CHAPTER 9

COMPLEX COGNITIVE
PROCESSES
Presented by:
• YASSINE AOULTIT
• OUSSAMA AIT HAMMADI
• HAMZA BAHRA
• CHAYMAA BAHAMMOU
• SARA ABIDANE
 CONCEPTUAL
UNDERSTANDIN
G
Conceptual understanding is an essential
element of the learning process. A key
objective of teaching is to help students
comprehend the fundamental concepts of a
subject rather than merely memorize isolated
facts. This understanding is often enriched
when educators explore a topic in-depth and
offer relevant, engaging examples that
 WHAT ROLES DO UNDERSTANDING
CONCEPTS PLAY?

concepts are Concepts give

concepts enable
important for us a way to
us to simplify,
understand
summarize, and helping
and learn,
organize students allowing us to
information,
understand build on our
enhancing our
and interact knowledge
understanding
with the world without having
and making it
to "reinvent the
 PROMOTING
CONCEPT
FORMATION.
Concept formation involves identifying
key features that define a concept and
distinguish it from others. For example,
a "book" is defined by sheets of
paper bound along one edge and
containing printed content, while
attributes like size and colour are not
essential. For "dinosaurs," key
 Another important aspect of teaching concepts is to
define them and give carefully chosen examples. The
rule-example strategy is an effective way to do this. The
strategy consists of four steps:
Define the concept
Clarify terms in the definition
Show examples to illustrate the key features or
characteristics
Provide additional examples
Hierarchical Categorization and Concept Maps:
• Once a concept is categorized it can take on characteristics and
features from being a member of a category.
For example, students can infer that a triceratops is a reptile even if they
have never been told that fact as long as they know that dinosaurs are
reptiles and a triceratops is a dinosaur.
• A concept map is a visual presentation of a concept’s connections and
hierarchical organization.
• Getting students to create a map of a concept’s features or
characteristics can help them to learn the concept.
Hypothesis Testing:
Hypotheses are specific assumptions and predictions that can
be tested to determine students' accuracy.
Students benefit from the practice of hypothesis testing in
order to determine what a concept is and is not.
Prototype Matching:
• In prototype matching, individuals decide whether an
item is a member of a category by comparing it with the
most typical item(s) of the category.
For instance, students' concept of a bird might include
being small and flying like a sparrow. But some birds, such
as ostriches or penguins, are not small or flying.
 THINKIN
G
Thinking is a mental
process which involves
manipulating and
transforming information
in memory.
 REASONING

Reasoning is logical
thinking that uses
induction and
deduction to reach a
 INDUCTIVE REASONING
Inductive
Reasoning
it is reasoning from the specific
to the general. It consists of
drawing conclusions (forming
concepts) about all members of
a category based on observing
only some of its members.
 INDUCTIVE REASONING
An important aspect of inductive reasoning is
repeated observation.
An inductive reasoning may be very likely, but
there is always a chance that it is wrong.
Teachers can enhance students’ inductive
reasoning by encouraging them to consider that
the conclusion they reach depends on the
quality and quantity of the information available.
 INDUCTIVE REASONING

Another aspect of inductive reasoning is analogy.

An analogy is a correspondence between otherwise dissimilar
things.
It is used to improve students’ understanding of new concepts
by comparing
them with already learned concepts.
One type of analogy involves formal reasoning and has four
parts, with the
relation between the first two parts being the same as, or very
 DEDUCTIVE REASONING
Deductive
Reasoning
In contrast to inductive
reasoning, deductive reasoning
is reasoning from the general to
the specific.
Deductive reasoning is always
certain in the sense that if the
initial rules or assumptions are
Critical Thinking

Critical thinking
involves thinking
reflectively and
productively and
evaluating the
evidence.
 Mindfulness

Mindfulness means being

alert, mentally present, and
cognitively flexible while going
through life’s everyday
activities and tasks.
According to Ellen Langer,
ritical Thinking in Schools:
Here are some ways teachers can consciously build critical thinking into their
lesson plans:

• Ask not only what happened but also “how” and “why.”
• Examine supposed “facts” to determine whether there is evidence
to support them.
• Argue in a reasoned way rather than through emotions.
• Recognize that there is sometimes more than one good answer or
explanation.
• Compare various answers to a question and judge which is really
the best answer.
• Evaluate and possibly question what other people say rather than
immediately accepting it as the truth.
• Ask questions and speculate beyond what we already know to
create new ideas and new information.
Critical Thinking in
Adolescence
Main
• Increased speed, automaticity, and
changes
Several capacity of information
processing.
cognitive • More knowledge in a variety of
domains.
changes occur • An increased ability to construct
new combinations of knowledge.
during • A greater range and more
spontaneous use of strategies or
adolescence procedures such as
planning, considering alternatives,
that allow and cognitive monitoring.
Technology and Critical
Thinking
• David Jonassen
highlights the use of
technology to enhance
students' critical
thinking skills through
mindtools.
• These tools support
constructivist learning
that scaffold student
creation of knowledge and
 DECISION MAKING

It involves evaluating
alternatives and making
choices among them.
 DECISION MAKING

we may take unsuitable decisions due

to :
• rare of clear-cut rules in the process
of decision making.
• limited knowledge about the
consequences of decisions people
make
 How to make competent decisions for

yourself and your students ?

