A statement indicating if/how your project is underpinned by

evidence-based learning theory.

Introduction:
Our series of English lessons, based on learning letters in
underpinned by the 5 attributes of constructivism, along with
Gardners multiple intelligence theory. Constructivism involves
learners building their own knowledge by relating new concepts to
what they already know (Marsh, 2010). In our ICT integration
project, we aim to ensure that the lessons we develop are authentic
and meaningful for the students, ensuring that the children are
actively involved in their learning process. Through understanding of
various learning theories, planned exploration and discovery
activities, and through the use of ICT, our project is designed to
maximise the learning experience for all students.
5 attributes of constructivism:
Active: When students are actively involved in the learning process,
the learning process is enhanced and more successful. Students can
be actively involved in the learning process through a range of
experiences, i.e. manipulating materials, by working independently,
and through investigating and exploring etc. Through being actively
involved in learning, students are able to build knowledge, and
make meaning for themselves.
It is our goal to ensure that our lessons provide ample opportunities
for students to be actively involved in their learning experience. For
example, asking key questions, child-orientated activities, along
with activities that allow students to take ownership and
responsibility of their learning e.g. the metal detector activity allows
students to explore and take responsibility of the activity.
Constructive: A constructive classroom involves the teacher
integrating prior knowledge with new experiences. This allows
students to build on their prior knowledge and understandings of
concepts to make new meaning and gain a deeper understanding of
a new topic.
When designing and planning our 4 lessons, we ensured that we
looked deeply into the prior knowledge of the possible students. We
took this information to construct lessons that allow the students to
build on their prior knowledge and understanding of letters, to
enhance and recognise letters in different shapes and forms. For
example students will practice their letters in many different forms,
for example, writing letters on an IPad App, and making letters with
play dough, or recognising a picture that starts with a particular
letter. Through constructive learning, the activities that the students
partake in allow them to achieve the curriculum outcome of

recognising letters in different forms. These activities are all built

on the understanding of the students prior knowledge, allowing
students to build on their understanding, and make deeper
meaning.
Authentic: Authentic learning experiences involve lessons that are
inline with a real world context, allowing students to make meaning
and relate to the world they live in. It is essential that the learning
for students is authentic and that they have a context to relate to.
This allows for a more effective learning experience for the students,
as they will be interested and engaged in what they are learning.
Authentic learning also involves learning through a range of
different contexts, giving the students a range of different
experiences. It is essential that the educator provide students with
authentic learning through creating a learning environment that
facilitates this.
Our lessons demonstrate planning for authentic lessons, as letters
of the alphabet appear in everyday life, everywhere. The activities
that we have planned are all authentic and meaningful for the
students, relating to their interests and context. Through the use of
ICT and hands on activities we have established a range of activities
that relate to the students context, making the activities authentic
for all students.
Cooperative: Learning is a social act in which students interact with
others to enhance their learning, gain deeper knowledge and find
greater meaning and depth. Cooperative learning is where students
work together to achieve a common learning goal (Killen, 2007).
Cooperative learning allows students to build ideas off each other
spring boarding their knowledge and understanding. Cooperative
learning is an important social skill that enables students to interact
and negotiate (Kearns, 2010).
Our lessons have been planned with a range of small group
activities that allows students to work together cooperatively.
Through these small groups, students are building the skills to
interact with each other, which is a vital life skill for the future.
Students will work in a group individually allowing them to use their
communication skills when helping one another for example, or
students will need to use their cooperative skills when working
together to achieve a common goal for example in the metal
detector game, the students will need to share the detector devices.
Intentional: When learning is intentional, students are in control of
their learning, allowing the experience to be meaningful and
appropriate. Allowing students to create goals for themselves
ensures that the learning is intentional, promoting learner control.
The EYLF defines intentional teaching as educators being deliberate,

purposeful and thoughtful in their decisions and actions (EYLF, 2009,

p.15).
Our ICT project enables students to take control of their learning
through a range of different activities. for example students are
given the opportunity to create a book based on the focus letters,
allowing students to be creative in choosing their picture and how
they will present their letter.
Gardners Multiple Intelligence theory:
Howard Gardener (1983) is a theorist who developed the theory of
Multiple Intelligences. This theory states that there are eight
different spheres of intelligence, and that individuals may have
strengths in one or more of these spheres. The eight intelligences
are Verbal/Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Musical, Visual/Spatial,
Body/Kinesthetic, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal and Naturalist
(Kearns, 2010, pp. 284-286). Children within a classroom have a
range of intelligences and therefore it is extremely important to
have a classroom that caters for all.
Our ICT integration project aims to cater for all intelligences and
learner diversity. The activities that we have planned allow a range
of different types of learning, including ICT activities, along with
hands on activates, written activities and visual activities. These
activities allow all students to have a go at their less dominant
intelligences along with allowing all students to practice their
stronger intelligence. All activities are child-centred, with a teacher
assisting and enhancing their learning process through appropriate
scaffolding.
Figure 1: Multiple intelligences in the classroom
Intelligence:
Activities that support this
intelligence:
Verbal/linguistic
Conclusion sorting activity
students verbalize what letters
and pictures go into each
category
Logical/mathematical
Memory game allowing
students to use their
mathematical knowledge to
remember where certain cards
are
Musical
A range of songs on Youtube
Visual/spatial
QR code activity, along with
colour play dough
Body/kinesthetic
Metal detector game allows
students to move their body,
along with play dough where
students use their body to

Intrapersonal
Interpersonal

Naturalist

manipulate the play dough

Working individually with iPads,
and microscope activity
Group work, small group
activities, introduction and
conclusion mat (whole class)
sessions
Metal detector activity allowing
students to be outside in the
sand

Conclusion:
We believe that we have designed an ICT integration project that is
based on a range of different learning theories, including Gardners
multiple intelligence theory and constructivism theory. The ICT
integration project we have developed includes a range of ICT and
non-ICT activities that are engaging and fun. Our aim is to cater for
all learner diversity and multiple intelligences. We believe we have
achieved this goal through are extensive planning of our lessons.

Resources:
Marsh, C (2010). Becoming a teacher: Knowledge, skills and issues
(5thed.).Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Australia
Killen, R (2007). Effective teaching strategies: lessons from research
and practice (4th ed). Thomson Social Science Press, VIC:
South Melbourne
Kearns, K (2010). Birth to big school (3rd ed). Frenchs Forest, NSW:
Pearson
Kearns, K (2010). Frameworks for Learning and Development. NSW:
Pearson