Imaginative Education . Vygotskys Theories Several of Vygotskys theories are the cornerstone of...

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Page 1: Imaginative Education . Vygotskys Theories Several of Vygotskys theories are the cornerstone of imaginative education. Several of Vygotskys.

Imaginative EducationImaginative Education

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Page 2: Imaginative Education . Vygotskys Theories Several of Vygotskys theories are the cornerstone of imaginative education. Several of Vygotskys.

Vygotsky’s TheoriesVygotsky’s Theories

Several of Vygotsky’s theories are the Several of Vygotsky’s theories are the cornerstone of imaginative education.cornerstone of imaginative education.

Sociocultural theory of developmentSociocultural theory of development Mediation and the “Zone of Proximal Development”Mediation and the “Zone of Proximal Development” Concept DevelopmentConcept Development Cultural/Cognitive tools to aid thinking Cultural/Cognitive tools to aid thinking

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Dr. Kieran Egan TheoriesDr. Kieran Egan Theories

One key to educational success is to One key to educational success is to engage engage students’ imaginationsstudents’ imaginations in the knowledge being in the knowledge being taught. taught.

Considering the Vygotskian notion of Considering the Vygotskian notion of ‘‘cognitive toolscognitive tools’, our ancestors invented and ’, our ancestors invented and developed all kinds of devices to making sense developed all kinds of devices to making sense of the world and acting more effectively of the world and acting more effectively within it have become part of our cultural within it have become part of our cultural inheritance.inheritance.

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Egan’s Theories on Cognitive ToolsEgan’s Theories on Cognitive Tools

Oral languageOral language is one of our great toolkits is one of our great toolkits in our cultural storehouse; it is a cultural in our cultural storehouse; it is a cultural toolkit.toolkit.

When we use words and concepts we When we use words and concepts we have incorporated these tools into our have incorporated these tools into our thinking, they become a part of us, our thinking, they become a part of us, our cognitive tools.cognitive tools.

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Egan’s Theories on Cognitive ToolsEgan’s Theories on Cognitive Tools

Similarly some people in the past invented and Similarly some people in the past invented and developed a writing system. developed a writing system.

Writing languageWriting language, along with all of the , along with all of the complex conventions involved in the complex conventions involved in the composition of texts and documents, constitute composition of texts and documents, constitute another of our great cultural toolkits.another of our great cultural toolkits.

A third of our great inventions is A third of our great inventions is theoretical theoretical thinkingthinking, which allows us to explore abstract , which allows us to explore abstract ideas in our minds.ideas in our minds.

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Egan’s Theories Cont’dEgan’s Theories Cont’d

Each of these toolkits are composed of sets of useful Each of these toolkits are composed of sets of useful cognitive tools. cognitive tools.

Our imagination might be thought of as the feature Our imagination might be thought of as the feature that allows us to ‘reach out’ within our minds and that allows us to ‘reach out’ within our minds and pick up new cultural tools to learn with.pick up new cultural tools to learn with.

Egan suggests that to help students become more Egan suggests that to help students become more engaged that we should focus on developing their engaged that we should focus on developing their ‘toolkits’ of oral language, literacy, and theoretical ‘toolkits’ of oral language, literacy, and theoretical thinking.thinking.

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Cognitive ToolsCognitive Tools

Kieran Egan has identified various levels of Kieran Egan has identified various levels of understanding. Three of these (stages understanding. Three of these (stages associated with K – 12 learning) include:associated with K – 12 learning) include: MythicMythic: : Oral LanguageOral Language RomanticRomantic: : LiteracyLiteracy PhilosophicPhilosophic: : Theoretical ThinkingTheoretical Thinking

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Mythic UnderstandingMythic Understanding

Here are some of the cognitive tools Here are some of the cognitive tools associated with oral language.associated with oral language.

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Cognitive Tool: Cognitive Tool: StoryStory

Shape our emotional understanding of contentShape our emotional understanding of content

Engage emotions and imagination into the Engage emotions and imagination into the material of the curriculummaterial of the curriculum

Real-world content (promises the most value for Real-world content (promises the most value for teaching)teaching)

Meaning in stories is emotionalMeaning in stories is emotional

Power of story is twofold:Power of story is twofold:

-communicate information that is memorable-communicate information that is memorable

-orient listener’s feelings-orient listener’s feelings

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Cognitive Tool: Cognitive Tool: MetaphorMetaphor

To see one thing in terms of another (words, To see one thing in terms of another (words, image, action, sound)image, action, sound)

A way to give richer or stronger meaningA way to give richer or stronger meaning

Creating a metaphor or understanding a Creating a metaphor or understanding a metaphor stimulates imagination and metaphor stimulates imagination and creativity - Magicalcreativity - Magical

Image forming: helps with fluency and Image forming: helps with fluency and comprehension with reading, writing, listening comprehension with reading, writing, listening and speakingand speaking

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Cognitive Tool: Cognitive Tool: Abstract Binary Abstract Binary OppositesOpposites

A simple way of creating meaning, emotionally A simple way of creating meaning, emotionally powerful, abstract.powerful, abstract.

