Learning Objects

I really like the idea of using learning objects in the classroom. I think using learning objects in the classroom would be a great way to touch on different types of instruction and benefit those students with different learning styles. It seems beneficial that you can customize content by putting three or four learning objects together. I think that learning objects provide the three essentials for any lesson which are the objective, instruction, and assessment. Some disadvantages for using learning objects in the classroom would be that they remove context, may be difficult to connect standards to them, and might be hard to find which ones mesh well together. Learning objects seem to be a great resource to use to collaborate with teachers all over the world.

I would definitely use learning objects in my future classroom. I think that they would help students learn the information being presented in many different ways. In my future classroom, I would definitely combine different instructional architectures. Students could even be given the chance to work with their peers when going through learning objects. Also, different students could be given different learning objects to go through depending on their various learning styles.

I think when learning objects are created, various web-based tools could be incorporated. Like the example presented where students had to create a comic strip, students could be given a program such as Bitstrip to create their own comic strip. Additionally, videos could be incorporated in the different instructional architectures, and simulations.

Cognitive Flexibility Theory

I think this model seems like a combination of the STAR model, Case-based learning, and some of the others because it involves presenting a problem/case and providing students with different perspectives like in the STAR legacy model to help them solve the case or problem. I like how it also incorporates students having to use the different concepts they learn in multiple contexts. I think that this model would be beneficial because it gives students the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in a new way while essentially constructing their own knowledge about the subject.

I could possibly see some students becoming frustrated if they can not figure out the problem/case on their own. So, I think in some cases it would be beneficial for students to complete this learning theory in groups. Additionally, I could see how this model would be time consuming to create since it involves combining cases, different perspectives, etc. It would be helpful for "teams" of teachers at school to collaborate to create these models to use in the classroom.

I would definitely be willing to try this model out in my future classroom. I could see how it would be beneficial for students to apply their knowledge in different contexts while collaborating with their peers to express their point of view and providing feedback on their peers' point of view. I like the constructivist approach because I think that students will retain the knowledge better if they are the ones building their own knowledge.

I think there are several tools that could be used to carry out this learning model online. I think Viddler could be used to present a perspective, and students could comment on the video and see what other students have commented on. Additionally, students could benefit from going through different contextual simulations where they have to apply what they have learned.

Case-Based Learning

I could see how this model could definitely be used effectively to prepare business students, lawyers, crime scene investigators, etc. because it presents students with a case in which they have to figure out a solution, or draw a conclusion. I think this model presents a great way for students to learn about realistic decision making. I think students could have some great collaborative discussion when using this model with small groups.

One barrier would probably be the time that it would take to design and develop this model. Teachers would have to create cases and provide students with resources to help them solve the cases, or provide hints. I think it would be helpful for teachers to work with other teachers in teams to create modules such as this one. Different teachers could be responsible for presenting different resources that go along with the case.

I would be willing to try out this model in the classroom. However, if I used it in the classroom, I would definitely put students in small groups so they would be able to collaborate with their peers and have discussions with their group members about the case. I think this model would be a great way to incorporate relevant contexts and real world situations and decisions.

If I used this model online, to present the case, I would probably use some type of video. I might create one on MovieMaker or iMovie. Also, I would incorporate a discussion thread or wiki where students could share their thoughts about the case with their classmates.

I also found the Case-Based Reasoning model effective for teaching students. I think it would be useful for students to retrieve past information that they have learned, and reuse it, revise it, and then retain it. It is useful for students to remember how they solved past cases, so they can apply their knowledge to future cases.

"MOST" Environment

The model seems to be a great way to support at risk students. It also seems to be a good way to have students review and retell what they have learned. Additionally, I like the idea of adding in the computer-based "tutees" that present what-if questions that promote reflection. However, I could see this model being difficult to design because it has so many features. Teachers would have to create the initial presentation and then provide students with tools to use to retell the story presented. I think by keeping it simple, these barriers could be overcome. I think it might be a good idea to begin by making a short presentation and see how it works, and then changing what you came up with based on the results of the first one carried out in the classroom.

I would attempt to use this model with my future students. I really like how it incorporates the visual aspect, and doesn't solely rely on the verbal aspect of learning. I think it would be fun to create a video for students to watch about a story and then have them use a web-based tool to retell it. Like I said, I would give them a shorter story to retell first, and see how they do with putting it back together. I think this model would be a good way for students to show that they have mastered understanding of the reading, and also a good way for students to show chronological events in the order that they happened in the story.

I think several web-based tools can be used when carrying out this model in the classroom. I think teachers could use a website creator to make the presentation. Teachers could also embed Youtube or Teachertube videos into the website. They could then have students present the information from the story to them using Prezi (presentation creator) or even Bitstrip (comic strip creator).

