Description
The focus of the readings and discussions for EDAT 6115 this week were on the concepts of information processing and cognitive learning theories as well as the discussion of the importance of teachers using multiple strategies during teaching instruction. Teachers must do their best when trying to reach all of their students. By using different teaching and instructional methods, educators are able to do that a little easier. These methods ensure that children who may learn at different paces or through different methods get the same content knowledge and skills as the other students in the classrooms. This makes for a well rounded and fun learning environment centered on student success.
Analysis
Chapter 6
The focus of the readings and discussions for EDAT 6115 this week were on the concepts of information processing and cognitive learning theories as well as the discussion of the importance of teachers using multiple strategies during teaching instruction. Teachers must do their best when trying to reach all of their students. By using different teaching and instructional methods, educators are able to do that a little easier. These methods ensure that children who may learn at different paces or through different methods get the same content knowledge and skills as the other students in the classrooms. This makes for a well rounded and fun learning environment centered on student success.
Analysis
Chapter 6
This chapter focuses in on how information is processed through the brain. It also goes into effect of getting educators to understand how students process information differently as well as the best tools to help them understand and succeed in the classroom. Slavin argues that the first thing a teacher should understand is how to gain the attention of their students stating that changing the volume of their voice, putting more emotion into the content being taught and having the students understand the importance of the material can be a crucial step in getting students to make connections with the material (Slavin, 2012).
Students today have an issue with keeping the information they learn within a classroom in their long term memory so that they can apply it for further reference. According to Slavin there are tricks that teachers can instruct their students to do in order to make converting information and skills from short term memory to long term memory easier. First, rehearsal is the easiest tool to be used. Rehearsal is important to learning “because the longer and item [or skill ] remains in working memory, the greater chance it will be transferred to long term memory” (Slavin, pp. 147, 2012). Slavin then goes into simple practices that most educators do every day which are practice test, note taking, summarizing and creating an outline. These practices allow for information to be organized, rehearsed and memorized at the greatest level for the impact on student learning (Slavin, 2012).
Education has evolved tremendously throughout the years. Educators have come to understand that teaching is more than just standing in front of students and spitting out information. Educating a child is the ability for a teacher to give content knowledge or a skill to a student, that student realize its importance and then use it in a real world connection. In a modern classroom the term “differentiation” is used a great deal. According to Carol Tomlinson, a pioneer of differentiated education, differentiation is simply “teaching with the child in mind” (Coleman and Cross, 2005). Differentiation is one of the key standards that teachers themselves get graded on within our own evaluation system. It is not only important for our jobs to use a variety of teaching methods, but more importantly it is vital that we do to ensure that all children are reached with the content and skilled needed to maintain a higher impact on their learning.
According to Slavin because the human brain is such a complex organ teaching has to shift from “hierarchical learning to complex, thematic and integrated activities” (Slavin, pp.156, 2012). This allows teachers to be able to reach every student, because all students learn differently, at different paces and through different methods. Slavin also argues that not all learning will happen at the same pace as others. This can be influenced by the teacher themselves, the content being taught and the learning environment. An educator must understand at minimum how cognitive theories work in order to reach the most students possible with the correct teaching methods if that be videos, graphic organizers, projects, readings, essays or simply repetition of information (Slavin, 2012). According to Eric Jensen “the the brain and balances this information with tips and techniques for using the information in classrooms” (Jensen, 1998) and when a teacher uses a variety of teaching methods within their classroom these tips and tricks can become more useful at connecting background knowledge and previously learned skills to allow that student to develop easier deductive and critical thinking skills. All of this making the main goal of learning possible.
Reflection
These concepts were not new to me. I do understand how to use them within a classroom environment, however I did not understand how to use them at a level that the chapter describes as well as how to have the greatest impact on my students. I feel that these concepts can be used a great deal within a classroom to showcase to students why it is important to learn the material and skills being taught, but also how to make it easier. Within the context of my classroom I can use these concepts to make the biggest impact on my students ability to gain the content information to better organize it and then lead it into long term memory. There are some positives and negatives to the concepts. Positives are having new methods that students gain add to their school career in order to memorize and retain information. Negatives are that students learn in so many different ways that even with all of these methods, students still may need more assistance than these learning theories can give.
Education has evolved tremendously throughout the years. Educators have come to understand that teaching is more than just standing in front of students and spitting out information. Educating a child is the ability for a teacher to give content knowledge or a skill to a student, that student realize its importance and then use it in a real world connection. In a modern classroom the term “differentiation” is used a great deal. According to Carol Tomlinson, a pioneer of differentiated education, differentiation is simply “teaching with the child in mind” (Coleman and Cross, 2005). Differentiation is one of the key standards that teachers themselves get graded on within our own evaluation system. It is not only important for our jobs to use a variety of teaching methods, but more importantly it is vital that we do to ensure that all children are reached with the content and skilled needed to maintain a higher impact on their learning.
According to Slavin because the human brain is such a complex organ teaching has to shift from “hierarchical learning to complex, thematic and integrated activities” (Slavin, pp.156, 2012). This allows teachers to be able to reach every student, because all students learn differently, at different paces and through different methods. Slavin also argues that not all learning will happen at the same pace as others. This can be influenced by the teacher themselves, the content being taught and the learning environment. An educator must understand at minimum how cognitive theories work in order to reach the most students possible with the correct teaching methods if that be videos, graphic organizers, projects, readings, essays or simply repetition of information (Slavin, 2012). According to Eric Jensen “the the brain and balances this information with tips and techniques for using the information in classrooms” (Jensen, 1998) and when a teacher uses a variety of teaching methods within their classroom these tips and tricks can become more useful at connecting background knowledge and previously learned skills to allow that student to develop easier deductive and critical thinking skills. All of this making the main goal of learning possible.
Reflection
These concepts were not new to me. I do understand how to use them within a classroom environment, however I did not understand how to use them at a level that the chapter describes as well as how to have the greatest impact on my students. I feel that these concepts can be used a great deal within a classroom to showcase to students why it is important to learn the material and skills being taught, but also how to make it easier. Within the context of my classroom I can use these concepts to make the biggest impact on my students ability to gain the content information to better organize it and then lead it into long term memory. There are some positives and negatives to the concepts. Positives are having new methods that students gain add to their school career in order to memorize and retain information. Negatives are that students learn in so many different ways that even with all of these methods, students still may need more assistance than these learning theories can give.
Reference
Slavin,
R. E. (2012). Educational psychology: a foundation for teaching.
Educational psychology: Theory and
practice. Chapter 6: Information processing and cognitive theories of learning.
Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
Coleman,
L. J., & Cross, T. L. (2005).Being gifted in school: An introduction to
development, guidance, and
teaching. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.
Jensen,
E. (1998). Teaching with the brain in mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
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