• Weigh the costs and benefits of various
outcomes.
• Avoid confirmation bias
• Resist belief perseverance
• Do not engage in overconfidence bias
• Avoid hindsight bias
• Be aware of the factors that influence
decisions made by your adolescents
 CREATIVE THINKING

creativity The ability to think about

something in novel and unusual ways and
come up with unique solutions to
problems.
 CONVERGENT AND
DIVERGENT THINKING

convergent thinking: Thinking with the

aim of producing one correct answer. This
is usually the type of thinking required on
conventional intelligence tests.
divergent thinking: Thinking with the
aim of producing many answers to the
same question. This is characteristic of
 CREATIVITY AND TEACHING

An important teaching goal is to help

students become more creative .
Teachers need to recognize that
students will show more creativity in
some domains than others. A student
who shows creative-thinking skills in
mathematics may not exhibit these
 Problem
solving
According to Santrock, problem-solving generally involves the following steps:
1.Find and Frame Problems:
•Before solving a problem, one must first identify that the problem exists.
2.Develop Good Problem-Solving Strategies :
Focuses on developing effective strategies such as:
A. Subgoaling: Subgoaling involves breaking down a problem into smaller, intermediate
goals to achieve the final solution.
B. Algorithms: are strategies that guarantee a solution to a problem. It comes in different
forms, such as, formulas, in structure and test of all possible solutions.
C. Heuristics: General rules or “mental shortcuts” to find solutions. They don’t guarantee
success but can simplify decision-making.
D. Means-End Analysis:
A heuristic focusing on reducing the difference between the current state and the goal by
planning actions to bridge the gap. It often incorporates subgoaling.
3. Evaluate solutions
After solving a problem, it is crucial to assess the solution’s effectiveness using clear
 Problem
solving
4: Rethink and Redefine Problems and Solutions Over Time
Problem solving is an ongoing process. It involves revisiting and improving problems and
solutions based on new insights.
 Obstacles to solving problems
1. Fixation
:
A cognitive obstacle where individuals become “stuck” on a particular way of
thinking or approach.

Types of Fixation:
Functional Fixedness: The inability to see alternative uses for an object (e.g.,
seeing a hammer only as a tool for nails, not as a weight).
Mental Set: Repeating a familiar strategy even when it is no longer effective.

Impact:
Limits creativity and flexibility, making it harder to find innovative or appropriate
solutions.
 Obstacles to solving problems
2. Lack of Motivation or Persistence
:
Problem-solving often requires sustained effort, but a lack of intrinsic or
extrinsic motivation can hinder progress.

Reasons for Low Motivation:

A task may seem irrelevant, boring, or overly difficult.
Lack of confidence or belief in one’s ability to succeed (low self-efficacy).

Impact:
Without persistence, individuals may give up too early, leaving problems
unsolved or settling for suboptimal solutions.
 Obstacles to solving problems
3. Inadequate Emotional Control:
:
Emotional reactions, such as frustration, anxiety, or anger, can overwhelm
rational thinking during problem-solving.

Examples of Emotional Barriers:

Stress: High-pressure situations can lead to rushed or poor decisions.
Fear of Failure: Avoiding risks can prevent exploration of new ideas.
Overconfidence: Leads to ignoring important details or feedback.

Impact:
Emotional imbalance can cloud judgment, reduce focus, and impair logical
reasoning.
 Developmental changes :
Young children have difficulty planning and are quick to get rid of it.They have
difficulty suppressing persistent behaviors, especially fun ones, that prevent
them from stopping to think.

As children grow older, their problem-solving skills improve due to increased

knowledge and use of effective strategies.
Adolescent children face complex problems that require knowledge to solve.

