Behaviorist Learning Theory

The ultimate goal of teachers is for students to learn the information taught. Behavioral methods that reinforce the material are certainly important and still have a place in today's educational system. The Drill Method, for example, is certainly important in subjects such as Math. Here, students practice problems using the same method over and over until the master the material.

I personally am not a fan of tutorial programs or anything that replaces the actual classroom teacher. However, I do feel that they have a place in schools. These programs, though, should only be as an assistance to teaching the material. I am not a believer in using these programs in place of the teacher. Unfortunately though, with the state of the economy, this is the direction that I see some schools going.

In my PE classes, I use the Drill Method quite a bit. We are constantly either outside or in the gym, and we only take tests at the end of the semester. But, I teach them fitness concepts and I try to reinforce throughout the semester.

Reflection

Prior to taking EDUC 6710, I had some knowledge and experience using technology in my teaching. I have used the Internet before to show my students videos, which help reinforce my lessons. I have used Power Point presentations, and I have used DVD’s when during teaching units that involve added instruction. I also get many of my assignments from various teaching websites. I try not to teach a lot using a lecture format. I have found that many of my students get bored when that happens, usually during hour and a half classes. Having additional instruction that comes via technology is important.
During the course, I learned how to create and maintain a blog, which I feel would be beneficial for my students. In PE, I have my students set fitness and nutrition goals at the beginning of the year. These can be hard to monitor, both for the students and teacher. If I have the students use a blog they can keep track of their goals, and I can easily access them as well.
I would say that my lessons have for the most part always been learner-centered as opposed to teacher-centered. In PE, it is nearly impossible for a teacher to lecture all class period. It is possible during Health classes, but it not something that I do. My students have a short attention span anyway, and when they come into the gym, they want to be active. I always try to create lessons in which they are learning while they are active. One piece of technology that I can continue using is a DVD. I have found that students like using a DVD to do their workouts, especially if it is one that allows for creativity.
New technology is being invented every day, and it is important that I stay on top of the advancements. I am familiar with many of the basics, such as the Internet, Power Point, using a DVD player, and using a camcorder. But there are numerous other resources out there that can improve my teaching. I like watch news programs a lot, and by watching CNBC I have learned about new advances in technology. I plan on continuing to watch stations like CNBC to learn more.
I would say that my checklist made during week 1 of this course has remained the same. I do, though, have some goals that I would like to achieve for the next few years. My first goal over the next two years is simply to learn more about technology. As I mentioned, I know the basics, but I have from a technological expert. Even prior to this course it a goal of mine to learn about technology in general. My second goal is to determine how technology can improve student achievement in PE. It is obvious that technology can improve learning in the classroom. But, I would like to study up on just how it improves learning the gym setting.

Children and Technology

Website Review

The following is an overall review of The Partnership for the 21st Century website - http://www.p21.org/

Strengths
The site has several helpful links related to education
The site has documents in both Word and Adobe
The site has interviews and video links available

Weaknesses
The site is not laid out in a very user friendly manner
The site's white background is not appealing to viewers
The site does not express the overview on it's mainpage

The P21 site does have many strengths and weaknesses. There are many links available on the site, which can be helpful linking to other documents or locations. The "About Us" link is also helpful to users, as they can find more information about the site. In terms of the site layout, I would say that this site is tacky. It appears that little time was put into organizationing the layout of the site. The site is not attractive to users. Overall, I recommend this site to educators who wanted to access relevant educational resources. However, I would not recommend this to anyone designing a website.

Using my blog

As a PE teacher, there are certainly things that I must communicate to students and parents. A big problem I have is that students often come into the gym improperly dressed. Having a blog can remind students and parents of the importance of dressing out. Second, I can put on there my weekly schedules and calendars.

As a coach, this can more helpful. I can post weekly practice schedules, and give my athletes and students a heads up.

What other ways do you I can use a blog best in my teaching a coaching?

Using Technology

I will admit that I take technology for granted. I grew up during the “Information Age,” where new things were being created all of the time. When I was in college, the internet was starting to catch on. There is no doubt that having daily access to the internet has changed my life. I can access news, weather, email, and shop all in a click of a button.

This shift in technology has also changed teaching. For me, I can easily go to the internet and access lesson plans or ideas for PE websites. If there’s a good and relative video online, I can access it and show my students. Communication is a lot better with internet access. Most of my students’ parents have email accounts and check them frequently. I can easily communicate with them whenever needed. If my students are out, they can email me to see what they missed. They can also submit assignments via email.

Grades are posted online, and parents and students have access to them. This, though, can cause problems. If I am late posted an assignment, I will sometimes hear from an upset parent. If a child receives a bad grade, the parent instantly knows and might call complaining.

In my class I do not use Smart Boards, but my school does have access to them. This is essentially an interactive white board. I have used Power Point with some presentations, but I do not use it that much in my Health classes.

As a coach, my cell phone has come in very handy. Not only do I have it on me at all times, but I can reach a parent, coach, or player whenever I need to. I often text my players to let them know about important information. Years ago, I would have had to call each player on a land line phone.

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