The instructional strategy of cues, questions, and advance organizers help to increase students' ability to organize, use, and retrieve information (Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). This correlates to the cognitive learning theory of elaboration because this strategy helps students to make numerous connections between information (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Teaching students to organize information using these methods also helps to train their brains to store and retrieve information within their long-term memories. Both cues and questions help students to retrieve prior knowledge from their long-term memories, while advance organizers help students organize and focus their learning for retention in their long-term memories (Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Advance organizers can also be used to reinforce Palvio's dual-coding hypothesis because many are used with both texts and images (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). The examples presented Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works (Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007) are expositiory, narrative, and graphic organizers. All of these have the capability for reinforcing dual-coding, but the main advance organizer that prefer is the graphic organizer because it is more visual. This applies to cognitive learning theories because "integrating multiple senses in presentations improves learning" (Laureate Education, Inc., 2007).
The summarizing and note taking instructional strategy helps teach students to blend information into shorter forms (Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Summarizing helps to improve short-term or working memory because it chunks information into smaller pieces. Summarizing information teaches students to learn what is necessary in the information they are presented with. In my opinion, summarizing information is similar to the networks of information that Dr. Michael Orey discusses when describing long-term memory because they have to omit information, keep information, and possibly add information (Laureate Education, Inc., 2007). They are making those connections between networks because of these decisions they are making about the presented information. Note taking relates to cognitivism because it also helps to organize information for students as well as to help them deepen their understanding of information (Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). In Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, (Pittler, et al., 2007) say that it is beneficial to vary the note-taking methods in your class. This is similar to the cognitivism idea of appealing to more senses. That is because mixing up your methods should include techniques that appeal to visual learners as well as auditory learners.
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program five. Cognitive Learning Theories[Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenosk, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that work. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
First of all, great post! I agree with all the points you made, especially that utilizing cognitive learning theories in instruction trains students to "store and retrieve information within their long-term memories", as well as their short-term memories. If teachers are doing their jobs correctly, students are genuinely engaged and are required to think on higher levels. As an Instructional Technology Training Specialist, I find that incorporating technology into the cognitive learning style is very important in seeing valuable results in teaching students the essential information. How often do you incorporate technology and cognitive learning theories in your instruction? Do you find you use it more in one class or lesson than another?
ReplyDeleteI teach mathematics, and I try to utilize technology with my students as much as possible. I use it daily with my students with graphing calculators, to smartboard applets, to going to the computer lab for lessons. I do not use technology for higher level learning as much as I should have. Some ways I do use it is to plan lessons where students can use applets and software on the computer to complete different tasks. This year, I have access to TI-Nspire calculators, which offer a the ability to do many different dynamic tasks and activities as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Bryan