Week 8 Reflections

1. How can I summarize this reading in a few sentences?
Chapter 8 focuses on two topics – semantic memory and schemas & scripts. Semantic memory is our knowledge about the world around us. I like the way the book explained that semantic memory includes encyclopedia type knowledge, language knowledge and conceptual knowledge. There are four approaches to semantic memory – feature comparison model (dealing with features and characteristics), prototype approach (comparing with an “ideal” model), exemplar approach (judging resemblance to an exemplar) and network models (organization of info in webs).
Schemas are previous knowledge attained about a subject, event or object. It is the background information that you bring to the table with you. To me, schemas seem like the backbone of learning.
2. How does it fit into what I have learned already in this course?
Earlier in chapter 5, the author talks about amnesia patients. Do amnesia patients keep their schemas since it is knowledge? Or since it is knowledge gained in the past, is it lost.
I do like how the author always reintroduces concepts and tells us what chapter we learned it in. To lay ground work for chapter 8, the author brought up concepts from chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. I think the author does a nice job of showing connections throughout the text.
3. What am I still not clear on?
The whole section on semantic memory was a little confusing to me. The first three approaches seemed so similar and then the network model seemed so complicated.
4. How would apply this to my own teaching/work?
I enjoyed the section on schemas and I can definitely apply that to my teaching. I am going to introduce the concept (and the actual word) “schema” to my class. I am going to talk about how it is the “thing” we use to make connections from our present knowledge to our future knowledge.
5. What proof does the author offer that makes me believe this is valid? Do I believe it? Why?
I enjoyed the Boundary Extension demonstration. They did the experiment with college students and I did it with some of my friends and got the same results. I also like how it tied in to inaccurate eye witness reports. It also make me wonder if Boundary Extension is also part of the reason we can read Demonstration 2.3
6. Why is this important? What does it help improve or explain or predict?
Schemas seem like an important piece of the puzzle to becoming a learner with metacomprehsion. If students can draw upon their schemas, it will help them acquire more understanding in any subject they are learning about.
7. When would I actually use this – under what kind of circumstances and for what kind of students?
While schema could be used with any subject (because it is necessary for all subjects), I think I will start using it more in reading. I am reading a book now that is talking about using schemas in reading. It teaches the children to use their schemas to make connections to what they are reading. When they read, they should be thinking…That reminds me of…I’m remembering… I have a connection to…. I have a schema for…. I can relate to …. If children are doing this, then they are being metacognitive about their reading.
8. Are there other ways to accomplish the same thing that are faster, cheaper, and/or better?
I think a quick way to show the importance of schemas with my class, would be to do the One-Minute Schema Determiner. I would write “St Louis Science Center” on the board (a place my class just visited on a field trip). Then I would have the children shout out anything they knew about St. Louis Science Center. The children would be able to fill up the board with things they knew about it. Then on the other half of the board I would write “Immokalee”. I would then ask them to shout out things that they knew about Immokalee. They responses would be complaints about not knowing what it is or questions about what it is. We would then reflect on our responses and come to the conclusion that what we did on the St. Louis Science Center side was schema.