All of these models seem to be tailor made for the web. Which is good, but I think they all are kind of poorly suited to the English Language Arts classroom, unfortunately. This is because, especially for the case based learning and case based reasoning, I think the best model has already been developed in the form of writing workshops and multi genre inquiries. Writing workshop presents English Language Arts students multiple ways to approach the problem of writing, and models for students the ways that a writer operates in the real world. Similarly, MGI presents students with the problem of needing to research any topic of their choosing and allows them to produce any number of different creative pieces in order to explore and report the research. It seems to me that learning objects present are very similar to the previous modules we have studied. It just seems like a really web based way to present real world problems to students. As I have previously stated, Writing Workshop and MGI are both great ways to do this in the English classroom. And both can be integrated with modern technology, especially in the case of the multi genre inquiry. For one that I completed this past semester, I created an entire website, and was able to use poetry, journal entries and more to reflect the research that I did. To me, that's the best way to do any sort of real world approximation of English Language Arts, but I'm not sure that either technique fits very well with the idea of a case based model. At least, it wouldn't look entirely like case based models from other subjects.
Cognitive Flexibility on the other hand, is a good way to further alter the traditional research paper. i really enjoyed participating in the modeled Cognitive flexibility project, and I could see using similar techniques to do a class wide research paper. At least using the CF as a jumping off point. That would be an innovative way for the class to do and discuss research, and then I could follow that up with an additional question that students would have to answer in a more formal paper. I think that is the best way I can think of to integrate CF into the English classroom, because while new technology can be a good way to present material and have students conduct research, the common core standards are still going to require the students to make progress as writers primarily.
I'm not sure that I totally understand or see the point of learning objects. It is an economical way for businesses or other institutions that have to educate employees or members occasionally to go about it. But it seems to lack coherence or direction, and perhaps I'm not thinking outside of the box enough, but I think that given the wealth of other types of learning modules that I would never use learning objects intentionally in the classroom. As I look towards student teaching in the Spring, I am really overwhelmed at how I can fit my curriculum into the small amount of time I have as it is, and I think there may be a time when learning objects could work as a way to teach small units like grammar and vocab, or for remediation of a small lesson like grammar or style to a single student, but I'm not sure that it would fit into my overall plan. Mostly because I want to try and encourage a lot of group interaction into the classroom, and learning objects seem to be focused on the individual. Again, I'm not sure that I completely understand them but that is the way it seemed to me.
