BOOK LINK:
Here is a summary of the key points about the book “Why Don’t Students Like School?“:
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The book is written by cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham who aims to explain how the brain works and what it means for teaching using nine principles drawn from cognitive science research.
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Willingham seeks to help teachers improve their practice by shedding light on how students and teachers think and learn. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling, emotion, memory, context and routine in building knowledge and creating engaging learning experiences.
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Some of Willingham’s findings that challenge conventional wisdom include: the notion that “learning styles” don’t truly exist and that students learn in more similar than different ways; and that thinking skills depend on factual knowledge, not just teaching critical thinking in a vacuum.
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Across nine chapters, Willingham answers common questions teachers have about issues like standardized testing, student engagement, abstract thinking, drilling, different learning types, and helping struggling learners.
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The book is meant to translate cognitive science research into clear, classroom-applicable explanations and insights for educators on topics related to learning and teaching. The goal is improving student outcomes by helping teachers better understand the cognitive basis of learning.
Here are the key points from the summary:
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The brain is not actually designed for thinking - it’s designed to avoid thinking because thinking is slow, effortful, and unreliable. Other functions like vision and movement are served much more efficiently by the brain.
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Humans are only moderately good at certain types of reasoning compared to other abilities like vision. Thinking is difficult work that people tend to avoid.
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The principle guiding this chapter is that people are naturally curious but not naturally good thinkers. Unless the right cognitive conditions are present, people will avoid thinking.
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The implication is that teachers need to reconsider how they encourage students to think in order to maximize the chances of students feeling the pleasure that comes from successful thought. Making schoolwork consistently just beyond a student’s capabilities means they won’t enjoy it.
So in summary, the author argues it’s difficult to make school enjoyable because thinking is hard work our brains aren’t well designed for, so students need the right conditions like attainable challenges to feel successful and enjoy learning.
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Certain tasks like solving problems, thinking through complex situations, and high-level decision making are much more difficult than activities like playing chess that still require a high level of skill. No computer system is currently capable of general human-level cognition.
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Thinking is a slow, effortful process compared to our instinctive abilities like vision and movement. As an example, the candle problem illustrates how difficult it is for most people to think through and come up with a solution, whereas recognizing the components of the problem is instinctive.
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Our memories allow us to avoid constant deliberation by drawing on past experiences. Most situations we encounter on a daily basis are familiar, so we rely on learned routines rather than continuous thinking. However, thinking remains fragile and we are easily discouraged from it.
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With extensive practice, tasks that initially required thinking can become automated through neural changes in the brain. Driving provides an example of how a once cognitively demanding skill becomes instinctual.
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Despite its difficulties, humans inherently enjoy problem solving and mental challenges when conditions support curiosity. Solving problems provides a sense of satisfaction.
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Dopamine is an important naturally occurring brain chemical that is involved in both the brain’s learning and reward systems. Neuroscientists believe these two systems are related.
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When animals or people solve problems or learn new things, their brain releases dopamine which gives them a rewarding feeling of pleasure. This positive reinforcement encourages further learning.
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Some other important chemicals involved in the brain’s natural reward system include serotonin and endorphins. Rewards like food activate this system and encourage behaviors.
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While the exact neurochemical links between learning and reward are still being explored, it is clear that people experience pleasure from solving problems and mastering new skills or information. The act of solving problems, not just getting the answer, is rewarding.
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Getting the right level of challenge is important - problems that are too easy or too difficult are neither pleasurable nor motivating for sustained learning. The brain’s reward system encourages appropriately difficult problem-solving.
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Thinking involves combining information from the environment and long-term memory in working memory. Working memory has limited capacity.
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Successful thinking relies on having relevant information, facts stored in long-term memory, procedures/rules stored in long-term memory, and sufficient working memory capacity.
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Problems need to pose a moderate challenge that seems solvable in order to induce pleasure from thinking and problem solving.
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For students to enjoy school, teachers need to ensure lessons contain problems for students to solve, while respecting students’ cognitive limits in terms of working memory capacity and prior knowledge. Problems should avoid negative outcomes like confusion over the task or unlikely chance of success.
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The key takeaway is that thinking is difficult, so teachers must craft lessons that optimize the four factors needed for successful thinking within students’ cognitive abilities. This will help students experience the pleasure of solving problems and thus enjoy school.
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The question poses about throwing tea into Boston harbor needs appropriate background context for students to engage with it meaningfully. They would need knowledge of the economic and social significance of tea and the relationship between the colonies and British crown in 1773.
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Students’ working memory is limited, so lessons need to avoid long lists of facts, multi-step instructions or logic that overwhelm their working memory. Using writing or other memory aids can help.
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Piquing students’ curiosity with a problem they feel they can solve, rather than just presenting answers, makes the material more engaging. The teacher should consider what key question a lesson will address.
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Delay demonstrations or facts that seem puzzling until students have the relevant background knowledge to understand them, so curiosity leads to problem-solving pleasure rather than just a temporary surprise.
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Accept variations in student preparation and assign work appropriate to their current abilities to avoid frustration and disengagement from tasks that are too difficult.
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Changing pace periodically helps regain lost attention when students feel confused.
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Keep notes on lesson successes and failures to best remember over time what engagement strategies work well or poorly. Long-term background knowledge is also important for effective thinking.
The passage discusses whether fact learning is useful or useless in education. It acknowledges that simply demanding students memorize dry, isolated facts is not enriching. However, it argues that factual knowledge is essential to developing higher-order thinking skills like analysis and critical thinking.
Cognitive research shows thinking skills require extensive factual knowledge stored in long-term memory. Facts must be taught to provide something for students to think about. The processes of reasoning and problem-solving are intertwined with background knowledge.
Simply learning thinking operations alone is not sufficient, as the mind does not work like a calculator applying the same functions to any data. Critical thinking applied to history, for example, does not transfer to other domains without background knowledge.
Reading comprehension also depends on background knowledge to bridge ideas in a text and fill implicit gaps. Writers assume readers have knowledge to understand logical connections. Overall, the passage argues that factual knowledge acquisition must precede and facilitate developing important thinking skills.
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Writers leave gaps or omit details in their writing because including all facts and context would make prose overly long and tedious.
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They have to determine what background knowledge readers are likely to have and tailor how much explanation is needed.
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A lack of relevant background knowledge can lead readers to be confused when details are omitted.
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Chunking allows people to hold more information in their limited working memory by grouping separate pieces of information into meaningful units.
