Transcript Improving Student Learning at LSU Replacing the Mardi Gras

Metacognition and Learning Styles:
Tools for Helping Students
Achieve Improved Learning Strategies
Saundra Y. McGuire, Ph.D., Director
Center for Academic Success
Adj. Professor, Department of Chemistry
Louisiana State University
The Center for Academic Success
2004-2005 National College Learning Center Association
Frank L. Christ Outstanding Learning Center Award
The Story of Five LSU Students

Travis, junior psychology student
47, 52, 82, 86
 Robert, freshman chemistry student
42, 100, 100, 100
 Miriam, freshman calculus student
37.5, 83, 93
 Maryam, freshman art student
57, 87

Terrence, junior Bio Engineering student
GPA 1.67 cum, 3.54 (F 03), 3.8 (S 04)
Fall 2005
Chemistry 2001
Test 1
Test 2
Test 3
Final
Class
Average Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 Student 4
76
65
67
70
83
52
67
65
46
55
72
61
68
68
65
78
107
88
88
90
Date of Final Exam:
December 14, 2005
Meeting with Student No. 1:
December 12, 2005
Meeting with Student Nos. 2 & 4:
December 2, 2005
Meeting with Student No. 3:
December 8, 2005
The final was worth 100 points with a 10 bonus question.
Desired outcomes






We will understand why students spend little
time studying and do not know how to learn
We will have concrete learning strategies that
faculty can teach students to increase learning,
and we will be committed to trying some of
these strategies in our classes
We will have more resources for our students
We will view our students differently
We will see positive changes in our students’
performance and self-perception
We will spend time reflecting on improving our
teaching and our students’ learning
Overview
Characteristics of today’s learners
 Types and levels of learning
 Cognitive Science Findings
 General Learning Strategies
 Concept Mapping Activity
 Factors Influencing Student Motivation
 Wrap Up

Reflection Questions
What is the difference, if any, between
studying and learning?
Which, if either, is more enjoyable?
When did you learn the conceptual
structure (relationships between basic
concepts) of your discipline?
When/why/how did you to learn this?
Paradigm Shift in Institutional
Attitudes About Learning
Teacher Centered
Institutions
Vs Learner Centered
Institutions
The RSCC Mission Statement
“Roane State provides a challenging and nurturing
learning environment which encourages and inspires
students to meet the high expectations and
standards needed for responsible citizenship and to
embrace the concept of learning as a lifelong endeavor.”
“Roane State’s success can only be measured by the
success of its students and by maintaining its
demonstrated reputation as a center for higher education
excellence.”
Characteristics of
Many of Today’s Students






Working more hours
More ADD/ADHD
Interested in obtaining
credentials
Feel entitled to an A or B
if they consistently
attend class
Few time management
skills
Few learning skills
Why don’t students know how
to learn or how to study?
It wasn’t necessary in high school
- 66% of 2003 entering first year
students spent less than six hours per
week doing homework in 12th grade.
- More than 46% of these students said
they graduated from high school with
an “A” average.
 Students’ confidence level is high
- 70% believe their academic ability is
above average or in the highest 10
percent among people their age

Higher Education Research Institute Study
http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/03_press_release.pdf
Additional Reasons

High Stakes Testing in high school forces
teachers to “teach to the test”
 Students think everything they need is on the
web and can be looked up
 Technological advances make it easier to
function with less knowledge
 Misconceptions that interfere with learning
Student Misconceptions
Who would have thought?!?
How might the institution
exacerbate the problem?
Orientation programs that stress fun,
recreation, and campus organization
involvement
 Helping students to schedule courses
“back to back” with no breaks between
 Very large introductory classes
 Providing limited or no access to
learning strategies information

How do some faculty
members further add to the
problem?





By assigning homework and giving tests
that require little, if any, higher order
thinking
By assessing learning too infrequently
By providing limited feedback to students
By putting notes on-line and advising
students they don’t need to purchase the
textbook
By having little ability to teach students
concrete learning strategies
Faculty Must Help Students
Learn How to Learn!





