Chapter 10 Blog
WHAT:
SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY: (Albert Bandura) / visual would e the tape recorder – record and play back
· Has its roots in behaviorism and addresses the effects of reinforcement and punishment
· Has incorporated cognitive processes into its explanation of learning
· Addresses motivation to a greater degree than either the cognitive or behaviorist perspective
People can learn by observing others
· Can acquire new responses by observing behaviors of models
Learning is an internal process that may or may not lead to a behavior change
People and their environment mutually influence each other
Reciprocal causation
1. Persons: Motivating beliefs, perceptions, emotions, meaning (this is what a person brings to the table) affected by #2,#3
2. Environmental factors: (reinforcers, punishers) (determined by #1 and #3)
3. Behavior: affected by #2,#1
Behavior is directed toward particular goals
Behavior becomes increasingly self-regulated
· people set their own standard for acceptable and unacceptable behavior and then strive to behave in accordance with those standards
THE SOCIAL COGNITIVE VIEW OF REINFORCEMENT:
· Behaviorist perspective
o Reinforcement and punishment are directly responsible for behavior change and learning
Consequences have an effect on behavior only if learners are aware of the contingency
· Reinforcement increases the frequency of behavior only if the learner thinks or know that the behavior is being reinforced
· Punishment decreases a behavior only if learners realize that it is the direct result of something they themselves have done
Learners form expectations about the likely consequences of future actions and behave accordingly
Learners’ expectations are influenced by what happens to other people as well as to themselves
· Vicarious reinforcement – more like to exhibit behavior is they someone else reinforced for that behavior
· Vicarious punishment – less likely to misbehave if they see someone else punished
Learners decision about whether to make certain responses depend not only on their awareness of response-reinforcement contingencies but also on their beliefs about their own ability to make the response successfully
· Learners don’t work for incentives they don’t believe they can achieve
· An incentive is effective only it is obtainable and the student perceives it as such.
Expectations about future consequences affect how thoroughly and in what ways learners cognitively process new information
Learners typically demonstrate the new knowledge and skills they acquire only if they expect reinforcement for doing so
The nonoccurrence of an expected consequence – whether for oneself of for someone else – can have a reinforcing or punishing effect in and of itself
· When people think that a certain response is going to be reinforced but it isn’t they are less likey to exhibit the response in the future
· It is important to follow through with promised reinforcements ad/or consequences
MODELING:
Modeling : Demonstrating a behavior for another or observing and imitating another’s behavior
Live Model: Currently living individual whose behavior is observed in person
Symbolic Model: Real of fictional character in the media that influences an observer’s behavior
Cognitive Modeling: Demonstrating how to think about as well as how to do a task
HOW MODELING AFFECTS BEHAVIOR
· Observational learning effect: Acquisition of a new behavior after watching someone else do it
· Response Facilitation effect: Increased frequency of a previously learned behavior after seeing someone else being reinforced for it
· Response inhibition effect: Decreased frequency of a previously learned behavior after seeing someone else being punished for it
· Response disinhibition effect: Increased frequency of a previously forbidden or punished behavior after seeing someone else do it without adverse consequences
SELF EFFICACY
· Self efficacy: Belief that one is capable of executing certain behaviors or reaching certain goals
· Resilient self-efficacy: Belief that one can perform a task successfully even after experiencing setbacks
· Collective self-efficacy: people’s beliefs about their ability to be successful when they work together on a task
Self esteem and Self concept deal with self identity, self view, encompass feelings and beliefs
Self efficacy is task oriented, situation specific, involves judgments rather than feelings
Effects of self efficacy
· Choice of activities
· Goals
· Effort and persistence
· Learning and achievement
Factors in development of self efficacy
· Learner’s previous successes and failures
· Messages from others
· Successes and failures of others
· Successes and failures within a larger group - collective
Applications of self efficacy
· Teach basic knowledge and skills
· Help students make noticeable progress on complex skills
· Present some tasks at which students can succeed only with effort and perseverance
· Assure students that they can be successful
· Remind students that others like themselves have succeeded before
· Have students see successful peer models
· Assign large complex tasks as small group activities
SELF REGULATION
· Self regulation: Process of setting goals for oneself and engaging in behaviors and cognitive processes that lead to goal attainment
· Self regulated behavior: self chosen behavior that leads to the fulfillment of personally chosen standards and goals
· Emotion regulation: Process of keeping in check of intentionally altering feelings that may lead to counterproductive behavior
· Self-instructions: Instructions that one gives oneself while performing a complex behavior
· Self-monitoring: Observing and recording one’s own behavior
· Self evaluation: Judgment of one’s own performance or behavior
· Self imposed contingency: self-reinforcement or self-punishment that follows a behavior
· Self-regulated learning: regulation of one’s own cognitive processes in order to learn successfully
SELF REGULATED LEARNING
· Goal setting
· Planning
· Self Motivation
· Attention control
· Flexible use of learning strategies
· Self monitoring
· Appropriate help seeking
· Self evaluation
SELF-REGULATED PROBLEM SOLVING: Use of self-directed strategies to address complex problems
SO WHAT:
In the Classroom:
· Communicate clearly and consistently expectation
· Incorporate students personal experience and interest into the curriculum
· Identify concrete tasks that students will accomplish
· Provide guidance and structure for how task should be completed
o modeling
· Teach self-regulation strategies
o Goals
o Self Reinforcement
o Track progress
o Help develop effective reading and learning activities
· Frequent self assessment
· Remind students they are responsible for their own performance
NOW WHAT:
I think that as a teacher I lean toward the social cognitive view of learning – that students learn by watching and then doing. My experience as a parent also reinforces the value of this theory. If a parent / teacher models good behavior – reading good books, setting goals, elf efficacy, etc. - children will generally follow. That’s not to say that other theories should be put aside. Basic behaviorism might be needed to control a rowdy classroom and discovery learning is a sound princple for teaching theatre. My goal as a teacher would be to use whatever theory best fits the situation in order to help my students be successful, to help them believe they can succeed by giving them opportunities to do so, and to help them develop self regulation so they know they are in charge of their learning and their lives!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Homework blog - extra credit
12/11/2008
Orson Scott Card Blog
I absolutely loved this article. After having 5 children go through the public school system, I couldn’t help almost cheering out loud as I read it! Homework is highly overrated. My children certainly weren’t dummies and were recommended for gifted programs and accelerated classes. I declined unless it was at a high school level and them I left the decision up to them. Likewise my sister pulled her kids from the accelerated programs at the high school. Why? Because the curriculum was exactly the same as for the regular class – there was just more homework. Instead of 4 essays, the kids were required to write 8. Instead of 3 books to read, they had to read double that. What did accomplish for the student but to say he / she was in accelerated English or Math – with no life?
I also concur with the author that kids need time to play, to be creative, to find out that spontaneous projects, not as part of a school curriculum, are more rewarding than watching TV. There are moms in my area that do 3-4 hours of homework with their elementary and middle school children. The kids hate school and it has affected the relationship with their parents. They are unhappy and depressed – and so are the moms. One mom, in disgust, said that the school had her children for 6-8 hours a day which should be plenty of time to teach them whatever was necessary and that they better not interfere with the time she had with them. Her children are brilliant! This mom does crazy projects and activities with her 5 boys often. They excel scholastically. She is not just trying to get out of doing extra work with her kids but understands there is more to life than hitting the books 24-7. It is difficult to foster creativity in an overly structured world and creativity is the frosting on the cake of life!!!!
Other thoughts about this article that I agree with:
Homework doesn’t keep kids off the streets. It makes them want to rebel.
It is an incredible strain on families. The reward is not worth the cost.
Teachers need a life outside of school as well.
Loved the child labor analogy.
Kids need time to be kids!
Homework does have its place – if well thought out, meaningful and sparse! These rules should be posted in every school in America!
Homework Rules
Here are the homework rules that ought to be the target in every school district in America.
1. No homework before middle school. Ever. Period. Childhood is too precious to waste.
2. No homework over vacations, holidays, or weekends. Children need more time to rest and recuperate than adults, not less.
3. No tests on Monday or the day after a holiday or vacation. See above.
4. No empty homework. All assignments have to have a specific, immediate educational purpose within the subject matter of the class.
5. No assignments for parents. All assignments should be fully within the capability of all the children in the class, without parental involvement of any kind except to cooperate in scheduling time.
6. No excess repetition. Five examples should be sufficient to identify any problems a child might be having. Three are usually enough.
7. No makeup homework for sick days. The kid is still recuperating. Don't double his load.
Orson Scott Card Blog
I absolutely loved this article. After having 5 children go through the public school system, I couldn’t help almost cheering out loud as I read it! Homework is highly overrated. My children certainly weren’t dummies and were recommended for gifted programs and accelerated classes. I declined unless it was at a high school level and them I left the decision up to them. Likewise my sister pulled her kids from the accelerated programs at the high school. Why? Because the curriculum was exactly the same as for the regular class – there was just more homework. Instead of 4 essays, the kids were required to write 8. Instead of 3 books to read, they had to read double that. What did accomplish for the student but to say he / she was in accelerated English or Math – with no life?
I also concur with the author that kids need time to play, to be creative, to find out that spontaneous projects, not as part of a school curriculum, are more rewarding than watching TV. There are moms in my area that do 3-4 hours of homework with their elementary and middle school children. The kids hate school and it has affected the relationship with their parents. They are unhappy and depressed – and so are the moms. One mom, in disgust, said that the school had her children for 6-8 hours a day which should be plenty of time to teach them whatever was necessary and that they better not interfere with the time she had with them. Her children are brilliant! This mom does crazy projects and activities with her 5 boys often. They excel scholastically. She is not just trying to get out of doing extra work with her kids but understands there is more to life than hitting the books 24-7. It is difficult to foster creativity in an overly structured world and creativity is the frosting on the cake of life!!!!
Other thoughts about this article that I agree with:
Homework doesn’t keep kids off the streets. It makes them want to rebel.
It is an incredible strain on families. The reward is not worth the cost.
Teachers need a life outside of school as well.
Loved the child labor analogy.
Kids need time to be kids!
Homework does have its place – if well thought out, meaningful and sparse! These rules should be posted in every school in America!
Homework Rules
Here are the homework rules that ought to be the target in every school district in America.
1. No homework before middle school. Ever. Period. Childhood is too precious to waste.
2. No homework over vacations, holidays, or weekends. Children need more time to rest and recuperate than adults, not less.
3. No tests on Monday or the day after a holiday or vacation. See above.
4. No empty homework. All assignments have to have a specific, immediate educational purpose within the subject matter of the class.
5. No assignments for parents. All assignments should be fully within the capability of all the children in the class, without parental involvement of any kind except to cooperate in scheduling time.
