1.How does this topic fit into what I have learned already in this course?
From the text book cognition I learned the cognitive processes and the skills needed to think and store information to help me in decision making, solve problems, and learn a second language. This week’s reading emphasizes how I can utilize technology to enhance the cognitive skills stated and develop higher level thinking. Computer scaffolding assists learners to support problem solving in mathematics, writing, and sciences by including real-world problems in to the learning environment. Technology also decreases the time teachers spend to give their students’ feedback; in an interactive computer application environment students suggest their answers or propose a solution, and teachers can give them feedback without giving up the answers to encourage students find more solutions to promote higher level thinking.
2.What am I still not clear on in this week's reading(s)?
In most readings including this week’s reading, some researchers argue that technology is a waste of time for teachers as well as students, in another way many other researchers support the presence of technology creates environments for students to develop higher level of thinking. I wonder what type of research needs to be done to convince some teachers that technology or computer supported instructions are supportive.
3.Under what conditions would I apply this material to my own teaching/work?
I have always used computers to train applications, for me education and computers are inseparable. Even if I teach other materials I would promote the use of computers and internet to complete assignments. For example if I am teaching use critical thinking in buying a computer I would send students to first learn the words associated with purchasing computers; memory, hard drive, CDROM, frequency online and write down three different definitions for each, and after that go online and look for computers that have most of the qualities that we discussed in class and evaluate what is worth for our money.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
How people learn Chapter 6 and 7(The Design of Learning Environments, Effective Teaching: Examples in History, Mathematics and Science)
1. How does this topic fit into what I have learned already in this course?
Cognitive processes perception, working memory, long-term memory, Metacognition, mental imagery are all put into consideration when we design instruction. In this week reading the design of learning environment and effective teaching learner-centered, knowledge-centered, assessment –centered and community –centered learning environments are introduced and how each environment is linked to different types of cognitive skills. The next chapter deals with how to teach different disciplines in relation to teaching methods in different subject areas like math, history and science. This chapter relates to our text with the cognitive skills students utilize to understand and practice the above subjects.
2. What am I still not clear on in this week's reading(s)?
I don’t think there is a distinct difference between learner centered and knowledge centered environments, they should go together, or I think knowledge centered should include learner-centered. When we try to implement knowledge-centered learning, we should consider learner-centered to understand the cultural values and past experiences of the students.
3. Under what conditions would I apply this material to my own teaching/work?
I think community-centered learning environment can be used in any conditions in academic environment as well as training environment; when people share or discuss their opinions, information or a certain skill flows among students with different backgrounds; students can benefit a great deal.
Cognitive processes perception, working memory, long-term memory, Metacognition, mental imagery are all put into consideration when we design instruction. In this week reading the design of learning environment and effective teaching learner-centered, knowledge-centered, assessment –centered and community –centered learning environments are introduced and how each environment is linked to different types of cognitive skills. The next chapter deals with how to teach different disciplines in relation to teaching methods in different subject areas like math, history and science. This chapter relates to our text with the cognitive skills students utilize to understand and practice the above subjects.
2. What am I still not clear on in this week's reading(s)?
I don’t think there is a distinct difference between learner centered and knowledge centered environments, they should go together, or I think knowledge centered should include learner-centered. When we try to implement knowledge-centered learning, we should consider learner-centered to understand the cultural values and past experiences of the students.
3. Under what conditions would I apply this material to my own teaching/work?
I think community-centered learning environment can be used in any conditions in academic environment as well as training environment; when people share or discuss their opinions, information or a certain skill flows among students with different backgrounds; students can benefit a great deal.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Reflection chapter10,13
1. How does this topic fit into what I have learned already in this course?
Language comprehension utilizes almost all cognitive processes I have learned so far. It starts with perception in chapter 2 in visual and auditory as well as attention and consciousness: when we start with perception in visual and auditory, we start with first reading or listening to a word or a letter to be able to comprehend. When we come to attention, we either have to use selective or divided attention when we hear a word. Consciousness is how we perceive the world around us this has major contribution on how we comprehend a word or a sentence. Language comprehension also utilizes working and long-term memory to understand what we read with working memory aiding current reading and long-term memory aiding what we know from the past to attach the new information. When we come to mental imagery, we try to picture or draw a diagram in our minds what we read to help us comprehend; and with general knowledge, our organized knowledge about the world assist us in comprehending what we are reading or listening. So language comprehension utilizes almost all of cognitive processes we’ve covered so far. Chapter 10 extends from 9 that dealt with comprehension. Chapter 10 emphasizes language production: speaking, writing, bilingualism that relays on comprehension because we cannot produce language if we cannot comprehend in that language, it also require several cognitive steps to speak, write and learn another language as well.
2. What am I still not clear on in this week's reading(s)?
The text indicates that bilinguals have advantage compared to monolinguals in so many ways, I think there proficiency plays a role, if you learn a second language for about3yrs or so there is no way you can write like the natives unless we are trained to speak, read, write parallel with the first language starting 1st grade. My question: if you cannot write like the natives I don’t see the advantage.
3. Under what conditions would I apply this material to my own teaching/work?
No wonder writhing is difficult; it requires all the cognitive skills we have covered so far. When creating a writing assignment, I will try to follow and implement the steps indicated in our text starting pre-writing, revising and understanding my audiences.
This is difficult because I don’t teach. But if I have children in near future I might think about sending them for second language lessons at a very young age.
Language comprehension utilizes almost all cognitive processes I have learned so far. It starts with perception in chapter 2 in visual and auditory as well as attention and consciousness: when we start with perception in visual and auditory, we start with first reading or listening to a word or a letter to be able to comprehend. When we come to attention, we either have to use selective or divided attention when we hear a word. Consciousness is how we perceive the world around us this has major contribution on how we comprehend a word or a sentence. Language comprehension also utilizes working and long-term memory to understand what we read with working memory aiding current reading and long-term memory aiding what we know from the past to attach the new information. When we come to mental imagery, we try to picture or draw a diagram in our minds what we read to help us comprehend; and with general knowledge, our organized knowledge about the world assist us in comprehending what we are reading or listening. So language comprehension utilizes almost all of cognitive processes we’ve covered so far. Chapter 10 extends from 9 that dealt with comprehension. Chapter 10 emphasizes language production: speaking, writing, bilingualism that relays on comprehension because we cannot produce language if we cannot comprehend in that language, it also require several cognitive steps to speak, write and learn another language as well.
2. What am I still not clear on in this week's reading(s)?
The text indicates that bilinguals have advantage compared to monolinguals in so many ways, I think there proficiency plays a role, if you learn a second language for about3yrs or so there is no way you can write like the natives unless we are trained to speak, read, write parallel with the first language starting 1st grade. My question: if you cannot write like the natives I don’t see the advantage.
3. Under what conditions would I apply this material to my own teaching/work?
No wonder writhing is difficult; it requires all the cognitive skills we have covered so far. When creating a writing assignment, I will try to follow and implement the steps indicated in our text starting pre-writing, revising and understanding my audiences.
This is difficult because I don’t teach. But if I have children in near future I might think about sending them for second language lessons at a very young age.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Chapter-9 Reflection (Language I: Introduction to Language and Language Comprehension)
1. How does this topic fit into what I have learned already in this course?
Language comprehension utilizes almost all cognitive processes I have learned so far. It starts with perception in chapter 2 in visual and auditory as well as attention and consciousness: when we start with perception in visual and auditory, we start with first reading or listening to a word or a letter to be able to comprehend. When we come to attention, we either have to use selective or divided attention when we hear a word. Consciousness is how we perceive the world around us this has major contribution on how we comprehend a word or a sentence. Language comprehension also utilizes working and long-term memory to understand what we read with working memory aiding current reading and long-term memory aiding what we know from the past to attach the new information. When we come to mental imagery, we try to picture or draw a diagram in our minds what we read to help us comprehend; and with general knowledge, our organized knowledge about the world assist us in comprehending what we are reading or listening. So language comprehension utilizes almost all of cognitive processes we’ve covered so far.
2. What am I still not clear on in this week's reading(s)?
When the author talked about whole-word-approach and phonics approach, children trained with phonics approach are better spellers than children trained with whole- word approach. I have seen children memorize words from dictionaries when getting ready to compete in spelling competition. No matter which approach they were trained they still have to study words and their special cases where some sounds are silenced, I can’t really see the difference at an older age.
3. Under what conditions would I apply this material to my own teaching/work?
Language does not necessarily have to be spoken language like English, Chinese; language can be different in psychology, medical, technical. For example: if we are in the health care environment and you are not familiar with most of the words that health care professionals talk about then we don’t speak the language same goes for technical terms in computer applications; if I have to train students about SharePoint document library and picture library; they would have to be familiar with the language of this environment such as SharePoint, document library, picture library, permission setting, uploading, read only, full control and so on. Even though the language spoken in the training is English, and two or three words are used, it can easily confuse students. The cognitive processes used in the above practice are perceptual processes visual and auditory recognition: first encounter with the words and visual description of the application displayed, working memory: to make a sense of what’s being said, Long-term memory: to retain information in the future after they are familiar with them, general knowledge: knowledge about computers, applications that would help them relate the current lesson.
