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.