This week, we explored two instructional strategies,“Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers” and “Summarizing and Note Taking.” The concept mapping with the use of Inspiration and Kidspiration really help the students see how the ideas are connected. They can literally follow the arrows follow the flow chart. Having this sort of visual reference, instead of just reading text. "Instruction should be well-organized. Well-organized materials easier to learn and to remember." Smith, M. K. (1999) Having the materials organized in such a manner that the students can be lead through the lesson is a must when dealing with 8 and 9 year old children. The idea of combination notes, providing a visual image to correspond to and cue a written concept allows the brain to process the information in multiple ways to help trigger recall of the information. I am surely going to use this when introducing my 2nd and 3rd graders to Powerpoint. I think that these are skills they will build on as they progress to the middle grades.
Smith, M. K. (1999) 'The cognitive orientation to learning', the encyclopedia of informal education, www.infed.org/biblio/learning-cognitive, Last update: September 03, 2009.
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John,
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting if you could also use these same skills to teach your students the art of summarizing. As you show them how to use powerpoint to take notes, will you also explain to them that you're only sharing the most important information? This way they will know how powerpoint is to be used, and it may help them connect to how a summary should be written.
Charis Jones
I agree I think that the combination of students being able to visually see how they are connected and the media that can be attached allows them the opportunity to make connections in a more visual way then they were able to previously with simple text.
ReplyDeleteJohn, not being a tech person I had a very difficult time navigating Kidspiration. I can definitely see the benefit of constructing concept maps. Concept mapping help the students develop or build knowledge and I think I see a strong connection between cognitive learning theory and constructivists learning theory.
ReplyDeleteJohn and Michael,
ReplyDeleteI think that it is great that you will be able to teach third graders how to use these tools. I had a difficult time adjusting to the concept map, but I know that youngesters today pick up on technology a lot faster than many adults!
Lynn and Michael,
ReplyDeleteIt takes some practice, but once you get the hang of it, you can create some interesting interactive materials. I usually just have my K-3 students work on templates I've created rather than have them design the maps themselves. By the time they are in the middle grades they can make them quite easily.