Language comprehension utilizes almost all cognitive processes I have learned so far. It starts with perception in chapter 2 in visual and auditory as well as attention and consciousness: when we start with perception in visual and auditory, we start with first reading or listening to a word or a letter to be able to comprehend. When we come to attention, we either have to use selective or divided attention when we hear a word. Consciousness is how we perceive the world around us this has major contribution on how we comprehend a word or a sentence. Language comprehension also utilizes working and long-term memory to understand what we read with working memory aiding current reading and long-term memory aiding what we know from the past to attach the new information. When we come to mental imagery, we try to picture or draw a diagram in our minds what we read to help us comprehend; and with general knowledge, our organized knowledge about the world assist us in comprehending what we are reading or listening. So language comprehension utilizes almost all of cognitive processes we’ve covered so far.
2. What am I still not clear on in this week's reading(s)?
When the author talked about whole-word-approach and phonics approach, children trained with phonics approach are better spellers than children trained with whole- word approach. I have seen children memorize words from dictionaries when getting ready to compete in spelling competition. No matter which approach they were trained they still have to study words and their special cases where some sounds are silenced, I can’t really see the difference at an older age.
3. Under what conditions would I apply this material to my own teaching/work?
Language does not necessarily have to be spoken language like English, Chinese; language can be different in psychology, medical, technical. For example: if we are in the health care environment and you are not familiar with most of the words that health care professionals talk about then we don’t speak the language same goes for technical terms in computer applications; if I have to train students about SharePoint document library and picture library; they would have to be familiar with the language of this environment such as SharePoint, document library, picture library, permission setting, uploading, read only, full control and so on. Even though the language spoken in the training is English, and two or three words are used, it can easily confuse students. The cognitive processes used in the above practice are perceptual processes visual and auditory recognition: first encounter with the words and visual description of the application displayed, working memory: to make a sense of what’s being said, Long-term memory: to retain information in the future after they are familiar with them, general knowledge: knowledge about computers, applications that would help them relate the current lesson.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
chapter 12 Deductive Reasoning and Decision Making
1.How does this topic fit into what I have learned already in this course?
At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory. This chapter emphasizes about long-term memory opposite to working memory, when I learned about short-term memory that is a temporary storage for what my brain is working on current events but in case of long-term memory, it composes the experiences, events and information that we have stored over life time. Memory strategies builds on the concept I have learned so far, once I know what working-memory and long-term memory are, then this two chapters help me better utilize these memories with the idea of metacognition and metamemory in mind. Memory strategy relies on perception, attention, and consciousness and in the end metamemory and metacognition; if we organize how we learn what materials we remember in what circumstances then our memory improves and ultimately store information in the long-term memory. Mental imagery and Cognitive Maps also aids to our memory strategy or how we learn if we can picture or visualize an object or item that is not physically present. This chapter also indicates how mental image is stored either in analog-code or propositional code. Memory strategy can be productive if we know how we store information or how we draw mental images of items we need to remember. Chapter 8 talks about how general knowledge relates to our cognitive process. Chapter 7 explains mental imagery and cognitive maps on how we code and visualize images of information, general knowledge influences how our cognitive system processes information taken from the outside world. The section uses two major concepts to explain general knowledge Semantic memory and Schemas. Chapter 11 basically will utilize all the concepts I have learned so far. That is when we know how our working memory and long-term memory works and with a knowledge of metamemory and metacognition and create strategy how we could recall new materials then the real challenge comes on how do we use all of the above to solve a problem and be creative. Chapter 12 talks about Deductive Reasoning and Decision making; both require high level cognitive skills that utilize the skills I learned in the past readings starting with top-down and bottom up processing, working memory, long-term memory, metamemory, Heuristics to solve problems; to help us analyze, reason, and decide on problems we face at school, work, and daily lives.
2.What am I still not clear on in this week’s reading?
In Abstract reasoning problems, in the previous chapters we studied how to place concepts and new materials in the long term memory, but in some abstract reasoning problems we have to fight not to use prior information accompanied by examples and imagery about the item how do I teach this to children or how do I help students to ignore what you know before when you try to reason abstract problems? When I think about it we accumulate new information to help us solve a problem or to make a decision, I wonder if there are specific techniques to block prior knowledge attached with examples.
3.Under what conditions would I apply this material to may own teaching/work?
Decision making is what we do everyday either in working or studying. At work I can apply the decision making in finding the need for student assistant training. I would start with a questionnaire with staff and faculty in several aspects of the decision making; what applications are used frequently on public machines, how effective are student assistants in assisting students with information as well as software applications. I would try to use effective sampling method to select sample size that would represent the population fairly.
At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory. This chapter emphasizes about long-term memory opposite to working memory, when I learned about short-term memory that is a temporary storage for what my brain is working on current events but in case of long-term memory, it composes the experiences, events and information that we have stored over life time. Memory strategies builds on the concept I have learned so far, once I know what working-memory and long-term memory are, then this two chapters help me better utilize these memories with the idea of metacognition and metamemory in mind. Memory strategy relies on perception, attention, and consciousness and in the end metamemory and metacognition; if we organize how we learn what materials we remember in what circumstances then our memory improves and ultimately store information in the long-term memory. Mental imagery and Cognitive Maps also aids to our memory strategy or how we learn if we can picture or visualize an object or item that is not physically present. This chapter also indicates how mental image is stored either in analog-code or propositional code. Memory strategy can be productive if we know how we store information or how we draw mental images of items we need to remember. Chapter 8 talks about how general knowledge relates to our cognitive process. Chapter 7 explains mental imagery and cognitive maps on how we code and visualize images of information, general knowledge influences how our cognitive system processes information taken from the outside world. The section uses two major concepts to explain general knowledge Semantic memory and Schemas. Chapter 11 basically will utilize all the concepts I have learned so far. That is when we know how our working memory and long-term memory works and with a knowledge of metamemory and metacognition and create strategy how we could recall new materials then the real challenge comes on how do we use all of the above to solve a problem and be creative. Chapter 12 talks about Deductive Reasoning and Decision making; both require high level cognitive skills that utilize the skills I learned in the past readings starting with top-down and bottom up processing, working memory, long-term memory, metamemory, Heuristics to solve problems; to help us analyze, reason, and decide on problems we face at school, work, and daily lives.
2.What am I still not clear on in this week’s reading?
In Abstract reasoning problems, in the previous chapters we studied how to place concepts and new materials in the long term memory, but in some abstract reasoning problems we have to fight not to use prior information accompanied by examples and imagery about the item how do I teach this to children or how do I help students to ignore what you know before when you try to reason abstract problems? When I think about it we accumulate new information to help us solve a problem or to make a decision, I wonder if there are specific techniques to block prior knowledge attached with examples.
3.Under what conditions would I apply this material to may own teaching/work?
Decision making is what we do everyday either in working or studying. At work I can apply the decision making in finding the need for student assistant training. I would start with a questionnaire with staff and faculty in several aspects of the decision making; what applications are used frequently on public machines, how effective are student assistants in assisting students with information as well as software applications. I would try to use effective sampling method to select sample size that would represent the population fairly.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Chapter11 Problem Solving and Creativity
I completed the summary and reflection before I saw the instructions on blackboard this morning so I will make the changes starting next week.
Chapter-11 Problem solving and Creativity
1.Summery
This chapter talks about problem solving. There are four phases of problem solving
a.Understanding the problem
b.Problem-solving strategies
c.Factors that influence problem solving
d.Creativity
Understanding the problem involves paying attention to its relevant information, with representing the problems using symbols, Matrices (A matrix is a chart that shows all possible combinations of items) diagrams and visual images. Situated cognition approach is also mentioned as a way of solving problems that we solve based on an information-rich environment opposing that traditional cognitive approach is too simple. Problem-solving strategies come next on the phase list based on heuristic (shortcut that typically produces a correct answer); the text starts with Hill-Climbing Heuristic that is a simple way of selecting the lead that takes you towards your goal. The next is Means-Ends Heuristic, contains two steps: divide problem in two sub-problems and reduce the difference between the initial state and the final state. This Heuristic forces you to identify the “ends” so that you will find the means to use to get to the goal. The final Heuristic is the analogy approach that uses previous experiences to solve new problem. The third phase in problem solving is Factors that affect problem solving: Expertise, Mental Set, Functional Fixedness, Insight Versus Non-insight problems. Expertise is where we try to solve a problem with our specific knowledge about the items (problems) given. Based on what kind of expertise experts differ from novices problem solving approach varies between both as well; knowledge base, Memory , representation are to name a few. Mental set is when we keep trying to use the same solution from previous problems on new problems, despite other simple approaches. Functional Fixedness, if our top-down processing is over-active with a tendency of relying on prior knowledge and expectation to solve new problems. The functions we assign to objects will stay the same hindering us from looking at features of a stimulus that might be useful to solve the problem. Creativity: two approaches for creativity, Divergent production, the number of varied responses made to each test item. Some test items require test takes to overcome functional fixedness allowing the test takers not to relay on top-down processing. Three criteria for creativity are that the solutions must be novel, high quality and useful.
