Cognitive Theory with Technology

This week, our focus is on cognitive theory.  In simplified terms, cognitive theory is the idea that our brains are like computers.  We have a few things in our short-term (RAM style) memory.  If we feel that these things are important, we save them to our long-term (hard drive) memory.  Then we can access this long-term memory through different connections that we have made to other memories.  We can try to recall things directly (like going through directories on the computer), but it is much easier if we have a short-cut that we have connected to the intended memory (desktop icons).

Much of our current education system makes use of the cognitive learning style.  We have our students look at topics from different angles and different examples in order to help make those connections stronger and more numerous.  Technology can help us provide these different angles and examples.

For example, one strategy that is recommended in "Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works" is the use of "cues, questions, and advance organizers".  This is largely a cognitive-style strategy because it focuses on getting students to think about what sort of connections they are going to be able to make to the new topics even before the information is presented.  Graphic organizers are a great use of technology for this.  Students can create a "thought tree" connecting the different things they know.  As they go along in the lesson, they can continue to expand this tree with their new knowledge, and they will have a visual representation of the connections that they have made as well.

As they expand this tree, they move from the area of prior knowledge to the area of new knowledge.  This falls into the strategy of summarizing and note-taking.  Different students have different styles of note-taking that works best for them.  All of these styles, from outlines to thought maps can be done on computers.  And the best part, is that if they are done on a computer, they can be shared on a wiki or a blog or any of a variety of programs, so students can work together and decide whether they have the most important pieces of information.  They can use their notes and the notes and summaries that their classmates have done to help study for their test.  At the same time, the teacher can look over the notes and make sure that the students haven't understood something incorrectly and that they have retained the most important pieces of information.