Analysis: Understanding how students learn and remember is an important aspect of teaching. Much research has been done regarding memory and information processing. Our minds take in vast amounts of information through our sensory register. The information that is important to us is passed on to our short term memory, or working memory (Slavin, 2015). This information is evaluated and connections are made to possessed knowledge. If the information is worth keeping, it is then sent to the long term memory, where it is stored. The sensory register, short term, or working, memory, and long term memory are components of our executive functioning. In order for information to pass from the sensory register to short term memory, we must pay attention to the information coming in; we must recognize it as being important. For information to pass from short term to long term memory, we make connections between the new information coming in to the information we already possess. Another way information comes to be stored in out long term memory is through rehearsal. We think about the information repeatedly (Slavin, 2015). This is why practice and repeated instruction is so important in the class room.
Ashcraft & Radvansky, Nicholls et al., and Watson & Breedlove (as cited in Slavin, 2015)state that "theorists divide long term memory into at least three parts: episodic memory, semantic memory, and procedural memory." Episodic memory stores memories of personal experiences; semantic memory holds factual information that we know, and procedural memory stores the information for how to do things. Long term memory can be increased through the use of various instructional strategies. Many times, mixing different modes of teaching strategies, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic, increases the retention rates of information.
Brain development has been researched quite deeply. Connections made between neurons begins at birth. Experiences and environments pay a large role in brain development (Slavin, 2015). The brain does far more than just hold information for us. "Findings of brain research reinforce the conclusion that the brain is not a filing cabinet for facts and skills but is engaged in a process of organizing information to make it efficiently accessible and usable" (Slavin, 2015). Learning about brain development is important to educators. All learners do not learn the same way, and all information is not easy to learn. In addition, it is important that teachers understand the readiness of brains to learn information must be taken into account. Information being taught must be developmentally appropriate.
Ashcraft & Radvansky, Nicholls et al., and Watson & Breedlove (as cited in Slavin, 2015)state that "theorists divide long term memory into at least three parts: episodic memory, semantic memory, and procedural memory." Episodic memory stores memories of personal experiences; semantic memory holds factual information that we know, and procedural memory stores the information for how to do things. Long term memory can be increased through the use of various instructional strategies. Many times, mixing different modes of teaching strategies, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic, increases the retention rates of information.
Brain development has been researched quite deeply. Connections made between neurons begins at birth. Experiences and environments pay a large role in brain development (Slavin, 2015). The brain does far more than just hold information for us. "Findings of brain research reinforce the conclusion that the brain is not a filing cabinet for facts and skills but is engaged in a process of organizing information to make it efficiently accessible and usable" (Slavin, 2015). Learning about brain development is important to educators. All learners do not learn the same way, and all information is not easy to learn. In addition, it is important that teachers understand the readiness of brains to learn information must be taken into account. Information being taught must be developmentally appropriate.
There are many strategies that can be taught to facilitate placing information into long term memory. Practice of taught skills, enactment, generation, verbal learning, paired associate learning, and serial and free recall are all strategies that increase ownership of the information being learned (Slavin, 2015). Richards (2008) discusses the importance of using visual organizers and mnemonic devices in order to aid memorizing material. In addition to teaching strategies, there are study strategies that help students commit information to memory. These strategies include note taking, underlining and highlighting key terms and facts, summarizing, writing about the information, outlining and concept mapping, and the PQ3R Method (Slavin, 2015).
By incorporating various memory and learning strategies in addition to study strategies in instruction, teachers will increase the chance of students remembering the information and skills being taught. Students need the opportunity to practice new skills in order to thoroughly own the information. Teachers need to understand how students commit information to memory in order to help them acquire the information for immediate as well as future reference. Richards (2008) states that using various learning and memory strategies "will help enhance students' self-esteem because they will be more successful."
Reflection: Although I have taken a course on educational psychology in the past, I really haven't placed as much emphasis on brain development as I should have in my own class room. I do employ various memory techniques such as mnemonics. I have also used study strategies such as note taking, summarizing, and concept mapping in order to help students practice the information being taught. One big push in our system for next school year is the use of writing across the curriculum and summarizing. It will be interesting to see how students respond to these strategies. I am hopeful that they will learn the material and commit it to their long term memories in order to benefit them in the future. Understanding how these strategies work will greatly increase the effectiveness of my instruction and in turn, increase the academic achievement of my students.
Richards, R. G. (2008). Memory Strategies for Students: The Value of Strategies.
Retrieved from http://www.ldonline.org/article/5736/
Slavin, R. E. (2015). Educational psychology: Theory and practice. Boston, MA:
Pearson Education.
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