Transcript How do students learn? - Misericordia University

Module 1
How do students learn?
TED 367
Methods in Sec. Ed.
Module 1
Explain (review) how students learn, and
how this relates to planning lessons in
secondary education.
• What can we learn from brain research?
• Reconsideration of learning theories.
• About attitudes and interest in subject
matter.
What Can We Learn from
Brain Research?
What Is Learning?
• What actually is learning?
• How do people learn?
What Is Learning?
• Learning is not a thing (noun); it
is a process (of storage and
retrieval).
• Neurons are billions of cells that
encode, store, and retrieve
information.
• Neurons form networks of
connected information.
• Learning involves making
connections between neurons.
• “Neurons that fire together, wire
together.”
Example of How Our Brain Works
(Proof of Neural Network)
• Sally took her birthday money and went to
buy something from the ice cream truck.
– Now, tell me more…
Info
Info
Info
Info
Info
Info
Example of How Our Brain Works
(Proof of Neural Network)
Example of How Our Brain Works
(Proof of Neural Network)
• The way that information was stored
(neural pathway), is the way that
information will be retrieved.
– Example: How did you store the alphabet?
Example of How Our Brain Works
Cna yuo raed tihs? The phaonmneal pweor
of the hmuan mind! Aoccdrnig to rscheearch
at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in
waht oerdr the ltteres in a word are. The
olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat
ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a
taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a
pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid
deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the
wrod as a wlohe.
What Is Learning?
• Memory is not static (like storage in a
computer).
• The brain is dynamic. It constantly
arranges and rearranges its networks to
accommodate incoming information.
vs.
What Is Learning?
• The brain is constantly
bombarded with all
kinds of sensory data.
• If we paid conscious
attention to all these
data, we would be on
continuous overload
and unable to process
any of the information.
What Is Learning?
• The brain filters out
any information that it
finds not useful, not
important, or irrelevant.
This material does not
get encoded nor is it
stored.
The brain does not store everything it has
experienced, as was once thought.
What Is Learning?
• Unfortunately, much of the information
taught in schools fits into this category.
The brain does not see fit to store or retain
dates of events, definitions of terms it does
not understand, or any other data it deems
irrelevant.
What Is Learning?
Fits info. into
schema.
Learning has
taken place.
New
Stimulus
Brain searches
existing networks to
find a place where
new information fits.
Irrelevant,
not useful,
unimportant,
nonsensical
data gets
discarded.
The Magical Number
• The Magical Number Seven, Plus or
Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity
for Processing Information (Miller, 1956).
• Memory span of young adults was found
to be 7 ± 2 elements (chunks) regardless
of whether the elements were digits,
letters, words, or other units.
Demonstrating the
Magical Number
• How do you remember your phone
number?
– (570) 674-6761
• How did you learn the alphabet?
• Can you retell a story (a movie or a book)?
What Can We Take from Brain
Research into the Classroom?
1) Learner attention is critical.
2) Don’t cognitively overload learners.
3) Help learners “chunk” material into larger
pieces to aid understanding and memory.
4) 2 powerful features in teacher’s control:
– Meaning.
– Emotion.
• Eliminate negative aspects.
• Accentuate positive aspects.
1. Importance of Attention
• Attention is the first step in the learning
process. If the brain ignores information, it
is not encoded or retained in memory.
• Brain is programmed to attend to loud
noises or sudden movements (survival
technique).
• Highly responsive to
novel stimuli and events.
Importance of Attention
Gain learner attention at the beginning of a
lesson, and as frequently as needed
throughout instruction.
Incorporate attention-getting devices
(sound and/or movement) in materials
such as PowerPoint.
2. Don’t Cognitively
Overload Learners
Remember the Magical Number (7 ± 2
elements/chunks).
Help students chunk information:
• Use mnemonic devices.
• Do not provide more than the magical number
of elements and expect
students to remember
it effectively.
3. Meaning
• Realize that learners are not information
absorbers. They are active participants in
learning (constructing knowledge).
• Learners create new neural pathways,
connecting new information to existing
knowledge.
• Therefore, new learning depends on
previous experience.
Meaning
 Start a lesson by helping learners recall previous
knowledge before delivering new information.
 Respect prior knowledge. Don’t assume
students understand something clearly.
• Brain is pattern-seeking. When it does not understand
something, it tries to figure it out.
 Example: Understanding sets.
 Work to connect new information with existing
knowledge.
Meaning
 Use metaphors and analogies.
• Helps learner bridge existing knowledge and new
information.
 Example: Electrical circuits are like flowing water.
 When there is little or no previous experiential
knowledge, use concrete experience.
 Projects and problem-solving help brain see context
into which discrete parts fit into. Brain does not “get”
meaning, it “makes” meaning.
 Examples: Problem-based learning, case studies, hands-on
learning.
4. Emotion
• Amygdala is a set of 2 almond-like
structures associated with the
reptilian brain (brain stem) that
regulate emotion.
• Releases adrenaline and triggers
fight or flight (the stress response).
• Emotion can influence memory.
– Try it:
• Where were you during the World Trade
Center Bombing?
• Recall an experience from Kindergarten (or
1st or 2nd grade).
Emotion
• Positive:
– Classroom activities that engage student
emotional and motivational interest lead to
more vivid memories.
