EDLD+5364+WEEK+1

During week one of EDLD 5264- Teaching with technology class, I learned many things about constructivist teaching. According to our readings, students are more actively involved in constructivist classrooms than in a traditional classroom. The article that I referred to also stated that teachers may have the technical skills, but they may not understand how effective a constructivism setting may be. As teachers, at times, we wonder if what we are teaching is conducive with what our students are learning. I believe that this question/concern may arise with new and seasoned teachers. It seems as though the traditional way of teaching just comes naturally, but what we don't realize is how our students can build their framework of knowledge in a constructivist classroom setting. This type of setting will allow our students to work in a collaborative group setting in attempt to share their ideas with their peers. This type of setting also allows a primary source based curricula, and it will also allow the teacher to better understand how their students learn. Every learner has experiences that influence his or her understanding of the world. Those unique experiences are the foundation for learning; they provide opportunities for personal connections with new content. During my residency, I remember monitoring a teacher who embraced constructivist teaching. It was a middle school language arts classroom. This teacher's class exemplified the attributes of constructivist teaching: learner-centered instruction in a democratic environment; active learners who build and create meaning and knowledge; learners who hypothesize, question, investigate, imagine and invent; learners who reflect and make associations with prior knowledge to reach new understandings. If I remember correctly, this was my first experience in a constructivist classroom setting.

Sprague, D. and Dede, C (1999). If I Teach this Way, Am I Doing My Job: Constructivism in the classroom. Leading and Learning, 27(1). Retrieved October 4, 2009 from The International Society for Technology in Education