Simplistic and not representative of the Simplistic and not representative of the complexity of the worldcomplexity of the world

Help children to organize topics simplistically, Help children to organize topics simplistically, before discriminating furtherbefore discriminating further

-hot/cold initially -warm and cool later-hot/cold initially -warm and cool later

-small/big - tiny and enormous-small/big - tiny and enormous

Guides us or our students’ understanding when Guides us or our students’ understanding when topics are introduced, which we can elaborate topics are introduced, which we can elaborate from and go beyondfrom and go beyond

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Cognitive Tool: Cognitive Tool: Rhyme, rhythm, Rhyme, rhythm, and patternand pattern

Effective toolEffective tool

Aids memorization in oral culturesAids memorization in oral cultures

Small scale: Use of sound (voice, Small scale: Use of sound (voice, drum, instrument, clapping, tapping)drum, instrument, clapping, tapping)

Large scale: Emotional patterns Large scale: Emotional patterns (despair and hope, oppression and (despair and hope, oppression and revolt, youth and age)revolt, youth and age)

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Cognitive Tool: Cognitive Tool: Jokes and Jokes and humorhumor

More powerful if used orally, rather than in More powerful if used orally, rather than in writingwriting

Rely on metaphor, Fluid and complexRely on metaphor, Fluid and complex

Mini story within the joke, Moral lessonsMini story within the joke, Moral lessons

Development of languageDevelopment of language

Language can be manipulatedLanguage can be manipulated

Looking at one thing in one context or category (a Looking at one thing in one context or category (a jar) and seeing it in another context (narrow jar) and seeing it in another context (narrow opening)opening)

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Cognitive Tool: Cognitive Tool: ImagesImages

Words can generate images in the mindWords can generate images in the mind

Oral cultures: Myths are full of vivid or exotic Oral cultures: Myths are full of vivid or exotic images of places and beings (memory aid)images of places and beings (memory aid)

A powerfully spoken description of a place or A powerfully spoken description of a place or a person, although fictitious, can be very vivid a person, although fictitious, can be very vivid in the listener’s mindin the listener’s mind

Images can evoke feelings and thoughtImages can evoke feelings and thought

Need to be evoked as part of learningNeed to be evoked as part of learning

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Cognitive Tool: Cognitive Tool: Games, drama Games, drama and playand play

Play is vital, develops symbolic functionsPlay is vital, develops symbolic functions

Fantasy games: taking roles, spinning imaginary Fantasy games: taking roles, spinning imaginary worldsworlds

Making contractual arrangements about rulesMaking contractual arrangements about rules

Enables reflection upon the world, but freed from Enables reflection upon the world, but freed from everyday purposeeveryday purpose

Dramatic play develops self-controlDramatic play develops self-control

Dramatic play enables children to take on different Dramatic play enables children to take on different perspectivesperspectives

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Cognitive Tool: Cognitive Tool: The recognition The recognition of mysteryof mystery

Creates excitementCreates excitement

Whatever we learn about is a tiny fragment of Whatever we learn about is a tiny fragment of what is to be knownwhat is to be known

More intellectual riches and experiences are More intellectual riches and experiences are awaitingawaiting

A sense that there is more to see, hear and A sense that there is more to see, hear and experienceexperience

Through exploration, we can learn moreThrough exploration, we can learn more

Go from the familiar to some question or concept Go from the familiar to some question or concept beyond what is being learnedbeyond what is being learned

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Romantic UnderstandingRomantic Understanding

Here are some of the cognitive Here are some of the cognitive tools associated with literacy.tools associated with literacy.

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Cognitive Tool:Cognitive Tool: The Sense of The Sense of

RealityReality Development of ‘disembedded’, Development of ‘disembedded’, rational. Logically structured forms rational. Logically structured forms of thinking eased by literacy.of thinking eased by literacy.

Historical source of understanding of Historical source of understanding of the processes by which nature work.the processes by which nature work.

