Transcript How Students Learn, a One-Credit Add

Teaching Tips:
Small things with Large effects
(Extracts from a Noyce add-on class)
THE “NOTES” section of this PowerPoint has explanatory text.
Paul Heideman
College of William & Mary
7 July 2011
NSF Noyce Conference, Washington DC
From: a one-credit Noyce Add-on class
“How Students Learn” (Biology 455)
Format:
- Readings,
- Discussion
- In-class exercises
Why
Metacognition
(understanding one’s own learning)
may help students be better
self-teachers and learners
Why
Metacognition
(understanding one’s own learning)
may help students be better
as self-teachers and learners
Potentially true for:
- Noyce Scholars &
- their students
Why
Workshop Exercise 1
1. Can a child learn addition if they do not have fluent recall with
understanding of the concepts of numbers 1 to 5, +, and = ?
(in other words, if they memorize that 1 + 1 = 2, and 2 + 2 = 4,
but do not understand the concept of 1, 2, +, =, or 4?)
Yes/no because…
2. Can a student learn genetics if they do not have fluent recall
with understanding of the concepts of allele, gene, genotype,
and phenotype?
Yes/no because…
Why
Ex. 1
1. Can a child learn addition if they do not have fluent recall with
understanding of the concepts of numbers 1 through 5?
(in other words, if they memorize that 1 + 1 = 2, and 2 + 2 = 4,
but do not understand the concept of 1, 2, +, =, or 4?)
2. Can a student learn genetics if they do not have fluent recall
with understanding of the concepts of allele, gene, genotype,
and phenotype?
Most of my college freshmen respond:
‘yes, if the student can answer questions correctly’
Why
Exercise 2
Learn the following:
Tribnagtion occurs in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated.
Why
Exercise 2
Learn the following:
Tribnagtion occurs in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated.
Catch my eyes when you have this memorized
Why
Exercise 2
Learn the following:
Tribnagtion occurs in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated.
Exam question (choose the correct answer)
13. Tribnagtion occurs:
(a) in grultons whenever the snignup is skortenated.
(b) in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated.
(c) in skortens whenever the snignup is grultoned.
(d) NONE of the above is a correct situation for tribnagtion.
Why
Ex. 1
Learn the following:
Tribnagtion occurs in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated.
Exam question (choose the correct answer)
13. Tribnagtion occurs:
(a) in grultons whenever the snignup is skortenated.
(b) in snignups whenever the grulton is skortenated.
(c) in skortens whenever the snignup is grultoned.
(d) NONE of the above is a correct situation for tribnagtion.
This is an in-class exercise to get us (my class) thinking about learning.
Learning is fluent recall with understanding
(a “Fish-understanding” of learning)
Redrawn from “Fish is Fish” by Lionni, 1970
Learning is fluent recall with understanding
(a “Fish-understanding” of learning)
Figure 1.2
Metacognition
• Thinking about how you think
Concept for students
Metacognition
• Thinking about how you think
• Thinking about your own learning &
• Understanding your own learning
Concept for students
Metacognition
Concept for students
• Thinking about how you think
• Thinking about your own learning
• Understanding your own learning
!?
!?
…and because division is
non-commutative, you
know that X …
afdkjaskdfjalskfd
Learning
How do you know that you have learned …
(fluent recall with understanding)
Workshop Exercise 2
Learning
Workshop Exercise 2
How do you know that you have learned …
(fluent recall with understanding)
Addition, but not
Tribnagtion (which as you know, will occur in snignups whenever
the grulton is skortenated.)
an in-class exercise to get us (my class) thinking about learning.
Learning
Stages of memory
Workshop Exercise 3
(or types of memory/kinds of memory)
• Recognition memory (know it if you see it)
Learning
Stages of memory
Workshop Exercise 3
(or types of memory/kinds of memory)
• Recognition memory (know it if you see it)
• Effortful recall (slowly, with concentration, from a trigger word)
Learning
Stages of memory
•
•
•
•
Workshop Exercise 3
(or types of memory/kinds of memory)
Recognition memory (know it if you see it)
Effortful recall (slowly, with concentration, from a trigger word)
Fluent recall (easily from a trigger word)
Automatic recall (without trying)
Learning
Stages of memory
•
•
•
•
Workshop Exercise 3
(or types of memory/kinds of memory)
Recognition memory (know it if you see it)
Effortful recall (slowly, with concentration, from a trigger word)
Fluent recall (easily from a trigger word)
Automatic recall (without trying)
Learning
Workshop Exercise 3
Stages of memory
•
•
•
•
Recognition memory
Effortful recall
Fluent recall
Automatic recall
(A) Write down at least four things you have learned,
at least one from each kind of memory.
(When you have the four things, explain to your neighbor
how you know which category of memory you have for
each.)
Chunking
Workshop Exercise 4
Try to sketch both
Chunking
Workshop Exercise 4
Working Memory & Chunks
Working Memory: 7 spaces (30 seconds)
Concept for students
Working Memory & Chunks
Concept for students
Working Memory: 7 spaces (30 seconds)
One chunk
(one space)
Working Memory & Chunks
Concept for students
Working Memory: 7 spaces (30 seconds)
One chunk
(one space)
Three chunks
(three spaces)
Working memory capacity
Workshop Exercise 5
Working memory capacity
Workshop Exercise 6
Working memory capacity
Workshop Exercise 6
Working memory capacity
Workshop Exercise 5
Working Memory
Working Memory
Excess Cognitive Load
Excess
cognitive
load
Workshop
Exercise
7
Know this
figure for
the exam
Information Reduction
Learn:
AXYITGMOVWTUSXF
Workshop Exercise 8
Information Reduction
AXYITGMOVWTUSXF
AX
Workshop Exercise 8
Information Reduction
AXYITGMOVWTUSXF
AX – YITGMO
AX
–
YITGMO
Workshop Exercise 8
Information Reduction
Workshop Exercise 8
AXYITGMOVWTUSXF
AX – YITGMO – VW - TUSXF
AX
YITGMO
VW
TUSXF
Embryo!
