Generative strategies
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Generative learning is a theory that involves the active integration of new ideas with the learner's existing schemata. Cognitive research has shown that learners immersed in generative learning environments generate subproblems, subgoals, and strategies for achieving a larger task. Generative learning strategies can be broken down into four elements: 1) recall, 2) integration, 3) organization, and 4) elaboration. Strategies from these four areas can be used alone or in conjunction with one another to achieve a learning goal. Recall involves the learner pulling information from long term memory. The goal of recall is to learn fact-based information. Techniques include repetition, rehearsal/practice, review, and mnemonics.
Integration involves the learner to integrating new knowledge with prior knowledge. The goal of integration is transform information into a more easily remembered form. Integration methods include: paraphrasing (outline in a narrative format) summarizing (retelling the content in order to interpret or explain concisely) issue trees generate questions or examples generate analogies and metaphors
Organization involves the learner relating prior knowledge to new ideas and concepts in meaningful ways. Techniques include analysis of key ideas, outlining, categorization, clustering/listing, and concept maps.
Elaboration involves the connection of new material to information or ideas already in the learner's mind. The goal of elaboration is to add ideas to new information (Bloom's synthesis of new information). Elaboration methods include generation of mental images or physical diagrams, free writing, sentence elaboration, visual displays, slides, and bulletin boards. The Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities (KIHd) is a part of the College of Education & Human Development at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
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The mental activity of generative learning appears to be a function of memory. Wittrock suggests that generative learning takes place when links are generated between the contents of short-term memory and our knowledge base, or long-term memory. He quotes (p357) McFarland et al. (1980) who state that "an individual's memory will improve dramatically if he provides some of the to-be-remembered information himself." In effect saying that if the individual provides an existing link upon which to construct new knowledge, the incorporation of that knowledge into the existing structure will be more effective. One might consider a "web model" for learning in which short-term memory is a place where new ideas are not only placed and erased, but also connected to existing knowledge. After the connections are generated, the ideas are no longer isolated in a person's short-term memory and may be used to construct rather than recall solutions (Wittrock, p356).Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Education
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Generative strategies are learning strategies aimed at helping the learner to integrate presented information with existing knowledge and experience (Mayer, 164). Some examples of generative strategies are note taking, underlining while reading, repeating aloud, summarizing, etc. Generative strategies are intended to promote deep understanding by prompting the learner to put the material into his or her own words, distill its main message, and relate it with other knowledge (Mayer, 165). There are two important generative strategies: summarizing and questioning.
Summarizing
Summarizing is being able to relate in the student's own words what has been read, or studied. Students who are able to summarize and who do summarize tend to have higher levels of transfer of knowledge. There have been numerous studies performed with regards to summarization and transfer and the results are all similar. Summarizing helps students with making external and internal connections to what they have just read(Mayer, 167).
Questioning
Questioning does not refer to the teacher asking the student a question, it refers to the student creating their own question and problem, and then using the new information to answer it. This technique also produces a higher amount of transfer, rather than just reading without questioning. Also, students who were successful in solving problems were able to generate more self-explanations while reading. The results show that successful learners are more likely to know how to engage in active cognitive processing during learning, they are able to ask themselves questions, and answer them (Mayer, 170).
Implications of Generative Strategies
When the goal of instruction is to retain the material verbatim, underlining text, or copying notes verbatim can guide the learner's attention. And when the goal of instruction is retention and transfer of material, students need to engage in generative activities aimed at building external and internal connections among ideas (Mayer, 172).
Reference:
Mayer, Richard E. (2002). The Promise of Educational Psychology. Pearson Education, Inc., New Jersey.
"Generative Learning and Computer Technology." Expert Mathmatician. http://expertmath.org/genLearning.html
