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I found this article interesting as it helped me to understand more about how we teach in our class and why it’s important to allow the students to be active learners. Some points that I jumped out at me were: As I read the article I was able to connect to what I do in class, it was a good read as it helped me to clarify and have more understanding on the why we do things they we do and how I can come back to these points and further develop what I do in my practice.
 * the meaning of knowing has shifted from being able to remember and repeat information to being able to find and use it.
 * emphasis on learning with understanding
 * in the past sts often have limited opportunities to understand or make sense of topics because many curricula have emphasized memory rather than understanding
 * we really need to pay attention to sts interpretations and provide guidance when necessary
 * emphasis of helping take control of their own learning
 * having students more involved in the sense making, self assessment and reflection and what needs improving

When thinking about how people learn as discussed through this article I connected with we need to plan learning experiences that allow students to use what they have learned or already understand in new situations. We have to move away from just giving information to understanding what they already know and are questioning or thinking about and provide opportunities for them to extend their understanding and connect to new experiences. Really the important question is NOT have I checked off each learning outcome in a year but rather what skills have I given my students to allow them to build from what they already know, be able to extend their knowledge, question, reflect and know where they can move forward as well as being active participants in their own learning. While reading I was thinking about: So how does this all relate to learning and teaching with technology? Perhaps the technology can provide the tools to enable students to to take more control of their own learning, to become more active learners. The days of relying on solely on the teacher in the room as the conveyor of knowledge are gone. Students now have available to them any knowledge they require. The trick in today’s classroom will be guiding them in their knowledge acquisition, providing opportunities for them to assess and reflect on their own understanding, to be more active participants with their learning. We have to be OK with moving away from the almighty learning outcome as so much of them become GIVE them the knowledge/facts with no attention really to what the current research is saying about how people learn. Technology can play a vital role in this process. The WWW provides many opportunities for students to extend their knowledge. However, we will still need to guide them to be critical thinkers otherwise we run the risk of them obtaining incorrect knowledge. Media technologies also provide opportunities for students to take control of their learning while giving them mediums that allow them their own creative representations of their learning. Many technologies can be supportive of how people learn, as teachers we need to keep in focus what is it we really want the children to learn and be critical thinkers when considering how or if technology can play a role. The fancy digital project means nothing if the student didn’t actual acquire any new skills. .
 * Although I knew how important it is for students to make connections when they are reading as it helps them more fully comprehend what they are reading. I was able to consider more how this relates to how people learn.
 * Also I began thinking more about how we teach Math today. It is no longer just arithmetic but instead teaching for understanding, providing the strategies to solve the problems and allowing the students to use their own personal strategies to help make sense or solve a problem. Sure they have to have some knowledge but it’s important to understand what they currently understand and help them build from there. If students can develop a repertoire or skill set of problem solving strategies it is hoped they can apply these skills to other situations beyond just Mathematics. It is considerate of how people learn and what we need to emphasize and value as teachers.