ED 260-Educational Psychology

ED 260-Educational Psychology

Ashley Swanson

This Week’s TopicsModule 13-Transfer of

Skills and Knowledge

Module 14-Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Module 13- Transfer of Knowledge and

Skills

Information TransferTransfer: influence of prior

knowledge, skills, strategies, or principles on new learning.

Types of TransferPositive TransferNegative TransferZero Transfer

Specific vs. General Transfer

Doctrine of formal discipline = general

Theory of identical elements = specific

Low Road vs. High Road Transfer Low Road Transfer-automatic transfer of a

skill that is highly practicedKey characteristic: automaticity

High Road Transfer-conscious application of knowledge from one situation to another

Key characteristic: mindful abstraction

High Road Transfer

Types of high road transferProblem-solving transferAnalogical transferForward-reaching transferBackward-reaching transfer

High Road Transfer Individuals seldom transfer

school-learned knowledge to real-life contexts

Instruction relies on rote memorizationSimilarities of learning and transfer contexts

See Table 13.1 on page 230Information was not connected to “real life

situations”

Classroom Application

Principles for fostering information transfer:

Develop automaticity of skillsPromote meaningful learningTeach metacognitive strategiesMotivate students to value learning

Module 14- Critical Thinking and Problem

Solving

Higher-Order ThinkingHigher-Order Thinking: the complex cognitive

processes that involve transforming and applying knowledge, skills, and ideas

Lower-Order Thinking Higher-Order ThinkingReproductive behavior Productive behaviorRepeating past experiences Integrating past experiencesBasic application of information

Interpretation, analysis, and manipulation of information

Recalling or regurgitation of information

Manipulation of information

Knowledge, comprehension, and application

Analysis, synthesis, evaluation

Image borrowed from: http://juliaec.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/blooms_taxonomy.jpg

Thinking DispositionsThinking Disposition: one’s thinking preferences,

attitudes, and intentions and the capabilities that allow these preferences to be recognized by the thinker.

Truth seekingOpen-mindednessAnalytical thinkingSystematic planningIntellectual curiosityConfidence in reasoning and evidenceMetacognition

A thinking disposition is a personal attribute, while a thinking skill is a cognitive strategy.

Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking: The process of evaluating the

accuracy and worth of information and lines of reasoning

Critical thinking skills must be explicitly taught

Instructional Strategies:Questioning during class discussionApplication of writing techniquesHypothesis testingInductive and deductive reasoningArgument analysis

Problem SolvingProblem: situation in which one is trying to reach a goal

and is trying to figure out how to reach that goalWell-defined problems-goal is clearly statedIll-defined problems-goal is unclear and information is

mission

Problem Solving: The means we use to reach a goal in spite of obstacles

Problem solving requires a range of skills that develop at different rates. Children’s approaches to problems solving vary based on their experiences

Teaching Problem Solving StrategiesMany problem solving strategies tend to be more

content specific.

It is important to also teach students strategies that can be used across contexts, so that they have tools to use in area where they have little experience

I-Identify the problemD-Define goalsE-Explore possible strategiesA- Anticipate outcomesL-Look back and learn

Teaching Problem Solving StrategiesAlgorithms: predetermined sequence of steps

for achieving the goalFormal stepsAccurate answer

Heuristics: general strategy that may lead to the correct answer or answer that is reasonable close

Informal rules of thumbApproximations

HeuristicsMeans-end analysis: major goal is divided into

sub goals

Working-backward strategy: Start with final goal and think backwards to determine the steps to achieve the goal

Analogical thinking: limiting solutions to situations to those that are most similar to current situation

Teaching Problem Solving StrategiesProblem-Based Learning: hands on learning

that is organized around investigation and resolution of ill-defined, real world problems.

Emphasis on personal responsibility and self-directedness

Challenges of Problem-Based Learning: May be challenging for some students because of added

personal responsibility Can be confusing for students because of self-directed nature

Main Sources:Bohlin, L., Durwin, C. C., & Reese-Weber, M. (2009). EdPsych:

Modules. New York: McGraw-Hill