Cognitive Psychology/Information Processing Case Study Analysis

1. After participating in this activity, what do you think the students will remember? How might those memories differ from those students would have if they only read about the Civil War in their textbook?

this is a great example of discovery learning. I think that the students would remember almost everything that occurred during the day they spent there. If I had been doing that experience I would have retained everything because it had context to the activity. It involved the motor skills to do, not just to think about what would have happened. There is the saying, "you learn from your mistakes", this encompasses the same thing. Having done it and performed a task the mind an retain it much easier. If a student only read it in a textbook the majority of the information was lost during sensory memory and working memory. The attention was not focused as much as the field work would accomplish.

2. How does Mr. West’s use of a Civil War re-enactment engage students’ emotions? What is the relationship between emotions and learning?

the reenactment would cause great emotion being in a battle and actually having a mock war. This would get the adrenalin pumping and the emotions would flare. Being in the moment of war with bombs going off around you just watching it would cause emotions. The relationship between emotion and learning is in he amygdala, the part of the brain that controls emotions. If the emotions are already causing synaptic impulses in the brain to form the emotion, then the paths of learning have a much easier path to take through the brain into long term memory. Everything takes the path of least resistance right?

3. Based on the principles of dual-coding theory, what activities would be effective for Mr. West to use as a follow-up to the re-enactment?

I would use Inquiry based learning in the classroom to help identify and resolve the thought provoking questions. By having a deeper thinking question to pull out the information an sink it deeper into the long term memory. Association between the two methods would create a deep learning experience.

4. Who do you think provides better instruction for his students? Support your answer from an information processing perspective.

Mr Richards provides much better instruction for the students he teaches. He demonstrates whole brain teaching. He is trying to reach as many students in his class and create a learning environment in his classroom. His test provide higher order thinking skills, which will also be retained better and more fully over long periods of time. Now if Mr. Dunkins did the same sort of instruction and added reading as homework, the students would retain the reading much better.

5. How would you expect the students’ learning outcomes to differ depending on which teacher they had?

I would think that Mr. Dunkins' students would struggle with tests, only the analytical thinkers would do well on his tests. Mr.Richard's students would all do well because all of the bases were covered, he taught to all of his students not just the 5% of his analytical students. Not only would his test scores be good, but the standardized tests would get better as well. Emotion in learning is key to retaining information. How easy is it to get excited about reading the text day in and day out.