• What are “tools”
• Physical tools• Cognitive tools• What does it
mean to “know”• Where do you
stand?
What Are “Tools”What Are “Tools”• Webster defines as
– something used in performing an operation or necessary in the practice of a vocation or profession
– ex: a carpenter’s hammer, level, saw, etc. are his tools
– ex: a scholar’s books are his tools
Physical ToolsPhysical Tools
• Amplify man’s physical capabilities
• Allow tasks to be completed– faster– more uniformly– in SOME cases
better
Physical ToolsPhysical Tools
• Allow man to do some physical tasks that were nearly, if not totally, impossible in earlier times
• Transform how man produces & moves goods & services
• Brought on the Industrial Revolution
Physical ToolsPhysical Tools
• New powerful physical tools– make some
earlier physical tools obsolete
– provide another alternative to complete physical tasks
Physical ToolsPhysical Tools
• Horse drawn carriages– all but
disappeared– replaced by
automobiles, trucks, trains, & planes
• Hammer– still used– power nailers
Physical ToolsPhysical Tools
• Each has its place• Each has its appropriate use• Automobiles, trucks, trains, &
planes– don’t necessarily transport people &
goods better– do provide faster delivery– allow transportation over greater
distances
Physical ToolsPhysical Tools
• When used appropriately and mindfully*– newer modes of transportation
provide better delivery
* actively engaged, consciously, cognizant, aware, thoughtful as opposed to automatic, habitual, instinctive, routine, carelessly
Physical ToolsPhysical Tools
• Power nailer– doesn’t necessarily
make the product of a carpenter better
– allows carpenter to be more efficient
• When used appropriately and mindfully– offers ability to produce
a better product
Physical ToolsPhysical Tools
• Historical perspective– auto viewed as substitute for
horse-drawn carriages– actually became an agent of
change• revolutionized cityscapes• altered culture• spawned new industries• etc.
Cognitive Tools
• Amplify man’s mental capabilities
• Allow cognitive tasks to be completed– faster– more efficiently– in SOME cases better
Cognitive Tools
• Take on some low level tasks– Bloom’s taxonomy
• knowledge, recall
– calculator does rote arithmetic calculations
– spell checker proofs writing for ‘errors’
Cognitive Tools
• Support thinking and learning• Contain knowledge• Allow man to do higher level
mental tasks that were nearly, if not totally, impossible in earlier times
• Newer cognitive tools primarily computer driven
Cognitive Tools
• Transform how man– collects– stores– retrieves– communicate
s– analyzes– synthesizes
• .... information
New Cognitive Tools
• Brought on the Information Revolution
• Make some earlier cognitive tools obsolete
• Provide another alternative to complete cognitive tasks
Cognitive Tools
• Slide rules– all but
disappeared– replaced by
electronic calculators
• Pen & paper– still used– word processing
Cognitive Tools
• Each has its place• Each has its appropriate use• More powerful electronic
calculator– doesn't necessarily produce better
results to a mathematical problem– allows student to be more efficient– easier to operate than slide rule
Cognitive Tools
• When used appropriately and mindfully– calculator offers ability to produce
a different result, a mathematical task that would be nearly impossible without the support of the cognitive tool
Cognitive Tools• More powerful word
processing– doesn’t necessarily
produce better writing
– allows writer to easily edit
– provides numerous options to writer
– printouts provide readable hardcopy
A+
Great work.
A+
Great work.
Cognitive Tools
• When used appropriately and mindfully– word processor provides the
opportunity to produce a better product• correct spelling• better grammar• higher quality of
communication
Cognitive Tools
• Historical perspective– oral tradition replaced by writing
• ... This discovery of yours will create forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it...You offer your students the appearance of wisdom, not true wisdom. They will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing...they will appear to be omniscient and will generally know nothing...”
Plato, in Phaedrus
Cognitive Tools
• When printing emerged– “...The world has got along
perfectly well for six thousand years with out printing, and has no need to change now.” Filippo di Strata
– Printed books will never be the equivalent of handwritten codices...The simple reason is that copying by hand involves more diligence and industry.” Johannes Trithemius, In Praise of Scribes
Cognitive Tools
• Development of – language– writing– printing press
leading to widespread access to books
– computer technologies
Cognitive Tools
• Each major development of cognitive tools has had, and will continue to have, deep impacts on our culture, transforming what it means to “know”
• Knowledge is housed in the cognitive tools
Cognitive Tools
• A crutch?– Are eye glasses a
crutch?– What’s wrong with a
crutch?• if you have a broken
leg, a crutch is necessary
Spelling1. cat2. bird3. dog4. pig
Spelling1. cat2. bird3. dog4. pig
• If we say “Ben is a good speller.” what does that tell us about Ben and what he “knows”?– good at memorization– understands rules of
spelling– writes using correct
spelling– passes the spelling test
What Does It Mean to “Know”
What Does It Mean to “Know”
• Where does Ika’s spelling knowledge reside?– in his head?– in cognitive tools?
• dictionary• paper• spell checker
program
– in all?
What Does It Mean to “Know”
• How do cognitive tools change a mental task like spelling?– just in head
•test orally•must be memorized
– paper & pencil •changes task & what one needs
to “know”•visual feedback
What Does It Mean to “Know”
• Multiple choice spelling test– recognition vs generation– spelling knowledge can be different
• Writing– use dictionary or other written
materials– ask another person (a cognitive tool?)– use a spell checker
What Does It Mean to “Know”
• Knowledge resides in all• User needs different skills &
knowledge when using various cognitive tools
What Does It Mean to “Know”
• School work– most cognitive tools
are allowed for “learning” • use of dictionary
when writing• use of books for data• use of human
partners • use of spell checker• use of paper, pencils,
etc
What Does It Mean to “Know”
• School work– most cognitive
tools are NOT allowed to test knowledge (“learning”)• only paper &
pencil• why?
What Does It Mean to “Know”
• Non-school work– all tools allowed to complete job– never take tools away from
worker• Would you teach a carpenter to
pound nails with a hammer and then expect him (now that he has learned how to do it) take away the hammer and expect him to do his job?
What Does It Mean to “Know”
• Would you teach an accountant how to use a spreadsheet to amortize a mortgage, and then expect him (now that he has learned how to do it) take away the spreadsheet and expect him to do his job?
What Does It Mean to “Know”
• Knowledge workers– use cognitive tools
• Change is occurring– qualifying exam for S3.– only paper & pencil– not how “real”
academics work– take home exam
• allows for use of cognitive tools
• reflection, revision, editing, feedback
What Does It Mean to “Know”
• Implications for schools– authentic tasks utilizing cognitive
tools• open book, notes testing
– calculators & computers • teach students how to use mindfully
– collaborative groups
Cognitive Tools• Business, industry, &
government – embraced & adopted
new cognitive tools• support work of employees
– demanding candidates for new positions
• to come with skills & knowledge to take advantage of these cognitive tools
Summary
• Amount of knowledge– continues to grow– much they will need to know is
not currently ‘known’– no longer expect students to
learn it all– teach them how to use
knowledge residing in cognitive tools (information technologies)
Summary
• Newer cognitive tools will transform our culture in ways we can’t yet imagine.– as automobiles spawned new ways of
living and working
• Currently still essentially using as replacements for older technologies– ex: word processing for typewriting
Summary
• If we must ‘test’ students knowledge, let it be a test of their knowledge and skills in utilizing cognitive tools to– collect– store– retrieve– communicate– analyze &– synthesize
• .... information
Where Do You Stand?
• Should students be allowed to utilize cognitive tools for all tasks in school, including test situations?
• Let the debate begin!