Post #5

Jason Gaylord
February 22, 2009
Educ 422, MW 1-2:15
Instructor McCulloch

Ariel Owen writes in her article about WISE online mapper and "casual mapping," which allows students to generate easy to understand relationships out of complex data. Reflecting on this article makes me think about what we learned in class last week about how every individual learns differently. In this case, Owen is using several different strategies that appeal to many different learning styles. For instance, she talks about her students learn about creeks and water by going on field trips, which appeals to natural learners, visual learners, and pretty much the whole scale; however, she also talks about using the computer software program WISE online mapper. Not only does WISE allow users to organize their data and come up with simple relationships, but it also connects to learners who actually have to go through the steps of something to get it, and see things in ways they had never thought about. As Owen says about how this technology complements her students field trips, "Part of science is simplicity, and in these maps it is essential," because the maps help illustrate relationships.
Like Owens relates, technology is a useful tool in the classroom because it allows students to actually create something that is easy for them to see. As well, technology allows them to work quickly on projects and get what they need to get done and learn from their mistakes. For instance, as Owen relates to the readers, some students will use the technology to work through a problem and will present their maps and stop and realize there is more work that is needed to be done to get it right; and as Owen writes, there is nothing more essential to showing that someone is learning when they can correct and teach themselves.
My personal thoughts on this article is that it is excellent that these kids are able to use technology inside the classroom to help connect them to the outside world of biology. For me as a naturalistic learning, I need that connection, and I am more able to learn when that happens.

Jason Gaylord