Those who study the Cognitive Theory, “focus on learning as a mental operation that takes place when information enters through the senses, undergoes mental manipulation, is stored, and is finally used,” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008, p.16). Theorists invested in this approach often encourage elaboration as a strategy for learning. Elaboration helps to clarify and create connections among knowledge so that memory can be stored and later retrieved from the long-term portion of the brain (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008). Tools such as Web Resources, Communication Software, and Word Processing Applications support this idea of elaboration, as well as facilitate the organization of ideas and knowledge. For example, when summarizing, one might use educational technology within a summary frame to highlight critical information or facts. Or, multi-media tools can be integrated to enhance the episodic memory that a student will have about a particular subject (Kuhn, Hubbell, Malenoski, & Pitler, 2007). Virtual Field Trips are one way to elicit this response. Advance organizers can engage students as an introductory activity, while helping to “make sense of the content they’ll encounter,” (Kuhn, Hubbell, Malenoski, & Pitler, 2007, p.73). In either case, the tools have motivated and engaged learners through realistic learning. Technology tools can and should, enhance the learning that occurs and are designed to promote the critical thinking process. Overall, “cognitive tools impact students learning by causing them to think about information instead of reproducing and/or recalling information,” (Orey, 2001, p.8). As educators, shouldn't this always be our intent?
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program five. Cognitive Learning Theory [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author.
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Teaching and learning with technology (3rd ed. pp. 2–35). Boston: Pearson
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
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Hi Kelly,
ReplyDeleteYou mention the use of technology tools to help students in summarizing. The course text describes the use of a Word document to help students in learning to do this (pp.121-124). I love the idea of typing a textbook selection into a Word document, using "Strikethrough" to delete information that is redundant or unimportant and using "Track Changes" to model for students how to summarize a reading selection. I would also like to try the "AutoSummarize" tool in Word. Here, the key information left after students have used the "Track Changes" tool is pasted into Word and the "AutoSummarize" tool then provides several summary options through which students get a short summary of the excerpt that was copied into Word. This helps students to practice their summarizing and gives them a way to check themselves and receive timely feedback...something teachers may not be able to give right away if they are reading many summaries!
Thanks,
Holly
Holly,
ReplyDeleteYes, I think that this is a great tool! I am actually suprised that neither one of us had heard of it before. After practicing a with a few passages first, I can't wait to introduce this meaningful strategy to my students. Let me know if you have any creative thoughts as to where a good fit may be within our second lab book.
Thanks for your input.
I like your use of quotes. I also like the rhetorical question posed at the end of your response. I often feel that we are pressured into providing lower level thinking activities for our students because of the focus on standardized testing. It feels, to me, like much of what we do is not aimed at these higher level processing skills, but I am finding, through our studies at Walden, that some of these tools can provide us with a clear way to differentiate for our students in a timely manner that allows for a well rounded experience for the students.
ReplyDeleteI have another teacher's daughter in one of my classes and I was explaining to him about the online editing and auto-summarize tool and now he wants to use it with his science students. He said that it would help them to make sure that they were identifying the correct information in the text and he would be able to cut down on his time re-teaching. I think that what we need is more time to discuss with our peers the ways that these technologies could be implemented effectively across disciplines.
Thanks for your encouragement Sean and yes, I agree with you that the tools we are investigating here at Walden will allow for more useful differentiation.
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