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Making Connections: How Examples Work. Kelly Mix. Teachers generate examples frequently (Richland, Holyoak & Stigler, 2004) We’re gonna say this—this circle right here is an orange. It’s an orange. Alright, it’s an orange. Now let’s say we’re gonna
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Making Connections:How Examples Work Kelly Mix
Teachers generate examples frequently (Richland, Holyoak & Stigler, 2004) We’re gonna say this—this circle right here is an orange. It’s an orange. Alright, it’s an orange. Now let’s say we’re gonna take—stick a needle in the orange n’ suck out everything inside except for the peeling of the orange ((demonstrates with hands)). Okay (.) we’re—we’re gonna pretend like that’s our circumference righ’ there.
1. Abstracting conceptual structure 2. Seeing relatedness
Abstracting Conceptual Structure • Learners struggle with this . . . (Goldstone & Son, 2005) Competitive Specialization
Abstracting Conceptual Structure Concrete Idealized
How do students abstract structure? By Comparing! • Multiple examples (Namy & Gentner, 2004, Waxman & Markow, 2000) • Concreteness Fading (Goldstone & Son, 2005)
1. Abstracting conceptual structure 2. Seeing relatedness
Seeing Relatedness Learners struggle with this . . . (Gick & Holyoak, 1980)
Seeing Relatedness Gick & Holyoak, 1980
Seeing Relatedness Gick & Holyoak, 1980
Seeing Relatedness Gick & Holyoak, 1980
Seeing Relatedness Gick & Holyoak, 1980
How is a robin like a chicken? Structure Mapping Theory (DedreGentner and colleagues)
How is a robin like a chicken? Lays eggs Eats worms Lives in trees Builds nests Lays eggs Eats worms Lives in barnyard Builds nests Structure Mapping Theory (DedreGentner and colleagues)
How is time like a river? Structure Mapping Theory (DedreGentner and colleagues)
Seeing Relatedness • similar relational structure • some impetus teacher direction shared labels high surface similarity many points of alignment (richness)
Instructional Implications • Choose examples/exercises with clear and complete relational structure • Use multiple examples and encourage comparisons • Scaffold the alignment process
What did this teacher do right? What could’ve been better? We’re gonna say this—this circle right here is an orange. It’s an orange. Alright, it’s an orange. Now let’s say we’re gonna take—stick a needle in the orange n’ suck out everything inside except for the peeling of the orange ((demonstrates with hands)). Okay (.) we’re—we’re gonna pretend like that’s our circumference righ’ there.