The Pedagogy of Technology, Development and Learning Styles E-lecture
The development of technology is sometimes overwhelming for teachers. It seems we are always trying to catch up. For some it may seem that the children we teach are one step ahead because they grew up on computers, but has this changed their development? Has technology created new learning styles? And what can we do as teachers to keep up?
Technology is going to grow and teachers are going to have to grow with it. We must take the time to examine the effects technology has on our students’ development and learning. As Ben Parker said to Spiderman, "With great power, comes great responsibility". Although the world has opened up for us and it seems we have access to more knowledge than we could ever use, we, as teacher, must use it efficiently and effectively.
The first thing that is important is to remember how children develop. Take a look at the following sites:
National Network for Child Care ProTeacher: Ages and Stages has everything a teacher could want to know about child development. Explore the vast list of topics.
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory examined the "Critical Issue: Technology: A Catalyst for Teaching and Learning in the Classroom". Dr. Gilbert Valdez addresses the pros and cons of technology in the classroom.
Read it over and make your own list of pros and cons.
Finally, Let us look at
NW Regional Educational Laboratory says about "Technology in Early Childhood Education: Finding the Balance". Can this information be generalized to older students in high school and college? If so how? What effect does the early childhood experience have on adolescence?
Make another pros and cons list.
Now that we have a good idea of how technology may or may not effect development, it is important for us to determine how that knowledge can be effective transferred to students.
Howard Gardner has been developing research on different learning styles and processes in adults and children since 1967. He created
Project Zero with the mission "to understand and enhance learning, thinking, and creativity in the arts, as well as humanistic and scientific disciplines, at the individual and institutional levels". His research has ignited the education world. Let us look at some that pertains directly with learning styles and technology.
First let us look at an article by Shirley Veenema and Howard Gardner in
The American Prospect Online that examines “Multimedia and Multiple Intelligences.” What is the Cognitive Revolution? Based on the knowledge gathered from Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory, what learning styles are addressed with the use of technology? What role does the teacher play?
New Horizon for Learning has an article by David Thornburg, Ph.D. that claims “Multimedia Encourages New Learning Styles”. What do you think? What role does the teacher play?
There is no doubt that technology is going to change the future of pedagogy as we teachers know it, but what can we do to keep up? We have discussed in other postings FOSS (Free/Open Source Software) and its applications in the classroom in other postings, what we are offering to you now are two more sites that will allow you to take development and learning style into consideration. Explore the following sites:
Take the Learning Style Indicator Assessments at
The Learning Styles Backgrounder by Marcia L. Conner in her article “Introduction to Learning Styles.” Think about which assessments would best help you determine what type of learners you have. How could you incorporate this knowledge into you classroom?
Teachnology and Multiple Intelligences Answer the last question, How can I incorporate these ideas into teaching and learning?
We have examined development and technology and you should have two “pros and cons” lists, take the time to compare the two. How do they differ, and how are they the same?
We have examined learning theories and multiple intelligences and you were asked to think about the role of the teacher in this technological world. What role do you want to play as a teacher?
We have examined indicators and pedagogic practices that are used to determine the most effective way to reach learners. How are you going to incorporate this knowledge into your classroom to make it efficient?
Together we can take these steps to keep up with the running world of technology. Just for fun try to imagine where education will be in the next 5 years, 10 years, and 15 years. Will you be there? If yes, what will your classroom be like?
FOSS technology and upper elementary students
Pedagogy – Meaningful opportunities in later elementary years.
As the student progresses into the older elementary years the possibility of engaging with technology in a meaningful way is increased and the possibilities of including more advanced and diverse software expands. I think that FOSS becomes very relevant to teachers and students in grades four through eight. However the challenge is on the teacher to find, understand and use the technology that best suits the objectives of the class and lends itself to the learning styles of the students.
Internet research, blogging, creative applications and multimedia tasks all have a place within this age group and if chosen appropriately, have the potential to provide the opportunity to utilize existing knowledge and continuously develop new knowledge. Integrated well within the curriculum, technology tools can engage learners who get little from traditional means and can give other students opportunities to apply knowledge in new ways. In a paper titled
Multimedia Encourages New Learning Styles, David Thornburg expresses the optimism that multimedia technology provides in engaging students in a non-linear, media rich way while cautioning that the purpose of education is “to engage, not entertain the learner.”
Another article that explores the benefits fo a multimedia approach to education is
Mutimedia and Multiple Intelligences by Shirley Veenema and Howard Gardner. FOSS supports the integration of electronic technology into the curriculum and offers teachers affordable options for its use. However, the role of the teacher never changes as they are responsible for determining what suits the objectives of the class and the developmental challenges of the students. The teacher is still the primary educator who builds the curriculum on all appropriate technologies including non-electronic technologies.
