Information Processing and MemoryChapter 6Ergle

Think of two or three ways that you memorize needed information.

Meaning Maker

“The human mind is a meaning maker. From the first microsecond you see, hear, taste, or feels something, you start a process of deciding what it is, how it relates to what you already know, and whether it is important to keep in your mind or should be discarded. This whole process may take place consciously, unconsciously, or both.” p. 136

W R T Z

S H N L

D J F X

Information Processing ModelRecreate this model on your own

paper:◦External Stimulus◦Sensory Register◦Initial processing◦Working or Short Term Memory◦Long-Term memory◦Rehearsal and Coding◦Retrieval

PerceptionThe sensory images of which we

are conscious are not exactly the same as what we saw, heard, of felt; they are what are senses perceived.

It is mental interpretation of external stimuli.

Influenced by mental state, past experiences, knowledge.

AttentionLimited resourceShift priorities that screens out

other stimuliTeachers?

◦Arouse interest◦Have emotional content◦Unusual, inconsistent, surprising

stimuli◦Cue for future importance or use

Short-Term or Working MemoryLimited capacity to hold

information for a few seconds- about 30 seconds

Information currently being usedOrganizes info for storage or

discard and connects it to other information

P 39-140Can hold information in working

memory by repetition

Working Memory Capacity5-9 bitsEach bit may contain a great deal of

infoBackground knowledge will enhance

working memoryCan be taught strategies to organize

informationTeachers:

◦Organize new information◦Relate information to existing schema

Long Term Memory3 parts:

◦Episodic memory: images from our personal experiences/ stored in images based on when and where.

◦Semantic Memory: stores facts and general knowledge (most school information)/ organized by network of ideas.

◦Procedural Memory: Knowing how to do something like ride a bike or type/ stored as stimulus-response.

◦These 3 organize in different ways and in different parts of the brain.

Making Information MeaningfulRote memory not all badMental images; visual and auditory cuesUse Semantic mapping (p. 159- bison_Concepts are retained longer than namesWhatever is retained after 12-24 weeks is

cementedActive involvement increases retentionThe more processing of the information,

the better retentionSimilar to John Dewey and Progressive

Education!

Making Information MeaningfulStrategies:Practice TestsNote-TakingSelf-Questioning and MetcognitionArticulating Knowledge to othersSummarizingOutlining, Concept MappingUnderlining, Making S-T and T-T

connections

Brain ResearchRead p. 1471. Brain capacity is not set at

birth and neural connections are made in first 18 months

2. After 18 months, the brain begins to slough off connections not used

3. As a person becomes knowledge and skill, the brain becomes more efficient (reading example pg. 147)

What causes people to remember or forget?Interference: information gets

pushed aside by other information. ◦Not able to rehearse new information

Retroactive Inhibition: information lost because it is mixed up with new or similar information

Proactive Inhibition: one set of information interferes with learning another (like driving on right and left side of road)

FacilitationProactive facilitation: learning

one thing can help learn another (English and Spanish)

Retroactive facilitation: learning something new that increases the understanding of something already learned (Latin for English)

Primacy and RecencyPrimacy: learn the first things

presentedRecency: learn the last things

presented

AutomaticityLevel of ease and rapidity that

cause tasks to be performed or skills utilized with little mental effort. (Reading, soccer, chess)◦Practice:

Massed practice: practice initially until learned

Distributed practice: a little over a long period of time

Long term retention greatly enhanced by distributed practice! (vs. cramming)

Doing better than just seeing.

Verbal LearningPaired Associate (states and capitals)Serial Learning (ordered like Pledge of

Allegiance) Free Recall (no order)

Methods:◦ Imagery◦Mnemonics◦Loci method from Greece◦ Initial letter◦Pegword Method

MeaningfulRote learning: facts that are

arbitraryMeaningful learning: relate to

other information

Schema Theory: Structure for organizing and connecting information

Metacognition: knowledge about one’s own learning or about how to learn◦Metacognitive skills are ways students

can learn, study and solve problems◦Self-questioning strategies can be

taught to students to improve learning