Week 4 Reflection

Chapter 4

Among the different theories that the author discuss in the book , the Schema and Cognitive load theory seems to me to most appropriate to use when teaching to the students how to calculate and compare unit cost. This theory is based on the idea that the best way to teach students is to show them the final objective. They need to see a finished example of what they are supposed to do and then they will be trained with the process leading to the final result. In this phase , the teacher will show to the students steps by steps what they are supposed to do in order to achieve the final result. I will argue that , this theory suggests that ione of the best approaches to teach calculation methods to students is learning by doing. Once the instructor gives a example to students , and show them the entire process he used in order to come up with his final result, the student will be more likely to use the same process and to learn how to calculate and compare unit prices of any product. Again the key in this theory is to give the schema to the students so that they can rely on it in any other situation.

The second theory that I found very interesting in the readings was the cognitive information processing theory. This theory is based on the assumption that student needs different types of examples in order to fully understand a concept or a technique. For example in order to teach students how to calculate and compare unit cost it will be very postive if the teacher uses different examples such as the unit price of a fruit, a pen , a soda or a chicken wing. These different examples are supposed to help the students to aplly the techniques of calculation they have just learned in different situations. The idea here is that by using different producst or items the student will ask questions if they did not fully understand how to calculate and compare the unit price of these products. If they are confortable with the calculations then the teacher can be sure that his students are ready to move on and to learn new things.

The third and last theories I will consider is the the constructivism theory. This theory is in some how differet from the other two theories I have already mentioned. It suggests that there is no best approaches to solve a specific problem or to get a result. There are always different prepectives and possibilities that students can use in order to achieve their final objective. For example if you ask students what is the shortest way between teh class room and the the public library? If student will use his own information and knowledge in order to come up with his own solution to that problem. This theory suggest that in our example if WE give the same amount to different students and ask them to spend it in a grocery store using the unit cost method, we will have different students with differents products. Each one will spend his money based on his own calculations. This approach can be very beneficial if students are organized in groups and have to work togheter in order to choose among all their different perspectives one solution that the group will agree on.

Chapter 14

I will argue here that the International Society for Performance Improvement can be a very good model that many education systems ans schools can implement. This model can be used as a an evaluation and monioring tool in order to measure the peformance of the different activities of a school. I t will give the opportunity to the school management and the teachers the opportunity to compare the results obtained to the goals. If the objectives are not meet, then togheter both actors can work in order to take the right initiatives and to achieve their objectives. However, in order to succesfully implement this model all the schools actors should be informed about the role of the HPI practionner. He should be consider by both the the teaching saff and the school administration as a partner and not a competitor.

Value of Social Boomarking

I am personally convinced that Social bookmarking can be very positive for the all actors of the school systems. Both teachers , students, parenst and school administrators can take advantage of these tools. By sing this method teachers and students can share large amount of information in a very convenient time. They can also organize their work in a very efficient way. Teachers can make information available to their students by using websites, the students can used the same method to interact with their classmates and the parents can also have important information about what their student are learning. I think social bookmarking is a very easy way to keep in touch with what is going in their children schools for many parents.

The Podcast http://edtech101.com/ offers many interesting discussions about using technology in the education field.