6. No excess repetition. Five examples should be sufficient to identify any problems a child might be having. Three are usually enough.
7. No makeup homework for sick days. The kid is still recuperating. Don't double his load.
Chapter 9 - Behaviorism
12/10/2008
WHAT:
BEHAVIORISM
Classroom would be quiet and orderly – emphasis is on behavior not necessarily learning
Class exercise: Positive reinforcement
Suzy asked a question and if we got it right we got candy.
Gave something to increase behavior
Behaviorism to promote learning (in classroom management it would be to promote good behavior)
In this class we care about HOW they learn!
Student learn the same way pigeons due – Pavlov’s dogs – hot tickets
Learning defined as a semi-permanent change in behavior
What are the potential advantages of defining learning as a change in behavior?
Easy to measure – measureable objectives’
Outward manifestation, we can see it
Big on drilling info – so you can give a response
Disadvantages?
Outward manifestation could not be true measure of learning
Can be used as a heavy hand rather than a true instrument of learning
Can learn something but not act on that
According to behaviorism you can looked into the mind so it doesn’t exist
Developed before MRI’s, etc.
If you say, act, change behavior – have you really learned something. Behaviorists say no
If you can’t see it happening it hasn’t happened
Analogy: black box – we don’t know what’s going on in the brain – behaviorist don’t care about development of the brain
Assumptions
Influence of the environment
Focus on observable events
Learning as a behavior change
Contiguity of events – continuous, simultaneous something happens and the action exhibited immediately after, – learning is similar across species
Similar of learning principles across species
Classical vs. Operant conditioning
What is classical conditioning? Using not overly ethical J
Involuntary
Pavlov’s dogs,
students taught to raise their hand to answer question
Unconditioned stimulus (US) - Unconditioned response (UR)
CS (bell) + US (food) – UR
CS - CR
Example - math
What is operant conditioning
voluntary – we have the choice
Reinforcement ALWAYS increases behaviors
Reinforcers
Unique to each student
How do you decide which to use?
Always encourage behavior
Negative reinforcement – something negative is taken away
Yelling at students – kids be good – taking is taken OUT of equation
Kids in class be good – no homework – HOMEWORK is taken out of equation
Positive reinforcement - input added
PRACTICAL REINFORCERS (IN ORDER of best first)
Self-reinforcement – if students can do it themselves you don’t have to (And their boss won’t)
Social reinforcement
Praise – don’t praise for simple tasks – damaging self esteem
Attention – sometimes that’s all the student wants and that works well
Grades and recognition – sometimes (prefrontal cortex – long term planning – doesn’t develop until post teen)
Some kids just don’t care
Home based reinforcement – get parents involved – they know kids bests generally
This can be a problem sometimes
Tangible
Privileges
Activity reinforcement (Premack Principle)
Tangible reinforcers and/or token economy (not so great for real learning – damage to intrinsic motivation)
Good for discussion work
Food – horrible idea – DON’T – expensive, allergies, diabetes, legal!
REINFORCING THE GROUP
Group contingency
Token economy
USE REINFORCEMENT EFFECTIVELY
Specify the desired behavior at the beginning
Tailor reinforcements to individual
Specific praise
Ask the kids what works
Positive phone calls home – behavior problems decrease
Use group contingencies when appropriate
Make contingencies explicit
Sue cueing (prompts)
Equal opportunity – to get rewards. Don’t set the bar so high kids can’t reach
Different kinds of awards – most improved, 100 %, etc
Be consistent
Monitor progress
SHAPING - Students should be reinforced for behaviors that are within their current capabilities but what also stretch them toward new skills
Break tasks down into smaller sections (similar to scaffolding)
Set short term goals
Reward for the small steps
Attainable criterion
Successive approximations
Attempts that keep getting closer to right
Examples?
Write in cursive
MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIORALISM
Reinforcement – encouraging behavior
Shaping
Eliminating Behaviors
Extinction – can extinguish without punishment
Beware of the ‘Extinction Burst” – behavior gets worse for a time – ride it through
Don’t be afraid to tell students what you’re trying to do
Cueing – reminders, prompts
Reinforcing incompatible
‘’’
PUNISHERS
Also unique to each student
EFFECTIVE FORMS OF PUNISHMENT – don’t do in front of everyone – you’ll lose your classroom management
Verbal reprimands
Response cost
Logical consequences
Time-out
In-school suspension
INEFFECTIVE FORMS
Physical punishment
Psychological punishment
Extra class work – school is punishment
Out- of school suspension – that’s what kids want
Missing recess
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH PUNISHERS – doesn’t give solutions temporary
May distract student from behavior
Negative emotional responses – classical conditioning
Aggression
Does not illustrate the correct behavior
Severe punishment may cause harm
REINFORCEMENT VS PUNISHMENT
Increase behavior -
add stimulus (Positive reinforcement reward
Subtract stimulus (negative reinforcement (escape)
Decrease behavior
Presentation punishment
Removal punishment
BEHAVIORISTS MODEL –
Reinforcement
Group contingency
Shaping
Drill and practice
Objectives
SO WHAT:
Behaviorism as a learning theory deals mainly with outside evidence of change. If a change is not visually manifest, it hasn’t happened. I see limitations in this theory as do some psychologists in addressing academic problems. Reinforcement for accomplishing academic tasks may encourage students to do things quickly rather than well. You are rewarding the product – not the process or the end result and not the journey. Reinforcement of something that students already find intrinsically reinforcing may undermine a student’s enjoyment of the activity.
NOW WHAT:
In comparison to Social Cognitive Learning (Chapter 10), Behaviorism seems to me as a lower form of influencing behavior. You are not necessarily internalizing the positive changes that occur. I see the need for this however, when you are dealing with students who have not been trained to act appropriately in a classroom setting, who don’t understand the value and self mastery involved in completing homework assignments or participating in classroom discussions. As a teacher I would use behaviorism as a last resort and work with the theory of social cognitive learning first.
If you look at raising children, the younger the child is the more you would use behaviorism – potty training, job cards, etc. The older the child as he or she advances to adulthood, motivations should become more intrinsic. Pavlov’s dogs are a prime example – training to get a non thinking response. As teachers we owe it to our students to treat them as adults, no dogs – unless they act like dogs! Lol! Then you would revert back to this lower form of changing behavior.
WHAT:
BEHAVIORISM
Classroom would be quiet and orderly – emphasis is on behavior not necessarily learning
Class exercise: Positive reinforcement
Suzy asked a question and if we got it right we got candy.
Gave something to increase behavior
Behaviorism to promote learning (in classroom management it would be to promote good behavior)
In this class we care about HOW they learn!
Student learn the same way pigeons due – Pavlov’s dogs – hot tickets
Learning defined as a semi-permanent change in behavior
What are the potential advantages of defining learning as a change in behavior?
Easy to measure – measureable objectives’
Outward manifestation, we can see it
Big on drilling info – so you can give a response
Disadvantages?
Outward manifestation could not be true measure of learning
Can be used as a heavy hand rather than a true instrument of learning
Can learn something but not act on that
According to behaviorism you can looked into the mind so it doesn’t exist
Developed before MRI’s, etc.
If you say, act, change behavior – have you really learned something. Behaviorists say no
If you can’t see it happening it hasn’t happened
Analogy: black box – we don’t know what’s going on in the brain – behaviorist don’t care about development of the brain
Assumptions
Influence of the environment
Focus on observable events
Learning as a behavior change
Contiguity of events – continuous, simultaneous something happens and the action exhibited immediately after, – learning is similar across species
Similar of learning principles across species
Classical vs. Operant conditioning
What is classical conditioning? Using not overly ethical J
Involuntary
Pavlov’s dogs,
students taught to raise their hand to answer question
Unconditioned stimulus (US) - Unconditioned response (UR)
CS (bell) + US (food) – UR
CS - CR
Example - math
What is operant conditioning
voluntary – we have the choice
Reinforcement ALWAYS increases behaviors
Reinforcers
Unique to each student
How do you decide which to use?
Always encourage behavior
Negative reinforcement – something negative is taken away
Yelling at students – kids be good – taking is taken OUT of equation
Kids in class be good – no homework – HOMEWORK is taken out of equation
Positive reinforcement - input added
PRACTICAL REINFORCERS (IN ORDER of best first)
Self-reinforcement – if students can do it themselves you don’t have to (And their boss won’t)
Social reinforcement
Praise – don’t praise for simple tasks – damaging self esteem
Attention – sometimes that’s all the student wants and that works well
Grades and recognition – sometimes (prefrontal cortex – long term planning – doesn’t develop until post teen)
Some kids just don’t care
Home based reinforcement – get parents involved – they know kids bests generally
This can be a problem sometimes
Tangible
Privileges
Activity reinforcement (Premack Principle)
Tangible reinforcers and/or token economy (not so great for real learning – damage to intrinsic motivation)
Good for discussion work
Food – horrible idea – DON’T – expensive, allergies, diabetes, legal!
REINFORCING THE GROUP
Group contingency
Token economy
USE REINFORCEMENT EFFECTIVELY
Specify the desired behavior at the beginning
Tailor reinforcements to individual
Specific praise
Ask the kids what works
Positive phone calls home – behavior problems decrease
Use group contingencies when appropriate
Make contingencies explicit
Sue cueing (prompts)
Equal opportunity – to get rewards. Don’t set the bar so high kids can’t reach
Different kinds of awards – most improved, 100 %, etc
Be consistent
Monitor progress
SHAPING - Students should be reinforced for behaviors that are within their current capabilities but what also stretch them toward new skills
Break tasks down into smaller sections (similar to scaffolding)
Set short term goals
Reward for the small steps
Attainable criterion
Successive approximations
Attempts that keep getting closer to right
Examples?
Write in cursive
MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIORALISM
Reinforcement – encouraging behavior
Shaping
Eliminating Behaviors
Extinction – can extinguish without punishment
Beware of the ‘Extinction Burst” – behavior gets worse for a time – ride it through
Don’t be afraid to tell students what you’re trying to do
Cueing – reminders, prompts
Reinforcing incompatible
‘’’
PUNISHERS
Also unique to each student
EFFECTIVE FORMS OF PUNISHMENT – don’t do in front of everyone – you’ll lose your classroom management
Verbal reprimands
Response cost
Logical consequences
Time-out
In-school suspension
INEFFECTIVE FORMS
Physical punishment
Psychological punishment
Extra class work – school is punishment
Out- of school suspension – that’s what kids want
Missing recess
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH PUNISHERS – doesn’t give solutions temporary
May distract student from behavior
Negative emotional responses – classical conditioning
Aggression
Does not illustrate the correct behavior
Severe punishment may cause harm
REINFORCEMENT VS PUNISHMENT
Increase behavior -
add stimulus (Positive reinforcement reward
Subtract stimulus (negative reinforcement (escape)
Decrease behavior
Presentation punishment
Removal punishment
BEHAVIORISTS MODEL –
Reinforcement
Group contingency
Shaping
Drill and practice
Objectives
SO WHAT:
Behaviorism as a learning theory deals mainly with outside evidence of change. If a change is not visually manifest, it hasn’t happened. I see limitations in this theory as do some psychologists in addressing academic problems. Reinforcement for accomplishing academic tasks may encourage students to do things quickly rather than well. You are rewarding the product – not the process or the end result and not the journey. Reinforcement of something that students already find intrinsically reinforcing may undermine a student’s enjoyment of the activity.
