Information-Processing: Scientific/Inquiry Training

1. CI 703: Theories, Models and Research of Teaching Information-Processing: Scientific/Inquiry Training Melissa Farrish, Donna Hage, Jennifer Riggleman, and Jill Wood

2. Underlying Research • Increases writing and basic skillsin addition to literacy skills • Increases student achievementand attitude • Eliminates gender and socioeconomic gaps in science • Increases cognitive skills for all age groups and levels of students • Increases both creativity and pleasure in learning

3. Source: http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/learning/memory.html

4. Major Theorists, Developers, & Contributors Cognitive Revolution (1950s) – began to look at “interior” mental processes Broadbent (1958) Dichotic Listening Task -- filter selects one channel of attention based on physical characteristics of source Treisman's (1964) Attenuation – filters down or attenuates three sources in order to attend to the fourth Atkinson and Shriffin (1968) Stage Theory Model – process and store information in 3 stages: sensory memory, short-term (organization and repetition, “chunking”), long-term (elaboration and distributed practice common to direct instruction model, Pegword or Method of Loci) http://www.simplypsychology.org/attention-models.html

5. Major Theorists, Developers, & Contributors • Craik and Lockhart (1972) Levels of Processing Theory–utilize continuum (perception, attention, labeling, meaning) to permanently store information • RumelhartandMcClelland (1986) Connectionistic Model –store information in multiple brain locations and form more networks of connections to increase in long term memory http://umaps.ihmc.us:8080/rid=1HMBHT4M9-FVV43W-FWH7/Fig.%202.%20Rote---Meaningful%20B%26W.cmap

6. Long Term Memory Classifications http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Information_processing

7. Evaluation of Application Information processing results apply in three areas: • The limits of our working memory • The importance of elaboration and practice • The importance of continuing practice until the students are fluent

8. Application: “Limited Capacity Processors” • Should not present too much information at one time. • Current information processing theories suggest we are “limited-capacity processors. • When too much material is presented at once, we become confused, omit or skim material, and are unable to complete the processing correctly.

9. Application: Teacher Role Teachers should – • Proceed in small steps and provide practice on one step before adding another. • Review relevant prior knowledge providing students with a cognitive structure for encoding the new material. New learning is easier when prior learning is readily accessible or automatic.

10. Application: Teacher Role Teachers elaborate, review, rehearse, summarize, or enhance the material: • provide active practice • ask questions • require students to summarize in their own words • help students make connections between old and new knowledge • have students tutor each other • supervise students as they practice new steps in a skill • provide feedback on their efforts

11. Application: Summary Teachers need to provide “instructional support” when learning new material: • Break the material into small steps in order to reduce confusion. • Give the learner practice in each step before increasing complexity by adding another step. • Provide for elaboration and enhancement in order to help the learner move the material from working memory into long term memory. • Provide for additional practice and overlearning of basic material and skills so that the learners are fluent and automatic in using them.

12. Weaknesses of the Model • Concentrating on “thinking” may inhibit mastery of content. • Teacher is the initiator with some collaboration. • It does not take into consideration individual differences.

13. Strengths of the Model • The same model can be used for all ages and in multiple disciplines. • It can be extremely effective to students with poor learning histories. • Teacher is the initiator with some collaboration. • Prepares students by producing a “process” rather than just an “answer” that can be applied to later subjects.

14. Synectics: Application, Syntax, Social & Support

15. Model: Synectics • Definition: Derived from the Greek word synecticos meaning “understanding together that which is apparently different” (Gunter, Estes & Schwab, 2003, p. 135) • encourage brainstorming through use of metaphors, analogies, alternatives to typical thought processes that encourage right brain functions • Aim: increase creativity, cooperative learning, divergent thinking processes, and diversified learning to increase group cohesion and generate energy • Types of Information: Problem as Given, Problem as Understood, brainstorming through facilitator, metaphors, analogies, oxymorons

16. Techniques of Synectics Van Oech's FOUR HATS “Making the Familiar Strange” Description of present problem/condition: Write a paragraph describing the topic individually or collaboratively. Make a direct analogy: Name a machine, plant, food, flower, animal that reminds you of as many words as possible. Make a personal analogy: How does it feel to be this object? Compressed Conflict: Examine the list of descriptive feelings and put them together as pairs of words that seem conflict or contrast Direct Analogy Based on Conflict: Describe a machine, plant, food, flower, animal that represents both words in the conflict. Re-examination of Original Conflict: Compare the last analogy with the original topic. • Techniques: Facilitator plays active role to encourage ideas through metaphor • EXPLORER seeking facts, viewpoints, feelings, etc. The "hat" here is an explorer's pitch helmet. • ARTIST creatively recombining things. The hat here is the artist's beret. • JUDGE a critic, deciding which ideas are worth pursuing. The hat to illustrate this is the old style Judge's wig. • WARRIOR making your idea happen. The hat here is the Viking Warrior's horned helmet. • MAIN POINT: Make clear what the goals of a particular session, partition, time segment are so that people are not simply talking past each other. “It’s Not A Box”

