MemorySeminar 4

Goals for This Seminar What can learning about ‘memory’ teach us

about how we learn?

How can we connect our learning about ‘memory’ to our experiences to gain a better understanding of ourselves as learners?

Based on our understanding of ‘memory’ and ourselves as learners, what strategies can we adopt to help us with the process of learning?

THINK-PUZZLE-EXPLORE1. What do you think you know about

memory?

2. What questions or puzzles do you have?

3. What does the topic make you want to explore?

What Is Memory?What is Learning?

Learning is the process—the act of change (relatively permanent) in behavior, knowledge, or feelings of an individual that results from experience.

Memory is the result of that change. Experience Learning Memory

Memory Categorizations Declarative: dependent on conscious recall. It

has two subtypes:

• Semantic: memories of facts like president of china, capital of UK is London, etc

• Episodic: memories of events like your mother’s birthday, your wedding, what you had for breakfast this morning, etc

Procedural: not dependent on conscious recall –Motor skills like hitting a baseball, driving a car, swimming, …

Short Term Memory

Immediate Memory – holds data for 30 seconds

Working Memory – limited capacity, conscious activity, captures our focus and demands our attention, occurs in the frontal lobes.

Working Memory Capacity – varies with age

Younger 5 – 2 itemsBetween 5 - 14 5 items14 and older 7 items

The limited capacity explains why we need to memorize a song or poem in stages – increase capacity through chunking.

How can this relate to learning?

Testing Your Memory Letter Stringshttp://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/stm0.html

Pictureshttp://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/stm0.html

SIMONhttp://www.echalk.co.uk/amusements/Games/Simon/simon.html

Working Memory Time Limits

• Age dependent Pre-adolescents – 5 – 10 minutes Adolescents & Adults – 10 – 20 minutes

Fatigue or boredom sets in resulting in a loss of focus - unless a change in the way the individual is dealing with an item.

Data Affecting SurvivalData Generating Emotions

Data for new learning

WORKING

MEMORY

Priorities for Working Memory

Criteria for Long term Storage

We cannot recall what we have not stored Emotional experiences have a high

probability of being permanently stored Does it make sense? (oh now I see)

• Learner can understand based upon experience

Does it have meaning? (how will I use it)• Is the item relevant

Patient HM

Retention Research has shown that the greatest

loss of newly acquired information or a skill occurs within 18 – 24 hours

If a learner cannot recall information within 24 hours – there is a high probability that it was not permanently stored

Self ConceptAccepting or Rejecting New Learning

People will participate in learning activities that have yielded success for them.

They will avoid those that have produced failure

Self concept is important in controlling the feedback loop and determining how the individual will respond to almost any new learning situation.

Stages of Memory and Learning

Mental Strategies for Remembering a Name: Encoding

RepetitionHi, Mary is it? Mary, have you met my friend?

Inquiry / elaborationAsk about the spelling or origin of the name

AssociationDo they remind you of a person you know well with the same name? Look for a feature of the person’s face, or the sound of their voice. Try to associate this with their name.

Mental Strategies for Remembering a Name: Retrieval

Mental associationThink of the names of other people you know from the same circle or situation

Go through the alphabetDoes it start with A, B, C …

Prepare for the worstRehearse the names of people you are likely to meet or write them down and take them with you!

Common Memory Improvement Strategies

Mnemonics: Ancient strategy for improving memory

Spatial learning strategy—in which learners associate to-be-recalled material with familiar places (like their own room, etc). Then the learners recall the new material simply by taking a imaginary tour of their familiar places.

External Memory Aids Taking notes Using a diary/ calendar for

appointments Noting what you have done Writing a memo to yourself Writing on the back of your hands Taking photographs Making lists

External Memory Aids Using clocks, oven timers, alarms Using cell phones, email or other

electronic devices Putting objects in a conspicuous

place Swapping rings to the other hand Asking someone to help you

remember Using a file or folder

A Balanced DietThe brain uses 25% of the body’s energy, so it needs good food as a fuel source to keep it functioning well,

Sleep

Excercise Boosts circulation Reduces stress Helps to refocus Creates a sense of

wellbeing Improves mental

performance and general health

Life Style Factors with Negative Impact on Memory

Distraction

Disorganization

Stress, anxiety and depression

Reducing DistractionAvoid overstimulation (focus!) Have a ‘quiet’ space.

Make it obvious – clocks, notes on fridge

Decrease noise Turn off TV, radio, … when unnecessaryLower voices, one speaker at a time

Reduce clutter Storage – filing, shelves, boxes …

Stick to a routine Do things in the same order or on the same day

Tips to Reduce Stress Simplify your life and set realistic

expectations Take time to relax Sleep Exercise Socialize/ talk about it! Out of control? Seek help!

I Used to Think…Now I Think

1. What are some of the things you used to think about MEMORY and LEARNING?

2. How has the new information you have learned in this seminar changed your thinking?

Memory Take AwaysThink of some of the strategies that you are introduced to in this seminar and create a personalized top 5 list of things that will impact your learning.

Discuss your list with a partner.

Summary• The brain’s working memory is limited

• Emotions play an important role in memory encoding and retrieval.

• The ideas generated by the brain often come from images.

• The brain changes its own properties as a result of experience.

The End