1. Cognitive views on exam prep:Cramming V spacing Study 1: How participants learned aboutstyles of 12 artists (6 paintings from each) in 2 conditions (grouped V spaced presentationof artists paintings) then tested for artistrecognition Result: 78% did better in spaced condition BUT only22% thought they did better in spaced Conclusion Cramming: Overload, reduced attention, lower levels ofactive involvement resulting in poorer memorisation &understandingStudy 2: Expanded rehearsal better thansteady rehearsal P Conway, PDE @ UCC 1Learning as thinking:cognitive perspective Kohler (Gestalt): patterns & structure ofthe mind e.g. Aha, optical illusions Simon (Cognitive Science/AI/IP):acomputerlike phenomenon, e.g. working, short & long-term memory Bandura (Social Cognitive): .anobserved (vicarious) experience E.g. Bobo doll experiments and power of rolemodels and expectation setting Piaget (Constructivism): .as anadaptive function of an organism, e.g. stages, cognitive conflict & constructivism P Conway, PDE @ UCC 2 1

2. Learner as active. It would seem as if five minutesunprejudiced observation of the way aninfant gains knowledge would havesufficed to overthrow the notion that he ispassively engaged in receivingimpressionsFor it would be seen thatthe infant reacts to stimuli by activities ofhandling, reaching etc. in order to seewhat results follow (Dewey, 1958, Democracy and Education, p 313)P Conway, PDE @ UCC3Perception Features,prototypes& patternsP Conway, PDE @ UCC4 2 3. Gestalt psychology insights Experience the world in patternsand meaningful wholes Insight e.g. Aha/Eureka moments Role of problem posing & solving Rote learning leads to static,cold-storage knowledge andInformation severed from thoughtfulaction is dead, a mind-crushingload (Dewey, 1958, p. 179) P Conway, PDE @ UCC 5 Teaching Attention - gain & maintain via signals, goals, curiosity Frames for answering LTM: visual and verbal coding techniques, e.g. initial letters,map knowledge in pictures, images (Roman orators room by room technique) P Conway, PDE @ UCC 6 3 4. Conceptmaps,classify, orderin hierarchiesP Conway, PDE @ UCC7 (1) Stages of cognitivedevelopment (I.e. formaloperations inadolescence) (2) Cognitive conflict (3) Learning as aninterpretation rather thana recording ofexperience(Constructivism)P Conway, PDE @ UCC8 4 5. Misconceptions in learningconcepts in subject areas Concept learning central toschooling: Relevant in all subjectsP Conway, PDE @ UCC9 Varied conceptions Minority correct As a teacher what do you do?P Conway, PDE @ UCC105 6. Activity Why are there seasons? Write out 1-2 sentences explainingresponse to this question (You mightalso want to draw or illustrate yourresponse) THEN compare with the person besideyouP Conway, PDE @ UCC 11Applications in teaching Active engagement: minds on learning Cognitive conflict, thinking about thinking No simple or singular approaches (butwarnings about direct transmission) Powerful insights re CONEPTS: Making thinking visible to supportconcept development explore privateuniverse; MEMORY: Visual & verbal coding techniques THINKING: Meta-cognition & self-regulatedlearning (SRL), e.g. reciprocal teaching KNOWLEDGE: Expertise as deep & flexibleknowing, based on deliberate practice, the10,000 hour ruleP Conway, PDE @ UCC 126