Preparing for Instruction 4- Cognitive Science for Learning-Working Memory

“What we process, we learn. 

If we aren’t processing life, 

we aren’t living it…

                     live life”

                   -Dr. Doolittle

Working memory is found in the neocortex of the brain and is where information is processed. “Working memory can move between sensory memory for more information and long-term memory where information can be retrieved to help form a new memory” (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). “Working memory is limited in capacity, limited in duration and limited in focus. It allows us to remember about four things at a time for about 10-20 seconds unless we do something with it. Unless we process it, apply it to something, talk about it or someone asks about it” (Doolittle, 2013). I really like the examples Dr.Doolittle uses in his TED talk on working memory. He uses the examples of “walking into a room and forgetting what you went in there for and having to walk back out to remember” (Doolittle, 2013). Doolittle provides a few strategies in his TED talk, on how to help process working memory into long-term memory. He recommends, “ repeating it, thinking about it, writing it down, practicing it, reviewing notes, making connections, Imagery, organizing it, and getting support”(Doolittle,2013). Similarly, Foos & Clark (as cited in Merriam & Bierema, 2014) suggest, “Rehearsing information or trying to form a mental image or associating information with prior information…” (p.174).

 I really believe in the use of imagery in teaching. I find that students are more engaged when I use storytelling, pictures, cartoons and mapping in my PowerPoint and lecture presentations. I feel this TED talk will improve my instruction as it has peaked my interest in looking up ways to help my students transfer working memory into long-term memory. I hope in my next class to use different association techniques, such as acronyms and mnemonics to assist my students in learning. I would like to also use podcasts, humor, and TED talks to get my students more engaged and interested. If there is time at the end of a class, I could pair students up with each other to go over key points that were taught that day.

                                                  References      

Doolittle, P. (Writer). (2013). How your "working memory" makes sense of the world [Motion picture on TEDlive]. USA: TEDGlobal.

Merriam, S. B. & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult learning. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons.

 Please note that this blog in its entirety is licensed under creative commons,
 please see details below:

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA
This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, as long as they credit you and license their new creations under the identical terms.
View License Deed | View Legal Code