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Background knowledge facilitates chunking by providing relevant context and schemas. This supports comprehension by freeing up working memory.
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Studies show background knowledge has a larger influence on comprehension than general reading ability. People understand texts on familiar topics better regardless of reading level.
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Ambiguous or unclear details can be resolved and made sense of through background knowledge that provides necessary context and interpretation.
Here is a summary of the key points from the passage:
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Background knowledge is essential for reading comprehension. It provides context and allows the reader to interpret ambiguous sentences. Knowing more about the topic of a text helps with understanding.
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Having relevant background knowledge is particularly important for overcoming the “fourth grade slump” where reading scores of underprivileged students decline compared to their peers. Understanding texts relies on background knowledge which privileged students tend to have more of.
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Critical thinking and logical problem solving also rely heavily on background knowledge. People often solve problems by retrieving similar past examples from memory rather than reasoned logical steps.
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Expert chess players have large stores of remembered board positions that allow them to quickly assess situations rather than slowly reasoning through possibilities. Their superior long-term memory is a key factor in their skill.
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While reasoning is still important, background knowledge aids it by allowing information to be “chunked” into higher-level conceptual units, freeing up cognitive resources for analysis. Prior knowledge is essential for many cognitive tasks.
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Chunking information allows for more efficient use of working memory. It leaves more mental space available to relate ideas, reason through problems, and plan complex tasks.
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Background knowledge is crucial for comprehension and memory. People remember information better if they have related prior knowledge to connect it to. Even if a topic is understood sentence-by-sentence, background knowledge provides richness and feeling of depth.
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Factual knowledge improved memory because it provides more cues and context to remember new information. Connections are made to existing knowledge, even outside of awareness. This makes new information seem better understood and easier to recall later.
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Having more background knowledge in long-term memory makes it easier to acquire and retain still more factual knowledge over time. More knowledgeable people remember a higher percentage of new information compared to those with less background knowledge. This cumulative effect leads to ever greater differences in what different people know and retain.
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The passage presents a hypothetical example showing that over time, the knowledge gap between two people widens - the person who starts with more facts learns new facts at a faster rate than the person who starts with fewer facts. This demonstrates the “rich get richer” effect with knowledge.
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Reading books, newspapers and magazines is most effective for gaining new knowledge and vocabulary compared to other media like TV and social media.
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Factual knowledge is important for developing critical thinking and problem solving skills. It provides the necessary background and context for deploying thinking skills effectively.
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When assigning critical thinking tasks, teachers should consider whether students have sufficient background knowledge in the topic to thoughtfully analyze it.
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While deep knowledge is best, even shallow knowledge is beneficial, like knowing basic definitions to understand references in reading.
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Educators should work to expose students to new facts and expand their vocabulary through activities like reading, as it has lasting cognitive benefits. Guiding students towards age-appropriate reading materials is important.
The key point is that gaining factual knowledge through activities like reading provides foundations that enable better critical thinking and learning over time, versus those who start with fewer facts.
Here are the key points from the summary:
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Memory is not perfect - we can’t remember everything we experience due to the large volume of information.
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Our memory system evolved to prioritize things we think about carefully over emotional or one-time events, as things we think about more are likely needed for future thinking.
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What students think about most during a lesson (not just what the teacher intends) is what they will remember. Assignments should encourage deep thinking about content.
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There are four reasons someone may not remember something:
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It was not attended to and encoded into working memory in the first place.
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It was in working memory but not transferred to long-term memory due to distraction or lack of rehearsal/repetition.
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It is in long-term memory but can’t be retrieved due to lack of suitable retrieval cues.
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The memory decayed over time from lack of practice and recollection.
The key idea is that memory forms from what we think about deeply, so teachers must design lessons and assignments to focus student thinking on important content rather than tangential details. Repetition, associations, and meaningful practice also aid long-term retention.
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Working memory (short-term memory) is needed to transfer information into long-term memory. If something isn’t paid attention to, it won’t be remembered.
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Information can enter working memory from the environment or by retrieval from long-term memory (remembering).
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Things won’t be remembered if the process of retrieving memories from long-term memory fails or if the information is actually forgotten from long-term memory.
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The common belief that hypnosis can retrieve perfectly recorded memories is wrong - hypnosis does not actually improve memory accuracy compared to non-hypnosis.
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Some things are attended to but still not consolidated into long-term memory.
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Emotional events tend to be better remembered, but emotion alone is not necessary for learning - it just enhances attention and recall.
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Simple repetition is not enough for learning - the repetitions need to be meaningful. Wanting to remember alone does not improve memory.
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Thinking more deeply about items to be remembered, such as making pleasantness judgments, leads to significantly better recall than shallow tasks like checking for letters.
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For material to be learned and stored in long-term memory, students need to think about the meaning or significance of the material, not just superficial details like what it looks like. Memory is formed by one’s thoughts.
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When thinking about meaning, it’s important to focus on the right aspects of meaning for the material. Different aspects can be emphasized.
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Trying to make material “relevant” to students’ interests often doesn’t work well because interests can change easily and the focus may shift from meaning.
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Good teachers use their personal style effectively to engage students and get them thinking deeply about meaning, like using humor, personal stories, demonstrations, caring guidance, etc. The style fits the individual teacher.
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Examples are given of teachers who employ different styles like comedy, nurturing guidance, storytelling, or showmanship to engage students and ensure they focus on meaning, not just surface-level details.
So in summary, getting students to think about the meaningful significance or deeper conceptual implications of material, through an engaging teaching style, is key to effective learning and memory according to this analysis.
Here are the key points:
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Researchers have found that student evaluations of college professors boil down to two main factors - whether the professor seems like a nice person, and whether the class is well organized.
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For K-12 students, the emotional bond between student and teacher is very important for learning. Both a warm personality and well-organized lessons are needed for effective teaching.
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The human mind finds stories easy to comprehend, interesting, and easy to remember. Narratives that use causal structure, conflict, complications, and characters engage students in meaningful thinking that aids memory.
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The author suggests structuring lessons like stories by incorporating the four C’s - causality, conflict, complications, and character. This helps students understand and remember the material while keeping them engaged. Simply telling stories is less effective than crafting story-like lesson structures.
So in summary, the passage discusses how cognitive psychology research shows that students learn best from teachers who connect with them personally but also present organized, story-like lesson structures that actively engage the mind.