The use of problem-solving strategies improves dramatically as children mature

and have the ability to manage, monitor, and filter information.
 PROBLEM-BASED
Learning (PBL):
Problem-based learning focuses on solving
real-life, authentic problems.
Unlike direct instruction, where teachers
lead the process, PBL emphasizes student-
driven exploration and discovery. It builds
students' confidence in their ability to think
critically and independently.
 PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

Project-based learning focuses on solving

meaningful, real-world problems and
creating tangible products as outcomes.
While it shares similarities with problem-
based learning, the key distinction is that
PjBL places greater emphasis on the final
product rather than just the learning
process.
CON C LU S
ION Chapter 9 emphasizes the importance of teaching
students advanced cognitive skills such as metacognition,
problem-solving, critical thinking, decision-making, and
the transfer of learning. These processes enable students
to think deeply, analyze information, and apply their
knowledge in meaningful ways. By using strategies like
scaffolding, collaborative discussions, and real-world
learning tasks, educators can help students develop the
tools they need to become independent, reflective, and
effective learners.
T H A NK
YOU!
Have A Nice Day!
CHAPTER 9

COMPLEX COGNITIVE
PROCESSES
 CONCEPTUAL
UNDERSTANDIN
G
Conceptual understanding is an essential
element of the learning process. A key
objective of teaching is to help students
comprehend the fundamental concepts of a
subject rather than merely memorize isolated
facts. This understanding is often enriched
when educators explore a topic in-depth and
offer relevant, engaging examples that
 WHAT ROLES DO UNDERSTANDING
CONCEPTS PLAY?

concepts are Concepts give

concepts enable
important for us a way to
us to simplify,
understand
summarize, and helping
and learn,
organize students allowing us to
information,
understand build on our
enhancing our
and interact knowledge
understanding
with the world without having
and making it
to "reinvent the
 PROMOTING
CONCEPT
FORMATION.
Concept formation involves identifying
key features that define a concept and
distinguish it from others. For example,
a "book" is defined by sheets of
paper bound along one edge and
containing printed content, while
attributes like size and colour are not
essential. For "dinosaurs," key
 Another important aspect of teaching concepts is to
define them and give carefully chosen examples. The
rule-example strategy is an effective way to do this. The
strategy consists of four steps:
Define the concept
Clarify terms in the definition
Show examples to illustrate the key features or
characteristics
Provide additional examples
 THINKIN
G
Thinking is a mental
process which involves
manipulating and
transforming information
in memory.
 REASONING

Reasoning is logical
thinking that uses
induction and
deduction to reach a
 INDUCTIVE REASONING
Inductive
Reasoning
it is reasoning from the specific
to the general. It consists of
drawing conclusions (forming
concepts) about all members of
a category based on observing
only some of its members.
 INDUCTIVE REASONING
An important aspect of inductive reasoning is
repeated observation.
An inductive reasoning may be very likely, but
there is always a chance that it is wrong.
Teachers can enhance students’ inductive
reasoning by encouraging them to consider that
the conclusion they reach depends on the
quality and quantity of the information available.
 DEDUCTIVE REASONING
Deductive
Reasoning
In contrast to inductive
reasoning, deductive reasoning
is reasoning from the general to
the specific.
Deductive reasoning is always
certain in the sense that if the
initial rules or assumptions are
Critical Thinking

Critical thinking
involves thinking
reflectively and
productively and
evaluating the
evidence.
 Mindfulness

Mindfulness means being

alert, mentally present, and
cognitively flexible while going
through life’s everyday
activities and tasks.
According to Ellen Langer,
ritical Thinking in Schools:
Here are some ways teachers can consciously build critical thinking into their
lesson plans:

• Ask not only what happened but also “how” and “why.”
• Examine supposed “facts” to determine whether there is evidence
to support them.
• Argue in a reasoned way rather than through emotions.
• Recognize that there is sometimes more than one good answer or
explanation.
• Compare various answers to a question and judge which is really
the best answer.
• Evaluate and possibly question what other people say rather than
immediately accepting it as the truth.
• Ask questions and speculate beyond what we already know to
create new ideas and new information.
Critical Thinking in
Adolescence
Main
• Increased speed, automaticity, and
changes
Several capacity of information
processing.
cognitive • More knowledge in a variety of
domains.
changes occur • An increased ability to construct
new combinations of knowledge.
during • A greater range and more
spontaneous use of strategies or
adolescence procedures such as
planning, considering alternatives,
that allow and cognitive monitoring.
Technology and Critical
Thinking
• David Jonassen
highlights the use of
technology to enhance
students' critical
thinking skills through
mindtools.
• These tools support
constructivist learning
that scaffold student
creation of knowledge and
 DECISION MAKING

It involves evaluating
alternatives and making
choices among them.
 DECISION MAKING

we may take unsuitable decisions due

to :
• rare of clear-cut rules in the process
of decision making.
• limited knowledge about the
consequences of decisions people
make
 How to make competent decisions for

yourself and your students ?

