Constructivist Approach(Sociocultural Approach)

Learning occurs through social and cultural experiences

VYGOTSKY “Zones of proximal development” –

scaffolding from adults or peers Culture and cognition is bidirectional –

mediated through interaction with others Student-centered learningAuthentic learning opportunities

THE INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM

Memory

Storing information

Think about your mind being like a computer

Sensory Memory

Sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch from environment

Held and processed Large capacity Short duration (1-3 seconds)

Information is selected and organized for further processing

PEA: perception, expectations and attention

Sensory Memory

PERCEPTIONPhysical representation of

stimuli + Existing knowledge = MeaningBottom up processing (Features Whole)

Sensory Memory

EXPECTATIONSTop down processing(Existing knowledge and expectations)

Left side close their eyesRight side close their eyes

Sensory Memory

ATTENTIONSelectiveGuided by what we know and what we need to know

Necessary for perception

Sensory Memory

What was the hockey player’s number?

Working Memory

NOT short term memoryShort and Small

5-9 items 5-20 seconds

Workbench

Working Memory

Unless information is ACTIVATED it will be lost

Methods of activationRehearsal

Maintenance Elaborative

Chunking

Long Term Memory

Knowledge and memories are storedInfinite amount of information and length of

time the information can be stored

Storing Knowledge• Elaboration• Meaning• Visuals

• Context• Levels of

processing

• Organization• Mnemonics• Loci

(location)• Chain

(GBDFA, NESW)

• Rote memorization

Sources

Sproule, Wayne. Our Social World: An Introduction to Anthropology, Psychology and Sociology. Toronto: Prentice Hall, 2001.

Educational Psychology and Special Education. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2012.

Reflection

What sorts of strategies do you currently use to help put information into your long term memory?

Are these strategies affective?Are there strategies from today’s

lesson that you think would enhance your learning? Which ones? Explain how you could use them using specific examples.