Cognitive Apprenticeship Model

The TECH Share Project at Northern Arizona University (NAU), funded through the Navajo Education Technology Consortium's Star Schools Grant, worked five years of producing technology driven, standards-based, culturally relevant curriculum. The project primarily served 22 K-12 school districts on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. NAU was one of six partners participating in the project including Arizona State University, Dine College, National Indian Telecommunications Institute, New Mexico State University, and the University of New Mexico. One of the primary goals of the TECH Share Project at NAU was to assist the bicultural student to become successful in the dominant society while also maintaining and empowering them with regard to their traditional upbringing. Education was used to help preserve, rather than replace, traditional culture.

Curriculum development was based on a cognitive apprenticeship model that carefully guided students to learn to think critically. Most of the lessons were authentic, representing real-world needs and contexts relevant to Navajo and Hispanic students.  The apprenticeship lesson typically had the following seven steps that led the student to mastery: modeling, coaching, scaffolding, articulation, reflection, and exploration. The apprenticeship process ended with a learner developed model that illustrated their mastery (taken from TECH Share meeting minutes and personal notes).

Modeling involves the expert carrying out a task and/or demonstrating some cognitive domain so that the learner can observe and build a conceptual model.

• text explanation (drawn from a textbook, anecdotal writings, internet information)
• visual illustrations
• animations relating to examples of concept
• multimedia demonstration

Coaching consists of observing learners and offering hints, scaffolding, feedback, additional modeling, reminders, and new tasks aimed at bringing their performance closer to that of the expert.

• teacher facilitating students gathering information and data in response to guiding questions that serve to begin the students' interaction with the subject
• use of internet to gather data and information to support entry in the subject
• providing example of articulation

Scaffolding refers to levels of support provided by the master (teacher or local expert) and increasing the complexity of tasks done by the learner (apprentice) while support from the master fades (diminishes).

• provision of glossaries
• providing examples of arriving at answers to observed phenomena
• providing sources to assist in use of computer technology

Articulation includes any method of getting the learner to articulate their knowledge, reasoning, or problem solving processes.

• questions requiring critical thinking related the subject will be developed
• the class will break into groups to develop answers to questions
• students will discuss the relationship of this new knowledge to their current knowledge through verbal and/or written communication
• students will present what they have learned

Reflection enables the learner(s) to compare their own problem solving processes with those of an expert, another student, or their own pre-constructed cognitive model.

• Students share how they developed their problem, what data they used, and how they interacted with their peers and other groups.
• Students share the lessons learned in this process by reflecting on the learning that occurred through written or verbal communication.

Exploration involves pushing the learners into a mode of problem solving on their own. Learners are provided opportunities to diversify and apply concepts learned to broaden conceptual applications.

• Students are given the opportunity to explore and question the apprenticeship further through extended research and other optional activities.

The standard pathway to lesson creation and production following this cognitive apprenticeship model. Visit the Navajo Education Technology Consortium website to view the lessons.