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A model of learning for the 21st century: A reflection on using technology in the classroom.

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Entry Plan

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My rationale for teaching students has developed as a result of teaching for four years in Japan, China as well as the United States in addition to studying at Columbia University's Teacher's College. Overall, I tend to favor a more eclectic approach to language teaching, learning, and syllabus design where technology is actively integrated and implemented.

I believe that designing a syllabus should be, first and foremost, learner centered. I believe that conducting a well designed needs analyses is imperative and a critical component of learner centered classrooms. I believe that learners must be provided with the opportunity to develop their autonomy and must interact interdependently with teachers and fellow students in order to enjoy the benefits of a learner centered syllabus. My teaching philosophy is firmly rooted in learner autonomy, constructivism and active use of technological frameworks to support student learning.

The following quote by Rousseau accurately reflects my developing view of autonomy as it relates to teaching in the classroom:

Whatever [your pupil] knows, he should know not because you have told him, but because he has grasped it himself. Do not teach him science; let him discover it. If ever you substitute authority for reason in his mind, he will stop reasoning and become a victim of other people's opinions (Benson, 2001, p. 24).
Constructivist theory
The constructivist model of learning and teaching provides a good framework for understanding how technology help students learn. The model is based on the understanding that learning takes place through open collaboration between teachers and students or experts and those seeking the knowledge of experts. In this type of environment, students are involved in the process of actively learning while doing. In other words, the students are the drivers of their own learning as they engage in meaningful interaction with others (i.e. classmates or teachers) (Senior, 2010). Within a constructive theoretical framework, video games as virtual worlds help facilitate learning and knowledge acquisition as learners can:

1. Interact in the game world in unique ways.

2. Join, collaborate, and interact with a new affinity group.

3. Transfer what they have learned to related semiotic domains outside of the game.

4. Learn how semiotic domains are used to "create certain relationships in society among people and groups of people..." (Gee, 2007, p.38).

Virtual worlds promote open collaboration and multimodal interaction between teachers and students or experts and those seeking the knowledge of experts (Black, 2009). These types of environments place learners at the focal point of the learning experience and, as such, students become drivers of their own learning (Dickey, 2007; Susaeta et al., 2010). In other words, in this type of environment, "the student is presented with a problem, the students attempt think critically to solve the problem through a series of inquiries, decisions, and actions, and the student receives information about ways the situation changes based on the decisions and actions" (Miller & Hegelheimer, 2006 p. 312). This type of interaction is constructive and autonomous in nature.
Autonomous Learning
Autonomy in a classroom setting implies that the learner will take the initiative to gain insight into the process of acquiring knowledge or a skill. Benson (2001) defines autonomy as "the capacity to take control over one's learning" (p. 110). When learners decide that they want to actively direct their own learning, they are, in effect, on the path to becoming more autonomous. Dam and Little (1998) summarize the aforementioned very clearly when they say that autonomy is simply a matter of "conscious intention," active involvement in the learning process, and the capacity to transcend "the limitations of personal heritage" in order to connect with and make meaning from the learning process (p. 1).

Ultimately, autonomy manifests itself when the learner takes steps to improve themselves or solve problems through a variety of means such as being able to incorporate knowledge and advice from peers and teachers in a meaningful way. In order to achieve this, students must feel confident that they have the abilities or skills to solve whatever problems they are faced with. Autonomous students also tend to actively reflect on processes that are conducive to autonomous learning. This naturally leads such students to contemplate and incorporate methods that enhance and expedite their progress, which leads to creative approaches to problem solving. These students are also aware of their weaknesses and strengths and make efforts to improve where necessary (Thanasoulas, 2002).

Furthermore, in order for students' autonomy to blossom, these problems or challenges must be perceived as worthwhile for students to continue to pursue them (Csikszentmihalyi, 1996; Deci et al., 1996). Through interacting in virtual worlds, students can potentially make meaning of their own volition. For example, if a student playing an MMORPG called Minions of Mirth wants to complete a quest, he or she has to independently form partnerships with other players, decide where to go to complete the mission, remember the location of the site for engagement on the map, and then execute the plan. The learner is the focal point of this interaction between that which is simulated, reality, and the virtual environment where learning is situated and meaning is constructed.

Palaiogiannis (2014) supports this conjecture in his four-month study examining how video games help secondary school students develop vocabulary and learning skills as well as autonomy in the classroom. In the study, a group of 16-year-old students played a game called Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express which is an online mystery, detective story game which players can interact with other players from around the world in the English language.

The students in the study made diary entries as they played the game to reflect on their learning. Students were also given a final questionnaire at the end of the study about the nature of their interaction throughout their gameplay. Students were given prompts before and during game missions to complete from their teacher throughout their play such as vocabulary, writing and comprehension tasks. Students also had pre-game tasks developed by a teacher to support their gameplay such as looking up key vocabulary words.