NOW WHAT:
In comparison to Social Cognitive Learning (Chapter 10), Behaviorism seems to me as a lower form of influencing behavior. You are not necessarily internalizing the positive changes that occur. I see the need for this however, when you are dealing with students who have not been trained to act appropriately in a classroom setting, who don’t understand the value and self mastery involved in completing homework assignments or participating in classroom discussions. As a teacher I would use behaviorism as a last resort and work with the theory of social cognitive learning first.
If you look at raising children, the younger the child is the more you would use behaviorism – potty training, job cards, etc. The older the child as he or she advances to adulthood, motivations should become more intrinsic. Pavlov’s dogs are a prime example – training to get a non thinking response. As teachers we owe it to our students to treat them as adults, no dogs – unless they act like dogs! Lol! Then you would revert back to this lower form of changing behavior.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
race and gender tests - extra credit
Laura Garner
Ed Psych
Dr. Suzy Cox
December 7, 2008
Blog on race and Gender test
My results:
Your data suggest a slight automatic preference for European American compared to African American.
Your data suggest a moderate association of Male with CAREER and Female with FAMILY compared to Female with CAREER and Male with FAMILY.
Hahaha – these tests were a joke! To say that because I wasn’t fast enough with the hand / eye coordination that I was biased against African Americans or associated men with career and women with family was ludicrous. The answers for race said I slightly favored whites over blacks but I didn’t want to associate either race with good or bad and the test didn’t give me an option. I know there are both good AND bad in each race. With the gender test, if I wanted to associate another concept with male or female and family or career the answer was wrong. For example, I wanted to associate family with career and it didn’t fly. So with both tests, as soon as I figured out what answers were wanted it became, not an association of race or gender with how I perceive things, but a hand / eye coordination game to see how fast I could get the answer that was expected. It had nothing to do with my true feelings about race or gender
The quickness of my answers was also affected by the fact that my right hand is quicker than my left, so that when the categories were reversed, my left hand responses were slower.
That said, I would probably have a slight preference for European Americans because of the demographics of where I live, not because I feel either race is bad or good. This compares with the majority of people who took the race test. My feelings about career and gender depend on the family situation and the decisions couples make for their individual situations. I know the choices my husband and I made and that has worked for us. For others it might be different but I wouldn’t judge their choices. My ‘moderate’ association for men and careers went along with only 15% of the test takers.
Ed Psych
Dr. Suzy Cox
December 7, 2008
Blog on race and Gender test
My results:
Your data suggest a slight automatic preference for European American compared to African American.
Your data suggest a moderate association of Male with CAREER and Female with FAMILY compared to Female with CAREER and Male with FAMILY.
Hahaha – these tests were a joke! To say that because I wasn’t fast enough with the hand / eye coordination that I was biased against African Americans or associated men with career and women with family was ludicrous. The answers for race said I slightly favored whites over blacks but I didn’t want to associate either race with good or bad and the test didn’t give me an option. I know there are both good AND bad in each race. With the gender test, if I wanted to associate another concept with male or female and family or career the answer was wrong. For example, I wanted to associate family with career and it didn’t fly. So with both tests, as soon as I figured out what answers were wanted it became, not an association of race or gender with how I perceive things, but a hand / eye coordination game to see how fast I could get the answer that was expected. It had nothing to do with my true feelings about race or gender
The quickness of my answers was also affected by the fact that my right hand is quicker than my left, so that when the categories were reversed, my left hand responses were slower.
That said, I would probably have a slight preference for European Americans because of the demographics of where I live, not because I feel either race is bad or good. This compares with the majority of people who took the race test. My feelings about career and gender depend on the family situation and the decisions couples make for their individual situations. I know the choices my husband and I made and that has worked for us. For others it might be different but I wouldn’t judge their choices. My ‘moderate’ association for men and careers went along with only 15% of the test takers.
Fertile Minds - extra credit
Laura Garner
Ed Psych
Dr. Suzy Cox
December 7th, 2008
FERTILE MINDS
By J. MADELEINE NASH
What a great article! With the advances in modern science and technology it is now possible to document what many parents have known all along – that babies come with a unique set of traits that are inborn, that the first few years are so important to development and that loving care, touching, talking to infants, etc. is important and makes a difference in how children develop! As a mother of 5 children, two of whom are adopted, I can attest that children come with a distinct personality as well as physical traits that are inherited from their birth parents.
Now that there is hard physical evidence that brain activity starts as early as 3 week into gestation, it would seem that emphasis should be on training parents and future parents to be able to meet the needs of their infants before and after birth and through the early years of development. For example, the article points out that research show that children who don't play much or are rarely touched develop brains 20% to 30% smaller than normal for their age. (Baylor College of Medicine) and rats raised in a stimulating environment contain as many as 25% more synapses per neuron (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). It also gives evidence of the damage of early emotional and physical abuse. Teaching good parenting skills during the junior high and high school years would strengthen future families and save monetary cost for the government as there would be fewer damaged children. Also, the effects of good nutrition on a developing fetus should be taught as well.
For educators, this article also shows evidence of the importance of understanding the workings of the brains and gearing education to make the most of the windows of opportunity. The article talks about how the window for acquiring syntax may close as early as five or six years of age, the ability to learn a second language is highest between birth and the age of six, and the brain's greatest growth spurt draws to a close around the age of 10’. Realizing that, parents and preschool and elementary teachers should make learning as stimulating and challenging as possible to make use of this unique time when the brain is working to its peak. ‘Rich experiences …. really do produce rich brains.’
I agree with the author that early remedial education would be effective. I also agree that day care should be high quality but would emphasis strengthening the economy so that parents who have the desire to stay home with their children could afford to do so and not put their children’s upbringing into the hands of strangers. No one loves a child like the parents and parents who have had the training to be effective caregivers are the best people to raise children.
Ed Psych
Dr. Suzy Cox
December 7th, 2008
FERTILE MINDS
By J. MADELEINE NASH
What a great article! With the advances in modern science and technology it is now possible to document what many parents have known all along – that babies come with a unique set of traits that are inborn, that the first few years are so important to development and that loving care, touching, talking to infants, etc. is important and makes a difference in how children develop! As a mother of 5 children, two of whom are adopted, I can attest that children come with a distinct personality as well as physical traits that are inherited from their birth parents.
Now that there is hard physical evidence that brain activity starts as early as 3 week into gestation, it would seem that emphasis should be on training parents and future parents to be able to meet the needs of their infants before and after birth and through the early years of development. For example, the article points out that research show that children who don't play much or are rarely touched develop brains 20% to 30% smaller than normal for their age. (Baylor College of Medicine) and rats raised in a stimulating environment contain as many as 25% more synapses per neuron (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). It also gives evidence of the damage of early emotional and physical abuse. Teaching good parenting skills during the junior high and high school years would strengthen future families and save monetary cost for the government as there would be fewer damaged children. Also, the effects of good nutrition on a developing fetus should be taught as well.
For educators, this article also shows evidence of the importance of understanding the workings of the brains and gearing education to make the most of the windows of opportunity. The article talks about how the window for acquiring syntax may close as early as five or six years of age, the ability to learn a second language is highest between birth and the age of six, and the brain's greatest growth spurt draws to a close around the age of 10’. Realizing that, parents and preschool and elementary teachers should make learning as stimulating and challenging as possible to make use of this unique time when the brain is working to its peak. ‘Rich experiences …. really do produce rich brains.’
I agree with the author that early remedial education would be effective. I also agree that day care should be high quality but would emphasis strengthening the economy so that parents who have the desire to stay home with their children could afford to do so and not put their children’s upbringing into the hands of strangers. No one loves a child like the parents and parents who have had the training to be effective caregivers are the best people to raise children.
Monday, December 1, 2008
12/01/2008
Chapter 7 Constructivism / Discovery Learning
What is Discovery Learning?
An approach to instruction in which students derive their own knowledge about a topic through first hand interaction with the environment.
Randomly exploring and manipulating objects
Performing systematic laboratory experiments
Can be incorporated into other forms of instruction
PROS
#1: In overall academic achievement discovery learning is not necessarily better or worse than expository approaches to instruction
Research yields mixed results
#2: In higher level thinking skills discovery learning is sometimes preferable for fostering transfer, problem solving, creativity and self regulated learning
#3: In motivational and affective benefits there is often a more positive attitude toward teachers and schoolwork than in traditional instruction.
CONS
#1: Students don’t always have metacognitive skills to effectively direct their explorations and monitor their findings
Students sometimes construct incorrect understanding from discovery activities
#2: They may misinterpret or distort the evidence they gather in an experiment, possibly finding support for existing misconceptions
#3: Often takes considerably more time the expository instruction
Teacher may feel torn between providing discovery experiences and covering all the topics in the mandated curriculum
Guidelines to make Discovery learning effective
#1: Provide some structure to guide students discovery activities
#2: Make sure students have the knowledge they need to interpret their findings appropriately
In theater education, discovery learning is often the main teaching strategy. While preparing for a performance, the student researches the character he/she will be portraying, the time period in which the action occurs, period costumes choices that determine body movements, etc – anything that affect how role will be portrayed. From this background information, the student than explores how to make the character come to life in relation to the action and interaction that occurs in the play. A skilled teacher will allow that exploration to happen, gently guiding to actor to discover information from the text and subtext to develop the character. Even with the guidance from a director or instructor and the research information ultimately it is up to the actor to find ways to make the role his own.
Chapter 7 Constructivism / Discovery Learning
What is Discovery Learning?
An approach to instruction in which students derive their own knowledge about a topic through first hand interaction with the environment.
Randomly exploring and manipulating objects
Performing systematic laboratory experiments
Can be incorporated into other forms of instruction
PROS
#1: In overall academic achievement discovery learning is not necessarily better or worse than expository approaches to instruction
Research yields mixed results
#2: In higher level thinking skills discovery learning is sometimes preferable for fostering transfer, problem solving, creativity and self regulated learning
#3: In motivational and affective benefits there is often a more positive attitude toward teachers and schoolwork than in traditional instruction.
