The document discusses two studies on exam preparation techniques. The first study found that participants did better at recognizing artists' styles when paintings were presented in a spaced format rather than grouped, even though most participants felt they did better with grouped. The second study found "expanded rehearsal" was more effective than "steady rehearsal". The document also discusses cognitive perspectives on learning, including that it involves active thinking rather than passive receiving of information.

1. Cognitive views on exam prep:
Cramming V spacing
 Study 1: How participants learned about
styles of 12 artists (6 paintings from each)
 in 2 conditions (grouped V spaced presentation
of artists’ paintings) then ‘tested’ for artist
recognition
 Result:
 78% did better in ‘spaced’ condition BUT only
22% thought they did better in ‘spaced’
 Conclusion
 Cramming: Overload, reduced attention, lower levels of
active involvement resulting in poorer memorisation &
understanding
 Study 2: ‘Expanded rehearsal’ better than
‘steady rehearsal’
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Learning as thinking:
cognitive perspective
 Kohler (Gestalt): …patterns & structure of
the mind e.g. ‘Aha’, optical illusions
 Simon (Cognitive Science/AI/IP):…a
“computerlike” phenomenon,
 e.g. working, short & long-term memory
 Bandura (Social Cognitive): ….an
observed (vicarious) experience
 E.g. Bobo doll experiments and power of role
models and expectation setting
 Piaget (Constructivism): ….as an
adaptive function of an organism,
 e.g. stages, cognitive conflict & constructivism
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2. Learner as active….
 “It would seem as if five minutes
unprejudiced observation of the way an
infant gains knowledge would have
sufficed to overthrow the notion that he is
passively engaged in receiving
impressions…For it would be seen that
the infant reacts to stimuli by activities of
handling, reaching etc. in order to see
what results follow” (Dewey, 1958,
Democracy and Education, p 313)
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Perception
 Features,
prototypes
& patterns
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3. Gestalt psychology “insights”
 Experience the world in patterns
and meaningful wholes
 Insight e.g. ‘Aha’/Eureka moments
 Role of problem posing & solving
 Rote learning leads to “…static,
cold-storage” knowledge and
“Information severed from thoughtful
action is dead, a mind-crushing
load” (Dewey, 1958, p. 179)
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 Teaching
 Attention - gain &
maintain via
signals, goals,
curiosity
 Frames for
answering
 LTM: visual and
verbal coding
techniques, e.g.
initial letters,map
knowledge in
pictures, images
(Roman orators
room by room
technique)
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4.  Concept
maps,
classify, order
in hierarchies
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 (1) Stages of cognitive
development (I.e. formal
operations in
adolescence)
 (2) Cognitive conflict
 (3) Learning as an
interpretation rather than
a recording of
experience
(Constructivism)
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5. Misconceptions in learning
concepts in subject areas
 Concept learning central to
schooling: Relevant in all subjects
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 Varied
‘conceptions’
 Minority
‘correct’
 As a teacher
what do you
do?
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6. Activity
 Why are there seasons?
 Write out 1-2 sentences explaining
response to this question (You might
also want to draw or illustrate your
response)
 THEN compare with the person beside
you
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Applications in teaching
 Active engagement: “minds on” learning
 Cognitive conflict, thinking about thinking
 No simple or singular approaches (but
warnings about ‘direct’ transmission)
 Powerful insights re
 CONEPTS: Making thinking visible to support
concept development explore ‘private
universe’;
 MEMORY: Visual & verbal coding techniques
 THINKING: Meta-cognition & self-regulated
learning (SRL), e.g. reciprocal teaching
 KNOWLEDGE: Expertise as deep & flexible
‘knowing’, based on deliberate practice, “the
10,000 hour rule”
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