Palaiogiannis (2014) found that, when it came to vocabulary use in the game, 90% of the participants used compensation strategies when it came to using vocabulary, which meant that they used strategies to make up for deficits in vocabulary knowledge (e.g. if one doesn't know the word for 'orange,' one can say 'I want the orange, circular and sweet fruit). 80% employed cognitive and social strategies to solve problems in the game and "65% resorted to metacognitive strategies" (p. 267). In terms of writing tasks, "100% used both metacognitive and cognitive strategies [to solve problems encountered during gameplay and] 85% resorted to social strategies while 80% employed compensation strategies (p. 267). Most learners (60%) believed that playing the video game made them feel autonomous in the process of collaborating with others on tasks within the game and collaborative writing assignments in class.

Thus, the Palaiogiannis (2014) study provides some evidence in support of how meaningful knowledge construction (i.e. constructivism) through interaction in virtual worlds can engender feelings of autonomy. The author also concluded that those who felt autonomous were more likely to view pre-gaming tasks, which were the result of teacher scaffolding, as useful. These findings are in line with Thanasoulas (2002)'s assertion that autonomous learners are contemplative and take the initiative by reflecting on their learning and determining what is and is not effective in their learning experiences.
Skill Development in Virtual Worlds
Sourmelis et al. (2016) further supports the notion that virtual worlds can develop key skills in their review of research on the relationship between Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs) and the promotion of 21st century skills. Researchers in this study analyzed the research from 120 research studies on MMORPGs from 2010-2016. Sourmelis et al. (2016) concluded that while most studies in the field tended to focus on how MMORPGs promote communication, the large body of work supports the notion that these virtual worlds can develop 21st century skills. Specifically, these studies indicate advantages in learners' abilities in terms of ways of thinking (e.g., creativity and critical thinking), ways of working (e.g., communication), tools for working (e.g. ICT literacy), and living in the world (e.g. citizenship - local and global) (p.43). Sourmelis et al. (2016) suggest that future studies focus on video games as virtual worlds in relation to developing "creativity and innovation as well as problem solving and information" (p. 47).

References

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My rationale for teaching students has developed as a result of teaching for four years in Japan, China as well as the United States in addition to studying at Columbia University's Teacher's College. Overall, I tend to favor a more eclectic approach to language teaching, learning, and syllabus design where technology is actively integrated and implemented.

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In this presentation, I highlight the steps our district needs to go through to promote greater staff learning through technological implementation.

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MY E-Flipbook

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This is my e-flipbook containing details about my experience learning, teaching and developing on online platforms.

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Pre-Entry Plan Considerations

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Towards the Creation of a Model of Action Research at the Center

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Name: William Green
EDAM 820 Dr. Bigos
Spring 2018

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This evaluation about developing stakeholder capacity and empowering them to take part in improving the quality of teaching and learning.

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Quality of student records: I cannot control the quality of student report cards and these will of course be in different formats as the students attend different primary schools.

Confounding variables: It will be hard to determine what causes the correlation between performance at the training center and at school. Many factors (e.g. time of day, interests in the writing prompt etc.) might influence scores.

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Records: Student records from school and at the training center (e.g. scores, report cards, assessment feedback.

Written feedback: Can be from teachers, peer assessments or other written feedback in relation to student work.

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Language and Culture: Surveys will be bilingual so there may be issues about the integrity and accuracy of the translations as well as cross-cultural issues as I will be surveying Chinese parents and students.

Confounding Variables: We've built strong relationships with some of the parents. Those parents may, in turn, give feedback on the surveys positively as a result of our relationship and not in direct response to key survey questions.

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Survey data - Likert scale, multiple choice questions, open ended questions

Qualitative feedback preferred: It will be ideal to receive substantial written feedback from parents and students. Although this data will take time to analyze, it  empowers these stakeholders by giving them a voice in the process.

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To what extent does performance on assessments at the center, affect student performance on assessments at school?

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What impact has implementation of technology at Meiying impacted “the children of the families it has served?” (Russ-Eft & Preskill, 2009)

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Meiying Foreign Language Training Center is located in downtown Shanghai in Huangpu district. From next term, I will be promoted to Head of School. The following details my entry plan to begin to begin my tenure as an educational leader.

The center provides English language training to primary and secondary students aged 3-14 years old. The school currently has around 300 students who are primarily Chinese native language speakers. Most students come from middle or upper middle income families. The curriculum is split into two streams: one stream helps students succeed on grammar tests that they take at school The other stream develops students' literacy so that they can study in international schools or overseas in countries where English is spoken as a native language.

The purpose of my promotion to Head of School will be to ultimately assist in:

1.      the improvement of teaching and learning delivery systems.

2.      retention of teachers and students.

3.      an increase in the number of students.

4.      the improvement in the reputation of the organization as a center for language learning excellence.
5.      determine how stakeholders at the center cna make better use of technology to promote teaching           and learning.