Main Proponent of the Cognitive Theory of Teaching

Cognitive Theory of Teaching

The cognitive theory explains how we process information when we learn new things. When we think about how we learned during our school days, most of us will remember being taught by a teacher who stood in front of the classroom with a blackboard and lectures us on the subject.  This method of teaching has been in practice for centuries, and almost every teacher went this way.  not only this, this was considered the best method for teaching as standing in front of the class, the teacher could see every student and see their reactions. According to experts of PhD dissertation writing help, in the majority of cases, student’s success is measured by how much they could remember on the exam day and impress the teacher with their answers.

However, over time, things have also undergone a great chance. The method of teaching that was at one time very popular is not so popular or used now because, in this type of teaching and learning, the learner is mostly passive, just sitting and listening. It was the teacher who was the active participant and strives to transfer the knowledge to the students. The learning and teaching methods now involve students as well as the teacher and strive to bring about better results.

Cognitive Theory Of Teaching – Knowing All About It:

The term cognition can be best explained as the psychological result of perception and learning, and reasoning. The cognitive theory of teaching suggests that the teacher should connect with students in such a way that the learner remains an active participant in the process. The students come to the classroom with their own skills, knowledge, memories, and relevant information they have learned in the past or collected with their own experience.

It is up to the teachers to deal with them in such a manner that they come up with their own understanding of a topic and perform well in class. With proper training, teachers can help students enhance their strengths and develop their expertise in handling all types of complex tasks that they are assigned even in their future life. With cognitive learning theory, it becomes easy to understand how internal and external factors influence the students’ mental processes to supplement learning.

It is also important to note that delays and difficulties are observed in the learning process when the cognitive processes do not proceed the right way. Teaching is a serious job that requires attention, observation, retrieval from long-term memory, and categorization. It is because mental processes are linked to teaching and learning, and it is up to the teachers to ensure that cognitive learning takes place the right way and the students achieve mastery in a particular subject.

The Main Proponent Of Cognitive Learning And Teaching Strategies:

As compared to the traditional means of memorization and rote learning, cognitive learning and teaching strategies focus on intellect, reasoning, and perception. The following are the key proponents of cognitive learning and teaching strategies.

Comprehension:

Comprehension is the most important component which makes teaching and learning strategies a success. To ensure that cognitive learning is efficient and benefits the students the right way, they must understand why they are learning this specific subject in the first place. Unless they know what they are doing and why, they will not be able to develop an interest and do well.

Memory:

Cognitive teaching is all about learning with recognition, perception, and reasons and discourages cramming information, which is very ineffective and does not get any desired results. The teachers can play a key role in helping students get a deeper understanding of a subject, improve their ability to absorb new knowledge, and relate it with previous experience or information.

Application:

Cognitive teaching strategies help students apply new information or skills in real-life situations. They encourage students as they continue to develop problem-solving skills that enable them to succeed in their careers.

Cognitive Teaching Activities:

It is up to the teachers to come up with cognitive learning activities to increase learning opportunities for their students. They can help students with activities that help them comprehend different theories and tactics. Some activities that teachers can try with their students include:

  • Make a game of memorizing poetry or facts
  • Write a journal entry that asks students to think about what they learned during the day or week
  • Help students demonstrate their work in front of the class
  • Have students create their own learning game as they work to master facts or a subject
  • Ask students to explain a problem to other students and teach it to them
  • Put a list of questions on the board and have students answer them to learn about their thought process

Teachers are under immense pressure; they have a big responsibility to help students learn all the right things that they need to know. Focusing on learning theories provides teachers additional resources and strategies that give them a chance to increase their understanding.  The theories and learning strategies can be implemented in the right environment to derive desired results.

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Benefits Of Cognitive Theory Of Teaching:

The following are the key positive effects of cognitive teaching:

  • Enhanced Learning: Cognitive theory of teaching enhances lifelong learning. Students can be taught to build upon previous ideas and apply new concepts to already existing knowledge.
  • Boosts Confidence: Students become more confident in approaching tasks as they get a deeper understanding of new topics and learn new skills.
  • Enhanced Comprehension: Teachers can help students comprehensive for acquiring new information. They can develop a deeper understanding of new learning materials.
  • Improves Problem-Solving Skills: Cognitive teaching methods equip students with the skills they need to learn effectively. They can develop problem-solving skills they can apply under challenging tasks.

Cognitive theories of teaching help students learn new things fast; they will be able to develop the ability to recycle and use the same learning methods that worked well in the past. This ensures they not only learn better and faster but also merge new knowledge with already acquired knowledge to produce great results.