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Cognitive Science

My learning theory essay will focus on Cognitivism. The human mind’s ability to input, interpret, store and output information. I will briefly discuss the three principle areas of research that bare significance to adult learners and educators. Piaget’s cognitive development theory, Atkinson and Shiffrin’s theory of memory, and Bloom’s instructional processing theory.

Theory Highlights

The first theory I would like to discuss is Piaget’s 4 stages of cognitive development. Jean Piaget proposed that a child’s mind will go through the following developmental progressions until their adulthood. Sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete, and formal.

The sensorimotor stage is from birth to 2 years, during this stage a child begins to learn from their movements and sensations (Cherry, 2019). The child is able differentiate between people and objects around them. A major characteristic they develop is object permanence, the ability to understand that objects exist even if they can’t be sensed.

Preoperational stage is from 2-7 years, this is where the child begins to think symbolically and learn to use words and pictures to represent objects (Cherry, 2019). The major characteristic I found during this stage of development, was the fact the child tends to be self-centered and fails to see the perspective of others.

The concrete operational stage takes place from 7-11 years. During this stage the child’s thinking is logical, organized and concrete (Cherry, 2019). They are able to understand the thoughts and opinions of others, but may not necessarily represent those of their own. The final stage of Piaget’s theory, is the formal stage which takes place from age 12 and up. Here, the young adult develops an increased sense of logic, capability to use deductive reasoning, and an understanding of abstract ideas (Cherry, 2019). They are able to think more about their surroundings and the contributing factors in society. This very well may be a pivotal stage for developing critical thinking skills.

Memory plays a pivotal factor in the cognitive learning process. I would like to briefly touch on Atkinson and Shiffrin’s (1968) Modal Model of Memory theory. Here both Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin, propose the human memory can be broken down into 3 memory stores; sensory, short and long-term memory (McLeod, 2017).

Sensory memory, is the first level of memory brought in by the senses, and only retained for a few seconds. Two examples of sensory memory would be visual and auditory. Short term memory, often only lasts 30 seconds, unless repeated by a process known as rehearsal. Lastly, long-term memory is where the duration and capacity are unlimited. The information must be rehearsed or repeated to have it transferred from short term to long term memory (Janse, 2018). Long term memory can be broken down further into 3 distinctions, procedural, semantic, and episodic (Tulving 1972).

Benjamin Blooms cognitive taxonomy (1956) is probably the most recognized learning objectives known to man. Bloom designed a 6-level educational objective to provide the learner an orderly approach to a higher level of thought. This theory clarifies the learning objectives for the student and assists the instructor to design and deliver better instruction; a beneficial tool for both. The original sequence of cognitive skills were Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation (Heick, 2019). In 2001, the taxonomy was revised by Lorin Anderson and David Krathwohl. A noteworthy change in the revised taxonomy was the removal of ‘Synthesis’ and the addition of ‘Creation’ as the highest-level of Bloom’s Taxonomy (Heick, 2019). As well as, the nouns used to describe the original taxonomy were replaced by verbs to signify the cognitive process.

Why this learning theory?

I chose this learning theory because I clearly identify with it as an adult learner and instructor. The cognitive learning theory applies a systematic approach; therefore, one can process the information in a manner that makes sense. Cognitivists focus on insight (the moment when a solution to a problem becomes clear), information procession, problem solving, memory, and the brain (Merriam & Bierema, 2014).

Role of the Learner

The cognitive approach focuses on the mental activities of the learner that lead up to a response, and acknowledge the processes of mental planning, goal-setting, and organizational strategies (Shuell, 1986). This, in turn, enables the learner to be play an active role in their learning process; that instruction alone cannot account to learning (Ertmer & Newby, 2013). The learner must take the knowledge and process the information by using the appropriate learning strategies. The learners’ thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, and values are contributing factors in the educational process (Winne, 1985).

Role of the Instructor

The cognitive learning process is a combination of cognitive development, memory and instructional design theory (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). The instructor must be able to encompass those three key elements in the curriculm. A facilitator, who is organized and has a methodical approach to the content, allows the learner to take the initiative and utilize the appropriate learning strategies. The instructor must also incorporate various methods of assessment to allow for feedback and student growth.

