1. What are your initial reactions to this theory/model? What are barriers to its use? What
benefits might be expected for those who overcome the barriers?
This model reminds me of my 7 year old twins.  WHY?  It is so tempting to say….BECAUSE I SAID SO.  But this is what we want.  We want the why answered.  The questions- Why does it matter?  What is the meaning of this activity?  This leads us to a deep level of understanding.

I have a student teacher right now.  As her mentor I teach her expert processes and skills.  She is my apprentice

I look at these steps below.  This is exactly what I am doing with her. 

·        teacher designs scaffolds that encourage

students to apply the strategies

·        the activities should be situated or

geared toward a relevant outcome

·        model, coach, fade

I don’t really see any barriers to this approach.  My student teacher is learning through asking the What and Why questions as well as trying out different approaches herself.  I am right there to help and guide her.

2. Would you attempt to use this theory/model with the students you are currently teaching
or hope to teach in the future? Why or why not? Could elements of the theory/model be
modified so that it would work with your current/future students?
I use this approach all the time with my students by modeling and scaffolding.  When they seem to grasp concepts being taught I gradually back off giving them more freedom. 

3. Since we're taking learning theories/models that were not necessarily created with the
Web in mind and turning them into Web modules, what Web-based tools or resources
could be leveraged to carry out this learning theory/model online?

Camtasia would be the best resource for modeling.  Also Elluminate and Wiki. 

PBL

What are your initial reactions to this theory/model? What are barriers to its use? What benefits might be expected for those who overcome the barriers?

PBL begun in the 1950’s in order to restructure medical school education. Right there this tells me that it would be of great benefit for science education.  It is now employed in business training.  PBL is teaching problem solving skills.  Students are given an open-ended problem where the answers could be one of many.  Students undertake authentic roles, diagnose situations in the same manner as an expert, perhaps interviewing key players or reviewing available documents.  The barriers to this would be time management in creating PBL activities.  Another barrier would be the ability of the instructor to efficiently manage each group; making sure they are staying on task.  The benefits would definitely be a higher level of thinking from each group.  This also teaches student how to efficiently work together in a group, share opinions and reach a decision. 

Would you attempt to use this theory/model with the students you are currently teaching or hope to teach in the future? Why or why not? Could elements of the theory/model be modified so that it would work with your current/future students?

I do not think that I would use this model with my current students or the future if I continue to teach the courses that I teach.  I teach computer classes.  I basically teach my students how to use Microsoft Office (database, spreadsheet, word, and publisher).  It is cut and dry what we do.  Just like math 1 + 1 will always =2.  There is no need to discuss it or try to solve this problem.  In spreadsheet for example, if you wanted to input data in a cell you make the cell an active cell an input the data. There is no need for problem solving, discussion or a decision to be reached. 

Since we're taking learning theories/models that were not necessarily created with the Web in mind and turning them into Web modules, what Web-based tools or resources could be leveraged to carry out this learning theory/model online?

I am becoming a big fan of Elluminate.  Skype would be another good web-based tool to use.  Wiki could be used as a place to continue to keep information updated as long as it was monitored and controlled by a member of the group.  Another great tool for keeping information is googledoc.   

Cooperative Learning

For as long as I have been teaching I have been a fan of cooperative learning.  I am for any method that allows students to work together achieve a common goal.  This type of learning will prepare my students for a career in the business world where team work is must.  One of the draw backs of cooperative learning is division of labor.  As the instructor, I must make sure that I choose the groups and not allow my students to choose.  This always leads to a disaster.  I will typically groups my students into small heterogeneous groups of 2-4 students.  I always assign each student a job, these makes everyone a part of the process. I also have an evaluation process at the end which al lows the students in the group to evaluate each other.  This helps with accountability.  I also have to continue to monitor my students to make sure that everyone is staying on task.  This keeps me very busy.  When all this comes together it is amazing to watch. 

When I was taking a class through learning NC we did a few cooperative learning group projects on Wiki. It was really a neat experience.  I could also see where Elluminate or any other Web based chat type program would suffice for cooperative learning.

Guided Design

Now this is a design model that can sink my teeth into.  The Guided design model is an educational strategy that uses real world problems to teach decision making skills within a content area.  Isn’t this what we as teaches strive on a daily basis to teach our students.  I know I do.  An activity I do in CAI for objective 6.01-6.02 is to let them pick a real world issue to use in their educational presentation.  If a student decided to pick teenage pregnancy, hopefully this will help another student to make the decision to use a protection.  Anyway…I do like this model.   This model helps promote participation in the form of leaders, planners, and researchers.  Everyone in the group has a been assigned a part. 

Group Project Steps

• define problem

• state objectives

• list constraints limiting solutions,

assumptions one must make,

and facts to be known

• generate possible solutions, and

evaluate using criteria

• select one solution, synthesize

present results and recommendations

as a report, or other product

• implement decision

• evaluate results

• feedback should be provided indicating

how an “experienced” decision maker

might have performed

I wonder if a barrier would be lack of participation from high school students.  This sounds good in theory and would definitely work for college students, but I could see some of my high school students refusing to participate and letting the other students do all the work (just like with other group projects).There would have to be accountability and individual grading.

I think that the web resources for this type of model are endless.  This is a Design model.  My students could use any program out there imaginable to design their project.  Elluminate works well for collaborative group conferencing allowing you to sharing your desktop as you are designing.