{"id":8862,"date":"2026-04-14T12:43:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T04:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/?p=8862"},"modified":"2026-04-16T09:39:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T01:39:05","slug":"cognitive-views-of-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/cognitive-views-of-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Cognitive views of learning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Definition of Learning: <\/strong>An <strong>internal mental process<\/strong> involving the acquisition, storage, and retrieval of information. It is a change in the learner\u2019s mental structures or &#8220;schemata.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Role of the Learner:<\/strong> Active; the learner is an information processor who interprets and organizes their experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key assumptions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The human<strong> mind <\/strong>as a <strong>complex, active information-processing system<\/strong> that involves internal mechanisms (attention, perception, memory etc.) that allow humans to acquire and apply knowledge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Learning<\/strong> is the process of building, refining, and restructuring mental models.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>For example:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A cognitivist teacher would explain that a student studies not just because of a past grade, but because they have <strong>internally processed<\/strong> the value of the information and <strong>organized<\/strong> it into their existing knowledge.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Internal Fact:<\/strong> Instead of just seeing &#8220;10 problems finished,&#8221; the teacher looks for <strong>understanding<\/strong>. They might notice the student is using a specific mental strategy, like breaking a complex problem into smaller &#8220;chunks&#8221; to avoid overwhelming their working memory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The &#8220;Why&#8221;:<\/strong> The student studies because they have developed a <strong>schema<\/strong> (a mental map) where &#8220;Math Skills&#8221; are connected to &#8220;Future Career Goals.&#8221; The motivation isn&#8217;t just a reaction to a grade; it&#8217;s a conscious decision based on <strong>expectancy<\/strong>: <em>&#8220;I believe that if I put in this mental effort, I will successfully encode this information into my long-term memory.&#8221;<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. The Mind as a Processor (The Computer Analogy)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Explain that the human mind isn&#8217;t a passive sponge (just absorb information) but it\u2019s an active processor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Emphasis:<\/strong> Learning is the process of <strong>inputting<\/strong> information, <strong>encoding<\/strong> it (changing the format so the brain can store it), and <strong>retrieving<\/strong> it later.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Teaching Point:<\/strong> If a student &#8220;forgets&#8221; something, it might not be gone, but the &#8220;retrieval path&#8221; might simply be broken or the information was never encoded properly in the first place.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_t7s9s9t7s9s9t7s9-scaled.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"559\" src=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_t7s9s9t7s9s9t7s9-1024x559.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8864\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_t7s9s9t7s9s9t7s9-1024x559.png 1024w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_t7s9s9t7s9s9t7s9-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_t7s9s9t7s9s9t7s9-768x419.png 768w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_t7s9s9t7s9s9t7s9-1536x838.png 1536w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_t7s9s9t7s9s9t7s9-2048x1117.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-15.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"559\" src=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-15.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8867\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-15.png 1024w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-15-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-15-768x419.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. The Role of Prior Knowledge (Schema Theory)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is arguably the most important concept for future educators. We don&#8217;t learn in a vacuum as we &#8220;attach&#8221; new info to what we already know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Emphasis:<\/strong> <strong>Schemas<\/strong> are mental filing cabinets. A schema is a mental framework for <em>any<\/em> type of information, including <em>auditory<\/em> patterns.  \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Effective teaching<\/em> is about helping students find the right &#8220;folder&#8221; to put new information into.  \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The brain processes verbal and visual information through different channels. When you present a concept using both words and images, the memory trace becomes stronger.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Principle in teaching:<\/strong> Using &#8220;dual-coded&#8221; materials (like a diagram paired with a verbal explanation) increases the likelihood of successful retrieval later.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Teaching Point:<\/strong> If a student lacks the necessary prior knowledge (the &#8220;anchor&#8221;), the new information has nothing to &#8220;hook&#8221; onto and will likely be lost from working memory.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_l2bwxkl2bwxkl2bw-scaled.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"558\" src=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_l2bwxkl2bwxkl2bw-1024x558.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8871\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_l2bwxkl2bwxkl2bw-1024x558.png 1024w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_l2bwxkl2bwxkl2bw-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_l2bwxkl2bwxkl2bw-768x419.png 768w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_l2bwxkl2bwxkl2bw-1536x837.png 1536w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/Gemini_Generated_Image_l2bwxkl2bwxkl2bw-2048x1116.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Limited Capacity (Cognitive Load)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Students need to understand that the &#8220;workbench&#8221; of the mind (Working Memory) is very small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Emphasis:<\/strong> <strong>Cognitive Overload.<\/strong> If you give a student too much information at once, or if the instructions are too complex, the &#8220;workbench&#8221; overflows and learning stops.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Teaching Point:<\/strong> This justifies why we use &#8220;chunking,&#8221; scaffolding, and clear visuals in our teaching materials.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-17.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"896\" height=\"465\" src=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-17.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8877\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-17.png 896w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-17-300x156.png 300w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-17-768x399.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 896px) 100vw, 896px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Active Construction (Meaning-Making)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Contrast this with rote memorization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Emphasis:<\/strong> Learning is an <strong>active<\/strong> process. For information to move into Long-Term Memory, the learner must <em>do<\/em> something with it such as to reorganize it, compare it, or apply it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Teaching Point:<\/strong> This is why &#8220;interactive notes&#8221; are so effective. By embedding questions, you are forcing the students to engage in <strong>elaborative rehearsal<\/strong> rather than just passive reading.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Quick Comparison between Behaviorist and Cognitivist Views of Learning<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-18.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"559\" src=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-18.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8887\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-18.png 1024w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-18-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/743\/2026\/04\/image-18-768x419.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Definition of Learning: An internal mental process involving the acquisition, storage, and retrieval of information. It is a change in the learner\u2019s mental structures or &#8220;schemata.&#8221; Role of the Learner: Active; the learner is an information processor who interprets and organizes their experiences. Key assumptions: 1. The Mind as a Processor (The Computer Analogy) Explain &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/cognitive-views-of-learning\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Cognitive views of learning<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":851,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-educational-psychology","category-teaching"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8862","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/851"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8862"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8862\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8889,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8862\/revisions\/8889"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8862"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8862"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/hadijahjaffri\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8862"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}