Cognitive Learning Theories

Cognitivists define learning “as a mental operation that takes place when information enters through the senses, undergoes mental manipulation, is stored, and is finally used” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008, p. 16). This process is outlined by the information-processing model, which provides the basis for the cognitive learning theories. New information is presented to the learner through their sensory registers and moves into their short-term, or working, memory, before processing into storage within their long-term memory (Laureate Education Inc., 2011a).  Cognitive experts have identified different elements of learning that help to move information through the stages of the information processing model. Dual coding and elaboration are two examples of integral parts of this networked model for learning (Laureate Education Inc., 2011a). Connections made between ideas as a result of these two examples help to make it possible for an individual to recall or apply previously learned information.

Cues, questions, and advance organizers are instructional strategies that can be used to strengthen students’ “ability to retrieve, use, and organize information about a topic” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Cues and questions serve to activate connections within the mind’s network and help students to recall related information that they already have stored within their brains. As students encounter new information, advance organizers assist students in focusing and classifying their learning (Pitler, et al., 2007). Teachers have many options when turning to technology in order to support these instructional strategies. When introducing a new topic, a teacher may find it helpful to utilize expository, narrative, or graphic advance organizers to preview and direct student learning (Pitler, et al., 2007). Organizing software, such as Kidspiration, can be used to classify and draw connections between new ideas and students’ prior knowledge. A variety of additional word processing, spreadsheet, organizing and brainstorming, and multimedia resources exist which support the instructional strategies of cues, questions, and advance organizers.

When working with new information, learning deepens as students acquire the capacity to identify the most important components and develop their own personal understanding of the concept. Note taking and summarizing are two instructional strategies that make this possible. In Using Technology With Classroom Instruction that Works, it is explained that these strategies “focus on enhancing students’ ability to synthesize information and distill it into a concise new form” (Pitler, et al., 2007, p. 119). Features on Microsoft Word, along with software like Inspiration and a variety of web resources can be used to explicitly teach students how to summarize and take notes. Groups of students can even collaborate to take notes or summarize a topic on a wiki. Whether done individually, or as part of a group, note taking and summarizing help students by providing a structured format to assist them in processing information.

Different cognitive, or mind, tools can also be used to assist students in processing information that they would not otherwise be able to understand (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011a). Students create concept maps to help organize and link their ideas together visually (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011a).  Creating connections and identifying relationships between pieces of information helps to make learning meaningful. The human brain is limited with the number of pieces of information it can process and store in short-term memory. In this week’s video resource, Dr. Orey explains that the limit extends to seven, plus or minus two, pieces of information at a given time (Laureate Education Inc., 2011a). During concept mapping, a student classifies information and develops connections between ideas, thereby working to move information from short-term to long-term memory. According to Novak and Canas, concept mapping “serves as a kind of template or scaffold to help to organize knowledge and structure it, even though the structure must be built up piece by piece with small units of interacting concept and propositional frameworks” (2008, p. 7).

Meaningful learning also occurs as students go through rich experiences. These episodic memories can serve as foundations with which related new information can be connected (Laureate Education Inc., 2011b). Engaging students in virtual field trips provides them with episodic memories for content with which they may not have had any other prior experience. It gives them an opportunity to connect content to the sights and sounds that entered their sensory registers and were moved into short and long-term memory during the experience. This type of activity also makes sites and locations  accessible that would not have ordinarily been so because of time, distance, and financial constraints.

The cognitive learning theories, and the information processing model on which they are based, can be supported with a variety of instructional strategies and cognitive tools. Cues, questions, and advance organizers activate prior knowledge and focus learning, while note taking and summarizing help students to synthesize information. Cognitive tools like concept mapping and the use of virtual field trips help students to link ideas into a networked model of understanding.

 

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program five: Cognitive learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program six: Spotlight on technology: Virtual field trips [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. (2008). Teaching and learning with technology (3^rd ed. pp. 2-35). Boston: Pearson Education.

Novak, J.D., & Canas, A.J. (2008). The theory underlying concept maps and how to construct and use them, Technical Report IHMC CmapTools 2006-01 Rev 01-2008. Retrieved from the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition Web site: http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.pdf

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.