Seeing the natural world as a Seeing the natural world as a complex system of which we are a complex system of which we are a part. part.

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Cognitive Tool:Cognitive Tool: Extremes and Extremes and

LimitsLimits Features of reality that powerfully engage Features of reality that powerfully engage student’s imaginationsstudent’s imaginations

Reality tends to be ‘romantic’ Reality tends to be ‘romantic’

Focus on the extremes, on the most exotic Focus on the extremes, on the most exotic and bizarre features of reality, on the most and bizarre features of reality, on the most terrible and courageous events.terrible and courageous events.

Sensational (Guinness Book of Records) Sensational (Guinness Book of Records)

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Cognitive Tool:Cognitive Tool: Associating with Associating with heroes heroes

Enables us to overcome some of the threat Enables us to overcome some of the threat of alienation involved with the new sense of alienation involved with the new sense of reality.of reality.

Associating with those things or people Associating with those things or people that have heroic qualities to gain that have heroic qualities to gain confidence to face the real world.confidence to face the real world.

Gives us the ability to imbue any aspect of Gives us the ability to imbue any aspect of reality with heightened importance. reality with heightened importance.

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Cognitive Tool:Cognitive Tool: The sense of The sense of wonder wonder

Key toll in our initial explorations of reality.Key toll in our initial explorations of reality.

Enables us to focus on any aspect of the world Enables us to focus on any aspect of the world around us, within us and see its particular around us, within us and see its particular uniqueness.uniqueness.

Recognizing the wonderful in every feature of Recognizing the wonderful in every feature of the world.the world.

Allows us to recognize something wonderful Allows us to recognize something wonderful behind even the most routine and taken-for-behind even the most routine and taken-for-granted things. granted things. “I wonder why? “I wonder why?

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Cognitive Tool:Cognitive Tool: Humanizing of Humanizing of meaningmeaning

Enables us to see beyond the surface of any Enables us to see beyond the surface of any knowledge to its source in human emotion.knowledge to its source in human emotion.

All knowledge is human knowledge, All knowledge is human knowledge, discovered or invented as a result of some discovered or invented as a result of some human emotion.human emotion.

Allows us to see knowledge through the Allows us to see knowledge through the emotions that were involved with its past emotions that were involved with its past creation or current use, and so grasp its deeper creation or current use, and so grasp its deeper human meaning human meaning

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Cognitive Tool: Cognitive Tool: Narrative Narrative understanding understanding

Related to our ability to best make sense Related to our ability to best make sense of things when we can grasp their of things when we can grasp their emotional meaning.emotional meaning.

A narrative context for knowledge can A narrative context for knowledge can establish its emotional importance while establish its emotional importance while also conveying the knowledge about also conveying the knowledge about physics or mathematics no less than physics or mathematics no less than about history or literature. about history or literature.

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Cognitive Tool: Cognitive Tool: Revolt and Revolt and idealismidealism

Related tools during this period of life.Related tools during this period of life.

Students both resist the adult world Students both resist the adult world while they shift to find a place within while they shift to find a place within it, and they desire to see it better than it it, and they desire to see it better than it is.is.

Revolt implies an ideal, whose absence Revolt implies an ideal, whose absence justifies the revolt. justifies the revolt.

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Cognitive Tool: Cognitive Tool: Changing the Changing the contextcontext

Enables the imagination to grasp the Enables the imagination to grasp the richer meaning of any topic.richer meaning of any topic.

Shifting the context in which knowledge Shifting the context in which knowledge is learned –by use of often simple is learned –by use of often simple devices–students’ imaginations can be devices–students’ imaginations can be brought vividly to like, engaging the brought vividly to like, engaging the material much more richly. material much more richly.

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Cognitive Tool: Cognitive Tool: The literate eyeThe literate eye

Develops as students become familiar with Develops as students become familiar with texts and such symbolic forms as the list, texts and such symbolic forms as the list, flowchart, diagram, etc.flowchart, diagram, etc.

Shift to literacy reflects also a shift from a Shift to literacy reflects also a shift from a dominance of the ear to the eye in dominance of the ear to the eye in gathering information.gathering information.

Shows students how literacy can expand Shows students how literacy can expand our powers to organize and use knowledge. our powers to organize and use knowledge.

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Cognitive Tool: Embryonic tools of Cognitive Tool: Embryonic tools of theoretical thinkingtheoretical thinking

Will be picked up while students mainly use the Will be picked up while students mainly use the tools of literacy and increasingly the new tools tools of literacy and increasingly the new tools will be engaged as students become more familiar will be engaged as students become more familiar with using abstractions and theoretic forms of with using abstractions and theoretic forms of thought.thought.

