Reflective Journal #3
Description:
Chapter six discussed the cognitive theories of learning including how students process information. This chapter defined how research on the brain has allowed us to understand how it works when processing new information. It also defined how the intentional teacher can use strategies and techniques to help students process information and make meaningful connections to that information.
Analysis:
As our students sit in our classrooms each day, they are constantly being flooded with new information. We teach them an array of facts, details, concepts, definitions, and problems. Year after year, the content knowledge grows and the level of difficulty to retain the information they are learning increases. The question becomes how do we as intentional teachers use the information we have about how the brain works to help our students process all of this knowledge. Information-processing theory is a "dominant theory of learning and memory" which includes "three main components: the sensory register, working memory (short-term memory) and long-term memory (Slavin, 2015, pg. 124). In order to understand information-processing we must understand how each of these components work. It is also imperative to understand that "at each stage, the learning process is controlled by the learner" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 124).
The first component of information processing is the sensory register. The sensory register is the part of the memory "that receives large amounts of information from each of the senses and holds it for a very short time, no more than a couple of seconds" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 126). What happens to the information after it leaves the sensory register depends on what signals we give the brain. If it is something we want to remember, we give special attention to that bit of the information. It may be something that attracts our attention because it is "unusual, inconsistent, or surprising" or we may have been told to pay special attention to it by someone else (Slavin, 2015, pg. 127).
From the sensory register, information that we want to retain moves into the working or short-term memory. Once again, this "storage system can only hold a limited amount of information for a few seconds" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 127). Information contained in our short-term memory that we really want to keep with us involves some type of "rehearsal" or repetition of the information so that we can hold on to it (Slavin, 2015, pg. 127). We must also collect and categorize information in our working memory into areas that make sense to us to help us remember the information. Random information will be lost if we don't do something to help our minds maintain the information.
The final component to information processing is long-term memory. As the name states, this is where we hold information for the long haul. Long-term memory "is thought to be a very large-capacity, very long-term memory store" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 129). It is also divided into three parts to include "episodic memory- memories based off personal experiences, semantic memory- facts, rules, problem-solving skills that we know, and procedural memory-the area of our memory that shows us how to do things like ride a bike" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 129). In order to have information stay in our long-term memory we must relate that information to one of these three categories. We also must relate the information to our background knowledge or personal experiences in order for the information to really stick.
The human brain is extremely complex. One of the most important things we can remember about how it works is that "the more knowledge and skills a person gains, the more efficient their brain becomes" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 136). It is difficult to relate exactly how the brain works to classroom teaching but teachers should remember some important concepts gathered from brain research. One of the most important things to remember is that "not all learning is equally likely" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 137). This means that some learning is more difficult than others. We know this is true as we find students who have an easier time learning science and math facts but may struggle with reading comprehension or writing development.
As we think about what causes information processing, we must also consider what causes students to forget information as well. Interference is one of those factors which leads to forgetting and can be defined when "information gets mixed up with, or pushed aside by, other information" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 139). Interference can cause students to lose information they may have otherwise learned because of outside distractions or not having the ability to rehearse that information and store it in their long-term memories.
There are many things we can do as teachers to help our students store information and make it meaningful. The first of these "memory strategies" is through practice. Students need the ability to do something with the information they have been given. This may come through "enactment or physically carrying out a task they have learned" or "verbal learning" which requires students to repeat and associate words with other sounds or words they have used before" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 142-143).
The most important thing to remember when discussing information processing is that in order for something to be retained in the long-term memory it must be meaningful to the learner. We want to steal clear of "rote learning or simple memorization" and move to "meaningful learning which is not arbitrary and relates to information or concepts learners already have" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 145). In order to help students do this we want to teach them "metacognitive skills" that they can employ to retain information. These skills help them draw on the experience and knowledge they already posses to form new knowledge and skills. There are many strategies which we can teach students to help them with this process. They include but are not limited to, "practice tests, note-taking, underlining, summarizing, writing to learn, outlining, and concept-mapping" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 150). These strategies help students know what to do with new information and will lead to retention of information in the long-term memory.
Overall, it is important to make sure we make learning relevant and meaningful to our students. As an intentional teacher, we want students to recognize "their own learning process so they can learn more effectively" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 153). If we can give them the processes, strategies and skills need to effectively learn new information they will have an easier time "diminishing mental inference" and "organizing new concepts" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 153). If our students see that we aren't just giving them useless information but rather meaningful concepts that will be important to them in the future, than we will have an easier job convincing them it is worth learning in the first place.