CONS
#1: Students don’t always have metacognitive skills to effectively direct their explorations and monitor their findings
Students sometimes construct incorrect understanding from discovery activities
#2: They may misinterpret or distort the evidence they gather in an experiment, possibly finding support for existing misconceptions
#3: Often takes considerably more time the expository instruction
Teacher may feel torn between providing discovery experiences and covering all the topics in the mandated curriculum
Guidelines to make Discovery learning effective
#1: Provide some structure to guide students discovery activities
#2: Make sure students have the knowledge they need to interpret their findings appropriately
In theater education, discovery learning is often the main teaching strategy. While preparing for a performance, the student researches the character he/she will be portraying, the time period in which the action occurs, period costumes choices that determine body movements, etc – anything that affect how role will be portrayed. From this background information, the student than explores how to make the character come to life in relation to the action and interaction that occurs in the play. A skilled teacher will allow that exploration to happen, gently guiding to actor to discover information from the text and subtext to develop the character. Even with the guidance from a director or instructor and the research information ultimately it is up to the actor to find ways to make the role his own.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Cool Brain Research - extra credit
What:
CHANGES IN GREY MATTER INDUCED BY TRAINING
Newly honed juggling skills show up as a transient feature on a brain-imaging scan.
By John Raty
The traditionally held view is that the anatomical structure of the adult human brain does not alter, except for changes in morphology caused by ageing or pathological conditions. This view is contradicted by the experiments of John Ratey.
A group of young people were given 3 months to learn a classic three-ball cascade juggling routine. This group, as well as a control group were given 3 brain scans, one before learning the routine, one when they had become skilled performers (that is, when they could sustain juggling for at least 60 seconds) and the last was carried out 3 months later. During the intervening period, none of the jugglers practiced or attempted to extend their skills— for example, by learning a four-ball or a reverse cascade. In fact, most subjects were no longer fluent in three-ball cascade juggling by the time of the third scan. Group comparison at the beginning (the baseline) showed no significant regional differences in grey matter between jugglers and non-jugglers.
‘In the longitudinal analysis, the juggler group demonstrated a significant transient bilateral expansion in grey matter in the mid-temporal area and in the left posterior intraparietal sulcus between the first and the second scans. This expansion decreased in the third scan. We found a close relationship in these regions between the transient structural grey-matter changes and the juggling performance. These findings were specific to the training stimulus, as the nonjugglers showed no change in grey matter over the same period.’
‘We [find] that these individuals show a transient and selective structural change in brain areas that are associated with the processing and storage of complex visual motion. This discovery of a stimulus-dependent alteration in the brain’s macroscopic structure contradicts the traditionally held view that cortical plasticity is associated with functional rather than anatomical changes.’ (Quotes from the article)
So What: In layman’s terms this basically means that by that you can expand the grey matter of your brain by learning new skills. As I explained to my grandson, ‘You can get smarter by doing things with your mind an dbody – playing the piano (He doesn’t like to), playing soccer and football, doing crossword puzzles and word searches, etc.’
Now what:
In the classroom students should be challenge to learn new skills and given exercises during classroom time to use fine motor skills to increase their intelligence. The reasons for these exercises should be explained to students and educators as well. It’s great to know that you can make yourself smarter!!!!
CHANGES IN GREY MATTER INDUCED BY TRAINING
Newly honed juggling skills show up as a transient feature on a brain-imaging scan.
By John Raty
The traditionally held view is that the anatomical structure of the adult human brain does not alter, except for changes in morphology caused by ageing or pathological conditions. This view is contradicted by the experiments of John Ratey.
A group of young people were given 3 months to learn a classic three-ball cascade juggling routine. This group, as well as a control group were given 3 brain scans, one before learning the routine, one when they had become skilled performers (that is, when they could sustain juggling for at least 60 seconds) and the last was carried out 3 months later. During the intervening period, none of the jugglers practiced or attempted to extend their skills— for example, by learning a four-ball or a reverse cascade. In fact, most subjects were no longer fluent in three-ball cascade juggling by the time of the third scan. Group comparison at the beginning (the baseline) showed no significant regional differences in grey matter between jugglers and non-jugglers.
‘In the longitudinal analysis, the juggler group demonstrated a significant transient bilateral expansion in grey matter in the mid-temporal area and in the left posterior intraparietal sulcus between the first and the second scans. This expansion decreased in the third scan. We found a close relationship in these regions between the transient structural grey-matter changes and the juggling performance. These findings were specific to the training stimulus, as the nonjugglers showed no change in grey matter over the same period.’
‘We [find] that these individuals show a transient and selective structural change in brain areas that are associated with the processing and storage of complex visual motion. This discovery of a stimulus-dependent alteration in the brain’s macroscopic structure contradicts the traditionally held view that cortical plasticity is associated with functional rather than anatomical changes.’ (Quotes from the article)
So What: In layman’s terms this basically means that by that you can expand the grey matter of your brain by learning new skills. As I explained to my grandson, ‘You can get smarter by doing things with your mind an dbody – playing the piano (He doesn’t like to), playing soccer and football, doing crossword puzzles and word searches, etc.’
Now what:
In the classroom students should be challenge to learn new skills and given exercises during classroom time to use fine motor skills to increase their intelligence. The reasons for these exercises should be explained to students and educators as well. It’s great to know that you can make yourself smarter!!!!
Chapter 6 Blog
WHAT:
Cognitivism
What different parts of the brain do and how the brain functions in adolescence
Frontal lobe: retaining long term memories that are not task based,
involves the ability to recognize future consequences resulting from current actions,
to choose between good and bad actions (or better and best),
ability to override and suppress unacceptable social responses,
to determine similarities and differences between things or events.
Temporal lobe: one on each side of brain – hearing, memory, epilepsy from temporal lobe problems - Hippocampus and amygdale found in this area
Occipital lobe: back of brain – smallest of 4 lobes – vision and color – damage not see or recognize color. Dementia – don’t recognize colors or objects. Small relationship to hearing
Parietal lobe:spatial – perception
Amygdale: almond shape located in temporal lobe - find out
Patients with damage – anxiety and fear – don’t show an amag response to learned fear
Feel emotions that aren’t there
Men’s bigger than women’s – they feel more sexual ways rather than emotional ways like women
Hippocampus: temporal lobe – a lot like amygdale = memory
Problems = memory, amnesia, dementia
Connected to amygdale
Brain stem: everything runs thru this – nerves, etc - all things that you don’t have control over that you do automatically without conscious thought –sleeping – auto response activities
2 parts = pons and oblongata
Adolescent brain: the brain continues to develop at least into a person's twenties.
brain connections and signaling mechanisms selectively change over time to meet the needs of the environment. Overall, gray matter volume increases at earlier ages, followed by sustained loss and thinning starting around puberty, which correlates with advancing cognitive abilities.
Scientists think this process reflects greater organization of the brain as it prunes redundant connections, and increases in myelin, which enhance transmission of brain messages.
Areas associated with more basic functions, including the motor and sensory areas, mature early.
Areas involved in planning and decision-making, including the prefrontal cortex -- the cognitive or reasoning area of the brain important for controlling impulses and emotions -- appear not to have yet reached adult dimension during the early twenties.
The brain's reward center, the ventral striatum, also is more active during adolescence than in adulthood, and the adolescent brain still is strengthening connections between its reasoning- and emotion-related regions.
Scientists believe these collective findings:
May indicate that cognitive control over high-risk behaviors is still maturing during adolescence, making teens more apt to engage in risky behaviors.
With the brain's emotion-related areas and connections still maturing, adolescents may be more vulnerable to psychological disorders.
Prefontal Cortex - it acts as the CEO of the brain, controlling planning, working memory, organization, and modulating mood.
As the prefrontal cortex matures, teenagers can reason better, develop more control over impulses and make judgments better. Doesn’t fully develop until age 25
Corpus callosum - Of particular interest to educators and parents is their finding that the fiber systems influencing language learning and associative thinking grew more rapidly than surrounding regions before and during puberty (a similar period to the growth of the frontal cortex), but fell off shortly after. These findings reinforce studies on language acquisition that show that the ability to learn new languages declines after the age of 12.
RAD Teaching (low stress – high emotion)
Understanding how information becomes knowledge, and makes it to long-term memory can be a powerful tool for enriching our students’ academic success. Brain-friendly strategies empower students to respond to the best sensory input (information) from their environment, and turn that data into retained knowledge.
R - Reticular Activating System - activating system
The attention activation switching system located at the brainstem. You can control where students’ focus goes in the classroom, and what information gets through the RAS by incorporating novelty, multi-sensory learning, goal-motivated attention, and creativity with learning activities.
A - Amygdala –controls emotion
The center of the brain’s emotion relays in the limbic system and it also strengthens the long-term memory potential of information that enters accompanied by positive emotion. With low-risk, low-stress, positive learning activities, the RAS and amygdala can help the brain focus on the sensory information of the learning activity.
D – Dopamine- happy neoro transmitters that carry emotion
One of the brain’s most important neurotransmitters, proteins that carry information across spaces between nerve endings. When you can incorporate pleasurable learning experiences and activities into lessons, the dopamine released is then available to increase pleasure, attention, and memory.
USING RAD TEACHING: Make sure that our classroom is stress free.
Bring in emotion – emotion and memory are highly connected
Keep stress level down in class so kids can learn better!
As a teacher don’t be so frantic about getting thru lesson plans but cover the material appropriate
How do you cover what you need to without getting a stressful frantic feeling?
Prioritize what is essential instruction
Backwards design
Practice – Plan well
The Information Processing View
Cognitivism Basics
Learning is due to experience.
Meaning is constructed by the learner, rather than being derived directly from the environment.
Prior knowledge and beliefs play a major role in the meanings that people construct.
WHAT:
Cognitivism
What different parts of the brain do and how the brain functions in adolescence
Frontal lobe: retaining long term memories that are not task based,
involves the ability to recognize future consequences resulting from current actions,
to choose between good and bad actions (or better and best),
ability to override and suppress unacceptable social responses,
to determine similarities and differences between things or events.
