Week 1

Thoughts on Learning Material:

Dr. Caberas ideas about thinking skills and teaching thinking skills were very interesting
and I think very on point. When he spoke of the state of education and its role its hand in simply
turning thinking children into non-thinking, memorizing and regurgitating information students. I
think he was correct in presenting this as a big problem and something that needs to be healed. I do
not think, however, that the solution is a simple as DSRP. My experience with formal schooling
compares almost exactly with his description. The room to think, discover for myself and
understanding material was not encouraged. For me it was getting involved in arts and
performance that revived my ability to think in school. This is why I think that DSRP will not solve
all of our thinking problems. I do think it will bring about great improvements. Students will have
more room to think and function and teachers to be more creative.

Week 2-3
Thoughts on Learning Material:


Behavioral Cognitive Social Constructivism
Narrative This perspective on
learning is about
monitoring what
happens when one
behaves in certain
patterns. It also looks
at the process that
people take when
modifying certain
behaviors due to
rewards and
consequences.
Thorndike, who
This perspective is
based on how people
acquire, perceive,
remember and
communicate
information. It
involves out senses
and how those are
involved during
learning. This
perception is
grounded on our
minds deciding what
This perspective is
based on new
knowledge processes
in 3 steps.
Construction, storage
and retrieval. Where a
lot believe that
individuals construct
knowledge, this
perspective argues
that there are social
constructions where
the collective efforts
performed
experiments on cats he
placed in puzzle boxes,
developed this
psychology. He would
observe how they
escaped from puzzle
boxes. He empirically
studied the laws and
patterns of learning.
He would put a cat in a
box and time how long
it took for the cat to
escape. He would
perform this many
times and what he
found was that the cats
eventually learned that
pressing a lever in the
box. The more trails
the cats went through
the faster they were
able to escape. Thus
was born the Law of
Effect and the concept
that behavior and
response are related.
happens and what
materials mean.
Gestalt was a major
influence on this
perspective. It
revolves around the
notion
impose meaning on
the world. It
emphasizes culture
and context. That
when people think
together, share ideals
and work
collaboratively to
develop solutions.
Beliefs We are constantly
modifying our
behavior. Rewards act
as reinforcement and
behavior is based on
outcome.
We have five senses
that our neurons
respond to which
causes a chain of
events to occur in the
brain which lead to
sensation. These
sensations occur so
frequently and so
quickly that it goes on
without our conscious
thought.
By sharing, people can
elaborately clarify and
organize through
working together.
Principles Law of effect says that
being rewarded after a
behavior it will happen
again. Reinforced is
used to try and control
what behaviors are to
The brain works in
ways that fills in gaps
of information to make
the story whole and
this is called closure.
Construction is
considered to be the
mental and internal
processes that take
pieces and build them
into an understanding
follow. If the
reinforcement is bad
then the behavior is
less likely to follow
and vice versa.
Figure/ground is how
the brain picks out
what is important and
filters out everything
else. Proximity is how
the brain groups
things that are closely
related. Continuity is
the automatic
tendency to favor
continuous paths.
There is automaticity
in our sensation and
perceptions to make
the world easy. It is
also centered on the
workings of both
sensation and
pperception which is
when our brains
transform the
sensation into an
understanding and
thoughtful and
meaningful ideas.
and interpretation.
Storage is the concept
of taking in new
information to
memory. Retrieval is
the process of the
brain finding and using
information.
Limitations

Thoughts on Reading Material:

Kirschner

This article will go into my archives of favorite articles of all time. This article
addressed many things that brought about clarity and conception for me. By breaking
down many of the traditional myths I feel prepared to go into the classroom ready to
explore new concepts rather than relying on ones that have been debunked. With evidence
and with reason the debunking of the myth of the multitasker, of technology being the
answer to everything that wrong with education and the myth of learning styles was very
enlightening. When the article declared that, educational science must be driven by
theories and theory development based on empirical data rather than legends, hypes and
methodologically unsound research. It made me wonder if educational science has a place
not only in research but also in the classroom and from the teacher first hand. I wonder if
theory building should be a part of lesson planning. Because so much of what we thought
we knew or commonly accepted is wrong how many more or our practices are faulty? And
as a teacher should I wait until the next debunking article comes out or should I build and
explore theories as I teach in order to ensure that my teaching is productive and my
students are learning.