FOSS technology and the younger elementary student
FOSS For the Elementary School Students
Pedagogy: How is the child best served in Kindergarten through Third grade
In a journal published by Alliance for Childhood called Tech Tonic: Towards a New Literacy of Technology, which is posted in our efiles and can be found here:
Alliance for Childhood, the authors suggest a broad view of technology that is not limited to electronics and puts the teacher in the primary role of educator in the classrooms of young children. A broader view of technology would include scissors, glue, gardening tools, etc. The teacher, then, bears the daunting responsibility of determining what educational activities best supports the child’s cognitive and emotional development and her repertoire of tools and technologies should include everything form the crayon to the blog. The responsibility is not new, technologies are. What is also new is the pressure to include electronic technology into the classroom. A pervasive view of these new and ever advancing forms of technology is that they are necessary to survival in education and the world so, the sooner they are introduced to the child, the better.
The reality though is that the goal of education remains the same, to motivate students toward learning so that their world becomes ever more meaningful to them. Educators have an expanding toolbox and they must evaluate new tools and determine which ones fit into the objectives of the class and with the student’s abilities. As with all technologies, the child’s readiness to use a particular e-technology will be a critical factor in determining if it will be a part of their program. In the very early years of school, electronic technologies should be weighed against the objective for the child’s growth to determine if it supports it or is just fluff serving some other purpose.
This is not to say that electronic technologies should not be included in the early years but for it to be effective, the teacher will have to have tried it out, understand its capabilities and use it wisely. It should be well integrated into the program so that information that is meant to be conveyed through the electronic media is also presented through traditional means so that the opportunity for repetitive exploration takes various forms to facilitate natural learning styles of all the students.
FOSS is an exciting concept and will continue to have a positive impact on education. Educators, however, need to investigate all software and know its intended use and potential for supporting their curriculum and their objectives. The human brain develops along the same path and by the same means no matter what tools and technologies are presented. A child’s ability to use a tool properly for the purpose that it is intended depends on where he or she is developmentally – what does the child understand about the tool and its purpose and how he or she can use it to accomplish a goal? We don’t give scissors to very young children and putting a hammer in the hands of a two year isn’t likely to have results that benefit the child.
There are so many software packages available for use with young children but a teacher must decide how it fits with goals of the class and if it is the best way to teach concepts and motivate learning. One very simple painting program that is available through FOSS is Tux Paint
Newbreed Software/. It might serve to reinforce the elements of design and give students an opportunity to use the elements in guided free play. The program can be configured for younger or older children. It is worth a teacher’s time to explore as an option.
The internet provides many sites that inform young students about art history and culture. I think that teacher will have to evaluate whether these resources are the best for the intended purpose on a lesson by lesson basis. One website which I found might be to have potential is one that provides the video of Alexander Calder presenting his circus. It shows an 18 minute video in which each one of Calder’s animals, characters and circus equipment is presented within a continuous routine. This in conjunction with other means of presenting Calder, his family and his art could be springboard for the creation of wire animals and characters within the classroom.
Roland-Collection.comOne very good use of a blog for a kindergarten class whose link is below, is where the teacher managed the blog for the whole class. It is very well organized, easy to navigate and demonstrates a great pride in the work the class is doing together. If the students have the opportunity to look at the way their class is being projected to the outside world then that is a great motivator and source of pride for them individually and collectively. They are likely to be future bloggers and journal writers as they will build on what they are learning in a meaningful way. The link to the Kindergarten blog is
jsriley.typepad.com
Introduction to FOSS Pedagogy
“Critical pedagogy goes beyond situating the learning experience within the experience of the learner: it is a process which takes the experiences of both the learner and the teacher and, through dialogue and negotiation, recognizes them both as problematic... [It] allows, indeed encourages, students and teachers together to confront the real problems of their existence and relationships...” Smith, M. K. (2000)
FOSS is a free and open educational resource for faculty, students, and self-learners around the world. It is software, which is liberally licensed to grant the right of users to study, change, and improve its design through the availability of its source code. This concept coincides with the new philosophy of the web, in that users are contributing as much content as they consume. This is especially evident in blogs, pod casts, and Wikis, which support the distribution of ideas and improvements on technology. Free Open Source Software, is rapidly becoming a widely used resource for educators worldwide. Several applications such as Claroline, Moodle, OpenAdmin allow teachers or education organizations to create and administrate e-learning courses online. Also there are innovative programs available for K-12 students, such as Inspiration, Open Office, and GIMP which helps students to visually represent thoughts, create and organize ideas to strengthen critical thinking and writing skills. As art educators, the implementation of FOSS and Internet access in the classroom, not only offers a wealth of resources for independent research, it also exposes the student to a world full of art and artifacts that will ultimately enhance their educational experience.
