Review: The Vulcan’s tale

Review. The Janus principle. Looking backward. Looking forward. The Un wants to name a month after it.

Is this a discussion of what we have done so far or a discussion of review as part of homework? Both. More efficient to make your ideas do double duty.

The “One true path” story is now in the Thinkerer, with the trial paths subroutine.

http://thinkerer.org/Studying/ToolsStudyIntro.htm

The parenting section now gives pointers to the study section.

http://thinkerer.org/Parenting/ParIntro.htm

It also gives some suggestions about how parents could use parts of the study section with children and teens. We probably need more in this area.

I think we have a good start on treating Paths and Explore (The Clipit is now a checklist of things that you might want to do, but not all at once.)

We may want a page about how to mix reading with exploring, but the Vulcan prefers to go next to Review. That will bound the problem and probably give some guidance on the reading part.

Taxonomy of review procedures
Prompt review. At each checkpoint.
Recap review. Immediately after finishing the chapter (relates to the BackStart path.)
Test review. As part of test prep. It may be useful to do all of these in some cases. They have different functions.

Prompt review. Serves to
Connect elements in the chapter
Identify problems with understanding
Reinforce connections with material outside the chapter
Identify items that may require more memory effort (badlands).
Identify organization needs.

Recap review. Serves to
Identify memory problems
Identify inadequate understanding
Identify verbalization problems
Reinforce recall

Test review. Serves to
Identify easy-recall items (Which may then serve as anchors for hard items.)
Relate recall to objectives (Items on test).
Assess test readiness. (Diagnosis and remedy)Build test confidence.

Review may be a particularly useful place to introduce methods for cooperative learning. The Un and the Empath suggest scripts in the form of games. One hopes that they will write some suggestions. Vulcans do not do games.

YOUR ONE TRUE PATH TO STUDYING (THE UN’S TALE)

(Refer back to the Explore a Chapter Clipit. Since I derived it from the SQ of SQ3R, I suppose I need to make clear that it does not have to be done at the beginning. I keep forgetting that other people believe in God-given rules. So here is my first cut on a Thinkerer page.)
---
Zen: You already know it.
Your one true path to studying is your path.

Not very helpful? But you didn’t expect we would tell you what to do. And we didn’t expect you would do it if we told you. The best we can do is point out some common options in how people study. And suggest some ways you can explore them.

Strategies for studying a chapter: The standard advice is in the form of SQ3R. It says start by surveying the chapter. That may be good general advice. But it may not be the best advice for you. Here. Now. With this chapter. With this topic. With what you already know.

You have two general options here. Do what you’ve always done. Try some variations.

If you always do what you've always done,
you’ll always get what you've always got.

Here are some variations you can try. Unless you like what you’ve always got.

Explore. If you are going to study something, you will probably need to get an overview or survey at some time. But on your terms. Here are three possibilities.

Explore first (SQ3R mandate).

Read first. Explore later, along with your review.

Mix and match: Start reading. Explore when you fee like it. For example, explore when you get bored. Use the exploring to decide what to do the next time you get bored from reading. If you don’t get bored, that may be a cue.

(Include link to Explore a Chapter Clipit here.)
http://thinkerer.org/Tools/ToolsExploreChapterClipit.htm

Quest questions. (We probably want to make a Clipit and Cuepon set of generic guide questions.)

Read a section. (Mention rest stops and check points from Explore Clipit. Can’t skip these, even if you use an explore-later option. Check points replace the Recite item.)

Review. (Include quest questions and explorer’s notes here.)

Flush Cards

I have added two topics to the Thinkerer:
Parenting:
http://thinkerer.org/Parenting/ParIntro.htm
Studying:
http://thinkerer.org/Topics/TopicsStudy.htm
These are interconnected, but have somewhat different audiences. The studying section would be directly used by college students an up. Parents might use it to help younger students. The Studying section uses a sparks Clipit with generic study questions and suggestions. Later I will put this in Cuepon format or something like that.

I am thinking of a variant that could be conveniently cut into strips that would serve as book marks. (Put them in your book before you start reading, use them as you come to them.) I am also thinking of a related format that works somewhat like flash cards only with less sadism.

This line of thinking comes from another site I found on the web. It would allow you to make flash cards of any subject you wanted to teach your children to hate. I only looked at one, a vocalulary builder. It said Homeostasis. On the back were several dictionary definitions.

Cognitive engineering would recommend multi-module memory. Instead of a definition, I would use a picture of a thermostat. I found several graphics available in standard clipart. So I could replace the dictionary definitions with graphics if the person has received instructions showing homeostasis in these terms. That would connect the word to visual memory and even to event memory if the student has seen or imagined the operation of the thermostat. That way, the Storyboarders don’t feel left out.

Then there is the issue of format. My Engineer wants to put the items next to each other. That would go better with printing.

