Chapter 10 Learning Log

What?
Chapter 10 focuses on Social Cognitivism. This is learning as an internal process that may or may not lead to a behavior change. This theory believes that people learn by observing others and, in the process, begin to assume control over their own behavior. Reciprocal causation is an important concept of this theory. This is an interdependence of environment, behavior, and personal variables as these three factors influence learning and development. Another important concept is the power of expectations, which is students engaging in a behavior and then receiving a consequence which enforces their expectations and predictions.

So What?
It is important for a future teacher to have a knowledge of this theory, and important to be on the class syllabus, because it focuses on a basic way of learning. It seems commonsense for people to learn by observation, and this is a big part of classroom learning. Great teachers will understand that students will not only observe what teachers are meaning to teach, but they will understand that students can also learn from observing our behaviors. It is important to understand that modeling good behaviors is a great way to subtly teach students.

Now What?
I can use live modeling in my classroom to promote the behaviors I want my students to participate in. Also i can use symbolic modeling in my English class by having my students study fictional characters and how they influence an observer's behavior. This could even be an interesting topic to discuss as a class. One concept I would like to learn more about is self-efficacy. Although I understand what it is and that it is task oriented, I'm not sure understand how to influence more self-efficacy in my students, or even if it is possible.

Chapter 9 Learning Log

What?
Chapter 9 focuses on the theory of Behaviorism. Behaviorism is a semi-permanent change in behavior. The advantage of this theory are that reinforcing proper behaviors promotes classroom compliance. However, the disadvantages are that there is no grantee that the behaviors are permanent, and it tends to focuses on rewards rather than learning. There are five main assumptions that we covered in our class discussion. First, the environment has a large influence. Second, learning is an observable event. Third, learning is a behavior change. Fourth, a focus on contiguity of events, which is a series of things in a continuous connection. Fifth, a focus on the similarities of learning principles across species. It is also important to note that classical conditioning is a conscious decision, and operant conditioning is a conscious decision.

So What?
Behaviorism is important to know as a future teacher and be included on the class syllabus because it can help a teacher understand students behaviors, and help a teacher to promote classroom compliance. Understand the content of this chapter will help me to be a great teacher by helping me to understand students' behaviors. With the understanding of positive and negative reinforcers I can always increase a behavior, whether by rewards (positive reinforcements) or by causing an avoidance (negative reinforcements).

Now What?
One piece of information from this chapter that I think is really important to implement into my classroom is using response costs rather than verbal reprimands. Verbal reprimands are probably easier; however, they can be ineffective and embarrassing for the student. Response costs, taking away a previously earned reinforcer or the opportunity to obtain a reinforcer, because it doesn't provide the attention that some students seek for with their inappropriate behaviors, and it doesn't publicly embarrass the students either.

Chapter 7 Learning Log

What?
Chapter 7 is about the Constructivism theory. Constructivism focuses on learning being an active process in which learners construct their own meaning. Advantages of this theory are students play an active role in the learning experience, and students often learn on a deeper level because they are creating a meaning. However, a big disadvantage to this theory is that students may often create a meaning based on a misconception. It is important to note that a misconception is a belief that is inconsistent with a commonly accepted scientific explanation. Students are most likely to revise these misconceptions when they recognize their beliefs are inadequate. Also it is important to understand that prior knowledge and expectations are especially likely to influence learning when new information is ambiguous. Therefore it is important for a teacher to communicate material in as clear a way as possible to avoid students misinterpreting it.

So What?
One of the main ideas I took from this chapter that I feel is extremely important for future teachers to be aware of, and therefore making this chapter important to be on the syllabus, is avoiding student misconceptions. This information, that ambiguous and unclear instruction can lead to misconceptions, can help one to be a great teacher by making the teacher simply making a teacher aware. To understand that students may often fill-in any vague spots in a teachers instruction with their own meaning, which has the potential to be incorrect, makes a teacher make certain that his/her instruction and communications are clear.

Now What?
There are several key was to assure students don't leave my classroom with misconceptions of the material I have taught. First, common misconceptions can be addressed. If I am aware of common misconceptions that often arise with a certain concept, addressing them can make students aware of them. Second, I can address these misconceptions and provide new information that contradicts them. Third, I can address the fact that often students at any level create misconceptions, and revising them is part of the learning process. And fourth, I need to be aware of what my students are saying during and after the lesson to catch in lingering misconceptions.

Chapter 6 Learning Log

What?
Chapter 6 is about cognitivism and learning. We discussed the three basics of learning; learning is due to experience, meaning is constructed by the learner, and prior knowledge and beliefs play a role in meaning. The brain labels and stores information for later retrieval. When we are introduced to a stimuli it goes to our R.A.S., and from there it goes to our thalamus, which sorts the information to different parts of the brain. This sorting process is short-term memory. The different parts of the brain send this information to the hippocampus for encoding, and then the information is sent back to the different parts of the brain for long-term storage. It is important to know that memory isn't stored in one place. There are also three types of memory: working, explicit, and implicit. Explicit deals with facts and events. Implicit deals with procedural, reflective, emotional (in the amygdala), and sensory conditioning. We also discussed encoding, which is the format changing of new information as it is being stored in memory.

So What?
As a future teacher knowing the process of learning and cognitive processes are important. I know understand how the different types of memory are formed and what these different types of memory are. This can help me to help my students retain the information I will be teaching them. This topic was important to be included on the syllabus now I am aware that memory isn't stored in one place, so giving students visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc. stimuli is important. Being aware of this can help me to become a great teacher by pushing me to be more cognizant of implementing different types of stimuli in my lessons. This will help my students to store the same information in different parts of the brain, making it easier for them to store and retrieve information.

Now What?
Because learning is due to experience, I'll need to review information frequently or making the learning experience memorable. Also, being aware that meaning is constructed by the learner and his/her prior knowledge plays a role in meaning will help me to strive to dispel any misconceptions that might be forming. Stimuli is taken in by the senses and memory isn't stored in one place in the brain; this information will push me to integrate different types of stimuli into my lessons, such as visual, auditory, kinesthetic, musical, and linguistic activities. However, I believe that I will still need to understand more about what improves maintaining a memory and what improves retrieving a memory.