"Constructionists believe that learning results from experience and that understanding is constructed inside the head of the student, often in a social context" (Martinez & Stager, 2013). If this is true, and I believe it is, then we as teachers are responsible for creating the experiences that students need to learn.
In the opening of Ch. 5 Martinez & Stager point out that learning isn't the result of being taught, and that teachers can't just spew out information and expect that students have learned. There is a lot more going on in a students brain than just listening to an information dump. Students "identities (or voices) construct very different individual discourses as they are represented in diverse reactions and negotiations" (Park, 2008). In other words a student's personality makes up another factor. This is not necessarily a bad thing according to Park. On many occasions the students different personalities allowed the students to cooperate, negotiate, and work alongside each other to achieve the goal. Students have their own personality or identity. "Identity is not a stagnant property, but rather an entity that changes with time, often going through stages, and is continuously modified based on the surrounding environment. It has been described as “being recognized as a certain kind of person in a given context” (Brownell & Tanner, 2012).
Artifact 1-Projects
A way I like to incorporate personality is by giving students a chance to see where their learning takes them. I pose a broad question, usually with some support questions to get students started, and students answer this question using a project of their choice. The goal is to share what they have learned with others in a way they fits their interests. This really seems to fit well with a student's natural development as they progress in their education. Students get to choose the path they want to travel and develop skills in an area that makes sense to them, rather than me telling a student what to focus on. Projects tell me a lot about individual students and help me to get to know each student better.
Identity involves both the teacher and the learner. As a teacher "the development of a professional identity is not unlike the development of a personal identity but is situated in the context of a discipline and thus framed by the 'rules of membership' of that discipline" (Brownell & Tanner, 2012). The biggest reason I can see as an educator for this philosophy is that "research suggests that teachers who use more progressive or project-based learning techniques are more satisfied in their roles than teachers who use traditional instructional techniques" (Martinez & Stager, 2013).
We all, teachers and students, come to class with our own perspective. The role of the teacher is to help the student find ways to learn the material. I believe constructionism and constructivism are ways of helping students process their learning. They make sense of this learning in their own way, which also allows the teacher to learn new things as well. I believe these 2 theories are tied to PBL (project based learning). In PBL students are in charge of their own learning. What they learn is directly tied to the amount of effort they put forth. I also fully believe that PBL is a way to engage students and helps the students to learn how to work with others. It helps build both social and emotional skills that will last a lifetime and are instrumental in the success of a student.
Artifact 2-UBD Thermal Energy Unit
I implemented a UBD Unit on Thermal Energy. In this unit students worked with each other. They learned how to positively communicate with group members and they also learned how to reflect on the work they were doing. Each day students were required to submit daily reflections and this helped me to see the progress they were making, as well as seeing where I could help them best. This was another project where students were able to showcases their interests in a way that also demonstrated learning of the content objectives. It also allowed each student, or group of students, to work at their own level, allowing each set of students to learn where they were at. The engagement I witnessed as well as student progress showed me that PBL is a great way to help students grow in both knowledge and their social maturation.
In the opening of Ch. 5 Martinez & Stager point out that learning isn't the result of being taught, and that teachers can't just spew out information and expect that students have learned. There is a lot more going on in a students brain than just listening to an information dump. Students "identities (or voices) construct very different individual discourses as they are represented in diverse reactions and negotiations" (Park, 2008). In other words a student's personality makes up another factor. This is not necessarily a bad thing according to Park. On many occasions the students different personalities allowed the students to cooperate, negotiate, and work alongside each other to achieve the goal. Students have their own personality or identity. "Identity is not a stagnant property, but rather an entity that changes with time, often going through stages, and is continuously modified based on the surrounding environment. It has been described as “being recognized as a certain kind of person in a given context” (Brownell & Tanner, 2012).
Artifact 1-Projects
A way I like to incorporate personality is by giving students a chance to see where their learning takes them. I pose a broad question, usually with some support questions to get students started, and students answer this question using a project of their choice. The goal is to share what they have learned with others in a way they fits their interests. This really seems to fit well with a student's natural development as they progress in their education. Students get to choose the path they want to travel and develop skills in an area that makes sense to them, rather than me telling a student what to focus on. Projects tell me a lot about individual students and help me to get to know each student better.
Identity involves both the teacher and the learner. As a teacher "the development of a professional identity is not unlike the development of a personal identity but is situated in the context of a discipline and thus framed by the 'rules of membership' of that discipline" (Brownell & Tanner, 2012). The biggest reason I can see as an educator for this philosophy is that "research suggests that teachers who use more progressive or project-based learning techniques are more satisfied in their roles than teachers who use traditional instructional techniques" (Martinez & Stager, 2013).
We all, teachers and students, come to class with our own perspective. The role of the teacher is to help the student find ways to learn the material. I believe constructionism and constructivism are ways of helping students process their learning. They make sense of this learning in their own way, which also allows the teacher to learn new things as well. I believe these 2 theories are tied to PBL (project based learning). In PBL students are in charge of their own learning. What they learn is directly tied to the amount of effort they put forth. I also fully believe that PBL is a way to engage students and helps the students to learn how to work with others. It helps build both social and emotional skills that will last a lifetime and are instrumental in the success of a student.
Artifact 2-UBD Thermal Energy Unit
I implemented a UBD Unit on Thermal Energy. In this unit students worked with each other. They learned how to positively communicate with group members and they also learned how to reflect on the work they were doing. Each day students were required to submit daily reflections and this helped me to see the progress they were making, as well as seeing where I could help them best. This was another project where students were able to showcases their interests in a way that also demonstrated learning of the content objectives. It also allowed each student, or group of students, to work at their own level, allowing each set of students to learn where they were at. The engagement I witnessed as well as student progress showed me that PBL is a great way to help students grow in both knowledge and their social maturation.
References
Brownell, S. E., & Tanner, K. D. (2012). Barriers to Faculty Pedagogical Change: Lack of Training, Time, Incentives, and…Tensions with Professional Identity? CBE Life Sciences Education, 11(4), 339–346. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3516788/
Martinez, S. L., & Stager, G. (2013). Invent to learn: Making, tinkering, and engineering in the classroom [Kindle].
Park, H. (2008). “You are confusing!”: Tensions between Teacher’s and Students’ Discourses in the Classroom [Abstract]. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 43(1), 4-13. Retrieved June 13, 2016, from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ829005.pdf
Brownell, S. E., & Tanner, K. D. (2012). Barriers to Faculty Pedagogical Change: Lack of Training, Time, Incentives, and…Tensions with Professional Identity? CBE Life Sciences Education, 11(4), 339–346. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3516788/
Martinez, S. L., & Stager, G. (2013). Invent to learn: Making, tinkering, and engineering in the classroom [Kindle].
Park, H. (2008). “You are confusing!”: Tensions between Teacher’s and Students’ Discourses in the Classroom [Abstract]. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 43(1), 4-13. Retrieved June 13, 2016, from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ829005.pdf