1. How does this tie in with what we have learned so far?
I feel that this is the icing on the cake, as it connects to everything. Technology is very important in the learning process. We learned about the positive effects of multimedia at the beginning of the semester. The benefits of technology are countless. Most of the programs described coincide with those themes. We also learned about the importance of motivation. The chapters explained several ways to include technology and enhance real-world situations. These real-world experiences promote motivation and the transfer of knowledge. We also know that deep-processing and personal connections promote better understanding. All of the these things take place when using the programs described.
2. What am I still not clear on?
I understand the reading, but as I continued to read, I grew more and more overwhelmed of what I could do in my classroom. I wanted to jump in and start using some of these great programs, but I knew that I simply could not do that. I also began to think about scheduling as I grew interested in these activities. We all know that adding something new means that something old must be removed. Wow! I feel so pressured about what I need to get done each year. I know that with time, I could modify these activities so that they included more of the needed skills. I think that starting small is the only way to go.
3. How will I incorporate this in my teaching?
I was very interested in the Project GLOBE activity. This had children of all ages learning about their environment and communities by taking responsibility for researching and answering questions. I would like to try to implement some of the concepts of this project in my own room. I think that I would make this a student-centered project. The students should decide what questions need answered in our community. We would spend a great deal of time on the planning aspect of this unit, but I think it would be beneficial.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Chapters 6 & 7
1. How does this information tie in with what we have already learned?
These two chapters seemed to connect completely with our previous readings. One thing that really stood out to me was the different environments. Each of these environments promoted learning in various settings. The knowledge-centered environment was one that I could relate to the problem-solving aspects we learned earlier. These would include how we learn and retain information. This part of the chapter discusses how children use their knowledge to from this environment for later activities. I began to think about the use of transfer with this environment. The learner-centered environment seems to focus more on the students than their specific knowledge. This environment relies heavily on the differences of each child. This section of the chapter was easily connected to the examples from our text about students with special needs, the mentally ill, and others who don't exactly fit the norms. The learner-centered environment makes sure that individual needs are met before moving on to other activities. My personal favorite, the community-centered environment is easily linked to the Polyanna Principal. This environment stresses safety in numbers, and that each child is important to the group. Having said this, the group, itself, is the main focus of this environment. We have read several times that positive, safe environments provide better learning experiences. We also can connect this to some of the motivation readings. We know that intrinsic motivation is more effective than extrinsic motivation. Quite often, children will want learn and participate because they are part of a group where their membership is critical.
2. What part of this am I still not clear on?
Actually, knock on wood, but I still am understanding the readings for this week. I would like to learn more about the various environments and how they coincide with the different learning styles. I think that it would be interesting to see if people who are more mathematical or linguistic do better in a specific environment. I also think that it would be interesting to learn if people who have strengths in the inter and intra personal areas function better in a community-centered environment.
3. How will I apply this to my own teaching?
I feel that I use a great deal of community-centered environment in my classroom management. I encourage the children to be a part of a cohesive group where each member is critical for success. My teaching centers around making sure that our community works well together in both academic and social settings. I also use the knowledge-centered environment more for math and science centers. Here, my students are given a specific skill to learn or master. My language centers offer more freedom. My students may write often write or read what they wish based on their academic level. I would like to find a way to mesh both the learner-centered and the knowledge-centered environments in my class. I am leaning toward more differentiated learning to accomplish this, but I wish there was a formula guide me through this.
These two chapters seemed to connect completely with our previous readings. One thing that really stood out to me was the different environments. Each of these environments promoted learning in various settings. The knowledge-centered environment was one that I could relate to the problem-solving aspects we learned earlier. These would include how we learn and retain information. This part of the chapter discusses how children use their knowledge to from this environment for later activities. I began to think about the use of transfer with this environment. The learner-centered environment seems to focus more on the students than their specific knowledge. This environment relies heavily on the differences of each child. This section of the chapter was easily connected to the examples from our text about students with special needs, the mentally ill, and others who don't exactly fit the norms. The learner-centered environment makes sure that individual needs are met before moving on to other activities. My personal favorite, the community-centered environment is easily linked to the Polyanna Principal. This environment stresses safety in numbers, and that each child is important to the group. Having said this, the group, itself, is the main focus of this environment. We have read several times that positive, safe environments provide better learning experiences. We also can connect this to some of the motivation readings. We know that intrinsic motivation is more effective than extrinsic motivation. Quite often, children will want learn and participate because they are part of a group where their membership is critical.
2. What part of this am I still not clear on?
Actually, knock on wood, but I still am understanding the readings for this week. I would like to learn more about the various environments and how they coincide with the different learning styles. I think that it would be interesting to see if people who are more mathematical or linguistic do better in a specific environment. I also think that it would be interesting to learn if people who have strengths in the inter and intra personal areas function better in a community-centered environment.
3. How will I apply this to my own teaching?
I feel that I use a great deal of community-centered environment in my classroom management. I encourage the children to be a part of a cohesive group where each member is critical for success. My teaching centers around making sure that our community works well together in both academic and social settings. I also use the knowledge-centered environment more for math and science centers. Here, my students are given a specific skill to learn or master. My language centers offer more freedom. My students may write often write or read what they wish based on their academic level. I would like to find a way to mesh both the learner-centered and the knowledge-centered environments in my class. I am leaning toward more differentiated learning to accomplish this, but I wish there was a formula guide me through this.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Chapter 10 - April 5 - 11
1. How does this topic fit in with what I have already learned?
So much of this chapter directly coincides with the information we have already learned about. The cognitive model of writing ties in with so much we have learned. The self-efficacy effect of writing states that if one perceives to posses an adept writing ability, there is a higher likelihood that their writing will be better than another with less self-esteem. I can easily connect this to the fact that we learn and work better in a positive environment. This also ties in with what we learned in chapter nine about negatives taking longer to process. Negative information seems to work against us, where positive information and beliefs help us in all aspects of our lives. I also connected working memory with writing, as it states in the chapter. We need our working memory to help supply our writing with content and information. We also need our long-term memory to activate semantic and syntactic rules for proper writing. Our phonological loop comes into play during the writing process because we can "hear" our thoughts as we write them down. In fact, I am using mine now to tell me the sentences that I am forming. One other, but far from final, aspect that I can connect to this chapter is the visuospatial sketchpad. When writing, one has to picture and visualize what they are writing about in order to be descriptive.
2. What am I still not clear on from this chapter's readings?
I believe that I am okay on most of the concepts in this chapter. It was easy to read and understand. I believe that I am more of a language person, and this chapter appealed to my interests. I kept going back to the section on common ground. I know that this is the background knowledge and experiences needed for effective communication. I teach in a small, rural town with a high poverty level. I keep referring back to my Ruby Payne training to help me understand the differences in social classes. Generating a common ground for my students is one of the most important and most difficult things I do as a teacher. I hope that I am doing enough hands-on activities, showing enough visual examples, and appealing to all of the modalities in enough manners to determine common ground with my students.
3. Under what conditions will I apply this to my own teaching?
One thing that I try to do is to engage my students as we are learning. I try very hard to incorporate movement in almost all things that I teach. When teaching the color words, I also teach the American sign language movement for the color. It seems that many of my non-readers become successful readers by using these types of movements. The text states that using our hands can help the learning process and the retention process. I knew that this worked for me, but I know now that this works for most people. I am going to try to incorporate more movement and sign language when teaching other words.
After reading that we do not edit our own writing very well, I began to think about my own students. Their writing seems perfect to them. I am going to have other students try to read the writing to show some of the possible editing opportunities. I think that this will have to be done in centers with an adult assisting. This would be a great opportunity for spelling rules.
So much of this chapter directly coincides with the information we have already learned about. The cognitive model of writing ties in with so much we have learned. The self-efficacy effect of writing states that if one perceives to posses an adept writing ability, there is a higher likelihood that their writing will be better than another with less self-esteem. I can easily connect this to the fact that we learn and work better in a positive environment. This also ties in with what we learned in chapter nine about negatives taking longer to process. Negative information seems to work against us, where positive information and beliefs help us in all aspects of our lives. I also connected working memory with writing, as it states in the chapter. We need our working memory to help supply our writing with content and information. We also need our long-term memory to activate semantic and syntactic rules for proper writing. Our phonological loop comes into play during the writing process because we can "hear" our thoughts as we write them down. In fact, I am using mine now to tell me the sentences that I am forming. One other, but far from final, aspect that I can connect to this chapter is the visuospatial sketchpad. When writing, one has to picture and visualize what they are writing about in order to be descriptive.
2. What am I still not clear on from this chapter's readings?
I believe that I am okay on most of the concepts in this chapter. It was easy to read and understand. I believe that I am more of a language person, and this chapter appealed to my interests. I kept going back to the section on common ground. I know that this is the background knowledge and experiences needed for effective communication. I teach in a small, rural town with a high poverty level. I keep referring back to my Ruby Payne training to help me understand the differences in social classes. Generating a common ground for my students is one of the most important and most difficult things I do as a teacher. I hope that I am doing enough hands-on activities, showing enough visual examples, and appealing to all of the modalities in enough manners to determine common ground with my students.
