The Mystery of Memory

The Mystery of Memory

NCTM Regional Conference & Exposition

Nashville, TNNovember 19, 2009

1


Presenter Information

Kay Haralson, Associate ProfessorStudent Success Specialist, Title

III GrantAustin Peay State UniversityClarksville, Tn 37044

2


Definition•“Memory is an organism’s ability to store, retain, and subsequently retrieve information.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory)

3

The Mystery of MemorySo what determines what gets stored and what

gets trashed?Why are some memories easily retrieved and

others put up a fight?Why can I remember what type of flowers were

in the lei I wore at a luau in Hawaii 10 years ago, but can’t remember if I turned off the coffeepot this morning?

Why can I remember faces of former students, but not names?

How can I purposefully create lasting memories?

Understanding how memory works will shed light on some of these

questions. 4


Three Phases of Memory

1. Learning or encoding phase2. Storage or retaining phase3. Retrieval phase

Source: Sprenger

5


Your memory works similar to a digital camera.

Memory:

Camera:

Source: Staley

6


Problems can occur during any phase

Learning phase• Lack of attention, focus, or concentration

Storage phase• Sleep deprivation, interruptions during storage

Retrieval phase• Lack of appropriate cues or triggers, distortion

of information

Source: Sprenger

7

The Mystery of Memry The categories of memory are

related to the duration of memory retention.

1. Sensory memory2. Short term memory (temporary)

Immediate memory Active working memory

3. Long term memory (permanent) Explicit memory (declarative) Implicit memory (non-declarative)

Source:, Sprenger, Wikipedia8

The Mystery of Memory1. Sensory Memory

• Information enters our brain through our senses. (i.e. seeing, hearing, touching, etc.)

• Operates subconsciously or consciously• It is where we put information briefly

while we decide what to do with it.• Degrades very quickly, stays up to 30

seconds.• If information is determined to be

unimportant it drops out of the temporary memory system.

Source: Sprenger, Wikipedia9


2. Short Term Memory• Immediate memory (conscious memory)

The process by which sensory memory is held in the brain.

Allows us to take in new information and hold it while more is added.

Adult capacity for this short term storage is between 3 to 5 items.

Can recall something from several seconds to up to a minute without rehearsal.

Source: Sousa, Sprenger, Wikipedia10


Look at the letters below for 3 seconds and try to remember as many as possible.

NRAFBITBRUTK11


Write down the letters you remember.

Your sensory memory saw all twelve letters, but your immediate memory probably only placed 3−5 in short term storage.

If I asked you to recall the letters five minutes from now, you would probably remember even fewer.

12


However, if the twelve letters are “chunked” into meaningful groups of letters, you will be able to recall more letters. Try again. When the next slide goes away, write down the letters you remember.

13


NRA FBI TBR UTK

14


A “chunk” is a “perceptual unit”. If the letters are random, each letter is a “chunk” of information. But if the letters are separated into meaningful groups, each group becomes a “chunk”:

“NRA” “FBI” “TBR” “UTK”Chunking can increase memory capacity.The ideal size for chunking is 3 (whether

meaningful or not). Ex. Phone numbers, car tags, street addresses, initials, pledge of allegiance.

Sources: Thompson & Madigan, Wikipedia 15

The Mystery of Memory2. Short Term Memory

• Active Working Memory When something from sensory memory

requires more of our attention it is transferred to working memory.

Working memory is like a computer screen, where we work on something and eventually dispose of it or save it elsewhere.

Information can be retrieved for up to a minute without rehearsal.

Capacity very limited, stores between 5−9 items.

Sources: Sousa, Wikipedia

16


2. Short Term Memory • Active Working Memory and Memory

Process It is where new and old information meet. When exposed to new information our brains

look for “hooks” or previously established memories related to the new information to increase the likelihood of recall.

Stores the first words of a sentence so you understand the sentence when you get to the end.

Allows you to retain a question while your mind searches for an answer.

Sources: Sousa, Sprenger, Wikipedia17


Four Factors Affecting Immediate and Working Memories are Important for Learning

• Interest• Intent• Understanding• Prior Knowledge

Even without the others, having the “intent” to learn can make

the difference.Source: Hopper

18


Time Limits of Working Memory• Preadolescents 5-10 minutes• Adolescents and adults 10−20 minutes• After this time, focus drifts, fatigue,

boredom sets in• To maintain focus, you must change the

way you deal with the item. (i.e. switch from listening to physically applying it, talk about it, make connections to other learning)

Source: Sousa

19


Implication for Teachers

Consider capacity limits and time limits on working memory when planning lessons.

20


3. Long Term Memory• Implicit Memory (Nondeclarative)

Memory that occurs without conscious effort and was not consciously learned.

More involved with feelings and “how to” rather than “what”.

Three types: Conditioned response Procedural memory Emotional memory Sources: Sousa, Sprenger, Thompson and Madigan, Wikipedia 21


• Conditioned ResponseFormed by repetitionCreates strong networks in the brain, lasting

memoriesSome may require a trigger (Plop, plop, fizz,

fizz . . .)

Other may be automatic, i.e. singing the alphabet, reciting multiplication facts, pledge of allegiance

Use this memory type to help learn information by using melodies, rhymes, metaphors, etc.

Source: Sprenger

22


• Procedural MemoryImplicit-procedural memory deals with

knowing how rather than knowing what. It is the learning of motor and cognitive

skills, automated procedures, i.e. riding a bike, finding our way to work, counting, math operations.

Procedural memory is enhanced by rote rehearsal.

