While reading "Learning: From Speculation to Science" from How People Learn, I was reminded of the six facets of understanding and how cognitive science has moved away from analyzing learning as memorization towards studying the application of new information. I really enjoyed how this chapter illustrated the constructivist school of thought with the book Fish Is Fish, which I remember reading as a kid, as well as the anecdote about how young students process the idea that the earth is round. Like the fish in Leo Lionni's book, we make sense of new information by relating it to what we already know and form new perspectives based on those we already have.
Sometimes it is hard to blend previously held perceptions with newly taught information, as demonstrated by the students' inability to picture a round earth that does not incorporate a pancake shape. These details increased my awareness of the support that I need to provide for my students when I am teaching a new concept. Based on the constructivist theory, children begin as more egotistical thinkers and gradually expand their minds to other perspectives as they become exposed to new ideas. This transition may be difficult, however, and I need to do what I can to make it easier. This chapter makes it clear that lectures are not enough, and that "teachers still need to pay attention to students' interpretations and provide guidance when necessary" and use "teaching as telling" only after students have had the chance to work through a problem on their own (12). I see myself providing support by taking note of and activating students' background knowledge on a subject, explaining material in several different ways, and providing visuals.
The article recommends frequent formative assessment as a means for students to track their own thinking and draw upon their understanding regularly instead of repeating back information they have learned. What still seems difficult for me is increasing my students' metacognitive awareness, which the chapter recognizes as a crucial step in deeper understanding for students of any age. I know that I can model and guide my students through talking about their thinking, but I need to push them further by providing vocabulary for naming the strategies they use and allowing time for reflection after solving a problem.
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I agree with how hard it sometimes is to change a way of thought that had been held for so long. I can't imagine what schools would look like if we were able to move further away from merely memorizing to applying the information learned.
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