IDE 621' Principles of Instruction and Learning

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IDE 621. Principles of Instruction and Learning

• Fall 2004
• Overview of Cognitive Development Theory
  Cognitive Learning Theory

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Session Objectives

• Today we will review
• Antecedents and assumptions of cognitivism
• Basic components of memory
• Long-term memory 1 Storage
• Long-term memory 2 The nature of knowledge
• Long-term memory 3 Retrieval and forgetting

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What is learning?

• a relatively permanent change in mental
  representations or associations due to experience
  
• The building of connections in schema through the
  processes of assimilation and accommodation
• How is this different from Behaviorism?

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What are the major assumptions of cognitivism?

• Learning is a process of relating new information
  to previously learned information.
• Learning involves the formation of mental
  representations or associations that are not
  always reflected in behaviors
• Inferences about unobservable mental processes
  can be drawn from behavior
• Cognitive processes (information processing) are
  the focus of study
• Individuals are actively involved in the learning
  process, e.g., processing, assimilating,
  accommodating
• Knowledge is organized and stored in schema
  (closely connected ideas) and / or scripts
  (schema about events)
• Some learning processes are unique to human
  beings, e.g. language
• How are these different from Behaviorism?

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Antecedents /Assumptions of Cognitivism
Theorists
years
contributions
T_____
olman

• I_____ m____ phenomena in explanations of
  learning
• Learning can occur without r__________, change
  in b______
• Behavior is puposive is ___- ______
• Learning results in an organized body of
  information _______ _____

1930s-50s

• Internal mental
• Learning can occur without reinforcement, change
  in behavior
• Behavior is puposive is goal-directed
• Learning results in an organized body of
  information cognitive maps

G____
estalt
1920s-50s

• Perception
• Whole is more than the ___ __ __ _____
• Organisms s_______ and o______ experiences
• Organisms is predisposed to organize experience
  in particular ways law of
• p_______, law of c____, law of p_____z
• Learning involves formation of m_____ t_____
• Problem solving involves r_________ and i______

• Perception is different from reality
• Whole is more than the sum of its parts
• Organisms structure and rganize
• proximity, law of closure pragnanz
• Learning involves formation of memory traces
• Problem solving involves restructuring and insight

P____
iaget
1920s-60s

• Focus on mental events, logical reasoning and
  structure of knowledge
• Active processors of information
• Knowledge - structures that change with
  development - scheme
• Processes through which people interact with the
  environment are constant
• a________ -
• a___________ -
• Relate prior knowledge to the material to be
  learned
• People are intrinsically motivated to make sense
  of the world
• Cognitive development occurs in stages,
  controlled by maturation

• assimilation-modify perception of
  environment to fit scheme
• accommodation-modify scheme to fit
  environment

Vygotsky
V______
1960s-90s Translated

• Complex mental processes begin as social
  activities, internalize mental activities
• ZPD Zone of Proximal Development
• Scaffolding guidance that enables students to
  engage in activities inside ZPD

• Complex mental processes begin as ______ ______,
• ZPD ____ __ _______ _____________
• S________

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Activity

• Break into teams of 3 to create a .
• Concept map,
• Text outline,
• Mnemonic, or
• Advanced organizer
• that defines learning and related key concepts
  as suggested by cognitive learning theory

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Activity Debrief

• What is learning?
• What are the assumptions of cognitive learning
  theory?
• Who are the key theorists in cognitive learning
  theory and what were their contributions?
• What are the key concepts of cognitivism?

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Key concepts Memory

• Basic terminology in memory theory
• Learning versus memory Acquisition vs. recall
• Storage, Encoding, Retrieval
• Dual store model
• INPUT ? sensory register capacity, form,
  duration
• ST MEMORY attention affected by size,
  intensity, novelty, incongruity, emotion
  connection, significance of new information
• WORKING MEMORY capacity, storage, duration,
  control processes organization, retrieval,
  rehearsal
• ? LT MEMORY capacity, storage, duration, control
  processes organization, retrieval
• Generalizations attention is essential,
  different people may attend differently to same
  stimulus, can only process a limited amount of
  information, memory is selective, limited working
  memory capacity is not necessarily bad
• Holding attention vary topics and style,
  frequent breaks, ask questions, minimize
  distractions, monitor attention

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Key Concepts Long-term memory

• Basic terminology in long-term memory
• Selection
• Rehearsal associate new with existing info,
  elaborative, rote learning
• Meaningful learning understanding,
  comprehending
• Internal and External Organization organization
  of new body of info within itself vs. new info
  being organized with previously learning info
• Elaboration learning between the lines
• Visual Imagery
• Factors affecting LT Memory Storage
• Activities that occur during learning
  write/verbalize/enact, prior knowledge, prior
  misconceptions, expectations

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How is learning explained?

