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Reflections on my Personal Learning Theory

Rather than making any modifications, I have clarified my thinking in the form of a written personal theory of learning. I have a cognitive-constructivist personal learning theory. I believe that students need to construct artifacts with new information that is based on prior learning.

I appreciated the practical way this class gave practical suggestions as to how to integrate the learning theories that were presented. One of the suggestions that I will implement immediately is to allow the students to use the SMART Board more. I had been using it more as an instructional tool; however, I learned that the students need to use technology as a learning tool. I will work to develop more lessons where the students are the ones at the board, not always me. Along with the SMART Board, I would like to integrate lessons using the Spinscape concept mapping web application. I would like to have students demonstrate their knowledge of concepts using the graphic mapping software, rather than having them write a report or take a quiz.

In the long term, I will have the students use technology as learning tools. Although I am a technology teacher, I have come to realize that I use certain technologies as instructional tools, rather than allowing the students to use it themselves. For the first long term goal change, I will have students create SMART Board lessons and present them to the class. A second long term goal change I would like to have students work in cooperative learning groups more often. I plan to use “base groups” to allow students to partner to complete work more quickly than having to wait for me to answer their questions. Then I will have students work in groups of 3-4 to complete electronic presentations or webquest projects as larger projects.

Overall, this class in the applications of technology in learning theory has given great ideas for applying technology to the various theories of learning. I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of learning the principles and applying them to the classes I teach.

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