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Running head: SCHEMA THEORY AND EDUCATION

Schema Theory and its Applications to Education

Maggie Stewart
University of Saint Mary

SCHEMA THEORY AND EDUCATION

Abstract
This paper will examine the basis of what schema theory is and how it can be applied to
education. Following a brief discussion of the origin and definition of schema theory, this paper
will provide several examples of how schema theory can be used in the classroom and in
understanding and empowering students to learn. The ultimate purpose of this paper is to provide
the reader with reasons why cognitive learning theories are important for teachers, and how
knowledge of these theoriesschema theory in particularcan benefit students.

SCHEMA THEORY AND EDUCATION

Schema Theory and its Applications to Education
While not all studies of the brain are applicable to education, behavioral psychology is
very important for teachers to know and be able to adapt to varying students and challenging
scenarios that arise in the classroom. Cognitive theories of learning are useful for educators to
discover strategies to enhance students learning, so that they understand and retain as much
important material as possible. One such theory is schema theory, which has developed over the
past century through the work of many different psychologists and researchers. A schema is a
network of connected facts or concepts stored in the long-term memory (Slavin 2012). Through
learning the basics of schema theory and its many possible applications to the classroom,
teachers can better help students to access information in their existing schemata and develop
new schema, thus promoting optimal learning of valuable skills and concepts.
Jean Piaget was the first to use the term schema in behavioral psychology, in terms of
how people store and categorize certain ideas in their brains based on experience (Narvaez and
Bock 2002). R.C. Anderson fully developed schema theory in educational psychology to what it
is today (Slavin 2012). However, many different scientists have researched and written on
varying types of schema and different implications of schema theory. Hence, schema theorys
possible applications to education are extremely varied.
The basic idea of schema theory is that each person has complex systems of schemata in
his or her brain; each can be accessed by a word or concept that functions as a type of code word,
unlocking an entire network of connected facts (Slavin 2012). Students do not tend to realize
how vast their knowledge is on a certain topic, but a simple idea or fact presented in class
functions on top of information that already exists in a students schema. Thus, a challenge arises

SCHEMA THEORY AND EDUCATION

when students associations with a particular word or idea vary from one another based on
experience. For instance, someone who grew up as an upper middle-class American will have a
certain schema attached to the word pencil quite different from someone from a third world
country, or even a poor urban area in the United States (Caddick 1993). However, in explaining
the images he or she connects with the word pencil, a person typically does not even think to
describe the details that make up his or her experience, such as that the classroom in his or her
mental images of pencil includes a roof, polished floors, and new books (Caddick 1993). The
teachers job in regards to schema theory is to know students well enough to help them access
their schema about a certain topic that may be triggered by a different word, mental image, or
understanding. As Airini Caddick says of using schema theory to manage the curriculum the
child who appears to have a simplistic understanding of a concept, may actually require
systematic questioning techniques to be used to reveal their deeper understanding (1993)
Schema theory can be applied to teaching all types of learners. One such way that schema
theory has been developed is in the teaching of minority students. A racial-ethnic self-schema
refers to how a person views his or her own racial-ethnic group (Altschul, Oyserman, and Bybee
2008). Atschul, Oyserman, and Bybees research showed that students racial-ethnic self-schemas
correlated with academic achievement; students who assimilated to mainstream American
societys stereotypes of their ethnicity rather than having a positive self-schema did less well in
school than minority students who had strong racial-ethnic self-schemas (Altschul, Oyserman,
and Bybee 2008). Thus, teachers can conclude that it is very important to help immigrant
students and students of racial or ethnic minorities to see the value in their diverse voices and
cultures, and to foster this appreciation in Caucasian students as well in order to challenge
stereotypes in society.

SCHEMA THEORY AND EDUCATION

One use of schema theory in classroom strategy is through dialoging, or discussion
between the teacher and students. As opposed to the traditional approach to teaching in which the
teacher stands in front of the classroom and lectures, dialoging enables students to develop an
argument schema (Reznitskaya et al 2009). When the student has to choose, develop, and defend
a side to an argument rather than listen to a lesson, he or she develops a whole schema of
reasons, evidence, and rebuttals that allow him or her to hold a certain position on a topic
(Reznitskaya et al 2009). This type of learning is much more beneficial to students because they
are actively gaining information and forming opinions, which causes them to subconsciously
build or develop schemas, representing these ideas with connections in their brain so that they
can later retrieve these arguments and apply them to new situations (Reznitskaya et al 2009).
Another important way that schema theory can be used is in inspiring students to evaluate
and change their worldviews (Mittwede 2013). Stephen Mittwede proposes this idea in the
context of theological education, which would be useful in a private Christian school setting.
However, this use for schema theory can be applied to any subject, as the point of education is
not merely for students to memorize facts or learn information on the surface, but to take that
information in and see how they can apply it in life. Mittwede (2013) suggests that the steps for
using schema theory to enhance student worldview change are to first introduce information in
such a way that fits the students existing schema. In other words, teachers must meet students
where they are in terms of the sociocultural ideas the already have. Once students have
assimilated new information into an existing schema, they can then compare and contrast the
new ideas with their previously held views. If a child finds that a new perspective is more full or
truthful, he or she can begin to change his or her existing schema to accommodate this new idea.
This type of change can happen on a small scale in a lesson, such as when a student discovers

SCHEMA THEORY AND EDUCATION

something in science class that he or she had never realized before, or it can be an internal
change in the student that was sparked by one lesson but takes place over time.
Schema theory offers teachers a variety of ways to reach their students and help them to
recall information stored in their long-term memory, build new schemata of information, and
examine their background knowledge in light of new information and perspectives. The human
brains use of schemata to sort and then retrieve information is remarkable, and finding the keys
to these schemata is one aspect of understanding students complex personalities and gifts. By
understanding and studying schema theory, teachers can be more aware how to promote student
learning on an individual basis.

SCHEMA THEORY AND EDUCATION

References
Altschul, I., Oyserman, D., & Bybee, D. (2008). Racial-ethnic self-schemas and segmented
assimilation: Identity and the academic achievement of Hispanic youth. Social
Psychology Quarterly, 71(3), 302-320.
Caddick, A. (1993). Mindful management of the curriculum: A possible role for schema
theory.
Mittwede, S. K. (2013). Cognitive educational approaches as means of envisioning and
effecting worldview transformation via theological education. Journal of Education &
Christian Belief, 17(2), 301-324.
Narvaez, D., & Bock, T. (2002). Moral schemas and tacit judgement or how the defining
issues test is supported by cognitive science. Journal Of Moral Education, 31(3), 297314.
Reznitskaya, A., Kuo, L., Clark, A., Miller, B., Jadallah, M., Anderson, R. C., & Nguyen-Jahiel,
K. (2009). Collaborative reasoning: A dialogic approach to group discussions.
Cambridge Journal Of Education, 39(1), 29-48.
Slavin, R. E. (2012). Educational psychology: Theory and practice. (2012). Boston, MA:
Pearson Education, Inc.