Improving Cognitive Improving Cognitive Structures—ideas for DIStructures—ideas for DI

K. Knox 2008K. Knox 2008

What might be triggers for extra cognitive What might be triggers for extra cognitive support in DI for those “difficult but not support in DI for those “difficult but not

defiant” onesdefiant” ones?? A student one or more GL behind A student one or more GL behind A student who chooses not to read or writeA student who chooses not to read or writeA student who can’t seem to get math factsA student who can’t seem to get math factsA student who “just doesn’t get it”A student who “just doesn’t get it”A student who can’t seem to concentrate or have A student who can’t seem to concentrate or have motivation to persistmotivation to persistA student who seems to require extrinsic A student who seems to require extrinsic motivationmotivationThe guesser/passive/distracted/impulsive/The guesser/passive/distracted/impulsive/

avoidant student who only enjoys art or musicavoidant student who only enjoys art or music

Mental Picturing of words or Mental Picturing of words or directionsdirections

Spatial orientationsSpatial orientations

Spatial orientation “checks” in Spatial orientation “checks” in online lessonsonline lessons

Spatial orientation helps students define Spatial orientation helps students define types and characteristics of space in types and characteristics of space in various forms.various forms. Check facility with observing and using Check facility with observing and using

boundaries (math, science, geography), boundaries (math, science, geography), Check the ability to differentiate objects and Check the ability to differentiate objects and

distinguish relationships, distinguish relationships, Check the ability to visualize settings.Check the ability to visualize settings.Check and clarify existing mental Check and clarify existing mental imagery. imagery.

Examples…Examples…

Use of 3-D and 2-D representationsUse of 3-D and 2-D representationsShare your own pictures; in lessons promote use Share your own pictures; in lessons promote use of “of “stop and imaginestop and imagine” from time to time, and ” from time to time, and then check retention referencing those mental then check retention referencing those mental images (ie: visualization of a molecular structure; images (ie: visualization of a molecular structure; visualize perimeter, or a setting, going backward visualize perimeter, or a setting, going backward on a number line, or an art process, visualize on a number line, or an art process, visualize map info—check for retention)map info—check for retention)Teach perspectives: Teach perspectives: whowho is seeing, is seeing, whatwhat is is being seen, being seen, wherewhere the character is focusing, the character is focusing, who else who else is seeing what from a vantage pointis seeing what from a vantage point

Story StructuringStory Structuring

As a cognitive tool, stories shape experience As a cognitive tool, stories shape experience into forms with emotional meaningsinto forms with emotional meaningsNarrate with skill and emotion: Narrate with skill and emotion: “What’s the story on this?” “Can we “What’s the story on this?” “Can we connect with discoverers?” connect with discoverers?” Whale Whale storystoryThe majority of what we want students to The majority of what we want students to “get” is plotted into the story“get” is plotted into the story

MetaphorMetaphor

Create metaphors together to frame lessons and Create metaphors together to frame lessons and provide a framework for retentionprovide a framework for retention To compare and contrast informationTo compare and contrast information To make connections across ideasTo make connections across ideas To help focus on relevant informationTo help focus on relevant information

Ask students to consciously identify when they Ask students to consciously identify when they are seeing are seeing with their eyeswith their eyes and when they are and when they are seeing seeing with their mind.with their mind.““Consilience can connect”Consilience can connect”

Consilience (uniting seemingly-Consilience (uniting seemingly-unlike characteristics)unlike characteristics)

CELLCELL GEODEGEODE

LAYERS OF EARTHLAYERS OF EARTH MEDIEVAL MEDIEVAL PAINTINGPAINTING

Binary OppositesBinary Opposites

Students often bring order into their world Students often bring order into their world by dividing everything into opposites; this by dividing everything into opposites; this gives “grappling hooks” to learnersgives “grappling hooks” to learners

Whales: the frame is Whales: the frame is mystery mystery and and vulnerabilityvulnerability

Small successes through good Small successes through good pedagogy:pedagogy:

Time for chunking and reflective Time for chunking and reflective awareness through inquiry; awareness through inquiry; wait timewait time

Open “thinking” questionsOpen “thinking” questions: “Would this : “Would this always be true?” “What will happen to this always be true?” “What will happen to this addition problem in base 5?” addition problem in base 5?” ““What do you noticeWhat do you notice??” (uncover naïve ??” (uncover naïve thinking)thinking)Jokes and humorJokes and humor, silly vocabulary, silly vocabulary

The answer is…The answer is…

BLUE!BLUE!

Abraham Lincoln!Abraham Lincoln!

… … what is the question??what is the question??

Summary with visualsSummary with visuals

do oral and visual “do oral and visual “summary stopssummary stops” in direct ” in direct instruction, include music (optional) and include instruction, include music (optional) and include directed mental visualization/picturing (describe directed mental visualization/picturing (describe using metaphor) then “Can you see that? What using metaphor) then “Can you see that? What do you notice? From the top what does it look do you notice? From the top what does it look like?”like?”““Give it backGive it back” in quick written or picture form ” in quick written or picture form (monitoring thought processes via quick (monitoring thought processes via quick feedback loop)feedback loop)

A sense of Mystery…A sense of Mystery…

What would our world be like if we could What would our world be like if we could see radio waves?see radio waves?

What’s in air?What’s in air?

How can such huge animals as whales How can such huge animals as whales survive on krill?survive on krill? can we do the same operation in the can we do the same operation in the

opposite way in math and get the same opposite way in math and get the same result?result?

Three more ideas to engage Three more ideas to engage students and increase retention:students and increase retention:Associations and identification with Associations and identification with the the Heroic and “the journey” in any subject Heroic and “the journey” in any subject areaarea

Give incomplete outlinesGive incomplete outlines

Engage by the extremes of experienceEngage by the extremes of experience

Try it yourself!Try it yourself!

Choose a lessonChoose a lesson

Choose one of the cognitive structures Choose one of the cognitive structures that you haven’t used before to integrate that you haven’t used before to integrate into the lessoninto the lesson

Share your thought(s)Share your thought(s)

Choose two of these to include in a Choose two of these to include in a specific Elluminate session:specific Elluminate session:

Story structuringStory structuringMetaphorMetaphor““Stop and imagine/picture” or “stop and Stop and imagine/picture” or “stop and summarizesummarize””Binary opposites to frame understandingBinary opposites to frame understandingA sense of mysteryA sense of mysteryAssociations with the heroic or “the journey”Associations with the heroic or “the journey”““give it back” in quick written or illustrative formgive it back” in quick written or illustrative formConsilienceConsilienceExtremes of experienceExtremes of experience

National Standards for Online National Standards for Online TeachingTeaching

Rate yourself in each domain and make Rate yourself in each domain and make some notes about how to improve some notes about how to improve effective engagement with all students effective engagement with all students