How do I learn and how do I want to teach?

I wasn't sure when we started the summer session exactly what type of learning theory I would possess.  After seeing and doing projects, I know for sure that I am truly a constructivist mixed some social cognitive approaches.  I think this is part of the reason why I like science.  Hands on labs and activities, visual aids, demonstrations followed by student interactions are all the ways I want students to learn.  I love the concept Piaget describes when we create knowledge rather than absorb knowledge.  I don't know how many lectures or classes that I have taken when my mind drifts off and I am thinking about all the things I need to do when this class is over.  I have to ask, am I learning?  No, I am not learning and I don't want to learn or teach that way.  I was nervous with the public speaking aspect of my teaching project (which I know will get better with time and practice), but I was intensely confident in the presentation and activities.  I knew that the activities would represent the material and make the information more authentic and relatable.  Working in small groups and in a collaborative setting are also things that I would have the students participate in doing.  The social cognitive aspect of my learning and teaching practice would have to be shown in the modeling and self regulating aspects.  Again, much of science can be modeled by presenting demonstrations, showing videos, and working together in groups on projects.  Self regulation is important in any learning situation.  The ability to responsibly participate in a lab activity, collect data, analyze the data, create a report that summarizes the data all require self regulation.  I believe this is something that can be taught, modeled, and learned.

A good example of this type of learning that I have experienced is with my own science classes at UT.  I had to take a Geology class and I loved my astronomy class so much that I decided to take planetary geology.  With this class, we had to attend a lab once a week.  Each lab was an activity that re-emphasized what we were learning in lecture.  When it came to taking the test, much of what I drew on to answer the questions were based on the hands on lab.  How do you actually visualize a planet thousands of years away from us and be expected to think about and discuss the material and planetary environment?  The lab brought these aspects down to smaller parts and put them in a relatable learning environment.  Sticking with astronomy, I also experienced another way for me to learn that confirms my constructivist learning style.  We could do extra credit if we wanted to earn points to be added to our final grade.  I decided that I was going to write a children's book about a star that started at the sun and was trying to find his way home.  The star had to talk to each planet and learn facts about  each planet as he continued through the solar system.  I learned more about the planets and was able to retain more information when it came to taking the test.  My initial reason for doing the extra credit was to get extra points, but I learned more without realizing that is what I was doing at the time.  I want my classroom to be colorful, and fun, and active!