17. Model: Memorization Definition: Learn large quantities of words by connecting them to the objects, events, actions, and qualities that they represent. Aim: To take information, to integrate it meaningfully, and later to retrieve it at will. Types of Information: lists of unstructured material

18. Memorization: Application, Syntax, Social & Support

19. Memorization “It is the disorganization in your mind, not the amount of material, that hinders memory.... Long-term memory is relatively permanent, and has a virtually unlimited capacity.” Dr. Kenneth Higbee Memory expert and author of the book Your Memory: How It Works and How to Improve It

20. Memorization: Principles & Techniques • Awareness = concentrate on the things or ideas to be remembered • Association = spelling of the word “piece” – piece of pie • Link System = connecting two ideas • Ridiculous Association = ridiculous or impossible image • Substitute-Word System = “I’ll ask her” to remember Alaska • Key Word = Select one word to represent a longer thought

21. Link Word Method Step 1 • Familiar material to link with unfamiliar items Step 2 • An association to establish the meaning of the new material Link-Word Video Example

22. Advance Organizers: Application, Syntax, Social & Support

23. Syntax: Presentation of Advance Organizer • Clarify the Aims of the Lesson • Present the Organizer • Identify Attributes • Give Examples • Provide Context • Repeat • Prompt Awareness of Learner’s Relevant Knowledge & Experience

24. Syntax: Presentation of Learning Task or Material • Present the Material • Make Logical Order of Learning Material Explicit • Link the Material to the Organizer

25. Syntax: Strengthening Cognitive Organization • Use Principles of Integrative Reconciliation • Elicit Critical Approach to Subject Matter • Clarify Ideas • Apply Ideas Actively

26. Advance Organizers • Definition: a visual, title, graph or question which presents a structure for the new material by relating it to the learner's existing knowledge. • Example of Advance Organizer • Aim: To understand the models of the information processing family • Types of Information Used: • Expository • Narrative • Graphic Organizers • Text

27. PWIM: Application, Syntax, Social, & Support

28. Picture-Word Inductive Model • Definition: a process of building vocabulary and sight-word recognition by “shaking” words out of a picture • Aim: to increase recognition of words and the application of those words for scaffolding to higher learning processes • Types of Information: visual recognition, vocabulary formation, sentence structure, paragraph formation Picture Word Model

29. Group A: Memorization • Assignment: Use a simple story to memorize facts • You will be given a list of words. Your goal is to try to remember them. Picture two words at a time in a sequence of locations around Marshall University’s South Charleston campus.

30. Group B: “4-9-2” for Divergent Thinking • Assignment: Utilize thehandout(“4-9-2”) as a tool tobrainstormcommon words in ordertodevelopsentencesthatmake connections tothetopicof a lesson. • Total of 4 Minutes: Timer set for 60 seconds for each of the called out topics. Individuals brainstorm words associated with each topic in one of four boxes, starting at the top left box and finishing with the bottom right. Topics: Common Household Items, Things Found in a Classroom, Articles of Clothing, Things Associated with Thanksgiving. • Total of 9 Minutes: In pairs, brainstorm four sentences that connect one word from each of the boxes to the unit topic recently studied in class: Christopher Columbus (i.e. A belt is like Christopher Columbus because he believed you could travel around the world in a circle to be connected.). • Total of 2 Minutes: Each pair, chooses 2 sentences to share orally with classmates.

31. Group C: Advance Organizers Activity • Assignment: Create a graphic organizer. • Use the materials provided to: • Group the 8 models of the information processing family into some hierarchical structure of your choice. • Examples: • Type of Teaching/ Learning (Social, Direct, Inquiry, etc.) • Areas of Effectiveness (Subject Area, Achievement, Grade Levels, etc.)

32. Tips for Activity C: Advance Organizer • Techniques: • Skim Headings • Activate background knowledge by talking with group members and teacher • Refer to previous Family of Models: Social & Behavioral

33. Group D: PWIM Activity • Assignment: Each group will formulate three avenues of thought based on the categorizations from the PWIM. • 3 Pictures • 3 Groups • Each groups shakes out at least four words describing each picture. • Each group categorizes words from each picture.

34. Tips for Activity D: PWIM • Techniques: • Decipher picture and meaning • “Shake” out words • Group and categorize • Formulate complete thoughts

35. Resources “Four Box Synetics” adapted from a workshop conducted by Daniel R. Moirao for the Academically Gifted Department of the Wake County Public School System in November, 2006. Huitt, W. (2003). The information processing approach to cognition. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cognition/infoproc.html Jones. (1994). SYNECTICS: BRAINSTORMING. The Expert Educator. Retrieved from http://www.neiu.edu/~sdundis/hrd362/brnstrmng.doc.pdf Joyce, B., Weil, M. & Calhoun, E. (2009). Models of Teaching. Boston: Pearson “The Adventures of a Cardboard Box” Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/25239728.

36. Resources Continued http://www.memory-improvement-tips.com/memory-systems.html Clip Art - http://www.dreamstime.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NROegsMqNc Gale Encyclopedia of Education; (2002) The Gale Group Inc. Wittrock, M. C. (1986). Handbook of research on teaching. New York, NY: Macmillan.