Motivation

An instructor has the ability to change the atmosphere of a classroom, by creating a motivating and safe learning environment. As a human-being, you want to feel safe and respected not only by your peers, but your instructor as well. Brophy states, “Teacher personality and behavior have a powerful impact on whether a student feels motivated in a course.” (Brophy, 2004). According to educational research, “Effective teachers are the most important factor contributing to student achievement and have a lasting effect on student learning.” (Stronge, 2003, pp. 48-52). As a student myself, this especially rings true. I’ve put in extra effort when the instructor has believed in my abilities, driving me to achieve higher results.

Why did you select this particular motivational strategy?

This strategy exemplifies everything I want to be as an instructor; motivating, compassionate and approachable. “A display of your motivation and passion, motivates your students.” (Bain, Nilson, Delong, & Winter, n.d.). Energy is infectious, and my hope is that the energy and enthusiasm I project will be mirrored back to me. Equally as important, is to create a safe and comfortable learning environment by promoting respect and nurturing confidence. “To engage students in mindful ways, educators must support learners’ innate sense of curiosity and foster confidence.” (Burger, 2016). Edward Burger, President of Southwestern University, also states, “Confidence does not mean that we are devoid of doubt, but rather that we can move forward with a potential solution or answer and then be willing to engage in an open-minded process to further explore both the issue at hand as well as the promise of new insights.” (Burger, 2016). As an instructor, I have to ask myself, what is it that I want my students to grasp and take away from this class? Certainly, course content won’t be enough in the real world to succeed.

Where would this motivational strategy work most effectively?

Enthusiasm, energy, and passion are not buttons that can be turned off and on, you either possess those qualities or you don’t. I believe staying consistent is crucial to student success, which we established in adult learning theories. As reference, I cite Raymond Wlodkowski’s motivational framework which I consider as the groundwork. An invaluable tool in staying consistent throughout the course.

Establishing inclusion, would act as my foundation. Creating a safe learning environment, promoting mutual respect, fairness, and camaraderie. Developing a positive attitude, allowing the students to have a sense of control on what they want to learn and how it relates to their interests. “Assess the learner in a variety of ways (tests, papers, projects, presentations, etc.) to give students more control over how they show their understanding to you.” (Bain, Nilson, Delong, & Winter, n.d.). Students are individuals, and no two people are alike. Therefore, I see this resonating with both the intrinsic and extrinsic learner. Enhancing meaning to challenge and engage, in turn, encourages critical thinking and cultivating a deeper meaning, thus maintaining student interest. Lastly, engendering competence; creating an understanding that students are effectively performing something that have real world connections. This would allow the instructor to provide positive and constructive feedback, helping build student confidence. Wlodkowski claims the utilization of his motivational framework, would work in concert to elicit enhanced adult motivation for learning throughout the entire learning sequence. (Wlodkowski, 2008).

What aspect of motivation are you examining in this report?

The aspect of motivation being examined in this report is intrinsic, as it’s driven from within for genuine purposes. “Intrinsic motivation occurs when we act without any obvious external rewards.” (Cherry, 2019). “We simply enjoy an activity or see it as an opportunity to explore, learn, and actualize our potentials.” (Cherry, 2019). However, educational researchers have found that, “Students who are not intrinsically motivated by their studies will put forth reasonable effort if they like and admire their teacher, just as they may become apathetic or resistant if they view their teacher negatively.” (Brophy, 2004, pp. 27-28). We must also bear in mind, “Students are individuals, therefore a variety of approaches may be needed to motivate different students.” (Bain, Nilson, Delong, & Winter, n.d.). This can be challenging, but definitely attainable. Speaking from experience, the extrinsic learner is often disconnected and can have a negative effect in the classroom.

Who would be impacted by this motivational aspect?

I honestly don’t see one particular group that would be impacted to a greater degree than the other. I believe this aspect would empower both the intrinsic and extrinsic learner; it may also benefit the educator. Developing autonomy, nurturing confidence, and promoting curiosity may be a diverse approach to learning, perhaps even challenging the intrinsic learner. Building a foundation of respect, promoting positive attitude, and connecting with your students may gravitate to the extrinsic learner. Although, it may seem quite the undertaking on behalf of the instructor to not only teach but exhibit these skill’s as well. In my opinion, a compulsory need for effectiveness in the classroom.