Shudoff: Properly made flash cards have the stimulus on the front and the response on the back. It has always been done that way.
Whys Guy: Why has it always been done that way?
Shudoff: So the student can’t read the answer.
Networker: Flash cards were mainly used for drill and practice in rote memory tasks, such as the add and multiply tables.

Vulcan: We are now talking about a different kind of learning. Different objectives. The Boss called the example a vocabulary builder, but that seems to represent confusion of objectives. The term refers to a technical concept. It is of little use except in a technical context. The objective would be able to understand and use the concept. A dictionary definition would be little use. Moreover, while the name is an important part of the concept, effective use requires a two-way connection. In summary, if we limit our plans to concept learning, the side by side format may be more appropriate.

Canter: But we can’t use that because students will just read the answer.
Engineer: The Canters can’t. Engineers can. If we want to keep the students from reading the answer, we will put the strip art in a book with only one side sticking out. That way, they can learn in either direction.
Empath: They can also do it by themselves. Parents will like that.
Un: And so will teens. Teems have always known that the real reason for flash cards is to make it look as if parents have all the answers.
Hunter: But specifically, what will we do with this format? We could make strip are for concept learning. But to do that, we would have to gather a large number of concepts.
Engineer: Or we could just give people a plan on how to do it and let them make the strips themselves. Anybody with a computer and printer could do it. Even a child could do it.
Empath: And that part might really be popular with parents.

Homework Web Resources

Explorer: I did some more checking on web resources. Consumer’s Reports has essentially nothing about educational resources. I wonder why they are so committed to reporting recalls of junk you probably can’t find and not interested in evaluating educational resources.

I found two promising sites that seemed to have some authoritative work behind them.

BrainPOP is a web site that seems to know how to use multimedia presentations for instruction. They claim that 15%of US school districts subscribe and that they have 3 million (child) users. http://www.brainpop.com/

edHelper.com is designed for teachers. It seems to be organized to fit a standard curriculum. I looked at the vocabulary treatment (since that is one my current projects). I found the contents organized by grade, with extensive practice materials available. The practice materials probably require a subscription. But the vocabulary list was readily available to the public.

I could also see, from the titles of the practice materials, that the site offered abundant practice content. Some of it even sounded interesting. All of it, however, appeared to be intraverbal (and mostly in print form). Or, in Thinkerer terms, called primarily on the main verbal modules. I think these methods would work best if earlier preparation has given the child oral experience with the words and the reality-referenced context. http://www.edhelper.com/

Question-forming and answering (goal setting)

In this context, I am assuming that a common goal of studying is to become able to answer questions. That is the standard (Turing test) method for determining whether a persons understands a topic. The skills required here are:

Formulating the important questions.
Distinguishing important from unimportant questions.
Identifying the characteristics of the expected answer. Characteristics include required level of abstraction, amount of detail, and structure (description, narration, comparison/contrast, etc.)
Identifying the relevant information.
Constructing a credible answer. Credibility may depend on choice of language, evidence of sources, appropriate limitations on conclusions.

The questions may have been directly posed in the homework. Or part of the task may be to formulate the relevant questions.

Don Dansereau has a set of generic questions in his book Pro Learning Strategies. These are derived from common journalism scripts (Who, What, etc.). I will adapt these to the Headview format and add more. They will easily fit the Head Staff. Later I will put them in Cuepon format. In Cuepon format, a parent could select at random and ask a question. Or a child could go through all the questions and decide which are irrelevant.

Possible scripts: What is this stuff like? Probably what you studied last week. For memory help, remember (imagine) the class in which the teacher asked about specific similar content. (Pick the content first. Then imagine.)

To the child: Pretend you are the teacher. Stand up and ask me (parent) a question you think the teacher might ask. Parent will give partial answer, but need help, preferably from the child (acting as teacher).

Question answering scripts. (See The Storyboarder’s Story: Scripted Cooperative Learning as an example.)

Answer-evaluating scripts. How do you know when you are finished? Parent: I’ll pretend I am the teacher. I’ll ask you questions. (Be sure the list of questions has bee prepared beforehand.)

Parenting is the Superset: Engineer’s tale

As the Vulcan points out, parenting is the superset for our discussion of homework. So the first step is to open a new Thinkerer venue: Parenting. Then we can analyze into subsets such as homework. We can also draw on other venues in the Thinkerer. The following item will probably become a Thinkerer page soon. There could be follow-up pages about how to use the results.

The people in your child’s head
By the Empath

People play a number of common roles. We have given the roles names, such as Explorer, Hunter, or Empath. Most of these roles are evident in childhood. Some are actively encouraged by parents. For example, parents try to call up the Empath with questions such as, “How would you feel if…”

One role that is not prominent in childhood is the Vulcan. The brain structures that produce the Vulcan role develop slowly. Those brain structures are probably not fully developed (especially in boys) until well beyond the age of twenty.

You may find it useful to understand your child or teen in terms of these roles. To do that, go to the section on Meet Your Head Staff and fill out the sheets on behalf of your child.