3. Under what conditions will I apply this to my own teaching?
One thing that I try to do is to engage my students as we are learning. I try very hard to incorporate movement in almost all things that I teach. When teaching the color words, I also teach the American sign language movement for the color. It seems that many of my non-readers become successful readers by using these types of movements. The text states that using our hands can help the learning process and the retention process. I knew that this worked for me, but I know now that this works for most people. I am going to try to incorporate more movement and sign language when teaching other words.
After reading that we do not edit our own writing very well, I began to think about my own students. Their writing seems perfect to them. I am going to have other students try to read the writing to show some of the possible editing opportunities. I think that this will have to be done in centers with an adult assisting. This would be a great opportunity for spelling rules.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Chapter 9 - March 29 - April 4
1. How does this relate to what I have already learned?
There are so many concepts that are extensions of what we have already learned. I first compared the various terms from psycholinguistics to the propositional code. Phoneme refers to the smallest piece of sound, and morpheme is the smallest piece of meaning. I compared these because all of these small pieces are put together to make words, sentences, and meaning. The propositional code connects all of the information visually to form an image.
I also compared the deep structure of text to the deep levels of processing necessary for retention and retrieval. Because all of the text has a deeper meaning than just a string of words, we must really focus on it, and use a deeper level of processing for information that we have read. To me, the surface structure also relates to short term memory. Both serve a purpose, but their importance is not great enough to retain and retrieve.
When reading about the factors that affect comprehension, I was reminded of the Polyana principle where we remember things better in a positive situation. Chapter nine discussed the importance of positive text. It takes longer for people to process negative words. This section also described nesting, which is adding more information than is needed. When I read this, I was reminded about the stimulus overload and some of the blindness factors. We can become "blinded" because there is too much information in the text, which causes confusion.
2. What am I still not clear on?
I enjoyed this chapter much more than chapter 12, and I think that I understand most concepts presented. I think that I will be more cautious when sending letters and notes home to parents. I am quite sure that I have written using all four of the factors that affect comprehension negatively. After reading that section, I could think of several notes where I made some errors in my writing. To me, I was trying to write using a kind, and pleasant tone. In actuality, I might have been writing in a passive voice, which was difficult to understand.
3. Under what conditions will I apply this to my own teaching?
I definitely use both of the direct and indirect approaches to reading in my classroom. Many of my students do not know the basic alphabet code when they enter kindergarten. As the year progresses, we learn the code, as well as some of the "rule-breakers." These rule-breakers are letters and letter combinations that don't follow the basic code. It is during this time, that we also begin to take a look at using sight words, or the direct access approach. My students have to know that "one" can't be sounded out as it is written. I try to include various games and activities that incorporate a combination of the direct and indirect approaches. It is important to have a mixture.
While have a nice mix of both approaches is important, I also believe that I need to know which approach each student uses. Some children are phonics champions, and they can segment the sounds of any words. Some of my students simpy know the words without sounding them out. I have found that I should let my students work on whichever approach is more comfortable for them. It is also important that my students build their skills on the weaker approach. By doing this, they are able to have a balanced approach to literacy.
There are so many concepts that are extensions of what we have already learned. I first compared the various terms from psycholinguistics to the propositional code. Phoneme refers to the smallest piece of sound, and morpheme is the smallest piece of meaning. I compared these because all of these small pieces are put together to make words, sentences, and meaning. The propositional code connects all of the information visually to form an image.
I also compared the deep structure of text to the deep levels of processing necessary for retention and retrieval. Because all of the text has a deeper meaning than just a string of words, we must really focus on it, and use a deeper level of processing for information that we have read. To me, the surface structure also relates to short term memory. Both serve a purpose, but their importance is not great enough to retain and retrieve.
When reading about the factors that affect comprehension, I was reminded of the Polyana principle where we remember things better in a positive situation. Chapter nine discussed the importance of positive text. It takes longer for people to process negative words. This section also described nesting, which is adding more information than is needed. When I read this, I was reminded about the stimulus overload and some of the blindness factors. We can become "blinded" because there is too much information in the text, which causes confusion.
2. What am I still not clear on?
I enjoyed this chapter much more than chapter 12, and I think that I understand most concepts presented. I think that I will be more cautious when sending letters and notes home to parents. I am quite sure that I have written using all four of the factors that affect comprehension negatively. After reading that section, I could think of several notes where I made some errors in my writing. To me, I was trying to write using a kind, and pleasant tone. In actuality, I might have been writing in a passive voice, which was difficult to understand.
3. Under what conditions will I apply this to my own teaching?
I definitely use both of the direct and indirect approaches to reading in my classroom. Many of my students do not know the basic alphabet code when they enter kindergarten. As the year progresses, we learn the code, as well as some of the "rule-breakers." These rule-breakers are letters and letter combinations that don't follow the basic code. It is during this time, that we also begin to take a look at using sight words, or the direct access approach. My students have to know that "one" can't be sounded out as it is written. I try to include various games and activities that incorporate a combination of the direct and indirect approaches. It is important to have a mixture.
While have a nice mix of both approaches is important, I also believe that I need to know which approach each student uses. Some children are phonics champions, and they can segment the sounds of any words. Some of my students simpy know the words without sounding them out. I have found that I should let my students work on whichever approach is more comfortable for them. It is also important that my students build their skills on the weaker approach. By doing this, they are able to have a balanced approach to literacy.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Chapter 12
1. How does this fit in with what I already have learned?
The propositional calculus fits in quite well with what we have learned so far. To me, these "if...then..." statements require a specific way of imagining our thoughts. While so many of the heuristics are similar, I noticed that I could imagine some better than others. I found that I had an easier time affirming the antecedent than I did any other situation. I could visualize this situation more in my mind. I think that because this was my most natural way of thinking, I connected to the examples easier in the book. I often found that I had to re-read and really think about the other situations. This directly connects to the self-referencing effect and how we process things when deep connections are made. I also connected affirming the consequent to some of the errors we make. The eye witness error and some of the other unintentional errors came to mind. I recalled that we learned that often our thoughts could be remembered differently than the actual event. We also learned that we may change information when we retrieve it depending on the circumstances. As I read the affirming the consequent information, I began to think how accurate this situation could actually sound. Sometimes, I had to really think about the situation and visualize it before I could see the inaccuracy of it.
2. What am I still not clear on?
I had to reread several times the sections on the different heuristics. After reading several of these, they all began to run together. I think that my own "non-mathy" way of thinking caused some processing blocks with the information. Because I am more of a language person, I found that I could better understand these if I made notes about each one as I read it. I believe that after reading it, I began to understand it much better.
While I am clear on the framing effect and the importance of selective wording, I began to think how often I don't really use this to my advantage in my class. I think that there are many opportunities where I could use better wording and phrasing in my activities that would encourage more participation and motivation from my students.
3. There are several aspects of this chapter that I would apply to my own teaching.
I find that sometimes I am overconfident about what I can get done in my class. My lesson plan book is completely full of what I think I will get done in a small amount of time. I think that down deep, I know that there is no way that we can do it all. I need to maintain high expectations, but not to be overconfident about the amount of work my students can do.
As I mentioned before, I also think that I can apply some of the framing and wording effects in my teaching. I think that by using better wording my students will want to learn more. I will try to be more aware of how to do this in my room. I will keep reminding myself about all of the commercials that persuade me to buy things that I don't need. I am not saying that my students don't need what I am teaching them. Instead, I think that I could find better ways to get the same message to my students.
One final aspect of this chapter that I would like to work on in my class is that of affirming the consequent. My students don't always understand how this could be wrong. Today, for example, one of my students kept telling me that pigs give us mud. I think that she was affirming the consequent. I tend to believe that her thought processes went something like this...."Pigs are found in mud, therefore they give us mud." I don't know if I am correct or not about her thoughts, but she really had a hard time getting past this error. I would like to find a way to help my young students understand this type of error. I will have to do some thinking on how to do this.
The propositional calculus fits in quite well with what we have learned so far. To me, these "if...then..." statements require a specific way of imagining our thoughts. While so many of the heuristics are similar, I noticed that I could imagine some better than others. I found that I had an easier time affirming the antecedent than I did any other situation. I could visualize this situation more in my mind. I think that because this was my most natural way of thinking, I connected to the examples easier in the book. I often found that I had to re-read and really think about the other situations. This directly connects to the self-referencing effect and how we process things when deep connections are made. I also connected affirming the consequent to some of the errors we make. The eye witness error and some of the other unintentional errors came to mind. I recalled that we learned that often our thoughts could be remembered differently than the actual event. We also learned that we may change information when we retrieve it depending on the circumstances. As I read the affirming the consequent information, I began to think how accurate this situation could actually sound. Sometimes, I had to really think about the situation and visualize it before I could see the inaccuracy of it.
2. What am I still not clear on?
I had to reread several times the sections on the different heuristics. After reading several of these, they all began to run together. I think that my own "non-mathy" way of thinking caused some processing blocks with the information. Because I am more of a language person, I found that I could better understand these if I made notes about each one as I read it. I believe that after reading it, I began to understand it much better.
While I am clear on the framing effect and the importance of selective wording, I began to think how often I don't really use this to my advantage in my class. I think that there are many opportunities where I could use better wording and phrasing in my activities that would encourage more participation and motivation from my students.