The passage suggests using a story structure to organize lesson plans, not to dictate the teaching methods used. Specifically, it advocates considering a lesson’s conflict, characters, goals and context (the four Cs) when structuring the material.
Using Pearl Harbor as an example, thinking through the four Cs could lead to presenting the events from Japan’s perspective rather than just a US chronological view. This alternative structure identifies Japan as the main character pursuing regional domination goals against obstacles like a war with China and lack of resources.
The passage also gives a math lesson example where the goal of introducing z-scores is set up through an extended storyline about coin flips, advertising tests and experiments. This drawn-out context establishes why determining probability is important, engaging students in the lesson’s conflict before the technical content is introduced.
In both cases, the passage argues a story structure can help visualize relationships between ideas and motivate student interest, even if it does not dictacte specific teaching methods like group work. Setting up a lesson’s conflict is compared to establishing the central issue in a Hollywood movie’s first act.
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The passage discusses different mnemonic techniques that can help with memorizing material that lacks inherent meaning, such as lists of elements, vocabulary words, etc. These include peg words, method of loci, link method, acronyms, first letter method, and setting information to songs/rhythms.
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Mnemonics work by providing cues to memory. They impose order on arbitrary or meaningless material to make it more memorable.
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The effectiveness of some techniques like peg words and method of loci is limited because the associations you create for one list may interfere with memorizing a different list. Other methods like acronyms and first letters are more flexible since unique mnemonics can be created for different materials.
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Setting information to music can also be effective for memorization, though generating original songs may be more difficult than other techniques.
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In summary, mnemonics can help with memorizing meaningless material by providing memory cues through visual associations, rhythmic/melodic patterns, or other organizational schemes. This allows the brain to retrieve and recall the information more easily.
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A teacher took students to a computer lab to do research on the Spanish Civil War. However, when the students saw PowerPoint was installed, they got distracted using features like animations and fonts instead of actually learning about the topic.
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This illustrates how teachers need experience to anticipate how students might get distracted and go off-task if given certain tools or freedoms. It’s important to think carefully about assignments and how to keep students focused on the intended content.
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Attention grabbers at the start of class can work to engage students, but teachers need to ensure students understand how it connects to the actual lesson content, otherwise they may just remember the grabber and not the lesson.
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Discovery learning can engage students but it’s harder to ensure they explore topics in a productive way and learn correctly. Feedback is important to guide discovery.
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Assignments work best when students cannot avoid thinking about and understanding the intended meaning or concepts.
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Mnemonics have a place and shouldn’t be dismissed, such as for learning letter sounds, vocab words, and times tables which require rote memorization initially before full understanding develops.
Here are the key points about why abstract ideas can be difficult for students to understand and apply:
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The mind prefers concrete ideas over abstract ones. We understand new abstract concepts by relating them to more concrete things we already know.
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To comprehend an abstraction fully, students need exposure to multiple examples/representations of it. Seeing how an idea like calculating area applies to diverse concrete contexts like tabletops, soccer fields, etc. helps cement understanding.
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Initial understanding of a new concept is narrow and context-specific. Students may understand how to solve an area problem for a tabletop but not see the connection to soccer fields yet.
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Abstracting the underlying principles from specific examples takes time and practice. Repeated opportunities to practice applying concepts in new situations helps students grasp the abstraction.
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Analogies can help by relating an unfamiliar abstract idea to something familiar and concrete. But students still need support connecting the analogy to the new concept.
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Memory and understanding are intertwined processes. Students understand new ideas by linking them to prior knowledge already stored in long-term memory.
The key is exposing students to varied examples, using analogies, and giving practice applying concepts in new contexts to help them gradually abstract the underlying principles from the concrete to the abstract. Understanding is a developmental process that requires multiple exposures over time.
Textbooks and descriptions often try to explain abstract concepts like force with analogies to make them more concrete and understandable. A common analogy used is comparing electrons moving in a wire to water moving through a pipe. If there is higher pressure at one end of the pipe, the water will flow to the lower pressure end, similar to how electrons move from higher to lower voltage. This analogy is helpful because it relates the abstract concept to something familiar - water flowing in pipes.
Analogies and concrete examples help students understand abstract ideas by relating them to concepts they already know and understand. Merely providing definitions or explanations is not enough - students need familiar examples to illustrate what the concepts mean. Understanding new ideas involves making connections between the new concepts and prior knowledge that is already in long-term memory. For deep understanding, teachers need to ensure students actively manipulate and compare the examples, rather than just passively receiving explanations.
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Students often develop “shallow” knowledge rather than deep understanding of concepts. Shallow knowledge means they can recall or apply an idea in the context it was taught but don’t connect it to other ideas or think more broadly about it.
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Deep knowledge involves seeing how ideas interconnect and being able to think creatively about “what if” scenarios by manipulating parts of the conceptual framework.
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It is difficult for students to develop deep knowledge of abstract ideas because they need concrete examples to understand new concepts. But examples can lead to shallow knowledge if students only learn in the context provided.
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Transfer of knowledge means applying old ideas to new problems. Successful transfer indicates deeper understanding. However, surface features often dominate over the underlying structural similarities between problems, limiting transfer.
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Developing deep conceptual understanding that transfers requires teaching both the abstract ideas and multiple examples of how they manifest, as well as support in flexibly applying concepts in new contexts. Shallow and context-dependent knowledge is easier to achieve but less useful.
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The passage discusses two problems - one about moving troops around landmines, the other about attacking a fortress. Both problems have the same underlying structure - that combining forces would cause collateral damage, so the solution is to scatter forces and converge on the target from different directions.
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Only 30% of subjects who heard the landmine problem were able to correctly solve the functionally identical fortress problem. Transfer of knowledge between similar problems was poor.
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This is because people interpret new information based on their prior knowledge. When hearing the first problem, people interpret it based on knowledge about landmines, troops, etc. The second problem is then interpreted differently based on knowledge about dictators, armies, fortresses.
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Simply telling people the problems are analogous doesn’t guarantee transfer - they still may have difficulty mapping elements between the surface structures. Understanding deep structure is difficult as there are many potential structures that could apply.
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Providing multiple examples and asking students to compare them may help with comprehending abstract concepts, as it gives more experience to identify deep structures. But transfer remains challenging even when deep structure is recognized.
In summary, the passage discusses why knowledge transfer between similar problems is difficult, due to influences of surface structure and challenges of identifying abstract deep structures. Providing examples for comparison may help with comprehension but transfer remains a challenge.
