Memory & Transfer by

Long-term Memory

gkobbe — 2024-05-26 18:39:48 UTC

Long-term memory is not just information that we remember, but it is what makes us, us. There are two ways we can separate long-term memory and that is procedural and declarative (Almaraz-Espinosa & Grider, 2023). Procedural being things we learn over-time and with practice, while declarative would be information we remember like facts, dates, or concepts (Almaraz- Espinoza & Grider, 2023). When thinking about the classroom and long-term memory I think of examples like multiplication. We remember the concept of multiplication being a number a set amount of times, like 3 x 4 is three, four times. While the steps to solve a multiplication problem would be procedural, as we practice the steps over and over. The point of teaching is to educate minds and that the information we teach is stored as long-term memories.

Short-term Memory

gkobbe — 2024-05-26 18:41:39 UTC

Short term memory refers to memory that is only needed for a short amount of time like seconds or minutes and is not important enough to be stored (Harvard Health Publishing, n.d.). An example of this would typing in a phone number after looking at an ad. You will remember it long enough to make the call, but won't remember it an hour later.

Short-term memory is closely related to working memory. Like short term memory, working memory is temporary and can only handle small amounts of information at once (Sousa, 2022). It has been shown that working memory can be accessed by adolescents for about 5-10 minutes at a time (Sousa, 2022). This may explain why students lose focus so often during long lessons. They need the information in smaller amounts of time and in smaller chunks. Too much information at once and/ or at an extended time will be lost.

Sensory Memory

gkobbe — 2024-05-26 18:43:26 UTC

Sensory memory is brief and is caused by stimuli which is recognized through our five senses; taste, touch, sound, sight and scent. We also refer to our long-term memory when stimuli is present and may recognize it. For example when we hear a police car's siren when we drive, we look around to see where it is. The sensory register determines how important the incoming information is and if it is not dropped, it then moves into immediate memory (Sousa, 2022). When looking at a classroom environment in relation to sensory memory we recognize that there may be some sensory stimuli that should we reduced. For example, loud noises, strong over powering scents, and harsh lighting can all affect a child's learning environment and can become a distraction. On the positive side, connecting five senses to learning can also be a way to make important information stick. For example, using songs to remember certain topics can be helpful as students can remember key words when they hear them and relate them to a song they learned.

Retention & Transfer

gkobbe — 2024-05-26 18:46:23 UTC

"Retention refers to the process whereby long-term memory preserves learning in such a way that it can locate, identify, and retrieve it accurately in the future" (Sousa, 2022). As we know, memories are formed based on repeated patterns of neurons "firing". Therefore, retention can only be possible by repeated exposure or learning, or as Sousa (2022) says, "rehearsal". A learner must be able to attach sense and meaning to the information they are learning, or that information will be dropped, thus the importance of allowing sufficient time for information to be processed (Sousa, 2022). As teachers, the goal is not just for our students to pass the unit test, or state testing, but to retain knowledge to apply throughout their lives.

Transfer refers to the connection made between new information in working memory and long-term memory that is stored in the brain (Sousa, 2022). In order for successful transfer, there must be background knowledge or experience. Sousa (2022) states that there are positive and negative transfers. Positive meaning that past experiences can help students understand new information, while negative may cause confusion with new learning (Sousa, 2022).

Trauma & Memory

gkobbe — 2024-05-26 18:50:41 UTC

A person who suffers from PTSD may have decreased grey and white matter and volume in the brain, as well as an increase in brain reaction to traumatic stimuli (Grand Canyon University, 2016). It was found that people with PTSD could complete the same tasks as anyone else, until emotion invoking stimuli was introduced (Neuroscience News, 2022). Being faced with a possible threat took all of the subject's (with PTSD) attention. Just like any long-term memory, trauma memories are held in different areas of the brain, and are resurfaced by familiar stimuli, like sensations or emotions. This knowledge is essential for teachers as we must try to provide our students with a safe environment to learn in, and be compassionate when trauma may influence our students ability to learn. We must also remember that if there are moments that a student is distracted by a traumatic memory they will be unable to hold on to the new information in front of them.

Strategies

gkobbe — 2024-05-26 18:52:17 UTC

There are many strategies to improve retention, memory and transfer. Sousa (2022) discusses schools using thematic units that implement multiple areas of curriculum to enhance positive transfer. For example, using a reading curriculum that includes history, or science in its texts could help provide or connect students with background knowledge. Teachers can make learning engaging by using interactive approaches. For example, having students show the class how they solved a problem, or having students discuss their learning with classmates. These strategies involve the students, rather than a teacher just talking AT the students. We can also include positive emotions or experiences in learning to help students remember information. An example of this that I have done was having students practice spelling words outside using chalk, rather than writing them with paper and pencil. Many teachers use "growth mindset" strategies to instill a sense of resiliency, positive mindset, and goal setting in students. This strategy can be especially useful for students who have experienced trauma.

All of these strategies can assist in helping students become life-long learners. They can inspire students to want to learn and grow!

How Are Memories Formed?

gkobbe — 2024-05-27 21:55:40 UTC

When stimuli is introduced the nerve impulse travels to the synapse and chemicals are released and travel to dendrites of nearby neurons (Sousa, 2022). Other neurons are then sparked and generate a signal causing more neurons to "fire" (Sousa, 2022). When this repeatedly happens, the pattern causes even more neuronal connections to fire, thus leading to a memory forming (Sousa, 2022). These memories are then stored in different parts of the brain, in the cerebrum and cerebellum (Sousa, 2022). Now, when similar stimuli is introduced, these neurons fire again and previous memories made can be recollected.