Running head: MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS 1

Mental Representations in the Classroom

Olga M. Herget

EDU510 The Cognitive Science of Teaching & Learning

Dr. Mary Mills

 MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS

Mental Representations in the Classroom

According to The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, cognitive science is “the

interdisciplinary study of mind and intelligence, embracing philosophy, psychology, artificial

intelligence, neuroscience, linguistics, and anthropology” (Thagard, 2014, para.1). Cognitive

science uses five mental representation to explain how the human mind thinks and learns. These

representations explain different functions of the human brain which work together to help the

mind make sense of the world (Thagard, 2014, para 10). The five representations are Logic,

Rules, Concepts, Analogies/Cases, and Images.

Analysis and Application

Mental Representation Example Instructional Event

Logic- Logic is not open to
interpretation, but rather it is
the science of how to evaluate
arguments and think critically
(Cline, 2017). The idea of
“inference” is rooted in logic,
as conclusions are made
based on reasoning. It is
important to note the premise
does not need to make sense;
it just needs to work within
its own context (Ash, n.d.).
Students should be active
learners. To encourage
engaged learning, students
can use logic to analyze a
topic and come up with a
reasonable conclusion.
Methods used in the
classroom to encourage
logical thinking include:
 Wait time
 Conversing with a
partner
 Brain storming
 Role-playing
 Panel discussion
(Effective Techniques, n.d.).
. basic theme/topic of the
Strategies
Strategy 1:
Students in Spanish IV are
required to read authentic
reading materials and often
do not know all the words in
the text. By using context
clues and applying logic to
the situation, students are able
to predict the theme of the
reading and improve reading
comprehension. Students are
able to practice reading
strategies in class with peers
and at home.
Students identify familiar
vocabulary in a reading
passage through skimming
and recording key words. In
groups, students deduce the
reading (Reading Activities,
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Mental Representation
Rules- In everyday life, rules
maintain order and explain
procedures. Rules can also
elicit behavior from people.
An example of this is basic
driving rules such as “green”
indicates “go”, “yellow”
indicates “slow down”, and
“red” indicates “stop”. The
human mind interprets rules
as “if-then” situations (Ash,
n.d.). In other words if
Example
Teachers use rules to create
and maintain safe classroom
environments. It is important
to establish a safe learning
community to optimize
learning (Dusenbury, 2012)
Research supports the idea
that students learn better
when they are comfortable
with each other and there is
mutual respect among all
individuals in the classroom.
2014). For example, if the
skimming activity produces
words like “scuba dive”,
“parasail”, and “zip line”;
students may infer the topic is
outdoor sports (Ash, n.d.).
Strategy 2:
Logic can also be used in
short story activities. Students
are given multiple parts to a
short story and are required to
put them in sequential order.
A teacher may extend this
activity by having students
write an alternate ending,
which makes logical sense
given the context of the story.
Both of these activities
require students to access
prior knowledge and use
reasoning skills.
Instructional Event
Strategies
Strategy 1:
Students and teacher develop
classroom ground rules,
which clearly describe
acceptable behavior and
expectations for both the
teacher and students.
For example, “if a student is
absent on the day of a quiz,
he or she must make up the
quiz within two weeks”. By
creating a list together,
 MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS
something occurs, there will
be a definite and expected
reaction.
Mental Representation
Concepts- Concepts help to
organize items that share
commonality. People use
concepts to help them make
sense of complex ideas. (Ash,
n.d.). Some concepts are
learned and some are innate.
There is a definite hierarchy
within each concept.
All students should feel they
have a voice in the classroom
to encourage intrinsic
motivation (Fletcher, 2008).
Also important to note,
classroom rules should be set
on the first day of class.
Example
Spanish IV students read,
discuss, and analyze the
legend of Popocatepetl &
Iztaccíhuatl. The legend
relays the story of how two
grand volcanos formed many
years ago in Mexico. The
story exposes students to
Mexican culture at a deeper
level, explores universal
themes of love and death, and
encourages students to make
connections to fables and
myths they already know
(Teaching Culture, 2015).
students will not only know
what is expected of them,
they will also be prepared to
handle setbacks (Mendiola,
n.d.)
Strategy 2:
Once classroom rules are in
place, it is important to
remember to revisit rules
periodically throughout the
school year. By doing so
students are able to reconnect
with each other, clarify any
issues, and support a healthy
classroom environment
(Revisiting, 2017).
Instructional Event
Strategies
Strategy 1:
Before reading students work
collaboratively using Think-
Pair-Share to discuss previous
knowledge on myths and
legends (Think-Pair,n,d,). The
class comes together to have
an open discussion about
universal themes. Love and
death are abstract ideas,
which are not innate, but
rather learned through life
experience. Students share
ideas on what these concepts
mean to them, their
community, and the world in
general (Concept Formation,
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Mental Representation
Analogies/Cases-
The mind draws parallels
between two things, concepts,
processes, or associations
(Ash, n.d.). This process
helps to solve problems and
create new learning from
previous experiences.
Example
This mental representation
can be used at the beginning
of a new unit in a World
Language classroom to assess
what is known about a topic
and create interest in new
learning.
It can also be used to help
bridge learning from one year
to the next.
n.d.).
Strategy 2
Students complete a story
map as they read the story
with a partner. The story map
organizes plot, characters,
and events in the story. The
story map helps students
identify similarities to other
fables/myths/legends. Story
mapping deepens students’
understanding by addressing
the needs of kinesthetic,
visual, and auditory learners
(Christensen, 2016).
Instructional Event
Strategies
Strategy 1:
As an introductory activity
students use K-W-L charts to
examine holidays in Latin
American countries. By
activating prior knowledge,
they are able to come up with
similarities and differences
between holiday both in
Spanish-speaking countries
and the United States (Alber.
2011).
Strategy 2:
Students can use analogies to
create relationships between
old vocabulary words and
new vocabulary words. By
exploring the relationship
between the two words,
 MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS
Mental Representation
Images- Pictorial
representations capture visual
and spatial information in a
much more usable form than
lengthy verbal descriptions.
The use of images can help
an individual reference new
material (Thagard, 2014).
Example
World Language students
must learn vocabulary on
continuum to communicate
effectively. Firstly, the more
words a language learner
knows, the more words they
can learn. Even more
importantly, expanding
vocabulary helps the learner
concentrate on higher-level
language learning (WORDS
WILL, 2013).
Students can use images to
access prior knowledge,
memorize new vocabulary,
students can make meaning
of the new words and
successfully internalize new
learning. An example of this
is “knowing that the past
tense of sing is sang, a learner
might guess by analogy that
the past tense of fling is
flang” (Hikmawati, n.d.). In
addition, world language
students can use analogies to
infer meanings of new words
and make connections
between different parts of
speech such as life (noun),
lively (adjective), and to live
(verb).
Instructional Event
Strategies
Strategy 1:
Language students create
study sets for new vocabulary
using web tools such as
Quizlet. It is important the
student create the study set,
so they can select images that
make sense to them. For
example, the new vocabulary
word may be “el oso”. One
student may choose to add a
realistic brown bear to his
study set, while another
student may choose to add
Winnie the Pooh. Using
 MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS

and demonstrate proficiency. mnemonic devices by linking

word sounds to images also
can be extremely helpful for
memorizing new words
(Miller, 2016)

Strategy 2:
Students are able to employ
auditory, kinesthetic, and
visual skills in the classroom
activity named “draw the
scene”. Students listen to a
description of a scene in
Spanish and recreate a
detailed picture of what they
heard. Studies have shown “a
large and reliable advantage
in memory performance for
items that were previously
drawn relative to those that
were written, which is called
the “drawing effect”
(Wammes, Meade, &
Fernandes, 2016).

Connections & Reflections

The human brain is a powerful organ. As educators, we do not necessarily need to know

all the intricacies of its anatomical structure, however it is vital to understand how the human

brain develops and processes information. Louis Cozlino, a professor of psychology states, “the

brain has a short attention span and needs repetition and multiple-channel processing for deeper

learning to occur (Cozolino, 2013, para.23). Prior to taking this course, I had knowledge of

VARK learning styles and multiple modalities of learning. However, the concept of mental

representations is new to me. Reading about mental representations, exploring how they support
 MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS

learning, and discussing with my colleagues how they translate into the classroom has been

beneficial to me. I also have enjoyed exploring the different ways children and adults learn.

Whether teaching adults or children, educators must have a strong sense of their audience,

learning theories, and teaching strategies to be effective teachers.

Of particular interest is Jean Piaget’s research on the development of childhood

knowledge. Piaget was the first psychologist to focus solely on the cognitive development of

children and his work focused on schemas as an explanation for how humans make sense of the

world around them. His theory proposed infants are born with limited schemas to help them

survive such as a feeding reflex. As children grow, they experience numerous changes in their

mental processes, which are affected by maturation and environment. The changes help children

make sense of the world around them and are internalized after repeated experience. His findings

support learning through discovery, flexible environments, and stress the importance of

monitoring student progress (McLeod, 2015). As a high school teacher, I find this theory

interesting because some high school classrooms do not operate in this manner. If the goal of

education is to produce students who can think critically, educators must incorporate the higher

levels of cognitive processes into the classroom setting (Armstrong, n.d.). After all, it is through

emphasizing metacognition skills that students begin to question how they learn and take

ownership of their learning. (Price-Mitchell, 2015).

In general, many school-age children are dependent on the instructor to learn and are

primarily motivated by outside factors such as grades or parental approval. Two disadvantages of

extrinsic motivation include they may “distract students from the learning the subject at hand”

and “extrinsic motivators typically do not work over the long term” (Motivating Students, n.d,

para. 6). In contrast, intrinsic motivation recognizes natural curiosity and fosters a love of
 MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS

learning. One way I can support deeper learning in my classroom is to find ways to encourage

intrinsic motivation in my students. Effective strategies to use in the classroom are cooperative

learning, goal setting, and choice in assignments (How to Promote, n.d.). My classroom has

many opportunities for cooperative learning and students set goals at the beginning of each unit.

I would like to start to focus on offering more choices in the classroom. As an instructor, I do

incorporate many different learning activities for all types of learners and sometimes offer a

choice on a final project. However, my classroom lacks a consistent amount of choice. My goal

is to create a challenging atmosphere with a clear sense of purpose for all my students. This goal

will be achieved by incorporating different mental representations into my classroom instruction

and providing multiple opportunities for learning.

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References

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