3. There are several aspects of this chapter that I would apply to my own teaching.
I find that sometimes I am overconfident about what I can get done in my class. My lesson plan book is completely full of what I think I will get done in a small amount of time. I think that down deep, I know that there is no way that we can do it all. I need to maintain high expectations, but not to be overconfident about the amount of work my students can do.
As I mentioned before, I also think that I can apply some of the framing and wording effects in my teaching. I think that by using better wording my students will want to learn more. I will try to be more aware of how to do this in my room. I will keep reminding myself about all of the commercials that persuade me to buy things that I don't need. I am not saying that my students don't need what I am teaching them. Instead, I think that I could find better ways to get the same message to my students.
One final aspect of this chapter that I would like to work on in my class is that of affirming the consequent. My students don't always understand how this could be wrong. Today, for example, one of my students kept telling me that pigs give us mud. I think that she was affirming the consequent. I tend to believe that her thought processes went something like this...."Pigs are found in mud, therefore they give us mud." I don't know if I am correct or not about her thoughts, but she really had a hard time getting past this error. I would like to find a way to help my young students understand this type of error. I will have to do some thinking on how to do this.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Chapter 11
1. How does this information fit into what I have already learned?
I believe that problem solving and creativity are simply a continuance of the concepts that we have already learned from our text book. Problem solving is when we realize that we face a problem, but we are not immediately able to solve it. We have to focus our attention on the problem, which goes back to our previous readings and how we pay attention. For us to truly understand the problem, we have to be able to generate a picture of the problem. This can be done in a variety of manners, but it easily connects to the analog and propositional approaches. These mental images help us concentrate on the problem based on our thinking styles. Problems can be represented in several ways. The representation of the problems often depends on the approach that work best for us. As with earlier concepts from the book, we do experience conflicts in problem solving. A mental set is when we simply don't try new solutions when they would work. This connects directly to the top-down and bottom-up approaches. Sometimes, we get "stuck" using what has worked before, and we don't look at things from a different point of view.
This chapter also describes creativity. Creativity can be connected to problem solving because we are figuring out new ways to do something. When the book explained both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, I thought about multitasking and attention. Sometimes, extrinsic motivation seems to cause too much multitasking in my classroom. If a reward is offered, the students may not be able to focus on the task at hand because they are thinking about the prize. Creativity is often hindered when an extrinsic or outside motivator is involved. I began to think about the self-referencing factor. Previously, we found out that we learn best when information is processed deeply and connected to our own personal experiences. I feel that creativity is along the same lines. When intrinsic motivation is involved, we really want to succeed for ourselves, not for any other reason. Therefore, the task becomes more personal and important to us.
2. What am I still confused about?
I think that I understand the majority of the concepts in the chapter. As of right now, I am beginning to wonder how I can increase my students' problem solving abilities and their creativity. It is obvious that these are important, but I wonder if I am maximizing my students' potential in these areas. I know that my students are all incredibly different, and they need different problem solving representations. I am going to try to work on different activities in my room that will allow them to see these different representations while I also work on ways to promote intrinsic motivation.
3. Under what conditions would I implement this in my room?
I would of course try to implement these problem solving skills in my room under the academic conditions. Offering different representations for my students to work on problem solving would help them tremendously. Science and social studies activities would fall nicely in the problem solving categories because they are content-based, and I could encourage higher level thinking. I also think that conflict-resolution and character education would be excellent opportunities to encourage problem solving skills. March seems to be the month when everyone stops getting along and starts tattling. I need to explore some conditions in which I can model problem solving thinking to my students.
I also know that intrinsic motivation is really important, but I think that I have one of the best jobs for that. Kindergarten students really just want to learn. They want to read, and write, and be learners. As some of my students hit the traditional road-blocks, their motivation decreases. I will have to develop ways to keep building that motivation.
I believe that problem solving and creativity are simply a continuance of the concepts that we have already learned from our text book. Problem solving is when we realize that we face a problem, but we are not immediately able to solve it. We have to focus our attention on the problem, which goes back to our previous readings and how we pay attention. For us to truly understand the problem, we have to be able to generate a picture of the problem. This can be done in a variety of manners, but it easily connects to the analog and propositional approaches. These mental images help us concentrate on the problem based on our thinking styles. Problems can be represented in several ways. The representation of the problems often depends on the approach that work best for us. As with earlier concepts from the book, we do experience conflicts in problem solving. A mental set is when we simply don't try new solutions when they would work. This connects directly to the top-down and bottom-up approaches. Sometimes, we get "stuck" using what has worked before, and we don't look at things from a different point of view.
This chapter also describes creativity. Creativity can be connected to problem solving because we are figuring out new ways to do something. When the book explained both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, I thought about multitasking and attention. Sometimes, extrinsic motivation seems to cause too much multitasking in my classroom. If a reward is offered, the students may not be able to focus on the task at hand because they are thinking about the prize. Creativity is often hindered when an extrinsic or outside motivator is involved. I began to think about the self-referencing factor. Previously, we found out that we learn best when information is processed deeply and connected to our own personal experiences. I feel that creativity is along the same lines. When intrinsic motivation is involved, we really want to succeed for ourselves, not for any other reason. Therefore, the task becomes more personal and important to us.
2. What am I still confused about?
I think that I understand the majority of the concepts in the chapter. As of right now, I am beginning to wonder how I can increase my students' problem solving abilities and their creativity. It is obvious that these are important, but I wonder if I am maximizing my students' potential in these areas. I know that my students are all incredibly different, and they need different problem solving representations. I am going to try to work on different activities in my room that will allow them to see these different representations while I also work on ways to promote intrinsic motivation.
3. Under what conditions would I implement this in my room?
I would of course try to implement these problem solving skills in my room under the academic conditions. Offering different representations for my students to work on problem solving would help them tremendously. Science and social studies activities would fall nicely in the problem solving categories because they are content-based, and I could encourage higher level thinking. I also think that conflict-resolution and character education would be excellent opportunities to encourage problem solving skills. March seems to be the month when everyone stops getting along and starts tattling. I need to explore some conditions in which I can model problem solving thinking to my students.
I also know that intrinsic motivation is really important, but I think that I have one of the best jobs for that. Kindergarten students really just want to learn. They want to read, and write, and be learners. As some of my students hit the traditional road-blocks, their motivation decreases. I will have to develop ways to keep building that motivation.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Chapter 8
1. Summary: This chapter focused on general knowledge and structure of semantic memory. Semantic memory is our knowledge about the world around us. According to the text, this memory is needed to determine locations, read sentences, make decisions, and solve problems. There are four approaches to semantic memory. The first approach is the feature comparison model. This model organizes items in lists according to features. The prototype approach states that we organize concepts based on the most familiar and typical representative item in that category. For example we organize our thoughts of a bird by the most common and typical bird that we see, such as a robin. The third type of approach to semantic memory is the exemplar approach. This approach argues that we organize new material based on how closely it is related to all of our past experiences. For example, we may learn about another breed of dog by comparing it to all of our prior experiences with dogs. The final approach to semantic memory is the network approach. This approach explains that we learn items based on their interconnections in our memory. The network approach creates a web-like image of connectivity of the concepts that we know and that we learn.
The chapter also discusses schemas and scripts. According to the book, general knowledge about a person, situation, or experience is called a schema. The words schema and script are often used interchangeably, but the script is a slightly narrower term. The text also goes into detail about how we can either add not represented material or leave out material that is present in certain situations. Our minds have their own schemas and scripts about the world around us. When we are given a situation, our mind enhances or simplifies that situation based on our own schema.
2. How does this fit in with what we have learned in class? I believe that this fits in with almost every aspect that we have learned about. I especially noticed that the network theory and focused attention seemed to go together nicely. We know that focused attention, rather than divided attention produces better learning outcomes. According to the network theory, as many as ten nodes are firing at the same time based on one concept. Having learned that, it is no surprise that so many of us have a tough time focusing our attention because of the other thoughts that are coming to mind.
I also connected the readings in this chapter to the self-referencing effect. We know that material can be learned and retained when it has a deep, personal meaning. Using the exemplar approach, we process new information based on our own previous experiences that are somehow similar to the new information. These two concepts seemed to be quite interconnected. If we can refer to our own experiences to organize new material, we have a better chance to retain that material because we have associated it with our own memory.
3. I think that I am clear on most of this chapter. Having said that, I wonder if we have some sort of regulatory "switch" for our cognitive abilities that gets flipped. I wonder if perhaps our minds decide which semantic memory approach to use based either on the new information presented to us or based on what we will do with that new information. The analogy of standing at the checkout deciding which method to pay for our purchases made me think of all of the different semantic approaches that we learned in this chapter.
4. Apply to my own teaching: I think that I will be especially mindful of this chapter when I am working with my ADD and ADHD students. When thinking about the networking approach, I know that many thoughts are interconnected with one given concept. As these thoughts interconnect and "pop" into my students' minds, it is no wonder why some of those children have difficulty staying on task. They may start by focusing on the same concept, but within seconds, the students with ADD and ADHD may easily be ten or so topics off of where we started.