Temporal lobe: one on each side of brain – hearing, memory, epilepsy from temporal lobe problems - Hippocampus and amygdale found in this area
Occipital lobe: back of brain – smallest of 4 lobes – vision and color – damage not see or recognize color. Dementia – don’t recognize colors or objects. Small relationship to hearing
Parietal lobe:spatial – perception
Amygdale: almond shape located in temporal lobe - find out
Patients with damage – anxiety and fear – don’t show an amag response to learned fear
Feel emotions that aren’t there
Men’s bigger than women’s – they feel more sexual ways rather than emotional ways like women
Hippocampus: temporal lobe – a lot like amygdale = memory
Problems = memory, amnesia, dementia
Connected to amygdale
Brain stem: everything runs thru this – nerves, etc - all things that you don’t have control over that you do automatically without conscious thought –sleeping – auto response activities
2 parts = pons and oblongata
Adolescent brain: the brain continues to develop at least into a person's twenties.
brain connections and signaling mechanisms selectively change over time to meet the needs of the environment. Overall, gray matter volume increases at earlier ages, followed by sustained loss and thinning starting around puberty, which correlates with advancing cognitive abilities.
Scientists think this process reflects greater organization of the brain as it prunes redundant connections, and increases in myelin, which enhance transmission of brain messages.
Areas associated with more basic functions, including the motor and sensory areas, mature early.
Areas involved in planning and decision-making, including the prefrontal cortex -- the cognitive or reasoning area of the brain important for controlling impulses and emotions -- appear not to have yet reached adult dimension during the early twenties.
The brain's reward center, the ventral striatum, also is more active during adolescence than in adulthood, and the adolescent brain still is strengthening connections between its reasoning- and emotion-related regions.
Scientists believe these collective findings:
May indicate that cognitive control over high-risk behaviors is still maturing during adolescence, making teens more apt to engage in risky behaviors.
With the brain's emotion-related areas and connections still maturing, adolescents may be more vulnerable to psychological disorders.
Prefontal Cortex - it acts as the CEO of the brain, controlling planning, working memory, organization, and modulating mood.
As the prefrontal cortex matures, teenagers can reason better, develop more control over impulses and make judgments better. Doesn’t fully develop until age 25
Corpus callosum - Of particular interest to educators and parents is their finding that the fiber systems influencing language learning and associative thinking grew more rapidly than surrounding regions before and during puberty (a similar period to the growth of the frontal cortex), but fell off shortly after. These findings reinforce studies on language acquisition that show that the ability to learn new languages declines after the age of 12.
RAD Teaching (low stress – high emotion)
Understanding how information becomes knowledge, and makes it to long-term memory can be a powerful tool for enriching our students’ academic success. Brain-friendly strategies empower students to respond to the best sensory input (information) from their environment, and turn that data into retained knowledge.
R - Reticular Activating System - activating system
The attention activation switching system located at the brainstem. You can control where students’ focus goes in the classroom, and what information gets through the RAS by incorporating novelty, multi-sensory learning, goal-motivated attention, and creativity with learning activities.
A - Amygdala –controls emotion
The center of the brain’s emotion relays in the limbic system and it also strengthens the long-term memory potential of information that enters accompanied by positive emotion. With low-risk, low-stress, positive learning activities, the RAS and amygdala can help the brain focus on the sensory information of the learning activity.
D – Dopamine- happy neoro transmitters that carry emotion
One of the brain’s most important neurotransmitters, proteins that carry information across spaces between nerve endings. When you can incorporate pleasurable learning experiences and activities into lessons, the dopamine released is then available to increase pleasure, attention, and memory.
USING RAD TEACHING: Make sure that our classroom is stress free.
Bring in emotion – emotion and memory are highly connected
Keep stress level down in class so kids can learn better!
As a teacher don’t be so frantic about getting thru lesson plans but cover the material appropriate
How do you cover what you need to without getting a stressful frantic feeling?
Prioritize what is essential instruction
Backwards design
Practice – Plan well
The Information Processing View
Cognitivism Basics
Learning is due to experience.
Meaning is constructed by the learner, rather than being derived directly from the environment.
Prior knowledge and beliefs play a major role in the meanings that people construct.
A Model of Memory
Input to sensory register – (some lost)
attention goes into shorter /working memory
goes into long term memory (Some lost)
in depth processing often involves connecting new information to prior knowledge
can be retrieved fro working knowledge
Characteristics: Sensory Register, Working Memory, Long-Term Memory
Long-term Memory: Declarative/Semantic, Procedural, Episodic
SO WHAT: Putting Cognitivism into Practice
In the Classroom:
Make sure you have the students' attention;
Help students focus on the most important details and separate less vital information;
Help students make connections between new information and what they already know;
Provide for repetition and review of information;
Present material (instruction) in a clear, organized, way;
Focus on meaning, not memorization, of information.
Encoding
Rehearsal
Meaningful Learning (e.g., analogies)
Organization (e.g. advance organizers, chunking)
Elaboration
Visual Imagery
Mnemonics (if necessary)
Better Encoding: How do we get students to remember things better?
Emphasize meaningful learning
Teach for transfer
Promote flexibility
Group discussion and projects
Authentic activities
Foster dispositions
Dual coding in presentation
What we really want is Higher-Level Thinking
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Remember: Recognizing, Recalling
Understand: Interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, explaining
Apply: Executing, implementing
Analyze: Differentiating, organizing, attributing
Evaluate: checking, critiquing
Create: generating, planning, producing
Metacognition:
Learners’ knowledge and beliefs regarding their own cognitive processes
Their attempts to regulate those cognitive processes to maximize learning and memory
How can we help them develop a realistic view? This is affected bythe students stages of development.
Other things we can do…
Primacy & Recency Effect
Practice: Massed, Distributed, Enactment
Effective Study Strategies:
Identifying Important Information
Taking Notes
Retrieving Relevant Prior Knowledge
Organizing
Elaborating
Summarizing
NOW WHAT:
As a teacher my goal is to help students learn lifetime skills so they can become productive members of society. This can be done by teaching effective learning and study strategies and higher level thinking skills. Knowing what can be expected of students at their developmental stages and understanding how the adolescent brain functions helps me as a teacher to gear my teaching to the level at which my students are functioning. Blooms taxonomy and Rad teaching would be things I would incorporate into my lesson planning and teaching strategies. The information about using cognitivism in the classroom gives succinct and clear ways to help students retain the information being presented and gives me, as a teacher, a way to check list to make sure my students are retaining what I teach. Good chapter!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 leaning log
What: This week we discussed:
Kohlberg’s Moral Development
Develop moral reasoning – teach one level above where they currently are (ZPD)
Preconventional
Punishment – avoidance and obedience – speeding reasons
Exchange of favors – you can copy my math homework if I can copy your English
Conventional
Good boy/good girl – behave because you want people to like you
Law and order – no reasons but the law is the law (no field trip w/o permission slip – Jonny’s mom is in hospital and couldn’t sign – can he go)
Post conventional
Social contract – understanding why rules are needed and that they can be bent (few get here)
Universal ethical principle – moral right and wrong that can conflict with human laws
Willingness to break laws, knowing and accepting consequences, knowing laws are unjust
Social and personal development
Kids in JHS and HS trying to figure out who they are / unsure of themselves
Imaginary audience – everyone is looking at and judging ME!
Personal fable -My life is unique – no one has ever lived like me before
Thinks that affect others don’t affect me because of personal fable
DON’T CALL THEM OUT IN FRONT OF FRIENDS / DON’T CALL ATTENTION TO THEM
Erickson’s Psychosocial Development (each stage is the crisis)
Erik Erikson’s eight stages of development
Trust vs. mistrust (infancy) - to learn whether or not other people satisfy basic needs
· If basic needs are met, a sense of trust is developed
· If needs are not met its mistrust
Autonomy vs. shame and doubt (toddler years) – developing self sufficient behavior
· Autonomy – a sense of being able to handle many problems on their own
o Care givers encourage self sufficient behavior
· Shame and doubt about their ability to handle problems
o Caregivers demand too much too soon
o Attempts ridiculed or refusal to let child perform tasks they are capable of
Initiative versus guilt (preschool years) – independent activities
· Encouraged and supports – children develop initiative
· Discouraged, dismissed as silly and bothersome –guilt about needs and desires
Industry vs. inferiority (elementary school years) –
· Encouraged to do things, praised for accomplishments children develop industry by being diligent persevering at tasks until completed, put work before pleasure
· Ridicules or punished for efforts, find they are incapable of meeting adult expectations, develop feelings of inferiority about capabilities
Identity vs. role confusion (adolescence) –
· Role confusion – mixed ideas and feelings about the specific ways in which they will fit into society
o May experiment with a variety of behaviors and activities
· Identity – most adolescents achieve a sense of identity regarding who they are and where their lives are headed
Intimacy vs. Isolation (young adulthood) –
· When identities are established, ready for long term commitments to others – capable of forming intimate, reciprocal relationships, willing to make sacrifices and compromises that such relationships require
· Cannot form intimate relationships – possible reluctance or inability to forego satisfactions of own needs – a sense of isolation may result
Generativity vs. stagnation (middle age) –
· contributed to society – sense of Generativity ( productivity and accomplishment) results
· Self-centered and unable or unwilling to help society move forward – stagnation – a dissatisfaction with the relative lack of productivity
Integrity vs. despair (retirement years) – retrospection – looking back on life
· Integrity and contentment if believe have led a happy, productive life
· Despair – a life of disappointments and unachieved goals
SO WHAT: As a teacher knowing - as per Kohlberg - what stage my students are in and teaching them one level above where they currently are (ZPD) will help them development strong morals. In regards to Erik Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development, the teenage and young adult years are crucial in developing a sense of who and what a person wants to become. Although labeling can be counterproductive, labeling stages of development and understating them gives a teacher tools to guide students through this challenging phase of life.
NOW WHAT:
As a teacher my job is to educate and prepare students to be fully functioning and productive members of society.
o In the classroom I can help my students develop morality by doing the following:
§ Giving reasons that some behaviors are unacceptable
§ Encouraging perspective taking, empathy and prosocial behaviors
§ Exposing students to numerous modals of moral behavior
§ Engaging students in discussions of moral issues related to academic subject matter
§ Getting students actively involved in community service
o Understanding the stages of psychosocial development, (most of my kids should be in the stages of Identity vs. role confusion and Intimacy vs. Isolation) will help me as a teacher to guide my students to become emotionally healthy individuals.
What: This week we discussed:
Kohlberg’s Moral Development
Develop moral reasoning – teach one level above where they currently are (ZPD)
Preconventional
Punishment – avoidance and obedience – speeding reasons
Exchange of favors – you can copy my math homework if I can copy your English
Conventional
Good boy/good girl – behave because you want people to like you
Law and order – no reasons but the law is the law (no field trip w/o permission slip – Jonny’s mom is in hospital and couldn’t sign – can he go)
Post conventional
Social contract – understanding why rules are needed and that they can be bent (few get here)
Universal ethical principle – moral right and wrong that can conflict with human laws
Willingness to break laws, knowing and accepting consequences, knowing laws are unjust
Social and personal development
Kids in JHS and HS trying to figure out who they are / unsure of themselves
Imaginary audience – everyone is looking at and judging ME!