Reflection:
This chapter summarized how important it is for the intentional teacher to make the information they teach meaningful to students. As a high school teacher, my students visit seven classes on a daily basis. Each of these classes require them to learn a vast number of new ideas and concepts. If I don't make the content interesting enough for them to want to learn, they simply aren't going to grasp the information and commit it to their long-term memory. The question then becomes-how can I make the material engaging and help them to draw upon their own cognitive skills to remember it?
One of the things we teach in our English literature courses are vocabulary words. These tend to stay in students short-term memory. They memorize the definitions for the test but can often forget them after it is over. I try to avoid this by making each word meaningful to them in some way. When I introduce the word, I have them repeat it aloud to me. I also show them a picture that tells some form of story about the word. I try to choose images in which they can connect to. This might be a famous person, company or image they have seen somewhere else. When they make that connection the word becomes more meaningful for them. I also ask them to write sentences using the word in context. Many times students write sentences using the word that connects to their life in some way. Therefore, the words become something that they not only memorize for a weekly vocabulary quiz but something they can make meaningful to them and remember for a longer period of time.
I believe sensory imagery plays a large role in learning. In literature, imagery is everywhere. During the first few weeks of school, we spend a great deal of time evoking images for our students to help them connect to personal experiences that they can then write about. We use smells, sounds and materials that connect to their childhood. They are then able to remember a specific time when they saw, felt, heard or tasted this image and write about it. When we are reading texts, I try to point out images in the novels or short stories that I believe might connect to my student's personal lives. This way they remember what the character was doing because they remember a time when they may have experienced something similar in their own lives.
Some other strategies that I have found very helpful to my students are note-taking, annotation, and outlining. We use these in literature and composition almost daily. Annotation is the skill that we work the most on in the 9th grade. We teach them how to look at a text and draw information from it. We use pneumonic devices to help them remember annotation strategies for poetry like SOAPSTONE and TP-CASTT. They learn what to annotate for and most students find that this is actually a really easy and helpful process once they have practiced it. This skill they can use in any content level and many of my students report back that using annotation has improved their ability to learn and recall information.
As an intentional teacher, the greatest gift I believe you can give your students is helping them learn how to recognize their own metacognitive skills. If they know what works for them when it comes to learning and can apply those techniques to new situations they will be successful. It is our job to make learning engaging and relevant. Through helping students to make personal connections to the content and using proven strategies for retaining information you are helping your students not only do well in your class but in their lives as a whole.
Reference
Slavin, R. E. (2015). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice. Pearson.
Analysis:
As our students sit in our classrooms each day, they are constantly being flooded with new information. We teach them an array of facts, details, concepts, definitions, and problems. Year after year, the content knowledge grows and the level of difficulty to retain the information they are learning increases. The question becomes how do we as intentional teachers use the information we have about how the brain works to help our students process all of this knowledge. Information-processing theory is a "dominant theory of learning and memory" which includes "three main components: the sensory register, working memory (short-term memory) and long-term memory (Slavin, 2015, pg. 124). In order to understand information-processing we must understand how each of these components work. It is also imperative to understand that "at each stage, the learning process is controlled by the learner" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 124).
The first component of information processing is the sensory register. The sensory register is the part of the memory "that receives large amounts of information from each of the senses and holds it for a very short time, no more than a couple of seconds" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 126). What happens to the information after it leaves the sensory register depends on what signals we give the brain. If it is something we want to remember, we give special attention to that bit of the information. It may be something that attracts our attention because it is "unusual, inconsistent, or surprising" or we may have been told to pay special attention to it by someone else (Slavin, 2015, pg. 127).
From the sensory register, information that we want to retain moves into the working or short-term memory. Once again, this "storage system can only hold a limited amount of information for a few seconds" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 127). Information contained in our short-term memory that we really want to keep with us involves some type of "rehearsal" or repetition of the information so that we can hold on to it (Slavin, 2015, pg. 127). We must also collect and categorize information in our working memory into areas that make sense to us to help us remember the information. Random information will be lost if we don't do something to help our minds maintain the information.
The final component to information processing is long-term memory. As the name states, this is where we hold information for the long haul. Long-term memory "is thought to be a very large-capacity, very long-term memory store" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 129). It is also divided into three parts to include "episodic memory- memories based off personal experiences, semantic memory- facts, rules, problem-solving skills that we know, and procedural memory-the area of our memory that shows us how to do things like ride a bike" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 129). In order to have information stay in our long-term memory we must relate that information to one of these three categories. We also must relate the information to our background knowledge or personal experiences in order for the information to really stick.