In discussing the pedagogical fundamentals of using FOSS in the art room, we must first address the population of students in relation to technology and visual culture in the classroom. In the online article, “Synching Up With the iKid,” Josh McHugh notes that,
“Teachers in every strata of education are increasingly dealing with a student population that is not only more wired than before, but also grew up in a techno-drenched atmosphere that has trained them to absorb and process information in fundamentally different ways. Smart schools -- and smart educators -- are scrambling to figure out how to use [digital] tools and information [to research and develop] distribution techniques to reach and excite young minds.” McHugh, J.
As art educators who are open to the use of technology in the classroom, we not only are the learning designers, but we also learn to design lessons around life. Through the incorporation of digital technology and visual culture available online, we can transform traditional teaching methods by embracing the available resources, to reach the multi-tasking minds of our students, by actively engaging them in the learning process. There are currently several philosophies of teaching which address this issue of integration of technology with traditional learning objectives.
Please see the additional posts on several pedagogical theories (Learning Centered, Project Based, Connectivism) on this blog for more information.
The integration of FOSS in the art classroom has many advantages and avenues to explore in the pedagogical sense. Basically, through the incorporation of digital technology, use of open source software, access to the Internet, and utilization of educational applications, teachers will be able to add a new dimension to traditional learning. Some of the objectives for the integration of technology in the classroom include:
• Free idea sharing via bulletin boards or blogs, allows for a constructivist approach to learning, where students can collaborate on research or projects.
• Unlimited resources and information, teaches students to utilize various research methods, refine organizational skills, hone their ability to decipher visual messages and sort out reliable and pertinent information.
• Online classrooms or communities provide a ‘safe haven’ for students, and provides them with a personalized learning environment.
• Incorporation of online activities create active learning and participation, which engages a student’s attention and promotes social involvement and communication.
• Use of technology in the classroom modifies the teacher’s role to allow for closer working relationships with students.
As art educators who incorporate digital technology in the classroom, we transform traditional teaching methods by embracing the available resources of FOSS and the Internet, to enhance a student's learning experience through active participation and creative imagination. FOSS is a valuable resource that is affordable and it allows for the freedom to share information and ideas world wide. Please visit the other topics for more information and additional resources.
Thank you.
Another example of online pedagogy.
Here is another school of thought on the pedagogy of e-learning and the incorporation of technology in the classroom.
Learning Centered:
http://pdonline.ascd.org/pd_online/dol02/1992marzano_chapter1.html
http://www.aishe.org/readings/2005-1/oneill-mcmahon-Tues_19th_Oct_SCL.html
The first approach is based on “learning centered” or student centered design. This idea places the control of learning itself in the hands of the student, where the teacher provides the basic overview of the lesson and acts as an additional resource to promote active education in the classroom. According to this approach, learning is characterized not only by greater autonomy for the student, but also emphasizes active involvement, with creation, communication and participation playing key roles, also it changes the role of the teacher, where the distinction between teacher and student blends together shifting into a new dimensional reality. This education shift can be reflected in how the digital age affects literacy, discovery based learning and a bias towards action.
Literacy today involves not only text, but also visual image and screen literacy. The ability to "read" multimedia texts and to feel comfortable with new, multiple-media genres is decidedly nontrivial. However, this new literacy, beyond text and image, is one of information navigation. This entails the ability for students to be their own personal reference librarian; to know how to navigate through confusing, complex information spaces, and web pages and feel comfortable doing so.
The next aspect of this approach concerns learning. In the past we experienced formal learning in an authority-based, lecture-oriented school. Now, with the insurmountable information available through the web, we find a "new" kind of learning that's discovery based. Students are constantly discovering new things as they browse through the emergent digital "libraries." Indeed, web surfing fuses learning and entertainment, creating "infotainment." But discovery-based learning, even when combined with this notion of navigation, is a very subtle change, until we add a third shift to consider, one that pertains to forms of reasoning.
The final dimension has to do with a bias toward action. In today’s society it interesting to watch how new systems get absorbed. With the web, this absorption, or learning process, by young people has been quite different from the process in times past. Today's students get on the web and link, lurk, and watch how other people are doing things, then try it themselves. This tendency toward "action" brings us back into the same loop in which navigation, discovery, and judgment all come into play in situ. Once we fold action into the other dimensions, we necessarily shift our focus toward learning in situ with and from each other. Learning becomes situated in action; it becomes as much social as cognitive, it is concrete rather than abstract, and it becomes intertwined with judgment and exploration. As such, the web becomes not only an informational and social resource but also a learning medium where understandings are socially constructed and shared. In that medium, learning becomes a part of action and knowledge creation.
Within the classroom, the web can significantly augment the knowledge dynamics created by proximity. The Web helps build a rich fabric that combines the small efforts of the many with the large efforts of the few. By enriching the diversity of available information and expertise, it enables the culture and sensibilities of a region to evolve. It increases the intellectual density of cross-linkages. It allows anyone to lurk and learn. Indeed its message is that learning can and should be happening everywhere-a learning ecology. All together, a new, self-catalytic system starts to emerge, reinforcing and extending the core competencies of a region.
