More thoughts on Chapter 1

When we think about Cognitive Structures we need to look at what Garner says about how they are used to process information. There are 4 ways she lists to help us.

1) Making connections- Students need to make connections to prior knowledge in order to make better sense of the information we present.

2)Finding patterns & relationships- these allow students to compare and organize information. All learning is based on relationships. Too often as teachers we point out the patterns and relationships for the students instead of allowing them to find them on their own. Do not teach imitation.

3)Formualting rules- Cognitive structures help formulate rules that make processing information automatic. Students then do not have to expend energy to think about information.

4)Abstracting principles- Apply or transfer information to situations other than the original context.

Garner goes on in the chapter to discuss 3 questions about Cognitive Structures that we should look at. First, how do students develop cognitive structures? She submits two ideas- reflective awareness and visualization. The conept of visualization is interesting because it allows for students to represnt and manipulate information. The next question is why have some students developed them and others have not? Sometimes students are not encouraged to be reflectively aware of the information in a situation. Lastly, what can teachers do to help students develop the structures? We can crreate safe environments and ask stimulating questions. We must also develop student's reflective awareness by making them aware of sensory data around them. Most importantly, let students find answers on their own. Mistakes are OK when they are learning.

A final thought from the chapter which I think sums up the entire message. Garner makes the point that the understanding is more important than the grade. And we can assess the true level of understanding in the kinds of questions students ask. Think about that the next time you have students raising their hands. Do their questions represent true understanding? And let them struggle a little to find the answers, don't teach them to imitate you, let them develop their own understanding.