Memory
Overview
There are three stages of retaining memories: Sensory, Short-term, and Long-term. The sensory stage holds information from your senses for under a second and, if deemed important, transferred over to Short-term memory for about 25 seconds. The Long-term memory comes from what your brain thought was important from the other two stages.
There are three stages of retaining memories: Sensory, Short-term, and Long-term. The sensory stage holds information from your senses for under a second and, if deemed important, transferred over to Short-term memory for about 25 seconds. The Long-term memory comes from what your brain thought was important from the other two stages.
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Key Concepts
Sensory Memory
Sensory memory is the first stage we go through when forming a memory. Its purpose is to provide time for our brain to process information obtained from our five senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch). For example, drawing a picture after only seeing it for one second. There are three types of sensory memory: Iconic memory (visual), Echoic memory (auditory) and Haptic memory (tactile). Most sensory information that is retained does not last longer than a second before it is forgotten, because it is not consciously controlled. For a memory to form, information must continue onto our short-term memory.
Short-term Memory
After perceptions, the short-term memory kicks in and it can store about seven items no more than twenty-five seconds at a time. There are strategies available to enhance our short-term memory to items greater than seven. These are for example: pairing numbers in sequences when they are longer, in order to store them in our short-term memory.
Long-term Memory
Long-term memory is the culmination of storage from perception to short-term memory. In this stage - the more the information is relied upon the more likely it will be stored for greater amounts of time. For example, a study found that teachers who provide prior knowledge in the classroom rather than for homework; tend to notice an increase in students’ academic achievement.
Practical Suggestions for Educators
Social Implications of Technology on Adolescent Memory
An area of awareness for educators should be access to technology media platforms for teens. Although in education, technology enhances the learning experience, the effect of multitasking using many platforms can have an effect on working memory (WM) and long-term memory (LTM) performance. The effect is that heavy media multitaskers exhibit lower WM performance and that lower the WM becomes it has an effect on tasks that require adolescents to use their LTM.
Implications of Short-Term Memory
Lead author and neurorehabilitation scientist at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute, Dr. Jed Metlzer says, "When we are learning new information, our brain has two different ways to remember the material for a short period of time, either by mentally rehearsing the sounds of the words or thinking about the meaning of the words." Educators should understand the positive effects creating meaningful relations have on adolescent's short-term memory. Teachers can help students develop their short-term memory by creating meaning; for example, if a child is expected to remember a name, they might associate it was a cartoon character that shares the same name. When students associate material with something that has meaning to them, they are more likely to recall it later on. Mnemonic devices are another good way to remember information for a longer period of time (eg. creating songs). While short-term memory is only meant to be stored for no longer than 25 seconds at a time, meaning can expand the amount of information we can retrieve within that time frame- past seven pieces of information- and/or leave a permanent structural trace on the memory.
Memorization Strategies
It is no coincidence that we can more efficiently remember ideas or information we find interesting and pursue with enthusiasm. A great way to retain memory is to have enthusiasm because you will more likely remember something if it's interesting to you(“Memory Techniques”). Another way to help remember is to form connections and relate the information to what you already know (“Memory Techniques”). In order to help memorize facts for a test, it is sometimes best to use memory techniques such as acronyms and chunking (“Memory Techniques”). For example, you can memorize a word, and have each letter represent the information you want to remember. Therefore, providing interesting lessons for students and getting them engaged will not only help students learn more, but they will also retain the knowledge for a longer period of time.
Social Implications of Technology on Adolescent Memory
An area of awareness for educators should be access to technology media platforms for teens. Although in education, technology enhances the learning experience, the effect of multitasking using many platforms can have an effect on working memory (WM) and long-term memory (LTM) performance. The effect is that heavy media multitaskers exhibit lower WM performance and that lower the WM becomes it has an effect on tasks that require adolescents to use their LTM.
Implications of Short-Term Memory
Lead author and neurorehabilitation scientist at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute, Dr. Jed Metlzer says, "When we are learning new information, our brain has two different ways to remember the material for a short period of time, either by mentally rehearsing the sounds of the words or thinking about the meaning of the words." Educators should understand the positive effects creating meaningful relations have on adolescent's short-term memory. Teachers can help students develop their short-term memory by creating meaning; for example, if a child is expected to remember a name, they might associate it was a cartoon character that shares the same name. When students associate material with something that has meaning to them, they are more likely to recall it later on. Mnemonic devices are another good way to remember information for a longer period of time (eg. creating songs). While short-term memory is only meant to be stored for no longer than 25 seconds at a time, meaning can expand the amount of information we can retrieve within that time frame- past seven pieces of information- and/or leave a permanent structural trace on the memory.
Memorization Strategies
It is no coincidence that we can more efficiently remember ideas or information we find interesting and pursue with enthusiasm. A great way to retain memory is to have enthusiasm because you will more likely remember something if it's interesting to you(“Memory Techniques”). Another way to help remember is to form connections and relate the information to what you already know (“Memory Techniques”). In order to help memorize facts for a test, it is sometimes best to use memory techniques such as acronyms and chunking (“Memory Techniques”). For example, you can memorize a word, and have each letter represent the information you want to remember. Therefore, providing interesting lessons for students and getting them engaged will not only help students learn more, but they will also retain the knowledge for a longer period of time.
