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Memory is the cognitive process that allows people to encode, store and retrieve information.

There are a few different types of memory where the brain can store incoming information.

Those are sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.

There are several factors that can affect where information goes such as attention, repetition, and emotion.

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Long term memory is the part of memory which allows us to remember information long term.

In order for information to make it here, it needs to make it to the cerebrum where it can be permanently stored (Sousa, 2022).

Before making it to long term storage, information must first go through sensory and immediate memory, then to working memory, and finally to long term memory (Sousa, 2022).

Long term storage is where teachers hope for the information and skills that they are teaching will be stored by their students, so that they can use this information for the future.

Learning can happen when students connect the new information to previous learning (stored in long term memory).

In the classroom, there are two criteria that must be met in order for students to transfer the information into long-term storage, those two being sense and meaning.

Research has shown that new learning that has both makes sense and has meaning for students can have a dramatically higher chance for retention.

In conclusion, long-term memory is central to how we learn, store, and retrieve information over time.

In teaching, fostering practices that help students encode, consolidate, and retrieve information effectively can enhance the retention of knowledge, promote deeper learning, and encourage the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

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Short-term memory is the type of memory where information arrives prior to possibly making it to long term storage.

The difference between long-term and short-term memory is that rather than being stored for a long time, information is only temporarily stored in short-term memory.

Short-term memory is connected to immediate memory and working memory (Sousa, 2022). Information stored in short-term memory fades quickly unless actively rehearsed or transferred to long-term memory.

Immediate memory is where information is briefly stored before it gets dropped from our memory and holds information for about 30 seconds on average (Sousa, 2022).

Example: memorizing a phone number in order to make a call, after that call is made, there is very little chance that the phone number is still in your memory at it as already been dropped.

Working memory is like short term memory in the sense of the fact that both only hold information for a limited amount of time.

Working memory is the place where conscious processing occurs, and incorporates both sensory/immediate memories and long-term memories (Sousa, 2022).

Short-term memory is primarily about storing info for a short while, while working memory includes both storage and active manipulation of information.

Short-term memory plays a crucial role in the educational learning environment as it facilitates the immediate processing and retention of information necessary for comprehension, problem-solving, and decision-making.

It also allows learners to hold and manipulate information temporarily, which is essential for understanding new concepts before they are transferred to long-term memory.

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Sensory memory is the first part of memory, it is how all of our information is taken in.

In order for information to be processed, it needs to be taken in from the environment by one of our five senses.

The information then goes through the sensory register, where it can get dropped if it has no importance, or it can continue on to immediate memory and to working memory (Sousa, 2022).

Because our senses take in an enormous amount of information:

It first is sent to the Thalamus, where the strength is then monitored.

Then the importance is monitored based on the individual's past experiences.

Sensory register holds information for a very short amount of time, specifically less than one second (Sousa, 2022).

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What is Transfer?

"The influence that past learning has on new learning, and the degree to which the new learning will be useful in the learner’s future" (Sousa, 2022).

There are two kinds of transfer:

Positive transfer: this is when prior learning/knowledge can help the learner process their new learning/information

Negative Transfer: when prior learning/knowledge can interfere with the new learning.

What is Retention?

"The preservation of learning in long-term storage in such a way that it can be identified and recalled quickly and accurately" (Sousa, 2022).

Retention requires the learner build conceptual frameworks that have sense and meaning in order to eventually make its way over to long term storage.

Influenced by:

focus, health, type of rehearsal, prior knowledge, critical attributes, and learning profile (Sousa, 2022).

Two major factors that need to be considered when it comes to rehearsal:

amount of time devoted to it

type of rehearsal

Two types of rehearsal:

Role rehearsal: a strategy where information is memorized exactly as it is presented

Example: Multiplication facts

Elaborative Rehearsal: focuses on connecting the new information to prior knowledge and allows students to create new ideas.

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What is trauma?

an experience that can have a negative and lasting impact on an individuals overall well being.

Trauma can significantly alter the brain's structure and function, affecting emotional regulation, memory, and overall cognitive processing.

According to Greenberg (2021), " Trauma can affect your brain's emotion networks to make you overreact or under-react to stressful situations.. Trauma creates fixed neural networks that are isolated from other parts of your brain and resistant to change".

A person that is suffering from post traumatic stress can overuse some parts of the brain while simultaneously underusing others.

Trauma can create changes in these areas of the brain:

Amygdala: it can become hyperactive, causing the person to become more sensitive to threats that increase anxiety, fear, and emotion.

Hippocampus: trauma can make it harder for this part of the brain to distinguish between past and present threats.

Prefrontal Cortex: will become less active, resulting in a reduction of impulse control and will make it harder to regulate emotions.

Trauma can also throw off cortisol levels (stress hormones), which can lead to anxiety, depression and other PTSD symptoms.

These changes can result in hypervigilance, emotional dysregulation, difficulty concentrating, and memory problems.

However, therapy, mindfulness, and supportive relationships can help the brain heal by rewiring neural pathways through neuroplasticity.

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Strategies to improve memory, retention and transfer: 

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Strategies to improve memory, retention and transfer: 

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Teachers can improve retention by:

Using repetition: Reinforce learning over time rather than cramming to strengthen neural connections.

Encourage retrieval: Use quizzes, flashcards, and self-testing to help students actively recall information. *Give students adequate time for retrieval

Make learning meaningful: Connect concepts to real-world applications or students’ experiences to enhance memory.

Chunking: Break topics into smaller, meaningful segments to prevent cognitive overload.

Teachers can improve transfer by:

Using multiple examples: Provide diverse examples to help students recognize patterns and apply concepts.

Encourage metacognition: Have students to reflect on their thinking, ask questions, and evaluate their learning strategies.

Practice with different topics: Mix different but related topics in practice sessions to strengthen cognitive flexibility.