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Meaningful Learning in an Information Age
Mark Grabe
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Cognitive Models of School Learning
Organized on Two Levels Fundamental properties of mental activity Conceptual issues in teaching and learning Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Fundamental Properties Represented as Information Processing
Describe movement and manipulation of information within the human information processing system. How might characteristics of the system inform instructional decisions? Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Components of Information Processing System
Stores - hold information Processes - mental actions Executive mechanism - control and evaluate Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Stores Sensory Memory - less than a second Short Term Memory - consciousness Long Term Memory - permanent storage Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Short Term Memory Equivalent to consciousness - information presently in your awareness Sometimes called working memory - reference is to this store as the location of activities of learning and thinking Operates with duration and capacity limits Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Short Term Memory Limits
Duration and capacity limits establish some educational goals Automatic word recognition Keyboarding speed Efficient practice involving drill software may be solution Skills are mastered so capacity is available for higher level skills (reading comprehension, writing) Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Long Term Memory Stored products of learning and experience Declarative knowledge - knowing that Procedural knowledge - knowing how Episodic knowledge - representation of an experience Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Episodic Memory Is storing experiences rather than abstracted concepts, principles, etc. useful? Experts appear to use experiences as well as abstractions. Have done the mental work of indexing experiences. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Long Term Memory Is Linked
Contents of LTM are linked Pattern of links is unique to individual learner Links are important in recall and in what additional information “comes to mind.” Effective learning requires both content and meaningful links. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Processes - The Actions of Learning and Thinking
Some general categories of activities: Attend to - maintain in consciousness Link - connect units of information Elaborate - act on information to produce knowledge through connection and inferencing. Evaluate - determine if mental state is as desired or expected. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Metacognition Accounts for the adaptive and strategic nature of learning and thinking. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Metacognition Knowledge
Metacognitive knowledge - awareness of task requirements and personal characteristics What does it take to perform this task? Why is this task difficult or easy for me? Example - what is demanded in an essay vs. multiple-choice test? Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Metacognitive Control Functions
Planning Regulating Evaluating Is this making sense? (reading) Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Learner Control Vs. Computer Control
If metacognitive skills are suspect, should control of learning experiences be turned over to a computer? Determine number of practice problems Determine when to go on to new material Learner control with advisement as a compromise. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Conceptual Models of School Learning
A conceptual focus on: Instructional goals Preferred instructional practices Ideal student behaviors Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Conceptual Models of School Learning
Meaningful learning (Ausubel) Generative learning (Wittrock) Constructivism Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Meaningful Learning Meaningful learning occurs when new experiences are related to what is already known. Rote learning occurs when information is stored in isolation Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Assumptions of Meaningful Learning
Learner has knowledge relevant to new experiences. Learner is motivated to develop connections between new experiences and what is known. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Dimensions for Describing Learning Experiences
Rote - Meaningful Reception - Discovery Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Placements of Activities Within Dimensions
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Hands On ≠ Minds On Important to note that not all activity promotes meaningful learning Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Generative Learning - Wittrock
Importance of connection between new experiences and existing knowledge External tasks can influence mental activity Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Constructivism No single “official” version Most commonly accepted principles Understanding is constructed by each individual Learning serves an adaptive function Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Implications of Constructivist Principles
Student responsible for own learning Context influences what is perceived as useful Purpose of education is to build useful personal knowledge Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Common Conceptual Themes
Learning is active Learning is adaptive Learning builds on what is known Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Implications for Practice
Concept of authentic activities Problem of inert knowledge Higher order thinking Learning in a social context Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Authentic Activities Ordinary practices of a culture How can learners experience the role of a practitioner? Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Inert Knowledge Useful knowledge that is not activated How can classroom experiences challenge naïve beliefs? Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Higher-Order Thinking
Sounds good -- what is it? Criteria Complex - entire process may not be clear from beginning Effortful - motivated thinking Self-regulated - planning and monitoring Often requires judgment - evaluate alternatives Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Problem Solving Overcome an obstacle to reach a goal Recognize a problem Represent problem Select strategy Implement Strategy Evaluate and possibly repeat Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Critical Thinking Evaluation to achieve a reasoned choice Locate appropriate information Evaluate information source Weigh evidence to make decision or take position Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Social Context of Learning
Construct personal understanding within a social context Views of others part of external experience Interaction limits idiosyncratic models of the world Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Structuring A Productive Social Context
Cognitive apprenticeship Cooperative learning Learning communities Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cognitive Apprenticeship
Collaboration with a skilled practitioner Typically the teacher Explain cognitive behaviors while working on tasks Example - Reciprocal teaching Application - take on new challenges with students Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cooperative Learning Students work together on learning task. Group investigation appropriate to many projects in book. Students must learn to work cooperatively. Cannot assume cooperative projects will go well. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Learning Communities Teachers and students work on long term projects. Authentic and challenging tasks work best. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Project Based Learning
Practical method for combining authentic activities and cooperative learning. Book contains many examples of projects using technology tools. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Preview of Priorities Technology can play many roles and many are reviewed Areas of Emphasis Computer tools and learning Increase efficiency of student work Encourage “thinking” – “opportunities get taken” Learning by constructing multimedia Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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