Teach them the difference between learning
(meaningful learning) and memorization (rote
learning); help them understand the process
Assess and provide feedback soon and often
Help them determine their learning style
Teach them specific learning strategies
Implement pedagogical strategies that make
them use the learning strategies
Rote Learning

Involves verbatim memorization
(which is easily forgotten)

Cannot be manipulated or applied to novel
situations
(e.g. remembering phone numbers, dates,
names, etc.)
Meaningful Learning

Learning that is tied and related to
previous knowledge and integrated
with previous learning

Can be manipulated, applied to novel
situations, and used in problem solving
tasks
(e.g. comparing and contrasting the
Arrhenius and B-L definitions of acids and
bases.)
Combining information to
form a unique product;
requires creativity and
originality.
Evaluation
Synthesis
Using information to solve
problems; transferring
abstract or theoretical ideas
to practical situations.
Identifying connections and
relationships and how they
apply.
Application
Comprehension
Restating in
your own words;
paraphrasing,
summarizing,
translating.
Knowledge
Louisiana State University  Center for Academic Success  B-31 Coates Hall  225-578-2872  www.cas.lsu.edu
High School
Memorizing verbatim
information. Being able to
remember, but not
necessarily fully
understanding the
material.
Identifying
components;
determining
arrangement, logic,
and semantics.
Undergraduate
Analysis
Making decisions and
supporting views;
requires
understanding of
values.
Graduate School
Bloom’s
Taxonomy
This pyramid depicts the different levels of thinking we use when learning.
Notice how each level builds on the foundation that precedes it. It is
required that we learn the lower levels before we can effectively use the
skills above.
Example
~ Bloom’s Levels of Learning ~
Applied to Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Evaluation
Judge whether Goldilocks was good or bad. Defend
Synthesis
Propose how the story would be different if it were
the Three Fish.
Analysis
Compare this story to reality. What events could not
Application
Demonstrate what Goldilocks would use if she came to
Comprehension
Explain why Goldilocks liked Baby Bear’s chair the
Knowledge
List the items used by Goldilocks while she was in the
Courtesy of http://www.kyrene.k12.az.us/schools/brisas/sunda/litpack/BloomsCriticalThinking_files/v3_document.htm
Counting Vowels
in 30 seconds
How accurate are you?
Cognitive Science:
The Science of the Mind
Questions
 How do humans process information?
 How do people increase their knowledge?
 What factors influence learning?
 What types of learning facilitate transfer of
information learned to new settings?
 How can we change teaching to improve
learning?
Keys to Learning Based on
Cognitive Science Findings
Deep factual and procedural knowledge of
a discipline is required to solve complex
problems
 Learning is a continuous process;
repetition is the key
 New knowledge must be tied to existing
knowledge
 Learning should involve both sides of the
brain and several learning styles

Experts vs. Novices
They think differently about problems
Novices vs. Intelligent Novices

Intelligent novices learn new domains
more quickly than other novices

The metacognitive skills make the
difference
What intelligent novices know
Learning is different from memorization
 Solving problems without looking at the
solution is different from using the solution
as a model
 Comprehension of reading material must
be tested while the reading is in progress
 Knowledge is not “handed out” by the
instructor; it is constructed by the learner

Turn Students into
Expert Learners:
Metacognition and
Learning Styles are the Keys!
Metacognition
 thinking
about thinking
 being consciously aware of
yourself as a problem solver
 Planning, monitoring, and
controlling your mental
processing
The Study Cycle
Phase 1:
Read or preview chapter(s) to be covered in
class… before class.
Phase 2:
GO TO CLASS! Listen actively, take notes,
participate in class.
Phase 3:
Review and process class notes as soon after
class as possible.
Phase 4:
Implement Intense Study Sessions.
Repeat
Intense Study Sessions

2-5 minutes:
Set Goals

20-50 minutes:
STUDY with FOCUS and ACTION
(Read your text, create flash cards, create
maps and/or outlines, work problems -without
peeking at the answers, quiz yourself…)
Achieve your goal!

5 minutes
Take a break

5 minutes
Review what you have just studied

Repeat
*Once a week review the entire week’s notes and problems
Active Learning Strategies
Get Involved
 Ask Questions
 Recite and Write

Review
 Reflect (megacognate?)