In procedural memory a set of steps can be followed to produce an outcome, without knowing why we are doing them.

Sources: Sousa, Sprenger, Thompson & Madigan

23

The Mystery of Memory• Emotional Memory

The most powerful memory.Neutral experiences leave little to remember.Experiences that stir emotions are remembered

longer. You remember what you FEEL. Emotional memory accounts for our fears,

phobias, likes, and dislikes. Emotions affect attention, perception, decision

making, and memory.Creative thinking skills and problem solving can

create emotional memory.Using discussion, role playing, etc. to add

emotions to learning. Sources: Sousa, Sprenger, Thompson & Madigan

24



Personalize learning, make up stories, have students create stories and relate information to life experiences.

Stir EMOTION!

25

The Mystery of Memory3. Long Term Memory

• Explicit Memory (Declarative) Memory explicitly stored and saved, i.e.

names, facts, music, objects, events A conscious and almost effortless recall

of facts and events Can be consciously retrieved and put into

words Two types:

• Episodic Memory • Semantic Memory

Source: Sousa, Wikipedia

26

The Mystery of Memory• Episodic Memory

The conscious memory of life events.Is location and circumstance related. To remember what you did last Saturday you

must remember where you were. This leads to who you saw, what you said, what you felt, etc.

Importance for learning: Triggers can be used to retrieve episodic memory, i.e. A student looks at the whiteboard or the teacher, visualizes the teacher explaining a problem and triggers the memory of how to work the problem.

Sources: Sprenger, Wikipedia27



Test in the same environment in which the learning occurred, with the same teacher in the room.

Provides TRIGGERS!

28


•Semantic MemoryKnowledge of facts not related to any event.Must be practiced or rehearsed for encoding.

(Learning dates, names, facts, etc.)Must be consciously processed for retention. Teaching strategies for semantic information

include mnemonics, acronyms, creating hooks, etc. (This is one reason faculty use seating charts, identifying each student with a location.)

Sources: Sprenger, Wikipedia

29

The Mystery of MemoryKeys to Memory

Pay attention - intentionally stay focusedVisualization - create a visual image in

your mind, the brain thinks in pictures and concepts, not words

Association - find something to connect the information to (hooks)

Imagination - get creative when visualizing or making associations

Source: Charpko

30



By creating a visual representation of a situation that is relevant to the student, greater meaning is obtained.

31

The Mystery of MemoryEnhance Memory and Increase

Retention• Rehearsal

Rote Rehearsal −When something needs to be learned exactly, i.e. memorizing a poem, dates.

• More likely to remember if rehearsal is spaced out over extended periods of time.

• Chunking aids memory and recall.Elaborative Rehearsal − Information does not

need to be exact, more important to associate new ideas with prior knowledge, make connections and assign meaning, i.e. reading and discussing a novel.

• Goal of learning is not just to acquire knowledge, but to use it in various settings that are relevant.

Source: Sousa ,Sprenger

32



Information is most likely to get stored if it makes sense and has meaning. The more we teach through declarative memory, involving understanding and meaning, the more students will succeed and enjoy learning.

Source: Sousa33


• Look at the list of 5 words below for 5 seconds:

table green hope cat fifty

34


Forgetting and Degree of Learning

We remember best that which comes first, second best that which comes last, and least that which is in the middle. (Primacy-Recency Effect)

Distributed practice leads to better retention than does massed practice.

What were the five words?

Sources: Sousa, Thompson and Madigan

35


Factors that Influence MemoryAerobic exercise - increases the oxygen to

the brainA healthy heart - the brain needs a good

supply of bloodHealthy diet and plenty of waterSleep - the brain molds newly learned

information into lasting memories most successfully while we rest.

Sources: Chrapko, Sprenger, www.memoryzine.com 36


Factors that Influence Memory

Stress or depression - anxiety or depression hampers memory

Mental exercise - keeping your mind active

Memory is enhanced by: color, pleasant smells, space, movement, patterns, repetition, connections, fun

Sources: Chrapko, Sprenger, www.memoryzine.com 37


The Basics to Remember!• Memory is about making CONNECTIONS!• Connections start with hooks and visual

images. • Recall is determined by how well your

memories are connected and how many paths you have made to that memory in the brain.

• Well worn paths provide better recall. 38

References• Chrapko, Tonia. “Secrets of the Brain: the Mystery of Memory.” Science

Mysteries. 2004. 17 Nov 2009 <http://www.world-mysteries.com/sci_memory1.htm>.

• Hooper, Carolyn, “Memory Principles.” Study Skills Memory Principles. 2003. 17 Nov 2009 <http://www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/mem.html>.

• “Memory.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 11 Nov 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory >.

• “Memory Fitness.” MemoryZine. 11 Nov 2009 <http://www.memoryzine.com/MF.htm>.

• Sousa, David A. (2008). How the Brain Learns Mathematics. California: Corwin Press, Inc.

• Sprenger, Marilee B. (2003). Differentiation Through Learning Styles and Memory. California: Corwin Press, Inc.

• Staley, Constance C. (2009). Focus on College Success. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

• Thompson, Richard F. & Madigan, Stephen A. (2007). Memory: The Key to Consciousness. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

39

Thank you for your time and attention!

If you would like a copy of this presentation go to www.apsu.edu/haralson and click on Memory, or email [email protected].

40

Date post:	30-Dec-2015
Category:	Documents
Upload:	cadman-potter
View:	32 times
Download:	0 times

The Mystery of Memory

Documents