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Drilling or practice has been criticized as mindless and demotivating for students, though proponents argue it is necessary for learning certain skills and facts.
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Extended practice is virtually impossible to become proficient at a mental task. Practice makes low-level processes automatic, freeing up working memory for higher-level thinking.
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There are three main benefits to practice beyond just mastery: 1) It reinforces basic skills needed to learn more advanced skills. 2) It protects against forgetting. 3) It improves transfer of skills to new situations.
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Thinking occurs when we combine information from our environment and long-term memory in working memory. However, working memory has very limited capacity. Practice automatizes skills so they require less working memory, allowing more complex thinking.
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While not all material needs drilling, some facts and basic skills do need to be practiced to an automatic level through repetition to serve as a foundation for further learning and skill development. The key is implementing practice in an engaging way for students.
In summary, the chapter argues that while drilling may seem mindless or demotivating, extended practice through repetition is cognitively necessary to automatize certain skills and knowledge as a prerequisite for more advanced thinking and learning, as well as to prevent forgetting. But practice needs to be implemented thoughtfully.
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Working memory capacity and reasoning ability are strongly correlated - people who score higher on working memory tests also tend to score higher on reasoning tests.
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Working memory capacity is largely fixed and cannot be improved through practice or exercises.
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However, there are two ways to “cheat” the limitations of working memory: chunking and automatization.
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Chunking involves combining separate pieces of information into a single unit to reduce the load on working memory. For example, combining individual letters into a known word.
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Automatic processes require little working memory capacity. Examples given are tying shoes, driving a car, and reading common words.
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When a skill becomes automated through extensive practice, it free’s up working memory capacity that was previously used for that skill. This allows other cognitive processes to occur simultaneously.
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For skills like reading, automatization occurs through memorizing individual facts, like letter sounds and word pronunciations. This reduces the working memory load compared to sounding out each letter.
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Similarly in math, memorizing basic facts like addition problems reduces working memory load compared to using counting strategies on each problem.
So in summary, the passage argues that working memory limitations can be overcome through chunking and automatizing skills/processes through extensive practice and memorization of facts, freeing up capacity for higher-level thinking.
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Working memory is the area of the mind where active thinking and problem-solving take place, but it has very limited capacity. Too much information overwhelms it.
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Two ways to reduce the load on working memory are chunking (organizing information into meaningful groups stored in long-term memory) and automating processes through practice.
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Automation frees up working memory space for higher-level thinking by making certain tasks like reading letters or doing math facts happen unconsciously. Practice is needed to reach this stage.
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Studies show students forget much of what they learn over time, with forgetting happening rapidly at first then leveling off after several years. However, continued practice through follow-up courses prevents forgetting and leads to long-term retention of knowledge.
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Spacing out study sessions over time, rather than cramming right before a test, also leads to better long-term memory compared to massed practice in a short period. Regular practice and spacing of that practice are important for memories to persist.
So in summary, practice and repeated exposure to material through spaced studying and follow-up courses are essential for automating skills, freeing up working memory, and achieving long-lasting knowledge retention.
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The spacing effect refers to the finding that spacing out study sessions over time, rather than cramming all at once, leads to better long-term retention of material, even if initial test performance may be lower.
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This is because spacing allows for forgetting and re-learning, which strengthens memories. It also makes subsequent practice sessions more engaging since the material is not fresh.
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Practice is key to transferring knowledge to new situations. The more practice solving different problems of the same type, the more likely one is to recognize the underlying structure and apply it in a new context.
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Context provides cues that help direct interpretation and understanding. Through past experience with similar contexts, meanings and relationships “pop into mind” automatically.
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An expert has had extensive practice with deep structures and contexts within a domain, making recognition and application much more intuitive than for a novice. Regular practice and spaced repetition are important for developing this automaticity.
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Spacing practice over time and providing varied practice problems are effective techniques grounded in cognitive science that teachers can apply to strengthen students’ long-term retention and ability to transfer knowledge.
Here are the key points about getting students to think like scientists, historians, and mathematicians:
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Students’ cognition early in training is fundamentally different from experts - they are novices and do not have the deep background knowledge and experience of experts.
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Trying to get students to think exactly like experts is unrealistic and may be counterproductive. Experts think like experts because of years of immersion in their field.
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Rather than focusing on having students replicate expert-level thinking, curricula should aim to develop the foundational skills, knowledge, and ways of thinking that will support deeper learning over time.
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Things like analyzing primary sources in history, conducting hands-on experiments in science, and exploring problem-solving in math can help develop skills even if students aren’t able to fully replicate expert practices yet.
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Curricula should explain concepts clearly, provide chances for guided practice of skills, and give feedback to build understanding - not expect students to independently think like experts from the start.
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The goal is to cultivate habits of thinking within a domain and lay the groundwork for increasingly sophisticated skills, not duplicate expert cognition too early in the learning process when students are still novices. Development takes time and scaffolded experiences.
So in summary, while exposing students to aspects of expert practices, the focus should be on skill-building at the novice level appropriate to their current abilities and stage of learning, with the aim of developing expertise over an extended period of training and experience.
The passage describes several activities commonly done in high school science classes:
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The teacher explained a biological, chemical, or physical principle.
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The next day, students conducted a hands-on laboratory exercise meant to illustrate the principle.
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That night, students completed problem sets to practice applying the principle.
The author argues these activities don’t adequately resemble what scientists actually do. Scientists conduct experiments to discover unknown outcomes, not to confirm predictable results. They must interpret complex or contradictory results.
Similarly, historians don’t just read and memorize facts. They analyze original sources like records and diaries to construct narratives. If students aren’t practicing skills like these, how fully are they learning science and history?
The author then discusses what experts in different fields actually do, using the TV character Dr. House as an example of how medical experts think. The key points are that experts can efficiently focus on important details, generate plausible hypotheses, and transfer knowledge across similar domains. Experience gives experts advantages novices lack.
Here is a summary of the key points from the passage:
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Experts have extensive background knowledge in their field, which is organized differently than a novice’s knowledge. They think in terms of deep structure and functions, not just surface features.
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An experiment found that experts categorize chess board positions based on functional relationships between pieces, whereas novices grouped by physical proximity.
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Experts can think more abstractly than novices due to their deep understanding of underlying principles and structures.
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Experiments showed experts grouped physics problems by the governing physical principle, while novices grouped by surface objects involved.
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Experts have automatized many routine procedures through extensive practice, freeing up working memory.
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Experts use working memory capacity for self-talk to generate and test hypotheses about problems as they work through them.