• Negative:
– Stress can lead to “down-shifting” to the
reptilian brain, which makes the rational
problem-solving part of the brain less efficient.
Emotion
Eliminate negative: Foster an
environment where students feel safe.
• Brain does not distinguish between physical
and psychological danger.
Accentuate positive: Intensify students’
emotional state to enhance both meaning
and memory.
Examples: Simulations, role playing, real-life
problems, interviewing people who lived through
events.
Reconsideration of
Learning Theories
Behaviorism vs. Constructivism
Behaviorism
• Learning deals with
changes in overt
behavior.
• Tie response to stimulus.
Use knowledge of
both Constructivism
and Behaviorism in
planning, teaching,
and assessment.
Constructivism
• Learning entails
construction (and
reshaping) of mental
schemata.
• Emphasize teaching how
to think.
• Focus on concept
formation, problem
solving, decision making,
lifelong learning.
Taking Constructivism
into the Classroom
• Thoughtful discussion.
– Ask open-ended questions, listen to ideas,
and provide alternative proposition.
• Use metaphors to build bridges to new
knowledge.
• Use graphic organizers.
– Show how new material fits in with previously
presented material.
More ideas in topic 6 of the textbook.
Bloom’s Taxonomy
• Knowledge
– Ability to recognize and recall information. Memory.
• Comprehension
– Ability to translate, explain, or interpret knowledge.
Comprehension.
• Application
– Apply knowledge to address new situations.
• Analysis
– Scrutinize information knowledge and explain its significance.
• Synthesis
– Form new ideas.
• Evaluation
– Offer opinions and make value judgments.
Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to help students scaffold learning
and build & fortify neural networks.
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
1. Linguistic: writing journals,
making speeches, advocating,
retelling, and reading.
2. Musical: singing, performing,
reading and writing poetry, and
playing instruments.
3. Logical-mathematical:
outlining, calculating, analyzing
statistical information, and
creating timelines.
4. Visual-spatial: drawing, using
guided imagery, making
mindmaps, and using graphic
organizers, maps, charts, and
graphs.
5. Body-kinesthetic: role-playing,
enacting simulations, playing
games, and using
manipulatives.
6. Intrapersonal: doing selfreflection tasks, practicing
higher-order reasoning,
questioning, and taking
personal inventories.
7. Interpersonal: participating in
group work, practicing
cooperative learning,
mentoring, tutoring, and
conducting field interviews.
8. Naturalistic: fishing, hiking,
camping, farming, and
investigating the natural world.
Use Multiple Intelligences to help students build more
robust neural pathways (connections).
About Attitudes and Interest
in Subject Matter
Challenge of Teaching Sec. Ed.
• Teaching students who have little
enthusiasm for your discipline is one of the
greatest challenges for middle and high
school teachers.
• This is a problem of a different order than
the students who are doing poorly in
general.
Student Attitude
• Attitudes toward one domain or discipline
as opposed to another are shaped by:
– Temperament.
– Learning style.
– Innate ability.
– A range of experiences:
• Interactions with teachers in content area.
• Activities involving the content.
• Thinking skills of the domain or discipline.
Student Attitude
• Nonapprentices: individuals with little interest
or inclination in the field and who probably will
not pursue knowledge in the domain.
• Potential apprentices: individuals who have not
yet decided whether to pursue knowledge in the
domain.
• Apprentices: individuals who are disposed
toward the domain/discipline and are joining the
community of practice.
Realities of Teaching/Learning
• It is the student’s responsibility to actively
participate in learning (vs. being passive
“sponges.”)
• Not all learning will be fun and
entertaining, but it all should be
meaningful.
• Engage students by requiring them to
reconstruct the knowledge they acquire.
Realities of Teaching/Learning
• In secondary educ., higher educ., and the
workplace, efficiency requires:
– Less pleasurable learning strategies.
– Less personal attention.
– More self-responsibility.
• The burden for motivation and learning
shifts more to student. This is an essential
part of maturation process.
Teacher Impact on Learning
• Teacher temperament and learning style
plays an important role in shaping:
– Your teaching practices and how you approach your
students.
– Your decision to become, for example, an English
teacher as opposed to a biology teacher (teaching
field preference).
• It is a truism that we prefer to teach the way
we personally prefer to learn.
Remember to focus on the students and the way they will
learn best. Act on results of assessment.
Active vs. Passive Learning
Active
• Students actively
construct knowledge by
listening carefully,
conversing, and
performing meaningful
tasks.
• Students are engaged
mentally, emotionally,
and sometimes
physically.
Passive
• Teacher-centered
instruction.
• Students sit at desks and
memorize, take notes,
recite, and drill as primary
instructional
methodology.
Employ this test: Are your students actively involved in the
thinking/learning process?
Active vs. Passive Learning
• Suggestions:
Allocate passive activities (reading, drill,
practice) to homework.
Use the classroom for active learning
experiences and group experiences.
Review:
MODULE 1
• How learning physiologically works.
• What can we learn from brain research?
–
–
–
–
Attention.
Magical number, chunking, and cognitive overload.
Meaning.
Emotion.
• Reconsidered learning theories:
– Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences.
– Bloom’s Taxonomy.
– Behaviorism vs. Constructivism.
Review:
MODULE 1
• Items that affect student learning:
– Student attitude.
– Teacher temperament and learning style.
– Teacher-selected methods (active vs.
passive).