Information Processing Theory of Learning

Presenter: Michael Hart

Introduction: Information Processing

• H.M.: In 1953, H.M.'s epileptic seizures became so debilitating and unresponsive to medication that neurosurgeons removed the hippocampus and

surrounding structures from both hemispheres. • Personality and intellect stayed the same. Could not

recall events 1-3 yrs before surgery. No problem recalling older memories. He also suffered a severe loss of ability to form new memories. He could store info briefly, but eventually it faded from his mind.

• He can learn new skills, but does no remember learning these skills. (8yrs to learn family house)

Introduction: Information Processing

• Mary: Was involved in a accident with severe head trauma. After recovery her intellect and personality were intact, but she could NOT remember or identify faces. She could not even ID her own face.

• If speaking to a person she can learn a face, but if she loses visual contact for a couple of seconds she will not be able to recognize the person.

• ALL EXTREME EXAMPLES OF HEAD TRAUMA AND ITS EFFECT ON INFORMATION PROCESSING.

Introduction: Information Processing

• Information Processing: The mental operations of receiving, encoding, storing, and recalling information, or how humans learn.

Introduction: Information Processing

• In the 1950’s Information Processing Theorists used the computer as a model for how humans think.

• This branch of cognitive psychology looks at the way people take in, process and act on information focusing on attention, perception and memory.

3 Components of Information Processing

• Sensory Register: (i.e.vision, hearing, touching,

smell, and taste) is constantly receiving

information. Much of this information is discarded, or remembered for only a brief period of time.

• Computer Example: Keyboard/Mouse

•Capacity:  We hold an enormous amount, more than we can ever perceive. •Duration:  Extremely brief- - in the order of 1 to 3 seconds .

3 Components of Information Processing

• Short-term Store: (Working Memory) Information not discarded is sent to the Short-term memory.

• This information tends to be in small chucks and retained for only approximately 20 seconds.

• First, it is compared with information that has been previously stored. New information is integrated into the learners’ existing schemes or organized patterns of information. Finally, short term memory allows learners to rehearse the information long enough for it to be encoded for long-term storage.

3 Components of Information Processing

• Short-term Store: (Working Memory)

• Capacity: What you can say in about 2 seconds. 

• Duration: Around 18 seconds or less. • To reduce the loss of information in 18

seconds, you need to rehearse. • There are two types of rehearsal--

Maintenance and Elaborative.

• Computer Example: RAM

3 Components of Information Processing

• Long-Term Memory: The final storing house for memorial information, the long term memory store holds information until needed again.

• Permanent Storage? – We can’t say that information never changes.

Long-term memory expands to allow for this integration or the formation of new schemes.

3 Types of Memory

• Episodic: personal experiences (i.e. birthday parties, vacations, etc.) (H.M.)

• Semantic: general knowledge (i.e. lists, concepts,etc.)

• Procedural: methods and routines (how to’s, etc.)

Learning

• When people pay attention to information picked up by the sensory registers it goes into the working memory, if they don’t pay attention it is lost.

• Once in working memory it needs to be processed or practiced within 5 to 20 seconds for it to be transferred to the long-term memory.

• Learning is the result of individuals successfully encoding new information or recoding existing information in a new way. They can then recall that information from memory and use it

Encoding

• The reasons for effective encoding of information include ensuring that the material is meaningful and that activation of prior knowledge occurs.

• Strategies for assisting encoding include chunking, rehearsal, imagery, mnemonics, schema activation, and level of processing.

Practice

• Try to memorize this:

–64831996

Practice

• Chunking: – Is this easier?

–64 83 19 96

Practice

• Names: • PAY ATTENTION when you are

introduced. Ask the person to repeat their name. Rhyme the name with something special about the person. Then use their name in the conversation, and consciously recall it later. For example:

• Allison with her blond hair looks like » Alice in Wonderland

• Holly is always happy and smiling» Jolly Molly

Practice

• Visual Clues: (Fighter Pilot)• Take 60 secs to memorize this

list. • Cat• Rabbit• Ring• House• Bat• Fire• Bike• Money• Airplane• Hand• Phone• Computer

Practice• Visual Clues: (Fighter Pilot)• Try it again: Take 60 secs to memorize this

list.

Practice

• Visual Clues: (Fighter Pilot)• Which method was easier?

• Word string or visual Cues?

Strategies for Encoding

• Chunking: breaking the information up into manageable chunks. Try to remember 'OFHRTJUDYCX' or alternatately 'OFH RTJ UDY CX‘

• Rehearsal: simple repetition, or more elaborate when the information to be remembered is linked to other information.

• Imagery: can be simple as with a conjured image of an object such as a book, or complex, as with a concept such as justice.

Strategies for Encoding Cont’

• Mnemonics : memory strategies that help people remember information. Often a mnemonic is a rhyme or pairing of to-be-learned information with well-learned information. (PIFTAR)

• Schema activation: strategy to use with encoding complex information. This relates new information to students' prior knowledge

• Level of processing assumes that material that is only skimmed will not be as deeply processed as material that is studied in detail.

Classroom Implications

Classroom Implications

• Before encoding can occur, teachers must assist learners in focusing their attentions on the desired input.

• There are several effective techniques that teachers may use.

Classroom Implications

• Strategies for Encoding: – stating the objective before instruction,

learners will be better able to select important new information.

• Outline on Board of material

– Informal techniques, such as signals, routines, incentives, and teacher proximity to learner also facilitate the selection of information.

– The selection of instructional media (i.e. textbook, manipulatives, lecture, mechanical delivery system, etc.) plays a very important part in increasing learner attention.

Classroom Implications

• Strategies for Encoding: – stating the objective before instruction,

learners will be better able to select important new information.

• Outline on Board of material

– Informal techniques, such as signals, routines, incentives, and teacher proximity to learner also facilitate the selection of information.

– The selection of instructional media (i.e. textbook, manipulatives, lecture, mechanical delivery system, etc.) plays a very important part in increasing learner attention.

Classroom Implications

• Strategies for Encoding Cont’: – Problem Solving :Working backwards,

breaking the problem up into smaller sub-problems, outlining, thinking aloud, and pattern recognition are examples of effective methods of problem-solving.