5. Proof offered: I am quite sure that the author offers valid and reliable proof based on the studies and research. Having said that, I also believe that as an educator, I can readily relate to many of the concepts presented in the chapter. For almost every concept taught in the chapter, I was able to connect an experience in my classroom to validate it. For example, I know that my students use the exemplar effect quite often when learning about new animals. Based on their experiences they categorize animals.
6. Importance: This chapter is important because it helps me understand that what I teach may not be nearly as important as what the student already knows. The student's prior knowledge, experience and thoughts are the building blocks for their new knowledge. This chapter is also important because it doesn't offer just one way for our students to learn. By describing the four semantic learning approaches, it reaffirms that we learn in different ways.
7. I would use this: I would directly apply the concepts of this chapter into my own metacognition of what my students are learning. I will be aware of the different approaches and my students' prior experiences when introducing a new concept. I will also be aware of my students with ADD and ADHD especially when I think of the networking approach. So many thoughts are presenting themselves, and I can easliy understand while some of my students can't stay focused. One other concept of the book that I will try to be more aware of is that of priming. The book stated that priming helps the students learn because their thoughts are already focusing on a specific topic.
8. Other ways to accomplish materials: I think that since so many of the concepts are relatively new in the psychology field, research should be continued to prove the theories provided. I am not sure of any to do this cheaper or faster. I do know that the validity and reliability of the material in this chapter can easily be seen in almost any lesson and in any classroom.
The chapter also discusses schemas and scripts. According to the book, general knowledge about a person, situation, or experience is called a schema. The words schema and script are often used interchangeably, but the script is a slightly narrower term. The text also goes into detail about how we can either add not represented material or leave out material that is present in certain situations. Our minds have their own schemas and scripts about the world around us. When we are given a situation, our mind enhances or simplifies that situation based on our own schema.
2. How does this fit in with what we have learned in class? I believe that this fits in with almost every aspect that we have learned about. I especially noticed that the network theory and focused attention seemed to go together nicely. We know that focused attention, rather than divided attention produces better learning outcomes. According to the network theory, as many as ten nodes are firing at the same time based on one concept. Having learned that, it is no surprise that so many of us have a tough time focusing our attention because of the other thoughts that are coming to mind.
I also connected the readings in this chapter to the self-referencing effect. We know that material can be learned and retained when it has a deep, personal meaning. Using the exemplar approach, we process new information based on our own previous experiences that are somehow similar to the new information. These two concepts seemed to be quite interconnected. If we can refer to our own experiences to organize new material, we have a better chance to retain that material because we have associated it with our own memory.
3. I think that I am clear on most of this chapter. Having said that, I wonder if we have some sort of regulatory "switch" for our cognitive abilities that gets flipped. I wonder if perhaps our minds decide which semantic memory approach to use based either on the new information presented to us or based on what we will do with that new information. The analogy of standing at the checkout deciding which method to pay for our purchases made me think of all of the different semantic approaches that we learned in this chapter.
4. Apply to my own teaching: I think that I will be especially mindful of this chapter when I am working with my ADD and ADHD students. When thinking about the networking approach, I know that many thoughts are interconnected with one given concept. As these thoughts interconnect and "pop" into my students' minds, it is no wonder why some of those children have difficulty staying on task. They may start by focusing on the same concept, but within seconds, the students with ADD and ADHD may easily be ten or so topics off of where we started.
5. Proof offered: I am quite sure that the author offers valid and reliable proof based on the studies and research. Having said that, I also believe that as an educator, I can readily relate to many of the concepts presented in the chapter. For almost every concept taught in the chapter, I was able to connect an experience in my classroom to validate it. For example, I know that my students use the exemplar effect quite often when learning about new animals. Based on their experiences they categorize animals.
6. Importance: This chapter is important because it helps me understand that what I teach may not be nearly as important as what the student already knows. The student's prior knowledge, experience and thoughts are the building blocks for their new knowledge. This chapter is also important because it doesn't offer just one way for our students to learn. By describing the four semantic learning approaches, it reaffirms that we learn in different ways.
7. I would use this: I would directly apply the concepts of this chapter into my own metacognition of what my students are learning. I will be aware of the different approaches and my students' prior experiences when introducing a new concept. I will also be aware of my students with ADD and ADHD especially when I think of the networking approach. So many thoughts are presenting themselves, and I can easliy understand while some of my students can't stay focused. One other concept of the book that I will try to be more aware of is that of priming. The book stated that priming helps the students learn because their thoughts are already focusing on a specific topic.
8. Other ways to accomplish materials: I think that since so many of the concepts are relatively new in the psychology field, research should be continued to prove the theories provided. I am not sure of any to do this cheaper or faster. I do know that the validity and reliability of the material in this chapter can easily be seen in almost any lesson and in any classroom.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Chapter 7
1. I really enjoyed this chapter. It focused on mental imagery and cognitive maps. According to the book, imagery is the mental representation of stimuli when those stimuli are not physically present. The author describes the on-going controversy of the analog code versus the propositional code. The analog code is used to put pictures in mental form, while the propositional code is used by adding language to the mental image. It has long been argued that each code is used to create imagery. The text also describes in detail the use of rotation in imagery. Mental rotation is when an object is imagined being moved or rotated to become similar to another object. Imagery and distance was another important concept. When items are relatively close on the "mental map" to each other, they can easily be imagined. Respectively, the farther away items are, the more difficult it is to create an image of the objects.
Imagery interference can occur when one is simple not able to think of an object because another object presents itself either mentally or physically. Ambiguous images can easily be reversed when the image is present, but when the image is absent, it is more difficult to reverse the image. The classic example of the duck/rabbit is used to explain this concept.
In the subject of neuroscience, it should be noted that mental imagery is a top-down process. Visual perception comes from the information that the eye receives. While these are different, it has been observed that some of the same regions of the brain are activated with both types of perception or imagery. However, this does not ring true when comparing physical movement or motor imagery. Regions of the brain were not active when only watching an item being rotated.
The text states that a cognitive map is the mental representation of the environment around us. These areas are too large to be seen in one glance, so our brain creates a map of the area. Within this section of the book, the landmark effect was described. This is where one would provide shorter arrival estimates when traveling to a landmark than when not meeting a landmark on the course. In discussing cognitive maps, cities, shapes, and landmarks can cause errors in our imagery. We also have a tendency to remember maps with less curves and being more horizontal or vertical than in reality.
2. This chapter connects to almost everything that we have learned in previous chapters. The episodic buffer takes in material and determines what should be placed in long-term memory. When creating an image, one must draw on the prior knowledge and experiences. This also connects to the concepts of attention and multitasking. It is very tough to generate an image when other stimuli are present that interfere with the imagery. I also believe that some of the eyewitness testimony and false memories could be connected with the readings in this chapter. The cognitive mapping is a great connection with this because some of the imagery can be faulty based on shapes, angles, cities, and landmarks. We can be overconfident in our images, similarly to the concepts from chapter six.
3. I am still slightly confused on the meta-analysis scale on page 218 of the book. I understand the concepts of studying gender differences, but I am simply not an expert on the statistical methodology used.
4. I believe that this applies to my own teaching because my students often struggle with imagery interference. This interference is unintentional, but it occurs, especially during center time. My students try to generate an image of a something, but they are surrounded by several interruptions. These interruptions cause them to not be able to focus on their imagery.
5. The author offers a great deal of proof throughout the entire chapter. I especially appreciate the various examples and tests that the author provided for me to do. As I mentioned before, I would much rather see and do the exercise for myself. Reading a statistical chart doesn't really mean that I will believe it. I also believe that the material is reliable because it can easily be adapted to any grade level or situation.
6. This chapter really helped explain my own personal experiences with mapping and directions. I was really interested in the cognitive mapping aspect of the book. My husband is a farmer; we have completely different cognitive maps concerning the various fields that he farms. I believe that the landmark effect is really connected to our different maps. He will describe farming landmarks that mean nothing to me when giving me directions. He also tells me that a specific field is "just up the road from a certain barn or shed." To me, the field more than just up the road. It might be several miles away. I was really enlightened by the cognitive mapping description.
7. I will use this in my class on several occasions. One that comes to mind is when I have my kindergarten students draw a map of the school for the up-coming class. I will be sure to explain that these students have never been in the school before, and don't know anything about it. I will also be sure to monitor the landmark effect. For example, we have two water fountains in my hall. My room is not close to them, but the kids always draw them right next to my room. I will also use this information when I have center time. My class can be doing a myriad of activities, and I believe that interference of the images created by the students poses a problem. I will try to be more aware of interrupting situations. For example, in the writing center, I will try to pull the students to work with them individually as to not interfere with the others' mental images.
8. After reading each chapter, I became more amazed at the capabilities of the brain. I also am amazed at the amount of studies that have been done to prove the concepts of the book. As for finding this out in a cheaper, less expensive way, I believe that my being more aware of the cognitive processes would have been more beneficial to me. There are so many events in my everyday life that help to validate the information in the book. I don't think that I would have been aware of how these events relate to the human brain without this book. I do think that I need to step back from my teaching and observe what is going on around me to really notice all of these concepts. Perhaps, I would have noticed these sooner if I had done so.
