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Memory Seminar 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?
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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-EXPLORE • What do you think you know about memory? • What questions or puzzles do you have? • 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 items Between 5 - 14 5 items 14 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 Strings http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/stm0.html Pictures http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/stm0.html SIMON http://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 Survival Priorities for Working Memory W O R K I N G M E M O R Y Data Generating Emotions Data for new learning
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
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 Concept Accepting 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.
Mental Strategies for Remembering a Name: Encoding Repetition Hi, Mary is it? Mary, have you met my friend? Inquiry / elaboration Ask about the spelling or origin of the name Association Do 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 association Think of the names of other people you know from the same circle or situation Go through the alphabet Does it start with A, B, C … Prepare for the worst Rehearse 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 Diet The brain uses 25% of the body’s energy, so it needs good food as a fuel source to keep it functioning well,
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
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 What are some of the things you used to think about MEMORY and LEARNING? How has the new information you have learned in this seminar changed your thinking?
Memory Take Aways Think 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.
