Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Cognitivism in Practice
Cognitive learning theory is another theory that teachers should be using ideas from in their classrooms. The basic idea of cognitive learning theory is to gain the information, use the information then store the information into your long term memory. When students only hear or memorize information it is not being stored into their long term memory. I believe that a student should be presented with the information and in order to help remember it they should take notes, then they have something to refer back to. Next a student would organize the information into their own words. This can be done through concept mapping or putting together a presentation. After they have organized the information they need to reinforce it into their long term memory, this can be done through a presentation or a quiz over the information. The important thing to remember with this theory is that students need to use the information in multiple contexts so they are able to store the information ion different areas of the brain.
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I like what you said about cognitive learning theory. What is your grade level? What kind of concept mapping activity would you do; or have you done?
ReplyDeleteDo you think a quiz would cement the information into a child's long term memory? I find that when I give quizes it's a good dipstick to see if they know it or not but I haven't found that knowing there will be a quiz motivates my students to commit a topic or piece of information to memory. I like that you've laid out some ideas on how you plan to use these theories to assist the learning process in your classroom. Perhaps adding a teaching or tutoring component may assist the long term memory?
ReplyDeleteI agree that the foundation of cognitive learning is a multi-presentation approach. It seems odd that people will have several sets of car/house keys stashed in various places to ensure that they can get in to the most vital places, but they believe that storing information in one part of the brain through memorization makes sense. The truth is that small actiivities that involve multiple senses, such as note-taking or presentation creation, can be much more effective than staring at notecards for an hour before a test.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that notes cannot be just any old notes. I am going to try the combination notes from Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. This incorporates identifying material which the student finds valuable, drawing pictures of the concept, and summarizing.
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