Using Siegler's Wave Learning Theory In the Classroom And With Online Learners
Understanding how learning ebbs and flows each lesson
Have you ever wondered how children learn?
I’ve spent most of my teaching career thinking about this.
I love seeing students achieve well, but I am fascinated by the processes that go on in their heads when they are learning.
Over the years I’ve been teaching, I’ve come across lots of theories of learning, and I’ve carefully chosen the ones that feel right to use in my classroom. Siegler’s wave theory of learning is one of my favourite theories. I’ve found that it’s straightforward to use and I’ve had a good deal of success using it with some of my students.
Siegler’s Wave Learning Theory
Siegler’s Wave Learning Theory, developed by American psychologist Robert Siegler, offers an interesting perspective on cognitive development and learning.
Siegler's approach views learning as a series of overlapping waves. We learn using all our senses and some strategies of our own, some more, some less, depending on what we are trying to learn. Then we try and fit what we are learning into what we knew before.
Sometimes that’s easy to do, sometimes it’s more difficult, sometimes it’s impossible.
Each time we do this we look at one of the waves in our head that correspond to a category of something that we previously learned. We try to fit that learning into one of those waves, between the trough and peak of the wave.
If we succeed that’s great.
If we don’t succeed the learning may get submerged in our sea of learning and resurface later on when we revisit the topic, ready to be slotted into those categories that we have created. Or, we may have to create another category or wave for that piece of learning later on.
Later on some waves or categories may be deleted. That may be because we don’t revisit our learning regularly.
Or we may find that two waves of learning can be merged into one or linked together. That’s because we’ve strengthened the link between two categories as a result of revisiting our learning in a different way.
A bit more about those strategies learner use
Strategies or ways of learning are discovered and developed by learners in their environment, for example from parents, siblings and peers, social media, books and from advice given by teachers.
Learners use lots of strategies to solve problems. These strategies can all be very different.
When I was at school, my friends all had different ways of learning. Some liked to write long lists of notes, some put together flashcards, some didn’t bother to write notes and instead crammed their learning into a 4 hour slot just before a test. Others liked to use mind maps, some liked to ask questions and dive deeper into a topic.
Learners change their learning strategies based on feedback, experience, and changing conditions. Strategies that conflict can exist together but eventually one gets left behind in favour of the other.
Using Siegler’s Wave Learning Theory in the Classroom
Applying Siegler’s Wave Learning Theory in a classroom setting involves creating an environment that encourages exploration, experimentation, and the use of lots of different strategies.
Teachers can design activities that allow students to explore different methods for solving problems. For example, in a math class, students can be given a variety of tools (e.g., manipulatives, visual aids, algorithms) to solve a single problem.
Several years ago I worked with a group of year 7 students aged 11 and 12. We did a lesson on area of rectangles and triangles. I gave students materials that they could use to learn. They were free to use markers, mini whiteboards, flash cards or their exercise books to explore the topic. They could choose which set of question cards to use to work from.
The only condition was that they get into a group of 4 students and then present their work to the class in a 5 minute slot at the end of the lesson. Students loved showing off what they had learned and taking ownership of their work.
Whatever learning is happening, teachers can emphasize the value of effort, persistence, and learning from mistakes. Encouraging students to view challenges as opportunities to try new strategies and refine existing ones works well.
I wandered around the room to see what was happening giving feedback that helped students recognize the effectiveness of their strategies and make necessary adjustments.
Later on after the lesson I used formative assessments, peer reviews, and self-assessments to guide this process.
I felt that the group activities and discussions allowed students to share their strategies, learn from each other, and try out others learning strategies, fitting them into their own wave model to see if those worked for them.
Some time later there was time to use digital tools and educational software that offered interactive and adaptive learning experiences.
Using Siegler’s Wave Learning Theory with individual students Online and face to face
It’s much easier when working one-to-one with students to build in elements of Seigler’s learning theory into your teaching.
Put together a personalised learning path with the student
Create customized learning plans that accommodate each student's unique strengths, preferences, and areas for improvement. Offer a range of activities and resources that cater to different learning strategies.
Use adaptive learning platforms that adjust content and difficulty levels based on student performance. These technologies can provide real-time feedback and suggest alternative strategies for problem-solving. I use atom learning for students aged 9 to 11 who are studying for their 11+ exams, and Khan academy for older students.
Use multimedia resources such as videos, simulations, and interactive modules to present information in diverse ways. These resources can help students experiment with various strategies and understand concepts from multiple
Schedule one-on-one virtual meetings to discuss progress, address challenges, and provide guidance. Use these check-ins to offer personalized feedback and encourage students to reflect on their learning strategies.
Assign reflective activities, such as journaling or discussion boards, where students can articulate their thought processes, evaluate their strategies, and set goals for improvement.
I’ve worked with all of these strategies and my students like that they have so much choice over how they learn. My more advanced students are more willing to try different strategies, whereas the younger students prefer to have strategies suggested to them that they then go away and try out to see if they work for them.
I think as students get older they tend to have a larger collection of learning strategies in their wave models and will move these around and discard ones that don’t work for them.
Younger students need more support with this process.
Advantages of Using Siegler’s Wave Learning Theory
For teachers, Siegler’s Wave Learning Theory offers several benefits.
I like that that wave theory gives learners the chance to learn in their own way. That flexibility allows teachers to design inclusive and adaptable learning materials and to try out their own teaching strategies.
By encouraging multiple approaches, students develop a collection of strategies that enhance their problem-solving skills and cognitive flexibility.
The emphasis on feedback and adaptation helps create a culture of continuous improvement, where students are motivated to refine their strategies and achieve mastery. The dynamic and interactive nature of the theory promotes student engagement, curiosity, and active participation in the learning process.
Disadvantages of Using Siegler’s Wave Learning Theory
Despite its advantages, there are challenges associated with implementing Siegler’s Wave Learning Theory:
Creating diverse and adaptable learning experiences can be time-consuming and require significant resources, including technology, materials, and professional development.
The theory's emphasis on variability and adaptation may be difficult to manage, especially in large classrooms with different types of learners.
Traditional assessment methods may not effectively capture the dynamic and evolving nature of students' learning strategies. Teachers may need to develop new assessment tools and approaches to evaluate progress.
Some other considerations
Siegler’s Wave Learning Theory offers a dynamic and flexible framework for enhancing learning in both classroom and online environments.
It gives teachers and students power to shape their learning. Its advantages outweigh the disadvantages and working together students and teachers can enhance and add value to teaching and learning.
If you are interested in learning more about Siegler’s Wave Learning Theory here are two books I recommend.
“Children’s Thinking”, 1991, Robert S Siegler, and “How Children Discover New Strategies”, 1996, Robert S Siegler.
These books provide comprehensive insights into Siegler's theories and their applications in understanding cognitive development and learning processes in children.