Problem Based Learning

Henry Gustav Moliason

Why your phone number has 7 numbers

OR

http://brainconnection.positscience.com/topics/?main=fa/hm-memory3

Henry had a bike wreck when he was nine.

He began to suffer grand mal seizures.

Doctors removed these parts of his brain.

Henry was able to hold information short periods of time.

Most people can retain about seven pieces of information (a telephone number, for example) in memory for about thirty seconds, and Henry scored normally on these kinds of tasks.

The main problem for Henry was converting short-term memories into permanent storage, a process called consolidation.

http://brainconnection.positscience.com/topics/?main=fa/hm-memory3

That part of his brain was gone.

1.) Short-term memories are biologically different from long-term memories because they do not require the hippocampus for formation.2.) Long-term memories are stored throughout the brain, but the hippocampus is necessary for the information to reach long-term storage. Said another way: the hippocampus is important for long-term memory formation, but not for memory maintenance or retrieval.

The Implications

Working memory is generally considered to have limited capacity. The earliest quantification of the capacity limit associated with short-term memory was the "magical number seven" introduced by Miller (1956)

He noticed that the memory span of young adults was around seven elements, called chunks, regardless whether the elements were digits, letters, words, or other units. Later research revealed that span does depend on the category of chunks used (e.g., span is around seven for digits, around six for letters, and around 5 for words), and even on features of the chunks within a category.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Armitage_Miller

Dr. George Miller !"+/-#"$%&'(

Working memory = limited capacity. Earliest capacity limit for short-term memory was the "magical number seven" introduced by Miller (1956)

Memory span of young adults was around seven elements, called chunks (digits, letters, words, or other units)

Span depends on category of chunks used 7 for digits, around six for letters •!around 5 for words •!even on features of the chunks within a category.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Armitage_Miller

Dr. George Miller !"+/-#"$%&'(

Implications in Marketing

“Try everyone else and then you will come back to us.”

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The Low Fare Airline.

Top 10 Taglines1. "Got milk?" (1993, California Milk Processor Board)2. "Don't leave home without it" (1975, American Express, AXP)3. "Just do it" (1988, Nike, NKE)4. "Where's the beef?" (1984, Wendy's)5. "You're in good hands with Allstate" (1956, Allstate Insurance, ALL)6. "Think different" (1998, Apple Computer, AAPL)7. "We try harder" (1962, Avis)8. "Tastes great, less filling" (1974, Miller Light)9. "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands" (1954, M&M Candies)10. "Takes a licking and keeps on ticking" (1956, Timex)

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Jon, Why are we Watching this???

Let’s use the way the brain worksto make lessons more memorable

“Too often, we give answers to remember, instead

of problems to solve.”Roger Lewin

PROBLEM BASED LEARNINGThe�Teacher�Must�Become�the�Facilitator�of�Information,�not�the�Creator�of�Information

PROBLEM BASED LEARNING

Knowledge is acquired in context

This aids retention, interest and the motivation to learn

Students reflect on their skills, knowledge and strategies to address them. This enhances life long learning.

We force kids to live on this level with our lesson designs!

Teaching Styles Problem SolvingProblem-Based

Learning

Role of the teacher Content Expert Facilitator/Coordinator

Learning Environment

PassiveTeacher centered

Depends on self-directed small group, more active,

student centered

Who Directs The Learning? Teacher only

The student has more choice and input

The Message for MHS Staff

Keep lessons, goals and rubrics shortThe rule of 7+/-2

Get things to transfer from SHORT to LONG termThe rule of 7+/-2

Work in discreet CHUNKSThe rule of 7+/-2

PBL Discovery and extension, instead of delivering LISTS

PBL Knowledge in problem based context is memorable

PBL Stay in the ZONE: Create/Evaluate Apply/Analyze

Soft Skills You are the Facilitator, not the end all be all

Examples

5 x 5 in Math

Latin Roots and Gravy

The Weekly Show

Cybersafety Preso

Let’s go do this for Henry!!