Personal fable -My life is unique – no one has ever lived like me before
Thinks that affect others don’t affect me because of personal fable
DON’T CALL THEM OUT IN FRONT OF FRIENDS / DON’T CALL ATTENTION TO THEM
Erickson’s Psychosocial Development (each stage is the crisis)
Erik Erikson’s eight stages of development
Trust vs. mistrust (infancy) - to learn whether or not other people satisfy basic needs
· If basic needs are met, a sense of trust is developed
· If needs are not met its mistrust
Autonomy vs. shame and doubt (toddler years) – developing self sufficient behavior
· Autonomy – a sense of being able to handle many problems on their own
o Care givers encourage self sufficient behavior
· Shame and doubt about their ability to handle problems
o Caregivers demand too much too soon
o Attempts ridiculed or refusal to let child perform tasks they are capable of
Initiative versus guilt (preschool years) – independent activities
· Encouraged and supports – children develop initiative
· Discouraged, dismissed as silly and bothersome –guilt about needs and desires
Industry vs. inferiority (elementary school years) –
· Encouraged to do things, praised for accomplishments children develop industry by being diligent persevering at tasks until completed, put work before pleasure
· Ridicules or punished for efforts, find they are incapable of meeting adult expectations, develop feelings of inferiority about capabilities
Identity vs. role confusion (adolescence) –
· Role confusion – mixed ideas and feelings about the specific ways in which they will fit into society
o May experiment with a variety of behaviors and activities
· Identity – most adolescents achieve a sense of identity regarding who they are and where their lives are headed
Intimacy vs. Isolation (young adulthood) –
· When identities are established, ready for long term commitments to others – capable of forming intimate, reciprocal relationships, willing to make sacrifices and compromises that such relationships require
· Cannot form intimate relationships – possible reluctance or inability to forego satisfactions of own needs – a sense of isolation may result
Generativity vs. stagnation (middle age) –
· contributed to society – sense of Generativity ( productivity and accomplishment) results
· Self-centered and unable or unwilling to help society move forward – stagnation – a dissatisfaction with the relative lack of productivity
Integrity vs. despair (retirement years) – retrospection – looking back on life
· Integrity and contentment if believe have led a happy, productive life
· Despair – a life of disappointments and unachieved goals
SO WHAT: As a teacher knowing - as per Kohlberg - what stage my students are in and teaching them one level above where they currently are (ZPD) will help them development strong morals. In regards to Erik Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development, the teenage and young adult years are crucial in developing a sense of who and what a person wants to become. Although labeling can be counterproductive, labeling stages of development and understating them gives a teacher tools to guide students through this challenging phase of life.
NOW WHAT:
As a teacher my job is to educate and prepare students to be fully functioning and productive members of society.
o In the classroom I can help my students develop morality by doing the following:
§ Giving reasons that some behaviors are unacceptable
§ Encouraging perspective taking, empathy and prosocial behaviors
§ Exposing students to numerous modals of moral behavior
§ Engaging students in discussions of moral issues related to academic subject matter
§ Getting students actively involved in community service
o Understanding the stages of psychosocial development, (most of my kids should be in the stages of Identity vs. role confusion and Intimacy vs. Isolation) will help me as a teacher to guide my students to become emotionally healthy individuals.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Piaget and Vygotsky
WHAT"
- Piaget: (major criticism – ages aren’t right / how kids interpret the test, etc/the way we ask the questions matters a lot)
Cognitive Constructivism
Constructing knowledge through experience / environment
PG 29-basic assumption
Children are active learners
Children construct knowledge through experience – not by being told them
Change schemes in order to understand them
Through interaction with the environment
Hands on learning – student centered experiences
Proposed that new experience created disequilibrium – brain feels off balance
To fix –
assimilate - become one with- fit it in with existing schemes
Learn a new letter in typing – already know how to put the finger to the key
Accommodation – change scheme because the info doesn’t fit.
A child learns that a long slithery thing is a snake, now finds a long slithery thing with legs – accommodation has to modify what she knows about snakes
Assimilating – snakes have legs
Accommodation – not a snake but a salamander
Sometimes kids assimilate when they should accommodate
Errors happen – dribble a soccer ball because learned basketball first
End result that you want – equilibrium
At secondary level – present info contrary to earlier belief (in this culture example evolution)
Assimilate – God used evolution as a process for creationism
Accommodation – two separate theories – creationism and evolution
Piaget – four stages
Sensory motor – has to touch
Preoperational (2 to 6/7)
Egocentric perspective
Lack of inclusion
Lack of conservation
Irreversibility
Inability to reason about transformations
Transductive reasoning
Concrete operational (6/7 to 11/12)
Differentiation of one’s own perspective from the perspective of others
Class inclusion
Conservation
Reversibility
Ability to reason about transformations
Deductive reasoning
Dependence of concrete reality
Inability to formulate and test multiple hypotheses
Inability to separate and control variables
Lack of proportional reasoning
Formal operational (11/12 to adulthood)
Ability to reason about abstract, hypothetical, contrary – to – fact ideas
Formulation and testing of multiple hypotheses
Separation and control of variables
Proportional reasoning
For different levels in classroom
Instructions:
Clarity
Differentiate
Explain reasoning (get accommodation)
Deductive / abstract (problem based learning – trying to figure out solutions)
Questioning techniques / control for variables
Hands on experiences
Lev Vygotsky - did bulk of experiments on own children – dies at age 37
Social Constructivism
Interaction with other people / sociocultural learning (learn from culture)
Strong proponent of group play with focus on adult tasks
Guided participation – walk kids thru process
Cognitive apprenticeship – guide thru thought process as well
Development of speech (and any higher level thought process)
Listening (watch)
Self talk (practice)
Inner speech (internalize)
We discussed Zone of Proximal (near to or next) Development with the idea that too hard or too easy isn't effective
We learn best when things are not too hard or not too easy but where someone can help us get through it.
NOW WHAT:
Knowing the different ideas of Piaget and Vygotsky helps me as a teacher to understand the stages of development of my students and be able to develop lesson strategies that can help me educate my students with appropriate activites. This ties into Zone of Proximal Development. I need to make sure that my expections of my students fall into that Zone. This also bears to mind the need for approriate scaffolding. The idea of accomodation and assimilation was especailly interesting in the learning process.
SO WHAT: As a teacher I'm going to use this information as a guide in setting up appropriate lesson plans and teaching methods and not expect my students to perform in a way that is impossible for them because of their stage of development.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Intelligence and testing, etc
10/25/2008
Learning Log – intelligences and labeling
What: Last week we discussed:
What is intelligence?
· Adaptive
· Learning ability
· Prior knowledge and how to use it
· Mental processes
· Culture-specific
DIFFERENT CONCEPTS OF INTELLIGENCE
Spearman’s g-intelligences is a general factor that can be measured
o Single reasoning ability
o Number of narrow abilities involved in executing task
Intelligences doesn’t necessarily cause achievement - it is simply correlated with it
· What other factors might contribute
o work ethic, social interaction, genetics, environment
o Relationship between OS and achievement
§ IQ scores simply reflect a student’s performance on a particular test at a particular time
§ Changes is to be expected
Catell’s Fluid and Crystallized Intelligences
· Fluid
o Acquire knowledge quickly
o Adapt to new situations effectively
o Relates to new tasks
· Crystallized
o The knowledge and skill accumulated through experience
o Related to familiar tasks
Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory
· Prior experience (practical)
· Environmental context (creative)
· Cognitive processes (analytical)
Cognitive – ability to make the connections in the brains, make sense of it
Distributive Intelligence – ACT more intelligently when (intelligence ‘distributed’ with tools or other people)
· Use physical objects
· Work with other people
· Use symbolic systems
· How can we help our students think as intelligently as possible?
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences – 8 different ways
· Most, if not all, people are intelligent in one way or another
· Optimistic view of human potential
· Encourages us to use many different teaching methods.
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
· Free and appropriate education
· Fair and non discriminatory evaluation
· Education in the least restrictive environment
· Individualized education program (IEP)
o Present levels of performance
o Short term objectives – steps for success
o Measurable annual goals
o Progress assessment plan
o Support that will be provided
o Explanation of any exclusions
o Testing modifications
o Dates of services
o Transitions plans (by age 16)
· Due process
Inclusion
· mainstreaming mentally and physically challenged students in regular classrooms
Classification or labeling
Pro: know what you’re dealing with
Treat with meds
Teach to the needs of the student
Testing modifications
Labeling or feelings of stupidity when it’s a learning disabilities
If you have the flu – you can treat it
If you have a disability and you know it you can treat it
Organizations to help
Support groups for parents and children
Government funding available
Con: kids can be judged by the label
Compromise – use people first language – a child with autism vs. an autistic child
Disabilities:
Learning disability
ADHD
Speech and Communication disorder
Emotional and behavioral disorder
Autism spectrum disorders
Mental retardation
Retard = slower both cognitive and social function
Physical and health impairments
Visual impairments
Hearing loss
Severe and multiple disabilities
Giftedness
So What:
As a teacher I need to be aware that:
Students learn differently
Intelligence is relative to culture and upbringing (my personal opinion) and is not a true indicator of whether or what a student can learn
I will be dealing with students with different disabilities and abilities in my classroom
I need to be able to get my students the help they need to succeed. This might include labeling,
§ I need to be very careful in how I label my students (labeling WILL occur, consciously or subconsciously) – using as many positive labels as possible but also being ware that some labels enable students to get help in areas they need it.
§ I need to teach in different ways to reach the different kinds of ways students learn
(As per Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences)
Now What:
As a teacher my job is to educate and prepare students to be fully functioning and productive members of society. My personal goals would be to appreciate the uniqueness of each child, to know their strengths and weakness and be able to provide a safe learning environment using multiple teaching methods to reach each student. (ditto from last week)
INTELLIGENCE TESTING:
What:
We were assigned to take 2 intelligence tests:
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: I am a kenethestic learner which came as no surprise to me.
Online IQ test: I tested a little higher than average but only finished part of the test, not realizing there was a time limit so I didn’t push myself to go fast. Maybe that is a sign of low intelligence – not reading the directions thoroughly. lol
So What:
I question the ‘labeling’ that comes from the Multiple Intelligences test, especially when there were so few questions and the questions were so general. As far as the IQ test – I was depressed all week after finding out I was just barely above average. I always thought I was borderline genius. (JK)
Now What:
It’s good to know the direction you lean as far as learning styles and I wouldn’t have a problem testing my students in these areas. As a teacher I will try to use different teaching strategies that cover all of the intelligences so as to reach every student in the way they learn best.
