In what ways, if any, have you used elements of Cognitivism in your current teaching and learning practice?
Cognitivism is the primary instructional approach employed by teachers in the classroom. This method facilitates students’ understanding and the establishment of connections with their prior knowledge. In a math class, learning about fractions is not feasible unless students are familiar with basic multiplication and division. Therefore, they need to recall their previous knowledge and integrate it with the current lesson to enhance their success in learning fractions.
What are the potential pros and cons of online teaching and learning practices that are grounded in Cognitivism?
Pros: Cognitivism acknowledges the diversity in learners’ cognitive abilities, leading to varying progress among distance learners. This approach emphasizes high-order thinking skills and initiates lessons with hooks to review prior knowledge. It establishes connections between past knowledge and present outcomes through diverse methods such as graphic organizers, visual aids, and mnemonics, ensuring all students can achieve their learning goals. Additionally, Cognitivism prioritizes students’ mental health, promoting analysis and critical thinking about the material.
Cons: The cognitive approach consistently leverages prior knowledge, but challenges arise when students possess different levels of pre-existing knowledge. Some learners may start with limited understanding, making it difficult to connect with the ongoing learning in an online environment. This approach advocates for engaging activities that stimulate and build upon existing knowledge for all students. However, planning such activities can be challenging in the context of online learning.
What online teaching and learning situations do you think might benefit from a Cognitivist approach?
Online courses that necessitate learners to participate in intricate problem-solving, critical thinking, and conceptual understanding align with the cognitive approach, which emphasizes problem-based learning, goal setting, self-monitoring, and self-regulation. Enabling learners to tackle authentic problem-solving tasks within a secure and controlled online environment allows instructors to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and its practical application. Moreover, this approach prioritizes students’ mental health by encouraging social interaction, peer feedback, and collaborative problem-solving. Through these strategies, instructors can enrich the cognitive processes involved in the learning experience.
