The Intersection of Technology Tools and Cognitive Strategies: Improving Content Area Instruction for Students with Mild Disabilities

Cynthia OkoloMichigan State University

okolo@msu.edu

Cognitive Strategy Instruction

• Been around a long time• Skills versus strategies • Students with disabilities may not be strategic learners

• Strong evidence for efficacy 

Cognitive Strategy Instruction

• Strategies help students make use of what they know

• Still need to learn content

• Still need to learn skills

What is Cognitive Strategy Instruction?

Cognitive strategy instruction (CSI)    e.g., Robert Reid,

University of Nebraska Learning strategies instruction    e.g., Strategic Instruction Model (UK), Self-regulated strategy development

(SRSD)   e.g., SRSD in writing

What is Cognitive Strategy Instruction?

More than a recipeKabobs

Set of principles + set of instructional practices

Principles of Cognitive Strategy Instruction

Strategy is like a heuristic, a set of steps  How do I do this?  What steps do I follow?  In what order

Helps the implicit become explicit Interactive, dialogic Students take ownership of their learning

self-regulation generalization flexible use and adaptation

Hamburger Strategy

This is a set of steps, but not a strategy

Top of bun: Topic Sentence

Meat: Supports (related to your topic sentence)

Condiments: Expansions: analysis, interpretation, explanation, insight

Bottom bun: Concluding sentence

Practices of Cognitive Strategy Instruction

Develop background knowledge, reason for learning, motivation

Describe/discuss strategy and steps Model the strategy

Heart of strategy instruction

Memorize steps Guided practice (skill appropriate) Independent practice (age appropriate) Generalization

Examples of Strategy Instruction

Watch and discuss an example: Strategies for Reading FluencyUtah Center for Reading an

d Literacy

Examples of Technology-Based Strategy Instruction

Discuss CAST Strategy TutorDiscuss SOAR

Carolyn Harper Knox, Ph.D.541-346-3543 voice mail541-346-6226 fax

TASK X STRATEGY

ACADEMIC TASK

SELF-REGULATION CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

COGNITIVE STRATEGY

Technology is Not Always the Best Approach

Sometimes good old pencil and paper works best

Consider affordances and constraints

Studying facts and vocabulary

Mastering a set of information requires a large amount of focused practice Can take upwards of 24 times to reach 80% accuracy May be more for kids with learning difficulties/disabilities

New learning does not happen quickly, requires practice spread out over time Small set of information at a time Spaced practice Review Build on existing knowledge networks

Increments in learning start out large then taper off

Study Tools for Study Strategies

StudyHive (basic flashcard program) http://studyhive.com/

Cramberry: http://www.cramberry.net/ (self-quiz)

Sometimes technology tools model cognitive strategies HeadMagnet: http://headmagnet.com/

“Explore” option to see how the tool works Quizlet: http://quizlet.com

http://quizlet.com/demo-video.php (see Speak It option)

Study Strategy Steps Prioritize

Take the first step—any step

Identify resources to help you

Schedule blocks of study time and breaks Use free time wisely Postpone distractions

Study space

Review Weekly Before class After class http://www.studygs.net/timman.htm

Before Reading Strategies

Brainstorming PreP: PreReading Plan

Setting a goal for reading Skimming, scan, predict

SQ3R Reciprocal teaching

K-W-L Know, what to know, learn(ed)

Example: Survey Survey

the title, headings, and subheadings captions under pictures, charts, graphs or maps review questions or teacher-made study guides introductory and concluding paragraphs summary

Question while you are surveying: Turn the title, headings, and/or subheadings into questions Read questions at the end of the chapters or after each subheading Ask yourself,

"What did my instructor say about this chapter or subject when it was assigned?"