• Weigh the costs and benefits of various
outcomes.
• Avoid confirmation bias
• Resist belief perseverance
• Do not engage in overconfidence bias
• Avoid hindsight bias
• Be aware of the factors that influence
decisions made by your adolescents
 CREATIVE THINKING

creativity The ability to think about

something in novel and unusual ways and
come up with unique solutions to
problems.
 CONVERGENT AND
DIVERGENT THINKING

convergent thinking: Thinking with the

aim of producing one correct answer. This
is usually the type of thinking required on
conventional intelligence tests.
divergent thinking: Thinking with the
aim of producing many answers to the
same question. This is characteristic of
 CREATIVITY AND TEACHING

An important teaching goal is to help

students become more creative .
Teachers need to recognize that
students will show more creativity in
some domains than others. A student
who shows creative-thinking skills in
mathematics may not exhibit these
 Problem
solving
According to Santrock, problem-solving generally involves the following steps:
1.Find and Frame Problems:
•Before solving a problem, one must first identify that the problem exists.
2.Develop Good Problem-Solving Strategies :
Focuses on developing effective strategies such as:
A. Subgoaling: Subgoaling involves breaking down a problem into smaller, intermediate
goals to achieve the final solution.
B. Algorithms: are strategies that guarantee a solution to a problem. It comes in different
forms, such as, formulas, in structure and test of all possible solutions.
C. Heuristics: General rules or “mental shortcuts” to find solutions. They don’t guarantee
success but can simplify decision-making.
D. Means-End Analysis:
A heuristic focusing on reducing the difference between the current state and the goal by
planning actions to bridge the gap. It often incorporates subgoaling.
3. Evaluate solutions
After solving a problem, it is crucial to assess the solution’s effectiveness using clear
 Problem
solving
4: Rethink and Redefine Problems and Solutions Over Time
Problem solving is an ongoing process. It involves revisiting and improving problems and
solutions based on new insights.
 Obstacles to solving problems
1. Fixation
:
A cognitive obstacle where individuals become “stuck” on a particular way of
thinking or approach.

Types of Fixation:
Functional Fixedness: The inability to see alternative uses for an object (e.g.,
seeing a hammer only as a tool for nails, not as a weight).
Mental Set: Repeating a familiar strategy even when it is no longer effective.

Impact:
Limits creativity and flexibility, making it harder to find innovative or appropriate
solutions.
 Obstacles to solving problems
2. Lack of Motivation or Persistence
:
Problem-solving often requires sustained effort, but a lack of intrinsic or
extrinsic motivation can hinder progress.

Reasons for Low Motivation:

A task may seem irrelevant, boring, or overly difficult.
Lack of confidence or belief in one’s ability to succeed (low self-efficacy).

Impact:
Without persistence, individuals may give up too early, leaving problems
unsolved or settling for suboptimal solutions.
 Obstacles to solving problems
3. Inadequate Emotional Control:
:
Emotional reactions, such as frustration, anxiety, or anger, can overwhelm
rational thinking during problem-solving.

Examples of Emotional Barriers:

Stress: High-pressure situations can lead to rushed or poor decisions.
Fear of Failure: Avoiding risks can prevent exploration of new ideas.
Overconfidence: Leads to ignoring important details or feedback.

Impact:
Emotional imbalance can cloud judgment, reduce focus, and impair logical
reasoning.
 Developmental changes :
Young children have difficulty planning and are quick to get rid of it.They have
difficulty suppressing persistent behaviors, especially fun ones, that prevent
them from stopping to think.

As children grow older, their problem-solving skills improve due to increased

knowledge and use of effective strategies.
Adolescent children face complex problems that require knowledge to solve.

The use of problem-solving strategies improves dramatically as children mature

and have the ability to manage, monitor, and filter information.
 PROBLEM-BASED
Learning (PBL):
Problem-based learning focuses on solving
real-life, authentic problems.
Unlike direct instruction, where teachers
lead the process, PBL emphasizes student-
driven exploration and discovery. It builds
students' confidence in their ability to think
critically and independently.
 PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

Project-based learning focuses on solving

meaningful, real-world problems and
creating tangible products as outcomes.
While it shares similarities with problem-
based learning, the key distinction is that
PjBL places greater emphasis on the final
product rather than just the learning
process.
CON C LU S
ION Chapter 9 emphasizes the importance of teaching
students advanced cognitive skills such as metacognition,
problem-solving, critical thinking, decision-making, and
the transfer of learning. These processes enable students
to think deeply, analyze information, and apply their
knowledge in meaningful ways. By using strategies like
scaffolding, collaborative discussions, and real-world
learning tasks, educators can help students develop the
tools they need to become independent, reflective, and
effective learners.
T H A NK
YOU!
Have A Nice Day!