Driscoll
Reading the article on the theories of learning and instruction really pushed me to think critically
about all the aspects of teaching. I think the reason I, and hopefully a lot of other aspiring teachers,
are lining up for this work is because we want to change lives. A teacher revolutionized my life and I
want to do the same. To inspire, to encourage growth and to potential save a life. I am constantly
considering the child as a whole but often neglecting thinking of the learning portion with depth.
This article however helped me to really contemplate that learning is no simple processes with a
preordained method. To really consider how I perceive learning occurs and the nature of
knowledge. As a teacher the ways in which I view learning and knowledge affect how my students
will learn, or not learn! A lot of the terminology and methods mentioned in the article about how
theories are composed reminded me a lot of what I think the process of teaching and building
lessons and units will be like. Making assumptions, curiosity, observations, proposing, working
hypotheses, research, comparing results hypotheses, revising and conducting additional research
were all terms and methods used to describe how theories are made. I think that each of those can
be used in order to create productively sound and constructive lessons and facilitation of learning. I
have so much to think and construct! I plan now to approach my teaching and curriculum building
in a way that is inquiry based, experimenting, having subsequent phases, collecting feedback and
observations to continually revamp and recreate my teaching in ways that are optimal for all my
students to learn.
Week 04 & 05
Thoughts on Learning Material:

Lionni, Leo Fish is Fish
There were many examples that related to human learning. Both the frog and the fish
enjoyed learning visually about the world outside the pond. The fish also had to learn through
experience after being told he couldnt he still tried to explore land.
Seasons
My ideas: the tilt of the earth causes the seasons. Its rotation around earth causes the moon
phases. The tilt changes the amount of distributed light.
Harvard Graduates
Its interesting that they had the exact same misconceptions. They used basic logic to make
sense of something they probably hadnt thought of.

Thoughts on Reading Material:

Sternberg

This article was incredibly influential and I appreciate that it was a part of the
curriculum. In programs focused on science and math education the focus is usually on
that. The science and the math and how students will best learn the concepts rather the
children themselves. This article helped to put a lot of things into perspective. Rather that
just focusing on caring and encouraging the child this piece gave clear and concise
information on how to capitalize on their strengths and compensate for or correct their
weakness. This way I am actively and strategically ensuring that my students are
encouraged and learning in an environment that is suited for their success. The theory of
successful intelligence I thought was brilliant. To have successes defined by the individual I
thought would be a radically different yet beneficial.
Usual school tradition I have experienced was the totally opposite. What you were
not good at was highlighted and you were labeled by it. So when the article pointed out
that, they have to recognize that they probably will never be suburb at all kinds of
performance I was thrilled. The classroom applications provided I think were very helpful
and helped me to think of new ways to construct my class and curriculum. The application
mentioned teaching critically which is something that I think I will try my best to explore
and implement this summer when teaching! I think that education is usually structured on
having student memorized and regurgitate information rather than having them not only
learn material but to engage with the material and analyze it for themselves.

Zazkis

Reading this article on using interviews as a form of data collection sparked a lot of ideas in
me about my future teaching methods. To not only use questioning students as a way of assessing if
they understood the information but to use in analysis. I think traditionally students answers are
checked to see if they are correct or not and then that tells whether they have understood. I think
that using questions in the way proposed in the article would be extremely beneficial to both the
student and I in getting a deeper understanding of what the student understands and how they
understand the material. This made me wonder if structure lessons to where interviews casually
happen during the lesson. To have the students stop and see how well they understand and for me
to possibly change the flow or change of the direction of the lesson based on the concepts best
understood and least understood. Especially when the articled mentioned that pre-planned
interviews are not the best. Having the students not expecting of the questions and having them
close to the moments of learning may give more accurate and organic answers!

Week 06 & 07

Thoughts on Learning Material:

Dan Meyer on Ted
The fact that he saw it as a product to be sold. I am not sure that he meant that as
part of a joke or that the reality of that is the joke. The language is bothersome to me
I think that him being so honest about the reality of math education is the first step
and looking at it in a detail formed as in looking at the methods students to take and
the practices that teachers use are all wrong in his opinion on what are the reasons
for why math education is in such a rut
Recognizing that the way we teach effects our future world and in that way
ourselves
I think his concept of patience problem math is good as well as creating a communal
conversation to come to a conclusion. Creating an environment where the students
need or ask for the math in order to continue to look for the answer. Involving the
students in the formulation of the problem. I think this spurring and encouragement
of critical thinking is awesome because is usually not taught or exercised in the
math curriculum
I think that getting those kids that are discouraged by math to be a part of the
conversation is important
Using the word redefining in a sense of what math is and how math is done is
awesome
Asking simple question and having the deeper or more complex questions come out
in conversation and that is question centered teaching as well as student centered
teaching and think this is so important to the advancement for teachers
Relating math to things that people use and understand in the everyday such as how
long it take to fill something up or which line at the supermarket to get into helps
students of all backgrounds approach math confidently and I think most of the times
more successfully



