Memory and Learning

(Kisacik, n.d.)

What is memory?

Memory in general is what we can remember and give us the capability to learn new knowledge, adapt and transfer knowledge and information from the previous experiences. It is the ability to remember, store, and recall things from learning facts, collected information, impressions, skills, experiences, and habits (The Human Memory, 2020).

 

In term of physiology or neurology, memory is a process involving encoding, storing, and retrieving experiences, knowledge, and information input (Queensland Brain Institute, n.d.)

 

Types of memory

There are several types of memories, some of which can last a lifetime while others might last for some seconds.

Usually, what we think of memory in the most common sense, it is long-term memory. When we talked about remembering things, it is normally referred to explicit memory, which is consciously recalled. Another kind of long-term memory is implicit which is unconscious (Queensland Brain Institute, n.d.). Long-term memory refers to the ability of stored information for no limit of capacity or duration while short-term memory enables us to remember a small amount of information for a short period of time. There is also important sensory memory which plays an essential part of establishing long-term memory. 

(The Human Memory, 2020)

 

Information processing model

The model of processing memory is a sequence of three necessary steps.

Walker (2021). Adapted from Atkinson, R.C. and Shiffrin, R.M. (1968). 'Human memory: A Proposed System and its Control Processes'. In Spence, K.W. and Spence, J.T. The psychology of learning and motivation, (Volume 2). New York: Academic Press. pp. 89–195.

 

Sensory memory is the shortest-term memory which is the ability to hold the impressions of sensory information after the original stimuli have ended. The incoming information is received through senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch, or taste. For example, if student look at a picture of something, and remember what it looked like with just some seconds of observation. Sensory memory can last only up to four or five seconds and is not considered a storing information step in short-term memory. Information is passed from sensory memory to working memory through process of attention (The Human Memory, 2020). 

 

Working memory (short-term memory) is where information stored temporary. It is the ability to remember and process information at the same time. Working memory can holds a small amount of information (up to 7 items) for a short period of time (less than a minutes) they are not rehearsed. The information here is either disappeared or encoded into long-term memory (The Human Memory, 2020). 

  

The final stage of the information process model is long-term memory where memory is stored mostly permanently and easy to recall (The Human Memory, 2020).

 

 

Cognitive Load Theory

"Cognitive load" relates to the amount of information that working memory can hold at one time (Sweller, 1988). Since working memory has a limited capacity, we cannot process new information and learn if working memory is overloaded.

Cognitive load theory, including Intrinsic Cognitive Load and Extraneous Cognitive Load, should be consider applying on teaching to maximise the effectiveness of learning.

Brain regions responsible for memory

There are different types of memory, and they are encoded ad stored differently in different, interconnected parts of the brain. 

Long-term memory

Explicit memories happen in three important parts: hippocampus, neocortex, and amygdala. The interact between these areas is essential for the permanence and stability of these memories. The basal ganglia and cerebellum are responsible for implicit memories (Queensland Brain Institute, n.d.).

 

Short-term memory (Working memory)

Working memory relies on the prefrontal cortex. It seems like there are separate functions between the two side of the prefrontal cortex: the left is more involved in verbal working memory while the right is more active in spatial working memory (Queensland Brain Institute, n.d.)

 

                                    .

      (Levent Efe, n.d.) 

Memory is related and distinct from learning

Memory is crucial for learning because it gives learners ability to learn and adapt new knowledge as well as recall the information stored in our memory from the past to link with new knowledge by association or inference. However, memory also depend on learning because through learning process, we store and retrieve information.

 

References

Kisacik, E. (n.d.). Memory and learning. [image]. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/images/learning-memory-title-image_tcm7-188284.jpg

Levent Efe. (n.d.). [Medical illustration: parts of brains responsible for memory]. Queensland Brain Institute.https://queenslandbraininstitute.partica.online/queensland-brain-institute/learning-and-memory/flipbook/10/

Queensland Brain Institute. (n.d.). Issue two. Learning and memory. From research to practice. The Brain. https://qbi.uq.edu.au/files/24081/The_Brain_Learning_Memory_QBI.pdf?utm_source=learningmemory&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=landingpageIMG

Sweller, J. (1988), Cognitive Load During Problem Solving: Effects on Learning. Cognitive Science, 12, pp. 257-285. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1202_4

The Human Memory. (2020). Types of memory. [Image]. https://human-memory.net/types-of-memory/