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Getting students to think like experts involves helping them develop deep, functional knowledge structures and automatizing routine skills rather than focusing on surface level features and memorization. Transferring knowledge to new problems is better when thinking at an abstract, principled level.
Here are the key points about expertise and how to teach students from the passage:
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Experts think qualitatively differently than novices due to years of extensive practice in their field developing automaticity and a large knowledge base.
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It is unrealistic to expect students to think like experts. The goal should be developing knowledge comprehension, not creation.
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It takes at least 10 years of practice to become an expert in most fields. Students are just beginning to learn.
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When teaching, differentiate between knowledge understanding and knowledge creation. Experts create new knowledge, students should focus on comprehending existing knowledge.
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Appropriate goals for students are developing understanding of how knowledge is created in a field, not engaging in actual knowledge creation themselves yet.
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Having students do some expert-like activities like designing experiments can be done, but the results may not be high quality since they lack expertise. The goal is exposure, not developing expertise through the activities themselves.
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Extensive practice over many years is needed to develop the automaticity and thinking patterns of experts. Classroom activities alone cannot replicate that level of experience.
In summary, the passage warns against expecting students to think like experts but encourages exposing them to expert thinking and knowledge comprehension activities as their level of development allows. Developing true expertise takes extensive real-world practice over a long period of time.
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The passage discusses whether it is true that some students learn best visually, some auditorily, and some with different cognitive styles like linear vs holistic thinking.
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Tailoring instruction to individual learning styles seems intuitively appealing, but in practice it has proven very difficult to analyze and cater to multiple distinct styles in one classroom.
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While students do have different strengths and preferences, extensive research has failed to find consistent evidence that students can be categorized into distinct learning style types that respond best to certain teaching methods over others.
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Children are more alike than different in terms of how they think and learn. While they have individual traits, there is no evidence that some learn entirely visually vs auditorily, for example.
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Teachers should be aware of this and not assume rigid learning style categories exist. They can still maximize learning by understanding individual strengths and weaknesses, but not in a way that requires totally different teaching methods for different “types” of students.
So in summary, the passage emphasizes that while students vary, the idea of distinctly different learning style types is not well supported, and teachers should be cautious of assuming they need totally different approaches for different hypothesized styles. Understanding individuals is more important than rigid categories.
Here are the key points from the summary:
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Teachers may be able to better help students by understanding how they learn best and tailoring instruction to play to their strengths. However, this implies more work for teachers to individualize their instruction.
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Research on cognitive differences and styles could help determine if this extra work is worthwhile. But first we need to distinguish between cognitive abilities and cognitive styles.
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Cognitive abilities refer to capacity and success in different types of thought, like math ability. Cognitive styles are biases in how we prefer to think, like thinking sequentially vs holistically.
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Many cognitive style theories have been proposed, distinguishing things like visual vs verbal learning styles. However, research has struggled to consistently identify stable styles that don’t actually reflect underlying abilities.
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One popular theory is of visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning styles. But while intuitively appealing, research has not consistently proven these styles exist independent of underlying abilities. More research is still needed to determine if tailoring instruction to different styles is truly beneficial.
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The visual-auditory-kinesthetic theory proposes that people learn best when instruction matches their dominant sensory modality - visual, auditory, or kinesthetic.
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However, decades of research have failed to support this theory. Matching instruction to a student’s perceived modality does not improve their learning.
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Most of what is taught and tested in school relates to meaning, not sensory details like visuals or sounds. Memorizing meaning is not enhanced by matching modality.
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While people do vary in their visual and auditory memory abilities, this does not equate to being a “visual” or “auditory learner” as defined by the theory.
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Factors like confirmation bias and the theory’s widespread acceptance contribute to its perceived plausibility despite lack of empirical support.
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Teachers should not feel obligated to tailor instructional methods to different modalities, as this approach does not actually enhance learning according to research. The theory is not an accurate model for teaching practice.
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The passage discusses Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, which proposed 7-8 different types of intelligences (linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist).
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While educators found the theory interesting, most psychologists think Gardner didn’t sufficiently support his claims and discounted prior work. The evidence for distinct intelligences is mixed.
-
The passage evaluates three main claims made based on Gardner’s theory: 1) The types listed truly represent “intelligences” not just abilities/talents. 2) All intelligences should be taught in school. 3) Different intelligences should be used to present new material to different learners.
-
While recognizing different abilities, the passage questions distinguishing just two as “intelligence.” It also argues claims 2 and 3 conflate intelligence with performance and assume Gardner “discovered” new intelligences rather than talents. The implications for teaching are debated.
-
Gardner proposed the theory of multiple intelligences, which suggests that people have different types of intelligences like musical, bodily kinesthetic, etc. and learn best through their strengths.
-
However, Gardner disavows the idea that strengths in one area can compensate for weaknesses in another. Mathematical concepts need to be learned mathematically, musical ability doesn’t help with math.
-
While appealing to students’ strengths can get them interested in a subject initially, it only goes so far. You can’t fully leverage one strength to improve a weakness.
-
Cognitive abilities are distinct and not fully interchangeable. Substitution of one for another is not possible according to evidence.
-
Teachers should differentiate instruction based on their experience with individual students, not learning style theories which lack scientific evidence for most proposed categories.
-
Content is better to think about in terms of visual/auditory modes, logical vs. creative thinking, etc. rather than assigning styles to students.
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Every student has value regardless of intellectual abilities. Not all students will be strong in the proposed intellectual domains.
-
Teachers don’t need to worry or spend money evaluating cognitive styles. Background knowledge is a better framework to understand student differences.
-
There are differing views on intelligence - the Western view sees it as fixed by genetics, while the Eastern view sees it as malleable through hard work. The reality lies somewhere in between - genetics plays a role but intelligence can be changed with sustained effort.
-
It’s important for teachers to model the belief that intelligence is malleable to help all students, including slower learners.
-
While some students are naturally more intelligent than others, teachers should ensure all students get the most out of school.
-
Intelligence refers to abilities like reasoning, understanding complex ideas, overcoming obstacles through thought, and learning from experiences.
-
Research shows there is both a general intelligence (“g”) that contributes to all cognitive tasks, as well as specific intelligences like verbal and mathematical abilities.
-
Slower learners can be helped by giving them extra time and attention, breaking tasks into smaller steps, checking for understanding frequently, relating lessons to real life examples, and praising effort over innate ability. Focusing on a growth mindset of intelligence is also beneficial.
