Pedagogical Practice

& Theory

When I am instructing students that this cognitive level I change my teaching to be more constructivist and have an interpretivist view of education. Marzano (2000) writes Constructivism refers to the general principle that learners use their prior knowledge to construct a personally meaningful understanding of content that is the focus of learning (Brown & Green, 2011). When I am teaching as a constructivist teacher, my instruction consists of more peer-to-peer learning, hands on activities, and student inquiry. In a constructivist classroom students are provided the tools that they need to learn through investigation, exploration, and development of their own ideas and strategies. It is not necessary to incorporate all five facets into every lesson; however our research shows that their use does have an overall positive impact on instruction. For that reason, the instructional example below specifically includes examples of using information-processing technologies as information banks, a symbol pad, and task manager. Throughout the instructional example, constructivist techniques have also been used. Understanding theories of psychology and practice are a main ingredient when integrating technology into general instruction. Driscoll (1994) states that "providing complex learning environments that incorporate authentic activity" is essential in developing a meaningful learning experience for children of a Nintendo generation. Therefore, implementing pedagogical theories of constructivism with technology can enhance student understanding. Constructivists believe that incorporating real world problems into instruction can help students solve problems with higher complexity. Educators should make these environments more available.

Artifacts Connected to MTTS and ISTE Standards

Ralabate, 2011, states By facilitating the design and implementation of a flexible, responsive curriculum, UDL offers options for how information is presented, how students respond or demonstrate their knowledge and skills, and how students are engaged in learning (p. 15). The point of this UDL presentation is to provide teachers with efficient resources and strategies for small group instruction in heterogeneously grouped classes. UDL PowerPoint for Enhancing Small Group Instruction I learned that there are many aspects of pedagogical theory such as tending to the learners needs and individual learning styles. Therefore, this artifact meets MTTS standards IV and V by creating an environment that integrates accessible, low-tech support, to maximize students individual learning needs. The artifact also connects to ISTE-T standard 2 because it allows for differential, authentic learning experiences by relaying content using my suggested tools and resources. MTTS Standards: V; VI ISTE - T Standards: 2

References

Driscoll (1994)
Marzano, R. J. (2000). The 20th century advances in instruction. In R.S. Brandt (Ed.) Education in a New Era (pp. 67-95). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.