Imagery interference can occur when one is simple not able to think of an object because another object presents itself either mentally or physically. Ambiguous images can easily be reversed when the image is present, but when the image is absent, it is more difficult to reverse the image. The classic example of the duck/rabbit is used to explain this concept.
In the subject of neuroscience, it should be noted that mental imagery is a top-down process. Visual perception comes from the information that the eye receives. While these are different, it has been observed that some of the same regions of the brain are activated with both types of perception or imagery. However, this does not ring true when comparing physical movement or motor imagery. Regions of the brain were not active when only watching an item being rotated.
The text states that a cognitive map is the mental representation of the environment around us. These areas are too large to be seen in one glance, so our brain creates a map of the area. Within this section of the book, the landmark effect was described. This is where one would provide shorter arrival estimates when traveling to a landmark than when not meeting a landmark on the course. In discussing cognitive maps, cities, shapes, and landmarks can cause errors in our imagery. We also have a tendency to remember maps with less curves and being more horizontal or vertical than in reality.
2. This chapter connects to almost everything that we have learned in previous chapters. The episodic buffer takes in material and determines what should be placed in long-term memory. When creating an image, one must draw on the prior knowledge and experiences. This also connects to the concepts of attention and multitasking. It is very tough to generate an image when other stimuli are present that interfere with the imagery. I also believe that some of the eyewitness testimony and false memories could be connected with the readings in this chapter. The cognitive mapping is a great connection with this because some of the imagery can be faulty based on shapes, angles, cities, and landmarks. We can be overconfident in our images, similarly to the concepts from chapter six.
3. I am still slightly confused on the meta-analysis scale on page 218 of the book. I understand the concepts of studying gender differences, but I am simply not an expert on the statistical methodology used.
4. I believe that this applies to my own teaching because my students often struggle with imagery interference. This interference is unintentional, but it occurs, especially during center time. My students try to generate an image of a something, but they are surrounded by several interruptions. These interruptions cause them to not be able to focus on their imagery.
5. The author offers a great deal of proof throughout the entire chapter. I especially appreciate the various examples and tests that the author provided for me to do. As I mentioned before, I would much rather see and do the exercise for myself. Reading a statistical chart doesn't really mean that I will believe it. I also believe that the material is reliable because it can easily be adapted to any grade level or situation.
6. This chapter really helped explain my own personal experiences with mapping and directions. I was really interested in the cognitive mapping aspect of the book. My husband is a farmer; we have completely different cognitive maps concerning the various fields that he farms. I believe that the landmark effect is really connected to our different maps. He will describe farming landmarks that mean nothing to me when giving me directions. He also tells me that a specific field is "just up the road from a certain barn or shed." To me, the field more than just up the road. It might be several miles away. I was really enlightened by the cognitive mapping description.
7. I will use this in my class on several occasions. One that comes to mind is when I have my kindergarten students draw a map of the school for the up-coming class. I will be sure to explain that these students have never been in the school before, and don't know anything about it. I will also be sure to monitor the landmark effect. For example, we have two water fountains in my hall. My room is not close to them, but the kids always draw them right next to my room. I will also use this information when I have center time. My class can be doing a myriad of activities, and I believe that interference of the images created by the students poses a problem. I will try to be more aware of interrupting situations. For example, in the writing center, I will try to pull the students to work with them individually as to not interfere with the others' mental images.
8. After reading each chapter, I became more amazed at the capabilities of the brain. I also am amazed at the amount of studies that have been done to prove the concepts of the book. As for finding this out in a cheaper, less expensive way, I believe that my being more aware of the cognitive processes would have been more beneficial to me. There are so many events in my everyday life that help to validate the information in the book. I don't think that I would have been aware of how these events relate to the human brain without this book. I do think that I need to step back from my teaching and observe what is going on around me to really notice all of these concepts. Perhaps, I would have noticed these sooner if I had done so.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Chapter 6 & 13
1. Chapter six was about memory strategies and metacognition. Memory strategies are those that can be practiced to enhance memory and information retrieval. The book also warns that divided attention should be cautioned. If one is trying to purposely remember material, attention should be focused. Overconfidence was an issue in the chapter as well. Too often, individuals believe that their memories are accurate, but in truth, they are not. The total-time-hypothesis connects the amount of time actively learning the material to the success rate of retrieval. If a person spends a greater amount of time deeply processing the material to be learned, it is more likely that he or she will be able to retrieve that information at a later time. Several components of the distributed-practice effect were discussed in the chapter as well. The spacing effect states that material can be retained easier if it is learned over a period of time. Massed learning suggests that material is less likely to be retained if learned all at once. The testing effect states that taking a test is a great way to remember material.
Throughout chapter six, various strategies to improve memories. Mnemonics are strategies designed to improve memory through the completion of activities that relate the the material to be learned. Mnemonics suggests the use of imagery to promote material recall. Visual imagery is a very successful memory strategy. The keyword method can be used to connect synonyms or similar words in other languages. This requires one to create a visual image of both the new word and the familiar one. The method of loci is another imagery strategy that connects the new material with a specific location of familar objects in a sequence. Another strategy is chunking; this is combining units into larger groups. The hierachy technique is an imagery technique where items are grouped in hierachial orders. The first-letter technique is where the material to be learned is put in a sentence or phrase by using each beginning letter of the new information. The narrative technique requires the person to generage a story to link a series of words together.
In order to be truly successful in increasing memory, the multimodal approach is suggested. In order to improve both prospective memory and retrospective memory, one should become aware of their own thoughts about memory. Metacognition is the awareness of one's own thoughts on learning and understanding. Chapter 13 goes into great detail about children's lack of natural ability to perform metacognitive tasks. These tasks must be taught to the students in order for them to comprehend the importance of memory and retention.
2. I think that chapter six continues to build on what we have learned from the other chapters. I really appreciated the text's connection between attention, levels of processing, and the self-referencing effect. I believe that knowledge of all of these are crucial in order to understand how memory works, and how metacognition comes into play. By using deeper levels of process and focused attention, memory is enhanced. It is even more enhanced when the material can be connected to oneself as the self-referencing effect states.
3. While I think that I understand most of what these chapters hold, I am confused why any teachers would not want to teach metacognition strategies to their students. The book states that this is not a natural process for the students, and they must be taught how to do this. It seems so crucial to me to incorporate this into my lessons to improve my students' memory.
4. I think that mnemonics section of the book applies itself quite well to my class. There is so much that needs to be taught and remembered each year in a child's schooling. I feel that it is important to give helpful clues on how to remember that material. The first-letter technique is one that I could use now that my students know all of the letters and their corresponding sounds. I also believe that imagery is an excellent way to help the students remember material. It is crucial for them to visualize their learning, make it personal to them, and find a way to connect it to something they know about.
5. The author offers a great deal of proof for the material that is provided. I really didn't know that there were so many different categories of mnemonic devices. The author provided clinical and real-world examples of these techniques. By using both, I found the findings to be valid and applicable to my teaching. I also feel that the information is reliable because it is constantly being connected to previous chapters.
6. The material in these chapters is crucial to my role as a teacher. I not only have to present the information in an engaging method, but I also have to help my students use various strategies in order to remember that information. Understanding the information is the big picture of what I am teaching, but I have to be able to help my students find a way to really understand it and retain it.
7. I would use my knowledge from these readings on a daily basis, especially to encourage metacognition. The author suggests that children do not have the ability to do this on their own. It is my duty to make sure that the children are aware of their own learning. I find this especially useful in my teaching of guided reading. I am guiding the students to become independent readers and thinkers, but I must walk them through all aspects of the reading process for their success. This includes metacognition.
8. I appreciate all of the studies and activities that are involved in these chapters to clarify the content. I believe that by being a teacher of five year olds, much of the metacognition seemed to be common sense. For me, to make this clearer in a less-expensive way would be to show a glimpse of an early-childhood classroom and all that is going on inside. I believe that as an educator, I would have seen all of the material that is to be covered, and the methods that are described in this chapter. Following this glimpse, Iwould have gone into detail about the content of the chapters.
Throughout chapter six, various strategies to improve memories. Mnemonics are strategies designed to improve memory through the completion of activities that relate the the material to be learned. Mnemonics suggests the use of imagery to promote material recall. Visual imagery is a very successful memory strategy. The keyword method can be used to connect synonyms or similar words in other languages. This requires one to create a visual image of both the new word and the familiar one. The method of loci is another imagery strategy that connects the new material with a specific location of familar objects in a sequence. Another strategy is chunking; this is combining units into larger groups. The hierachy technique is an imagery technique where items are grouped in hierachial orders. The first-letter technique is where the material to be learned is put in a sentence or phrase by using each beginning letter of the new information. The narrative technique requires the person to generage a story to link a series of words together.
In order to be truly successful in increasing memory, the multimodal approach is suggested. In order to improve both prospective memory and retrospective memory, one should become aware of their own thoughts about memory. Metacognition is the awareness of one's own thoughts on learning and understanding. Chapter 13 goes into great detail about children's lack of natural ability to perform metacognitive tasks. These tasks must be taught to the students in order for them to comprehend the importance of memory and retention.
