JIGSAW Exercise (2007-02-10)

Specifying intentions for a lesson - Ausubel

links:
http://www.ausubel.com/
http://tip.psychology.org/ausubel.html
http://hsc.csu.edu.au/pro_dev/teaching_online/how_we_learn/cognitive.html

Cognitive theory of learning

Learning dependent on:
How much processing of information - ie more/deeper
Relating new information to prior learning,
Organising, sorting, making connections

Emphasis on HOW the information is processed


Concept of 'Advance Organiser' - device or mental tool used to get a grip on the info


Rote V Meaningful - if the student is _actively_ doing things with the information it is more likely to be retained: eg filling in missing words, rearanging sentances, providing additional examples

the most important thing a child could bring to learning situation was what s/he already knows...

The most important element of meaningful learning is not so much how information (rote vs. discovery) is presented but how new information is integrated into an existing knowledge base.

http://chd.gmu.edu/immersion/knowledgebase/strategies/cognitivism/AdvancedOrganizers.htm

One strategy - give students a preview of what will be learned - eg at the beginnging of the lesson say what will be covered before starting - this gives students a glimpse of the big picture.

from: http://wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Advance_organizers

Examples and Types of advance organizers

1. Advanced Organizers

2. Expository - describe the new content.

3. Narrative - presents the new information in the form of a story to students.

4. Skimming - used to look over the new material and gain a basic overview.

5. Graphic organizer - visiuals to set up or outline the new information.

6. Concept mapping

email blog address to acoman@nd.edu.au
assistant Belinda Stomeman - 02 8204 4200