July
2009
Using Technology to Help Students Remember4
Cognitive learning theory is a theory that focuses on how students process information (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Dr. Michael Orey discusses the importance of presenting information through different modalities so that students have many different opportunities to make connections and create networks so that the information can be stored in the students’ memories (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Another way to help students store the information in the long-term memory is to create unique episodes or experiences for the students (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). By creating these experiences in your classroom, the students will have strong memories and connections to information in their memories.
This week I read more from the book Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works by Pitler et al. Working with the idea of cognitive learning theory, this text describes many different instructional strategies that will be useful for classroom activities with the goals of creating networks and connections for students. Creating organizers through word processing programs is one way to help students focus on the main ideas and concepts that will help them prepare for the lesson (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Using the word processing programs students can create brochures that contain useful information they found during research that will help them later in the lesson or perhaps on a field trip. Teachers can also create and advanced organizer by using the table-creation feature. Teachers can list the concepts or themes in the first column and leave the other columns blank for the students to complete with explanations and pictures if necessary as a form of note-taking (Pitler, et al., 2007). I often use this feature for my students when introducing new vocabulary and new units and I find that it is very useful when they have to create their own images and think about the new information as it is presented. By using word processing to create these organizers for students to complete, the students are asked to think about information instead of just copying and recalling the information (Orey, 2001). This interaction with the information will hopefully help with creating networks and storing the information in the long-term memory.
Another tool suggested by Pitler et al (2007) is Kidspriation to create advanced organizers or graphic organizers. These types of organizers can be used to activate background knowledge and incorporate new knowledge into an organizer (Pitler, et al., 2007) which will help the students to create a network for the new information and it will then be stored in long-term memory (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009).
These tools can be very powerful and useful in the classroom and they support cognitive learning theory. These strategies also support the needs of diverse learners in the classroom. Using these tools can have a lasting effect on students and learning.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Cognitive Learning Theories. [MotionPicture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: M. Orey.
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved July 13, 2009 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
I find the connections you made very important, especially your focus on educators needing to develop unique lessons that can easily be placed in student’s episodic memory. The best teachers that I have known and can remember from my own formal education are those that go out of their way to disrupt the average doldrums of the school day. If a teacher acts differently, dresses differently, approaches a “boring” topic differently, I was much more likely to not only pay more attention, but discuss the lesson later with my peers and recall the information presented, not for a test, but very naturally. Your suggestions for incorporating technology to create these types of experiences are ones that every educator should think about employing in their own classrooms.
Julie McQuaid
Your make a very strong point for the use of tables in word processing documents. These tables can be a great tool for organizing information and providing student response areas. It is a great way to provide a basis for the students to extend their notes or research off of. When I am able to use the computer lab, I have used these documents and put them in my classroom’s out folder (on our network). This allowed each student to access the document with the table, save it separately in their own account, add their own notes/research to the document, and then resubmit it to me. The word processing chart was so useful because it adapts its shape based on what the students write in it. Therefore, the students did not have to worry about reformatting the document or trying to write small in order to fit their work in the space provided. They had the freedom to write and create as they needed based on the assignment.
R. Green
I have been using Kidspiration for several years now. I started using it on AlphaSmart boards to help organize the students writing. It is a great program and the kids really like it too. It is also a great way for students to individualize their work because no to maps are alike. It also helps students to start organizing material in a way that makes sense to them.
I am very excited about this week’s readings. Even though I have used Kidspiration in many different ways with my students, I look forward to creating other forms of maps to set their learning in a forward motion. I believe that using the mapping tools, teaching our students the correct way to take notes and then summarize the notes to make it a meaningful learning experience is crucial. Being able to create field trips for my first graders virtually will excite my students. This will give me the opportunity to be the next Ms. Frizzle, if only in my classroom.