2.How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory. This chapter emphasizes about long-term memory opposite to working memory, when I learned about short-term memory that is a temporary storage for what my brain is working on current events but in case of long-term memory, it composes the experiences, events and information that we have stored over life time. Memory strategies builds on the concept I have learned so far, once I know what working-memory and long-term memory are, then this two chapters help me better utilize these memories with the idea of metacognition and metamemory in mind. Memory strategy relies on perception, attention, and consciousness and in the end metamemory and metacognition; if we organize how we learn what materials we remember in what circumstances then our memory improves and ultimately store information in the long-term memory. Mental imagery and Cognitive Maps also aids to our memory strategy or how we learn if we can picture or visualize an object or item that is not physically present. This chapter also indicates how mental image is stored either in analog-code or propositional code. Memory strategy can be productive if we know how we store information or how we draw mental images of items we need to remember. Chapter 8 talks about how general knowledge relates to our cognitive process. Chapter 7 explains mental imagery and cognitive maps on how we code and visualize images of information, general knowledge influences how our cognitive system processes information taken from the outside world. The section uses two major concepts to explain general knowledge Semantic memory and Schemas. Chapter 11 basically will utilize all the concepts I have learned so far. That is when we know how our working memory and long-term memory works and with a knowledge of metamemory and metacognition and create strategy how we could recall new materials then the real challenge comes on how do we use all of the above to solve a problem and be creative.
3.What am I still not clear on?
Situated cognition argues that traditional cognitive approach is too simple, because in real life, our cognitive processes take advantage of an information-rich environment to solve a problem. So do we want to train our students/trainees with the beginning steps of problem solving and expose them to situated learning or do we just expose them directly to the problem in a situated environment and integrate the traditional cognitive approach?
4.How would I apply this to my own teaching/work?
I think I would apply situated cognition to help trainees solve a problem, especially when it is practical computer skills exposing trainees to the situated problem and ask for what steps they would use to solve the problem. Take everyone’s response and vote on which one leads to the shortest and clearest way of solving the problem.
5.What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? Do I believe it? Why?
The author presented a research conducted on situated cognition that conform my belief that students would be prepared to solve problems if they are exposed to information-rich environment that help them learn/solve problems instead of the common classroom setting way of teaching. According to my experience real work problems are nowhere near the homework problems I did in school.
6.Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
I think we are surrounded by problems at work or school, after we learn about working memory, memory strategies, long term memory we will need to apply what we learn about our metamemroy and metacognition to solve problems and problem-solving strategies; because life is not just about recalling what a book says or what a teacher says.
7.When would I actually use this- under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
I think it depends on the age and skill level on how and where to use these approaches in problem solving. If I am teaching small children I will cut the steps on how to solve a problem before I lose their attention, but if I am working with adults with higher levels of thinking, I would explore all the steps I learn in this chapter with the emphasis on learner based learning.
8.Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper and/or better?
When I looked at the Stereotypes and problem solving, gender stereotypes, when there is a research supporting that women‘s performance is influenced by stereotypes, I don’t know if there are any programs to motivate girls at young age to fight against the gender stereotypes. Why does test anxiety still exist among young girls when they have to take math and/or science test? If you teach math or science what are you doing to motivate your students? I think there should be programs that motivate girls’ performance in schools.
Chapter-11 Problem solving and Creativity
1.Summery
This chapter talks about problem solving. There are four phases of problem solving
a.Understanding the problem
b.Problem-solving strategies
c.Factors that influence problem solving
d.Creativity
Understanding the problem involves paying attention to its relevant information, with representing the problems using symbols, Matrices (A matrix is a chart that shows all possible combinations of items) diagrams and visual images. Situated cognition approach is also mentioned as a way of solving problems that we solve based on an information-rich environment opposing that traditional cognitive approach is too simple. Problem-solving strategies come next on the phase list based on heuristic (shortcut that typically produces a correct answer); the text starts with Hill-Climbing Heuristic that is a simple way of selecting the lead that takes you towards your goal. The next is Means-Ends Heuristic, contains two steps: divide problem in two sub-problems and reduce the difference between the initial state and the final state. This Heuristic forces you to identify the “ends” so that you will find the means to use to get to the goal. The final Heuristic is the analogy approach that uses previous experiences to solve new problem. The third phase in problem solving is Factors that affect problem solving: Expertise, Mental Set, Functional Fixedness, Insight Versus Non-insight problems. Expertise is where we try to solve a problem with our specific knowledge about the items (problems) given. Based on what kind of expertise experts differ from novices problem solving approach varies between both as well; knowledge base, Memory , representation are to name a few. Mental set is when we keep trying to use the same solution from previous problems on new problems, despite other simple approaches. Functional Fixedness, if our top-down processing is over-active with a tendency of relying on prior knowledge and expectation to solve new problems. The functions we assign to objects will stay the same hindering us from looking at features of a stimulus that might be useful to solve the problem. Creativity: two approaches for creativity, Divergent production, the number of varied responses made to each test item. Some test items require test takes to overcome functional fixedness allowing the test takers not to relay on top-down processing. Three criteria for creativity are that the solutions must be novel, high quality and useful.
2.How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory. This chapter emphasizes about long-term memory opposite to working memory, when I learned about short-term memory that is a temporary storage for what my brain is working on current events but in case of long-term memory, it composes the experiences, events and information that we have stored over life time. Memory strategies builds on the concept I have learned so far, once I know what working-memory and long-term memory are, then this two chapters help me better utilize these memories with the idea of metacognition and metamemory in mind. Memory strategy relies on perception, attention, and consciousness and in the end metamemory and metacognition; if we organize how we learn what materials we remember in what circumstances then our memory improves and ultimately store information in the long-term memory. Mental imagery and Cognitive Maps also aids to our memory strategy or how we learn if we can picture or visualize an object or item that is not physically present. This chapter also indicates how mental image is stored either in analog-code or propositional code. Memory strategy can be productive if we know how we store information or how we draw mental images of items we need to remember. Chapter 8 talks about how general knowledge relates to our cognitive process. Chapter 7 explains mental imagery and cognitive maps on how we code and visualize images of information, general knowledge influences how our cognitive system processes information taken from the outside world. The section uses two major concepts to explain general knowledge Semantic memory and Schemas. Chapter 11 basically will utilize all the concepts I have learned so far. That is when we know how our working memory and long-term memory works and with a knowledge of metamemory and metacognition and create strategy how we could recall new materials then the real challenge comes on how do we use all of the above to solve a problem and be creative.
3.What am I still not clear on?
Situated cognition argues that traditional cognitive approach is too simple, because in real life, our cognitive processes take advantage of an information-rich environment to solve a problem. So do we want to train our students/trainees with the beginning steps of problem solving and expose them to situated learning or do we just expose them directly to the problem in a situated environment and integrate the traditional cognitive approach?
4.How would I apply this to my own teaching/work?
I think I would apply situated cognition to help trainees solve a problem, especially when it is practical computer skills exposing trainees to the situated problem and ask for what steps they would use to solve the problem. Take everyone’s response and vote on which one leads to the shortest and clearest way of solving the problem.
5.What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? Do I believe it? Why?
The author presented a research conducted on situated cognition that conform my belief that students would be prepared to solve problems if they are exposed to information-rich environment that help them learn/solve problems instead of the common classroom setting way of teaching. According to my experience real work problems are nowhere near the homework problems I did in school.
6.Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
I think we are surrounded by problems at work or school, after we learn about working memory, memory strategies, long term memory we will need to apply what we learn about our metamemroy and metacognition to solve problems and problem-solving strategies; because life is not just about recalling what a book says or what a teacher says.
7.When would I actually use this- under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
I think it depends on the age and skill level on how and where to use these approaches in problem solving. If I am teaching small children I will cut the steps on how to solve a problem before I lose their attention, but if I am working with adults with higher levels of thinking, I would explore all the steps I learn in this chapter with the emphasis on learner based learning.
8.Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper and/or better?
When I looked at the Stereotypes and problem solving, gender stereotypes, when there is a research supporting that women‘s performance is influenced by stereotypes, I don’t know if there are any programs to motivate girls at young age to fight against the gender stereotypes. Why does test anxiety still exist among young girls when they have to take math and/or science test? If you teach math or science what are you doing to motivate your students? I think there should be programs that motivate girls’ performance in schools.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Chapter 8 General knowledge
Chapter 8 (General Knowledge)
1.Summery
This chapter talks about general knowledge and the effects it has on our cognitive process. This knowledge sways our cognitive processes; memory and spatial cognition. It explains general knowledge in terms of semantic memory and schemas.