Resources
Burmester, A. (2017, June 4). Working memory: How you keep things ‘in mind’ over the short
term. Retrieved September 29, 2018,from http://theconversation.com/working-m
emory-how-you-keep-things-in-mind-over-the-short-term-75960
D. (2017, July 17). Types of Memory: Sensory Memory, Short-term Memory (STM) or
“Working Memory”, Long-term Memory (LTM). Retrieved September 29, 2018, from
https://diethics.com/types-of-memory-sensory-memory-short-term-memory-stm-or-work
ng-memory-long-term-memory-ltm/
Episodic Buffer. (n.d.). Retrieved, September 29,2018, from https://www.alleydog.com
/glossary/definition.php?term=Episodic Buffer
How to Make Memories Stick. (2017, June 23). Retrieved, October 03, 2018 from
https://psychcentral.com/news/2017/06/23/how-to-make-memories-stick/122332.html
MacIndoe, J. (June 19, 2017) Making information meaningful leads to better memory.
Retrieved,October 03, 2018,from https://www.baycrest.org/Baycrest-Pages/News-Med ia/News/Research/Making-infrmation- meaningful-leads-to-better-memo
McLeod, S.A. (2007). Stages of memory - Encoding Storage and Retrieval. Retrieved from
https://www.simplypsychology.org/memory.html
Richard C. Mohs. (May 8, 2007). How Human Memory Works. Retrieved from
https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/human-memory.htm
The Peak Performance Center. (n.d). Human Memory. Retrieved from
http://thepeakperformancecenter.com/educational-learning/learning/memory/
The Peak Performance Center. (n.d). Memory Techniques. Retrieved from
http://thepeakperformancecenter.com/educational-learning/learning/memory/memory-techniques/
Uncapher, M. R., Thieu, M. K., & Wagner, A. D. (2015). Media multitasking and memory:
Differences in working memory and long-term memory. SpringerLink, 23(2), 483-490.
Retrieved September 25, 2018, fromhttp://fr7cx7ua3s.search.serialssolutions.com
/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-
8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Media multitasking and memory: Differences in working memory and long-term memory&rft.jtitle=Psychonomic bulletin & review&rft.au=Uncapher,Melina R&rft.au=K Thieu, Monica&rft.au=Wagner, Anthony D&rft.date=2016-04-01&rft.eissn=1531- 5320&rft.volume=23&rft.issue=2&rft.spage=483&rft_id=info:pmid/26223469&rft.externalDocID=26223469¶mdict=en-US
Burmester, A. (2017, June 4). Working memory: How you keep things ‘in mind’ over the short
term. Retrieved September 29, 2018,from http://theconversation.com/working-m
emory-how-you-keep-things-in-mind-over-the-short-term-75960
D. (2017, July 17). Types of Memory: Sensory Memory, Short-term Memory (STM) or
“Working Memory”, Long-term Memory (LTM). Retrieved September 29, 2018, from
https://diethics.com/types-of-memory-sensory-memory-short-term-memory-stm-or-work
ng-memory-long-term-memory-ltm/
Episodic Buffer. (n.d.). Retrieved, September 29,2018, from https://www.alleydog.com
/glossary/definition.php?term=Episodic Buffer
How to Make Memories Stick. (2017, June 23). Retrieved, October 03, 2018 from
https://psychcentral.com/news/2017/06/23/how-to-make-memories-stick/122332.html
MacIndoe, J. (June 19, 2017) Making information meaningful leads to better memory.
Retrieved,October 03, 2018,from https://www.baycrest.org/Baycrest-Pages/News-Med ia/News/Research/Making-infrmation- meaningful-leads-to-better-memo
McLeod, S.A. (2007). Stages of memory - Encoding Storage and Retrieval. Retrieved from
https://www.simplypsychology.org/memory.html
Richard C. Mohs. (May 8, 2007). How Human Memory Works. Retrieved from
https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/human-memory.htm
The Peak Performance Center. (n.d). Human Memory. Retrieved from
http://thepeakperformancecenter.com/educational-learning/learning/memory/
The Peak Performance Center. (n.d). Memory Techniques. Retrieved from
http://thepeakperformancecenter.com/educational-learning/learning/memory/memory-techniques/
Uncapher, M. R., Thieu, M. K., & Wagner, A. D. (2015). Media multitasking and memory:
Differences in working memory and long-term memory. SpringerLink, 23(2), 483-490.
Retrieved September 25, 2018, fromhttp://fr7cx7ua3s.search.serialssolutions.com
/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-
8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Media multitasking and memory: Differences in working memory and long-term memory&rft.jtitle=Psychonomic bulletin & review&rft.au=Uncapher,Melina R&rft.au=K Thieu, Monica&rft.au=Wagner, Anthony D&rft.date=2016-04-01&rft.eissn=1531- 5320&rft.volume=23&rft.issue=2&rft.spage=483&rft_id=info:pmid/26223469&rft.externalDocID=26223469¶mdict=en-US