Conceptual change


Situated Learning


Social
Constructivist


Models &
Modeling

Learner Center
Environment
Where questions
are posed and the
students have the
opportunity to
explore the
answers and
facilitate their own
learning process by
their thought and
critical analyzing
processes. Students
were allowed to
have an
intellectual
struggle with the
material. Students
are encouraged to
share their
thinking and
express their ideas.
Expert learner is
the teacher but the
students take on
the aspects of the
learning The
teacher models
skills that students
are intended to
master. Then take
the students step
by step by coaching
individual students
and asking them to
reflect on work
teacher gradually
fades into the
background. The
classroom is
structured in a way
that the students
can take charge of
their learning.
The learning is a
social interaction
that is based highly
on the interactions
between teacher
and student. The
students pose the
questions rather
than what they
already know.
Learning is based
on what they
wonder and what
they are curious
about. They are
challenged.
Learning is
based on
students
constructing
model, analyzing
models and
modifying them
if they need be.
They students
would look at
the models and
propose certain
conclusions. The
symbols helped
the students to
piece together
concepts and
follow the order
of the concepts.

Knowledge
Centered
Environment
Obtain data,
generate
information and
test ideas.
The materials used
and covered are
derived from the
knowledge base of
the students and
what the teacher
thinks they will
relate to. The
students are asked
to find three
resources before
going to the
teacher so that the
class is structured
in a way that the
students are
pushed to look
through an array of
knowledge sources.
The knowledge is
not centered on
what the students
already know and
building on that
but rather is it
based on what the
students are
curious about and
what the students
want to learn about
the given subject.
The models
given to the
students were
measurements
built off based
on real life
occurrences.
These are used
as a knowledge
source because
it is simplified
and graspable.
Real life
examples help to
makes it easier
for the students
to understand.
Once the
students grasp
that they will be
able to work
with more
intricate
mathematical
concepts and
applications.

Assessment
Centered
Environment
The assessment in
this process is in
the hands of the
student. While
explore the
concepts they are
also given the
chance to critically
asses the material
rather than the
students being
assessed.
A sense of
assessment is
when the students
are asked to
present and share
their information
with the class.
Because their
information
becomes public the
students are
pushed to assess
their wok and
become more
invested in how
they create their
work and answers
because of the
assessment that
awaits during their
presentations.
There is also a
culture of feedback
that includes group
and self-
assessment.
There are creative
reports and other
creative constructs
that the students
create that the
teacher uses to
assess the students
in a way that is
creative and fun for
the student
The visual
models helped
students to think
critically. They
would look at
models and
propose things.
The teachers
was able to pose
these analytical
questions to
ensure as well as
assess the
students
learning of the
material.

Community
Students work in
groups to process
and come to
conclusions about
data that is
provided them to
interpret. The
students would
come up with their
own theories and
then share with the
class as a whole.
Smaller
communities used
to build up the
entire class
community.
Teachers are not
the sole authority
There are team
building and trust
activities in order
to create an
atmosphere where
the students are
comfortable to
participate actively
in a group.
Students work in
groups to becomes
experts in what
they are learner.
The students help
each other, which
encourages each
student to
recognize that they
are a part of their
Answers are
arrived at alone
but as a group,
together. The
teachers and the
peer assist in the
learning process.
Learning is a social
experience. Social
system is created
where the students
assist each other
and the teacher
assist them as well
creating an
interconnected
community. There
is recognition of
how students
The students
worked together
to build and
analyze the
model. The
students would
alter or add to
the model and
then other
students would
analyze or add
to it as well. A
community
formed as the
students worked
together to
create a correct
form of this
model.
Thoughts on Reading Material:

