Instroduction - gestures are an integral part of communication among people of all ages and cultures. People gesture during spontaneous conversations with friends.Gestalt cognitive learning theory teachers gesture when explaining a scientific concept to a class. Students gesture as they work together when learning a new scientific principle.Gestalt cognitive learning theory so do scientists during "lab-talk."

Research has shown that gestures are not merely idle arm-waving; they are profoundly connected to cognition and perception, and can convey subtle meanings that would be awkward or impossible to convey in language alone.Gestalt cognitive learning theory for an educator or education researcher, gestures can therefore provide a window into students' thought processes, even when the students do not articulate their understandings or misunderstandings in words.Gestalt cognitive learning theory

This column reviews seminal research on gestures in the domains of problem solving, science education, field-based education, spatial tasks, and scientists' discourse.Gestalt cognitive learning theory we present evidence that gestures are of value for both gesturer and recipient, review hypotheses about why gestures are valuable, analyze examples of gesture as used by both instructors and students while discussing geoscience topics, offer suggestions for geoscience educators, and conclude with directions for future research.Gestalt cognitive learning theory

Abstract - this article introduces the idea of threshold concepts as a means to better understand student learning and, hence, to develop an enhanced curriculum to facilitate that learning.Gestalt cognitive learning theory the debate surrounding threshold concepts is relatively recent and has mainly been focused within other disciplines such as economics, maths and history.Gestalt cognitive learning theory following on from their contributions to a conference in the UK on threshold concepts in geography, earth and environmental sciences, the authors are seeking to open the debate more widely to the geoscience community and thereby begin to develop an understanding of what this new approach to learning means for our subject area.Gestalt cognitive learning theory

Introduction - josé teaches a capstone course for geoscience majors, and has recently become head of his department's curriculum committee. As josé prepares for the first meeting of the curriculum committee and considers the structure of his capstone course, he is thinking about what his department should expect their undergraduate students to know or be able to do by the time they graduate.Gestalt cognitive learning theory some of his students will go on to geology related jobs, particularly in the environmental industry, and others will be attending graduate school in MS or phd programs.Gestalt cognitive learning theory in addition to acquiring a core of factual knowledge about the geosciences, he would also like his students to gain an accurate understanding of important geologic processes, to be able to think critically about spatial data, and to learn to integrate processes and data into a holistic model of the earth and earth processes.Gestalt cognitive learning theory in short, his goal is to have students learn to "think like a geoscientist" - to move their thinking and skills along the continuum from geology student (novice) to geoscience professional (expert).Gestalt cognitive learning theory what does josé mean by this, and how can he achieve this goal?

This installment examines which characteristics are central to quality research experiences for undergraduates and science teachers, what mentors can do to improve the research experiences of undergraduates in the laboratory, and what strategies have been demonstrated to be effective for the professional development of science teachers.Gestalt cognitive learning theory the article also discusses ways to determine the effectiveness of teacher workshops and the types and usefulness of outreach activities between scientists and the K-12 educational community.Gestalt cognitive learning theory

This edition describes the work of a graduate student in geology who used a qualitative approach in an introductory geology class to determine how the course affects student learning.Gestalt cognitive learning theory the article includes a brief description of what qualitative data is with examples of different approaches to collecting this data. The author concludes with a checklist to aid in the design of a qualitative research.Gestalt cognitive learning theory

This article discusses when it is appropriate to use qualitative techniques and when quantitative techniques are more suitable to a study. Topics that are used to help illustrate the difference between techniques include assessment objectives and mixed methodology research.Gestalt cognitive learning theory an example study is provided to help the reader understand the differences.

This installment explores what some of the barriers are to achieving a higher level of student understanding in the geosciences.Gestalt cognitive learning theory it discusses instructional strategies that will help students achieve a conceptual understanding of fundamental geoscience concepts and how to assess whether students have reached a deep conceptual understanding.Gestalt cognitive learning theory

This edition provides guidelines that help interpret published education research, apply this research to a classroom, and engage in research endeavors.Gestalt cognitive learning theory the purpose of this article is to serve as a medium for highlighting the most important, useful, or easily applied techniques, with additional guidelines for what to look for in literature reviews.Gestalt cognitive learning theory