In Semantic memory, our organized knowledge about the world the chapter follows 4 theories to clarify how we store knowledge about the world. Semantic memory influences majority of our cognitive activities. First theory is feature comparison model, in this model; ideas are stored according to necessary features or characteristics. The next approach is the prototype approach; we compare an item or an idea with a prototype or a more general description of a concept. The 3rd approach is the exemplar approach; this approach claims that when we learn about a concept, we also learn specific examples attached with the concept. Network model is the last theory for semantic memory, in this model; we see concepts as interconnected units based on what is related to the concepts.
Schemas: knowledge about a situation or an event. Schemas provide expectation on what should happen based on“generic” information about an event or a situation. The chapter continues on schemas and memory selection, where we remember a concept when it matches the schema; and we may also remember an item when it doesn’t match the schema. The second topic on schemas is Boundary extension; this theory claims that we tend to expand the boundary of a situation or event even when the material was not there or the event didn’t occur. The next aspect of schemas is memory abstraction; this happens when we store the meaning of the information without an exact words and grammatical structures.
2.How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory. This chapter emphasizes about long-term memory opposite to working memory, when I learned about short-term memory that is a temporary storage for what my brain is working on current events but in case of long-term memory, it composes the experiences, events and information that we have stored over life time. Memory strategies builds on the concept I have learned so far, once I know what working-memory and long-term memory are, then this two chapters help me better utilize these memories with the idea of metacognition and metamemory in mind. Memory strategy relies on perception, attention, and consciousness and in the end metamemory and metacognition; if we organize how we learn what materials we remember in what circumstances then our memory improves and ultimately store information in the long-term memory. Mental imagery and Cognitive Maps also aids to our memory strategy or how we learn if we can picture or visualize an object or item that is not physically present. This chapter also indicates how mental image is stored either in analog-code or propositional code. Memory strategy can be productive if we know how we store information or how we draw mental images of items we need to remember. Chapter 8 talks about how general knowledge relates to our cognitive process. Chapter 7 explains mental imagery and cognitive maps on how we code and visualize images of information, general knowledge influences how our cognitive system processes information taken from the outside world. The section uses two major concepts to explain general knowledge Semantic memory and Schemas.
3.What am I still not clear on?
In constructive model of memory, the text indicates that “people integrate information from individual sentences in order to construct larger ideas.” And that we cannot untangle them in to original components once they are fused. How about when we used feature comparison model, when we compare according to necessary features of an item for example if we are asked about a cat fused with other components, would we just remember the fur, four legs, has a tail or the word cat all fused with larger ideas?
4.How would I apply this to my own teaching/ work?
I would apply the Network Models if I am teaching about a concept. For example if I am teaching about the element Nitrogen in chemistry I would first introduce its’ symbol, what state it exists at a normal temperature liquid, gas or solid; and then what kind of compounds there are that composes the element. Finally I would network it with other concepts such as: what industries use it as a raw material, what medications contain nitrogen and so on. So in this case all the concepts are networked that students not only remember the element but also how it relates to all the concepts stated.
5.What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? Do I believe it?
The author included several researches to make her point; I have not seen specific research on most of the topics covered in this chapter, students of specific ages rather than general research. This would help the readers relate the topics to specific age group or grade level to be able to apply the concepts of cognition to teaching.
6.Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
As I stated in question #2, it is all about how our cognition works; understanding how general knowledge, semantic memory and schemas work with our cognitive process will help us extend our long term memory when we are faced with new information or concept.
7.When would I actually use this- under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
Depending on the skill level of metacognition of my students I would use it in different subject areas. For example at a very young age I would use Feature comparison model to design my lesson; in another example, say in teaching chemistry about the element Nitrogen I would use network model to design my lesson. So it all depends on the students’ capability of metacognition.
8.Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper, and/or better?
A better way to approach this would be; to ask questions on how are these approaches of semantic memory applied to small children, or college students I wonder if there exist research on the materials based on age group or the author did not bother to include that so that “classic research” can be included; I guess I would have to do my homework before criticizing the author for not including age or group specific research.
1.Summery
This chapter talks about general knowledge and the effects it has on our cognitive process. This knowledge sways our cognitive processes; memory and spatial cognition. It explains general knowledge in terms of semantic memory and schemas.
In Semantic memory, our organized knowledge about the world the chapter follows 4 theories to clarify how we store knowledge about the world. Semantic memory influences majority of our cognitive activities. First theory is feature comparison model, in this model; ideas are stored according to necessary features or characteristics. The next approach is the prototype approach; we compare an item or an idea with a prototype or a more general description of a concept. The 3rd approach is the exemplar approach; this approach claims that when we learn about a concept, we also learn specific examples attached with the concept. Network model is the last theory for semantic memory, in this model; we see concepts as interconnected units based on what is related to the concepts.
Schemas: knowledge about a situation or an event. Schemas provide expectation on what should happen based on“generic” information about an event or a situation. The chapter continues on schemas and memory selection, where we remember a concept when it matches the schema; and we may also remember an item when it doesn’t match the schema. The second topic on schemas is Boundary extension; this theory claims that we tend to expand the boundary of a situation or event even when the material was not there or the event didn’t occur. The next aspect of schemas is memory abstraction; this happens when we store the meaning of the information without an exact words and grammatical structures.
2.How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory. This chapter emphasizes about long-term memory opposite to working memory, when I learned about short-term memory that is a temporary storage for what my brain is working on current events but in case of long-term memory, it composes the experiences, events and information that we have stored over life time. Memory strategies builds on the concept I have learned so far, once I know what working-memory and long-term memory are, then this two chapters help me better utilize these memories with the idea of metacognition and metamemory in mind. Memory strategy relies on perception, attention, and consciousness and in the end metamemory and metacognition; if we organize how we learn what materials we remember in what circumstances then our memory improves and ultimately store information in the long-term memory. Mental imagery and Cognitive Maps also aids to our memory strategy or how we learn if we can picture or visualize an object or item that is not physically present. This chapter also indicates how mental image is stored either in analog-code or propositional code. Memory strategy can be productive if we know how we store information or how we draw mental images of items we need to remember. Chapter 8 talks about how general knowledge relates to our cognitive process. Chapter 7 explains mental imagery and cognitive maps on how we code and visualize images of information, general knowledge influences how our cognitive system processes information taken from the outside world. The section uses two major concepts to explain general knowledge Semantic memory and Schemas.
3.What am I still not clear on?
In constructive model of memory, the text indicates that “people integrate information from individual sentences in order to construct larger ideas.” And that we cannot untangle them in to original components once they are fused. How about when we used feature comparison model, when we compare according to necessary features of an item for example if we are asked about a cat fused with other components, would we just remember the fur, four legs, has a tail or the word cat all fused with larger ideas?
4.How would I apply this to my own teaching/ work?
I would apply the Network Models if I am teaching about a concept. For example if I am teaching about the element Nitrogen in chemistry I would first introduce its’ symbol, what state it exists at a normal temperature liquid, gas or solid; and then what kind of compounds there are that composes the element. Finally I would network it with other concepts such as: what industries use it as a raw material, what medications contain nitrogen and so on. So in this case all the concepts are networked that students not only remember the element but also how it relates to all the concepts stated.
5.What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? Do I believe it?
The author included several researches to make her point; I have not seen specific research on most of the topics covered in this chapter, students of specific ages rather than general research. This would help the readers relate the topics to specific age group or grade level to be able to apply the concepts of cognition to teaching.
6.Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
As I stated in question #2, it is all about how our cognition works; understanding how general knowledge, semantic memory and schemas work with our cognitive process will help us extend our long term memory when we are faced with new information or concept.
7.When would I actually use this- under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
Depending on the skill level of metacognition of my students I would use it in different subject areas. For example at a very young age I would use Feature comparison model to design my lesson; in another example, say in teaching chemistry about the element Nitrogen I would use network model to design my lesson. So it all depends on the students’ capability of metacognition.
8.Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper, and/or better?
A better way to approach this would be; to ask questions on how are these approaches of semantic memory applied to small children, or college students I wonder if there exist research on the materials based on age group or the author did not bother to include that so that “classic research” can be included; I guess I would have to do my homework before criticizing the author for not including age or group specific research.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Chapter 7 Mental imagery and cognitive Maps
Chapter-7 (Mental Imagery and cognitive Maps)
1. Imagery is a mental representation of stimuli without stimuli physical presence.
Perception vs. Imagery
Requires us to register information through imagery is mental representation
Ears, eyes
Perception relies on both bottom up and imagery relies on top-down processing
Top-down processing
There are three points to chapter 7 Nature of mental images, cognitive neuroscience research on different types of mental imagery, cognitive mps or mental representation of geographic information.
Nature of mental images: there is a debate in mental images whether our mental images are similar to perception or language. Mental image stored as analog code (depictive representation) is physical object resembling our mental image. Propositional code is language description of an object that does not physically resemble the original image.
