An effective educator
creates a defined learning culture by optimizing structured learning through
the utilization of strategies exhibiting high levels of success. The first pursuit in this endeavor is to mitigate
learning overload. Learning overload
prevents educators from helping students realize progress and achieve stated
goals (Reason, 2010). Citing Kennedy (2006) and Franklin (2005),
Reason (2010) further notes, “We can’t alter the brain to hold more
information, but we can change our approach to learning in ways that reduce
overwhelm and prepare us to deal with institutional challenges more
effectively” (p. 99).
In any learning
environment, the student’s reticular
activating system (RAS) impacts his or her attention and motivation. Therefore, the RAS impacts how efficiently students
address the curriculum focal points. The
effective educator recognizes this and seeks to “clearly identify the learning
focal points that matter” (Reason, 2010, p. 100) as a way to mitigate stressors
that overwhelms one’s perception and attention to curriculum focal points.
Vygotsky
(1979) believed that the most important thing a culture passes on to its
members are psychological
tools. These are cognitive devices
and procedures with which we communicate and explore the world around us. They both aid and change our mental
functioning. Speech, writing, gestures,
diagrams, numbers, chemical formulas, musical notation, rules, and memory
techniques are some common psychological tools.
Eventually these social interactions become internalized as cognitive
processes that are automatically invoked.
Quoting Vygotsky, researchers Tudge
and Scrimsher
(2003) advocate that “through others we become ourselves” (p. 218).
Effective
learning environments utilize these psychological tools, thereby reducing
learning overload by optimizing metacognition (Bohlin
et al., 2008) In the FAT
City Workshop, Lavoie
(1989) encourages avoiding creation of instructional environments that
exacerbate frustration, anxiety, and tension (FAT). Prospective and in-service teachers are encouraged
to eliminate FAT in the classrooms, thereby optimizing a learning environment approaching
nirvana (LEAN). Acronyms and mnemonics are two
psychological tools utilizing social interactions within an educational
environment to effectively reduce neurological overload and increase learning
of desired goals.
To cite:
Anderson, C.J. (July 5, 2013) Metacognitive tools are essential for reducing learning overload [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.ucan-cja.blogspot.com/
References:
Bohlin, L., Durwin, C., &
Reese-Weber, M. (2008). Ed psych: Modules. NY: McGraw-Hill.
Lavoie,
R. (1989) How
difficult can this be? F.A.T. City--A learning disabilities Reason, C. (2010). Leading a learning organization: The science of working with others.
Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Tudge, J., & Scrimsher, S. (2003). Lev S. Vygotsky on education: A cultural-historical,
interpersonal, and individual approach to development. In B. J. Zimmerman &
D. H. Schunk (Eds.), Educational psychology: A century of contributions
(pp. 207–228) Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum
