Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tools used to support the cognitive learning approach
The cognitive approach is all about how information enters the brain, is stored, and is used. In order to support this, their are several different tools that can be used. I think that it is a great idea to create advance organizers. This can easily be created on a word document. One type of advance organizers is a graphic organizer which can be represented as a table, chart, or artistic work. I think that this supports the cognitive approach by giving a clear way for information to enter the brain. I am a visual learner and so are many of my students so seeing some sort or chart or graph is very helpful.
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Enough cannot be said about how important visuals are! Visuals are not only good for visual learners, but they are a great way to spark off discussions, inquiries, to use as a hook, to use as a basis for a graphic organizer... Visuals are super powerful tools! Earlier in the year my class was discussing how Hernando de Soto was the first European to explore the southeastern part of the United States. We discussed the trail he took (which I just found out several days ago that an archaeologist proved to be the wrong path), the weapons he used, his encounters with natives, the food he ate, and his impact on the rest of the world. We talked about all sorts of things, and at the time the students seemed to really get into it! Now that some time has passed, and we've traveled more than two-hundred years and are studying the Antebellum period, I brought de Soto up in a conversation and it was as if the students had never heard of him. As soon as I reminded them of a picture we discussed on the board (one of a de Soto meeting natives at the Mississippi River) the students came to life, that synapse fired off in their heads, and they could recall most of the history of de Soto. It was incredible! Just as Dr. Orey said, they didn't forget the information, they simply forgot how to access it. You bet I'm planning on having discussions on pictures for every unit!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, I agree using word works just as well!! I know some people like using web based, or other fancy programs. But it is just as easy to use the program that you already know!!
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to know what types of learners we have in our classrooms. As you said, so many students are visual learners. There are multiple intelligence tests that you can have your students take online to give you (and the students) a better idea of what type of learner they are. Then you can better direct your lessons toward their styles of learning.
ReplyDeleteFor anyone that has ever been in a high school classroom, you know the importance of accounting for visual learners. It is crucial that every student have visual representations of a discussion or lesson so that they can organize their thoughts. I love using my smart board to support organization while the lesson is going on. It is great for students to actual add ideas to a concept web that they can interact with.
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