2. I think that chapter six continues to build on what we have learned from the other chapters. I really appreciated the text's connection between attention, levels of processing, and the self-referencing effect. I believe that knowledge of all of these are crucial in order to understand how memory works, and how metacognition comes into play. By using deeper levels of process and focused attention, memory is enhanced. It is even more enhanced when the material can be connected to oneself as the self-referencing effect states.
3. While I think that I understand most of what these chapters hold, I am confused why any teachers would not want to teach metacognition strategies to their students. The book states that this is not a natural process for the students, and they must be taught how to do this. It seems so crucial to me to incorporate this into my lessons to improve my students' memory.
4. I think that mnemonics section of the book applies itself quite well to my class. There is so much that needs to be taught and remembered each year in a child's schooling. I feel that it is important to give helpful clues on how to remember that material. The first-letter technique is one that I could use now that my students know all of the letters and their corresponding sounds. I also believe that imagery is an excellent way to help the students remember material. It is crucial for them to visualize their learning, make it personal to them, and find a way to connect it to something they know about.
5. The author offers a great deal of proof for the material that is provided. I really didn't know that there were so many different categories of mnemonic devices. The author provided clinical and real-world examples of these techniques. By using both, I found the findings to be valid and applicable to my teaching. I also feel that the information is reliable because it is constantly being connected to previous chapters.
6. The material in these chapters is crucial to my role as a teacher. I not only have to present the information in an engaging method, but I also have to help my students use various strategies in order to remember that information. Understanding the information is the big picture of what I am teaching, but I have to be able to help my students find a way to really understand it and retain it.
7. I would use my knowledge from these readings on a daily basis, especially to encourage metacognition. The author suggests that children do not have the ability to do this on their own. It is my duty to make sure that the children are aware of their own learning. I find this especially useful in my teaching of guided reading. I am guiding the students to become independent readers and thinkers, but I must walk them through all aspects of the reading process for their success. This includes metacognition.
8. I appreciate all of the studies and activities that are involved in these chapters to clarify the content. I believe that by being a teacher of five year olds, much of the metacognition seemed to be common sense. For me, to make this clearer in a less-expensive way would be to show a glimpse of an early-childhood classroom and all that is going on inside. I believe that as an educator, I would have seen all of the material that is to be covered, and the methods that are described in this chapter. Following this glimpse, Iwould have gone into detail about the content of the chapters.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Chapter 5
1. This was a very interesting chapter that focused on long-term memory. Long-term memory is defined as having a large capacity to contain memories for our experiences and information that have accumulate over a lifetime. Long-term memory has been divided into four categories: Episodic memory which focuses on events that have happened; semantic memory describes knowledge about the world; procedural memory is memory for how to do something, and autobiographical memory refers to events and topics related to oneself. With the long-term memory, there are several levels of processing. Shallow processing does not require one to make a personal connection or gather deep semantic meaning from the task. Deep processing is just the opposite; it requires deep, semantic meaning or the self referencing effect.
The text also goes into detail about the the context in which material is learned and retrieved. Studies have shown that material transfers and is retrieved better in similar-feeling situations. If the retrieval conditions match the encoding conditions, material is more likely to be retrieved.
Emotions and mood are other important concepts connected to long-term memory. The Pollyanna Principle suggests that we remember more positive events than negative ones. Mood congruence suggests that people tend to remember things based on their current mood. For example, remembering an unpleasant event might not be recalled as negative as it really was if the person is currently in a positive mood. This section of the chapter emphasized that negative memories fade much faster than positive ones. Older people tend to remember things more positively than they actually were.
Memory retrieval is a crucial aspect in long-term memory. Explicit memory tasks inform the participants of material that is to be remembered, while implicit memory tasks present the material, but do not inform the participants that this material is to be remembered.
The chapter went into great detail about individuals with amnesia and how their memory is effected. This part of the chapter paralleled with the expertise section. They seem to be opposite discussions. It was interesting the amount of time and concentration it takes to become an expert. For example, to be a chess master, one would have to dedicate between 50,000 and 100, 000 hours of practice.
The final aspect of the chapter was Autobiographical memory. This section focused on how our memories may or may not be accurate and the errors made in remembering. In this section as well, flashbulb memories were mentioned. These are pictures of one's entire surroundings when a specific event occurs.
2. I believe that this chapter directly coincides with chapter four on working memory. While both are very different, one builds upon the other. Long-term memory can't happen unless working memory is effective. I also found that the long-term memory ties nicely in with attention and blindness. If were are focusing on one thing consciously, it is more like an explicit memory task. If we are simply presented with material, not necessarily focusing on it, it is more like implicit memory task. I believe that this could be easily connected with selective attention and blindness.
3. I think that I am clear on everything, but I began to think about the Pollyanna principal and mood congruence. As I recall my grandmother telling stories of the Depression, they seemed pretty unpleasant. Reading this chapter informed me that older people tend to recall events more pleasantly than they really happened. I wondered if I had ever really known the full story as it happened. I then began to think about some of the history books and interviews of older people who had a troubling past. I wondered if we will ever really know some of the struggles previous generations went through.
4. I believe that I will try to apply the self-referencing effect to my own teaching. It was noted that people process and retrieve much more when they can apply information directly to their own lives. I will try to make more connections between my curriculum and my students' experiences.
5. The author provides a great deal of proof to make the points in the chapter valid. I especially appreciate the real-life scenarios such as the woman lost on the road who provides the phone number of her mother rather than her own. These are situations that could and do happen in our daily lives, and the author's connection between these and the presented concept seem to reaffirm the validity of the research. I also appreciate the research, but I am more interested in real-life scenarios.
6. The concepts in this chapter were important because as teachers, we are trying to teach material that will be stored in the students' long-term memories. I believe many of the concepts presented in the book directly related to my teaching. The Pollyanna Principle states that we remember positive experiences better than negative memories. It is important for teachers to present material in pleasant conditions and using pleasant activities for the students to remember them better.
7. I would actually use this chapter's information on my kindergarten students by presenting positive experiences that connect directly to the students using the self-referencing effect. I also use both explicit and implicit memory tasks in my room all of the time. For some things, I tell the students that they need to know certain material. For other concepts, I let the students explore the material, create projects, and manipulate the content to fit their own needs, being more implicit in nature.
8. I don't know having items in long-term memory could be done any more efficiently than it already is. The brain is amazing, and I believe that almost all cognitive processes are integrated (theme 4). I believe that many things must happen in order for material to be stored in long-term memory. Without all of these components, in place the episodic buffer may not allow the material to be stored or retrieved. When I think all of the concepts from this chapter happening in a natural way, I am truly amazed.
The text also goes into detail about the the context in which material is learned and retrieved. Studies have shown that material transfers and is retrieved better in similar-feeling situations. If the retrieval conditions match the encoding conditions, material is more likely to be retrieved.
Emotions and mood are other important concepts connected to long-term memory. The Pollyanna Principle suggests that we remember more positive events than negative ones. Mood congruence suggests that people tend to remember things based on their current mood. For example, remembering an unpleasant event might not be recalled as negative as it really was if the person is currently in a positive mood. This section of the chapter emphasized that negative memories fade much faster than positive ones. Older people tend to remember things more positively than they actually were.
Memory retrieval is a crucial aspect in long-term memory. Explicit memory tasks inform the participants of material that is to be remembered, while implicit memory tasks present the material, but do not inform the participants that this material is to be remembered.
The chapter went into great detail about individuals with amnesia and how their memory is effected. This part of the chapter paralleled with the expertise section. They seem to be opposite discussions. It was interesting the amount of time and concentration it takes to become an expert. For example, to be a chess master, one would have to dedicate between 50,000 and 100, 000 hours of practice.
The final aspect of the chapter was Autobiographical memory. This section focused on how our memories may or may not be accurate and the errors made in remembering. In this section as well, flashbulb memories were mentioned. These are pictures of one's entire surroundings when a specific event occurs.
2. I believe that this chapter directly coincides with chapter four on working memory. While both are very different, one builds upon the other. Long-term memory can't happen unless working memory is effective. I also found that the long-term memory ties nicely in with attention and blindness. If were are focusing on one thing consciously, it is more like an explicit memory task. If we are simply presented with material, not necessarily focusing on it, it is more like implicit memory task. I believe that this could be easily connected with selective attention and blindness.
3. I think that I am clear on everything, but I began to think about the Pollyanna principal and mood congruence. As I recall my grandmother telling stories of the Depression, they seemed pretty unpleasant. Reading this chapter informed me that older people tend to recall events more pleasantly than they really happened. I wondered if I had ever really known the full story as it happened. I then began to think about some of the history books and interviews of older people who had a troubling past. I wondered if we will ever really know some of the struggles previous generations went through.
4. I believe that I will try to apply the self-referencing effect to my own teaching. It was noted that people process and retrieve much more when they can apply information directly to their own lives. I will try to make more connections between my curriculum and my students' experiences.
5. The author provides a great deal of proof to make the points in the chapter valid. I especially appreciate the real-life scenarios such as the woman lost on the road who provides the phone number of her mother rather than her own. These are situations that could and do happen in our daily lives, and the author's connection between these and the presented concept seem to reaffirm the validity of the research. I also appreciate the research, but I am more interested in real-life scenarios.