I think that IQ tests are pretty arbitrary and can’t test a lot of things that determine whether or not a student succeeds. Case in point – my college roommate. She got a 17 on her ACT test but graduated from BYU with honors because of her work ethic and determination. Those things don’t show up on an IQ test. I wouldn’t give IQ test to high school students.
Learning Log – intelligences and labeling
What: Last week we discussed:
What is intelligence?
· Adaptive
· Learning ability
· Prior knowledge and how to use it
· Mental processes
· Culture-specific
DIFFERENT CONCEPTS OF INTELLIGENCE
Spearman’s g-intelligences is a general factor that can be measured
o Single reasoning ability
o Number of narrow abilities involved in executing task
Intelligences doesn’t necessarily cause achievement - it is simply correlated with it
· What other factors might contribute
o work ethic, social interaction, genetics, environment
o Relationship between OS and achievement
§ IQ scores simply reflect a student’s performance on a particular test at a particular time
§ Changes is to be expected
Catell’s Fluid and Crystallized Intelligences
· Fluid
o Acquire knowledge quickly
o Adapt to new situations effectively
o Relates to new tasks
· Crystallized
o The knowledge and skill accumulated through experience
o Related to familiar tasks
Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory
· Prior experience (practical)
· Environmental context (creative)
· Cognitive processes (analytical)
Cognitive – ability to make the connections in the brains, make sense of it
Distributive Intelligence – ACT more intelligently when (intelligence ‘distributed’ with tools or other people)
· Use physical objects
· Work with other people
· Use symbolic systems
· How can we help our students think as intelligently as possible?
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences – 8 different ways
· Most, if not all, people are intelligent in one way or another
· Optimistic view of human potential
· Encourages us to use many different teaching methods.
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
· Free and appropriate education
· Fair and non discriminatory evaluation
· Education in the least restrictive environment
· Individualized education program (IEP)
o Present levels of performance
o Short term objectives – steps for success
o Measurable annual goals
o Progress assessment plan
o Support that will be provided
o Explanation of any exclusions
o Testing modifications
o Dates of services
o Transitions plans (by age 16)
· Due process
Inclusion
· mainstreaming mentally and physically challenged students in regular classrooms
Classification or labeling
Pro: know what you’re dealing with
Treat with meds
Teach to the needs of the student
Testing modifications
Labeling or feelings of stupidity when it’s a learning disabilities
If you have the flu – you can treat it
If you have a disability and you know it you can treat it
Organizations to help
Support groups for parents and children
Government funding available
Con: kids can be judged by the label
Compromise – use people first language – a child with autism vs. an autistic child
Disabilities:
Learning disability
ADHD
Speech and Communication disorder
Emotional and behavioral disorder
Autism spectrum disorders
Mental retardation
Retard = slower both cognitive and social function
Physical and health impairments
Visual impairments
Hearing loss
Severe and multiple disabilities
Giftedness
So What:
As a teacher I need to be aware that:
Students learn differently
Intelligence is relative to culture and upbringing (my personal opinion) and is not a true indicator of whether or what a student can learn
I will be dealing with students with different disabilities and abilities in my classroom
I need to be able to get my students the help they need to succeed. This might include labeling,
§ I need to be very careful in how I label my students (labeling WILL occur, consciously or subconsciously) – using as many positive labels as possible but also being ware that some labels enable students to get help in areas they need it.
§ I need to teach in different ways to reach the different kinds of ways students learn
(As per Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences)
Now What:
As a teacher my job is to educate and prepare students to be fully functioning and productive members of society. My personal goals would be to appreciate the uniqueness of each child, to know their strengths and weakness and be able to provide a safe learning environment using multiple teaching methods to reach each student. (ditto from last week)
INTELLIGENCE TESTING:
What:
We were assigned to take 2 intelligence tests:
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: I am a kenethestic learner which came as no surprise to me.
Online IQ test: I tested a little higher than average but only finished part of the test, not realizing there was a time limit so I didn’t push myself to go fast. Maybe that is a sign of low intelligence – not reading the directions thoroughly. lol
So What:
I question the ‘labeling’ that comes from the Multiple Intelligences test, especially when there were so few questions and the questions were so general. As far as the IQ test – I was depressed all week after finding out I was just barely above average. I always thought I was borderline genius. (JK)
Now What:
It’s good to know the direction you lean as far as learning styles and I wouldn’t have a problem testing my students in these areas. As a teacher I will try to use different teaching strategies that cover all of the intelligences so as to reach every student in the way they learn best.
I think that IQ tests are pretty arbitrary and can’t test a lot of things that determine whether or not a student succeeds. Case in point – my college roommate. She got a 17 on her ACT test but graduated from BYU with honors because of her work ethic and determination. Those things don’t show up on an IQ test. I wouldn’t give IQ test to high school students.
Monday, October 13, 2008
differences 10/05/2008
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THIS WEEK 10/05/2008
CULTURAL AND ETHNIC DIFFERENCES we might deal with in students in our classrooms:
Ebonics
Okay for informal papers – reflections, etc
Formal audience – no
English only education
1st generation immigrants – depending on the age of immigration – keep original language
2nd generation turns away from – generations can’t speak to each other
3rd /4th turn back to original language
What do we do with kids whose parents speak another language?
Send home bilingual instructions / notes, etc?
Can be cumbersome if there are a lot of languages in classroom
Purpose of teacher is to EDUCATE!
Use multiple intelligences to help so language isn’t
Visual / hands on
Parents WANT kids to learn English
CULTURAL NORMS
eye contact
silence vs. speaking out
waiting vs. interrupting
public vs. private performance
views about teasing
concept of time
Need to teach punctuality and getting assignments on time – prepare for real world
Hold kids to the bar – scaffolding at the beginning of the year to educate
Assignments – have check points along the way to check progress
family relationships and expectations
COOPERATION VS. COMPETITION:
Why do some teachers encourage competitions?
It can make some kids work harder
Can make it about completion with someone else but with yourself
Are you improving???
Have different kinds of competitions that hit all areas
Group competitions
Weekly improvements
GENDER DIFFERENCES
Physical activity and motor skills
Cognitive and academic abilities – not any difference
Visual-spatial ability
boys tend to have a little bit better spatial ability
Variability in performance – expect same performance
Variability in boys is a large spectrum / girls more in a group
Verbal
Mathematical
Sense of self
Interpersonal behaviors and relationships
Physical aggressions – more boys / testosterone
Relational aggression – more girls
Self-socialization
Message – we may be engaging in a lot of behaviors that discriminate against one gender or another
SOCIOECONOMIC DIFFERENCES -Longer in this situation and earlier exposed – more of a problem
Family income
Parent’s education levels
Parent’s occupations
Low income
Poor
Risks
Nutrition and Health
Housing and length of residency
Exposure to toxins
Social environments
Emotional stress
Backgrounds knowledge
Parental involvement
School Quality
STUDENTS AT RISK
History of academic failure
Older age
Emotional and behavioral problems
Friends
Lack of attachment to school – really important!!!!!
Extra curriculars – keep at risk students in school – YEAH!
Increasing disinvolvement with school
SO WHAT: As a teacher I need to-
Understand my cultural lens
Create a more multicultural Classroom environment
Incorporate values, beliefs and traditions of the students in my classroom
Break down my ethnic stereotypes
Not make an incorrect assumption about the student without knowing what the student’s culture teaches.
Promote interaction
Import cultural diversity
Foster democratic ideals
Have my kids help chose what they want to learn as far as their cultures
Be aware of body language in regards to culture
Respect the student
NOW WHAT:
As a teacher my job is to educate and prepare students to be fully functioning and productive members of society. My personal goals would be to appreciate the uniqueness of each child, to know their strengths and weakness and be able to provide a safe learning environment using multiple teaching methods to reach each student.
CULTURAL AND ETHNIC DIFFERENCES we might deal with in students in our classrooms:
Ebonics
Okay for informal papers – reflections, etc
Formal audience – no
English only education
1st generation immigrants – depending on the age of immigration – keep original language
2nd generation turns away from – generations can’t speak to each other
3rd /4th turn back to original language
What do we do with kids whose parents speak another language?
Send home bilingual instructions / notes, etc?
Can be cumbersome if there are a lot of languages in classroom
Purpose of teacher is to EDUCATE!
Use multiple intelligences to help so language isn’t
Visual / hands on
Parents WANT kids to learn English
CULTURAL NORMS
eye contact
silence vs. speaking out
waiting vs. interrupting
public vs. private performance
views about teasing
concept of time
Need to teach punctuality and getting assignments on time – prepare for real world
Hold kids to the bar – scaffolding at the beginning of the year to educate
Assignments – have check points along the way to check progress
family relationships and expectations
COOPERATION VS. COMPETITION:
Why do some teachers encourage competitions?
It can make some kids work harder
Can make it about completion with someone else but with yourself
Are you improving???
Have different kinds of competitions that hit all areas
Group competitions
Weekly improvements
GENDER DIFFERENCES
Physical activity and motor skills
Cognitive and academic abilities – not any difference
Visual-spatial ability
boys tend to have a little bit better spatial ability
Variability in performance – expect same performance
Variability in boys is a large spectrum / girls more in a group
Verbal
Mathematical
Sense of self
Interpersonal behaviors and relationships
Physical aggressions – more boys / testosterone
Relational aggression – more girls
Self-socialization
Message – we may be engaging in a lot of behaviors that discriminate against one gender or another
SOCIOECONOMIC DIFFERENCES -Longer in this situation and earlier exposed – more of a problem
Family income
Parent’s education levels
Parent’s occupations
Low income
Poor
Risks
Nutrition and Health
Housing and length of residency
Exposure to toxins
Social environments
Emotional stress
Backgrounds knowledge
Parental involvement
School Quality
STUDENTS AT RISK
History of academic failure
Older age
Emotional and behavioral problems
Friends
Lack of attachment to school – really important!!!!!
Extra curriculars – keep at risk students in school – YEAH!
Increasing disinvolvement with school
SO WHAT: As a teacher I need to-
Understand my cultural lens
Create a more multicultural Classroom environment
Incorporate values, beliefs and traditions of the students in my classroom
Break down my ethnic stereotypes
Not make an incorrect assumption about the student without knowing what the student’s culture teaches.
Promote interaction
Import cultural diversity
Foster democratic ideals
Have my kids help chose what they want to learn as far as their cultures
Be aware of body language in regards to culture
Respect the student
NOW WHAT:
As a teacher my job is to educate and prepare students to be fully functioning and productive members of society. My personal goals would be to appreciate the uniqueness of each child, to know their strengths and weakness and be able to provide a safe learning environment using multiple teaching methods to reach each student.