Imagery and rotation: according to research conducted, we tend to rotate physical objects in mental images as we rotate them physically. Imagery and interface: our visual perception can interfere with our visual imagery when we try to visualize an object that is not physically there and at the same time look at an object that is physically there our mental image can interfere with what’s in front of us. Similarly, auditory imagery can interfere with auditory perception; motor movement can interfere with motor images.
Cognitive Neuroscience on mental imagery, imagery and perception have the same psychological processes. But at the biological level, they are different; visual perception activates rods and cones in the retina, whereas in imagery top-down processing takes place. Auditory cortex are active when we are asked to imagine hearing songs, and motor imagery, cerebellum is active when we imagine making hand gestures or hitting an object.
The last point on the chapter is cognitive map that is our mental representation of the environment around us. Cognitive map is part of spatial cognition that comprises how we recall the world; it also includes different discipline interpretations such as spatial knowledge, spatial arrangement and so on.
2. How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory. This chapter emphasizes about long-term memory opposite to working memory, when I learned about short-term memory that is a temporary storage for what my brain is working on current events but in case of long-term memory, it composes the experiences, events and information that we have stored over life time. Memory strategies builds on the concept I have learned so far, once I know what working-memory and long-term memory are, then this two chapters help me better utilize these memories with the idea of metacognition and metamemory in mind. Memory strategy relies on perception, attention, and consciousness and in the end metamemory and metacognition; if we organize how we learn what materials we remember in what circumstances then our memory improves and ultimately store information in the long-term memory. Mental imagery and Cognitive Maps also aids to our memory strategy or how we learn if we can picture or visualize an object or item that is not physically present. This chapter also indicates how mental image is stored either in analog-code or propositional code. Memory strategy can be productive if we know how we store information or how we draw mental images of items we need to remember.
3. What am I still not clear on?
In image rotation, research showed that we treat physical objects the same way we treat mental images when we rotate them. I don’t understand why there is still a controversy about analog and propositional coding? I think it would be difficult to process the rotation using language like representation.
4. How would I apply this to my own teaching/work?
I don’t teach 3-D math or physics classes but I took some. So image rotation can be used if students are trying to visualize 3-D problems when trying to locate the estimated location of a particle in space with the corresponding (x,y,z) coordinates. If the instructors give the location students might try to look at it in different direction to calculate the unknown.
5. What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? D I believe it? Why?
The author tried to include research, but I don’t see enough research on propositional coding. That is how we code using descriptive representation of imagery , the book does mention Zenon Pylyshyn’s idea on how we perform cognitive tasks requiring imagery we use the language like representation from prior knowledge.
6. Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
When we try to teach children or adults, it is important to understand how they perceive or how they image objects/words in order to design activities or lesson plans to assist them comprehend, apply and perform other higher levels of thinking.
7. When would I actually use this-under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
I believe mental imagery can be applied to students at different levels, starting with children learning shapes, up to students learning objects on space using 3-D coordinate system. But as for me I always use cognitive maps to estimate distance or if I want to picture how far a particular state mentioned on the news from MO.
8. Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper, and/or better?
It would be more practical if they try to research on young children or even college students to make the point on the controversy of analog and propositional coding.
1. Imagery is a mental representation of stimuli without stimuli physical presence.
Perception vs. Imagery
Requires us to register information through imagery is mental representation
Ears, eyes
Perception relies on both bottom up and imagery relies on top-down processing
Top-down processing
There are three points to chapter 7 Nature of mental images, cognitive neuroscience research on different types of mental imagery, cognitive mps or mental representation of geographic information.
Nature of mental images: there is a debate in mental images whether our mental images are similar to perception or language. Mental image stored as analog code (depictive representation) is physical object resembling our mental image. Propositional code is language description of an object that does not physically resemble the original image.
Imagery and rotation: according to research conducted, we tend to rotate physical objects in mental images as we rotate them physically. Imagery and interface: our visual perception can interfere with our visual imagery when we try to visualize an object that is not physically there and at the same time look at an object that is physically there our mental image can interfere with what’s in front of us. Similarly, auditory imagery can interfere with auditory perception; motor movement can interfere with motor images.
Cognitive Neuroscience on mental imagery, imagery and perception have the same psychological processes. But at the biological level, they are different; visual perception activates rods and cones in the retina, whereas in imagery top-down processing takes place. Auditory cortex are active when we are asked to imagine hearing songs, and motor imagery, cerebellum is active when we imagine making hand gestures or hitting an object.
The last point on the chapter is cognitive map that is our mental representation of the environment around us. Cognitive map is part of spatial cognition that comprises how we recall the world; it also includes different discipline interpretations such as spatial knowledge, spatial arrangement and so on.
2. How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory. This chapter emphasizes about long-term memory opposite to working memory, when I learned about short-term memory that is a temporary storage for what my brain is working on current events but in case of long-term memory, it composes the experiences, events and information that we have stored over life time. Memory strategies builds on the concept I have learned so far, once I know what working-memory and long-term memory are, then this two chapters help me better utilize these memories with the idea of metacognition and metamemory in mind. Memory strategy relies on perception, attention, and consciousness and in the end metamemory and metacognition; if we organize how we learn what materials we remember in what circumstances then our memory improves and ultimately store information in the long-term memory. Mental imagery and Cognitive Maps also aids to our memory strategy or how we learn if we can picture or visualize an object or item that is not physically present. This chapter also indicates how mental image is stored either in analog-code or propositional code. Memory strategy can be productive if we know how we store information or how we draw mental images of items we need to remember.
3. What am I still not clear on?
In image rotation, research showed that we treat physical objects the same way we treat mental images when we rotate them. I don’t understand why there is still a controversy about analog and propositional coding? I think it would be difficult to process the rotation using language like representation.
4. How would I apply this to my own teaching/work?
I don’t teach 3-D math or physics classes but I took some. So image rotation can be used if students are trying to visualize 3-D problems when trying to locate the estimated location of a particle in space with the corresponding (x,y,z) coordinates. If the instructors give the location students might try to look at it in different direction to calculate the unknown.
5. What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? D I believe it? Why?
The author tried to include research, but I don’t see enough research on propositional coding. That is how we code using descriptive representation of imagery , the book does mention Zenon Pylyshyn’s idea on how we perform cognitive tasks requiring imagery we use the language like representation from prior knowledge.
6. Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
When we try to teach children or adults, it is important to understand how they perceive or how they image objects/words in order to design activities or lesson plans to assist them comprehend, apply and perform other higher levels of thinking.
7. When would I actually use this-under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
I believe mental imagery can be applied to students at different levels, starting with children learning shapes, up to students learning objects on space using 3-D coordinate system. But as for me I always use cognitive maps to estimate distance or if I want to picture how far a particular state mentioned on the news from MO.
8. Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper, and/or better?
It would be more practical if they try to research on young children or even college students to make the point on the controversy of analog and propositional coding.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
chapter6 & 13 memory strategies and metacognition
Chapter 6- Memory Strategies
1. Memory strategies: are strategies that develop our encoding and retrieval.
Memory strategies are related to repetition. Mnemonics Using Imagery is when we try to visualize something that is not physically there. Visual imagery is effective when the items to be recalled are interacting with each other. Another method in mnemonics is Keyword method; this method uses the link between similar sounding words, old and new words. The old one helps recall the new. The Loci method is a method where we associate the physical locations of the items to be recalled.
Mnemonics Using Organization: retrieving materials we learn is much easier if we have them in an organized manner. There are four techniques to organize mnemonics: a. Chunking
b. Hierarchy c. First-letter Technique d. Narrative Technique.
The next approach to memory improvement is the comprehensive approach that is health, mental condition, getting enough sleep.
Metacognition is what we know about our cognitive process. Metamemory is what we know about our memory, we can predict on how many items we recall from a given list of items. The chapter also talks about the difficulties we might have about our metamemory on concepts rather than recalling list of words. Our knowledge about what affects our memory plays an important role in our quest for the best memory strategy. Ch-13 focuses on children’s memory as early as two days old. It starts with recognizing mother and goes on with conjugate reinforcement in infants, children’s working memory, long-term memory; it concludes that children’s recognition skills way better than recall skills.
Metacognition in children: children have no idea on how their memory works. It emphasizes that how important it is to get children understand “realizing the necessity of effort “. That is to assist them to realize in working on the materials they couldn’t remember rather than repeating the materials they can already remember.
2. How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory. This chapter emphasizes about long-term memory opposite to working memory, when I learned about short-term memory that is a temporary storage for what my brain is working on current events but in case of long-term memory, it composes the experiences, events and information that we have stored over life time. Memory strategies builds on the concept I have learned so far, once I know what working-memory and long-term memory are, then this two chapters help me better utilize these memories with the idea of metacognition and metamemory in mind. Memory strategy relies on perception, attention, and consciousness and in the end metamemory and metacognition; if we organize how we learn what materials we remember in what circumstances then our memory improves and ultimately store information in the long-term memory.
