Seems
accurate:
a good teacher uses this
"knowledge" to stimulate,
support inquiry.
By
the time we get them in
kindergarten, they’re already
formed.
We can only work with what we get.
If they are used to rote learning,
turning them on to discussion style
is a challenge.
When
the learner is already familiar
with the information,
his preconceptions interfere with
the process
of taking in more information and
material
Influence
is a neutral term,
and can be either positive or
negative.
Often what a student thinks s/he
knows,
influences her/him by abstracting
inquiry,
as the one who is confident s/he
learns something
is not well prepared to ask radical
questions.
If
you don’t believe this, you don’t
believe in epiphany:
that moment when disparate bits
click together to illuminate a new
understanding.
In
my teaching I build on concepts
students are supposed to already
know from previous classes,
yet my classes are foundation for
more classes and skills
True,
in my experience.
What one "knows" implies
awareness of what one doesn’t
know,
and that establishes a
"learning need" in the
mind of the learner.
This
can be a negative.
What the learner knows and how
he/she learned
may place road blocks on the path
of future learning
The
most important thing influencing
learning
is what the learner THINKS s/he
already knows
An
essential, important starting
point,
but overall I think more important
is the articulation
and on-going development of vision
of what the learner is capable of
knowing
Many
a teacher has forgotten this.
Prior knowledge attitude and skills
should be
the basis for instructional
decisions.
I’ve
experienced this principle first
hand in recent weeks,
once again studying NT
administration.
It’s been good to see how
frustrating it is
to try to master concepts I am
lacking "hooks" for,
from the student perspective once
again!
I
first try to find out what they
know or think they know
and figure out how to adjust an
already-prepared syllabus
to fit what needs to be done to
move on.
Learners
need a starting point—
all start in a different place—
how do we identify where each one
is?
Maybe,
but not most? Several
factors influence learning!
If true—how is the first step
taken?
Partially—what
the learner wants to learn
is another part.
Starting point/continuity point.
Two
words come to mind:
foundation and balance
the foundation provides a base to
build on,
balance is needed to keep our
reaching from toppling over.
It
affects three ways:
1) learner doesn’t know enough
background
2) learner knows
"opposite" of what is
3) leaner knows he/she doesn’t
want to learn "this"
Discussion
assumes some prior knowledge.
Level playing field interprets new
ideas to retain.
Assessing
where the student/learners are
& how to move from there.
Check
out my publication—
Why College Teachers Don’t
Teach, Nor Should They 1986/87
Performance & Instruction
Renee Jesness
Because
this is the point from which (s)he
begins to learn (with my input)—
new information, skills, attitudes,
beliefs.
Let them progress.
What
students know of their success or
lack of success
in learning mathematics is a huge
influence
on how they can learn mathematics
now.
What
each learner already knows is
different.
The need (is) to identify a common
base of understanding.
It’s
an old communications principle –
audience analysis:
start where audience is and go from
there.
Confirmation:
The new knowledge makes sense based
upon what I already knew.
The new knowledge makes sense–
it contradicts what they told me
was fact—
I always suspected it was wrong.
Teaching:
turning journalism class from
chronological order—
present to broadcast—
to capability order for students—broadcast
to print.
Unlearning
or refocusing learning in a
different way is most difficult.
Dislodging some of the cognitive
structures...
Preconceptions
and attitudes,
particularly negative,
are difficult to overcome
Not
"what" they know,
but how they went about learning it
Learning
is quicker when started from what
is already known.
Yes,
true.
Starting from what they know or
relating to what they know
is beneficial because teaching must
be integrated
in the learner’s life in order to
be effective.
The
learner’s growth can only come
from
what the learner brings to the
learning environment.
It
is the way you learn—
You can’t learn a new thing
without having another to hang it
on.
I learn that through simile:
this is like such and such…"
(I)
agree with the word
"influence",
but I disagree with the concept.
I
readily experienced the impact of
my student’s prior learning
in teaching Weekend College. Those
already working in the MIS
did the worst due to what they
already knew and had done—
they weren’t as open to new or
differing concepts.
Most
important thing(s) (also)…teacher
already knows
Too
true: the attitude that
"I already know everything I
need to know"
is relevant in my classes
Confidence
in subject matter:
Students like what they think they
are good at.
In
teaching criminology,
that has meant meeting the students
where they are & addressing:
media issues, research methodology,
racism,
more than I ever expected.
Learning
is based on an individual's
interest in the material
Motivation
to learn/rate of learning/ability
to learn more
What the learner knows about self
I
agree with the statement.
It is one often ignored and
requires challenge using it.
