Cognitive Development: Cognitive Processing Perspective Competing approach to Piaget, less attention paid to Developmental issues From: Steyvers, M., & Tenenbaum, J. (2005). Cognitive Science, 29(1),

Input Observed Environment Encoding Manipulation “Mind” Recode, decode, store Output Observed Actions Retrieve, response Computer analogy

A Model of the Human Information Processing System (Figure 7-1) Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

Key Ideas in IPT Information Processing Theory – focuses on the specific ways in which people think about (“process”) the information they receive Input from the environment provides the raw material for cognitive processing –Sensory register – component of memory that holds incoming information in an unanalyzed from for a very brief time (2-3 seconds or less) Human memory includes two storage mechanisms in addition to sensory register –Working memory – component of memory that enables people to actively think about and process a small amount of information –Long- term memory – component of memory that holds knowledge and skills for a relatively long period of time Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

Key Ideas in IPT (cont’d) Attention is essential to the learning process A variety of cognitive processes are involved in moving information from working memory to LTM People control how they process information –Central executive – component of the human information processing system that oversees the flow of information throughout the system Cognitive development involves the gradual changes in various components of the IP system Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

A. Sensory Register detects visual, auditory, haptic (touch), smell, taste, temperature, pain, body position information filters out much of the world's potential information limited capacity seconds before decay unconscious

B. Working memory Encoding: recasts sensory information into meaningful representations suitable for manipulation, using strategies like –rehearsal –organization –elaboration Limited in capacity decays quickly, 15 to 30 seconds, if not processed further

Encoding/Learning Strategies –Rehearsal – attempting to learn something by repeating it over and over; repetition –Organization – attempting to learn something by identifying relationships among pieces of information as a way of categorizing them –Elaboration – embellishing on new information based on what you already know (using prior knowledge) Environmental factors, e.g., culture, affect the kinds of strategies that children develop –Children are more likely to use effective learning strategies when teachers and other adults encourage their use, or when it is culturally meaningful Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

C. Long-Term Memory (LTM) The ability to remember information in LTM appears very early and improves with age Children increasingly have conscious awareness of the past –Infantile amnesia – general inability to recall past events during the early years of life The amount of knowledge stored in LTM increases many times over –Knowledge base – one’s knowledge about specific topics and the world in general Children’s knowledge about the world becomes increasingly integrated –Schemas – tightly integrated set of ideas about a specific object or situation –Scripts – schema that involves a predictable sequence of events related to a common activity Children’s growing knowledge base facilitates learning Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

Thinking and Reasoning Thought increasingly makes use of symbols –Symbols – mental entity that represents an external object or event, often without reflecting its perceptual and behavioral qualities Logical thinking abilities improve with age –Some logical thinking is evident in infancy –Perceive cause and effect relationships as young as 6 months old –Reasoning is still influenced by personal motives and biases Gestures –Sometimes foreshadow the emergence of more sophisticated thinking and reasoning (e.g., Conservation task) –Appear to provide a way for children to experiment with cognitive ideas Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

D. Central Executive Directs flow of information; coordinates influence of LTM onto STM, monitors effectiveness of strategies (metacognition) 1. Attention 2. Automatization 3. Conceptually-driven processes 4. How knowledge is represented (depth of processing, use of control processes)

Metacognitive Awareness Metacognitive awareness – extent to which one is able to reflect upon the nature of one’s own thinking processes –Awareness of the existence of thought (age 3) –Awareness about one’s own thought processes Although preschoolers have the words know, remember, and forget in their vocabulary, they do not fully grasp these concepts until elementary and secondary school years –Awareness of limitations of memory Children are overly optimistic about memory Optimism of memory abilities is beneficial for cognitive development –Knowledge about effective learning and memory strategies Children learn more effective memory strategies and how to apply them as they get older Repetition and elaboration are increasingly understood and used Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

Greta, Age 4 “This race car won the Bronze medal before and now he is dreaming of winning the Gold or Silver medal” Greta, Age 4 “This pirate is laughing and saying that he has a thousand dollars for anyone who can catch him”

Social Construction of Memory Adults help children reconstruct events that the two of them previously shared and stored in their LTMs Benefits of talking about past events –Children are more likely to remember events if they talk about it –Children learn the important things to remember –Children learn the appropriate values for their culture –Children learn to use a narrative structure for story telling Downside to talking about memories –Children are susceptible to leading questions Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

Co-regulated learning – process through which an adult and child share responsibility for directing various aspects of a child’s learning Community of Learners (Bruner, Brown & Campione) –Creating a school environment where children learn to think deeply about serious matters Collaborative Learning Blend of social constructivism and information processing approach

Key learning principles for a Community of Learners (Meece, Child & Adolescent Development for Educators, 2002, p. 195) Agency Both teachers and learners routinely engage in the search for meaning and understanding Collaboration Both teachers and students must share in developing and sustaining the community of learning. Teachers help guide students to deeper levels of understanding, but learning is a shared and joint activity; also collaboration among students

Reflection The classroom is designed to stimulate active exchange of ideas and discourse; discussion, critique, self monitoring of comprehension Deep discipline inquiry Students engage in disciplined inquiry on a central theme that can sustain in-depth research over time (research, evidence, seeking expert advice, sharing results