Pedagogical Taxonomy in Practice week 4

If the teacher allows themselves to also become a student in the classroom, then learning can be accomplished from all parties because learning  and knowledge is easier attained when everyone learns from each other. ( if, then, because)  Lave's theory of learning showed me that even newbies coming into a community have just as much to contribute as the old timers that have been there awhile. (theorist and evidence) In essence, every member of a society can contribute and we cannot make stereotypes about age or familiarity because we could miss out on learning opportunities. (terminology) It was Vygotsky that believed education and learning happened through social interaction as well. (theorist and evidence) Everyone has something that they are very good at that others can learn from them, we are all the More Knowledgeable Other from time to time. (terminology) It is by sharing this information that education spreads and it is through conversation that learning can organically flow without the use of a specific formula. (moral/ ethical) (terminology)

In putting this into my practice, part of my pedagogical outlook (terminology) will be allowing not only my students to learn from one another, but I want to learn from them as well. (moral/ ethical)  I think after our lab experiments in which students would have worked to together to prove or disprove a given hypothesis that we should have a group discussion on the conclusions that each group had drawn and why they felt this way. (context/ event) By doing this I can sit and listen to the rational behind the collaborative team, (terminology) but they can also be helped along by their peers if something was done incorrectly or incompletely. (event)  In listening to the group bounce ideas off of one another I hope to learn why the students think that way they do and hopefully they can open my eyes up to something I had not noticed before. (evidence/ event)  If I recognize my students and myself as equals in our mini-community then my learning process will never stop because there will always be something new that will present itself that I can grow from. (moral/ethical) (if, then, because)

In filling out my summary on my theorists I was reminded why I loved nature and science to much to begin with.  My favorite moving growing up was Fern Gully.  I loved it when the elder woman gave the seed to Krista and told her to help it grow.  I want to plant the "seed" into my students and inspire them to grow and allow them to become life learners with a passion for science. I want our students and future leaders of our communities to leave our world better than they found it, just as we should do ourselves. (moral/ ethical)




Viki Davis 


Viki Davis's pedagogical outlook allows students to become their own teachers.  She presents ideas to her students and then lets them go out and become masters in that area. Another important note is that she accepts that she does not know everything, and allows herself to be taught by the students.  She begins by creating smaller teams is the class, each smaller group then helps instruct the other students in what there content was.  She also uses more professional terminology so that the students have to look up what they do not understand and can therefore get more experience on the computer, while at the same  time figuring out their question.  She allows intrinsic motivation to take over every time she assigns a task for the students to complete.  One of their tasks was in digital citizenship.  They were given a program that they had to not only navigate through, but collaborate with their team members to put together their presentation.  By navigating on their own the students were autonomous and discovered new things and became more competent as the project went more in depth.  In sharing their project with their class and helping those around them the class was still connected to each other.  The class also had to link up with towns and schools around the globe in an effort to share information.  This was another way to allow students to teach themselves how to connect with the world, while at the same time relate to who they were talking to and externalize their information. 


If the teacher makes a valiant effort in encouraging intrinsic motivation in his/her students, then the students are allowed to develop their own competence in a subject, and by doing this become, autonomous or self determined. (if, then/ terminology) When students feel that they are experienced in a certain area they are more likely to share and externalize this information and can then relate to those around them and grow as a community.  (because/ event) By allowing them to become the 'more knowledgeable other' the self determination theory seems to play into Vygotsky's learning theory as well. (theorist/evidence)  Allowing social development to naturally occur amplifies the amount of understanding that each child can walk away with. (moral/ethical)  Siemens suggest how we need to externalize our knowledge, and I believe the Internet is a great place to do so.  By guiding and helping my students create their own web of knowledge from valid resources, I can help them create a 'tool box' of information that they can carry with them and be motivated to constantly add to and perfect. (event) And with more of a positive outlook, they can help shape the world to be a better place. 


For a link to my chart of theorists click here




T2P 


If a teacher applies more than one theory in their pedagogy, then they are more likely to get all of their students to not only learn their content, but understand the material and be able to apply it abstractly.  Students have many modes and styles of learning, and not all the modes/style are the same for any given student, or any given classroom.  Say the teacher subscribes to Vygotsky's theory then they will understand the importance of having social learning, however they will also understand that there are other concepts in play at that given time (e.g what developmental stage the child is in (Piaget)).  It is through awareness and practicality of the application in the classroom that the teacher can become most effective.  
Part of my pedagogical outlook that I have developed is that I have come to the realization that I want to be a guide, and I want to be hands on (Lave), but I must also realize that I cannot always jump in the material head first; I must allow students to become comfortable and 'edge' in.  I know that I will have to start with the simple concrete concepts and build on them (Skinner), while assessing to make sure no one is left behind.  I must also take into consideration that students are not blank, and that each one walks into my classroom with preexisting knowledge and experiences (Piaget).  I also plan to do a good amount of group work, that allows socialization in reaching a final goal. And when ever possible I'd like to incorporate the Internet, because it truly is a vital tool in connecting the students to the world. (Vygotsky) It is in the movement of theory into practice, that I plan to meld the theories so that they will facilitate not only myself, but so that my students can get their optimal learning experience.