CH 7- Complex Cognitive Processes

Define Metacognition

Thinking about thinking

Knowledge and beliefs about one’s own cognitive processes develops over time

Greater metacognitive awareness → more likely to use effective strategies and have high acheivement

Differentiate between Overt and Covert learning strategies

Overt:

• taking notes

• creating summaries

Covert:

• identifying important information

• regularly monitoring learning → self questioning and self explanation

List some ways to promote metacognitive development and effective learning in students

Discuss aspects of thinking and learning

Ask students to explain “why” they gave a specific answer/ “how” they chose a particular process

Ask questions

• Ex: what have you learned so far? / describe how you solved for that problem / why was your solution correct or incorrect?

Ask students to identify what they find confusing

Incorporate reflection

Describe the 4 Complex processes

Transfer learning

Problem solving

Creativity

Critical Thinking

Define Transfer Learning

The extent to which knowledge acquired in one situation impacts one’s learning and performance in a subsequent situation

Differentiate between Positive and Negative transfer

Positive: something learned previously helps one learn something new

Negative: something learned previously hinders one’s ability to learn something new

Differentiate between Specific and General transfer

Specific: what we learned before overlaps in content with what we’re learning now

General: learning in one situation affects learning and performance in somewhat dissimilar situation

Factors that affect Transfer

Meaningfulness of original learning

• more meaning promotes better transfer than rote learning

Similarity to original learning

• more similar = positive and negative transfer are more common

Material

• general principles and theories more easily transferred that discrete or abstract fact

Relevance

• transfer is more common when info and skills are perceived as being relevant to diverse disciplines and real-world situations

Simulations

• hands on or computer based provide means of enhancing probability

Practice

• numerous and varied opportunities for practice increase the probability of transfer

Cultural environment that expects/ encourages transfer

Define problems solving

Using existing knowledge and skills to address an unanswered question or troubling situation

Differentiate between Well-defined and Ill-Defined Problems

well-defined:

• clearly stated goals

• information needed to solve the problem is given

• there is only one correct answer

ill-defined

• desired goal is unclear

• information needed to solve the problem is missing

• several possible solutions exist

Differentiate between convergent and divergent thinking

Convergent: process of pulling together several pieces of information to draw a conclusion or solve a problem

Divergent: process of mentally moving in a variety of directions from a single idea

List ways to facilitate effective problem encoding

present problems in concrete form

encourage students to make problems concrete for themselves

highlight aspects of problems that students can completely solve

• highlight these aspects when they appear in a different problem

• point out that the same information can be applied or the same approach could be used

give problems that look different on the surface but require the same/ similar procedures

mix the kinds of problems that students tackle in any single practice session

have students work in cooperative groups to identify several ways of representing a single problem

Problem solving strategies: Algorithm vs Heuristic

Algorithm: specific sequence of steps that guarantees a correct solution

• Ex: FOIL method in math

Heuristic: general strategy that facilitates problem solcing

• Ex: break a problem down into smaller steps

Factors that impact problem solving

depth of learners’ knowledge influences ability to solve problems/ think creatively

working memory capacity

• both convergent and divergent thinking are constrained by WM

encoding

• way in which learners encode a problem/ situation influences strategies and eventual success

problem solving and creativity

• can involve heuristics that facilitate but do not guarantee successful outcomes

metacognitive processes

Define creativity

Has 2 components:

• new, original behavior

• productive results (outcomes)

involves divergent thinking → generating many different ideas from a single starting point

List ways to foster creativity

show students that creativity is valued

focus on internal rewards

promote mastery of subject area

ask thought-provoking questions

teach and encourage cognitive and metacognitive strategies that support creative thinking

give students freedom and security to take risks

provide time

Define critical thinking

Evaluating accuracy, credibility, worth of information, and lines of reasoning

• Ex: verbal reasoning, argument analysis, probabilistic reasoning, hypothesis testing

List ways to foster critical thinking

teach fewer topics in greater depth

encourage intellectual skepticism

model critical thinking

provide opportunities to practice

ask questions

debate controversial issues

help students understand that critical thinking involves considerable mental effort, but its worth it

embed critical thinking skills in authentic activities