Brainstorming Prior Knowledge

What do you know about Antarctica, earthworms, ultraviolet light, and Elizabeth I of England? Chances are, if you were going to read a passage about any of these topics, you would spend a few moments reconnoitering in your mind what you already know. You would take stock of your prior knowledge.

Suppose you are paging through a magazine and chance upon an article entitled “Lasers: The Promise of a 21st-Century Technology.” What do you anticipate this author will talk about? Laser tools? Laser surgery? Laser scanners and printers? Laser treatments? Laser light displays? Laser weapons? The principles behind a laser as a beam of light?

Like any proficient reader, you predict the article’s content by recalling your pertinent prior knowledge that might relate to new material in the article. In the classroom, teachers need to assess what students already know about a topic and help them access this useful knowledge as a necessary precursor to comprehension. Frontloading activities that help students connect to prior knowledge jump-start learning about a topic.

Brainstorming strategies provide a promising framework for eliciting students’ prior knowledge before learning. Several classroom variations may be used: LINK (list, inquire, note, and know), Knowledge Mapping, Knowledge Ladders, and Alphabet Brainstorming. With the ubiquity of handheld technology, a brief proviso about the use of these strategies needs to be mentioned: They are intended to engage students in brainstorming what they know and have learned, and should not devolve into “look it up” googling activities.

(Adapted from BUEHL, D. Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning. Portland: Stenhouse Publishers, 2017)

Brainstorming Prior Knowledge

What do you know about Antarctica, earthworms, ultraviolet light, and Elizabeth I of England? Chances are, if you were going to read a passage about any of these topics, you would spend a few moments reconnoitering in your mind what you already know. You would take stock of your prior knowledge.

Suppose you are paging through a magazine and chance upon an article entitled “Lasers: The Promise of a 21st-Century Technology.” What do you anticipate this author will talk about? Laser tools? Laser surgery? Laser scanners and printers? Laser treatments? Laser light displays? Laser weapons? The principles behind a laser as a beam of light?

Like any proficient reader, you predict the article’s content by recalling your pertinent prior knowledge that might relate to new material in the article. In the classroom, teachers need to assess what students already know about a topic and help them access this useful knowledge as a necessary precursor to comprehension. Frontloading activities that help students connect to prior knowledge jump-start learning about a topic.

Brainstorming strategies provide a promising framework for eliciting students’ prior knowledge before learning. Several classroom variations may be used: LINK (list, inquire, note, and know), Knowledge Mapping, Knowledge Ladders, and Alphabet Brainstorming. With the ubiquity of handheld technology, a brief proviso about the use of these strategies needs to be mentioned: They are intended to engage students in brainstorming what they know and have learned, and should not devolve into “look it up” googling activities.

(Adapted from BUEHL, D. Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning. Portland: Stenhouse Publishers, 2017)

In a study of more than 100,000 people, researchers found that those with less healthy lifestyles were more likely to reduce their risk of colorectal cancer with regular aspirin use than those with healthier behaviors (JAMA Oncol 2024 Aug 1). Regular aspirin use was defined as two or more 325 mg tablets a week or a daily 81 mg dose; less healthy lifestyles were characterized by higher body mass index, smoking, greater alcohol consumption, less physical activity, and poorer diet. Those with the unhealthiest lifestyles had a 3.4% chance of developing colorectal cancer if they didn’t take aspirin regularly, whereas those who did had a 2.1% chance of developing the disease. In contrast, people with the healthiest lifestyles had a 1.5% chance of developing colorectal cancer if they took aspirin regularly and a 1.6% chance if they didn’t. This result suggests that physicians can pursue a nuanced approach when prescribing aspirin for disease prevention.

(https://aacrjournals.org. 26 de julho a 01 de agosto 2024. Adaptado)

In a study of more than 100,000 people, researchers found that those with less healthy lifestyles were more likely to reduce their risk of colorectal cancer with regular aspirin use than those with healthier behaviors (JAMA Oncol 2024 Aug 1). Regular aspirin use was defined as two or more 325 mg tablets a week or a daily 81 mg dose; less healthy lifestyles were characterized by higher body mass index, smoking, greater alcohol consumption, less physical activity, and poorer diet. Those with the unhealthiest lifestyles had a 3.4% chance of developing colorectal cancer if they didn’t take aspirin regularly, whereas those who did had a 2.1% chance of developing the disease. In contrast, people with the healthiest lifestyles had a 1.5% chance of developing colorectal cancer if they took aspirin regularly and a 1.6% chance if they didn’t. This result suggests that physicians can pursue a nuanced approach when prescribing aspirin for disease prevention.