Anderson

The article on situated learning caused me to think critically as a future science
educator. Situated learning involves emphasis on the idea that, much of what is learned is
specific to the situation in which it is learned. This is something that even as a child
growing up in school I realized. There was very little talk about life outside of the textbooks
and the assignments on the board. There was almost no interaction or engagement with the
world outside of academia. This kind of learning however emphasized the, mismatch
between typical school situated and real world. With science in mind I think that this is a
vital thing to consider and exceptionally practical. While teaching about earth structure,
processes and the make-up of the solar system I am now thinking of ways in which to apply
these concepts to the real world rather than just the situation of a lesson in the classroom.
Whether that is by using current events in the environment, ongoing global environmental
issues or out of school experiments and trips. But over everything I hope that it will be the
structure of my lesson plans, exercises and experiments that the students will learn to look
at things critically, how to make connections between things, and understand how the
world works around them.
Hewson

What captured me most about this article was that students are not only to be
capturing and learning new concepts but also to reconstruct existing ones as well as
exchanging these existing concepts. Considering students views is a rarely implemented
practice in the classroom. Having the view of students shared in the classroom in a planned
and orderly accord can help students to verbalize their thinking and also cause other
students to encounter views they many never have heard. As the teacher my voice is the
instruction and I play the role of facilitator of learning however, to have students actively
engaged in their own learning and even instruction is an interesting concept. Which brings
me to my next point! The article covered the various roles of the teacher in supporting
teaching for conceptual change. The role that I think was most important to me in this
process of preparing to teach was the role of the active participant. As I mentioned I above
in the classroom
and the students
together explore
and examine the
ideas of science.
own learning
processes.
prefer to learn and
that is used to
encourage students
to teach each other.
The students
collaborate and
students have the
opportunity to step
up and lead and
help in the learning
of their peers
the teacher is traditionally know to be the facilitator of learning. But to also play the role of
active participant by listening and engaging with the ideas of students, having the students
explain their theories or perceptions, or gearing discussions around the students and their
responses. I am excited to explore and practice being an active participant.




Week 08 & 10
Thoughts on Learning Material:

Teaching Math Without Words: This was such a unique and foreign concept to me!
Never have I ever been in a math class where visuals were used. Other than trigonometry
really math is usually completely in words. For something that involves so many numbers
it is odd to think that something of this nature is not used! While the results produced were
great and impressive I do not think that to change to this sort of math education would be
easy. These experiments were done with smaller children and I wonder if the same results
would come to be if this same process was used with older youth. For so long we have been
taught with words, will the transition be smooth transition for students who have learned
math one way for their lives? I think that something like this should be studied more and
implemented in the classroom.

Thoughts on Reading Material:

Lehrer

The article on developing model-based reasoning I think will be pivotal for me as a
science-educator-to-be. I plan on teaching Earth Space Science, which is a great subject to
be filled with models! The concept that really opened my thinking was the cycle of
modeling they mentioned. I also thought that for each new lesson that the students or the
class would create a new model. But the idea that, models do not end with the first model;
instead, students must evaluate models. The article also mentions that students need to
revise them. This gave me the idea of having students build a model over the entire year.
Where they revisit, reevaluate, build upon, take things away, add new structures and so
forth. I think that this cyclic kind of model using and building is plausible for an Earth Space
Science class where the students can build the solar system or geologic structures on a
globe through out the year. One thing the article helped me to keep in mind was what they
discovered when the students lacked a clear understanding of the problem. The models did
not work at all. So to be strategic and thoughtful is something that I will definitely keep in
mind!




Week 11 & 12
Thoughts on Learning Material:

Making Thinking Visible
I think in the area of geology thinking is defined as looking at the processes of the earth
from different angles and using those angles to create a holistic understanding of how the earth
works, what the earth has been like In the past and what direction the earth is heading in. Because
geology is largely based on observation and logic thinking is an important and basic piece in
geology and the construction of geologic methods.
Common Core Movement in the United States
What constitutes the essential elements of mathematical and scientific thinking? The
elements of mathematical and scientific thinking, within the common core movement, is constituted
by what is considered critical for students to be prepared for college and careers, teacher judgment
and innovation and by being more focused.


Thoughts on Reading Material:

Puntambeker

Reading this article got me to thinking of how to integrate MER more fluidly into my
science lessons. How to have students explore the events of the lessons and put them under
investigation. Rather than students just learning concepts to have them experience the
actual science and to take part in the Science-in-the-making process. Having students
actively produce their own theories to be tested and then for the accepted theories to be
taught. It makes me so excited to teach and be a part of this process!
They mentioned a limitation as how the scientific processes may differ across domains
such as physics and geology. As geology major this caused me to think about how MER may
be more difficult to implement as fluidly as described in the article for other areas of
science such as biology. However, I think that models can be essential to using MERs in my
classroom. Because I will be teaching Earth Space Science and the concepts and material is
based on such colossal things, such as stars, earth, canyons and such, I think that models
can help the students picture these things and grasp and learn the material to a higher
degree. Because the article mentions that simply instruction will not do but instruct lessons
that reflect the actual practice of science. The lessons need to transform the concepts. In my
idea something that is astounding and awe-inspiring to the students because Earth Space
Science is so personal. It is our planet, our solar system. I will be teaching the students of
their home. I think to see it will help to learn it.


