Reflection

I spent a considerable amount of time reflecting upon my personal theories of learning and instruction and how they have changed throughout this course. I feel as though I still believe that each students learns in their own individual way and that it si the responsibility of the teacher to dicsover how students learn best and design instruction to meet those specific needs. However, after taking this course, I have added many instuctional learning theories and strategies to my personal learning beliefs. I feel as though there is much value in social learning theories, constuctivist learning theories, as well as behaviorist learning theories. I feel that students definitely possess the ability to construct their own knowledge through their own expereinces and also from their interactions with others. Within these theories I have learned some very effective startegies that I have adapted in my personal learning theory. Cooperative learning opportunities and problem-based, project-based, or experimental learning provide highly effective student learning. Along with these adaptations to my personal learning theory, I have also increased and imporved my level of integration of technology. I have discovered and explored several new powerful web tools to use in the classroom, and pan to do so!
I would like to make some immediate modifications in my teaching including the implementation of 2 new web tools! One thing I would like to do is to be more efficient when designing my lessons. I would like to be sure that I am creating authentic learning opportunities for my students where they are actively engaged and able to construct meaning through their experiences, rather than me simply delivering information in instruction. I would also like to immediately be sure that when and where I integrate technology that it is for students learning not only to assist my own instructional practices. I would first like to try concept mapping in my classroom, as well as the virtual tours/fieldtrips. I believe that although all of the web tools learned throughout this course were very valuable, these most appropriately apply to the age group of children that I teach.
In the future, I would like to see myself integrate a larger amount of technology into my classroom and be more willing to try new things with my students. Although I clearly understood the difference between using web tools for student learning and using web tools for my instruction, I still mainly used it for myself. I would like to in the future find that I am integrating a higher level of technology into valuable learning experiences for my students. I would first like to begin acheiving this goal by continuing to complete my courses here at Walden Universty. I would also like to see myself not be so inhibited by the fear of failure and begin to try new web tools and utilize technology in my classroom. I have set a personal goal to implement at least one new web tool a month! I truly believe in the benefits of technology and of the use of valuable instructional strategies and want to see myself begin to explore these in the learning opportunities that I provide for my students.