Cognitivism in Practice

Last week we took a peek into behaviorism and the effect of external stimuli on student learning and discovered that behaviorism is alive and well in today’s classrooms, not only for behavior management, but also to motivate and reward student effort in the form of tracking data and progress.  This week I have been learning about cognitive learning theory, which looks into how an individual’s mental processes contribute to learning, (Smith, 1999) and the instructional practices and tools that support cognitive learning theory.

In the video clips this week, Orey discusses cognitive learning theories from the perspective of the Information Processing Model originally proposed by Atkinson-Shiffrin (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  Individuals use all of their senses to take in information which is then processed by the short-term memory, but in order for the information to be retained in the long term memory, some things need to happen.  Learning takes place when individuals make connections to prior learning or experience and the learning is retained and recalled more easily when there are several different experiences working with the information.  Teachers need to provide elaborative experiences that allow students to work with the information so that there are enough connections made that they can easily retrieve it later.  According to Orey (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011) elaboration is the primary mechanism by which information is stored in the long term memory and elaboration occurs when students are engaged in a variety of modalities that require them to think about the information. 

 “The instructional strategy cues, questions, and advance organizers focuses on enhancing students’ ability to retrieve, use, and organize information about a topic,” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 73).  This strategy expands on the old KWL charts used in classrooms to activate prior knowledge.  Providing cues or explicit reminders about what students are going to learn, creating questions that help students make connections to other experiences or knowledge, and providing advance organizers that help students focus on their learning are enhanced by the use of technology.  This strategy works because it activates prior knowledge and experience and helps students focus on and make sense of their learning which is instrumental in retaining and recalling information in the long term memory.  According to Pitler et. al (2007) advance organizers are wonderful tools that help students prepare to learn by focusing on the essential concepts and themes (p. 76).  Technology can enhance these learning experiences by providing students with hands on experience and tools with which to learn.  A variety of applications can be used to create advance organizers including Microsoft Word applications, spreadsheet software, and organizing and brainstorming software, each of which serves the purpose of creating memorable and engaging activities that will help students make stronger connections and use higher level thinking skills.  Orey (Laureate Education, Inc. 2011b) also refers to dual-coding hypothesis which basically says that individuals remember images way better and longer than just text.  Using computer applications as well as multimedia tools such as advance organizers offer students opportunities to work with information in both graphic and textual formats.

“The instructional strategy Summarizing and Note Taking focuses on enhancing students’ ability to synthesize information and distill it into a concise new form,”  (Pitler et. al., 2007, p. 119).  The main recommendations for note taking and summarizing are to provide support to students as they struggle with selecting essential information and putting it into their own words.  Many students do not receive any formal instruction on how to do that, so providing them with templates, teacher prepared notes and summary frames for scaffolding students in the use of the strategy will enhance their learning and retention of information.  Using technology for note taking and summarizing can further motivate and engage students and scaffold their learning.  One of the recommendations for note taking was to teach students how to take notes in a variety of note taking formats ((Pitler et. al., 2007, p. 120).   Using Microsoft Word, combination notes in Power Point, multimedia, and communication software for collaboration provide the elaborative experiences for students that create connections using a variety of senses in the long term memory. 

Another strategy that is supported by cognitive learning theory is the use of concept mapping.  According to Wolfe (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011a) the brain is a pattern seeker and concept mapping organizes information into meaningful patterns as it hooks new information to prior knowledge.  Dual coding theory is supported by concept mapping because it provides a framework by which students can combine text and visuals to organize information and help to retain it through the act of creating maps and will be able to recall information as they recall the patterns or structures of the maps (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011b).  Concept mapping serves as a scaffold to help students organize knowledge and structure it into smaller units in a framework, (Oxendine, C., Robinson, J., & Willson, G., 2004, p. 7).  There are several tools for creating concept maps both individually and collaboratively which also supports elaborative learning, a key mechanism for transfer of information to the long term memory.  One of the most useful websites provided in class for concept mapping tools was http://www.mindmeister.com/.  It has a free option and can be used to collaboratively create a concept map.  One last benefit of using concept mapping with students is that it provides a powerful evaluative tool, (Novak, J. D., & Cañas, A. J., 2008 p. 5).   Another interesting website on concept mapping is www.thinkingmaps.org.  You will find a variety of resources, training materials, and video clips about the benefits of using Thinking Maps in the classroom.

Finally, the use of Virtual Field Trip Tours is a very exciting strategy because it provides students with an opportunity to go places where they might not normally get to go.  Virtual field trips create a rich experience that engages students in critical thinking as they choose which information is essential to their learning and make connections to information they have learned from other sources.  Students can work collaboratively to gather and organize information and choose what they will elaborate on for a presentation.  This connects to cognitive learning theory because students are using higher level thinking and communication skills as they begin to construct knowledge.

I have learned a lot this week about cognitivism and how it is incorporated into classroom strategies using technology to scaffold learning.  Elaboration plays a key role in the individual’s ability to retain and recall information and occurs when students are engaged in a variety of modalities that require them to think about the information.  Using strategies that help students make connections to background knowledge, gather and interpret knowledge collaboratively with other students, and share what they have learned with others, using technology to scaffold their learning and make meaning contribute to a student’s ability to retain and recall information

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program two: Brain research and learning [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program five: Cognitive learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Novak, J. D., & Cañas, A. J. (2008).The theory underlying concept maps and how to construct and use them, Technical Report IHMC CmapTools 2006-01 Rev 01-2008. Retrieved from the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition Web site: http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.pdf

Oxendine, C., Robinson, J., & Willson, G. (2004). Experiential learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved <insert date>, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Smith, M. K. (1999) 'The cognitive orientation to learning', the encyclopedia of informal education,
           www.infed.org/biblio/learning-cognitive, Last update: May 16. 2012.