Week 13 & 14
Thoughts on Learning Material:

Dan Pink TedTalk
The accomplishment of STEM education I think is to have students literate in both basic and
complex concepts of math and science. I think it is to produce generations of students who are able
to better society on structural levels. What Dan Pink talks about in terms of motivation is key to
STEM education. I think that often enough people assume that STEM is filled with the left-brain
thinkers who are go-getters but there are students who need motivation and who need a helping
push to reach their potential. What he mentions about motivation unblocked barriers to creators to
creativity. I think that this kind of motivation is needed to create these entire generations of student
who can understand the world around us and use math and science to better society.

Principles and Practices of the Universal for Learning (UDL)
Taking it back to the concepts of how people learn in that there is no average learner and
that the mainstream media is underserving students because it has this illusion that all students
learn the same way but in reality how people learn is vastly different. All the models mentioned are
key because all these tools such as models, social cognitive are all proven as needed in the
successful education of math and science. Including things such as how information in presented
and having MERs are vital in math and science education. The guidelines mentioned in the video
are related to STEM learners is because it has been proven to need these sorts of tactics in order for
science education and math education to be truly effective.











Conceptual change


Situated Learning


Social Constructivist


Models & Modeling

Learner Center
Environment
Where questions are
posed and the
students have the
opportunity to explore
the answers and
facilitate their own
learning process by
their thought and
critical analyzing
processes. Students
were allowed to have
an intellectual
struggle with the
material. Students are
encouraged to share
their thinking and
express their ideas.
Expert learner is the
teacher but the
students take on the
aspects of the learning
The teacher models
skills that students are
intended to master.
Then take the students
step by step by
coaching individual
students and asking
them to reflect on
work teacher
gradually fades into
the background. The
classroom is
structured in a way
that the students can
take charge of their
learning.
The learning is a social
interaction that is
based highly on the
interactions between
teacher and student.
The students pose the
questions rather than
what they already
know. Learning is
based on what they
wonder and what they
are curious about.
They are challenged.


Knowledge Centered
Environment
Obtain data, generate
information and test
ideas.
The materials used
and covered are
derived from the
knowledge base of the
students and what the
teacher thinks they
will relate to. The
students are asked to
find three resources
before going to the
teacher so that the
class is structured in a
way that the students
are pushed to look
through an array of
knowledge sources.
The knowledge is not
centered on what the
students already know
and building on that
but rather is it based
on what the students
are curious about and
what the students
want to learn about
the given subject.


Assessment Centered
Environment
The assessment in this
process is in the hands
of the student. While
explore the concepts
they are also given the
chance to critically
asses the material
rather than the
students being
assessed.
A sense of assessment
is when the students
are asked to present
and share their
information with the
class. Because their
information becomes
public the students are
pushed to assess their
wok and become more
There are creative
reports and other
creative constructs
that the students
create that the teacher
uses to assess the
students in a way that
is creative and fun for
the student














invested in how they
create their work and
answers because of
the assessment that
awaits during their
presentations. There is
also a culture of
feedback that includes
group and self-
assessment.

Community
Students work in
groups to process and
come to conclusions
about data that is
provided them to
interpret. The
students would come
up with their own
theories and then
share with the class as
a whole. Smaller
communities used to
build up the entire
class community.
Teachers are not the
sole authority in the
classroom and the
students together
explore and examine
the ideas of science.
There are team
building and trust
activities in order to
create an atmosphere
where the students
are comfortable to
participate actively in
a group. Students
work in groups to
becomes experts in
what they are learner.
The students help
each other, which
encourages each
student to recognize
that they are a part of
their own learning
processes.
Answers are arrived at
alone but as a group,
together. The teachers
and the peer assist in
the learning process.
Learning is a social
experience. Social
system is created
where the students
assist each other and
the teacher assist
them as well creating
an interconnected
community. There is
recognition of how
students prefer to
learn and that is used
to encourage students
to teach each other.
The students
collaborate and
students have the
opportunity to step up
and lead and help in
the learning of their
peers