Ask yourself, "What do I already know about this subject?”

http://www.studygs.net/texred2.htm 

Concept Mapping

Inspiration/webspiration Bubbl.us Mindomo Popplet Freemind

During Reading Access to print

e.g., text to speech, large print

Predicting Questioning and clarifying

Vocabulary (online dictionaries, translation tools) Unfamiliar concepts (linking, searching)

Locating important ideas Notetaking Annotating Bookmarking Highlighting

Social networking (asking others, discussing)

Diigo

Free application available on web toolbar: http://www.diigo.com http://www.diigo.com/about http://www.diigo.com/learn_more

Ideas for using Diigo in education: http://www.slideshare.net/cliotech/diigo-in-education-presentation

What Strategies Do Students Need to Use Diigo?

Finding and evaluating information Identifying important information

Main ideas Details

Monitoring comprehension Annotating Finding additional information

After Reading

Reducing/reorganizing Summarizing Timeline Concept Map

Expanding Studying Communicating

Writing Presenting

Project PAL

Integrating a strategy for reading text into WYNN http://www.freedomscientific.com/lsg/product

s/wynn_demo.asp

Strategy makes use of WYNN tools WYNN tools support the strategy Strategy helps kids understand and learn

from text

PREPARE Strategy

Preview Set goals for reading Ask specific, color-coded questions

Read Examine

Look through text to meet goals or answer questions

Pick what’s important Highlight (color coded to questions)

PREPARE

Arrange Highlighted text is extracted by color Students can arrange topically

Reduce Write a summary Create notecards for study or to support writing

Explain Supported writing for different types of text (e.g.,

narrative, expository)

PREPARE Features

Student can access all WYNN tools from all strategy steps

Choice Student can skip strategy steps

But teacher can override Student can go back and forth between

strategy steps

All directions and prompts are editable Can use local language of instruction

Accompanied by professional development materials

Organizing Information

Ideas Materials

Reading Notes Pictures Resources

Collaborating Searching & Tagging features

Evernote Evernote.com: evernote.com Web, desktop, mobile

http://www.evernote.com/about/learn_more/ http://www.evernote.com/about/video/#5Ag_rlQL4IM|2|1

Trunk Study Blue

Mobile Evernote Peek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqVjruCt6yg&feature=player_embedded

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/evernote-peek/id442151267?mt=8

Chrome and Firefox extensions, clip from browser Evernote web clipping

Other Uses of Evernote

Share electronic copies of notes Research web sites & clip pages directly from browser. Create to-do lists, jot down random thoughts, leave

voice memos Keep notes organized for different classes in one

place. Use as index cards while writing a research paper. Post reminders of upcoming events

http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/EVERNOTE

What Strategies Do Students Need to Take

Advantage of Evernote? How to organize

Classes Activities Tagging Media types—best ways to represent ideas

How to create tags How to search and choose information from

the web When and how to collaborate

References1. Byrne, R. Free Technology for Teachers. http:/

/www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/06/77-web-resources-for-teacher-to-explore.html?

2. CAST Strategy Tutor: http://cst.cast.org/cst/PAGE,help

3. Conley, M. W. (2008). Cognitive strategy instruction for adolescents: What we know about the promise, what we don’t know about the potential. Harvard Educational Review

4. Harris, K. R., Schmidt, T., & Graham, S. (1997). Strategies for composition and self-regulation in the writing process. LD Online: www.ldonline.org/article/6207

5. Novak, J. D., & Canas, A. J. The theory underlying concept maps and how to use them. http://cmap.ihmc.us/publications/researchpapers/theorycmaps/theoryunderlyingconceptmaps.htm

6. Reading Rockets: http://www.readingrockets.org/blog/42207/

7. Project SOAR: http://cate.uoregon.edu:9400/

8. Special Connections: Cognitive Strategies: http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat=instruction&section=main&subsection=cs/main

9. Study Guides and strategies: http://www.studygs.net/index.htm

10. University of Kansas Learning Strategies Overview: www.kucrl.org/sim/brochures/LSoverview.pdf

11. Utah Center for Reading and Literacy: http://www.ucrl.utah.edu/pro-dev/instruction/lesson1_01.html