Metacognition: The Key to Knowledge Transfer in Writing

1. Metacognition:  The Key to Knowledge Transfer in Writing Saundra Yancy McGuire, Ph.D. Asst. Vice Chancellor & Professor of Chemistry Past Director, Center for Academic Success Writing Instructor Seminar February 1, 2013

2. 2004-2005 National College Learning Center AssociationFrank L. Christ Outstanding Learning Center Award

3. Reflection Questions • What skills do you want students to transfer? • How do you teach students these skills? • How do you teach students to transfer these skills?

4. Desired outcomes • We will understand why many students have difficulty with writing • We will have concrete strategies that faculty can teach students to improve knowledge transfer in writing, and we will be committed to trying them • We will have more resources for our students • We will view our students differently • We will see positive changes in our students’ self-perception and performance

5. The Story of Two Students • Travis, a psychology student 47, 52, 82, 86 B in course • Robert, a chemistry student 42, 100, 100, 100 A in course

6. Travis, psychology student 47, 52, 82, 86 Problem: Reading Comprehension Solution: Preview text before reading Develop questions Read one paragraph at a time and paraphrase information

7. Robert, chemistry student 42, 100, 100, 100 Problem: Using examples to do homework problems Solution: Study information before trying homework problem Use example to test skill Do homework problems as if doing a test or quiz (no looking at solution manual or examples!)

8. Two quick stories • Paradigm shift in speaking skills • Paradigm shift in writing skills

9. What facilitated the paradigm shift? • Foundational Knowledge • Metacognition

10. Why don’t many students know how to write? Several reasons are suggested by Brain Track* *www.braintrack.com/blog/2012/11/why-college-students-today-cant-write

11. Colleges don’t demand high-quality writing • High schools aren’t preparing students with writing skills • College professors don’t want to spend time playing catch-up • Students don’t get enough feedback • Graduation doesn’t depend on demonstrating writing skills • Grading isn’t harsh enough • Web and text habits seep into academic writing • Required writing courses often aren’t writing-focused. • Students aren’t taught the fundamentals - rules of good writing - how to think critically and creatively

12. Reasons suggested by others… • Writing instructors and students don’t speak the same language • Students are “programmed” NOT to think or trust their judgment; writing is emotional • Students don’t know how to respond to feedback

13. Instructors Must Help Students Make the Transition to College Writing Help students identify and close“the gap” Past strategiesunsatisfactory writing Effective strategiesgood writing

14. To Close the Gap • Teach students how to learn, think, and write! • Metacognition is the key!

15. Metacognition* The ability to: • think about one’s own thinking • be consciously aware of oneself as a problem solver • monitor and control one’s mental processing (e.g. “Am I understanding this assignment?”) • accurately judge one’s level of learning *term coined by Flavell in 1976

16. Reflection Questions to Help Students Develop a New Paradigm • What’s the difference, if any, between studying and learning? • For which task would you work harder? A. Do well on a on a test B. Teach the material to the class What are the parallel questions for shifting the paradigm in writing?

17. To Perform Well in Classes Students Must… • Stay in learn mode, not study mode • Study as if they have to teach the material, not just make an A on the test

18. To Write WellStudents Must… • Stay in knowledge transformation mode, not knowledge telling mode • Engage in a conversation with the readers, whose characteristics they’ve carefully considered • Others?

19. Counting Vowels in 45 seconds How accurate are you?

20. Dollar Bill Dice Tricycle Four-leaf Clover Hand Six-Pack Seven-Up Octopus Cat Lives Bowling Pins Football Team Dozen Eggs Unlucky Friday Valentine’s Day Quarter Hour

21. How many words or phrases do you remember?

22. Let’s look at the words again… What are they arranged according to?

23. Dollar Bill Dice Tricycle Four-leaf Clover Hand Six-Pack Seven-Up Octopus Cat Lives Bowling Pins Football Team Dozen Eggs Unlucky Friday Valentine’s Day Quarter Hour

24. NOW, how many words or phrases do you remember?

25. What were two major differences between the first attempt and the second attempt?

26. 1. We knew what the task was2. We knew how the information was organized

27. What we know about learning • Active learning is more lasting than passive learning • Thinking about thinking is important • Metacognition • The level at which learning occurs is important • Bloom’s Taxonomy

28. Bloom’s Taxonomy Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Bloom's_Taxonomy

29. This pyramid depicts the different levels of thinking we use when learning. Notice how each level builds on the foundation that precedes it. It is required that we learn the lower levels before we can effectively use the skills above. Bloom’s Taxonomy Evaluation Graduate School Making decisions and supporting views; requires understanding of values. Combining information to form a unique product; requires creativity and originality. Synthesis Identifying components; determining arrangement, logic, and semantics. Analysis Undergraduate Using information to solve problems; transferring abstract or theoretical ideas to practical situations. Identifying connections and relationships and how they apply. Application Restating in your own words; paraphrasing, summarizing, translating. Comprehension High School Memorizing verbatim information. Being able to remember, but not necessarily fully understanding the material. Knowledge Louisiana State University  Center for Academic Success  B-31 Coates Hall  225-578-2872  www.cas.lsu.edu

