Schema EDP 5216 Fall 2009 Florida State University By: Dimas Prasetyo, Kristanti Puspitasari, Travis Grant

Video Introduction To Schema Source: EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Do you know what the girl is talking about? Instructor will read a passage in the notes section of this slide. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Do you know what the girl is talking about? It is a piggy bank. With a well-developed schema for “piggy banks” this story should be quite clear. Traditional piggy banks were made out of fragile material and that they contained a small opening for inserting and saving coins. Traditionally, the only way to retrieve the money was by breaking the piggy bank. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Outline 1. Gain attention & activate prior knowledge 2. Information learning objectives 3. Explaining schema 4. Providing guidance on schema implementation 5. Practice 6. Feedback 7. Assessment Outline partially follows Gagne’s Nine Events

Learning Objectives Instructional objective:  By the conclusion of this instructional unit students will be able to demonstrate in writing how schema applies to their day-to-day life and to design schema related activities into future instruction. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

What is Schema? The word schema comes from the Greek word Skhema, which means shape or plan. A schema [plural schemas or schemata] is a cognitive construct that schematically organizes information for storage in long-term memory.  A sort of framework, or plan, or script. Schemas are brought into working memory and allow learners to treat multiple elements of information as a single element.  Categorize multiple elements into a single element through schema. Schemas can vary from person to person. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Tell Me More About Schema! Schemas are acquired over long periods of time. Skilled performance in complex domains necessitate the development of many schemas held in long-term memory. Schema held in long-term memory can be either: pictoral, verbal, written, or spoken. Schemata contain slots to be filled with new information. Schemas are cognitive structures but can be visualized as concept maps and relational databases. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

What is Schema Theory? Schema theory describes organized knowledge as an elaborate network of abstract mental structures.  Schemata are packets of knowledge and schema theory is a theory of how these packets are represented.  Schemata represent knowledge packets about concepts and their relationship to other concepts.  The main principles of the theory are:  Teach general knowledge and broad concepts  Build the knowledge and make connections between ideas  Prior knowledge is necessary for new knowledge  Schemata will change as new information is acquired  Schemata is organized in a meaningful way EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Show Me a Schema! Visualization of a schema for the concept of tolerance. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Why is this Relevant? Learners remember information better when they can interpret it in a meaningful and relational way to what they already know! Activating learners’ schemata creates more meaningful learning! EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

A schema according to Driscoll A play  it has a basic script, but each time it's performed, the details will differ. A theory  it enables us to make predictions from incomplete information, by filling in the missing details with "default values." (Of course, this can be a problem when it causes us to remember things we never actually saw.) A computer program  it enables us to actively evaluate and parse incoming information. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Schema-based Processing Comprehending text  Reading is an active process.  Activating students’ background knowledge can make them understand the reading materials better, and gain more information. What’s more, this information is the storage that provides background knowledge to the reading activities in the future.  Activating students’ background knowledge also can attract students to read more materials. The more they read, the more they are interested in. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Schema-based Processing (Cont.) Understanding Events and Guiding Actions  Guide people in interpreting events.  Example:  What would you do the first time you go to a gala dinner? Problem solving  Experts and novices have different mental models when solving a problem.  Mental model  when people using not only schemata that represent their knowledge about specific subject matter, but also their perceptions on task demands and task performance. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Providing Guidance: Schema Activation When creating your own instruction What helps activate recall and prior knowledge (activate learners’ schemata)?  Titles  Videos and pictures (visual aids)  Abstracts, overviews, and outlines  A discussion of what the learners know of the topic prior to the actual instruction  Brainstorming session and concept mapping  What else? EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Providing Guidance: Schema Development When creating your own instruction Schema Development  Select one topic you are going to teach for one unit of instruction. Determine the level of grade of your target audience.  Make a guess of what prior knowledge your students must already have based from your teaching experience.  Think about: How would you activate the prior knowledge your students already have?  Think about: How would you relate the prior knowledge to the knowledge you are going to teach? EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Providing Guidance: Schema Development Schema development (cont.)  Remember that there is the chance that learners may access inappropriate (or incorrect) schema. Sometimes students try to make the material fit the schema they initially selected regardless of the incoming material.  Students sometimes hold on to an activated schema even when it no longer fits.  Do not allow your instruction to be ambiguous. All instruction should be accompanied by clear, concise study guides (and concept maps).  Encourage students to jot down ideas and thoughts as they learn. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Providing Guidance: Schema Maintenance Schema maintenance  Sometimes students select and activate the right schema but are unable to maintain in during the learning process.  Causes of poor schema maintenance often have to do with poorly designed instruction:  The instruction is too lengthy.  The instruction is too difficult.  The instruction is poorly organized or confusing.  Other partial instructional causes include lack of attention and motivation.  It can also occur when one unit of instruction requires several different schema and the schema transitions are not made clear in the instruction. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Providing Guidance: Schema Maintenance Schema maintenance solutions  Imagery and visualization  Questioning oneself (students need to monitor and ask themselves (or be asked), “Does this make sense?” This strategy does not include the instructor asking comprehension questions.  Identifying structure  Study guides EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Providing Guidance: New Schema Creation New schema creation  Sometimes instructors have to go beyond activating, developing, and maintaining schemata when dealing with topics where no schemata exists.  Solutions:  Encoding aids discussed prior: mnemonics, imagery, concept maps, analogies  Role playing – challenge students to put themselves in someone else’s place. Challenge them to act out new experiences.  Allow them to watch a film and have them analyze the film with them from a ‘new’ perspective. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Providing Guidance: Caution Caution for instructor: If the instructor continuously taps background knowledge for the student (and guides schema activities) then they will not transfer schema strategy use to their independent learning.  Students also need to learn to tap their own background knowledge independently. Solutions:  To teach the students about schema and its necessity in their own independent learning process.  Teach them to think about and concept map what they know about a subject before delving into it. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Giving Practice Any idea for practice? EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Feedback Question time:  Does anyone have any questions?  Answers will be discussed as a group. And how have you enjoyed the presentation so far? EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Assessment Time Define schema. Write down an example of how you use schema in your day-to-day existence?  Such as, while reading, while learning, while shopping.  Draw a concept map to properly visualize your schema. Visually represent your understanding of schema by means of a concept map. How would you activate a learner’s schema in the following instructional scenario?  You will be teaching your students about Shintoism. EDP 5216 Autumn 2009

Something to Think About Source: EDP 5216 Autumn 2009