Most
Prominent Contributors
Merrill-Componant
Display Theory (CDT)
Reigeluth
(Elaboration Theory)
Gagne,
Briggs, Wager (Events of instruction)
Bruner
(moving toward cognitive constructivism)
Shank
(scripts)
Scandura
(structural learning)
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Definition of
Learning
- Knowledge can
be seen as symbolic mental constructions or schema.
- Learning is
defined as (lasting?) changes in learner schemata or these mental
construction
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Description of
Theory
- Concerned with
mental processes and meaning
- Changes in behavior
are observed, but only as an indication of what is going on in the
learner's head.
- Learning does
not have to be explicitly expressed to occur.
- Information
is chunked into processable blocks
- Computer-like
in their descriptions of cognition
- Schema
- Knowledge is
largely viewed as given and absolute, but this nature of truth or
knowledge is not the primary focus of cognitivism.
- Learner requires
active participation on the part of the student.
Key terms
- Schema,
Schemata
- Information
processing
- Symbol manipulation
- Knowledge
construction
- Context,
linkage, relevance
- Information
mapping, mental models
- Input, processing,
output, buffer, storing
- Development
of novice to expert.
- Automatization,
pattern recognition
- Think aloud
techniques
Relation to
other Theories
- Reaction
to behaviorism
- Behaviorists
claim that mental processes cannot be studied because they are
not directly observable and measurable, cognitive psychologists
claim that they must be studied because they alone can
explain how people think and act the way they do
- Concept
of schema seems quite strongly related to Gestalt theory
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Initial (knee-jerk)
Reactions
- If objectively
observable behavior is how cognitivists know what they know, they
seem to rely heavily on behaviorist principals.
- The computer-like
references are a helpful metaphor.
- Fine-tunes instructional
techniques that grew out of behaviorism.
- Cognitive theories
elevate man over other animals, and account for man’s agency (and
accountability)--One can know without doing “I know that flossing
will protect my teeth and gums, but I don’t want to do it,” or “I
know that I should probably do more than lecture today, but good instruction
takes so much prep time, and I don’t feel like doing it.”
- Still a very
scientific (positivist) approach to understanding learning.
- Does not address
sufficiently the social, affective and motivational influences on
learning.
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Relevance to Instructional
Systems Design (ISD)
- Designers/teachers
should link new knowledge to prior knowledge (activate schema) to
create a context for learning. Techniques and cognitive devices (mentals
maps, advanced organizers etc.) should be used to help make new knowledge
memorable.
- Chunking
- Interface design
affects learning.
- Knowledge construction
suggests a move from didactic approaches and toward exploratory, non-prescriptive
design.
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What I Don’t Know
yet / Questions
- How long does
schema have to remain changed for learning to be deemed having occurred?
- While recall
is probably a form of learning? Does learning require recall?
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