Two instructional strategies explored this week were “cues, questions and advance organizers” and “note-taking.” These strategies correlate with the principles of the cognitive learning theory. Other teacher strategies that correlate with the cognitive learning theory are concept mapping virtual field trips.
Cues, questions, and advance organizers are a great way to focus and direct learning. Cues are explicit reminders or hints and questions trigger memory or access prior knowledge (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 73). Short-term memory can hold only 7
Both concept mappings and virtual field trips are helpful for kids having to recall material later. Concept mappings are a great idea to help students learn new material and integrate with their prior knowledge. Virtual field trips are a great way to get the students out of the classroom without leaving the classroom. Virtual field trips create a rich experience which help with episodic memory and create a network of ideas (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010b). Dual-coding hypothesis is the idea that information is stored differently based on the way it is received (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a). Our brains store information in different ways. These strategies help learners visualize and make connections between ideas (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a). Our long term memory is a network where each idea is connected (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a). Concept mappings provide a way to connect material together into a network for students to recall later.
In my classes, I hope to integrate more advance organizers and concept mappings. They both can be beneficial to the learning process for my students. Students will have a beginning point with notes and a way to organize their concepts together. Concept mappings will be a great way to display how different math concepts are connected together to understand why they learn in the order it is presented to them. Concept mappings can be a great asset for assessing students’ learning. Virtual field trips are a wonderful way to bring the outside world into the classroom. These will be used a few times during each school year, therefore students can understand how math is used in real life.
Resources
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010a). Program five. Cognitive learning theory [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010b). Program six. Spotlight on technology: Virtual field trips [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
You hit on two good points. First, the fact that cues, questions, and advanced organizers provide “triggers” to previous student learning. By bringing those connections into the lesson, student will have a better chance of committing the information to long-term memory. The advanced organizer goes even farther by provide visuals and organization into the learning. Your second point discussing the virtual field trips as helping to create the episodic memories as well as the dual coding experiences are both sound in the cognitive tenets. The utilization of virtual field trips can be a great learning experience for the learners if, like any other excursion, it is well planned and practiced. Thorough this week’s application, I have discovered that by adding an organizer to the virtual field trip, students are able to stay focused the on task and not get lost in the excitement of the technology. The combination of these two strategies has proven to be a valuable teaching tool.
ReplyDeleteThe advance organizers are such a good idea and another way to use triggers in the classroom. The virtual field trips are an exciting tool to add to the classroom. I need some changes to my daily routine but it is difficult finding math videos.
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