Get ready!
Pos Feedback,
Surge of LH!
(& FSH)
high E
stim Sex
Behav
GnRH
Too big to be a good minute sketch; needs
to be separated into about 4 (or more) sketches:
1. GnRH to LH & FSH to gametogen. & E secr.
& stim Ut lining
2. E negative & positive feedback on GnRH; &
neg. feedback prevents new follicle growth
3. Pos feedback to GnRH & LH surge to cause
ovulation & sex behavior
4. Emb. secr. CG to Corpus luteum & P secr. &
maintenance of Ut. Lining & P neg feedback
suppresses follicle growth (and when no P,
then reabsorb/lose cells of Ut. Lining)
If Neg Feedback
from E or P,
then lower GnRH so
lower FSH,
So no new follicles
develop!
... ..
....
LH
FSH
P
E
E
You might be able to use this sketch along
with ‘retrieval practice’ to get it all into
fluent recall with understanding
Neg Feedback Inhibition
Pos Feedback
Pituitary ‘Portal’ Blood
vessels
Anterior Pituitary
Gametogenesis
Luteinizing Horm. (LH)
Sex Steroid Secretion
Receptors (for GnRH,
LH, FSH, E, P, & CG)
E
ovum
(Less LH & FSH,
but more LH & FSH
receptors on oocyte
& on support cells)
E
E
E
Follicle
Oocyte
Support cells
Estrogen
M - Mature oocyte
Ovulation
Oviduct (Fallopian Tube)
Uterus (& Uterine lining)
P
M
Corpus Luteum (CL)
Progesterone
CL
High LH Surge
- Cells separate
- Mature oocyte
oozes free
GnRH (master H)
Follicle Stimulating Horm. (FSH)
Neg Feedback,
result less GnRH
E
Terms (for a folded list)
CG
Chorionic Gonadotropin
Information Reduction
E
Workshop Exercise 9
Estrogen from support cells
Support cells for egg
Developing egg cell
(oocyte cell)
E
Information Reduction
Workshop Exercise 9
Your confusing text or figure here
(In-class exercises: have students bring something they need to
master from another class, and practice information reduction)
Applying Information Reduction
Confused by content?
Close my eyes—can I
hold it in my head?
Yes
?
A different problem
(consider: failure of
fluent recall with
understanding?)
No?
I need smaller chunks
Information reduction
(to chunks I know)
Minute Sketching
Workshop Exercise 10
Objective: develop a sketch to represent any new chunk
From any text or diagram,
1. List the important terms or events for the new chunk
(each item on the list must be a chunk you already know)
2. Make a trial sketch or diagram that includes every
term or thing on your list. Redraw to improve your
sketch, keeping it as simple as possible
3. Check your sketch: can you (a) hold it easily in
your mind with your eyes closed, and (b) can you
sketch it (with practice) in less than a minute?
(if not, then separate it into two or more sketches)
4. Test your understanding with “What if…” questions.
Minute Sketching
Nitrogen
Cycle.
Convert
into one
or more
minute
sketches
Workshop Exercise 8
Important Information for Students
Developing improved learning skills is like learning a sport, or
dance, a new computer game, or a musical instrument.
At first, we do things wrong. We feel dumb. We don’t think
it’s working.
If we practice well, with good coaching, we become an expert.
The more complicated the task, the longer it takes.
If we practice basketball or dance regularly over months or
years, we become skilled. The same is true for learning.
This was a fast tour through parts 1-6
Some Major Concepts from the class:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Chunking
Constructing more complex chunks out of simpler chunks
Working memory
Capacity of working memory
Cognitive overload
Information reduction and procedural rules
Practice
Transfer
Expertise (takes 10 years, 4 h/day, of interested, focused study & practice with good
coaching)
10. Neurons and synapses
11. Memory pathways
12. Biology of short-term versus lasting memory
13. Memories built in different brain areas (loosely equivalent to cognitive domains)
14. Sleep and memory
15. Hippocampus-dependent (declarative) memory
16. Sequence and location memory (related to time-place memory) to expand working memory
17. Neostriatal cortex (skill/kinesthetic/muscle) memory
18. Amygdala-dependent (emotion/fear) memory
19. Combining working memory with sequence memory
More in:
1. How People Learn (Chapters 1-5; Bransford et al., 2000)
2. & a follow-up book, How Students Learn
– both free on the web
3. Why Don’t Students Like School (Willingham 2009)
- Readable and logical with useful insights, but not
intended to provide specific in-class exercises for use
with students
4. Illustrations and summary explanations written for this class,
- Eventually a free textbook & instructor guide with in-class
exercises; (working title:
Memory and Learning: a practical guide for students
- Available on the web in summer 2012 (if we stay on schedule)
Framed on my wall,
to remind me…
Empty
Memorizing
…never ASK
students for empty
memorizing.
Thanks!
Funding:
NSF Noyce program
Jessie Ball duPont Fund,
U.S. Dept of Education
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Undergraduate Education Program Grant
to the College of William & Mary
To compare importance of two concepts:
• Choose any two terms
– Write (or sketch) each on a piece of scrap paper
– Think of all related words FROM THAT CLASS,
– And draw a line to the term
• The term with more connections
– is very likely to be the most important
– Master more important things first.