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Reading to Learn: !
The Basics of !
Co-Requisite !
Transfer Learning
Dan Kesterson
Within the following mental processes for reading to learn are the basics of corequisite transfer learning and the learner needs for transfer learning listed below:
- Understanding facts and ideas in the context of a conceptual framework !
- Organizing knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application !
- Developing a deep foundation of factual knowledge
Research over the past decade has identified the impotence and lack of rigor that the content and skills of present reading instruction for making that learned when reading to learn useful.
The co-requisite supporting reading instructor should focus on helping the learner learn the following transfer learning mental processes with the relevant and timely content course reading assignments. The co-requisite content instructor should be reinforcing these same transfer learning processes in their instruction and reading assignments. The goal is not learning facts and ideas, but rather learning in ways that make learning useful - transfer. !
In co-requisite instruction, it is just as important that the content instructor understand the mental processes of transfer learning as it is for the reading instructor.
Core Mental Processes for Co-requisite Transfer Learning of Gateway Course Content ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
•calibration
of risk and reward,
•problem-solving,
3. reflecting; an internal conversation
•prioritizing, •thinking
ahead,
•self-evaluation, •long-term
planning
First, the learner needs to be ! •holding
2. stepping back mentally
the new information in mind,
! •stepping
back mentally,
! •and
reflecting.
Working Memory 1. holding the new information in mind
Second, within the process of reflecting, the learner needs to ensure that they are applying mental processes that result in ! - Understanding facts and ideas in the context of a conceptual framework ! - Organizing knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application ! - Developing a deep foundation of factual knowledge
“A key finding in the learning and transfer literature is that organizing information into a conceptual framework allows for greater “transfer”; that is, it allows the student to apply what was learned in new situations and to learn related information more quickly.” (Bransford)
v v v
Working Memory
v
Third, re-expose oneself with elaboration by stepping back and reexposing ones self to the relationship between the new information and the the conceptual framework.
Every time the learner steps back and re-exposes themselves to the relationship between the new information and the the conceptual framework, a new layer of myelin wraps around the axon increasing the speed of transmission, thereby bringing more to working memory and faster.
v v
Working Memory
Context - Conceptual Framework !
For transfer learning to occur, information and skills need the context of a conceptual framework of the content to be learned. !
A conceptual framework of a course or content reading is the broadly defined concepts of the course that are systematically organized. Introduction to Business will be used as an example throughout this presentation to illustrate the basics of reading to learn transfer learning. !
Context - Conceptual Framework !
Introduction to Business !
The goal of business is to earn a profit by providing a product that satisfies customer needs. two components of business are people and activities - owners/finance, management/employees, and marketing/customers. profit owner/ finance satisfying customer needs marketing/ customers
Goal of Business
product management/ employees
Here, the conceptual framework is made up of the goal of business and its people and activities. Every new fact, idea, or concept the learner learns needs to be understood in the context of this conceptual framework.
Learning - Prior Knowledge !
Learning/Prior Knowledge - for learning to occur, the brain has to interconnect new information with prior knowledge of the learner. Illustrated simply below: New Facts and Ideas
Dendrites of Prior Knowledge
New Learning
Learning - Prior Knowledge - Conceptual Framework !
Conceptual Framework - the conceptual framework (the systematically organized concepts for which all future facts and ideas are related) must be learned and over learned up front. The conceptual framework has to become the prior knowledge upon which future learning is profit interconnected. Illustrated simply below: owner/ finance
satisfying customer needs
New Facts and Ideas
marketing/ customers
New Learning
Goal of Business
product management/ employees
Dendrites of Prior Knowledge
Learning - Organization - Conceptual Framework !
When new facts or ideas are encountered when reading, the learner needs to deliberately organize that information within the conceptual framework. For instance, if the reader reads that the central roles of management are organizing, coordinating, and motivating employees, then the learner needs to mentally connect those ideas to management and employees in the larger conceptual framework. profit owner/ finance satisfying customer needs
New Facts and Ideas
marketing/ customers
Goal of Business
product management/ employees organize, coordinate, motivate
New Learning
It is important that the information being learned is routed through the hippocampus and on to the prefrontal cortex if the learner wants to be able to use the information for critical thinking and problem solving. This requires that the learner stop, step back mentally and reflect. This seemingly simple mental task is the most challenging of the processes for learning in ways that transfer.
• • • • • •
calibration of risk and reward, problem-solving, prioritizing, thinking ahead, self-evaluation, long-term planning
Reflecting is the foundation of deep learning. The brain can store information all over the place; therefore, it is crucial that the learner route new information through the prefrontal cortex (seat of executive thinking). It is in the prefrontal cortex that planning, prioritizing, decision-making, problem-solving, and application in new situations takes place.
• • • • • •
calibration of risk and reward, problem-solving, prioritizing, thinking ahead, self-evaluation, long-term planning
Learners 18 years old to their midthirties have not fully developed their prefrontal cortex and these reflecting processes help to develop thinking with the prefrontal cortex.
So far, for transfer learning to occur, the learner has to create and over learn a conceptual framework for the subject at hand; they have deliberately connect new information with prior knowledge through the proess of reflection - stopping, stepping back, and reflecting on what they are learning if the information is to route through the prefrontal cortex.
• • • • • •
calibration of risk and reward, problem-solving, prioritizing, thinking ahead, self-evaluation, long-term planning
Reflecting is also important because how new information is encoded (neural pathways it takes is also the neural pathways for retrieval.
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DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE CHALLENGE OF LEARNING HOW TO REFLECT Do not substitute strategies for thinking.