STAR Legacy

My initial reactions to this model are that I think it would work well with many different subject areas. I really like how it is based on five main steps that students go through. I also like how in this model teachers present students with the initial questions to think about, and then revisit these questions again after the students have completed their learning and assessment. I think this is a good way for students to see how their answers or beliefs might have changed, and to see what they have learned.

One barrier that I see is that it would probably take a long time for teachers to put together step #3 (Perspectives and Resources). I think it might take a while for teachers to gather all of the pertinent resources, and also the different perspectives on the topic being presented. The good thing is though, once teachers created a model like this once, they would probably be able to reuse some of the resources and perspectives for classes that they have in the future. The only other barrier I could think of would be that some students may have a hard time going through this model on their own. Some individuals have a hard time evaluating different resources and perspectives. I think that teachers could put their students in groups to complete the five steps, provide more scaffolding, and model to student's their expectations and how they should be looking for hints and clues within their resources.

I definitely think I would use this model in my future classroom. I think it would be a great way to make sure that students are grasping certain curriculum objectives and learning the concepts in a meaningful way. I might try to have them do some individual STAR legacy models as well as group STAR legacy model learning. I think students could also benefit from working with a partner to learn through the STAR legacy model. I also feel that this model would be a great way to assess students.

I think that there are several web-based tools that could be utilized to benefit this model. Obviously, a web-site developer tool would be needed to create the model. Also, Windows MovieMaker or iMovie would be helpful to give students visual movies to look at about the topic/concept that they are learning. Just like the example presented in the lecture, still images can be incorporated, or even live videos. Also, I think that Voki could be used to tell of the different perspectives being presented (If students are learning about how animals are affected by pollution, for example, then different animal Voki's can be created that tell perspectives on the issue, etc.). Also, discussion threads could be incorporated for students to discuss initial thoughts or reactions to the challenge presented. Students could also blog about the different resources that they are researching and reading in the model.

Anchored Instruction

Initially, it seems as though this model is a lot like Goal-Based Scenarios and Problem-Based Learning. The teacher presents a problem, and students have to come up with a possible solution. This model seems to be slightly different from the other models because students do less research on their own since the information is already embedded in the model. Some barriers to this model may be the fact that some students would not be motivated to read information over and over to find answers to solve problems presented. Also, some of the more shy students may not be willing to debate with their group about ways they can solve the given problem. I think these barriers can be overcome. Students can be better motivated if teachers incorporate more multimedia items to present the problems. Also, students could be put in small groups where they would feel comfortable and more willing to share ideas with their group.

I would attempt to use this model in the future. I think that it would be useful for students to collaborate with a small group of individuals to try to solve a problem with embedded data and information. Students would just have to figure out from the information given, how to solve the problem. I think it would be great for student's to participate in something such as this because it would have a real-world application. Students would also be using 21st century skills by problem solving, collaborating, communicating effectively with others, and using higher order thinking skills to solve these problems. I would probably use this model a few times a week in my classroom, but I think when paired with multimedia items such as videos, it would be a great model to use.

I think many web-based tools could be incorporated in this model to make it effective. Videos could be used to present the stories/scenarios/problems. Videos would engage the students and motivate them. They would also be able to go back and review certain parts of the video that they may want to focus on in more detail. Videos could be put on programs such as Viddler or Voicethread where students could work with their group and comment on various slides/pictures/videos about ways to solve the problems or ideas they have about the scenarios presented.

Goal-Based Scenarios

My initial reactions to this model are that I think it would be a good way for students to research and learn a lot about something that they are interested in. Also, I think this model would take a lot of work from the teacher. I think it would be hard for the teacher to design several different scenarios to interest every student in the classroom. I think teachers would just have to create modules that would interest the majority of students and work to get every student motivated and engaged in the new learning experience. I find another barrier to be that some students may become frustrated if there is a lot of reading involved in the modules. For example, in the Space Mission and Moving scenarios provided on the lecture, there seemed to be a lot of reading, so I think it would be hard for some elementary school aged children to complete those. I think to overcome this barrier, teachers could somehow incorporate audio where they could have the option of having the text read aloud to them.

I would personally maybe attempt this a few times during a month in the classroom, but not on an every week basis. I think that some students would not be motivated to take the time to watch videos and read information on their own. I would probably share the "cover story" video to the whole class and have a discussion, and then have them break up into small groups and talk about what they could do in the scenario presented. I think they could even do a think pair share type thing where they think about consequences, discuss them with a group, and then share them when presenting what they would do in the certain scenario.

I think there are several simulations and webquests online that seem like they would fit under the "Goal-Based Scenario" theory. I think the more interactive the better. I think teachers could use Windows MovieMaker, or iMovie to make movies to add in their "simulations." Also, teachers can add in comic strips by using programs such as Bitstrip. I think anything to make the learning more interactive for the student would be beneficial.