Cognitive Views of Learning Cluster 7 Modules 19 – 20

Focus Questions What is the role of knowledge in learning? What is the human information processing model of memory? How do perception, attention, schemas, and scripts influence learning and remembering? What are declarative, procedural, and self-regulatory knowledge? Why do students forget what they have learned? What are the stages in the development of cognitive skills?

What Would You Do? See “Teacher’s Casebook” on p. 283 What are these students’ beliefs and expectations, and how do these affect their learning? Why do you think they insist on using the rote memorization approach? How would you use what the students already know to help them learn in better, more meaningful ways? How will these issues affect the grade levels you will teach?

Elements of the Cognitive Perspective Behaviorism Learning is passively influenced by external events Research done on animals and humans Goal to identify few general principles that apply in all situations Cognitive View Learning is an extension of understanding already possessed Research done on humans Not concerned with general laws

The Brain and Cognitive Learning The brain is involved whenever learning takes place The brain shapes and is shaped by all cognitive processing activities Successful and unsuccessful processing shapes learning

The Brain and Cognitive Learning By age 7, most children can: Integrate the present with the past Anticipate the future Appreciate causality Rely on semantic categories Detect relationships between events and concepts

The Importance of Knowledge in Learning General knowledge General cognitive abilities Planning, solving problems, comprehending knowledge Specific knowledge Subject specific knowledge Math, science, baseball

Cognitive Views of Memory Information Processing Theory Sensory Memory Perception Attention Attention and Teaching

The Information Processing Theory

Information Processing Continued Working Memory Duration and contents Retaining Information Central Executive Phonological Loop Cognitive Load Forgetting

Information Processing Theory Sensory Memory Initial processing from five senses Very large capacity Duration between 1-3 seconds Information coded in sensory memory as sensations experienced (eg. Photos, sounds, etc)

Information Processing Theory Continued Long Term Memory Capacity, Duration, and Contents Declarative Knowledge Procedural Knowledge Self-Regulatory Knowledge

Information Processing Theory Perception Detecting a stimulus and assigning meaning to it Gestalt theory Organizing sensory information into patterns or relationships

Information Processing Theory Bottom-up processing Analyzing features of a stimulus Attempting to put pieces of a whole together to make sense of them See example on p. 290

The Information Processing Theory Attention Selective Guided by what we know and what we need to know Only one cognitively demanding task at a time

The Information Processing Theory Automaticity Processes that initially require much attention eventually become automatic “auto-pilot” Driving and listening to the radio

The Information Processing Theory Working Memory Workbench of the memory system Contains information the brain is working on at the moment Includes both temporary storage and active processing

The Information Processing Theory Short Term Memory 7 +- 2, or 5 to 9 items Contains Central Executive Contains Phonological Loop Visuospatial Sketchpad

The Information Processing Theory Cognitive Load The amount of mental resources required to complete a task Intrinsic Cognitive Load The load required to complete the task itself Extraneous Cognitive Load The amount of mental resources needed to complete tasks irrelevant to original task Germane Cognitive Load Deep knowledge, including connecting information to old information and activation

The Information Processing Theory Elaborative Rehearsal Keeping information in memory by connecting it to previously held knowledge Maintenance Rehearsal Keeping information in memory by repeating it to oneself

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The Information Processing Theory Forgetting Interference Information entering memory is “interfered” with Decay Information in memory is lost through lack of use

The Information Processing Theory Long Term Memory Capacity: Virtually Unlimited Duration: Permanent

The Information Processing Theory Declarative Knowledge Verbal information, facts, “knowing that” something is the case Procedural Knowledge Knowledge that is demonstrated when we perform a task, “knowing how” Self-Regulatory Knowledge Knowing how to manage your learning, or knowing when and how to use your procedural or declarative knowledge

The Information Processing Theory Explicit Memories Knowledge from memory that is recalled and consciously considered Implicit Memories Knowledge that we are not aware of recalling Semantic Memory Memory for meaning

Explicit Memories Semantic Episodic Flashbulb Scripts Propositions and Propositional Networks Images Words Prototypes and Exemplars Schemas

Implicit Memories Stop and Think p. 304 Classical Conditioning Procedural Priming Effects

The Information Processing Theory Propositions and Propositional Networks Proposition Smallest unit of knowledge that can be judged true or false Propositional Networks Propositions that share information

The Information Processing Theory Storing and Retrieving Information Organization Ordered and logical networks of relations Elaboration Adding and extending meaning by connecting new information to old Context The physical or emotional backdrop associated with an event

The Information Processing Theory Levels of Processing Theory The amount of time information will remain in memory is directly related to the level of analysis and connection to other information

The Information Processing Theory Retrieving information from long term memory Spreading activation Retrieval of information based on relatedness to one another Reconstruction Recreating information by using memories, expectations, knowledge, logic, and existing knowledge

Becoming Knowledgeable: Some Basic Principles Development of Declarative Knowledge Making It Meaningful Visual Images and Illustrations Mnemonics Rote Memorization

Becoming Knowledgeable: Some Basic Principles Development of Procedural Knowledge Automated Basic Skills Domain-Specific Strategies

Diversity and Convergences Developmental Differences Individual Differences Knowledge Cultural Differences Developmental Differences in Event Memories