Good notes
are essential for
meaningful learning
Cornell Note Taking Format
Recall
Column:
Reduce ideas
and facts to
concise
summaries
and cues for
reciting,
reviewing and
reflecting
over here.
Notes on Taking Notes,
08/04/08
Uses of notes
• identify major points
• identify minor points
There are 4 Kinds of Notes:
•
•
•
•
Running Text
Formal Outline
Informal Outline
Cornell Note system
Getting the Most Out of Homework:
Effective Strategy for Problem Solving
 Start
the problems early--the day
they are assigned
 Do not flip back to see example
problems; work them yourself!
 Don’t give up too soon (<15 min.)
 Don’t spend too much time (>30
min.)
Concept maps
facilitate development
of higher order thinking skills
Mapping
Molar mass
Colligative
properties
grams
moles
formula
Symbols +
subscripts
Fp. Dep;
b.p. elev.
Compare and Contrast
Acids
Bases
How are they similar?
How are they different?
Create a Chapter Map
Title of Chapter
Primary Headings
Subheadings
Secondary Subheadings
Time for a Break!
Learning Strategies
Should be Based on
Learning Style
Learning Styles
Influence how we take in information
from the outside world
 Influence how we process information
 Influence how we interact with others
 Influence our motivation for learning
different subjects
 Influence our frustration level with
learning tasks

Learning Style Diagnostics
http://www.cas.lsu.edu
 Brain
Dominance
 Personality
 Modality
Hemispheric Preference
 Left Brain vs. Right Brain
– Right Brain: visual, intuitive, holistic, abstract,
spatial and main ideas;
use charts, maps, time lines, graphs, or
visualization as study tools
– Left Brain: verbal, logical, linear, concrete,
time oriented, and details;
use outlines, lecture notes, or the Cornell note
taking format as study tools
– Some students will be “balanced”
Personality Profile
Extrovert
Introvert
Sensing
iNtuitive
Thinking
Feeling
Judging
Perceiving
Modified Myers-Briggs
Modality (Sensory Preference)
Visual: prefers pictures, symbols,
charts, graphs, concept maps, etc.
 Aural or auditory: prefers hearing
lectures, reading notes out loud, etc.
 Read/write: prefers flashcards, notes,
lists, outlines, etc.
 Kinesthetic: prefers direct experience,
mapping, charting, experiments,
visualizing action, etc.

What’s YOUR Style?
 Left
or right brain dominant?
 Personality Type
Extrovert or Introvert?
Sensing or Intuitive?
Thinking or Feeling?
Judging or Perceiving?
 Modality (Sensory Preference)?
Visual, Aural, Read/Write Kinesthetic
Learning Style Inventories
www.vark-learn.com
www.cas.lsu.edu
Many others!
Time Management is Life Management
I
Big Rocks
Is this jar full?
What if we fill it to
the top with small rocks…
would it be full?
What if we fill it to
the top with sand…
would it be full?
What if we fill it to
the top with water…
would it be full?
The question is this:
What is the “moral of the story” when it comes to time management?
Weekly Master
To Do List
The “Master
To Do List”
Master The
To Do List:
“Master
Class #1
Ch. 4
Ch. 5
Ch. 6
Assignment Due
Ch. 7
Studio:
pp. 65-96
Project #1
3 references
drawings (3)
model
10/13
10/13
10/15
10/15
10/19
Date to be completed: Sunday, Oct. 17th
To Do List”
Class #3
Ch. 15
10/13
Ch. 17
10/15
Ch. 18
10/20
Class #4
10/12
10/14
10/14
10/16
Homework
10/14
Ch. 3
10/14
Monday, Oct. 11
Class 1, Ch. 4
Review pp. 65-96
Homework
Buy card
Email Clyde
Complete forms
Pick up materials
Library, 3 references
Pay bills
Review Ch. 2 10/15
Life:
Mom’s Birthday card send 10/15)
to Sunday ____________________________
Week of Monday ____________________________
Weekly Master To Do List
Class:
Class:
a
Class:
a
Other:
Class:
a
a
a
Download this form in the Time Management Online workshop at www.lsu.edu/learn
Time
Management
Tips from
Students













Have a vision—Set goals
Know YOUR unique time management style
Study when the sun is out
Avoid napping
Develop patterns “This is what I do”
Think of yourself as a Professional Student
Kill the TV, cell phone, video game…
Email/chat/Facebook…only as a reward
Exercise
Eat well
Drink water
Take breaks
Have fun
Motivation
“In the academy, the term
‘motivating’ means stimulating
interest in a subject and,
therefore, the desire to learn it.”
(Nilson, 57)
Motivation to Learn Study
Hobson 2000 & 2001 (n=412)

