Date post: | 19-Dec-2015 |
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Cognition(Cognitive Learning)
• What does this word mean?
• How about “Recognize” or “Incognito”? (do these help)
• What then is a cognitive view of learning?
• How might this contrast with a behaviorist perspective?
Consider
• Does our knowledge have a unique structure in our minds, or is it just an accumulated pile of information?
Changes in Epistemology
1950’s Positivism and Logical Positivism are Dominant
•Cumulative progression of knowledge in a rational and objective way
1960’ to 1980’s Constructivism and Realist philosophies emerge
•Knowledge as unique to the learner
Theory of Knowledge:
All knowledge is constructed by human beings.
The process is influenced by:• idiosyncratic differences
•I say “tree”and you visualize a concept of a pine, while someone else thinks maple
• the cultural milieu.•“Tree” for Easterner is not the same (potentially) as “Tree” for someone who lives among cacti
Changes in Psychology
1950’s -- Behavioral Psychology is dominant, especially in USA
1963 -- Ausubel’s Psychology of Meaningful Learning published
1980’s Cognitive psychology moves to dominance
David Ausubel (1968):
If I had to reduce all of educational psychology to just one principle I would say this:
The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly.*
* Epigraph, Educational Psychology: A cognitive view
Concept:
A perceived regularity in events or objects, or records of events or objects, designated by a label
A Theory of Knowledge
Proposition:
Two or more concepts combined to form a statement about something: a unit of meaning
A Theory of Knowledge
Concept Maps:
A tool to represent the structure of knowledge.
A tool to facilitateLearning.
A Theory of Knowledge
Building a Map
• Start with a central question– What causes leaves to change color?
• List relevant concepts• Sort, add, edit the concepts• Arrange concepts locally according to logical
relationships• Promote hierarchy (I don’t follow this as much as I
should)• Use linking words/arrows to create propositions• Promote as many connections (links) as feasible
Key idea:
Each person must construct her/his own meanings for concepts and propositions from experiences over time, building her/his knowledge structure
New Theory of Learning
Learning
Denny, a six year old, is asked to draw a map that shows his understanding of 8 common concepts
Concepts:
WaterSolidRiverVaporSteamIceLiquidGasEvaporate
Denny’s knowledge does not include a meaning for vapor
Learning
We can easily teach Denny the meaning of “vapor” and a new concept, “evaporate”, by showing how they relate to his current knowledge.
Concepts:
WaterSolidRiverVaporSteamIceLiquidGasEvaporate
“Expert” concept maps can “scaffold” learning.Internet and other resources can be attached creating a knowledge model.
Uses for Concept Maps
• What did the Novak article indicate as possible uses? (let’s list some of these)
Cognitive Learning?
• How might your own map about a topic differ from a second grader’s?– # concepts included– # links– Differing degrees of hierarchy invoked