Complex Cognitive Processes Woolfolk chapter 8 Overview The

Complex Cognitive Processes Woolfolk, chapter 8

Overview The Importance of Understanding Learning and Teaching about Concepts Problem Solving Becoming an Expert Student Teaching for Transfer

Concept Map for Chapter 8 Teaching for Transfer Importance of Understanding Complex Cognitive Processes Becoming an Expert Student Problem Solving Learning & Teaching about Concepts Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably why so few people engage in it. Henry Ford

The Importance of Understanding More than memorizing Applying what you know Transforming and using knowledge, skills, and ideas Higher level thinking Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

Thinking and Understanding “…being able to do a variety of thoughtdemanding things with a topic - like explaining, finding evidence and examples, generalizing, applying, analyzing, and representing the topic in new ways. ”

Learning and Teaching Concepts are categories of similar ideas, events, objects, people, etc. Concepts are abstractions. Concepts are ways to organize information.

Concept Learning Terms Defining attribute Prototype : Representative member of the concept Graded membership Exemplars Concepts and schemas

Strategies for Teaching Concepts Concept attainment Examples Non-examples Hypothesis Compare & contrast Concept constructed through discussion

Strategies for Teaching Concepts Examples & nonexamples Relevant & irrelevant attributes Name of the concept Definition of the concept – General category – Defining attributes Use visual aids

Concept Attainment Lesson Structure Phase 1: Presentation of Data & Identification of Concept – Present labeled examples – Students compare negative and positive examples – Students generate and test hypotheses – Students state a definition

Concept Attainment Lesson Structure Phase 2: Testing Attainment of the Concept – Students identify additional unlabeled examples as ‘yes’ or ‘no’ – Teacher confirms hypothesis, names concept, restates definition – Students generate examples

Concept Attainment Lesson Structure Phase 3: Analysis of Thinking Strategies – Students describe their thoughts – Students discuss role of hypothesis and attributes – Students discuss type and number of hypotheses

Concept Attainment Lesson Structure See Table 8. 1, Woolfolk, p. 282 Copyright 2001 byby Allyn and Bacon Copyright 2001 Allyn and Bacon

Key Concepts for Teaching Concepts Less obvious examples help prevent undergeneralization Non-examples help prevent overgeneralization Concept mapping can help connect the new concept to other concepts they know Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

Reflection Questions Choose a concept, like tree or bird. Identify a prototype. What are the defining attributes? Identify examples and nonexamples. What are the irrelevant attributes? What thinking was required to analyze your chosen concept?

Construct a Concept Map for Reinforcement Schedules

Teaching Concepts through Discovery Understanding the structure of the subject Using a coding system Teacher presents examples Students discover the interrelationships Inductive reasoning or eg-rule Requires intuitive thinking Guided vs. unguided discover Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

Teaching Concepts through Exposition Focus on meaningful verbal learning The concept is presented Expository teaching model : Ausubel Learning progresses deductively : ruleeg Subsumer is the general concept under which other concepts fit Advanced organizers help schema development Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

Advanced Organizers An introduction to help the students understand the coming concept Comparative – Activate existing schema Expository – Provides new knowledge to understand coming information

Phases of Expository Teaching Advance organizer Present content in terms of similarities and differences using specific examples. See Guidelines, Woolfolk, P. 289 Relate content back to advance organizer.

Problem Solving

Problem Solving General or domain-specific? A heuristic: – Identify the problem – Define and represent the problem – Explore possible strategies – Act on the strategies – Look back, evaluate the effects of your strategies

Identifying the Problem Identifying the problem: Slow elevators or bored riders? The ‘problem’ is an opportunity! Consider alternate perspectives

Defining the Problem Focusing attention Understanding the words Understanding the whole problem Translation & schema training Results of problem representation

Exploring Possible Solutions Algorithms Heuristics – Means-ends analysis – Working backwards – Analogical thinking – Verbalization

Anticipate, Act, Look Back Anticipate the consequences Act on the best solution Look back and evaluate your success

The Problem Solving Process Succeed Construct a representation Search for a solution Try a solution Evaluate Fail Stop

Factors That Hinder Problem Solving Functional fixedness Response sets Lack of flexibility

Effective Problem Solvers Large store of domain knowledge Quickly recognize patterns Organized knowledge schemas Condition-action schemas Elaborated & well practiced knowledge Spend time analyzing

Expert Teachers Sense what is typical Develop routines Look for patterns Apply principles Possess deep knowledge of subject & students Improvise Are flexible

Novice Knowledge May possess misinformation Intuitive ideas are incorrect Hold on to misconceptions

Reflection Questions Describe the differences between functional fixedness and response set. Describe a recent problem solving event in which you overcame a response set or functional fixedness. How did you do it? Describe an expert teacher you had. How did that teacher solve classroom problems?

Becoming an Expert Student

Expert Students Are cognitively engaged Focus attention & effort Process information deeply Monitor understanding

Expert Students Possess: Learning strategies and tactics Several different strategies Conditional knowledge for various strategies – when to use them – where to use them – why to use them Desire to employ learning strategies Students may need direct instruction in schematic knowledge: how to identify main ideas

Learning Strategies Deciding what is important Creating summaries Underlining & highlighting Taking notes See Table 8. 2, Woolfolk, p. 303

Visual Tools for Organizing Maps & charts Venn or tree diagrams Timelines Reading strategies – – READS PQ 4 R CAPS KWL Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

READS Review headings & subheadings. Examine bold face print. Ask, “What do I expect to learn? ” Do it – Read! Summarize in your own words. Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

PQ 4 R Preview Question Read Reflect Recite Review

CAPS Strategy for reading literature Who are the Characters in the story? What is the Aim of the story? What Problem happens? How is the problem Solved? Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

KWL Plus Guide for reading and inquiry in general: What do I already know about this subject? What do I want to know? At the end of the reading or inquiry, what have I learned? See Guidelines, Woolfolk, p. 309. Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

Focus attention & effort Possess Learning strategies & tactics Desire to use skills Schematic knowledge Expert Students PQ 4 R Monitor understanding Process information deeply Conditional knowledge

Transfer of Learning Low road & high road Forward-reaching Backward-reaching Mindful abstraction Situated learning Overlearning

Encouraging Transfer Make learning meaningful Practical applications: real life problem solving Context Teach critical thinking skills Teach self-regulation skills

Acquisition Phase Teach a new strategy & how to use it Retention Phase Practice the strategy Give feedback Transfer Phase Provide new problems Use the same strategy

Summary The Importance of Understanding Learning and Teaching about Concepts Problem Solving Becoming an Expert Student Teaching for Transfer

Review Questions Distinguish between prototypes and exemplars. What are the four elements needed in concept teaching? What are the key characteristics of Bruner’s discovery learning? What are the stages of Ausubel’s expository teaching? What are the steps in the general problem-solving process? Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

Review Questions Why is the representation stage of problem solving so important? Describe factors that can interfere with problem solving. What are the differences between expert and novice knowledge in a given area? How do misconceptions interfere with learning? Distinguish between learning strategies Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

Review Questions What key functions do learning strategies play? Describe some procedures for developing learning strategies. Distinguish between specific and general transfer. Distinguish between low-road and highroad transfer. Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

End Chapter 8