Funds for School Technology

Welcome!

Our school's Faculty Technology Committee needs YOUR help!  In a much needed effort to modernize our classrooms with new computers and technology, we need the fundraising efforts of the Parent-Teacher Association.  NOW is the time to get involved and make sure our students are working with the best technology tools available.    


Do we REALLY need new computers in the classroom?

You may think computer use among kids consists mostly of playing games and wasting time.  The fact is, computers are much more important in our daily lives now than they were just 10 years ago.  It is becoming increasingly important that students are up to date on the latest technological advances.  Studies show that technology can "improve student motivation, attitude, and interest in learning" (Doering & Roblyer, 2010, p. 15). Computers can be used in the classroom to enhance lesson plans, engage students and educate them in an entertaining way.  In addition, computer use in the classroom will prepare students for future careers that will most likely require a certain degree of computer literacy.  Students will be "more willing to learn skills that have clear value to their future life and work" (Doering & Roblyer, 2010, p. 14).


An Examination of Two Different Learning Theories

A great way to examine the way students learn is by looking at two important instructional strategies:  Objectivism and Constructivism.  Objectivism focuses on a teacher centered approach that is "directed, systematic, and structured", while Constructivism allows for a hands-on, student-centered approach where "students do activities that help them generate their own knowledge" (Doering & Roblyer, 2010, p. 34).

Within the school of Objectivism, we find Behaviorist B.F. Skinner.  You probably have heard the case of Pavlov's dog, which was conditioned to salivate when he heard the sound of a bell - a case of classical conditioning at work, which is the basis for Skinner's theory.  Skinner believed that learning can be programmed through positive and negative reinforcement; "today, many classroom management techniques are based on behavior modification principles derived from Skinner's reinforcement principles" (Doering & Roblyer, 2010, p. 36). More information on Behaviorist Theory can be found at Learning Theories.com

From the Constructivist school of thought comes Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory.  Gardner believed there were 8 different types of intelligences that existed: Linguistic, musical, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and naturalist. Gardner's theory suggests that learning ability cannot be accurately measured by traditional methods such as IQ tests; instead, his theory "supports doing group work on multimedia products, assigning students group roles based on their type of intelligence" (Doering & Roblyer, 2010, p. 41). More info on Gardner's theory can be found at The Education Coalition. 



Wish List

There are two specific types of technology that I would like to add to my classroom.   I believe that having these tools will greatly enhance the learning experience and give all students a better chance to be successful in this class. 

• New classroom computers.  We currently have 4 computer workstations that must be shared by 35-40 students.  These computers are several years old and run very slowly, making it difficult to accomplish tasks in a reasonable time.  Replacing these computers and adding several new workstations will give more students computer time, increased productivity from newer technology, and the ability to install the newest software based learning tools that are incompatible with our current systems.
• High speed internet access in the classroom.  At the present time, we only have dialup access to the internet, which causes tasks to take unreasonably long to complete, slowing down the students.  Enabling a broadband connection will help the students access the information they need quickly and allow them to learn in a much more efficiently.

Lessons based on Learning Theories

Technology-based lessons in the classroom can be closely relate to Behaviorist principles.  For example, when a student is practicing math problems on the computer, the software will positively reinforce a correct answer with "praise or an entertaining graphic" (Doering & Roblyer, 2010, p. 36).  A computer program will also be useful for rehearsal and review of knowledge, and will be intelligent enough to build "important basic skills by increasing the frequency of correct responses to problems" (Doering & Roblyer, 2010, p. 36).

In order to define student roles using Gardner's Theory in a computer-based environment, we will need to have the appropriate technology in place.   Students can be assigned various computer tasks according to their abilities.  For example, "those with high interpersonal intelligence are project coordinators, those with high-mathematical ability are technical experts, and those with spatial ability are designers" (Doering & Roblyer, 2010, p. 41).  Only if our classroom is updated with the latest technology will this be possible!

Get Involved Now!

These much needed classroom improvements will only be possible with YOUR help.  Let's work together to make it happen!  This blog is meant to be interactive, so please don't hesitate to post questions, comments, or suggestions.  My hope is that the blog will create a discussion that will allow everyone to communicate their vision of what changes are important to them.  

Thanks!

Mr. Grant

References

Robyer, M.D., & Doering, A.H. (2010). Integrating educational technology into teaching. (5th Ed.). Boston: Allen and Bacon/Pearson.

Behaviorism at Learning Theories (2008).  Retrieved February 5, 2011 from http://www.learning-theories.com/behaviorism.html

Lane, C. (n.d.).  Gardner's Multiple Intelligences.  Retrieved February 5, 2011 from http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html


DISCLAIMER: This blog is an assignment for an educational technology course at National University. It is not a real fundraising blog.