Assignment Pages That Teach

1. Assignment Pages That Teach

2. Working Memory • “Working memory is our ability to store and manipulate information for a brief time.” • “It is a basic cognitive skill that we need to perform a variety of activities, and we use it in core subjects like reading and maths, as well as general topics like Art and Music. Alloway, T. (2009, May 10). 10% students may have working memory problems: why does it matter?. Retrieved from http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2009/05/10/10-students-may-have-working-memory-problems-why-does-it-matter/

3. Working Memory • “Most adults can retain about seven items of information at a time for just a few seconds. (If you can remember information for longer than twenty seconds, you have probably rapidly - and weakly - encoded it without even realizing it.)” Purdue University. Working memory. Retrieved from http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/edPsybook/Edpsy6/edpsy6_working.htm

4. “There are five main ways to deal with these limitations in the capacity of working memory: • Feed into the working memory only small amounts of new information at a time. Learners can do this by focusing their attention effectively. • Clear unneeded, old information out of the working memory to make room for the new information. Our brains perform this service for us automatically - almost as soon as we stop focusing attention on the information. • "Chunk" several pieces of information together, so that several individual pieces comprise a single chunk. This strategy will be discussed later in this section. • Efficiently and rapidly shuttle information into and out of working memory. This requires retrieval, which is discussed in conjunction with long-term memory later in this chapter. • Use additional devices to supplement human memory. For example, if we record a phone number on a piece of paper, we don't have to store it in memory. If a teacher projects a map or a diagram on a screen, then it takes little effort for the learners to bring it into working memory - they can just look at any part of the image in front of them.” Purdue University. Working memory. Retrieved from http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/edPsybook/Edpsy6/edpsy6_working.htm

5. Parent Involvement “The evidence is now beyond dispute. When schools work together with families to support learning, children tend to succeed not just in school, but throughout life.” Henderson, A. T., & Berla , N. (1994). A new generation of evidence: the family is critical to student achievement. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED375968

6. Teacher Time Saver • Yes, really! • “The need to repeat instructions for older students during class time is reduced.” • “After some practice, the students begin to read the information on the assignment page and improve their independent learning abilities.” • “...the handouts are on the webpage and easily printed.” • “Students who are absent will begin to arrive in class with their work done correctly...” • More time to facilitate, less time spent with organizational activities Mortensen, C. (2008). A website is a terrible thing to waste: effective use of classroom websites to improve teaching and learning. TechEdge, 28(3), 12-14. Link: http://issuu.com/myweb4ed/docs/a_website_is_a_terrible_thing_to_waste

7. Access, Use, and Quality • Universal Access – Anyone with a web browser and modern connection can access the web. Libraries and schools provide free access for those without the equipment. • Ease of Use – Very easy to use so even inexperienced users can access a website • Engaging and Interactive Content – Availability of engaging, interactive, high quality, and free resources meets the needs of a technologically savvy audience with varied learning styles. Lee, W. W., & Owens, D. L. (2004). Multimedia-based instructional design. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.