Head staff: http://thinkerer.org/HeadOffice/HOffIntro.htm
Meet your head staff: http://thinkerer.org/YourHead/YourHOffIntro.htm

Caution! Before you do this, silence your own Shudoff. Decide that for now, here in this moment, you do not know what your child should be. Set aside, for the moment, your knowledge of good and evil. Decide that in this moment you are going to deal with what is. You are seeking the truth. Not evaluation.
If you cannot do this, choose one of the options below.

Option 1. Skip the whole thing. Save it for later.
Option 2. Fill out the sheets for yourself. You may learn how to silence your Shudoff that way. If you need more help on that, fill out the sheets for someone else you know.

Consider what you find as background understanding. Not something you want to discuss with other people. And not necessarily something you want to change.

Thinkerer Tools to Kid Think: Engineer’s Tale

Concrete is harder than abstract. Take translating the Thinkerer tools into kid talk as an example. Rolls trippingly off the tongue. But the action will be done on one tool at a time. And it may be specific to the particular combination of tool and skill. And parents will care primarily about skills. The Empath insists that a parent will probably think: “I see a problem with skill X (X=getting started, say). What tool do I use and how do I use it?”

Here we revert to the previous partial taxonomy of life learning skills relevant to homework. We use an outline form because it works with text better that tables. We also focus the discussion on daily homework. (We will distinguish several subclasses of homework: daily, test preparation, and projects. These will probably integrate as different subclasses of scripts.)

Getting started. Starting Scripts? TBD. Might call for selecting scripts below.
Start Buttons http://thinkerer.org/HeadView/HeadStartButton.htm
Startalittles. http://thinkerer.org/Tools/ToolsStartaLittle.htm

Task properties: Difficult or boring. These may lead to different starting scripts, although children might describe a task as boring when the main problem is difficulty with underlying skills. Here, I will focus on difficulty.
Starting scripts would be of the general form:

What product and/or ability is the child supposed to have when finished?
What are the alternative routes to get there? (Possible Map)
How will you and the child know when you (both) have won?

The following skills seem relevant to these scripts. I will suggest plans for each in later blogs.

Question-forming and answering (goal setting).
Resource assessment Connect to previous knowledge, use info resources
Multi-module learning. (Memory and reconstruction skills)
Scheduling, pacing, focus, and span of attention
Self-confidence and Canter control.

The Storyboarder’s Story: Scripted Cooperative Learning

(This is a blog that I should have posted here before, but instead posted in my blog about Cognitive engineering. The notion of cooperation scripts is becoming increasingly important here, so I want this item available here.)

Not so long ago, in an episode not far away, the Engineer suggested the notion of learning power-packs. One example was cooperative learning scripts. Here’s how something like that might work:

Parental power-packs. These are designed to look like innocent web pages. Each page carries a script for interactive homeworking. The script describes the roles to be played by the parent in this episode. Different scripts will assign different roles. For example, the parent may be a peer, cooperatively learning with the child. Or the parent may play the role of the learner, with the child doing the teaching. Or the parent may be an assistant, providing particular kinds of help.

Each script will also focus on a life-learning skill. Life-learning skills are general skills relevant to learning at any time (not just in school). Examples are goal-setting, question-answering, getting started, and Canter control. Specific mnemonic tricks may also be included.

Scripts will probably also come in several styles. Examples of styles might be auditory, imagery, and particular characteristics to be exhibited by the parents. The Vulcan points out that we will need a taxonomy of styles, skills, and other set designation that a Storyboarder can so easily throw around. We’ll leave that to the day of the Vulcan.

The parent will choose the power-pack that fits the particular assignment and the child. After the child has some experience with the power-packs, the parent will probably get advice from the child on the choice of power-packs. Because the power-packs deal with general skills, they can be reused many times.

The Networker points out that these power-packs are a lot like what educators call “instructional activities.” Since children and parents naturally hate “instructional activities,” it will be important to make clear the distinction. The parent is merely helping the child with the homework. The scripts merely vary details of the help. Parents should not let the script delay the work. The scripts will produce incidental learning over time, but this is incidental.
Example:

I’ll find it for you.
Skill: Question answering: specifying the content
Role: Parent as assistant
Application: Child is provided with questions, must find the answers in existing text.
Parent: Pick a question. I will read the text to find the answer for you. But you have to help me. How will I recognize the answer? What words will be in the answer? What words might be in a nearby heading? Are there any long words I could look for? (I can find long words without reading the whole thing.) What other ideas might come before this answer? What other ideas might come after it? Am I likely to find it in the beginning, the middle, or the end? Is there any place at the beginning that might help me know where to look?

Parent may be mechanical in following instructions given by the child. If the child gives a poor choice of words in the answer, the parent may begin the search and let the problems with the choice become evident to the child. When a useful passage is found, the parent may read it aloud or mark the important words (which will generally match the words in good search instructions.)