Cognitive learning theory is all about how to move information stored in short-term memory to long-term memory. Daily our students are presented with new information. Without the proper skills to preserve this information, it gets lost. Dr. Orey said that our brains are only capable of processing up to seven or eight pieces of information at any given time. (Laureate, 2008) After 15 minutes of lecture, much is already lost. Good note taking skills prevent the loss of information and offers greater retention.
As a music teacher, note taking has been a point of frustration for me. The authors say that “…teachers rarely teach it [note taking] explicitly as a skill in itself.” (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. 2007) When presenting new information, I am often asked if what I have just said is important enough to write down. I struggle with whether or not I take the time to teach the skill or just keep moving on assisting them as much as possible. When I taught elementary school, I discovered that using “teacher-prepared” (Pitler, H., et all, 2007) notes gives students the guidance to know what is important.
Another tool presented this week to assist students in information retention is concept mapping and virtual field trips. In our DVD program, Dr. Orey presents a history class taking a virtual field trip to Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C. (Laureate, 2008) Too often, our students read about historical events or far off places and are given only one or two photos in the textbook to associate with what was read. With a virtual field trip, students can travel through time and place to get a first hand view. Underline that view with a strong concept map with teacher-prepared notes, and students will have a shared experience worth remembering. Dr. Orey says this type of “elaboration” (Laureate, 2008) is what students need to round out the cognitive learning theory.
Laureate Education Inc. (2008). “Cognitive Learning Theory.” Baltimore, MD: Laureate Education Inc.
Laureate Education Inc. (2008). “Virtual Field Trips.” Baltimore, MD: Laureate Education Inc.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
6 comments:
Kerry,
You said that you used teacher prepared notes when you taught elementary school. Do you still use these type of notes with your middle school classes? If so, how often do you typically use them? I think for my subject it would be very tedious to do this every day and that some students might use them as an opportunity to be lazy, thinking what I recorded was enough. Is this ever the case?
Hi Kerry,
I have often struggled with whether or not to provide "help" to the students in the form of teacher-prepared notes. On one hand, it focuses the students on what is important. On the other hand, it may create laziness by not forcing the students to pay attention and decipher what IS important and what is NOT important. I am planning on trying it out next year with my music production classes, only because the Reason program is so involved.
I love the ideas of virtual field trips. It is too bad that there are not more available for music. It would be great for our music students to be able to tour Beethoven's house, or the theater where Mozart performed his operas. By the way, check out Carnegie Hall's website...there is a great tour regarging African-American music. www.carnegiehall.org
I too love the idea of using virtual field trips. I am going to look for some to enhance my curriculum for next year. I'm not even sure how to look for them. Any suggestions? Is it something you can just Google or are there virtual field trip sites out there?
As for the teacher prepared notes, I think this is ok in elementary, but as a middle school teacher I think students need to be responsible for taking their own notes. I'm sure they will have to take their own in high school, so we need to teach them this strategy in middle school.
I am lucky if I can get my eighth grade students to focus for 10 minutes, much less 15 minutes. Without some type of transitional activity every 10 - 15 minutes, the majority of the class will "zone out".
I agree that providing teacher-prepared notes in middle school does not help the students focus on the lesson. However, if they do not have some type of structured outline or leading questions, they may not identify the truly important information. Some are so busy trying to write down every word that they have no idea what the lesson is about. Providing graphic organizers for note-taking is a step away from teacher-prepared notes and a step towards teaching students how to take their own notes.
Hey All,
My first year in middle school, as we covered musician history, I simply asked students to take notes. I was having to spoon feed them "Write this down", "Yes this is important." The following year I gave them a guide. The guide had headings for the information I wanted them to get and a space for "other interesting facts". By doing this, I knew they got the high points and anything else they thought important. It was a watered down version of what I used in elementary school. I hated to make 75 copies of a note sheet, but it got used and students knew what I wanted them to retain.
As I have taught both primary and middle grade levels now, middle schoolers are not always as grown up as we'd like to think they are. As a result, I think they still need help. Afterall, they are only 24 to 36 months out of elementary school. Yes they are older, but many still lack the maturity to handle note taking on a lesson without help. If you give them a blank guide sheet, they still have to pay attention but they know exactly what you are looking for.
Hey All,
My first year in middle school, as we covered musician history, I simply asked students to take notes. I was having to spoon feed them "Write this down", "Yes this is important." The following year I gave them a guide. The guide had headings for the information I wanted them to get and a space for "other interesting facts". By doing this, I knew they got the high points and anything else they thought important. It was a watered down version of what I used in elementary school. I hated to make 75 copies of a note sheet, but it got used and students knew what I wanted them to retain.
As I have taught both primary and middle grade levels now, middle schoolers are not always as grown up as we'd like to think they are. As a result, I think they still need help. Afterall, they are only 24 to 36 months out of elementary school. Yes they are older, but many still lack the maturity to handle note taking on a lesson without help. If you give them a blank guide sheet, they still have to pay attention but they know exactly what you are looking for.
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