Cognitivism in Practice

Reviewing Dr. Michael Orey’s presentation of Cognitive Learning Theories, I found that his Information Processing Model was very basic and easy to understand. We first experience sensory input of information which becomes part of our short-term memory. We then need to take this new information and make connections with networks that exist in long term memory, in order for the new information to be remembered and understood. (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008) Our jobs as educators, is to assist the student in making the connections in order for learning to occur.

Students need to be able to “retrieve, use, and organize information”. Teachers can use instructional strategies to enhance these processes by using “cues, questions, and advance organizers”. (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007, p. 73) Summarizing and note taking is also important in making connections. When students are confronted with new information, they need to go through a process of consolidation which necessitates summarizing and note taking. Every piece of information is not essential to remember. Students need to develop the “ability to synthesize information and distill it into a concise form. Here teachers work on helping students separate important information from extraneous information and state the information in their own words.” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007, p. 119) Technology can function as an invaluable tool in incorporating multi-modal sensory experiences to assist the students in making as many connections with previous knowledge stored in long-term memory as possible, as well as, assisting students to focus on relevant information to remember and learn.

Some examples of technology that can be used to assist in making connections are concept mapping and virtual field trips. Concept mapping is useful because it visually makes connections that models how networks function in the brain. (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008) In concept mapping, ideas are connected, forming a web-like structure that clarifies how each new concept is connected with another. Not only can visual images be added, but also, links to additional information. As Novak and Canas (2008) state, concept mapping is a basic concept in “cognitive psychology that learning takes place by the assimilation of new concepts and propositions into existing concept and propositional frameworks held by the learner. . . . Out of the necessity to find a better way to represent children’s conceptual understanding emerged the idea of representing children’s knowledge in the form of a concept map.” (p. 3) Concept maps can, not only, function as a means to activate prior knowledge, and a way to add new information to already established networks of information, but as an assessment tool, as well.

Virtual field trips can create a connection with long-term memory called episodic memory which ties new knowledge into previous events in your life. (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008) They offer a unique experience to go to new sites that are relevant to new concepts being learned, which offers a multi-sensory experience that assists in making connections in learning. I can see great potential with virtual field trips in Visual Arts. I am excited to visit museums on-line, and explore what they have to offer in the way of visual field trips. This technological possibility can have great impact in my classroom.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program five. Cognitive Learning Theories [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program six. Spotlight on Technology: Virtual Field Trips [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Novak, J.D. & Canas, A.J. (2008). The theory underlying concept maps and how to construct and use them, Technical Report IHMC Cmap Tools 2006-01 Rev 01-2008. Retrieved from the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition Web site: http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publcations/ResearchPapers/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps .pdf

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.