Memory and Transfer by Kristen Norby

Overview of memory

abqnorby5 — 2025-09-08 03:27:08 UTC

Sensory memory

Sensory memory is contained in the thalamus and the brain stem (Sousa, 2022). Sensory memory takes all incoming information and screens out what is important to let in and what is not important. To determine if the information is important, the thalamus uses past experiences to gauge whether the information is kept or not (Sousa, 2022). The information held in sensory memory does not get held for very long. Information either gets discarded or sent to short term memory (Sousa, 2022). For the classroom, it is important for new information coming in to be linked to something that a student has already experienced, learned or had exposure to. The sensory memory won’t typically let new information in.

Short term memory

Short term memory is also considered working memory or immediate memory (Sousa, 2022). Information stored here is also stored for a short time, just like the sensory memory. If information is not discarded from the sensory memory, it moves to working memory (Sousa, 2022). When in short term memory, the brain decides if the information needs to be used or not. If it is useful, the brain will hold onto the information (Sousa, 2022). If the brain decides the information is not useful at the time, it will be discarded (Sousa, 2022). Once the information is used and not useful anymore, it will also be discarded (Sousa, 2022). It’s important to note that when information coming in, the brain is assessing whether the information is important to survival (Sousa, 2022). Emotions are also important for the brain to hold onto information. If the incoming information is tied to emotions already held within the brain, the brain acts accordingly (Sousa, 2022). The brain needs to feel free of threats when learning, so making sure

students feel secure in their learning environment helps students’ brains associate learning with positive feelings (Sousa, 2022).

Long term memory

Long term memory mostly takes place in the frontal lobe (Sousa, 2022). This part of the memory is also called working memory (Sousa, 2022). The information in this part of the brain can be new information that made it past the sensory memory and short term memory or can be recalled from long term storage (Sousa, 2022). Working memory can handle a few items at once, so to make sure that we don’t overload this part of the brain, making sure steps in the classroom are done a few at a time would be helpful (Sousa, 2022). Information in working memory can either be stored in long term storage or can be dropped off (Sousa, 2022). The brain decides if the information makes sense and can connect to other information stored in the brain (Sousa, 2022). If the information fits either of these criteria, the brain will store the information in the long term storage (Sousa, 2022). Making sure that what is being taught can fit in the students’ brain as either making sense (connecting to other information stored in the brain) or does the information have meaning (connecting to experiences of the learner) (Sousa, 2022). To ensure students are able to move information into long term storage is very important; teachers should strive to make sure they are relating material taught to either past experiences or making sure the information can be connected to something they have already stored.

Retention and transfer

abqnorby5 — 2025-09-08 03:28:39 UTC

Retention- the ability to recall information stored in long term memory.

Ways to help retention:

Rehearsal- repetition of information. Located in the frontal lobe of the brain. The brain must assess meaning to the skill before it can be stored in long term memory. Rehearsal can be for information that is specific (song lyrics, poetry) or non-specific (relating information to something already learned to create a new relationship). Making connections to past learning is crucial to add meaning to the information being stored.

Timing in learning- students learn best what is taught first in the lesson and what is taught last. At the beginning of learning, the brain is open to new information but as it processes the information, the storage gets full and the brain can't process more new information. By the time the lesson is ending, the brain has sorted the information in the brain to its various locations, freeing up space to let new information in.

Implications for teaching- Teach new skills first- when the brain is ready to let in new information in. Students should then practice the skill for rehearsal and to move the information into long term storage. End the lesson by connecting the newly learned skill to prior knowledge to deepen the understanding of the skill. Try hitting on all the learning styles within the lesson to connect to the way the differences of students varies in a classroom. By adding visual aids, verbal and visual aspects, have students do the work and have students teach each other the skill. By using the different learning structures helps students make connections within their brain helping the information get stored in long term memory.

Trauma and memory

abqnorby5 — 2025-09-08 03:29:02 UTC

The brain houses a lot of information and under ideal conditions will retrieve the memory easily. However, when the brain is stressed or under trauma conditions, the brain has a difficult time accessing the information. When put in stressful or perceived stressful environments, the ability of the brain diminishes- not because it doesn't have the information or memory but because their ability to function has decreased. Students who feel stress from not belonging, poverty, food insecurity, etc will have their stress response activated which shuts down the frontal cortex dealing with stored information.

Strategies to improve retention in the classroom

abqnorby5 — 2025-09-08 03:29:26 UTC

practice rehearsal for retention of learning by using exit tickets at the end of class, have students summarize what they learned at the end of the lesson, have students play kahoot or a game with the information taught.
Think about retention length when teaching. Teach the most important part at the beginning of the lesson, have students practice in the middle of the lesson and close the lesson with the information again. Have students turn and talk in the middle of the lesson, teach the skill to their neighbor, draw a picture of the skill learned.
Make connections in their learning. Collaborate with other subjects to increase connections to what is being taught. Teachers can collaborate with each other to cover similar material ideas that connect- like the ELA teacher can use a novel study about the Titanic when the social studies is covering the time period of the Titanic. The math teacher can have students calculate area of the science project creating an economical home using recycled materials. By connecting information in various classes helps students store the information in long term memory.

Resources

abqnorby5 — 2025-09-08 03:29:40 UTC

Ditullio, Gina. (2021). How to engage students' memory processes to improve learning. https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-engage-students-memory-processes-improve-learning

PBS. (n.d). How stress impacts the brain. https://vegas.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/how-stress-impacts-the-brain-video/stress-trauma-and-the-brain-insights-for-educators-thinktv-cet/

Sousa, David. (2022). How the brain learns. 6th edition. Corwin.