-
Intelligence (g) is real and predicts academic and job success, though it’s not the whole story of intelligence.
-
Researchers have debated whether intelligence is more due to nature (genetics) or nurture (environment).
-
Studies of identical twins raised together vs apart, and adoptive siblings, show genetics plays a large role, around 50% for general intelligence.
-
However, the “Flynn effect” showed large IQ gains over time in many countries, which can’t be explained by genetics alone as gene pools don’t change that fast. This suggests the environment has a powerful impact.
-
Researchers used to think intelligence was mostly set by genetics, with environment having a small effect. But the Flynn effect challenged that view and showed environment can significantly influence intelligence.
-
The role of both genetics and environment is complex and interactive. While genes influence intelligence a lot, the environment still plays an important role in determining a person’s intelligence through factors like education, nutrition, parenting etc.
In summary, both nature (genetics) and nurture (environment) contribute to intelligence, with studies previously suggesting a larger genetic influence but more recent evidence pointing to both factors being important. The relationship is complex with many interacting influences.
-
Dickens offers an analogy about identical twins who are separated at birth and grow up to be tall and skilled at basketball. Though a researcher might attribute this to genetics, the twins’ environments (playing basketball regularly) were actually what developed their skills, not their genes alone.
-
Genetics can influence a person to seek out certain environments. Though the twins had different upbringings, their similar genes may have led them to similar environments where they practiced basketball.
-
This analogy is used to argue that intelligence is influenced by both genetics and environment through gene-environment interaction. Small genetic differences can steer people towards different experiences that strongly impact cognitive development over the long term.
-
A fixed view of intelligence as genetically determined could lead to efforts to steer less intelligent students away from demanding work. But intelligence is actually malleable and can be improved.
-
Students’ beliefs about whether intelligence is fixed or malleable affect how they approach challenges - those who see it as malleable are more willing to take on difficult tasks.
-
Praise that focuses on ability (“you’re smart”) can promote a fixed view of intelligence, while praise for effort can promote a growth mindset that intelligence is malleable.
Here is a summary of the key points from the passage:
-
Slow learners are not inherently less intelligent, they just may differ in what they know, motivation, persistence, and self-image as a student. With effort, they can catch up, but it will take a lot of work.
-
Teachers should praise effort and process rather than natural ability to encourage a growth mindset. Hard work and persistence pay off over time.
-
Failure should be treated as a natural part of learning. Students need to feel comfortable taking on challenges even if they may fail at first.
-
Study skills should not be assumed - slower learners may need explicit instruction in skills like time management, self-discipline, knowing how to study effectively.
-
Catching up is a long-term goal that requires slower students to work even harder than their peers to close the knowledge gap. Interim goals can help with motivation.
-
Teachers need to show confidence in all students’ abilities to meet high standards through effort, even if their initial work is not top quality. Praise should not be given just for compliance.
The key recommendations are fostering a growth mindset, not assuming mastery of study skills, setting realistic but challenging goals, and demonstrating confidence in students’ potential through effortful learning. Praise should focus on process over ability.
Here are some key points summarized from the passage:
-
Teaching, like any complex cognitive skill, places demands on working memory, factual knowledge, and procedural knowledge. The cognitive model outlined in Chapter 1 applies equally to teachers’ minds as to students’ minds.
-
Teaching requires juggling multiple tasks simultaneously in working memory. Experiments confirm teaching is quite demanding of working memory.
-
Subject matter knowledge is important for teaching, especially at higher grade levels and in math. Teachers need deep knowledge of the content they are teaching.
-
Pedagogical content knowledge is also important - knowing how to teach specific concepts within a subject. Simply knowing the content is not enough.
-
Teachers make extensive use of stored procedures in long-term memory for tasks like classroom routines, explanations, and handling student conflicts.
-
Since teaching is a cognitive skill, the principles discussed about students’ minds can also be applied to improve the teacher’s mind. The teacher can work to increase working memory capacity, relevant factual knowledge, and relevant procedural knowledge.
So in summary, the passage argues that teaching places demands on cognitive abilities just like any other complex skill, and therefore the teacher’s own mind can be improved by applying the same principles discussed for students.
-
The chapter discusses the importance of practice for improving skills like teaching. Practice means consciously trying to improve performance, not just gaining experience.
-
Effective practice requires getting feedback from knowledgeable others. It’s difficult to properly evaluate and critique one’s own teaching.
-
The chapter proposes a method for teachers to practice and get feedback on their teaching:
-
Work with 1-2 other teachers to observe each other’s classes.
-
Videotape your own lessons and watch them alone to identify areas for improvement.
-
Tape a typical good lesson first to ease into the process.
-
Tape lessons, then meet with your partner(s) to discuss observations and give/receive candid feedback for growth.
-
Identify specific changes to implement based on feedback and re-tape lessons to track progress over time.
The goal is to consciously work on improving teaching through a structured practice method involving self-evaluation, peer feedback, and iterative changes informed by that feedback process. Regular practice and feedback are presented as important for ongoing development as a teacher.
-
Start by videotaping your own classroom to gain a new perspective on your teaching and what’s happening with students. Expect it to take some time for students and yourself to get comfortable with the videotaping.
-
Watch the tapes without judgment at first, simply observing what surprises you or what you notice about yourself and students. Don’t critique yet.
-
Once accustomed to watching your own tapes, watch tapes of other teachers with your partner. Practice constructive observation and commenting in a low-stakes situation.
-
When ready, watch and comment on each other’s tapes. Set a goal for each session and respect the focus requested by the teacher. Comments should be supportive, concrete, and about observed behaviors.
-
Implement small changes based on insights from video review. Tape a lesson trying just one new thing and see what happens.
-
Videotaping and review helps build important teaching knowledge and awareness over time through experience and reflection. Conscious effort is required to improve, like making a specific plan for growth.
-
Teaching on autopilot is expected and normal when teachers gain experience, but serious effort to improve means being on autopilot less often, which requires more time and energy.
-
Improving teaching will involve spending more time reviewing strengths/weaknesses in the classroom, and planning lessons differently than before. Extra time needs to be scheduled or it won’t happen.
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It’s not realistic to expect massive improvement quickly - focus on manageable, concrete steps in identified priority areas over time.
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Smaller, less time-consuming ways to start are keeping a teaching diary, starting a discussion group with other teachers, and observing student behavior outside the classroom to better understand them.
