1. Cognitive Strategies and its Effect on Long-Term Projects Peter G. Mohn Glacier Peak High School September 2012 Peter G. Mohn Glacier Peak High School September 2012

2. Learned Capabilities  Intellectual Skills  Verbal Information  Cognitive Strategies  Affective Domain  Motor Skills  Intellectual Skills  Verbal Information  Cognitive Strategies  Affective Domain  Motor Skills

3. Types of Cognitive Strategies  Rehearsal Strategies  Elaboration Strategies  Organizing Strategies  Comprehension Monitoring Strategies  Affective Strategies  Rehearsal Strategies  Elaboration Strategies  Organizing Strategies  Comprehension Monitoring Strategies  Affective Strategies

4. Cognitive Strategies for Project Design  Organizing Strategies –Arranging material into an organized framework –Outlining main ideas –Generating new organizations  Comprehension Monitoring Strategies (Metacognition - thinking about thinking) –Setting goals for learning –Monitoring progress –Estimating the success with which goals are being met  Organizing Strategies –Arranging material into an organized framework –Outlining main ideas –Generating new organizations  Comprehension Monitoring Strategies (Metacognition - thinking about thinking) –Setting goals for learning –Monitoring progress –Estimating the success with which goals are being met

5. Good News About Cognitive Strategies  All humans have all their cognitive functions by age 12  Our students can easily learn good cognitive strategies  All humans have all their cognitive functions by age 12  Our students can easily learn good cognitive strategies

6. Bad News About Cognitive Strategies  Students use poor cognitive strategies in their life  Students will continue to use poor cognitive strategies until a major crisis happens  If a student doesn’t have a cognitive strategy for a new concept they’ll use the closest strategy they know  Learning new cognitive strategies takes several efforts  Students use poor cognitive strategies in their life  Students will continue to use poor cognitive strategies until a major crisis happens  If a student doesn’t have a cognitive strategy for a new concept they’ll use the closest strategy they know  Learning new cognitive strategies takes several efforts

7. 9th Grade Students & Long-Term Project Design  The average freshman doesn’t know how to manage a long-term project  The average freshman doesn’t have the cognitive strategies for conducting a long-term project  More than 80% of our students will use short-term project strategies to manage their long-term projects  The vast majority of students will wait until the last minute to work on their long-term projects  The average freshman doesn’t know how to manage a long-term project  The average freshman doesn’t have the cognitive strategies for conducting a long-term project  More than 80% of our students will use short-term project strategies to manage their long-term projects  The vast majority of students will wait until the last minute to work on their long-term projects

8. What Can Teachers Do to Help Students Be Successful With Long-Term Projects  Teach students good cognitive strategies –Modeling and multiple due dates –Graphic organizers  Assign points for completing each step in the long- term project  Monitor student progress throughout the project  Work with students who fall behind on their projects –Grizzly period –Tutoring  Teach students good cognitive strategies –Modeling and multiple due dates –Graphic organizers  Assign points for completing each step in the long- term project  Monitor student progress throughout the project  Work with students who fall behind on their projects –Grizzly period –Tutoring

9. Modeling Project Design Example  Assignment –Topic Selection - 5 pts –Research complete (note cards) - 20 pts –Outline - 25 pts –Rough Draft - 25 pts  Final Paper - 100 pts  Assignment –Topic Selection - 5 pts –Research complete (note cards) - 20 pts –Outline - 25 pts –Rough Draft - 25 pts  Final Paper - 100 pts  Technology –Story board - 10 pts –PowerPoint (words only) - 20 pts –Add graphics, animation, etc. - 20 pts.  Presentation –Outline - 10 pts –Note cards - 15 pts –Oral report - 100 pts  Technology –Story board - 10 pts –PowerPoint (words only) - 20 pts –Add graphics, animation, etc. - 20 pts.  Presentation –Outline - 10 pts –Note cards - 15 pts –Oral report - 100 pts

10. Project Graphic Organizer Example  Students create project timeline - 25 pts  Students meet project deadlines - 50 pts  Final Paper - 100 pts  Technology component - 75 pts  Oral Report - 100 pts  Students create project timeline - 25 pts  Students meet project deadlines - 50 pts  Final Paper - 100 pts  Technology component - 75 pts  Oral Report - 100 pts