Week 3 Post

1. Using your experiences with one or more software applications, support or refute the statement: "...when students work with computer technologies, instead of being controlled by them, they enhance the capabilities of the computer, and the computer enhances their thinking and learning" (p.31).

While teaching my physics and robotics courses, I try to create situations in which my students will be engaged in critical thinking exercises that will hopefully allow them to explore higher-order thinking practices. I agree with Jonassen’s views that computers and “Mindtools” can be used to enhance student learning and allow them to represent what they know in a more dynamic way. Over the past few years David Ramsay and I have been using PASCO probeware (http://www.pasco.com/physhigh/index.cfm) to enhance the delivery of our grade 11 physics curriculum.

The use of probeware allows students to interpret, visualize, and analyse data that they have collected from real-world experiments. By allowing students to change variables in an authentic environment, they are able to hypothesis and construct meaning from the equations and concepts presented during lectures and from the textbooks. David’s posting refers to experiments that we conduct on collisions. Another example that I’ll offer is a classroom lesson where students measure their voice patterns using the probeware and compare and contrast their voice wavelengths and frequencies with other students, other animals, and other inanimate objects. Of course, this information can simply be read in a table of values from the textbook. However, by allowing the students to create their own tables, and visually represent their own voice patterns the information has more meaning.

I feel that I must also mention that using Mindtools is not always rainbows and sunshine. Research conducted by UPEI on using probeware in our classrooms has indicated that there is a steep initial learning curve when the computer technology is introduced. It has also been recorded that female students generally do not appreciate using the probeware and found that it did not enhance learning but was in fact detrimental to their thinking and learning. Of course, this data is based on small sample-sizes but I believe still has some merit and must be considered when Mindtools are introduced or integrated into curricula.

2. These authors discuss constructivism in this article. Is there a place for direct instruction when using these software applications?

How we construct knowledge depends upon what we already know and the experiences that we have had. If I can build on my previous example of using a Mindtool to represent voice patterns, it would be pointless to ask students to analyse their voice patterns if they had now prior knowledge or experience with the concepts of wavelengths, frequencies and wave behaviour. Therefore I believe that there must be a place for direct instruction to be used to deliver new information to the students. Once students have this information, they can use the software application to construct new meaning and build on their knowledge. Constructivism and scaffolding can only be used after the students have a basic understanding of the concepts. With curriculum outcomes that rely on deductive reasoning, direct instruction is often the best way to introduce new equations and concepts. Once the concepts become part of the students' knowledge base, they can then use software applications that promote constructivism, critical thinking, and problem solving.

3. Briefly summarize your understanding of the learning theory of "Cognitive Flexibility".

Cognitive Flexibility is the ability to gain knowledge of complex subject-matter in one situation and then transfer or apply that knowledge to a different situation. By presenting complex information to students in a variety of different ways and in a variety of different situations, students are better able to transfer their learning to associative or unique situations. Cognitive Flexibility is best suited for complex, non-linear subject matter where a constructivist teaching method would be favoured over a behaviourist approach.

4. What kind of learning theories are being used in this course now? Are you constructing yet?

I believe that this course is being presented in a combination of direct instruction and constructivism. The readings are being used to provide students with the information and content regarding theories in direct instruction, constructivism, behaviourism, and cognitive flexibility. I would interpret providing these basic facts to students as direct instruction. However, in our questions and postings we are asked to build on this information by interpreting it through our own personal experiences, beliefs, and knowledge. In my opinion, this is the heart of a constructivist learning environment. By eliciting personal responses and requiring students to respond to other students’ opinions by citing credible readings, students are constructing and scaffolding new ideas from prior knowledge.

Comments welcome,
Ryan