3. What am I still not clear on?
According to the text, people can predict which items they recall, but it also says that there exists metamemory inaccuracy that is over estimating how much we remember. How do we assess our metamemory accuracy without making mistakes on exam?
4. How would I apply to my own teaching/work?
Most of the work I do involves concepts rather than basic level of recalling items. I can use rehearse the task over and over again to recall for next time. Challenge trainees to assess how they learn best and practice the method for all upcoming training.
5. What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? Do I believe it? Why?
The author provides several studies to proof point. The author provides “classic research” on Metamemory on an item-by-item basis; she did not present a non-classic study to support her claim that this actually is classic study. The author assumes that readers already know about several psychology studies.
6. Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
It is very important in terms of teaching how to use memory strategies to retain information from grade-school level to college-level. I believe if we train children as early as middle school on how to organize their memory and in the end metamemory and metacognition, it could help college students struggle less. The question is will there be enough time to integrate learning materials and metamemory skills?
7. When would I actually use this-under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
I would definitely use this with students with no knowledge of how they recall and how they learn. I would first give part of the first material and then challenge the students to come up with their own way of mastering the material according to their individual metamemory assessments.
8. Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper, and/or better?
It would be very nice there were some case-studies on specific classes such as language learning, math and science; where these strategies can be used and actually got results. For example case-studies such as in such and such school, social study class this strategy showed a higher metamemory or metacognitive skills.
1. Memory strategies: are strategies that develop our encoding and retrieval.
Memory strategies are related to repetition. Mnemonics Using Imagery is when we try to visualize something that is not physically there. Visual imagery is effective when the items to be recalled are interacting with each other. Another method in mnemonics is Keyword method; this method uses the link between similar sounding words, old and new words. The old one helps recall the new. The Loci method is a method where we associate the physical locations of the items to be recalled.
Mnemonics Using Organization: retrieving materials we learn is much easier if we have them in an organized manner. There are four techniques to organize mnemonics: a. Chunking
b. Hierarchy c. First-letter Technique d. Narrative Technique.
The next approach to memory improvement is the comprehensive approach that is health, mental condition, getting enough sleep.
Metacognition is what we know about our cognitive process. Metamemory is what we know about our memory, we can predict on how many items we recall from a given list of items. The chapter also talks about the difficulties we might have about our metamemory on concepts rather than recalling list of words. Our knowledge about what affects our memory plays an important role in our quest for the best memory strategy. Ch-13 focuses on children’s memory as early as two days old. It starts with recognizing mother and goes on with conjugate reinforcement in infants, children’s working memory, long-term memory; it concludes that children’s recognition skills way better than recall skills.
Metacognition in children: children have no idea on how their memory works. It emphasizes that how important it is to get children understand “realizing the necessity of effort “. That is to assist them to realize in working on the materials they couldn’t remember rather than repeating the materials they can already remember.
2. How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory. This chapter emphasizes about long-term memory opposite to working memory, when I learned about short-term memory that is a temporary storage for what my brain is working on current events but in case of long-term memory, it composes the experiences, events and information that we have stored over life time. Memory strategies builds on the concept I have learned so far, once I know what working-memory and long-term memory are, then this two chapters help me better utilize these memories with the idea of metacognition and metamemory in mind. Memory strategy relies on perception, attention, and consciousness and in the end metamemory and metacognition; if we organize how we learn what materials we remember in what circumstances then our memory improves and ultimately store information in the long-term memory.
3. What am I still not clear on?
According to the text, people can predict which items they recall, but it also says that there exists metamemory inaccuracy that is over estimating how much we remember. How do we assess our metamemory accuracy without making mistakes on exam?
4. How would I apply to my own teaching/work?
Most of the work I do involves concepts rather than basic level of recalling items. I can use rehearse the task over and over again to recall for next time. Challenge trainees to assess how they learn best and practice the method for all upcoming training.
5. What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? Do I believe it? Why?
The author provides several studies to proof point. The author provides “classic research” on Metamemory on an item-by-item basis; she did not present a non-classic study to support her claim that this actually is classic study. The author assumes that readers already know about several psychology studies.
6. Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
It is very important in terms of teaching how to use memory strategies to retain information from grade-school level to college-level. I believe if we train children as early as middle school on how to organize their memory and in the end metamemory and metacognition, it could help college students struggle less. The question is will there be enough time to integrate learning materials and metamemory skills?
7. When would I actually use this-under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
I would definitely use this with students with no knowledge of how they recall and how they learn. I would first give part of the first material and then challenge the students to come up with their own way of mastering the material according to their individual metamemory assessments.
8. Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper, and/or better?
It would be very nice there were some case-studies on specific classes such as language learning, math and science; where these strategies can be used and actually got results. For example case-studies such as in such and such school, social study class this strategy showed a higher metamemory or metacognitive skills.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Chapter 5 (Long-term memory)
I. Summery and Reflection for chapter5 (Long-term memory)
Long-term memory has 3 forms. Episodic memory: memories that happened to you and let us go back in time to experience earlier episodes. Semantic memory: arranged knowledge about the world, words and factual information. Procedural memory: our knowledge about practical applications.
There 3 aspects of long-term memory
1.Encoding
2.Retrieval
3.Autobiographical memory (events and topics related to our own everyday life)
Encoding: how do we remember items that we processed; materials we processed in depth or materials we processed in shallow manner? Items we process in depth resulted in permanent retention of information than the later (depth-of-processing approach).
Deep levels of processing:
1. Distinctiveness : we use deep processing to identify a stimulus’s differences from other memory traces
2. Elaboration: we use deep processing in terms of meaning and interconnected concepts
Encoding Specificity: we recall much better if the context in the encoding and retrieval context match
Emotions mood and memory
Emotion is reaction to a specific stimulus, mood is long lasting experience. Cognitive physiologists recognize that emotion and mood control our cognitive processes. We normally remember enjoyable stimuli than other stimuli. We also remember much better if our mood and nature of the information matches.
Retrieval: how accurate can we retrieve information that was Encoded? There are two groups of retrieval tasks; implicit and explicit tasks. Explicit memory task, we intentionally prepare ourselves to recall information that we learn before the task or test. Whereas in implicit memory, there is no intention of remembering the material learned before, in fact the test/task is not related to previous learnt material.
Autobiographical Memory: memory for events related to yourself. It also consists of images about the events, emotional reaction, and procedural information. Flashbulb memories: memories that we first learned about an unexpected and emotionally affecting event. How we remember the shocking event in detail; the imagery of surrounding, what the people look like during the event, and how we react to it.
Recovered memory and false-memory: people who had experienced childhood abuse recall memories about the abuse as “recovered memory”. False memory suggests that most of the recovered memories are created memories about events that never happened.
2. How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory. This chapter emphasizes about long-term memory opposite to working memory, when I learned about short-term memory that is a temporary storage for what my brain is working on current events but in case of long-term memory, it composes the experiences, events and information that we have stored over life time.
3. What am I still not clear on?
So what can we conclude about recovered-memory and false memory? The book concludes that both perspectives are partially correct, but can we generalize that childhood “bad” memories can be recovered and they are believable? How about false memory, what about an individual who was guided into believing that he was abused?
4. How would I apply this to my own teaching/work?
I think that when teaching concepts from previous course or grade the implicit memory can be used by just simply providing students with some materials without mentioning what people are expected to recall. For example if you place an individual who had forgotten the word “driving” due to some head injuries and if you place him/her behind the wheel he might be able to drive using implicit memory cognitive task. This can also be applied for technical courses; students who may not remember the names of parts of a computer or a machine and are placed on the practical environment they might remember how to work on that machine.
5. What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? Do I believe it? Why?
The author supports her claim with laboratory based research on false memory where we create words or events that never happened and PET scans with other research techniques, have not conclusively put that correct and incorrect recall of abuse. It would make it more believable if it was supported with the details of the research, with questions like the group that they perform the PET scan, were they actually abused or random group of people? On the Factors Affecting the accuracy of Eyewitness Testimony, the author did not provide specific research conducted on why and how memory errors occur. The 4 factors mentioned lack detailed research evidences. It would be nice if research studies were mentioned to make me a believer. I believe the eye witness testimony I believe most of the author’s cases, how many people are in jail because of an eye witness error these days?
6. Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
It is important because long-term memory plays an important role in cognitive tasks in education and training. Long-term memory is where we want to store when we learn new materials so that they can be applied in so many applications and cognitive tasks in life, such as reading, operating machinery, using a computer and so on. Long term memory is where we want to store our useful information from the past and present.
7. When would I actually use this-under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
I would use this long-term memory information I learned, I would take all the theories mentioned into consideration when planning lessons and training. For example, how do we retrieve information from the past? What triggers those memories? So when planning a lesson I would think of current events where students can relate their individual experiences that can be applied to the current cognitive task?
8. Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper, and/or better?
I think that we should plan a lesson for students using implicit memory and see what students can come up with. For example the game we designed can be a good example for implicit memory task that does not directly pressure students to remember specific concepts.
