Memory

The brain 🧠 is an organ that has the capability of doing many jobs at a single time. Though the most important task is the ability to build and store information. This information is converted into memories. The brain has various forms of memory such as long term, short term and sensory. Understanding the brain allows for a sense of success to become present.

Wanting to gain an in depth understanding of the brain taking a look at {How the Brain Learns} a 6th edition textbook written by David Sousa; I was able to pull important and beneficial knowledge from his book. This resource was a great guide in understanding more about the brain and memory.

In the educational realm taking into consideration the formation of memory is important. Why you ask? Well, retention for starters. Then you may continue by asking " What happens in the brain when memories are established!"

Let's dive in.......

Long Term Memory what exactly is it? Well, long term memory is memories that have been stored over an extended period of time. Within long term memory there are components that must be considered. The components are declarative and non-declarative memory.

What's the difference? Well, I'm glad you asked!

Declarative memory is based around consciousness, being clear and precise. Declarative memory has two subgroups: episodic and semantic. Episodic is the action of remembering, were semantic is the action of knowing. What do the two do for education? Semantic helps a student to pull on prior knowledge. Pulling on prior knowledge shows a level of retention. This task helps educators meet a child where they are and nudge them to the next level. This memory is somewhat automatic. As for episodic there is a little bit of thinking or should I say recalling that must take place. In education declarative memory is established as early as pre- kindergarten. The memories that were established according to an article written by A. Orlando in Discover Magazine, they are formed into clusters. Personally, I feel these clusters are compartmentalized for later usage. What Happens in Your Brain When You Make Memories? | Discover Magazine

Non-declarative memory is basically implied and indirect. Non-declarative memory has four subgroups. The subgroups are procedural, classical, non-associative and perceptual. Procedural memory is based around cognitive skills. Recalling how to do something. In the case of education, remembering how to enunciate words in order to read and comprehend text. Perceptual memory is the ability to recall information. Recalling information in education helps students when taking test and even when they are learning new information. Non-associative memory is being accustomed to various things taking place and adapting or reacting in a manner that revolves around the action. Within non-associative memory education can become tricky. This is stated because if a student is placed in a situation in which they do not feel safe they will not be able to learn and will revert to reacting in a manner to defend and protect themselves. Last but not least classical memory is also referred to as associative memory. This memory is almost like cause and effect. Practicalpie.com shares direct examples of associative memory. They speak of associative memory as being able to relate something to another. In education this memory helps with linking concepts to retain information being taught. Associative Memory (5 Examples + Functions) - Practical Psychology 14 Non-Associative Learning Examples (2024)

Long term memory and education learning tie into each other in means of how the brain departmentalizes the various information. With long term memory the brain is able to store and recall knowledge that was taken in for over an extended period of time. In the area of memory, the brain forms memory in sections of the declarative and non-declarative memory boxes.

Short term memory what is it exactly......

When we think of short-term memory we think of quick, to the point and present. Well, short-term according to Sousa from How the Brain Learns, the short-term memory component of the brain is built around immediate and functional memories. These two important parts of memory allows for new knowledge to be transformed into long term memories.

Let's peel back the layers a little to gain a deeper understanding.

Did you know that there is an unwritten official timeframe placed on short-term memory? The unofficial timeframe is storage of 15 to 30 seconds. If you truly think about it there is some truth behind this timeframe. When given homework students are told to write it down or make a memo in their phones. This is because after being told this simple task the short-term memory box expels the information as it feels no reason to store the information.

Immediate memory is memory that is determined to be either important or waste. If the information of this memory is important it is then transferred to working memory which then moves on to becoming long-term memory.

Functional memory or working memory is the area of the brain is consciously processing information.

A few strategies to improve short-term memory........

* Chunking

according to an article from Explore Psychology and personal knowledge this is a strategy that requires the educator to group the information being read to allow for easier remembering. Chunking text allows for the text to be condensed and annotating text to be easier.

* Mnemonics

is the ability to remember with a rhyme and or lyric. Also, with this strategy one is able to use music and songs to help boost memory. Ex: The multiplication song to help remember times tables.

*Visualization

helps by creating relatable mental images. This strategy is part of recollection. Ex: When one thinks of cereal but can't remember the name they will recall the image on the box. i.e. Lucky Charms has lucky under a horseshoe rainbow.

Short-term memory involves an immediate stimuli. This section of memory also is considered passive. With short-term memory repetition is key. Getting ample amount of rest allows for the short-term memories to sprout into full grown long-term memories. When short term memories are established when thinking of education, a student builds more clusters to pull on to recall from for future purposes.

The question of how the relationship between retention and transfer of memory allows for learning to become possible.

In this interesting relationship retention according to a section of text from ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub stated that retention "Refers to the storage of information in long-term memory in such a way that it can be readily retrieved." Basically, what they are saying is that all information that a student learned years ago they are able to pull on it from the long-term storage. Example would be learning to read in elementary, that knowledge is pulled on and implemented in higher grades to ping success. 3.6 Enhancing retention and transfer (Event 9) – High Quality Online Courses

The term transfer refers to the ability to use prior knowledge to solve problems that are present. In education students often use the ability to transfer information to attain a level of success in their courses.

Retention and transfer allow for learning to be possible in means of how the brain extracts old information and presents it in a manner that the information becomes fresh. This strategy is all about a level of repetition.

Trauma and Memory........

When the topic of trauma steps into the forefront memory becomes a sensitive shaky area. Trauma has the ability to affect one's memory in many different ways. Per a pdf by Michael Bricker trauma is able to impact four types of memory. These four types of memory have been mentioned above.

NICABM-InfoG-memory-systems

But to go into great detail:

* Semantics memory is affected by trauma in means of preventing information that is familiar to become foreign. Ex: Riding a bicycle >> trauma= not knowing what a bicycle is or what to do with it.

* Episodic memory is affected by trauma in means of powering down in other words shutting down. Ex: Freezing up and not recalling something that you did only seconds prior to an incident. * Emotional memory is affected by trauma in means of triggers. Any activity can cause emotion to go haywire. * Procedural memory is affected by trauma in means of tensing up causing a form of numbness

As an educator one must be strategic in planning and delivery of lessons to all of their students. They must always be mindful that their students emerge from various backgrounds. Taking into consideration the various forms of memory and how they play a major part in how a student's learning ability is important. Keeping in mind that being intentional in differentiating instruction is key. In being mindful of memory its many components and differentiation educators must be deliberate in recognizing trauma in their students. In them recognizing trauma the educator must know how to reach said students.

Every strategy that was shared is able to establish a sense of success in all students. Implementing activities that allow for the students to be active helps them to recall and retain information. A strategy that also helps is peer lead lessons. When students lead portions of the lesson they will put their own twist on the activity. Doing this will allow for a high level of motivation that turns into short-term then long-tern memories. The students are able to pull from this memory when they need to recall information.