Initial
grasp of teaching is my teaching
what we (I) know (knew).
Emulating former teachers.
After that—we find out what the
students need or want—
Listening
to music:
students know how to listen—have
been for years
Introduce a new concept of
"additional" music
to add to their vocabulary
Gives
a frame of reference to identify
with—
expands knowledge by relating to
Why
teach something to someone that
he/she already knows?
People need to understand how new
knowledge fits
with what they already know
Identifying
(without threatening)
– "folk" or
"naïve" models knowledge…
1)
we teach the way we learned;
2) What we know (my interests)
determine
what I learn versus what I consider
not worth learning
1)
get in groups where people have a
clue with is going on;
2) clearly prerequisites give you
information /skills that you need
True!
In FL teaching—reading French,
it is important to activate the
existing familiarity
a student might have to text type,
subject , etc.
to help them understand the reading
Focusing
discussion on the experiences of
students
Math
is strange, much like a language,
lower levels require competence for
moving on
This
is a true statement.
Students’ perceptions and beliefs
about the French and French culture
often inhibit their willingness and
color their attitudes
about learning the French language
We
believe it!
We’re doing prior learning
assessment using portfolios.
Confidence
in ability to learn;
willingness to link with past
knowledge; curiosity
Use
learner’s experiences in sharing
with groups;
relevancy of examples
It
means for us having to provide
information in a way
in which learners of all levels
(basic and complex)
are able to gain value from the
experience.
1)
a good hermeneutic principle… but
in teaching,
I think I try to go beyond that…
it’s how the learner learns.
Usually
accelerated.
However also a drawback pursuing
new areas.
In that others have the edge of
prior learning and experience.
Seems
to be true—we interpret what we
observe
based on our own background.
Question is what does it mean to
know
because in many cases, it seems
more a matter of what we think we
know.
I
always try as a learner
1) to relate what I am learning to
what I already know
2) to see a connection between what
I am to learn and why I need to
learn it.
What
the learner knows is important;
that it is the most important
factor in learning is debatable.
Motivation, discipline and other
factors are also crucial.
I
think the most important is to
instill
the quest for more information and
knowledge.
Frustration
with a shrinking "shared
database"
from which to grow and learn
together;
"You remember where/how"
have crept into almost every
"paragraph" of my
interactions with students.
1)
How to build on capabilities?
2) What could be unlearned?
3) How to help people (adults) name
what they already know!
Piaget:
assimilation and accommodation add
something new
to a structure that already exists.
Reorganization and new information
incorporated into scheme
so activities like a ... help
students integrate new knowledge
A
lot of teaching is un-teaching or
re-teaching
not just content but IP skills and
techniques
Frequently
true. Preconceived notions
and factual information
from elsewhere play a role in the
classroom.
It is a challenge to make them
"unlearn".
I
think that the statement is
correct.
What I can do depends on what
others have already done.
You
can only teach to the level of
prior education.
Lack of abilities to think
critically, read for meaning, etc.
affect ability to learn.
True
in relation to both content and
process
(content knowledge and processes of
learning)
I
have succeeded as a student part
because I early on became a
voracious reader
Build
on what experiences the
student/learner has
and show how what you’ve got to
teach and relate
is important to learn and remember
Has
generally been helpful
Foundation of nearly everything.
Taught as fundamental principle by
USAF
The
mislearning of my students
or their having learned paradigms
suited to children’s mentality
has inhibited my helping them to
understand in a new way.
Base
of knowledge for classroom
discussion.
Questions and answers and analysis
1)subject
is cumulative
2) what learner "knows"
about learning
3) most important may be too strong
Upper
right quadrant (diagram)
Leaning Styles
What I already know means I am
constantly interacting as a
teacher.
I
believe that this concept affects
the teacher.
The teacher often becomes the
learner.
It also puts the teacher on the
spot.
Connection
– coupling – tie-in –
adaptation:
The most important thing
influencing learning
is what the learner already knows.
pre-assessment-
what do they know about technology–specific
skills?
I
agree: at every stage of learning,
the learner must build on who (s)he
is.
The skills and developmental states
are crucial at first,
and then actual knowledge later.
Trying
to use analogies/examples of
how/what I’m teaching
is like some common experience—looking
for information
Like shopping in grocery store;
do surveys to place to some degree
where people are
experience
as a reference to grow
True,
because the teacher needs to know
something about me
to be an effective teacher.
The
learner needs to be able to
associate new information
with information they already know.
I
have to gear my course and lecture
to what my students already know
Definitely
true in math—I can’t just teach
my subject. I need to start from
the point my students have
previously reached and build from
there. |