The human brain is extremely complex. One of the most important things we can remember about how it works is that "the more knowledge and skills a person gains, the more efficient their brain becomes" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 136). It is difficult to relate exactly how the brain works to classroom teaching but teachers should remember some important concepts gathered from brain research. One of the most important things to remember is that "not all learning is equally likely" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 137). This means that some learning is more difficult than others. We know this is true as we find students who have an easier time learning science and math facts but may struggle with reading comprehension or writing development.
As we think about what causes information processing, we must also consider what causes students to forget information as well. Interference is one of those factors which leads to forgetting and can be defined when "information gets mixed up with, or pushed aside by, other information" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 139). Interference can cause students to lose information they may have otherwise learned because of outside distractions or not having the ability to rehearse that information and store it in their long-term memories.
There are many things we can do as teachers to help our students store information and make it meaningful. The first of these "memory strategies" is through practice. Students need the ability to do something with the information they have been given. This may come through "enactment or physically carrying out a task they have learned" or "verbal learning" which requires students to repeat and associate words with other sounds or words they have used before" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 142-143).
The most important thing to remember when discussing information processing is that in order for something to be retained in the long-term memory it must be meaningful to the learner. We want to steal clear of "rote learning or simple memorization" and move to "meaningful learning which is not arbitrary and relates to information or concepts learners already have" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 145). In order to help students do this we want to teach them "metacognitive skills" that they can employ to retain information. These skills help them draw on the experience and knowledge they already posses to form new knowledge and skills. There are many strategies which we can teach students to help them with this process. They include but are not limited to, "practice tests, note-taking, underlining, summarizing, writing to learn, outlining, and concept-mapping" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 150). These strategies help students know what to do with new information and will lead to retention of information in the long-term memory.
Overall, it is important to make sure we make learning relevant and meaningful to our students. As an intentional teacher, we want students to recognize "their own learning process so they can learn more effectively" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 153). If we can give them the processes, strategies and skills need to effectively learn new information they will have an easier time "diminishing mental inference" and "organizing new concepts" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 153). If our students see that we aren't just giving them useless information but rather meaningful concepts that will be important to them in the future, than we will have an easier job convincing them it is worth learning in the first place.
Reflection:
This chapter summarized how important it is for the intentional teacher to make the information they teach meaningful to students. As a high school teacher, my students visit seven classes on a daily basis. Each of these classes require them to learn a vast number of new ideas and concepts. If I don't make the content interesting enough for them to want to learn, they simply aren't going to grasp the information and commit it to their long-term memory. The question then becomes-how can I make the material engaging and help them to draw upon their own cognitive skills to remember it?
One of the things we teach in our English literature courses are vocabulary words. These tend to stay in students short-term memory. They memorize the definitions for the test but can often forget them after it is over. I try to avoid this by making each word meaningful to them in some way. When I introduce the word, I have them repeat it aloud to me. I also show them a picture that tells some form of story about the word. I try to choose images in which they can connect to. This might be a famous person, company or image they have seen somewhere else. When they make that connection the word becomes more meaningful for them. I also ask them to write sentences using the word in context. Many times students write sentences using the word that connects to their life in some way. Therefore, the words become something that they not only memorize for a weekly vocabulary quiz but something they can make meaningful to them and remember for a longer period of time.
I believe sensory imagery plays a large role in learning. In literature, imagery is everywhere. During the first few weeks of school, we spend a great deal of time evoking images for our students to help them connect to personal experiences that they can then write about. We use smells, sounds and materials that connect to their childhood. They are then able to remember a specific time when they saw, felt, heard or tasted this image and write about it. When we are reading texts, I try to point out images in the novels or short stories that I believe might connect to my student's personal lives. This way they remember what the character was doing because they remember a time when they may have experienced something similar in their own lives.
Some other strategies that I have found very helpful to my students are note-taking, annotation, and outlining. We use these in literature and composition almost daily. Annotation is the skill that we work the most on in the 9th grade. We teach them how to look at a text and draw information from it. We use pneumonic devices to help them remember annotation strategies for poetry like SOAPSTONE and TP-CASTT. They learn what to annotate for and most students find that this is actually a really easy and helpful process once they have practiced it. This skill they can use in any content level and many of my students report back that using annotation has improved their ability to learn and recall information.
As an intentional teacher, the greatest gift I believe you can give your students is helping them learn how to recognize their own metacognitive skills. If they know what works for them when it comes to learning and can apply those techniques to new situations they will be successful. It is our job to make learning engaging and relevant. Through helping students to make personal connections to the content and using proven strategies for retaining information you are helping your students not only do well in your class but in their lives as a whole.
Reference
Slavin, R. E. (2015). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice. Pearson.
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