I have often thought about the learning experiences I have
had over the years and tried to remember what made some memorable while others
are vague or lost altogether. This week’s reading assignment and discussion
posts provided valuable insight on how the brain processes information and the
strategies we can use to ensure the information is made memorable for students.
I believe effective teachers use these strategies to make learning meaningful
and memorable, not just for a few days, but long-term.
My recollections of memorable learning experiences include
lessons that grabbed my attention and allowed time to practice the skill or
concept being learned. This makes sense after viewing the
information-processing theory. Slavin (2012) Figure 6.1 identifies the sequence
of information processing (Atkinson-Shiffrin Model), which states that
memorable information must reach a person’s senses, go through initial
processing, transfer from the sensory register to the working memory, and
finally be processed again for transfer to the long-term memory. The first step
in the model is very important because it means that a teacher must gain the
attention of students before learning can begin taking place. Slavin (2012)
states, “Like money, attention is a limited resource” (p.146). I believe
teachers must remember that students have a limited attention span and we
should focus students’ attention in interesting ways. Teachers can do this by
using cues, increasing the emotional content of information, implementing
elements of surprise and by stating the importance of information (Slavin,
2012). I clearly remember a second grade science lesson I experienced because
of the attention gaining technique of our guest speaker. He was a gemologist
and showed us several beautiful gems to gain our attention. I still remember
information I learned about gems that day and vivid images because of my peeked
interest associated with the beauty of the gems.
With our ultimate goal being the retention of information in
the long-term memory, I believe it is important to provide students with
opportunities to practice a skill or concept as well. This goes along with the
levels-of-processing theory, which states that people retain only the
information that has been thoroughly processed (Slavin, 2012). This is where
the knowledge and tools we possess as educators is necessary in planning. We
have to create meaningful opportunities that promote higher levels of
processing. Many of the discussions from this week on the importance of a
variation of learning strategies in the classroom included the need for this
variation in grade levels ranging from kindergarten to high school. Several
posts discussed the importance of partner and small group work, guided
questioning to focus attention, and a variety of verbal and visual strategies
that aid in a deep understanding and processing in students’ learning.
I paid special attention to the section on study strategies
that help students learn because I am always trying to provide students with
tools that will help them be successful in the future. I have had students in
the past make comments like, “I don’t understand why I didn’t do well. I looked
over the paper ten times.” Slavin (2012) states that, “effective methods
involve learners in reshaping the information” (p.169). In the future I will
provide more practice tests and opportunities for summarizing information and
for written response. I also plan to share the PQ4R method with my students,
especially those who struggle with the use of effective strategies for learning
information.
Understanding how the brain processes information, how we
remember and forget, and how we can make information meaningful for students is
imperative for effective teachers. Effective students understand the need for
study strategies and develop metacognitive skills. I believe it is a balance of
teacher and student recognition and application of these understandings that
make learning possible.
Reference
Slavin, R. E. (2012).
Educational Psychology: Theory and practice (10th ed.). Boston, MA:
Pearson Education.
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