Student-Centered Learning Strategies Handout

6 Student Centered Learning Strategies

Blog Post 2: Handheld Devices

It seems that year after year, our administration tries to figure out a way to work with the cell phone issue.  One year teachers were required to collect cell phones from students if the cell phone was visible or if it rang, buzzed, or chimed in class.  The students would then have to pay a fine to get their cell phone back from the principal.  Another year, our admin told us to make our own classroom policy for cell phone use.  Hmmmm...that was kind of confusing for the students.  Students have also been told they are allowed to use cell phones only between classes and at lunch.  This year, we have gone back to the "fine" policy.  Every year, I think to myself, cell phones aren't leaving our students anytime soon.   In fact, they keep getting fancier, smarter and parents continue to buy them for their kids.  As educators, we are going to have to keep up with this way of life and begin using them as tools in our classroom.

The article I read, Cell Phones: 21st Century Learning Tools, gave me some great ideas on how students can use their cell phones for education.  Sorrentino(2013) gives her suggestions on how educators can encourage students to "learn about, document and organize their world" through the use of cell phones (Sorrentino, 2013, para 23).

Keypoint 1:  Learn about their world

Sorrentino stated that Liz Kolb, an educator who has now implemented cell phones into her teaching says, "...when student's can connect their own culture with what's happening in school they're education becomes immediately more meaningful to them."(para. 4).  Students have that "ah-ha" moment that every teacher hopes for when they are allowed to complete school work on their cell phone.  The article gives examples of many different apps students can download to become learners outside of the classroom and can get them excited about learning about their world.  Some of the examples are textnovel.com in which students can write a novel using text messaging and textmarks.com which students can create or subscribe to campaigns they are very knowledgeable about.  These two websites teach the student about real life by using their cell phones.   

Keypoint 2:  Document their world

In this article, Sorrentino says that educator Kolb has discovered many apps on how students can document their world.  The one I found most interesting was to become a "mobile journalist"(para. 12). The idea is to document what is going on their world by taking pictures, videos, and notes on their phone as they witness things unfold, for example, their baseball team winning a district game. This can be documented and then sent to a local news station. There is an app from CNN that students can send their stories to as well.  As educators, we can creatively make use of this in almost any class.  

I have sent students around campus with cameras before, but never with their phones as cameras.  I can only imagine their level of excitement while working on a project like this. 

Keypoint 3:  Organize their world

Our cell phones are extremely "smart" these days and what better way to help a student stay organized than teaching them all the tools on their phone to help them accomplish this.  Sorrentino mentions a service call dial2do.com (para. 18).  "It allows you to create speak-to-text messages and e-mails, make calendar appointments, and listen to your calendar through your cell phone."(para. 18).  I remember when I was in school, our teachers required us to use a small notepad to stay organized.  I think students would become more aware of their responsibilities if one day the teacher said, "Ok class, take out your cell phone and type this homework assignment into your calendar."  I believe students would become more successful in class and learn how to organize for their future real world responsibilities. 

Using cell phones in the library:

This past summer, one of our teachers found an app to organize her personal library in her classroom.  She scanned every barcode into her cell phone and when students wanted to check out a book, she was able to keep track of them with her cell phone.  I was amazed at what she could do with her cell phone. I know that libraries keep track of books on the computer, but what a great way to also document and organize books.  

Being introduced to these websites and ideas mentioned in the article, I feel they would also work well in a library setting.  The article mentions a lesson that most students do every year when returning from summer break.  I think it would be great to have a center set up for this topic in the library.  Inform the students before they leave for the summer that they will have the opportunity to share their summer get-aways by using their cell phone when they return.  They must take pictures on their cell phone of the places they went and then share during the first week of school or so.  I can envision students getting genuinely excited about this type of activity.  

Resources

OnOttButton. (2009, December 12). Cell Phones in the Classroom:  Learning Tools for the 21st Century. Retrieved August 18, 2013 from, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXt_de2-HBE

Sorrentino, J. (2013, August 6).  Cell Phones: 21st Century Learning Tools?. www.education.com. Retrieved September 19, 2013, from www.education.com. 

Blog Post 1: Technology Strengths and Weakness

My husband runs his own business, but when it comes to the computer, he hands things over to me.  He frequently tells me that I am so good at working the computer and using technology.  I have to disagree!  There are some things I am pretty good at, but only because of what I have learned as a teacher.

According to the ISTE.Nets, I feel I am strong in some areas, but very weak in others. Most of my strengths in technology are in the area of creativity, communicating with parents, students, and teachers, and bringing real-world issues into the classroom via the internet.  Some of my weakness are being able to use technology in the classroom and using the wide variety of tools available to enrich the learning that takes place.

As an educator, I plan to use my strengths with the school and community.  I consider myself pretty creative and enjoy creating music, videos and working with photography on the computer.  I currently help out with the cheerleaders at our school and put music together for them using Garage Band.  I have taught myself how to work this program and now work with students to help them learn the program as well.  Along with the music, I have put together slide shows and videos for various assemblies for our school.

Another strength I bring to my classroom by use of technology is discussions of real-world issues.  The use of articles on the internet is a daily activity for my students.  Current events are posted on the SmartBoard and research is required through use of laptops.  My goal is for my students to be exposed daily to technology and what is going on in the world outside of the classroom.

Communication has been a challenge for me, but through collaborating with other teachers, we have set up a Facebook page to communicate with students and parents.  Along with the Facebook page, I am currently working on a teacher web-page which will be very helpful as well.

To overcome my weaknesses using technology, I definitely need to not be afraid of it.  To accomplish this, I know that attending workshops and using the tools and skills available to me will have to be used.  The first time my students and I used the new laptops in class, frustration set in!  One by one, I began to have my students work on alternate assignments because of MY lack of experience and confidence.  I tried to make the classroom a technology enriched place of learning, but I found myself spinning my wheels.

In order to improve my instructional strategies by use of technology I would like to learn more about how to troubleshoot problems that occur.  I would also like to learn the most effective tools to use to engage students and how to better communicate with my students and parents.  I do plan on using the blogger.com that I am currently learning with my students.

Sometimes I feel as if I am in a state of limbo; I know that there are tools available, I just have to get to them and use them!


Resources

ISTE-Nets-t. (2012).  Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-t-standards.pdf
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