30. When we teach students about Bloom’s Taxonomy…They GET it!

31. At what level of Bloom’s did you have to operate to make A’s or B’s in high school? • Knowledge • Comprehension • Application • Analysis • Synthesis • Evaluation

32. At what level of Bloom’s do you think you’ll need to be to make an A in college? • Knowledge • Comprehension • Application • Analysis • Synthesis • Evaluation

33. How do we teach students to move higher on Bloom’s Taxonomy?Teach them the Study Cycle* *adapted from Frank Christ’s PLRS system

34. The Study Cycle • 4Reflect • Preview beforeclass– Skim the chapter, note headings and boldface words, review summaries and chapter objectives, and come up with questions you’d like the lecture to answer for you. Preview Attendclass – GO TO CLASS! Answer and ask questions and take meaningful notes. Attend Review after class– As soon after class as possible, read notes, fill in gaps and note any questions. Review • Study – Repetition is the key. Ask questions such as ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘what if’. • Intense Study Sessions* - 3-5 short study sessions per day • Weekend Review – Read notes and material from the week to make connections Study • Assess your Learning– Periodically perform reality checks • Am I using study methods that are effective? • Do I understand the material enough to teach it to others? Assess *Intense Study Sessions Center for Academic Success B-31 Coates Hall ▪ 225.578.2872 ▪www.cas.lsu.edu

35. Stages in the Writing Cycle? • 4Reflect Plan • Brainstorm ideas… Get started!– Use a strategy! Freewriting, focused freewriting, looping, brainstorming, clustering, mapping, others? Prewrite Develop a thesis statement, . Draft Revise for: focus, development, organization, style, convention; use a reverse outline Revise Come back after letting it “Sit” for 24 hours. Have others look at it… Don’t be afraid to change things around Assess/ Reflect *Intense WritingSessions Center for Academic Success B-31 Coates Hall ▪ 225.578.2872 ▪www.cas.lsu.edu

36. A visual manipulative approach to learning • Excellent tool for content/concept analysis • Organize and manipulate concepts, ideas, theories and other material in a visual format. • Can be used for learning, teaching, organizing, problem-solving, decision-making and brainstorming. • Offers simplicity and clarity to complex, multifaceted material. Concept Mapping

37. Create a Chapter/Research Paper Map Chapter/Title of Paper Primary Headings Subheadings Secondary Subheadings

38. Compare and Contrast Concept#1 Concept #2 How are they similar? How are they different?

39. Persuasive Writing or Critical Analysis Thesis Viewpoint Viewpoint Details Details Reasons, Facts, Examples Reasons, Facts, Examples Conclusion

40. Gabriel, Kathleen F. (2008) Teaching Unprepared Students. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing

41. Establish High Expectations Emphasize Consistent Contact Determine Students’ Learning Styles Define Student Success Clarify Student Responsibility Establish a Learning Community of Scholars Meet Students Where They Are Interweave Assessment and Teaching Effective Strategies for Teaching Unprepared Students* *Gabriel, Kathleen F. (2008) Teaching Unprepared Students. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing

42. Mindset* is Important! • Fixed Intelligence Mindset • Intelligence is static • You have a certain amount of it • Growth Intelligence Mindset • Intelligence can be developed • You can grow it with actions Dweck, Carol (2006) Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House Publishing

43. Help Students Develop the Right Mindset Shenk, David, 2010. The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You've Been Told About Genetics, Talent, and IQ Is Wrong. New York: Doubleday Dweck, Carol, 2006. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House Publishing

44. Mindset determines reactions to • Challenges – avoid vs. embrace • Obstacles – give up easily vs. persist • Tasks requiring effort – fruitless vs. path to mastery • Criticism – ignore vs. learn from • Success of Others – feel threatened by vs. find lessons and inspiration in

46. Learning Strategies Should be Based on Learning Style

47. Learning Styles • Influence how we take in information from the outside world • Influence how we process information • Influence how we interact with others • Influence our motivation for learning different subjects • Influence our frustration level with learning tasks

48. www.cas.lsu.edu Learning Style Diagnostics • Brain Dominance • Personality • Sensory Preference

49. Sensory Preference • Visual: prefers pictures, symbols, charts, graphs, concept maps, etc. • Aural or auditory: prefers hearing lectures, reading notes out loud, etc. • Read/write: prefers flashcards, notes, lists, outlines, etc. • Kinesthetic: prefers direct experience, mapping, charting, experiments, visualizing action, etc.

50. Feedback from aSpring 2011 student “…Personally, I am not so good at chemistry and unfortunately, at this point my grade for that class is reflecting exactly that. I am emailing you inquiring about a possibility of you tutoring me.” April 6, 2011 “I made a 68, 50, 50, 87, 87, and a 97 on my final. I ended up earning a 90 in the course, but I started with a 60. I think what I did different was make sidenotes in each chapter and as I progressed onto the next chapter I was able to refer to these notes. I would say that in chemistry everything builds from the previous topic” May 13, 2011 Semester GPA: 3.8