Creating Effective Learning Spaces for Cognitive Development
Dr. Ingrid Crowther
Executive Director – Lifelong Learn
Executive Director Lifelong Learn
June 30, 2011
Question 1
Question 1
• How many children did you see?
How many children did you see?
Question 2
Question 2
• What
What type of activities were the children type of activities were the children
engaged in?
What must happen to REMEMBER?
What must happen to REMEMBER?
•
•
•
•
•
Attention to stimuli
Attention
to stimuli
Action on stimuli
Practice
i
Application of information
Retrieval
Understanding of Cognitive Activity
Understanding of Cognitive Activity
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Divergent thinking
g
g
Creative thinking
Recognizing parts and wholes
Solving problems such as creating balance or stability
A li ti
Application of learning from one setting to fl
i f
tti t
another
Making choices
Making choices
Process oriented activities
g g
g
Activities encouraging emergent skills
Understanding of Cognitive Activity
Understanding of Cognitive Activity
Cycle of Change (Adapted from Senge
Cycle of Change (Adapted from Senge et al 1999, page 46)
et al 1999 page 46)
Enthusiasm
Willingness
Commitment
Personal Result
Personal Result
Personal Investment
Personal Investment
Motivation
Enthusiasm, Willingness, Commitment –
Identify something already done well!
Build on what has been done well
Build on what has been done well
• If
If we wanted to integrate greater cognitive we wanted to integrate greater cognitive
activity into this activity, what changes might we make?
we make?
Personal Investment
Personal Investment
Common questions asked by staff include:
Common
questions asked by staff include:
• What’s in it for me?
• Why change, it
Why change it’ss already working.
already working
• How much extra time will it take?
• How will this improve my teaching?
H
ill thi i
t hi ?
• What materials do we need and can we get th ?
them?
• What is the benefit to children?
Motivation to Change
Motivation to Change
Start with what is done well
done well
Observe effects
Success builds success
Personal Result – measure change
Personal Result measure change
• Photographs
• Documentations of children’s activities • Documentation of children’s learning g
• Emergent activities
•
•
•
•
•
Before and after
Before
and after
Personal portfolios
Personal evaluations
Personal evaluations
Reflective discussions
Personal choices
Personal choices
Area set up by Adults – After 10 minutes of play
f l
Children set up, maintained over a week
Acknowledge and Share Success
Acknowledge and Share Success
• Staff share success
Staff share success
– Bulletin board
– Success book
Success book
– Meetings
– Documentation panels
D
t ti
l
– Sharing sessions
• Can you think of any other strategies to use?
h k f
h
Thinking and Learning and the Environment
Response – verbal, physical, symbolic
E
N
V
I
R
O
N
M
E
N
T
senses
attend
speed
find
Find Find
Learning Activity
Areas
or Material
How Well
Area is
Area is Organized
recall
Forgetting
Processing
Core Cognitive Activities as set by
Organization
i i of Environment
f
i
Labelling
Core Cognitive Activities as set by
Organization
i i of Environment
f
i
Logical
Providing Choices
Providing Choices
Problem bl
Solving
Familiar Settings and Realistic Materials
l
Familiar Settings and Realistic Materials
l
Process Oriented
Process Oriented
Problem‐
S l i
Solving
Skills
Evoke
k
Curiosity Evoke
k
Curiosity T
Transfer Skills
f Skill
Mobility of Materials
l
Proximity of Learning
Areas
Open‐Ended
Parts and Wholes
Parts and Wholes
Match, Sort, Label
Match, Sort, Label
Teachable Moments
h bl
References
• Crowther
Crowther, I. (2011). I (2011) Smart Environments. Smart Environments
Lifelong Learn Inc.: Edmonton, Alberta.
• http://lifelonglearn.com
http://lifelonglearn com
• Senge, P.; Kleiner, A.; Roberts, C.; Ross, R.; R h G S i h B (1999) Th D
Roth, G.; Smith, B. (1999). The Dance of f
Change. Doubleday: New York
Contact
• [email protected]
ingrid@lifelonglearn com