Long-term memory has 3 forms. Episodic memory: memories that happened to you and let us go back in time to experience earlier episodes. Semantic memory: arranged knowledge about the world, words and factual information. Procedural memory: our knowledge about practical applications.
There 3 aspects of long-term memory
1.Encoding
2.Retrieval
3.Autobiographical memory (events and topics related to our own everyday life)
Encoding: how do we remember items that we processed; materials we processed in depth or materials we processed in shallow manner? Items we process in depth resulted in permanent retention of information than the later (depth-of-processing approach).
Deep levels of processing:
1. Distinctiveness : we use deep processing to identify a stimulus’s differences from other memory traces
2. Elaboration: we use deep processing in terms of meaning and interconnected concepts
Encoding Specificity: we recall much better if the context in the encoding and retrieval context match
Emotions mood and memory
Emotion is reaction to a specific stimulus, mood is long lasting experience. Cognitive physiologists recognize that emotion and mood control our cognitive processes. We normally remember enjoyable stimuli than other stimuli. We also remember much better if our mood and nature of the information matches.
Retrieval: how accurate can we retrieve information that was Encoded? There are two groups of retrieval tasks; implicit and explicit tasks. Explicit memory task, we intentionally prepare ourselves to recall information that we learn before the task or test. Whereas in implicit memory, there is no intention of remembering the material learned before, in fact the test/task is not related to previous learnt material.
Autobiographical Memory: memory for events related to yourself. It also consists of images about the events, emotional reaction, and procedural information. Flashbulb memories: memories that we first learned about an unexpected and emotionally affecting event. How we remember the shocking event in detail; the imagery of surrounding, what the people look like during the event, and how we react to it.
Recovered memory and false-memory: people who had experienced childhood abuse recall memories about the abuse as “recovered memory”. False memory suggests that most of the recovered memories are created memories about events that never happened.
2. How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory. This chapter emphasizes about long-term memory opposite to working memory, when I learned about short-term memory that is a temporary storage for what my brain is working on current events but in case of long-term memory, it composes the experiences, events and information that we have stored over life time.
3. What am I still not clear on?
So what can we conclude about recovered-memory and false memory? The book concludes that both perspectives are partially correct, but can we generalize that childhood “bad” memories can be recovered and they are believable? How about false memory, what about an individual who was guided into believing that he was abused?
4. How would I apply this to my own teaching/work?
I think that when teaching concepts from previous course or grade the implicit memory can be used by just simply providing students with some materials without mentioning what people are expected to recall. For example if you place an individual who had forgotten the word “driving” due to some head injuries and if you place him/her behind the wheel he might be able to drive using implicit memory cognitive task. This can also be applied for technical courses; students who may not remember the names of parts of a computer or a machine and are placed on the practical environment they might remember how to work on that machine.
5. What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? Do I believe it? Why?
The author supports her claim with laboratory based research on false memory where we create words or events that never happened and PET scans with other research techniques, have not conclusively put that correct and incorrect recall of abuse. It would make it more believable if it was supported with the details of the research, with questions like the group that they perform the PET scan, were they actually abused or random group of people? On the Factors Affecting the accuracy of Eyewitness Testimony, the author did not provide specific research conducted on why and how memory errors occur. The 4 factors mentioned lack detailed research evidences. It would be nice if research studies were mentioned to make me a believer. I believe the eye witness testimony I believe most of the author’s cases, how many people are in jail because of an eye witness error these days?
6. Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
It is important because long-term memory plays an important role in cognitive tasks in education and training. Long-term memory is where we want to store when we learn new materials so that they can be applied in so many applications and cognitive tasks in life, such as reading, operating machinery, using a computer and so on. Long term memory is where we want to store our useful information from the past and present.
7. When would I actually use this-under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
I would use this long-term memory information I learned, I would take all the theories mentioned into consideration when planning lessons and training. For example, how do we retrieve information from the past? What triggers those memories? So when planning a lesson I would think of current events where students can relate their individual experiences that can be applied to the current cognitive task?
8. Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper, and/or better?
I think that we should plan a lesson for students using implicit memory and see what students can come up with. For example the game we designed can be a good example for implicit memory task that does not directly pressure students to remember specific concepts.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Chapter 4 (working memory)
Chapter 4 summery and Reflection
1.Summery
George Miller’s “Magical Number seven”; people can remember between 5 and 9 items. The Miller’s article suggested that the items can be a letter or a number.
In the Brown/Peterson and Peterson technique, people forget materials that were held in the memory less than a minute. In another technique, Recency effect, we recall items that appear at the end of a list. Serial position effect is the relationship between the position of a word and the probability to recall the word. So the way to measure short-term memory is to tally the number of words/items recalled at the end of a list.
Baddeley proposed Working-memory approach that is a working memory is a temporary location where we hold and manage information when cognitive tasks are executed.
Phonological Loop: the sound related section of working memory for a short period of time. It then explains different aspects of Phonological loop based on research studies. Acoustic confusion is when we might confuse similar sounding stimuli. Visuospatial Sketchpad is another model of Baddeley’s working memory that store visual information that has been encoded from verbal stimuli.
In Brandimonte study, acoustic coding when using sketchpad interfered with the amount of items we store in our working memory. Participants in her study were able to remember more when visual coding was used. Central Executive working memory model incorporates phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad and episodic buffer. In short Central executive is a model where the working memory decides what is relevant to the received information, prioritize tasks and pay attention to information with the highest importance. Episodic Buffer is a temporary space that includes the visuospatial sketchpad, phonological loop and long-term memory to interpret and explain new events.
2. How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
I think it adds to the information we learned in the last 2 chapters. At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory.
3. What am I still not clear on?
I think that Central Executive and Episodic Buffer should be under the same working memory model. Central Executive uses long-term memory to make decisions from my understanding; both share similar models except the long-term memory which I think both utilize but in the book it does not include long-term memory in Central executive.
4. How would apply this to my own teaching/work?
It is difficult at this point to apply the concepts here at work. I think the studies and concepts the author gives are basic, it gives an understanding of working/short-term memory and how it works, it would give us an idea why our students/trainees have hard time remembering materials we talked about 20min ago. In Semantic Similarity of the items in working memory research: Proactive interference (PI) caught my attention to apply when a scenario like the following occurs. It gives an idea on why students do not accept new information when there is conflicting information in their long-term memory.
When I was showing how to use flash drive at a community college to adult learners and freshman students, most of the class had a prior knowledge of accessing the files in a flash drive. The knowledge is first open the application then click on file and select the drive. My lesson suggested they open it from My computer and double click on G or F drive based on the number of drives each machine have. I explained to them that if we want a quick access without opening the application we can get to it from My computer as well as check to see if our computer is reading the Drive correctly.
5. What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? Do I believe it? Why?
On some of the ideas the author offer I agree and on some I don’t. For example I agree on the “acoustically similar” study; on Wickelgren study the author offer with phonological loop that people cannot recall the last letter or word they would pick a similar sounding letter or word to substitute them. As I mentioned above, I don’t quite agree with separating the idea of Central Executive model and Episodic Buffer. In addition to that when the author did not quite explain the research methods used except on some of them, age group of the participants, sampling method and so on; it just says classic research and the name of the researcher. An example for a “good” description of research method and description is on Maria Brandimonte’s study in Visual coding in working memory.
6. Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
It explains why we don’t remember if we only had a certain information for less than a minute. It explain that working memory is like a scratch paper we work on it for a short while and it goes away if we don’t repeat the task after the first time.
7. When would I actually use this – under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
I think working memory is used every where around us during training/teaching any subject. When preparing lessons/workshops I would design the workshop in such a way that students have less confusion when to use visual coding and acoustic coding.
8. Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper, and/or better?
It would be good to include recent studies or specific targets such as elementary education, High school and college level so we would have a better idea of how memory or other cognitive processes work with different age groups.
1.Summery
George Miller’s “Magical Number seven”; people can remember between 5 and 9 items. The Miller’s article suggested that the items can be a letter or a number.
In the Brown/Peterson and Peterson technique, people forget materials that were held in the memory less than a minute. In another technique, Recency effect, we recall items that appear at the end of a list. Serial position effect is the relationship between the position of a word and the probability to recall the word. So the way to measure short-term memory is to tally the number of words/items recalled at the end of a list.
Baddeley proposed Working-memory approach that is a working memory is a temporary location where we hold and manage information when cognitive tasks are executed.
Phonological Loop: the sound related section of working memory for a short period of time. It then explains different aspects of Phonological loop based on research studies. Acoustic confusion is when we might confuse similar sounding stimuli. Visuospatial Sketchpad is another model of Baddeley’s working memory that store visual information that has been encoded from verbal stimuli.
In Brandimonte study, acoustic coding when using sketchpad interfered with the amount of items we store in our working memory. Participants in her study were able to remember more when visual coding was used. Central Executive working memory model incorporates phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad and episodic buffer. In short Central executive is a model where the working memory decides what is relevant to the received information, prioritize tasks and pay attention to information with the highest importance. Episodic Buffer is a temporary space that includes the visuospatial sketchpad, phonological loop and long-term memory to interpret and explain new events.