6. The concepts in this chapter were important because as teachers, we are trying to teach material that will be stored in the students' long-term memories. I believe many of the concepts presented in the book directly related to my teaching. The Pollyanna Principle states that we remember positive experiences better than negative memories. It is important for teachers to present material in pleasant conditions and using pleasant activities for the students to remember them better.
7. I would actually use this chapter's information on my kindergarten students by presenting positive experiences that connect directly to the students using the self-referencing effect. I also use both explicit and implicit memory tasks in my room all of the time. For some things, I tell the students that they need to know certain material. For other concepts, I let the students explore the material, create projects, and manipulate the content to fit their own needs, being more implicit in nature.
8. I don't know having items in long-term memory could be done any more efficiently than it already is. The brain is amazing, and I believe that almost all cognitive processes are integrated (theme 4). I believe that many things must happen in order for material to be stored in long-term memory. Without all of these components, in place the episodic buffer may not allow the material to be stored or retrieved. When I think all of the concepts from this chapter happening in a natural way, I am truly amazed.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Chapter 4
1. Chapter 4 describes in detail working memory. This was once called short-term memory, but the term "working memory" has gained acceptance and popularity. Working memory is brief memory for processing the current material . A great deal of research has gone into the study working memory. George Miller suggested that people can remember between five and nine items or chunks of items at a time. This seems to hold true when thinking of phone numbers and social security numbers. The chapter also describes several studies how the working memory can be tested in response to recalling various items. During one of these studies, the serial position effect is introduced. This effect suggests that items at the beginning and end will be remember more than items in the middle. This is also known as the primacy and recency effect. Pronunciation speed can also have effects on memory. Proactive interference was discussed in great detail in this chapter. This is when new material cannot be learned because old information keeps getting in the way.
As the chapter progressed, four working memory components were described. The first component is the phonological loop. This is the part of the memory that allows one to hear or notice various words and phonemens. As these sounds are processed, the phonological loop becomes the inner voice which leads to understand. For example, I could almost hear my own voice reading the chapter as I read it silently. The phonological loop is used in almost all communication and curricular areas. A second component is visuospatial sketchpad. This component of the working memory allows one to process or imagine a scene based on incoming information. The book tells of the visuospatial sketchpad being used when listening to a game. The listener can picture the events of the game as they take place. The third component of the working memory is the central executive. This is the "boss" of working memory. The central executive does not store any memory, but rather it provides instructions as to what to do with the memory. The fourth component of working memory is the episodic buffer. The book defines this as a storehouse for all of the information that is coming in. The episodic buffer helps to decide what information should be kept or lost.
The chapter concluded with discussing how depressed individuals have a more difficult time using their working memory.
2. I connected the components of the working memory to what I have read in previous chapters about consciousness and attention. While the components of the working memory may be able to function independently, they are not independent areas of memory. They seem to overlap and flow together to integrate the memories. This was seen in previous readings because attention and consciousness could be defined as individual items, they happened concurrently to other aspects of cognition. When reading about proactive interferrence, I began to think of the blindness factors that were introduced previously. As I did this, I wondered if the interference was producing a blindness to the new learning.
3. I think that I have a grasp on all of the concepts presented in this chapter, but I find myself questioning the central executive component of working memory. I understand that this is a very hard area of memory to study. I also understand that this is the "command center" for the memory. No information is stored here, but rather the central executive decides what to do with that information. As I thought about this, I wonder how much control do I have over my own central executive and how can I use what I know about this to better my teaching?
4. In applying these readings to my own teaching, I am beginning to see the documented importance on phonemic awareness, reading, and the phonological loop. Recently my students were tested using the AIMSweb on several categories. One category of the test was phoneme segmentation fluency. The students were given three separate phonemes and then asked to blend them into a word. Four of my students fell below the normal range, which concerned me a great deal. These students know their letters and sounds, but they are not able to blend sounds together. As the year progresses, I hope to work with those students to improve their fluency on this aspect. Could it be that thier phonological loop is not processing what is needed for them to be phonologically aware and at grade level?
5.While I believe the material presented because of all of the studies that back up the readings. I know from experience that proactive interference can and does occur. I have seen it in my own children and my students. The author mentions frequently that a clinical experiment usually provides results that would differ from real-life situations. If I had not seen the proactive interference for myself, I would not have been able to imagine a case study about this issue. In the book, the participants are asked to recall lists of letters that sound the same. For me, this has no connection to reality, and therefore little importance. However, I was easily able to relate to this study after one of my own students couldn't count phonemes in a word because she was stuck on counting syllables. It is usually my prior experience or knowledge that allows me to better understand the research that was done. For the purpose of quatitative studies, clinical research is necessary. When the same problem happened in my classroom, I had to take measures to help my student's qualtity of education.
6. This chapter was important for me to make mental notes about my own working memory as well as that of my students'. Reading the book, I kept shifting my attention to my students with ADHD. These students simply can't perform the tasks presented to them because they are not able to focus on a task long enough to get it done. One student constantly chatters, counts, points, touches, and verbally observes. This chapter was important because now I know that his phonological loop is preoccupied doing what he normally does. He is not able to get his work done because he can't perform the his task and my task at the same time. I need to be aware of these situations, and I need to use alternative strategies in order to provide him the best education possible.
7.I would use the information presented in this chapter when teaching a new concept. I would keep in mind the prior knowledge and experiences that my students have and work with them to try to prohibit proactive interferrence. I would also try to develop strategies for bringing kids out of that "block" in order for them to learn the new information.
8. As mentioned before, I don't think that the experiments could be done cheaper, but connecting them to real world examples would help a great deal for me to understand them faster. I was able to better understand the concepts when comparing the clinical examples to real things that I have seen it done my room. I need real world examples where meaning is evident for me to gather information. I struggle with focusing on some of the random letters and numbers that clinical studies provide. For me to understand the processes of the working memory, I must see applicable situations where working memory is needed. I really appreciate the author's use of the boxes for me to complete as precursors to the activity. I suppose primacy effect goes into play for me as well.
As the chapter progressed, four working memory components were described. The first component is the phonological loop. This is the part of the memory that allows one to hear or notice various words and phonemens. As these sounds are processed, the phonological loop becomes the inner voice which leads to understand. For example, I could almost hear my own voice reading the chapter as I read it silently. The phonological loop is used in almost all communication and curricular areas. A second component is visuospatial sketchpad. This component of the working memory allows one to process or imagine a scene based on incoming information. The book tells of the visuospatial sketchpad being used when listening to a game. The listener can picture the events of the game as they take place. The third component of the working memory is the central executive. This is the "boss" of working memory. The central executive does not store any memory, but rather it provides instructions as to what to do with the memory. The fourth component of working memory is the episodic buffer. The book defines this as a storehouse for all of the information that is coming in. The episodic buffer helps to decide what information should be kept or lost.
The chapter concluded with discussing how depressed individuals have a more difficult time using their working memory.
2. I connected the components of the working memory to what I have read in previous chapters about consciousness and attention. While the components of the working memory may be able to function independently, they are not independent areas of memory. They seem to overlap and flow together to integrate the memories. This was seen in previous readings because attention and consciousness could be defined as individual items, they happened concurrently to other aspects of cognition. When reading about proactive interferrence, I began to think of the blindness factors that were introduced previously. As I did this, I wondered if the interference was producing a blindness to the new learning.
3. I think that I have a grasp on all of the concepts presented in this chapter, but I find myself questioning the central executive component of working memory. I understand that this is a very hard area of memory to study. I also understand that this is the "command center" for the memory. No information is stored here, but rather the central executive decides what to do with that information. As I thought about this, I wonder how much control do I have over my own central executive and how can I use what I know about this to better my teaching?
4. In applying these readings to my own teaching, I am beginning to see the documented importance on phonemic awareness, reading, and the phonological loop. Recently my students were tested using the AIMSweb on several categories. One category of the test was phoneme segmentation fluency. The students were given three separate phonemes and then asked to blend them into a word. Four of my students fell below the normal range, which concerned me a great deal. These students know their letters and sounds, but they are not able to blend sounds together. As the year progresses, I hope to work with those students to improve their fluency on this aspect. Could it be that thier phonological loop is not processing what is needed for them to be phonologically aware and at grade level?
5.While I believe the material presented because of all of the studies that back up the readings. I know from experience that proactive interference can and does occur. I have seen it in my own children and my students. The author mentions frequently that a clinical experiment usually provides results that would differ from real-life situations. If I had not seen the proactive interference for myself, I would not have been able to imagine a case study about this issue. In the book, the participants are asked to recall lists of letters that sound the same. For me, this has no connection to reality, and therefore little importance. However, I was easily able to relate to this study after one of my own students couldn't count phonemes in a word because she was stuck on counting syllables. It is usually my prior experience or knowledge that allows me to better understand the research that was done. For the purpose of quatitative studies, clinical research is necessary. When the same problem happened in my classroom, I had to take measures to help my student's qualtity of education.