Within the process of reflecting, the learner needs to reflect on what they already know (prior knowledge), Predict where this new knowledge will be used later, and how the new information is related to the conceptual framework. Learning to do these process while reflecting is not innate and has to be learned. It is not simple to build neural networks for the processes of reflecting when reading to learn that override neural networks created by years of reading shallowly for facts and details. Reciprocal modeling between instructor and learner is necessary.
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Telling the learner to stop in the reading process and reflect on their prior knowledge, predict, and relate the information to the conceptual framework by itself will not work. It is this single mental process for why isolated skills instruction and computer instruction do not produce transfer learning skills.
Think of working memory as very limited temporary storage of new information where it can be manipulated.
Working Memory
Working memory is very limited; it can only hold around 4 unrelated items for about 10 15 seconds - not enough for critical thinking. Here is the Key: “If we are unable to attend to the information in our working memory, the information lasts only as long as the neurons that hold and maintain their electric charge—a few seconds…. Then it's gone…” (Carr, 2010, p.193) ! If we don’t attend and reflect, we don’t learn anything new.
What does this mental process look like:
• • • • • •
calibration of risk and reward, problem-solving, prioritizing, thinking ahead, self-evaluation, long-term planning
3. reflecting; an internal conversation
2. stepping back mentally
Working Memory 1. holding the new information in mind
!
A common denominator and basis of all executive functioning is the ability to hold things in mind, step back, and reflect. Without this capacity, it is difficult to have perspective, judgment, or control. !
The first impulse is to think, “Well that sounds easy.” It is not, and it has to be taught and integrated in all instruction and learning. In fact, unless the learner is holding the new information in mind, stepping back mentally, and reflecting, the prefrontal cortex is not activated. ALL DEEP LEARNING BEGINS with holding the new information in mind, stepping back mentally, and reflecting and just saying “think about your thinking does not work. It has to be modeled and practiced a lot.
Where Does Reflection Occur and Why is It Important to Know?
Reflecting is a conscious choice and learning the mental processes the learner uses are also a conscious choice. !
Working memory is collectively those systems in the brain the produce consciousness and it is in consciousness that making choices to reflect as ones learning takes place, just as it might be a conscious choice to underline and come back and memorize for a test. Except the latter results in not if the information will be forgotten but when, and the former holds information in working memory long enough for transfer learning mental processes to take place. It can become more automatic with deliberate practice.
Questioning in Reflection
KEY: Does this fact, idea, concept fit within the conceptual framework?
Can I predict where this is going?
What do I already know?
Internal Dialogue Questions
Are there examples, explanations , or illustrations of the concepts? How is what I am reading like or different that what I already know?
Faster and Easier Retrieval is Vital to Application !
The yellow below on the brain cell’s axon is myelin - a thin layer of fat. It acts as insulation for the electrical signal that is carrying the information being learned. New Facts and Ideas
Dendrites of Prior Knowledge
New Learning
Faster and Easier Retrieval Vital to Application !
Once the learner has reflected on what they already know and predicted what is coming next and especially figured out how new information is related to the conceptual framework, the real work of increasing the myelin around the axon to increase the transmission, processing and retrieval of that learned. New Facts and Ideas product
profit
Dendrites of Prior Knowledge
owner/ finance satisfying customer needs
New Learning
marketing/ customers
Goal of Business management/ employees
Faster and Easier Retrieval Vital to Application !
Once the learner has reflected on what they already know, predicted what is coming next, and especially figured out how new information is related to the conceptual framework, the real work of increasing the myelin around the axon to strengthen the learning, as well as increasing the transmission, processing and retrieval of that learned. Re-exposure with Elaboration product
profit
Dendrites of Prior Knowledge
owner/ finance satisfying customer needs
New Learning
marketing/ customers
Goal of Business management/ employees
Faster and Easier Retrieval Vital to Application !
Every time the learner steps back and re-exposes themselves to the relationship between the new information and the the conceptual framework, a new layer of myelin wraps around the axon increasing the speed of transmission. Consider this: With repeated re-exposure with elaboration, the electrical signal can get 100 times faster.
Re-exposure with elaboration
With repeated re-exposure with elaboration, the rest period at the synapse is 35% shorter. This results in a 3,000 times faster transmission of the electrical signal. 100 times faster 3,000 times faster transmission
profit 35% shorter satisfying customer needs
New Learning
marketing/ customers
Goal of Business
owner/ finance
product management/ employees
Faster and Easier Retrieval Vital to Application ! With repeated re-exposure with elaboration, the electrical signal can get 100 times faster.
Re-exposure with elaboration
With repeated re-exposure with elaboration, the rest period at the synapse is 35% shorter. This results in a 3,000 times faster transmission of the electrical signal. 100 times faster 3,000 times faster transmission
profit 35% shorter satisfying customer needs
New Learning
marketing/ customers
Goal of Business
owner/ finance
product management/ employees
Think of it this way: when the learner needs to recall the information or make a decision, or solve a problem with the information, the information gets to working memory 3,000 times faster, as well as brings the neural network of information that has been learned in the context of the conceptual framework. This is huge for transfer learning - becoming useful and increasing potential for application. Working memory is not limited to 4 unrelated items if the information is organized - then it is limitless.
Within the preceding mental processes and habits of mind for reading to learn are the basics of co-requisite transfer learning and the learner needs for transfer learning listed below:
- Understanding facts and ideas in the context of a conceptual framework !
- Organizing knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application !
- Developing a deep foundation of factual knowledge