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Goals of a discussion group are social/emotional support and idea sharing; it works best if purpose is clear from the start.
-
Simply observing students in their natural environments can provide surprising insights into their social dynamics, personalities and interests beyond the classroom.
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This project is based at the University of Virginia where the author is a consultant. The guidelines provided by the university helped shape the methodology described in the report.
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The report outlines nine key principles of how the mind learns that were drawn from cognitive science research. These principles meet certain criteria: they are universally true across contexts, are well-supported by data, can significantly impact student performance if applied/ignored, and provide clear guidance on how to apply them.
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Each chapter outlines a cognitive principle, the types of student knowledge needed to apply that principle, and the most important classroom implication.
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Applying these principles informed by knowledge of students can help maximize student attention, understanding, skill development, and belief in their ability to improve - all with the goal of improving learning outcomes. Understanding cognitive science can provide a more evidence-based approach compared to relying solely on conventional wisdom.
summarizes text, 35-39
Memory and: encoding & retrieval connections, 5;
B
role in expertise, 96–97, 98–99; types of practice
Babies: ability to use logical reasoning, 75;
and, 106–107; working memory capacity, 50 fi g,
core abilities of, 12 fl g, 18–20
61; See also Organizing principles of memory
Basic cognitive principles: examples of, 13–25;
Mental models: ability to form affects learning,
learning involves connecting new to old, 18;
52–53; forming allows use of analogies,
provide foundational understanding, 15–16; as
predictions, 55–57; refi ning allows expertise, 92
guide for teachers, 164
Motivation: effects on learning & memory, 46,
Beautiful mind theorists, 117
48, 50–51; in education, 143–144; intrinsic vs
Behaviorism, 10
extrinsic, 141–143
The Bell Curve (Hernstein & Murray), 145
Novice vs. expert thinking: differences in, 99–
Biology-culture interactionism, 121
100; effects of factual knowledge & practice,
Brain. See The brain
98–99; organization of knowledge in memory,
C
101–102; use of mental models & analogies,
Capacity of the mind is limited, 13 fi g
102–104
Central metaphor for cognition, 1 fi g
Problem solving: differentiation stage and, 84;
Cognitive styles, 115–117
practice strategies for, 108–109; principles of-
Comparing and contrasting ideas, 63–64
C
Concrete operations stage (Piaget), 74–75, 81–82
Core abilities of babies, 12 fl g, 18–20
Creativity, 120–121
Critical thinking skills: develops through practice,
110–112; role of conceptual knowledge, 85–87;
stages of problem representation, 83–85
Reasoning and: biases and fallacies in, 112–113;
developing expertise requires, 104–105;
different approaches to, 75, 80–81; types of
logical reasoning, 74–77
Schema theory: encoding specificity principle, 4, 6;
role in expertise, 101–102; role in memory for text,
5–6, 52–53
Science: concepts vs. principles, 116–117;
conducting investigations in, 26–29; interaction of
observation, inference, prediction in, 24–25;
modeling reality through theory in, 114–115; role
of imagination and creativity in, 120–121
Skills learned through teaching method “scaffolding”,
89–91
Structure of intellect model, 118–119
Styles of cognitive processing: broad/narrow, 116t;
types summarized, 115–119
Symbolic representations, 71 fi g
Teaching: evaluating effectiveness of methods,
143–145; principles of organization & structure in,
136–139; providing purpose & meaning in, 139–
141; role of higher-order thinking in, 128–132; role
of principles of human cognition, 132–136
Theories vs. facts: conceptual theories provide
framework for facts, 116–117; developing through
observation & experimentation, 25, 114–115
Working memory: constraints of capacity, 50 fi g, 61;
encoding & retrieval connections in, 5
ZPD. See Zone of proximal development
D
Deductive reasoning, 76–77
Deliberate practice, 105–109
Different types of learners, 115–119
Dramatic irony, 79
E
Educational psychology: basic goal of, 7; role of
cognitive science principles in, 158, 162–164
Emotions: effects on learning and thinking, 47–48;
role of in motivation, 142
Encoding specifi city principle (schema theory), 4, 6
Encoding vs. retrieval of memories, 3–4
Encoding strategies, 42–45
Expert performance: differences from novices,
99–100; requires factual knowledge & practice,
98–99; role of organization in memory, 101–102;
use of mental models & analogies, 102–104
Expertise: development through practice & effort,
105–109; involves refi ning mental models, 92;
organizing knowledge for fl exible retrieval,
101–102; role of conceptual knowledge, 104–105;
stages of development, 91–94, 96
Explicit vs. implicit processes of expertise, 103
F
Factual knowledge: differences between experts and
novices in, 98–99; importance for problemsolving
G
General principles: vs fragmented principles, 28;
learning through inductive reasoning develops, 25
Goals: clarifying to support motivation and learning,
139–141
Graphing skills, 68 fi g
H
Higher-order thinking: fostering in teaching, 128–132
I
Imagination and creativity: role in science, 120–121
Implicit vs. explicit memory, 3, 45–47
Inductive reasoning, 25, 26–29, 30
Inference: role in scientifi c investigation, 24–25;
stages of developing skill, 78–80
Intelligence: theories of multiple types, 118–120;
views of as fi xed vs. developable, 144–145
J
Just-in-time learning, 91
K
Knowledge organization: affecting retrieval from
memory, 5–6; differences between novices and
experts in, 101–102; role in problem solving, 85
L
Learning: clarifying relations between new and old
knowledge aids, 18; connection to prior knowledge
supports, 11, 17–18; core goals of formal
education, 132, 165; differs from memorization, 18;
development of transfer supports deep, 38, 57–58;
emotions affect, 47–48; involves mental models,
52–53; memory supports, 5–6; motivation affects,
46, 48, 50–51; stages of, 73–75; transfer depends
on depth of understanding, 38, 57–58; variations
among individuals in, 115–120; zone of proximal
development and, 88–89
Learning styles, 115–117
Logical reasoning: deductive vs. inductive, 76–77;
development of skills in, 74–80; stages of, 73–75
M
Mastery: deliberate practice supports, 106–108;
stages of developing, 108–109
Mathematical concepts: abstract nature of, 67–69;
concrete representations support grasping, 70 fi g
Memory: conceptual vs. rote forms of, 42–43;
constraints of capacity, 50 fi g; diffi culties with
implicit vs. explicit processes, 45–47; diffi culties
with multiprocess vs. unitary theories of, 4;
encoding specifi city principle, 4, 6; forms of long-
term, 3; importance for problem solving, 85;
inducing emotional states supports, 48; mental
models and schema infl uence organization of,
5–6, 52–53; organization and retrieval affected by
