Cognitive Motivation for Learning

StrengthQuest

Session 4

What is Cognition?

n    Webster defines cognition as “the act or the process of knowing in the broadest sense; specifically an intellectual process by which knowledge is gained from perception or ideas”(Huitt, 2004).

Cognitive Feedback

n    Cognitive psychology focuses more on the importance of internal feedback as a motivation for learning.

Different Theories Within

n    Information Processing Model

n    Jean Piaget

n    Vygotsky & Bruner

n    Taxonomy and the Cognitive Domain

Information Processing(IPM)

n    First theories viewed the brain as a computer

n    Now we understand that we are much more complex due to emotional input and responses to information

n    Focuses on the specific way in which learners mentally think about (process) new information and events.

Basic Assumptions

n    We construct our cognitive processes include acquiring, interpreting, remembering, manipulating and using information.

n    We construct our understanding of the world actively, rather than passively absorbing knowledge in a mindless manner.

The Theory of IPM

n     IPM theorists do not agree with the Piaget’s idea of developmental stages, but rather that, children develop cognitive processes and abilities through more steady graduated trends.

n     Children learn faster, remember more, and can think about increasingly complex tasks as they grow. 

Attention

n    1.  Do children become less distractible over time?

n    2. How and what children learn depends increasingly on what they actually intend to learn.

A Common Cognitive Learning Strategy  

n    Rehearsal – cognitive process in which information is repeated over and over as a possible way of learning and remembering.

n    Ineffective manner of truly learning and utilizing knowledge.

Organization  -

n    The cognitive process in which learners find connections (by forming categories, identifying hierarchies, determining cause and effect relationships) among the various pieces of information they need to learn.

Research

n    Research shows that organized information is learned more easily and remembered more completely than unorganized information

n    “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” (Order of operations in Algebra)

Elaboration –

n    The cognitive process in which learners expand on new information based on what they already know

n    Elaboration is used by high achieving students while low-achieving students depend on less thoughtful strategies such as rehearsal in their attempts to learn what they are studying.

Knowledge base

n    Ones knowledge about specific topics and the world in general.

n    Our growing knowledge base enhances our ability to learn new things

n    Our knowledge becomes increasingly integrated

METACOGNITION

n    One’s knowledge and beliefs about one’s own cognitive processes resulting attempts to regulate those cognitive processes in order to maximize learning and memory

Piaget believed that:

n    Cognitive development is an individual pursuit done by the child himself.

n    Children are active and motivated learners

n    Learners construct their own knowledge and beliefs from their experiences (Constructivism theory)   

Constructivism

n    Assimilation – dealing with a new event in a way that is consistent with an existing theme

n    Accommodation – dealing with the new event by either modifying an existing scheme or forming a new one

n    Accommodation rarely if ever works without assimilation

Other Assumptions

n    Interaction with the physical and social environment is essential to cognitive development.

n    The process of equilibration promotes progression toward complex thought

Equilibration –

n     Movement from equilibrium to disequilibrium, and back to equilibrium, a process that promotes the development of more complex thought and understanding.

n     It is thought that the children’s intrinsic desire to return to equilibrium and shed the disequilibrium, causes them to enter more complex thinking than they would have otherwise chosen.

The Process of Equilibration

n     Equilibrium – The state of being able to explain new events with existing schemes

n     Disequilibrium - Inability to explain new events with existing schemes

n     Discomfort causes them to re-examine and reorganize what they know and seek new understanding to explain an event they do not understand.

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

n    Sensorimotor Stage (birth-2 years)– Schemes are based ion behaviors and perceptions

n    Preoperational Stage (2 years- 6 or 7) – Children can think about objects beyond their immediate view but do not yet reason in logical, adult like ways

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

n     Concrete Operations Stage ( 6 or 7 until 11 or 12 years) – Adult like logic begins to appear but it limited to concrete reality.

n      Formal Operations Stage (11 or 12 years through adulthood) Logical reasoning processes are applied to abstract ideas as well as to concrete objects

Vygotsky

n    Believed that adults in child’s social world foster the development of cognitive skills in perhaps an intentional and systematic manner. 

n    Focused more on the processes through which children develop rather than the abilities of children of a particular age.

