Class Project for Professor Pilgram

1. Cognitivism
By: Anna C., Sarah S., Briana W., Madeleine W.

2. The Theory
Cognitivism: Cognitive Theory is an offshoot of
traditional psychological concepts of
thinking, deciding, and remembering. According to
the cognitive theory, activities like thinking and
remembering seem like a behavior, thus providing an
avenue to use behavior analysis to measure their
effect on learning. (Textbook)
Key people associated with the theory:
Allan Paivio – Developed dual coding theory.
Robert Gagne – Developed 5 areas of learning
outcomes, eight original multiple intelligence and
technology integration and the nine events of
instruction.
Howard Gardner – Believed “that intelligence was the
key to understanding how students learned” (textbook)
Benjamin Bloom – Developed cognitive
domain, affective domain and psychomotor domains to
classify how students learned. Also developed the six

3. The Theory (cont.)
Cognitive Theory is based upon how people
understand materiel. It is based on aptitude and
capacity to learn, learning styles, and it is also the
basis of constructivism.
(http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/cognitiv
e.htm)
The cognitivist revolution replaced behaviorism in
1960s as the dominant paradigm. Cognitivism
focuses on the inner mental activities – opening the
“black box” of the human mind is valuable and
necessary for understanding how people learn.
Mental processes such as
thinking, memory, knowing, and problem-solving need
to be explored. Knowledge can be seen as schema
or symbolic mental constructions. Learning is defined
as change in a learner’s schemata.
(http://www.learning-
theories.com/cognitivism.html#more-34)

4. Classroom Implications for
Teachers
Integrate visuals, audio, props, verbal/nonverbal
content, and give examples in lessons
Create interesting and motivating lessons that
engage students (can use the Nine Events of
Instruction as a guideline ex. stimulating
recall, providing feedback)
Have students complete component tasks that
lead toward a final task
Adjust instruction and assessment based on
students’ multiple intelligences and learning
styles
Include activities in lessons that support other

5. Classroom Implications for
Teachers (cont.)
Plan curriculum based on what students already
know and what they should learn
Give problem-solving scenarios and real-life contexts
for learning
Monitor students and assess changes in cognition
and performance
Establish a routine for students and provide
instructional support
(Examples without technology: oral instruction,
books, songs, discussions)
(Examples with technology: PowerPoint, video,
SMART Board, projector, websites)

6. Classroom Implications for
Students
Develop knowledge and skills from simple to complex
(hierarchical learning)
Demonstrate learning outcomes in assignments (ex.
intellectual skills, cognitive strategies)
Have different learning styles and benefit from instruction
associated with their multiple intelligences (ex. puzzles or
playing Tetris for spatial-visual intelligence)
Use background knowledge and organize ideas and
thoughts
Explore and be active in the learning process
Practice learned information and elaborate by relating to
other information (ex. making analogies)
Master content from previous lessons, and then continue to
gain knowledge and information

7. Classroom Implications for
Students (cont.)
Demonstrate competence through
knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, a
nd evaluation
(Examples without technology: worksheets, board
games, puzzles, flash cards, essays, experiments/projects)
(Examples with technology: academic software, database and
word processing software, computer games)
Credits:
Jordan, L. (n.d.). Cognitive strategies. Retrieved from
http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/?q=instruction/cognitive
_strategies
Shelly, G., Gunter, G., & Gunter, R. (2012). Teachers
discovering computers: Integrating technology in a connected
world. (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Course Technology: Cengage
Learning.

8. What Do You Think About
The Theory For Your Own
Teaching?
Using the cognitive theory as a learning theory in the
classroom is something we as future educators plan
to do. As teachers, we want to help our students
develop the skills that will help them further their
education and help them think in their everyday lives.
We want our student’s to carry the information being
taught to them forever, not just used for one
assignment and forgotten the next day. Using
Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction will help set up a
basic structure that will, as the book states, help our
students “improve the internal process of learning”.
Too often students are taught for a purpose of a
grade, but the cognitive theory is a way to really allow
the information to sink in.