Can we agree that all
educators should be planning and implementing instruction that progresses
students toward utilizing higher order thinking skills (HOTS)? Effective learning environments utilize psychological
tools to reduce learning overload by optimizing metacognition (Bohlin
et al., 2008) During his FAT City Workshops, Lavoie
(1989) encouraged avoidance 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.
In the endeavor to
promote HOTS rather than mostly LOTS, an effective educator seeks 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 noted, “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. Effective educators recognize this and seek
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, which are cognitive devices and
procedures used to communicate and explore the world around us. Metagognitive tools 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) advocated that “through others we become ourselves” (p. 218).
Executive Function
Skills include
working memory, flexible thinking, attentional self-control, cognitive inhibition,
self-control, time management, and stress tolerance. For this reason, it
is important to begin teaching Executive Function Skills beginning in preschool. Yes, another reason to advocate for universal
pre-school but let’s have that discussion at another time… It should be
difficult to argue with the suggestion that well-developed Executive Function
Skills result in greater resiliency.
A
great problem resulting from the COVID 19 pandemic is many of our students
haven’t been in a classroom for almost two years. Everyone seems willing to
accept academic progress, social emotional learning, and cognitive development were
adversely impacted by school closures and reliance upon virtual instruction. However, executive functioning skills are involved
in each of those areas and thereby an impacted area that needs our specific attention. Beginning in preschool, certain early childhood
activities such as imaginative play or storytelling establish for our
youngest learners the pathways to their academic success. For activities
that can accelerate executive function skill development, check out the links
below:
·
2014 Activities Guide: Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills
With Children from Infancy to Adolescence, from
the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
·
2019 paper on the science of learning and development, by
Linda Darling-Hammond et al.
·
2021 Edutopia article on executive function and kindergarten readiness,
by Jackie Peng
·
2014 article about the influence of self-talk, by
Ethan Kross et al.
·
2016 study about improving perseverance in young children, by
Rachel E. White et al.
We do not yet fully know the implications resulting from students’ lack of daily interactions with their teachers and peers. Given teaching and learning is a social endeavor, direct interactions are essential when seeking to transmit knowledge from one person to another. Educators can more effectively accelerate learning to overcome academic and social-emotional losses by planning lessons that require Executive Function Skills and utilize metacognitive skills to mitigate learning overload. Does it work? Well, after defining HOTS above, did you know what LOTS was referencing ?
To
cite:
Anderson, C.J. (November 30, 2021) Utilize metacognitive tools and executive functioning skills to optimize pathways to HOTS [Web log post] Retrieved from http://www.ucan-cja.blogspot.com/
References:
Retrieved
from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhzh9kt8z7c
Reason, C. (2010). Leading a learning organization: The science of working with others. 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): Erlbaum.
