How do we burn calories?
Cognitive Acceleration
Put simply, cognitive acceleration moves
learners from one stage of development
(concrete thinking) to the next (formal
operational thinking) quicker than the
expected rate of development through the
social construction of learning, cognitive
challenge and thinking about thinking.
Cognitive Acceleration:
background
-developed by researchers, Adey & Sheyer, at Kings College
1980-87
-CASE (Cognitive Acceleration in Science Education) extensively
tested in trial schools over a period of time.
-1999 GCSE results showed a whole grade improvement in Science
-there were also similar improvements in Maths and English
-conclusion: improving thinking in one subject benefits learners in all
subjects
-CAME, CATE and other words beginning with CA followed
Cognitive Acceleration in the
Curriculum
Cognitive Acceleration (CA) lessons can…
-be stand alone lessons
-appear in a scheme of work
-be part of a smaller teaching sequence
Cognitive Acceleration in the
Classroom
There are many ways to implement thinking skills in the
classroom that have similar approaches. CA (Cognitive
Acceleration) has two distinctive features:
-reasoning patterns
-teaching sequence
Cognitive Acceleration in
English/Arts
Reasoning patterns:
-classification
-frames of reference
-symbolic representation
-critical reflection
-intention and causality
-narrative seriation
Other subjects use different reasoning patterns.
Cognitive Acceleration:
teaching sequence
-concrete preparation: explanation of the topic
-social construction: discussion with others to establish
understanding
-cognitive conflict: challenge to resolve a problem that
requires a new way of thinking; understanding of topic
altered to accommodate conflict
-metacognitive stage: explicit review of the thinking that
has taken place
-bridging: using the same type of thinking in other
contexts