The focus of my studies this week was congitivism and the ways in which it can be implemented in classroom instruction. Dr. Orey explains that cognitivism is a learning theory that is also known as the information processing model (Laureate Education, 2009). The cognitivism theory focuses on three stages; sensory input of the information, short-term memory, and rehearsal (long-term memory). Through the use of cognitive tools and consistent elaboration, students store the information in their long-term memory for later recall.
Because students need constant practice and numerous experiences with new information it is critical that educators use instructional strategies that involve cognitive learning. Some examples of cognitive instructional tools introduced in Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works are: Cues, Questions and Advanced Organizers and Summarizing and Note Taking.
Cues, Questions, and Advanced Organizers “focus on enhancing students’ ability to retrieve, use and organize information about a topic” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 73). One way to help students develop experiences that create cues, is to use the cognitive tool, Virtual Field Trips. A Virtual Field Trip allows students to visit someplace they might not otherwise be able to and creates an experience for students tie later information to (Laureate Education, 2009). Once students have an episode to tie new knowledge to, brainstorming and organizing software such as Kidspriration act as cognitive tools to help students develop new information.
After students have a basic understanding of what they are going to learn and have created a concrete network, the next step is to begin introducing new information.
Summarizing and Note Taking “focus on enhancing students’ ability to synthesize information and distill it into a concise new form” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007, p. 119). A technological cognitive tool that helps students to summarize information is Concept Maps. A concept map relates to Paivio’s dual-coding hypothesis, which explains that knowledge is best remembered and recalled as images (Laureate Education, 2009). Concept maps allow students to visually graph their knowledge into a framework of understanding.
Both Cues, Questions, and Advanced Organizers and Summarizing and Note Taking give students the opportunity to rehearse knowledge and transfer knowledge to their long-term memory, which is the third state of information processing or the cognitive learning theory.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
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5 comments:
Erin,
I agree that students need constant practice and experiences with new information in order to retain and store it in long-term memory.
I like the idea of using an inverted T chart for students to record/summarize material that is being discussed in class. I would give students the information and they would create an image to match the words.
Have you used many virtual field trips? I have not used any but can see the importance of them, especially when incorporating technology (concept maps). This is also a way to assess what students have learned from the field trip.
I think that by using technology to gain the attention of students, they will have many opportunities to practice what they have learned and store the information in long-term memory.
I think that one of the most important things to remember about the summarizing/note taking strategy is that students should be able to summarize information in their own words. When teachers refer to note-taking, they often mean just having students copy information from a powerpoint presentation to their notebooks. Note taking as a cognitive strategy means that students are processing the information internally. When done correctly, I think it is a very effective strategy.
Corrine,
I agree that it is important that students should be able to summarize information in their own words and not just copy just as it is written. That does nothing to improve a student's understanding of material. When students summarize, in their own words, it shows comprehension of what they are learning.
Although I agree students need to be able to summarize information in their own words, I think that giving them information to copy is sometimes beneficial. For example, the other day I was introducing slope to my students. Being that this was their first experience, I showed them real life pictures of slope and had them create their own picture for a large poster in class. The next day I was explaining how the slope measurement of a line can be found. Rather than having students find this for themselves. I gave them notes to copy. I do not think that they will be able to summarize the information until after they have had some experience. At the end of the unit they should be able to summarize what slope is and how to find it.
I agree that copying information or completing "fill in the blank" notes can be beneficial, and that the ability to summarize information will only come after students gain experience with the concepts they are learning. Both have a place. I do think that sometimes the former happens too often and the latter not often enough. Sometimes teachers see copying notes as evidence that students understand the information when they really do not.
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