So how do we tap into this gold mine of intrinsic motivation, assuming that it is lying dormant in the minds and hearts of our students? Keep in mind that memorization does have its place. It is a valuable tool in acquiring information and is often a prelude to understanding. But as we learned in the last chapter, intelligence is not fixed or static. It is dynamic, flexible, and resilient.
The principle of cognitive modifiability is one that every teacher should understand. When we press on to a deeper understanding of the pressures that face us, we can deal with them more successfully.
The wonderful thing about the mind is that it can be changed. This is also an unfortunate thing, for it can be either sharpened or dulled. Left alone or put with less able minds, it can slowly deteriorate. We know much about learning and thinking from a scientific standpoint because our technology has given us the ability to track the workings of the mind by observing the physical brain.
We have discussed that our experiences shape our minds. Quite possibly our social and educational experiences change the very structures of our brains, although this has yet to be proven scientifically. Dynamic, ever-changing fluid intelligence seems open to change throughout a person’s lifetime. This, as I have said, is both good news and bad news.
Modifiability, or the ability to be changed at a deep, intellectual level, is a uniquely human characteristic. It goes beyond the stimulus-response behaviorism demonstrated by Pavlov’s dogs. Many behaviorists consider biological factors the main if not the sole determinants in an individual’s ability to learn and think.
Clearly, the genetic contribution to our abilities or disabilities is a strong one. However, it is not the only one. There is also the powerful force of human social interaction. Professor Reuven Feuerstein (2006) challenges the notion that the genome explains everything relative to brain functioning. His premise is that social-verbal interactions can moderate or change the power of the genome and lessen its influence on cognitive ability. What an amazing thought! It is my conviction that we would forever teach differently if we believed this. Some of the stressors on our list would be changed dramatically.
The biology of an individual does affect the way he responds to his environment.
For example, a child who is hypersensitive, such as those who are severely autistic, resist touch. Yet there is strong evidence that the cultural environment into which a person is born has the power to change the biological factors. In other words, a sensitive, informed adult can, through specific intervention, gradually influence an autistic child to become less and less hypersensitive. This is the theory behind the statement, “Chromosomes do not have the last word.” The human being can be described as the product of the constant, intense, and dynamic encounter between these two heredities, the biological and the sociocultural. But teachers must understand the role they play in the dynamic change process.
Cognitive modifiability refers to the belief that an individual can be changed structurally—that is, biologically—when a mediator (such as a teacher or parent) stands between the material to be learned and the student and helps to frame, focus, and filter the incoming information. Thus, mediated learning involves the purposeful and intentional positioning of an adult between the child and the stimulus in order to add meaning and relevance for the child. An example of mediated learning as opposed to direct exposure to stimuli follows.
Parents are a child’s first mediators. They are the ones responsible for providing the guided experiences necessary for the child to benefit from a lifetime of learning; in fact, there is some evidence that a low level of mediation in the home can result in certain learning difficulties later in school (Feuerstein, 2007). Examples of effective mediation will be woven throughout this book. The critical aspect of mediation is the constructive use of interactive language.
Many busy parents today find it very difficult to mediate learning experiences. If they knew the power of the verbal exchanges, they might make time to interact verbally with their children in meaningful ways. However, even when there is no parental mediation, teachers can provide these opportunities during the school day. Let’s explore some creative ways to apply the theories of cognitive modifiability and mediated learning in the classroom. Much depends on our ability to question and probe thinking.
The principle of cognitive modifiability is one that every teacher should understand. When we press on to a deeper understanding of the pressures that face us, we can deal with them more successfully.
The wonderful thing about the mind is that it can be changed. This is also an unfortunate thing, for it can be either sharpened or dulled. Left alone or put with less able minds, it can slowly deteriorate. We know much about learning and thinking from a scientific standpoint because our technology has given us the ability to track the workings of the mind by observing the physical brain.
We have discussed that our experiences shape our minds. Quite possibly our social and educational experiences change the very structures of our brains, although this has yet to be proven scientifically. Dynamic, ever-changing fluid intelligence seems open to change throughout a person’s lifetime. This, as I have said, is both good news and bad news.
Modifiability, or the ability to be changed at a deep, intellectual level, is a uniquely human characteristic. It goes beyond the stimulus-response behaviorism demonstrated by Pavlov’s dogs. Many behaviorists consider biological factors the main if not the sole determinants in an individual’s ability to learn and think.
Clearly, the genetic contribution to our abilities or disabilities is a strong one. However, it is not the only one. There is also the powerful force of human social interaction. Professor Reuven Feuerstein (2006) challenges the notion that the genome explains everything relative to brain functioning. His premise is that social-verbal interactions can moderate or change the power of the genome and lessen its influence on cognitive ability. What an amazing thought! It is my conviction that we would forever teach differently if we believed this. Some of the stressors on our list would be changed dramatically.
The biology of an individual does affect the way he responds to his environment.
For example, a child who is hypersensitive, such as those who are severely autistic, resist touch. Yet there is strong evidence that the cultural environment into which a person is born has the power to change the biological factors. In other words, a sensitive, informed adult can, through specific intervention, gradually influence an autistic child to become less and less hypersensitive. This is the theory behind the statement, “Chromosomes do not have the last word.” The human being can be described as the product of the constant, intense, and dynamic encounter between these two heredities, the biological and the sociocultural. But teachers must understand the role they play in the dynamic change process.
Cognitive modifiability refers to the belief that an individual can be changed structurally—that is, biologically—when a mediator (such as a teacher or parent) stands between the material to be learned and the student and helps to frame, focus, and filter the incoming information. Thus, mediated learning involves the purposeful and intentional positioning of an adult between the child and the stimulus in order to add meaning and relevance for the child. An example of mediated learning as opposed to direct exposure to stimuli follows.
Parents are a child’s first mediators. They are the ones responsible for providing the guided experiences necessary for the child to benefit from a lifetime of learning; in fact, there is some evidence that a low level of mediation in the home can result in certain learning difficulties later in school (Feuerstein, 2007). Examples of effective mediation will be woven throughout this book. The critical aspect of mediation is the constructive use of interactive language.
Many busy parents today find it very difficult to mediate learning experiences. If they knew the power of the verbal exchanges, they might make time to interact verbally with their children in meaningful ways. However, even when there is no parental mediation, teachers can provide these opportunities during the school day. Let’s explore some creative ways to apply the theories of cognitive modifiability and mediated learning in the classroom. Much depends on our ability to question and probe thinking.
