Karen Parks, Haibei Zhang, Huong Hoang -Fall 2001-

1. EPSY 335 Learning Theories ORGANIC CHEMISTRY CONCEPT MAP PROJECT Karen Parks, Haibei Zhang, Huong Hoang -Fall 2001-

2. Introduction The lesson: • is part of a unit in 10th grade Advanced Biology, entitled: “The Cycling of Energy and Matter through the Earth’s Ecosystem” • is half way through this multiple-lesson unit

3. Introduction Objectives of the lesson: • help students understand the structural and functional relationships between and among organic chemicals • provide a foundation for understanding the cycling of matter and energy between the soil, atmosphere and living organisms in the ecosystem

4. Introduction Difficulties encountered by the students • Misconception • Confusion • Difficult to remember

5. SOLUTION Learning Theories: • David Ausubel’s Cognitive Psychology(basis of Concept Map) • Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory

6. Ausubel's cognitive psychology • Meaningfulness • Students need to employ meaningful learning rather than rote learning (memorization) to promote higher order thinking and retention of knowledge. • Assimilation • Learning takes place by the assimilation of new concepts and propositions into existing concept propositional frameworks held by the learner. • Advance Organizers can be used

7. Cognitive Structure • Cognitive structure is hierarchically organized • Concepts in cognitive structure undergo progressive differentiation, • Integrative reconciliation occurs when two or more concepts are recognized as relatable

8. Concept Mapping • A powerful tool for organizing and representing knowledge

9. Research Findings • Consistent correlations between quality of concept map and student achievement • Concept maps could be used to distinguish experts from novices within a domain • Ruiz-Primo and Shavelson (1996) • Concept map enhances student achievements in: • Multiple-choice measure of misconceptions • Fill-in-blank concept map instrument • General measure of concept relatedness • Zeilik et al. (1997) • Combining concept map with lecture resulted in significantly better learning and retention • Cliburn(1990)

10. Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory • Social environment is critical for learning • Social environment influences cognition through cultural tools • Zone of Proximal Development • Learners also bring their own understandings to social interactions • The use of instructional scaffolding

11. Lesson PlanApplying Ausubel’s Cognitive Psychology/Concept Mapping Concept maps will: • mirror the way ideas and knowledge are organized in the learner’s cognitive structures • Be useful for reviewing knowledge and allow students to assess prior knowledge • uncover misconceptions • help students to organize knowledge and focus on important concepts • The visual map helps students remember the lesson better

12. Lesson Plan:Applying Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory/Cooperative Grouping • Requiring students to work together in cooperative groups so that: • Social interaction brings about higher motivation • Some group members will be in the ZPD, and others will provide support to advance their learning • Cognitive incongruity requires the group members to develop a common understanding by correcting misconceptions • Through rich dialog, learners process information using more elaboration and establish more propositions in their cognitive structures, increasing the depth of understanding and retention of knowledge • Dialog between students and construction of maps provides the teacher with a clear visual model of students’ cognitive structures.

13. Integration of Technology • A number of software has been develop to build concept maps • Inspiration is one of them • It is possible to use Inspiration for Karen’s lesson • An example of concept map produced by Inspiration

15. Advantages of Technology • Easy to use • Possible to draw the map quickly • Easy to modify the map • Possible to produce beautiful and clear maps

16. Disadvantages of Technology • Expensive method (requires computers and may be printers for large size papers) • Less individual involvement than the manual method as not much work is required -> sometimes less exciting

17. CritiqueAusubel/Concept Mapping • Not all knowledge can be arranged in a hierarchical order • Extensive training is required • It does not work well for direct teaching or recall of rote learning • Time consuming • Some students are uncomfortable with it • It can only be combined with Constructivist methods

18. CritiqueVygotsky/Cooperative Grouping • Must be designed to give each individual in the group a responsibility for accountability. • Requires training of students in cooperative behaviors and responsibilities. • Requires continuous monitoring and feedback from the teacher. • It can promote misconception without monitoring • Time consuming

19. Reference • Ivie, Stanley D. “Ausubel’s Learning Theory: An Approach to Teaching Higher Order Thinking Skills,” High School Journal. Oct. 1998: Vol. 82,, i1, p.35. • Novak, Joseph P. and Gowan, D. Bob. Learning How to Learn, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1984. • Romance, Nancy R. and Vitale, Michael R. “Concept Mapping as a Tool for Learning,” College Teaching. Spring, 1999: Vol.47, i2, p74. • Sandoval, Jonathan. “Teaching in Subject Matter Areas: Science,” Annual Review of Psychology. 1995: Vol.46, p355. • Schunk, Dale H. Learning Theories, and educational Perspective, 3rd Ed., Prentice Hall, 1996. • http://cmap.coginst.uwf.edu/info/ • http://www.utc.edu/Teaching-Resource-Center/concepts.html • http://158.132.100.221/CMWkshp_folder/CncptMapp.Wkshop.html • http://users.edte.utwente.nl/lanzing/cm_home.htm • http://www2.ucsc.edu/mlrg/proc3abstracts.html#Ahlberg-MeaningfulLearnin • http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cberger/compmapanalysis.htm • http://www.chemistry.ohio-state.edu/~mathews/Ohio_Project/reports/PDF_files/SLBretz.PDF • http://www.dean.usma.edu/math/activities/cape/assessment/concept_mapping.htm • http://www.aals.org/profdev/newideas/athomas.html • http://www.spjc.edu/SPG/Science/Lancraft/cmapping/cmapping.html#A1 • http://ericit.org/digests/mapping.shtml

20. Thank you for your attention