knowledge structures, 5–6; retrieval vs. encoding
processes, 3–4; role in perception and expertise,
96–97, 98–99; strategies for enhancing encoding,
42–45; types of practice and strengthening
capacity, 106–107; working memory constraints,
50 fi g, 61
Mental models: ability to form affects learning,
52–53; differences between novices and experts
in use of, 102–104; formation allows use of
analogies, predictions, 55–57; refi ning through
practice supports expertise, 92
Metacognition: developing self-regulation and, 130;
role of monitoring in problem solving, 112
Mind. See The mind
Models of cognition: central metaphor as mind as
machine, 1 fi g; mental vs. computational, 114;
roles in science and problem solving, 114–115
Motivation: affects learning and memory, 46, 48,
50–51; connecting teaching to intrinsic drives,
139–141; differences in intrinsic vs. extrinsic, 141
Multiple intelligences theories, 118–120
N
Novice vs. expert thinking. See Expertise
O
Observation: in scientifi c investigations, 24–26;
vs. inference, 24–25, 78
Organizing knowledge: affects retrieval from
memory, 5–6; differences between novices and
experts in, 101–102; role in problem solving, 85
P
Perception: role of mental models and schemas in,
52–53, 96–97; role of prior knowledge in guiding, 11
Piaget’s stages of cognitive development, 73–75,
81–82
Planning: role of metacognition in problem solving,
112; skills develop through scaffolding, 89–91
Practice: deliberate forms support expertise,
105–109; effects on memory through strengthening
neural connections, 106–107; importance for
developing expertise, 98–99, 105–109; scaffolding
and fading support purposeful, 89
Problem representation: importance in problem
solving, 83–85; refi ning through practice supports
expertise, 92
Problem solving: analogical processes in, 103–104;
conceptual knowledge aids, 85–87; differentiation
and organization stages, 84; factual knowledge
importance, 98–99; memory role, 85; metacognitive
monitoring during, 112; mental models role,
102–104; models of stages, 83–84; principle-based
vs. example-based, 28; reasoning processes in,
75, 80–81; role of conceptual knowledge, 85–87;
role of practice in refi ning representations, 92
R
Reasoning: developing logical skills through
practice, 104–105; inductive vs. deductive, 76–77;
inferential and hypothesis testing, 78–80; role in
problem solving, 75, 80–81
Refl ection: metacognitive skills develop through, 130
Rote vs. conceptual learning, 42–43
S
Scaffolded instruction, 89–91
Science. See also Models of cognition: constructing knowledge through experimentation, 21;
concepts vs. principles in, 116–117; as creative
endeavor, 120–121; role of imagination and
creativity in, 120–121; role of observation,
inference, prediction in investigations, 24–25
Self-regulation: metacognitive skills support, 130
Skills: differences in developing expertise vs.
competence, 92; developing reasoning and logical
thinking, 74–80; growth through practice, 105–109;
planning and problem-solving improve through
scaffolding, 89–91; transfer depends on deep
understanding, 57–58
Stage models of cognitive development, 73–75
Structure of Intellect model, 118–119
Styles of processing information, 115–117
Symbolic representations, 71 fi g
Synthesis: higher-order thinking involves, 128–132
T
Teaching: clarifying relations to prior knowledge,
17–18; connecting new to old knowledge in, 18;
evaluating methods empirically, 143–145; providing
conceptual frameworks for facts, 116–117;
providing coherent organization and structure,
136–139; providing purposes and intrinsic goals,
139–141; role of cognitive principles in informing,
132–136, 162–164; role of higher-order thinking,
128–132
The mind: central metaphor and models of, 1 fi g,
114; constraints of capacity, 13 fi g, 50 fi g; core
abilities and learning mechanisms, 12 fi g, 18–20;
as meaning maker, 8–11; organizational principles
of, 4–7; variations among individuals in styles,
115–120
Theories: conceptual frameworks allow organization
of facts, 116–117; developing through observations
and experiments, 25, 114–115
Transfer: role of conceptual understanding in deep
learning for, 57–58; tasks facilitate through worked
examples, 37
V
Variations in thinking styles, 115–120
Verbal ability and fluency, 119
Visual-spatial abilities, 119
W
Working memory: encoding and retrieval
connections, 5; constraints of capacity, 50 fi g, 61
Z
Zone of proximal development (ZPD): involves
guidance then independence, 88; role of
scaffolding instruction and, 89
Here is a summary of the key points from the sections and figures provided:
-
Cognitive principles that teaching should be based on include the ideas that people are not naturally good thinkers, factual knowledge must precede skill development, memory is the residue of thought, understanding requires context, practice is needed for proficiency, early cognitive training is important, intelligence can be developed, and teaching is a skill that improves with practice.
-
Background knowledge facilitates comprehension in four ways - it provides context, allows analogical or comparative thinking, aids in inferring missing information, and supports the chunking of information.
-
Drilling practice, repetition and distributed practice can develop automated cognitive skills and support long-term memory formation. This type of practice is important for skill development.
-
Experts have extensive background knowledge and organized mental “toolboxes” that allow them to analyze and solve problems more efficiently. Teaching can aim to help students develop more expert-like thinking.
-
Factual knowledge enhances critical thinking abilities and cognitive processes like working memory. Providing meaningful factual knowledge in classroom lessons can have cognitive benefits for students.
-
Individual differences in cognitive styles and abilities should be considered when designing classroom instruction. A variety of learning activities may be needed to engage different types of students.
Here are the key points about Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences and related topics mentioned in the passage:
-
Gardner’s theory claims that there are multiple forms of intelligence beyond just verbal/linguistic and logical/mathematical intelligence. It proposes there are at least eight different intelligences.
-
The eight intelligences listed in Gardner’s theory are: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist.
-
Recognizing students’ individual intelligences means understanding that each student likely has strengths in different areas of intelligence and recognizing/tapping into those strengths.
-
Implications for the classroom include recognizing each student’s varied intelligences and teaching in ways that engage different forms of intelligence. This could help more students excel by playing to their strengths.
-
Understanding learning styles and intelligences can help teachers more effectively recognize how different students learn best and design lessons accordingly. This could improve learning outcomes.
That covers the key points about Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences mentioned in the summary provided. Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional questions.
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About Matheus Puppe