Cognitive Strategies and its Effect on Long-Term ProjectsCognitive Strategies and its

Effect on Long-Term Projects

Peter G. Mohn

Glacier Peak High School

September 2012

Peter G. Mohn

Glacier Peak High School

September 2012

Learned CapabilitiesLearned Capabilities

Intellectual Skills Verbal Information Cognitive Strategies Affective Domain Motor Skills

Intellectual Skills Verbal Information Cognitive Strategies Affective Domain Motor Skills

Types of Cognitive StrategiesTypes of Cognitive Strategies

Rehearsal Strategies Elaboration Strategies Organizing Strategies Comprehension Monitoring Strategies Affective Strategies

Rehearsal Strategies Elaboration Strategies Organizing Strategies Comprehension Monitoring Strategies Affective Strategies

Cognitive Strategies for Project Design

Cognitive Strategies for Project Design

Organizing Strategies– Arranging material into an organized framework– Outlining main ideas– Generating new organizations

Comprehension Monitoring Strategies (Metacognition - thinking about thinking)– Setting goals for learning– Monitoring progress– Estimating the success with which goals are being met

Organizing Strategies– Arranging material into an organized framework– Outlining main ideas– Generating new organizations

Comprehension Monitoring Strategies (Metacognition - thinking about thinking)– Setting goals for learning– Monitoring progress– Estimating the success with which goals are being met

Good News About Cognitive Strategies

Good News About Cognitive Strategies

All humans have all their cognitive functions by age 12

Our students can easily learn good cognitive strategies

All humans have all their cognitive functions by age 12

Our students can easily learn good cognitive strategies

Bad News About Cognitive Strategies

Bad News About Cognitive Strategies

Students use poor cognitive strategies in their life

Students will continue to use poor cognitive strategies until a major crisis happens

If a student doesn’t have a cognitive strategy for a new concept they’ll use the closest strategy they know

Learning new cognitive strategies takes several efforts

Students use poor cognitive strategies in their life

Students will continue to use poor cognitive strategies until a major crisis happens

If a student doesn’t have a cognitive strategy for a new concept they’ll use the closest strategy they know

Learning new cognitive strategies takes several efforts

9th Grade Students & Long-Term Project Design

9th Grade Students & Long-Term Project Design

The average freshman doesn’t know how to manage a long-term project

The average freshman doesn’t have the cognitive strategies for conducting a long-term project

More than 80% of our students will use short-term project strategies to manage their long-term projects

The vast majority of students will wait until the last minute to work on their long-term projects

The average freshman doesn’t know how to manage a long-term project

The average freshman doesn’t have the cognitive strategies for conducting a long-term project

More than 80% of our students will use short-term project strategies to manage their long-term projects

The vast majority of students will wait until the last minute to work on their long-term projects

What Can Teachers Do to Help Students Be Successful With

Long-Term Projects

What Can Teachers Do to Help Students Be Successful With

Long-Term Projects Teach students good cognitive strategies

– Modeling and multiple due dates– Graphic organizers

Assign points for completing each step in the long-term project

Monitor student progress throughout the project Work with students who fall behind on their

projects– Grizzly period– Tutoring

Teach students good cognitive strategies– Modeling and multiple due dates– Graphic organizers

Assign points for completing each step in the long-term project

Monitor student progress throughout the project Work with students who fall behind on their

projects– Grizzly period– Tutoring

Modeling Project Design Example

Modeling Project Design Example

Assignment– Topic Selection - 5 pts– Research complete

(note cards) - 20 pts– Outline - 25 pts– Rough Draft - 25 pts

Final Paper - 100 pts

Assignment– Topic Selection - 5 pts– Research complete

(note cards) - 20 pts– Outline - 25 pts– Rough Draft - 25 pts

Final Paper - 100 pts

Technology– Story board - 10 pts– PowerPoint (words

only) - 20 pts– Add graphics,

animation, etc. - 20 pts.

Presentation– Outline - 10 pts– Note cards - 15 pts– Oral report - 100 pts

Technology– Story board - 10 pts– PowerPoint (words

only) - 20 pts– Add graphics,

animation, etc. - 20 pts.

Presentation– Outline - 10 pts– Note cards - 15 pts– Oral report - 100 pts

Project Graphic OrganizerExample

Project Graphic OrganizerExample

Students create project timeline - 25 pts Students meet project deadlines - 50 pts Final Paper - 100 pts Technology component - 75 pts Oral Report - 100 pts

Students create project timeline - 25 pts Students meet project deadlines - 50 pts Final Paper - 100 pts Technology component - 75 pts Oral Report - 100 pts