trying to encourage, learning with and from others, or as Orey (Laureate Education, n.d.) called them, More Knowledgeable Others.

Social learning theory also states that culture and one's own experiences are important to the learning group. Each student brings their own ideas, morals, and experiences to the information gathered and artifact created by the group (Laureate Education, n.d.). As the members in the cooperative learning groups share their ideas and interpretations, they debate and explore each other's ideas. This again expands the knowledge they are creating and interpreting.

There are simply too many positive effects of social learning theories and cooperative learning for educators to ignore. We should all incorporate these theories and strategies into our classrooms.





Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Social learning theories [Video file]. Retrieved from

          https://class.waldenu.edu

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from

          http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works

         (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Corrie needs some good advice and suggestions

Ok friends, I need your help. Please view my voice thread below and try to help me with the problem that I am facing with one of my French Classes.  I need help motivating my students to study and do homework.  Thank you for any help that you can give me.

Merci

Corrie

Corrie's Dilema