• Memory and memory Structures
• Encoding vs. learning
• Schema and scripts
• Network structures (hierarchical, propositional)
• Information Processing Models (IPM)
• Reception, Expectancy, Retrieval, Selective
  perception, Semantic encoding, Responding,
  Reinforcement, Retrieval, Generalization
• How is this different from Behaviorism?

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An Information Processing Model
SENSORY REGISTER
Executive Control
RETRIEVAL
Long-term Memory
Working Memory
Short Term Memory
Data Lost
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Explaining learning situations using cognitivism

• Individually, write a brief description of the
  learning in this situation using cognitive
  learning theory.
• You will be asked to share your description with
  the class.
• Be sure to use ONLY cognitive terminology in your
  description

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Instruction Informed by Cognitivism

• Learning situation Making an ice cream sundae
• A new ice cream scooper is shown a picture of the
  perfect ice cream sundae. The master scooper
  briefly describes the characteristics of the
  sundae (pointing out key elements and quality
  control points), the ingredients (pointing them
  out on the picture and set out for the training)
  and provides the new scooper with an ice cream
  scoop, bowl, and other necessary tools to make
  the sundae. The master shows the new scooper how
  to hold the scoop and get the perfect scoop of
  ice cream from the box. The new scooper is
  encouraged to try scooping the ice cream. The
  master scooper provides positive and constructive
  feedback on how the new scooper grips the scoop
  and scoops the ice cream. When the scooper has
  mastered scooping the ice cream and placing it in
  the bowl the master scooper demonstrates (using
  similar techniques) the process of adding the
  toppings

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Instruction Informed by Cognitivism

• Learning situation Writing poetry
• The teacher begins by reading a poem, stopping at
  the end of each line to describe the lines
  rhythm, beat, and form. The students are prompted
  to read the line silently, then out loud as a
  class, emphasizing the rhythm, beat, and form
  using intonation, like the teacher. The teacher
  reads the next line, and continues the process
  until the stanza is completed. The teacher then
  asks the students questions about the definition
  and use of rhythm, beat, and form for the stanza.
  The students respond with definitions of rhythm,
  beat, and form and point out examples of how
  these factors were used in the poem. The teacher
  then gives the students a topic (e.g., tree, dog,
  dating, etc.) and asks them to write a poem using
  the same rhythm, beat, and form as the stanza
  they just read. When completed, the students are
  asked to recite their poem and the class
  discusses the rhythm, beat, and form the lesson
  continues with

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Instruction Informed by Cognitivism

• Learning situation Creating a KB of learning
  theories
• The facilitator provides students with a
  definition, list of required components,
  guidelines, grading (criteria) rubrics, and
  examples of knowledge bases. The students review
  the input documents and several examples of
  knowledge bases. The facilitator asks the
  students to describe and develop a key piece of
  the KB, the learning situation, and submit it for
  review. The facilitator reviews the submissions
  and provides approval with reminders of KB
  connections or constructive feedback to help the
  student meet the learning situation standards.
  Students are prompted to draft an outline of
  their complete KB component, e.g., content
  presentation, learning situation, observation
  checklist, and reflection, and seek feedback from
  the facilitator. The facilitator reviews the
  initial outline, asks specific questions about KB
  features and provides feedback (constructive and
  reinforcing). The student applies the feedback
  and prepares the KB for the next submission

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Reflections on this class

• How does cognitivism describe learning?
• What questions do you still have about the
  theory?
• How does this learning theory inform the design
  of instruction?
• How were the classroom activities in this session
  reflective of cognitivism?

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Next class

• Review assigned readings and websites on
  cognitive-inspired instructional theories
• If you have not yet started, begin to draft the
  cognitive components of your knowledge base