Positive motivation:
– Teachers’ attitudes & behaviors
27.1 %
– Course structure
22.5%
– Intrinsic
19.8 %
– Course content
17.0 %
– Perform. Measures 10.0 %
– Vocational/financial 1.4 %
– Learning environ.
1.1 %
– Parents/others
1.0 %

Negative motivation:
– Teachers’ attitudes & behaviors
31.6 %
– Course structure:
25.9 %
– Learning environ.
12.9 %
– Course content
10.8 %
– Intrinsic
10.0 %
– Perform. measures 7.5 %
– Parents/others
0.9 %
– Vocational/financial 0.3 %
Motivation Boosters
Partial credit for partially correct
answers
 Letting students use their own problem
solving method
 Flexible grading scale based on student
performance
 Demonstrated personal interest in, and
belief that EVERY student can succeed!

Motivation Busters
Multiple choice tests with no opportunity
for partial credit
 Requiring students to use one problem
solving method
 Absolute grading scale with no flexibility
 Attitude that most students are not
prepared to do well, and probably won’t!
 Assessment that is not closely tied to
what students learned

Answer the following questions:*

In baseball, how many outs are there in an
inning?
 A rancher has 33 head of cattle standing in
a field, when suddenly a bolt of lightning
kills all but 9 of them. How many head of
cattle are left standing?
 Some months have 31 days, and some
months have 30 days. But how many have
28 days?
 Two U.S. coins are worth a total of $0.30,
and one of them is not a nickel. What are the
coins?
* http://www.quizrocket.com/dumb-test
Strategies that Work
Learning Style & Personality Assessments
 Note taking Systems
 Concept Mapping
 The Study Cycle with Intense Study
Sessions
 Time Management Tools
 Test Taking Strategies
 Metacognitive Reflections

Strategies that
have worked at
Other Schools
Integrating study strategies techniques
into class structure
 Teaching and requiring concept
mapping
 Setting up collaborative working groups
in class
 Implementing Supplemental Instruction
 Offering Service-Learning courses

Chem 1001 Results Spring 2007
Test 1 Test 2
Final
Total points
Attended SYM
Lecture on 3/2
156
109
214
801
Did not attend
154
93
153
563
Class average
153
100
176
662
*app. 80 attendees out of 200 students because
session was on a Friday afternoon. Exam 1 was
Wednesday, March 7.
Reflection Question
Who is primarily responsible for
student learning?
a) the student
b) the instructor
c) the institution
Our students can significantly
increase their learning!
We must teach them the learning
process and strategies
 We must use pedagogical strategies
that motivate students to learn

What Learning Strategy Can You
Teach that Might Improve Student
Performance in Your Course?
Final Note
Please visit the websites at www.cas.lsu.edu and
www.howtostudy.org.
We have information and on-line workshops that
will introduce you and your students to effective
study strategies techniques. Please feel free to
contact me at [email protected]. I wish you
great success as you help your students SAIL at
Roane State Community College!
Saundra McGuire
References








Bruer, John T. , 2000. Schools For Thought: A Science of Learning in
the Classroom. MIT Press.
Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., Cocking, R.R. (Eds.), 2000. How people
learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington, DC:
National Academy Press.
Cromley, Jennifer, 2000. Learning to Think, Learning to Learn: What
the Science of Thinking and Learning Has to Offer Adult Education.
Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy.
Halpern, D.F and Hakel, M.D. (Eds.), 2002. Applying the Science of
Learning to University Teaching and Beyond. New York, NY: John
Wiley and Sons, Inc.
Kameenui and Carnine, 1998. Effective Teaching Strategies That
Accommodate Diverse Learners. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill
Publishing
Nilson, Linda, 2004. Teaching at It’s Best: A Research-Based
Resource for College Instructors. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing
Company.
Taylor, S. (1999). Better learning through better thinking: Developing
students’ metacognitive abilities. Journal of College Reading and
Learning, 30(1), 34ff. Retrieved November 9, 2002, from Expanded
Academic Index ASAP.
http://academic.pg.cc.md.us/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/metacognition.htm
Zull, James (2004). The Art of Changing the Brain. Sterling, VA: Stylus
Publishing.