My school district mandated the application of the cognitive learning theory in all classrooms and trained us in a program called Learning Focused Schools. One of the main components of a learning focused lesson plan is the graphic organizer. Call them what you want, concept maps, webs, advance organizers, they all serve one purpose, to organize information, help visualize ideas and connections between ideas. As an artist and as a visual learner, I appreciate the value of these cognitive tools. Much of my art curriculum is focused around understanding, interpreting, and communicating with visual images, so by using these tools in my instruction I am able to model that very idea. I find that they help me very much when planning a lesson and laying out an entire unit. Cognitive tools such as these help to organize knowledge and present information. They can help the learner to go beyond their own limitations, like for me, memory (Orey, 2001). I use the concept maps to help guide my lesson and make sure that I don't leave something out or forget an important point.
Matter of fact to help me with this blog entry I have formed a visual representation of the correlation between several instructional strategies and cognitive learning theories on Webspiration. Check it out. You tell me which you prefer, a few more paragraphs or the map?
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Cognitive learning theories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
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Karen, that is wonderful that your school already has a plan to implement graphic organizers or the many names you mentioned. I checked out your link to your own "mind mapping." To answer your question, I really liked viewing that rather than the traditional format a few more paragraphs would contain. I also must say, any type of visual piture or illustration to blog posts really makes it interesting. I would like to add more pictures and concept maps, and videos to my own blog to make it interesting. I do it with my lessons, why not with my blog?! Integrating mutiple senses in presentations improves learning (Laureate Education, 2009).
ReplyDeleteLaureate Education, Inc. (2009). Cognitive learning theories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Karen, that is wonderful that your school already has a plan to implement graphic organizers or the many names you mentioned. I checked out your link to your own "mind mapping." To answer your question, I really liked viewing that rather than the traditional format a few more paragraphs would contain. I also must say, any type of visual piture or illustration to blog posts really makes it interesting. I would like to add more pictures and concept maps, and videos to my own blog to make it interesting. I do it with my lessons, why not with my blog?! Integrating mutiple senses in presentations improves learning (Laureate Education, 2009).
ReplyDeleteLaureate Education, Inc. (2009). Cognitive learning theories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Karen,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great concept map. I am very much a visual learner, so seeing concepts in a visual representation is integrating another sense that addresses my particular learning style.
Does your learning focused lesson plan incoporate students using concept mapping as well?
Karen,
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job constructing your concept map. It has an artistic quality to it. It's great when we can use our creativity with technology. I hope one day to use more illustrations and media on my concept maps and blogs.
I agree that concept maps keep you focused and on target for what you are teaching. They act as a guide for your instruction. They are concise and are easier to follow than pages of text. I know many children can get overwhelmed when they have to read through pages of content to find key ideas. Concept maps and visual organizers leave out extra information whereas these graphic organizers display the most relevant ideas and usually on one page.
ReplyDelete