(https://aacrjournals.org. 26 de julho a 01 de agosto 2024. Adaptado)

In a study of more than 100,000 people, researchers found that those with less healthy lifestyles were more likely to reduce their risk of colorectal cancer with regular aspirin use than those with healthier behaviors (JAMA Oncol 2024 Aug 1). Regular aspirin use was defined as two or more 325 mg tablets a week or a daily 81 mg dose; less healthy lifestyles were characterized by higher body mass index, smoking, greater alcohol consumption, less physical activity, and poorer diet. Those with the unhealthiest lifestyles had a 3.4% chance of developing colorectal cancer if they didn’t take aspirin regularly, whereas those who did had a 2.1% chance of developing the disease. In contrast, people with the healthiest lifestyles had a 1.5% chance of developing colorectal cancer if they took aspirin regularly and a 1.6% chance if they didn’t. This result suggests that physicians can pursue a nuanced approach when prescribing aspirin for disease prevention.

(https://aacrjournals.org. 26 de julho a 01 de agosto 2024. Adaptado)

Suicide

Every year, 703 000 people take their own lives and there are many more who attempt suicide. Actually, every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and entire countries and has long-lasting effects on the people left behind^(a). Suicide does not just occur in high-income countries but is a global phenomenon in all regions of the world. Over 77% of global suicides, for example, occurred in low and middle-income countries in 2019. However, they may be preventable with timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions^(b). For national responses to be effective, a comprehensive multisectoral suicide prevention strategy is needed.

While the link between suicide and mental disorders (in particular, depression, alcohol use disorders and a previous suicide attempt) is well established in high-income countries, many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses, such as financial problems, relationship break-ups or chronic pain and illnesses.

Suicide prevention efforts require familiarity with these aspects, as well as coordination and collaboration among multiple sectors of society, including the health sector and other sectors such as education, labour, agriculture, business, justice, law, defence, politics, and the media. Thus, these efforts must be comprehensive and integrated as no single approach alone can make an impact on an issue as complex as suicide^(c).

Suicide is one of the priority conditions in the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) launched in 2008. This programme provides evidence-based technical guidance to scale up service provision and care in countries for mental, neurological and substance use disorders. Besides, the suicide mortality rate is an indicator of target 3.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals. Ultimately, its aim is to reduce by one third premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases through prevention and treatment, by 2030, promoting mental health and well-being.^(d)

Adapted from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide Accessed 5 February 2022.

Suicide

Every year, 703 000 people take their own lives and there are many more who attempt suicide. Actually, every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and entire countries and has long-lasting effects on the people left behind. Suicide does not just occur in high-income countries but is a global phenomenon in all regions of the world. Over 77% of global suicides, for example, occurred in low and middle-income countries in 2019. However, they may be preventable with timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions. For national responses to be effective, a comprehensive multisectoral suicide prevention strategy is needed.

While the link between suicide and mental disorders (in particular, depression, alcohol use disorders and a previous suicide attempt) is well established in high-income countries, many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses, such as financial problems, relationship break-ups or chronic pain and illnesses.

Suicide prevention efforts require familiarity with these aspects, as well as coordination and collaboration among multiple sectors of society, including the health sector and other sectors such as education, labour, agriculture, business, justice, law, defence, politics, and the media. Thus, these efforts must be comprehensive and integrated as no single approach alone can make an impact on an issue as complex as suicide.

Suicide is one of the priority conditions in the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) launched in 2008. This programme provides evidence-based technical guidance to scale up service provision and care in countries for mental, neurological and substance use disorders. Besides, the suicide mortality rate is an indicator of target 3.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals. Ultimately, its aim is to reduce by one third premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases through prevention and treatment, by 2030, promoting mental health and well-being.

Adapted from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide Accessed 5 February 2022.

Suicide

Every year, 703 000 people take their own lives and there are many more who attempt suicide. Actually, every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and entire countries and has long-lasting effects on the people left behind. Suicide does not just occur in high-income countries but is a global phenomenon in all regions of the world. Over 77% of global suicides, for example, occurred in low and middle-income countries in 2019. However, they may be preventable with timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions. For national responses to be effective, a comprehensive multisectoral suicide prevention strategy is needed.

While the link between suicide and mental disorders (in particular, depression, alcohol use disorders and a previous suicide attempt) is well established in high-income countries, many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses, such as financial problems, relationship break-ups or chronic pain and illnesses.

Suicide prevention efforts require familiarity with these aspects, as well as coordination and collaboration among multiple sectors of society, including the health sector and other sectors such as education, labour, agriculture, business, justice, law, defence, politics, and the media. Thus, these efforts must be comprehensive and integrated as no single approach alone can make an impact on an issue as complex as suicide.

Suicide is one of the priority conditions in the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) launched in 2008. This programme provides evidence-based technical guidance to scale up service provision and care in countries for mental, neurological and substance use disorders. Besides, the suicide mortality rate is an indicator of target 3.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals. Ultimately, its aim is to reduce by one third premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases through prevention and treatment, by 2030, promoting mental health and well-being.

Adapted from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide Accessed 5 February 2022.