Provide opportunities for students to begin using Provide opportunities for students to begin using some of the later toolkit even if in embryonic some of the later toolkit even if in embryonic form.form.

In Vygotsky’s terms, this might be seen as drawing In Vygotsky’s terms, this might be seen as drawing the students forward I their “zone of proximal the students forward I their “zone of proximal development development

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Exploring Metaphor and ImageExploring Metaphor and Image

Mapping of the MindMapping of the Mind We can find ways to We can find ways to

represent thought and represent thought and map our minds using map our minds using non-linear ways to non-linear ways to express our thinking. express our thinking. Using metaphor can be a Using metaphor can be a powerful means to powerful means to explore our thinking.explore our thinking.

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Visual MetaphorsVisual Metaphors::

Help us develop theories of the mind and project Help us develop theories of the mind and project patterns. We can explore the fundamental way in patterns. We can explore the fundamental way in which we conceive of the world.which we conceive of the world.

Expert problem-solversExpert problem-solvers are hyper-conscious of are hyper-conscious of their own thinkingtheir own thinking

Some people look for metaphors or imagery. Our Some people look for metaphors or imagery. Our metaphors aren’t just describing our experiences, metaphors aren’t just describing our experiences, they are shaping our experiences. they are shaping our experiences.

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Four Types of MetaphorsFour Types of Metaphors

Thinking as movingThinking as moving Thinking as perceivingThinking as perceiving Thinking as object manipulationThinking as object manipulation Thinking as eatingThinking as eating

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Thinking as a journeyThinking as a journey

““I want to get through I want to get through this mountain of French this mountain of French terms.”terms.”

““I will conquer these I will conquer these polynomials.”polynomials.”

““Learning the periodic Learning the periodic table is a grind.”table is a grind.”

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Thinking as MovingThinking as Moving

““Studying for that test Studying for that test felt like a marathon.”felt like a marathon.”

““I need to pace myself I need to pace myself through my homework through my homework tonight.”tonight.”

““I didn’t have the I didn’t have the stamina to work through stamina to work through those physics those physics problems.”problems.”

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Thinking As MovingThinking As Moving

““I am going to immerse I am going to immerse myself in this myself in this “Sm’alyg“Sm’alygaax work.”x work.”

““I want to dive right I want to dive right into Mechanics this into Mechanics this year.”year.”

““I don’t know if I will I don’t know if I will sink or swim in Science sink or swim in Science class.”class.”

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Thinking As EatingThinking As Eating(eat, sit, digest, eliminate)(eat, sit, digest, eliminate)

““Let me chew on that Let me chew on that for a while.”for a while.”

““I need to digest these I need to digest these new ideas.”new ideas.”

““I just can’t swallow I just can’t swallow what you are telling what you are telling me.”me.”

““I am hungry for I am hungry for information.”information.”

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Thinking like a road map (synapses)Thinking like a road map (synapses)

““I need to see where we I need to see where we are going with this.”are going with this.”

““I want to understand I want to understand the big picture.”the big picture.”

““I am lost again! How I am lost again! How did I get that answer did I get that answer before?”before?”

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Thinking As Object ManipulationThinking As Object Manipulation

““I store facts like a I store facts like a filing cabinet and can filing cabinet and can always pull out what I always pull out what I need for the exam.”need for the exam.”

““I just remember what I I just remember what I have to for the exam have to for the exam and then who cares and then who cares about that information.”about that information.”

Hopefully this one isn’t Hopefully this one isn’t you after our workshop.you after our workshop.

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TRY IT YOURSELFTRY IT YOURSELF

To think about your own thinking, as it turns To think about your own thinking, as it turns out is like negotiating traffic. You try to out is like negotiating traffic. You try to remember how you got to places you’ve remember how you got to places you’ve been before.been before.

The metaphors help us to construct a picture The metaphors help us to construct a picture of how we think. We can shift our problem of how we think. We can shift our problem solving through metaphor. solving through metaphor.

Page 38: Imaginative Education . Vygotskys Theories Several of Vygotskys theories are the cornerstone of imaginative education. Several of Vygotskys.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIMETHANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

Any questions / comments?Any questions / comments?

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Lauri Burgess ~ [email protected] Burgess ~ [email protected] Raegan Sawka ~ [email protected] Sawka ~ [email protected]