Monday, September 22, 2008
learning log - research week of 9/15/2008
Learning Log for the week of 9/15/2008
WHAT: this week we learned about different kinds of research:
DESCRIPTIVE –
Describing how they are or how they were
help to generate hypothesis
getting the data not changing the data
basis for the rest of the research types,
teachers are doing this informally all the time
Types of conclusions – safe research, you don’t have to worry about changing the subject, you don’t have to worry about conclusions, changing anything, getting information and ideas
Forms it can take –case studies / methods, / observational / survey/ archival / tests / from one person to a million
Pros - quick and easy – easies to do / uses existing data / non intrusive
cons – no cause and effect, halo effect (no being observe they kids act differently)
CORRELATIONAL – strength of relationships between variables
types of conclusions - don’t change anything / Allows us to make predictions / graphs
forms it can take – all methods from descriptive but look at data in a different way
pros – does allow to make predictions, relatively easy, not changing anything
cons – no cause and effect/ haven’t sifted out other causes
example – sleep GPA
EXPERIMENTAL – Change – usually one thing only to keep variables small - use of a "treatment" (usually the independent variable) which is introduced into the research context or manipulated by the researcher. Has different groups
the manipulation of one variable on another variable, allowing conclusions about case and effect relationships. – Allows for conclusions about why behavior occurs.
Pros , allows the researcher to isolate a particular variable and focus on it in order to determine its effect on other variables. Effect
Cons - often makes the research situation unnatural / subjects may not behave normally in an experiment / virtually impossible to control all the variables / often raise serious questions about research ethics / hard to do
Randomization – groups need to be random
Dependable variables – those that are observed to change in response to independent variables ie test scores
Independent variable – those that are deliberately manipulated to invoke change-ie teac hing strategy
Quasi-experiment (‘sorta’ experiment)
types of conclusions – Why behavior occurs
forms it can take – all methods from descriptive but look at data in a different way
example – have one person drink a glass of milk, the other a gallon – who has to go to the bathroom first
ACTION – teacher based research in an individual classroom – to solve a specific problem, no outside people involved
Conclusions – reflective, specific problem solving – for this teacher this worked better
Forms – assessing teaching techniques , opinions, same as descriptive
Pros – hands on, specific Cause and effect – no transfer (next year might be different), personal to you
Cons – same as pros – takes a lot of time
No control group
SO WHAT: Why is this important to me as a teacher? Through continuing and varied research a teacher can tract student’s progress, assess the needs of students and see if the teacher’s methods are teaching the students effectively. I want to be an effective teacher.
NOW WHAT: What are you going to do about it? I want to be an effective teacher. To accomplish this goal I plan to use the different kinds of research we have learned about to continually assess my teacher skills and examine the strategies I am using to improve the way I teach.
Report on research study
Laura Garner
Ed Psych – Monday AM
Suzy Cox
September 21st, 2008
Inside Out’s School Project
A research report measuring the power of a theatre-based
program for at-risk junior high students
by James S. Catterall
This was a great article researching the effects of an after school program of theatre education for at risk kids. It included the following key measurement areas:
• Ability to work with others with whom a student disagrees.
• Ability to work with others in groups generally.
• Problem resolution skills.
• Sense of self-efficacy (the degree to which a student feels his/her actions make things happen).
• Awareness of one’s own thinking processes (metacognition).
• Attitudes about doing arts.
• Attitudes about acting.
• General outlook for the future.
• General satisfaction, happiness.
The project was experimental research, introducing one variable (theatre education) with a control group of kids from the same school who had applied for the program but weren’t able to be included because of lack of space. This control group and the experimental group both had a desire to be part of the program, making the results of the research more valid. The study was conducted through a treatment comparison design in which seventy-one program students and eighty-four non-participating comparison group students completed questionnaires before and after the students engaged in the program. Specific conditions were built into the study to raise the validity and reliability of the generalized conclusions.’ The study results found students achieving competency in theatre made significant gains in every area but one. This study also backed up other studies that support the same conclusions. That is why I love theatre!!!!
References
While not all the texts and articles listed here are referenced in this research report, each was an important source during the analysis of the data assembled.
Catterall, J. S. and Peppler, K. A.(2004). Arts Education and the Worldviews of Inner City Children. The Ford Foundation, New York.
Catterall, J. S. (2002). “Research on Drama and Theatre in Education.”Chapter in Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development, pages 58-62, Richard J. Deasy, editor. Arts Education Partnership, Washington, D.C.
Catterall, J. S. (1994). Different Ways of Knowing: 1991-1994 National Longitudinal Study Final Report. T he Galef Institute, Los Angeles.
De la Cruz, R. E. (1995). The Effects of Creative Drama on the Social and Oral Language Skills of Children with Learning Difficulties. Doctoral dissertation, Department of Specialized Educational Development, Illinois State University, Bloomington, Illinois.
Eccles, J. (1999). When School is Out: The Future of Children. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Los Angeles.
Heath S. B. (1999). “Imaginative Actuality: Learning in the Arts During the Nonschool Hours.” Chapter in Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning, pages 19-33.The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, Washington, D.C.
Horn, J. (1992). An Exploration into the Writing of Original Scripts by Inner City High School Drama Students. National Arts Education Research Center, New York; National Endowment for the Arts; United States Department of Education.
Kassab, L. (1984). A Poetic/Dramatic Approach to Facilitate Oral Communication. Unpublished Doctoral
Dissertation, Department of Speech Communication, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania.
Podlozny (2000). “Strengthening Verbal Skills Through the Use of Classroom Drama: A Clear Link.”Journal of Aesthetic Education, volume34 (numbers 3-4), pages 239-276.
Seidel, S. (1999). “Stand and Unfold Yourself: A Monograph on the Shakespeare & Company Research Study.” Chapter in Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning, pages 79-90. The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, Washington, D.C.
Wolfe, D. P. (1999). “Why the Arts Matter in Education: Or Just What Do Children Learn When They Create an Opera?” Chapter in Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning, pages 91-98. The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, Washington D.C.
Ed Psych – Monday AM
Suzy Cox
September 21st, 2008
Inside Out’s School Project
A research report measuring the power of a theatre-based
program for at-risk junior high students
by James S. Catterall
This was a great article researching the effects of an after school program of theatre education for at risk kids. It included the following key measurement areas:
• Ability to work with others with whom a student disagrees.
• Ability to work with others in groups generally.
• Problem resolution skills.
• Sense of self-efficacy (the degree to which a student feels his/her actions make things happen).
• Awareness of one’s own thinking processes (metacognition).
• Attitudes about doing arts.
• Attitudes about acting.
• General outlook for the future.
• General satisfaction, happiness.
The project was experimental research, introducing one variable (theatre education) with a control group of kids from the same school who had applied for the program but weren’t able to be included because of lack of space. This control group and the experimental group both had a desire to be part of the program, making the results of the research more valid. The study was conducted through a treatment comparison design in which seventy-one program students and eighty-four non-participating comparison group students completed questionnaires before and after the students engaged in the program. Specific conditions were built into the study to raise the validity and reliability of the generalized conclusions.’ The study results found students achieving competency in theatre made significant gains in every area but one. This study also backed up other studies that support the same conclusions. That is why I love theatre!!!!
References
While not all the texts and articles listed here are referenced in this research report, each was an important source during the analysis of the data assembled.
Catterall, J. S. and Peppler, K. A.(2004). Arts Education and the Worldviews of Inner City Children. The Ford Foundation, New York.
Catterall, J. S. (2002). “Research on Drama and Theatre in Education.”Chapter in Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development, pages 58-62, Richard J. Deasy, editor. Arts Education Partnership, Washington, D.C.
Catterall, J. S. (1994). Different Ways of Knowing: 1991-1994 National Longitudinal Study Final Report. T he Galef Institute, Los Angeles.
De la Cruz, R. E. (1995). The Effects of Creative Drama on the Social and Oral Language Skills of Children with Learning Difficulties. Doctoral dissertation, Department of Specialized Educational Development, Illinois State University, Bloomington, Illinois.
Eccles, J. (1999). When School is Out: The Future of Children. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Los Angeles.
Heath S. B. (1999). “Imaginative Actuality: Learning in the Arts During the Nonschool Hours.” Chapter in Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning, pages 19-33.The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, Washington, D.C.
Horn, J. (1992). An Exploration into the Writing of Original Scripts by Inner City High School Drama Students. National Arts Education Research Center, New York; National Endowment for the Arts; United States Department of Education.
Kassab, L. (1984). A Poetic/Dramatic Approach to Facilitate Oral Communication. Unpublished Doctoral
Dissertation, Department of Speech Communication, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania.
Podlozny (2000). “Strengthening Verbal Skills Through the Use of Classroom Drama: A Clear Link.”Journal of Aesthetic Education, volume34 (numbers 3-4), pages 239-276.
Seidel, S. (1999). “Stand and Unfold Yourself: A Monograph on the Shakespeare & Company Research Study.” Chapter in Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning, pages 79-90. The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, Washington, D.C.
Wolfe, D. P. (1999). “Why the Arts Matter in Education: Or Just What Do Children Learn When They Create an Opera?” Chapter in Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning, pages 91-98. The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, Washington D.C.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Motivation
Why am I here? To Learn. Fortunately for me - unlike conventional students who are young on life expereince - I've had plenty and know the value of education both in and out of a classroom. The degree to me isn't the main thing - although it will give me a sense of accomplishment - but what I can take from this learning experience out into my classroom as a teacher.
What motivates me? - knowing I can succeed and do well. If the task is something that doesn't interest me or I know I won't be the best at it - then I go onto something I can do well. That doesn't mean I don't try new things but they need to be in an area that interests and challenges me and that can be functional for my life.
Why do you succeed? Hard work and enthusiasm for what I'm doing.
Why do you fail? Usually its lack of motivation. I don't fail very often. :)
How do you need to change your perspecive and / or motivations in order to succeed in the secondary education program and become a GREAT!!!! teacher???
I think I'm on the right track.
What motivates me? - knowing I can succeed and do well. If the task is something that doesn't interest me or I know I won't be the best at it - then I go onto something I can do well. That doesn't mean I don't try new things but they need to be in an area that interests and challenges me and that can be functional for my life.
Why do you succeed? Hard work and enthusiasm for what I'm doing.
Why do you fail? Usually its lack of motivation. I don't fail very often. :)
How do you need to change your perspecive and / or motivations in order to succeed in the secondary education program and become a GREAT!!!! teacher???
I think I'm on the right track.
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