Thursday, February 24, 2011

Information processing model



To understand how an individual learns, it is important to know how information is received and processed in the individual’s mind.

Human minds receive information through the five senses: hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch.

Some information is remembered for a short period and then forgotten while a tiny portion of the large amount of information received may stay in a human’s memory for a very long time.
So, how and why does one’s mind retain some information for a short while or even longer and totally reject some other information?

To understand this, we need to explore and study the information processing model.

Information processing model contain 3 stages: sensory register, short-term memory (working memory), long-term memory.

Sensory register
  • *      Input enters here is the stimuli from the environment
  • *      From our five sensor:  hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch
  • *      Two types of memory:
    • Iconic- visual stimuli
    • Acoustic – sound or audio stimuli

Short-term memory
  • *      The active part of memory
  • *      Limited amount of information stored for a short time
  • *      Repetition and encoding are the processes here
  • *      Adult only can think 7-9 things simultaneously
Long-term memory


The ultimate destination for information that one wants to learn and remember and also the place to store the information on a relatively permanent basis (Ashcraft, 1994)

  • *      Unlimited capacity for storing information
  • *      Consist of at least 3 component:
    • Episodic – concerned with the recollection of experienced events and episodes
    • Semantic – contains the facts and the vast network of conceptual information (‘remembering that’)
    • Procedural – process to do something (‘knowing how’) 


 Lets improve our memory!!!!!!!!!
use mnemonic devices
  •  visual images
  • sentences
  • acronyms
  • rhymes and alliteration
  • jokes
  • "chunking" information
  • "method of loci" 

Perception- select information that is important to the learner
Comprehension- process of constructing a situation
Problem solving- mental process and problem process that includes problem finding and problem shaping
Reasoning-to form conclusions, inferences, or judgments

Implications in mathematics
  • help students to remember formulas or term-e.g memorizing tables
  • help students to link new information with the existing information
  • encourage students to do more exercises
  • guide students focusing on the most important information 

Interesting video about information processing model:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyK75d4IC1Y


 
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Friday, February 18, 2011

^^--PRESENTATION 2--^^


Information Processing Approach to Mathematics Instruction
  • Information Processing Model
  • Cognitive Model for Perception, Comprehension, Problem Solving and Reasoning
  • The implications of Information Processing Theory on secondary mathematics learning








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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Cognitive Theory to Mathematics Education


Teachers need to understand the children's ability and readiness according to their age range.
So, it is imperative that mathematics teacher examine and identify the intellectual development characteristics that their students possess before starting a lesson.

Example

In geometry, teacher should expect some students

1.      maybe have problem in visualising three-dimensional object and about relationship between object.
2.      They might have difficulty in explaining the same concept using mathematical symbols and statements.
3.      They might not be able to solve mathematical word-problems and sometime they use ‘trial and error’ method.
4.      Students unable to handle many variables at once or observe complex relationship.

In conclusions

Mathematics teachers should have adequate knowledge of Piaget’s theory about

Ø  Student’s mental readiness
Ø  Their capability according to age
Ø  Their intellectual levels

  
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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

....Learning theories....


Behaviorism

This theory was introduced by Ivan Pavlov and developed by Thorndike and Skinner, believes that learning is associated with changes in behavior.
 
Stimulus + responsechange in behavior

Teaching and learning will influence our actions or behavior of students either good or otherwise. 
This theory also explains that the students' behavior can be observed, controlled and predictable.

Social

Modeling Theory: Bandura
Children's behavior is learned through imitation or modeling. 
People around them observed as a model.

Conditions of learning : Gagne


Learning process begins from the outside stimulus.
Whether the stimulus was selected as the learning materials depends on the external or internal motivation.
 The main aspect in the learning phase:
  • readiness
  • motivation
  • observations
  • memory
  • transfer



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