Cognitivism in Practice

Wow!  Another new learning theory this week.  This week, Dr. Orey from the University of Georgia explained the basics of the Cognitive Learning Theory.  It was a good reminder of a topic that I haven't covered in about 25 years.  These are the concepts of the Cognitive Learning Theory that I took away from the videos.

• Short Term Memory - people can process 7 +/-2 pieces of information at one time
• Long Term Memory - stored in a network of information (1 piece is connected to another)
• Declarative - facts & information
• Procedural - how to do things
• Episodic - events in your life
• Dual Coding Hypothesis - information is stored as images & text
• Elaboration - helps a person remember how to get to the information

I've highlight the key areas to remember.  These areas are areas that can easily be addresses with many of the technology strategies that we have available to us as teachers.

This week, we were also introduced to several instructional strategies that use technology that can enhance the key areas of cognitivism.  These strategies included:

• using cues, questions, and advance organizers
• summarizing and note taking
• concept mapping
• virtual field trips

Cues - these help students remember or give hints to help them find the information they have remembered.  Cues can incorporate images and elaboration which will aid in memory.  Cues can be used in power points, notes or drawings.  Elaboration can also be part of the cues.  Cues if used as an image will also aid in the dual coding process.  The student will remember the text and image together.

Questions - these help students focus on the purpose of the lesson.  An essential question is useful as a student searches for the facts and information to answer the questions.

Advance Organizers/Concept Mapping - these help students focus their learning.  Advance organizers will use an essential question as it's core and set out to find an answer as a map is created to show the path or pattern of knowledge.  Again, cues, images and elaboration can be included in an organizer.  Many excellent sites like bubbl.us or spinscape allow the teacher and/or student to create an advance organizer easily.

Summarizing & Note Taking - these skills again, will help a student focus their learning and will help them find a purpose to their knowledge.  Wikis are a great place for group summary of information.  Until the chapter on this topic, I had no idea of the Track Changes feature in Microsoft Word.  This is a great tool to help a student see if they have summarized an article correctly.  Advance organizers, webs and pictographs will give images to the information that is gathered.

Virtual Field Trips - these allow a teacher to provide an episodic experience.  To me, this is the gold medal of a cognitive learning method that uses technology to the fullest.  You have created a memorable experience in which the students can connect their new information.  It provides images and words that will aid in memory.  A concept mapping tool used before, during, and after the field trip will give the student purpose and help them make connections.  Students remember elaborate experiences and this fills the bill.

There are so many opportunities to provide multi-sensory opportunities to increase short and long term memory.  In the age of digital natives, educators need to make the most of the many technological strategies that are available to them to help their students acquire, connect, store, and retrieve the information that they are given.

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.