6. This chapter was important for me to make mental notes about my own working memory as well as that of my students'. Reading the book, I kept shifting my attention to my students with ADHD. These students simply can't perform the tasks presented to them because they are not able to focus on a task long enough to get it done. One student constantly chatters, counts, points, touches, and verbally observes. This chapter was important because now I know that his phonological loop is preoccupied doing what he normally does. He is not able to get his work done because he can't perform the his task and my task at the same time. I need to be aware of these situations, and I need to use alternative strategies in order to provide him the best education possible.
7.I would use the information presented in this chapter when teaching a new concept. I would keep in mind the prior knowledge and experiences that my students have and work with them to try to prohibit proactive interferrence. I would also try to develop strategies for bringing kids out of that "block" in order for them to learn the new information.
8. As mentioned before, I don't think that the experiments could be done cheaper, but connecting them to real world examples would help a great deal for me to understand them faster. I was able to better understand the concepts when comparing the clinical examples to real things that I have seen it done my room. I need real world examples where meaning is evident for me to gather information. I struggle with focusing on some of the random letters and numbers that clinical studies provide. For me to understand the processes of the working memory, I must see applicable situations where working memory is needed. I really appreciate the author's use of the boxes for me to complete as precursors to the activity. I suppose primacy effect goes into play for me as well.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Chapter 3
1. As I read chapter 3, I was increasingly more amazed with the capabilities of the human brain. Chapter 3 was about different types of attention and consciouness. The book explains that attention is a focus of concentration on a particular subject. Having said that, there are several types of attention. Divided attention is when one is trying to focus on two things at once. In doing this, people usually aren't able to perform both tasks well. Selective attention is when one selects a specific area to focus on and the other stimuli become the background. One example of this is dichotic listening. This occurs when two different messages are being presented in each ear. It is almost impossible to focus on one message and correctly hear the other. Another type of selective attention is noted through the Stroop effect. This is explained by having subjects read color words that are written in colored ink that does not correspond to the word itself. The subject has to become more aware of the task than the colored ink, which can be difficult. During a visual search, a target can be found if it is present and familiar to the subject. Saccadic eye movements were also described in this chapter. These are slight jumps and bumps that the eye makes when gather information. The eye moves ahead to "get a picture" of the up-coming text.
While the chapter discusses attention and its theories, it also explains the concept of consciousness. This is described as an awareness of one's environment and all of its components. The chapter goes on to connect consciousness with attention. While the two are connected, they are not always intertwined. Quite often we are not aware of our own thought processes and actions, as they just seem to happen. Thought suppression is an interesting topic because the more we tell ourselves not to think of something, the more we become conscious of it. Our consciousness is quite amazing, and that is where blindsight comes into play. Blindsight occurs when there is damage to the visual cortex resulting in a lack of vision, but the individual can still see basic components of the object.
2. This chapter fits in nicely with our other findings from previous reading. I think that most related concept is that the brain is an amazing structure that cannot be simply labled or defined. Each component is inter-connected and overlapping. Perception is a combination of bottom-up and top-down processes, just as attention is a combination of many different facets.
3. I don't think that I am confused about the chapter as much as I am how brain leisons can change the perception of what is really there. This made me wonder what my own students are perceiving when it seems quite obvious to me.
4. As for applying this to my own teaching, I think that I will concentrate on the attention aspects of the chapters. I have noticed that several of my students struggle with attention. I will need to be more aware of situations where dichotic listening occur in my classroom. Quite often, I provide instructions during small group times. I have noticed that I have to repeat these instructions several times. I believe that it is because my students do not have the abilities to listen to their group and me at the same time.
5. The author offers many studies that confirm the reliability of the material in this chapter. I was especially interested in the study regarding brain lesions and perception.
6.I believe that this chapter is important in explaining attention and consciousness. It is crucial for my own metacognition as well as my students' attention and awareness. This chapter has opened my eyes as what to expect my students to be able to attend to, and why they might struggle.
7.I believe that I would use the consciousness aspect of the chapter for character education and conflict resolution. Many of my students struggle with both of these concepts, and I am now questioning if they are really conscious of the situations. I would try to find and conduct activities that encourage awareness and consciousness in these real-world situations.
8.I am not sure that I could accomplish anything faster or cheaper than what the human brain can do.
While the chapter discusses attention and its theories, it also explains the concept of consciousness. This is described as an awareness of one's environment and all of its components. The chapter goes on to connect consciousness with attention. While the two are connected, they are not always intertwined. Quite often we are not aware of our own thought processes and actions, as they just seem to happen. Thought suppression is an interesting topic because the more we tell ourselves not to think of something, the more we become conscious of it. Our consciousness is quite amazing, and that is where blindsight comes into play. Blindsight occurs when there is damage to the visual cortex resulting in a lack of vision, but the individual can still see basic components of the object.
2. This chapter fits in nicely with our other findings from previous reading. I think that most related concept is that the brain is an amazing structure that cannot be simply labled or defined. Each component is inter-connected and overlapping. Perception is a combination of bottom-up and top-down processes, just as attention is a combination of many different facets.
3. I don't think that I am confused about the chapter as much as I am how brain leisons can change the perception of what is really there. This made me wonder what my own students are perceiving when it seems quite obvious to me.
4. As for applying this to my own teaching, I think that I will concentrate on the attention aspects of the chapters. I have noticed that several of my students struggle with attention. I will need to be more aware of situations where dichotic listening occur in my classroom. Quite often, I provide instructions during small group times. I have noticed that I have to repeat these instructions several times. I believe that it is because my students do not have the abilities to listen to their group and me at the same time.
5. The author offers many studies that confirm the reliability of the material in this chapter. I was especially interested in the study regarding brain lesions and perception.
6.I believe that this chapter is important in explaining attention and consciousness. It is crucial for my own metacognition as well as my students' attention and awareness. This chapter has opened my eyes as what to expect my students to be able to attend to, and why they might struggle.
7.I believe that I would use the consciousness aspect of the chapter for character education and conflict resolution. Many of my students struggle with both of these concepts, and I am now questioning if they are really conscious of the situations. I would try to find and conduct activities that encourage awareness and consciousness in these real-world situations.
8.I am not sure that I could accomplish anything faster or cheaper than what the human brain can do.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Thanks for answers
Jill and Katwalk,
Thanks for the ideas. I do the spelling exercises, and it seems to work for a little while. The transfer with my class isn't really that great. I do like the animal activity too. We do something like this with our Dr. Seuss unit. I am going to try your ideas again. Thanks for the help!
Thanks for the ideas. I do the spelling exercises, and it seems to work for a little while. The transfer with my class isn't really that great. I do like the animal activity too. We do something like this with our Dr. Seuss unit. I am going to try your ideas again. Thanks for the help!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Chapter 2 questions
As I read chapter 2, I did have to think about the errors from our own processing which cause blindness. I think that too often my students look at only the beginning letter when beginning to read. I know that some of this is developmental, but they are over-generalizing their reading. For example, every word that begins with a /c/ is the word "cat" to them. I do understand that there are blindness factors that must be considered when we are teaching. My students are experience change blindness because they don't recognize or notice the other letters. When I use strategies to encourage them to notice the other letters, only a few of the students apply these to their reading, and that application doesn't transfer to other words or settings. The students that really need to improve their reading skills are the ones that seem to get locked on this blindness. If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Chapter 2
I was very interested in the differences between the top-down and bottom-up processing theories. The bottom-up seemed to focus on starting small and working towards more complex ideas and thoughts. I tend to see a great deal of bottom-up processing in my kindergarten classroom. I found the feature analysis theory very interesting as well. This was a direct correlation to the bottom-up way of thinking because my students have a tendency to learn letters by looking at each part of the letter. For me, the top-down processing seemed to look at the big picture and work down into smaller components. My students who are ready to read seem to use more of this processing. They are looking for big clues to help them with their questions.
I connected both of these processes to the many different theories that I use in my classroom. I use more than one theory in hopes to provide successful education to my students. These processes are both needed for information acquisition. They may be used at the same or different times in the students' learning. The author validates her point of feature analysis by illustrating the chart on page forty. Looking at the chart, it was easy to see why some of my students have a difficult time identifying letters if they don't connect them to a sound. The audio-visual connection was also made in chapter two. The author stresses that using auditory and visual cues provide more learning opportunities for the students.
One part of the chapter that I found amazing was the part on blindness. Whether the blindness be "change" or "inattentional," I am sure that I fall under one of these categories quite often. In a busy world, where we are constantly multitasking, I am sure that I am missing a vast amount of details. I will have to start trying to notice more.
I connected both of these processes to the many different theories that I use in my classroom. I use more than one theory in hopes to provide successful education to my students. These processes are both needed for information acquisition. They may be used at the same or different times in the students' learning. The author validates her point of feature analysis by illustrating the chart on page forty. Looking at the chart, it was easy to see why some of my students have a difficult time identifying letters if they don't connect them to a sound. The audio-visual connection was also made in chapter two. The author stresses that using auditory and visual cues provide more learning opportunities for the students.
One part of the chapter that I found amazing was the part on blindness. Whether the blindness be "change" or "inattentional," I am sure that I fall under one of these categories quite often. In a busy world, where we are constantly multitasking, I am sure that I am missing a vast amount of details. I will have to start trying to notice more.
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