2. How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
I think it adds to the information we learned in the last 2 chapters. At first it was how we perceive objects we see, sounds we hear, on the next chapter after that, we looked at how cognitive tasks attention and consciousness in relation to cognitive processes. This chapter extends to another part of cognitive process with bounded ability of our cognitive process in limited memory called Working memory.
3. What am I still not clear on?
I think that Central Executive and Episodic Buffer should be under the same working memory model. Central Executive uses long-term memory to make decisions from my understanding; both share similar models except the long-term memory which I think both utilize but in the book it does not include long-term memory in Central executive.
4. How would apply this to my own teaching/work?
It is difficult at this point to apply the concepts here at work. I think the studies and concepts the author gives are basic, it gives an understanding of working/short-term memory and how it works, it would give us an idea why our students/trainees have hard time remembering materials we talked about 20min ago. In Semantic Similarity of the items in working memory research: Proactive interference (PI) caught my attention to apply when a scenario like the following occurs. It gives an idea on why students do not accept new information when there is conflicting information in their long-term memory.
When I was showing how to use flash drive at a community college to adult learners and freshman students, most of the class had a prior knowledge of accessing the files in a flash drive. The knowledge is first open the application then click on file and select the drive. My lesson suggested they open it from My computer and double click on G or F drive based on the number of drives each machine have. I explained to them that if we want a quick access without opening the application we can get to it from My computer as well as check to see if our computer is reading the Drive correctly.
5. What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? Do I believe it? Why?
On some of the ideas the author offer I agree and on some I don’t. For example I agree on the “acoustically similar” study; on Wickelgren study the author offer with phonological loop that people cannot recall the last letter or word they would pick a similar sounding letter or word to substitute them. As I mentioned above, I don’t quite agree with separating the idea of Central Executive model and Episodic Buffer. In addition to that when the author did not quite explain the research methods used except on some of them, age group of the participants, sampling method and so on; it just says classic research and the name of the researcher. An example for a “good” description of research method and description is on Maria Brandimonte’s study in Visual coding in working memory.
6. Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
It explains why we don’t remember if we only had a certain information for less than a minute. It explain that working memory is like a scratch paper we work on it for a short while and it goes away if we don’t repeat the task after the first time.
7. When would I actually use this – under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
I think working memory is used every where around us during training/teaching any subject. When preparing lessons/workshops I would design the workshop in such a way that students have less confusion when to use visual coding and acoustic coding.
8. Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper, and/or better?
It would be good to include recent studies or specific targets such as elementary education, High school and college level so we would have a better idea of how memory or other cognitive processes work with different age groups.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Chapter-3
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 talks about Perceptual Process attention and consciousness, it starts with Attention processes; divided, selective and saccadic eye movements. In selective attention research conducted divides it in A. auditory task called dichotic listening, B. a visual task called the Stroop effect, C. other visual selective attention tasks. The chapter also includes Neuroscience Research on Attention. The Anterior Attention Network that is active when people try Stroop task; Event related potential (ERP) technique that records electrical signals when brain responds to tone. The second part of the chapter talks about Consciousness, knowledge we have of the outside world and our perceptions, images, thoughts and memories.
It fits with what I have learned before in the previous chapter in such a way that we have to recognize things in both vision and hearing around us before we compare or relate them with other objects or voices.
The author showed different examples to proof her point, one of them is Divided Attention, although it can be a disaster if more than one can handle but if we do it more often, we can get better at it from time to time. Example, at first it was difficult for me to explain steps to students over the phone while I am working on another task on the computer that has no relation to what I am explaining, but after several attempts it comes natural to the brain and speech.
It is important to understand how people pay attention because if we know how students/children pay attention and understand how consciousness work, we can better prepare ourselves on how to present learning materials to students.
Chapter 3 talks about Perceptual Process attention and consciousness, it starts with Attention processes; divided, selective and saccadic eye movements. In selective attention research conducted divides it in A. auditory task called dichotic listening, B. a visual task called the Stroop effect, C. other visual selective attention tasks. The chapter also includes Neuroscience Research on Attention. The Anterior Attention Network that is active when people try Stroop task; Event related potential (ERP) technique that records electrical signals when brain responds to tone. The second part of the chapter talks about Consciousness, knowledge we have of the outside world and our perceptions, images, thoughts and memories.
It fits with what I have learned before in the previous chapter in such a way that we have to recognize things in both vision and hearing around us before we compare or relate them with other objects or voices.
The author showed different examples to proof her point, one of them is Divided Attention, although it can be a disaster if more than one can handle but if we do it more often, we can get better at it from time to time. Example, at first it was difficult for me to explain steps to students over the phone while I am working on another task on the computer that has no relation to what I am explaining, but after several attempts it comes natural to the brain and speech.
It is important to understand how people pay attention because if we know how students/children pay attention and understand how consciousness work, we can better prepare ourselves on how to present learning materials to students.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Chapter-2
Ch-2
Perception: uses previous knowledge to collect and translate the stimuli registered by the senses. Perception to interpret text written on a page, we combine
a. Information registered by our eyes
b. Our previous knowledge about the shape of the letters of the alphabet
c. Our previous knowledge about what to expect when your visual system has already processed
Visual system
Perceptual stimuli:
1. Distal stimulus: the object that is out there
2. Proximal stimulus : the information registered on sensory receptors
Gestalt psychology: humans have tendencies to organize what they see; they look for patterns rather than disorganized arrangements.
Visual object recognition: there are 3 theories that involve object-recognition
1. Template-Matching theory: we compare a stimulus with particular patterns in memory
2. Feature-Analysis Theory: visual stimulus is interpreted in a way that we compare with special features of a particular letter or object
3. The Recognition-by-components Theory or structural theory: visual stimulus is compared with a simple 3-D shaped geons.
Top-Down and Bottom-up Processing in visual recognition
Top-Down processing is how high level thinking pressures object recognition; while Bottom-up processing highlights the importance of the stimulus in object recognition.
Speech Perception
Phoneme is the basic unit of spoken language, similar to a, th, k and so on.
Characteristics of speech perception are phoneme pronunciation variation, listeners fill missing sounds according to the context, listeners impose boundaries between sounds and visual cues from the speaker’s mouth help us interpret ambiguous sounds.
Reflection
The first chapter about cognition, this chapter gives a basic idea on perception, visual recognition and sound perception there is not a lot that I can apply to what I do every day but Top-Down processing, can be helpful in teaching children how to read. With the demonstration mentioned in Demonstration 2.3, children can try several options for ambiguous letters and find out what makes a word related to the context they are reading. This is not my area of expertise, I’ve never thought children how to read; I welcome suggestions why this may or may not work. What I am not clear on is the exact difference between Feature-analysis theory and recognition- by- components theory. The only differences I see is the first one gives an example of features of a letter while the later one 3-D geons but it is still recognizing shape.
Perception: uses previous knowledge to collect and translate the stimuli registered by the senses. Perception to interpret text written on a page, we combine
a. Information registered by our eyes
b. Our previous knowledge about the shape of the letters of the alphabet
c. Our previous knowledge about what to expect when your visual system has already processed
Visual system
Perceptual stimuli:
1. Distal stimulus: the object that is out there
2. Proximal stimulus : the information registered on sensory receptors
Gestalt psychology: humans have tendencies to organize what they see; they look for patterns rather than disorganized arrangements.
Visual object recognition: there are 3 theories that involve object-recognition
1. Template-Matching theory: we compare a stimulus with particular patterns in memory
2. Feature-Analysis Theory: visual stimulus is interpreted in a way that we compare with special features of a particular letter or object
3. The Recognition-by-components Theory or structural theory: visual stimulus is compared with a simple 3-D shaped geons.
Top-Down and Bottom-up Processing in visual recognition
Top-Down processing is how high level thinking pressures object recognition; while Bottom-up processing highlights the importance of the stimulus in object recognition.
Speech Perception
Phoneme is the basic unit of spoken language, similar to a, th, k and so on.
Characteristics of speech perception are phoneme pronunciation variation, listeners fill missing sounds according to the context, listeners impose boundaries between sounds and visual cues from the speaker’s mouth help us interpret ambiguous sounds.
Reflection
The first chapter about cognition, this chapter gives a basic idea on perception, visual recognition and sound perception there is not a lot that I can apply to what I do every day but Top-Down processing, can be helpful in teaching children how to read. With the demonstration mentioned in Demonstration 2.3, children can try several options for ambiguous letters and find out what makes a word related to the context they are reading. This is not my area of expertise, I’ve never thought children how to read; I welcome suggestions why this may or may not work. What I am not clear on is the exact difference between Feature-analysis theory and recognition- by- components theory. The only differences I see is the first one gives an example of features of a letter while the later one 3-D geons but it is still recognizing shape.
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