1. The Learning Self: Effective Use of Technology in Learning Environments
Haruna Tada

2. Overview Goals for the use of computers in learning
(from Children and Computer Technology: Analysis and Recommendations)
Background of authors
Reading summaries
Examples of use of technology in the classroom
examples of implementations
group exercise – design a classroom activity that uses some of highlighted technology
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3. Children and Computer Technology: Analysis and Recommendations (Shields & Behrman, 2000)
children acquire the skills necessary to use the technology effectively and responsibly
provide training for teachers and parents to understand what contents are out there and what is age-appropriate
reduce disparities in computer access between rich and poor communities
computers in classrooms should be used to add value to traditional curriculum and to teach things that were otherwise not possible
children use computers to create, design, invent, and to collaborate
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4. Who is Seymour Papert? Born and raised in South Africa
1954 – 1958: Studied mathematics at Cambridge University
1958 – 1963: Worked with Jean Piaget at Univ. of Geneva
1963 ~ : MIT, founding faculty member of Artificial Intelligence Lab and MIT Media Lab
Currently lives in Maine
Learning Barn
Maine Youth Center in Portland
Research activities and contributions:
technologies for providing new ways to learn
MaMaMedia.com
LEGO Mindstorms
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5. Who is Mitchel Resnick? 1978: BA in Physics from Princeton
1988, 1992: MS and PhD in Comp. Sci. at MIT
Currently the LEGO Papert Associate Professor of Learning Research at MIT Media Lab
Research Activities and contributions:
new ways of learning using technology
LEGO Programmable bricks
StarLOGO
Computer Clubhouse
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6. Mindstorms (Papert, 1980)
Computer as a tool for putting children in control of their own learning
Children “build their own intellectual structures with materials drawn from the surrounding culture.”
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7. Computer Criticism vs. Technocentric Thinking (Papert, 1987)
New technology affects multiple aspects of educational and social culture
“Technocentricism” – the tendency to place all emphasis on technology and not the people/method by which it is implemented
What matters is not introducing a new technology, but how you introduce the technology
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8. The Children’s Machine (Papert, 1993)
Comparison with Jean Piaget’s three developmental stages
sensorimotor stage (pre-school) children respond to immediate situation
stage of concrete operations (elementary school) period of concrete logic, but tied to specific situations
formal stage (highschool and on) logic, deduction, induction, and theory-building by verification and refutation
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9. The Children’s Machine (Papert, 1993)
Papert revisits concrete stage
strengthen the concrete process – “growing relevant mental entities and giving them connections”
focus on concrete stage not just as a transition between sensorimotor to formal stage, but as a model for learning anytime in one’s life
Teach in a way “to produce the most learning for the least teaching”
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10. Instructionist vs. Constructivist Approaches
Transmission, or Instructionist approach
relies on books, lectures, and memorizing
Using computers to assist transmission of knowledge
drills and activities that replace paper-and-pencil type assignments
Supporting evidence
increase basic skills and improve standardized test scores
Constructivist approach
building students’ knowledge through experience, critical thinking and real-world connections
Using computers to assist constructivist learning
exchange of ideas with other students
group project with students from different communities
Supporting evidence
increase the depth of understanding
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11. Pianos Not Stereos: Creating Computational Construction Kits (Resnick, 1996)
Two types of connections for effective learning:
personal: user’s interests, passions, and experiences
epistemological: new ways of thinking, new connections between ideas
Allow children to guide their own learning (personal connections), and trigger new areas of learning (epistemological connections)
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12. Examples from “Pianos Not Stereos”
LEGO Programmable bricks
lets LEGO objects be programmed to “react, behave, and collect data”
StarLOGO
simulates decentralized systems
how patterns (geometrical, behavioral, etc) emerge from interactions of many entities all behaving according to simple rules
MOOSE Crossing
multi-user virtual environment
children create objects, worlds, and interact with one another
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13. Examples from the Classroom
Four Examples:
Use of LEGO programmable brick in engineering
MOOSE Crossing to study survival
LOGO for studying insects
StarLOGO to model immune system response
Ask these questions:
Was this technology/tool appropriate for the lesson?
Did the use of technology add value to the traditional curriculum?
Did the technology help trigger any personal and/or epistemological connections in children?
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14. Example 1: LEGO Programmable Brick
“Capturing the Wind”
part of the Engineering/Technology curriculum
developed by CEEO at Tufts
for grades 5-8
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15. Example 2: MOOSE Crossing
Use of MOOSE Crossing in a California public school
grades 4-5
From a lesson on “survival”...
a class project to make a virtual “sinking ship” in MOOSE Crossing
each student assigned a room to design/describe (based on the Titanic)
connect rooms together according to the Titanic model
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16. Example 3: LOGO Programming Language
Insect project at Blake School
preK-12 private school
second grade classroom
study of milkweed beetles lead to the development of computer lesson using LOGO
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17. Example 4: StarLOGO Cancer and Stem-Transplantation
developed by Univ. of Maine
for grades 5-12
after learning in class about immune system and the types of cells involved in interactions, the students model the immune system using StarLOGO
what types of cells and agents (white blood cells, etc) are at work?
how do the different entities interact?
how do the human body react to cancer cells?
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18. Group Exercise: Design a Classroom Activity
For the technology that is assigned to your group, design a lesson or project, and discuss:
Why is this technology/tool appropriate for the lesson?
How will you integrate the technology into the classroom?
How does the technology contribute to forming relevant personal and epistemological connections?
What specific skills or concepts does the technology help develop?
How does use of technology add value to the traditional curriculum?
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19. Some Useful Links LOGO: StarLogo:
StarLogo:
LEGO Mindstorms & Programmable bricks:
MOOSE Crossing:
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