Cognitivism in Practice

Cognitive theories of learning deal with how the mind process information, that is, how we think and gain knowledge and allow us to interact with information in order to acquire and share new knowledge (Robertson, Elliot & Robinson, 2007). Using cognitive theories of learning in the planning of lessons will assist teachers to be more effective in their delivery of content matter as well as increase students’ engagement and their ability to recall and apply information.

            This week, two instructional strategies were explored – cues, questions, and advance organizers and summarizing and note taking.  In today’s classroom teachers consistently ask questions to clarify students’ understanding and the use of cues to help them recall information within the classroom. Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski (2007) state that “cues are explicit reminders or hints about what students are about to experience. Questions perform the same function as cues by triggering students’ memories and helping them to access prior knowledge. Advance organizers help students focus their learning”.

            In using the cues, questions, and advance organizers strategy several technology tools – word processing applications, spreadsheet application, organizing and brainstorming software, and multimedia application – are available to the teacher.  The use of word processing applications allow the teacher to use expository, narrative, and graphic advance organizers or a combination to allow students to organize their thoughts and get them thinking about what they know about a given topic. This embodies the cognitive theory as students are actively engage in the lesson and not merely sponges soaking in the information directly from the teacher. The use of spreadsheet allows students to apply their critical thinking skills. Other technology tools such as brainstorming software allow students to draw from experience/memory. The use of essential questions also causes students to analyze and critique something using the knowledge gain which ties in with information processing (IP) which is part of the cognitive processing theory (Orey, 2001). Dr. Orey stated that when students are able to make connections with what they are learning they are more likely to be able to recall the information (Laureate, 2011). To establish this connection, teachers need to provide opportunities to activate students’ background knowledge where connection can be made and the use of educational technologies provide visual aids and multimedia resources that appeal to the various learning styles in the classroom.

            Looking at the teaching strategy of summarizing and note taking assist students to “synthesize information and distill it into a concise new form” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). With this strategy, the teacher is helping the student to not only process information but sieve, thus keeping the important data from unimportant information. This tie in with Dr. Orey’s discussion where he mentioned that our short term memory can only process 7 (+/- 2) pieces of information, therefore it is essentially that our students learn how to sieve information to be able to retain the essential. Web 2.0 tools such as wikis and blog can be used as reciprocal teaching tools which allow for collaboration and in-depth conversation that extend beyond the classroom.
           

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (2011).  Cognitive learning theories. [Video webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_1374104_1%26url%3D

Orey, M. (2001). Information Processing. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved September 18, 2012 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.

Robertson, B., Elliot, L., & Robinson, D. (2007). Cognitive tools. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging     perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved September 19, 2012 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/