Reflection on Appendix B

Journal Entry #6:  Reflection on Appendix B

            Appendix B in Moursund’s text discusses problem solving in general, and applied to PBL.  Problem solving is something that is important for students to learn, because they will encounter it frequently in their futures.  However, when students learn problem solving in school, it is not always done in a way that can be easily applied to real life.  Also, standards for problem solving are not specifically outlined or followed, so the amount of problem solving introduction and techniques that students have had varies from student to student.  This makes it difficult for teachers to expect students to use problem solving strategies and skills since some students may have more experience with this than others.  I think it is important for states to move towards creating problem solving standards that will be followed and upheld for certain grade levels.

            The text formally describes a “problem”, which according to Moursund must have four parts: givens, goal, resources, and ownership.  While reading this, I analyzed my PBL lesson and decided that I have created a problem for the students to address.  First, the students have been given an initial situation and a goal of creating a piñata out of geometric shapes.  The students have time resources (certain number of days), as well as material resources to create the piñata.  The students also have some ownership over the problem.  Though they are not completely thinking of the entire project on their own, the students do get to decide upon whatever shape piñata they wish to create.  Students also have ownership because they are using their own knowledge and thinking skills to complete different aspects of the project, which will then affect their grades.  I think that my project based learning idea has all of the necessary components of a problem. 

            The text discussed the ideas of representing problems mentally, with writing and drawing aids, or by using the computer.  For my project, I wanted the students to mentally picture what they want the piñata to look like first.  However, since they are creating the piñata in groups of four or five students, it is important for students to share their thoughts or pictures.  In order for this to happen, I required the students to sketch out what they may want the piñata to look like, and then agree on one design (based on all of the group members’ designs).  Then, as a group, students also use computer models in two-dimensions and in three-dimensions to create virtual models of their piñatas.  I like how the text stressed how computer models are similar to mental models because of the ability to easily change the model.  The 2D and 3D models that the students create in my PBL lesson can be easily changed and adapted if a problem appears.

            When students encounter problems, they should apply problem solving techniques to attempt to solve these problems.  The book stressed the fact that there are many domain specific techniques that can be done, but that there are also some strategies that are applicable for almost all domains.  One of these strategies was to break the large problem up into smaller more manageable parts.  I attempted to outline this for my students by creating different parts of the project, and requiring parts to be done correctly and checked before moving onto the next part.  This allows the students to practice this strategy of breaking the large problem into smaller problems.  In my PBL lesson, students also follow the six-step process writing strategy, adapted for PBL.  First, they brainstorm to develop a proposal.  Then, they draft their piñata in 2D and 3D forms.  Next, they request materials based on the shape of the piñata and its surface area.  Finally, they create the piñata using the material and find its volume.  After each step the students receive teacher feedback which may require them to revise their work or go back to other steps.  After their final product is created, they “publish” it by displaying it to the class and explaining their work.  I tried to incorporate all of the steps of problem solving into my developed PBL lesson.  I think that it is extremely important for students to be able to develop problem solving strategies and techniques that can be applying to real life situations.  

Reflection on Appendix A

Journal Entry #5:  Reflection on Appendix A

            Appendix A in Moursund’s text focused on the goals for IT in education, but began by describing the overall goals of education.  The goals of education included acquiring, understanding, and using new knowledge and skills.  This one definition of the goals of education, broken into the three different parts, easily sums up everything we as teachers want our students to be able to do.  All teachers should be creating lessons and activities that help students reach these goals.  Our PBL lessons are supposed to be able to do this, and I hope that I have created mine so that it reaches all three of these goals. 

            Moursund (2003) explains that “the distinction between information and knowledge is important” (p. 88).  This is important for a teacher to remember.  Just because the teacher provides the students with the information does not mean that they truly know the material.  And, even if the students can provide the same information back to the teacher, also does not mean that they truly know the material.  Knowledge comes from processing or using the new information based on existing knowledge.  For example, in my lesson, I may teach the formulas for volume of solid figures, and students may be able to tell me the formulas for the different figures, but they do not have the truly knowledge about volume until they can use the formulas in many different situations to find the volume of solid figures.  Teachers need to create opportunities for their students that allow them to practice and use the information received so that it becomes part of their own knowledge.  Well designed IT-PBL lessons provide students with this type of opportunity.

            The second part of the chapter focused on the IT part of the PBL lesson and the goals for IT in education.  My own opinion, which was also expanded upon in this chapter, is that information technology should be used as a tool to help students learn.  Sometimes teachers use technology just to use technology, and then may end up using in ineffectively.  It is important for teachers to use the technology as a tool for the students, and to make sure that the lesson is better because of the technology.  Of course this takes work and effort on the part of the teacher, but it is so important.  Technology can be an extremely powerful tool if used in the right way.

            The text discussed the idea of what students should learn to do mentally versus using paper and pencil, versus using a calculator or other computer device.  As a math teacher, I find this debate very interesting.  When I was in school teacher’s said that we could not use calculators for certain problems because when you’re in the grocery store, or at dinner, you won’t be carrying around a calculator with you.  However, now with the rise of technology, all cell phones have calculators and are carried with people everywhere!  I still think that students should learn to do basic math without a calculator, because I believe that these basic skills are still needed and help other areas of a student’s mind develop.  However, it is interesting to see how technology will become more readily available (as it already has), and students may have a reasonable point when teachers try to take away calculators. 

            The text also discussed the benefits of computer assisted learning and distance learning because of the rise of technology.  Computer assisted learning is a very interesting concept because it emphasizes that the students learn through the computer.  They do not just receive the information, but they learn.  I work with a computer assisted learning program every day.  It is called MyMathLab, and freshman at Seton Hall take a Developmental Math course using this program if they do not score well enough on their math placement test.  I think that the program is well-designed, but I think that it is not being used in the correct way.  This class puts them in front of the computer and has the computer “teach” them through exercises, examples, videos, etc.  The teacher is in the room with the students and they can ask him or her for help, but the teacher does not “instruct” the class.  For a highly motivated individual, this method may work well.  However, many of the students in this remedial class are unmotivated and have struggled with math all of their life.  I have seen first-hand that they find the CAL method frustrating, tiresome, and boring!  They struggle with grasping the concepts, and they basically try to memorize the way the computer solves a problem so that they can do well on the tests and get out of the class.  This goes against the goals of education, and shows how technology has possibly hurt this type of class and student learning.  It all goes back to trying to use technology in an efficient way that will help the students learn.