Learning through assistance

n            Children can perform more challenging tasks when assisted by more advanced and competent individuals

n            Actual developmental level – upper limit of tasks one can perform independently

n            Level of potential development – upper level of tasks one can perform with assistance of a more competent individual

Growth & Challenging Tasks

n            Challenging tasks promote maximum growth

n            Zone of proximal development – range of tasks a child can perform with the help and guidance of others, but cannot yet perform independently

n            “It is the challenges in life, not the easy successes that promote cognitive development”

Taxonomy

n    What educators want students to know can be arranged in a hierarchy from simple to complex. Presentation of material and testing methods often drive this endeavor.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

n    Remember – recognize & recall

n    Understand – construct meaning

n    Apply -  Use knowledge

n    Analyze – Break info down - relate

n    Evaluate – Judge information

n    Create – Put together knowledge and/or procedures to form coherent structured whole

Critical Thinking

n    “A conscious and deliberate process which is used to interpret, or evaluate information or experiences with a  set of reflective attitudes and abilities that guide thoughtful beliefs and actions (Mertes, 1991, p 24).”

Content of Critical Thinking

n     Affective – usually activates critical thinking process – based on beliefs

n     Conative – goal setting and regulation

     are activated to develop and implement a plan of action in learning

n     Behavioral – feedback from environment results as action is taken and either reinforced or punished.

n     Corrections are made if the desired goals are not met – requiring more critical thinking

Other kinds of thinking

n     Non-critical thinking – no data considered

n     Brainstorming – no evaluation of thought

n     Prejudicial thinking – gathering evidence to support position with no evaluation

n     Emotive thinking – responding to emotion of message rather than the content

n     Creative thinking - arranging data in new way

Creative Thinking

n    The ability to imagine or invent something new.

n    It is not the ability to create out of nothing (only God can do that)

n    The ability to create new ideas by combining, changing, or reapplying existing ideas.

n    What has suppressed your creativity?

Creativity – An Attitude

n    The ability to accept change and newness

n    A willingness to play with ideas and possibilities

n    A flexibility of outlook

n    The habit of enjoying good, while looking for ways to improve it.

Creativity – The Process

n    Making gradual alterations and refinement in their work

n    Very seldom is something created in its fullness with one stroke of genius

n    Companies often have to convince inventers to release inventions because they insist on continuing to tweak it to perfection.

Creative Methods

n     Evolution of an idea in increments

n     Synthesis combining two or more ideas with a third idea.

n     Revolution through completely new ideas

n     Reapplication by looking at something old in a new way

n     Changing Direction by shifting attention from one angle of a problem to another.

Negative attitudes ¹ Creativity

n    Oh no, A problem!

n    It can’t be done

n    I can’t do it / There’s nothing I can do

n    But I am not creative

n    That’s childish

n    I might fail

Myths About Creative Thinking

n    There is only one solution

n    The best answer has been found

n    Creative answers are too complex

n    Ideas either come or they don’t

Mental blocks to creativity

n    Prejudice

n    Functional fixation

n    Learned helplessness

n    Psychological blocks

Attitudes that Stimulate Creativity

n    Curiosity

n    Challenge

n    Constructive Discontent

n    A belief that most problems can be solved

n    The ability top suspend judgment and criticism

More attitudes that stimulate Creativity

n     Seeing good in the bad

n     Problems lead to improvements

n     A problem can also be a solution

n     Problems are interesting and emotionally acceptable

n     Perseverance – hard work is okay!

n     A belief that mistakes are welcome

n     A flexible imagination

StrengthQuest  - Session 4

n    Creative Expression of Theme Combination

n    Personal Uniqueness & Identity

n    Presentation of artistic expressions

Review of Homework

n    Where in your life do you see combinations of talents working together?

n    How do your talents work within your relationships?

n    How can you use your talents to make your relationships stronger?

Combinations of Talents

n    There are more than 33,700,000  unique sets of signature themes possible!

n    Among the first 800,000 people who took StrengthsFinder, less than 20 people had the same 5 top themes-which does not include the same order of the themes!

Your Uniqueness

n    Gallup has identified more than 420 themes of talent in its study of 2 million people

n    This does not even include musical, athletic, artistic and other talents that are not even measured by StrengthsFinder!

Your Uniqueness

n    Each and every individual can do something better than the next 10,000 consecutive individuals.

n    Every student in this class can do something better than the next ten next 10,000.

The Real Question

n    Do you know what it is that you can do better than the next 10,000?

n    This answer to what you can do better than the next 10,000 people is found in your talents and the development of your strengths.

Reflection Paper  - See Assignment handout