Knowledge BasisInformation Processing

Types of KnowledgeDeclarative knowledge – FACTUAL

informationProcedural knowledge – HOW TO – STEPSStrategic knowledge – WHEN to APPLY

Knowledge ProcessesIncreased knowledge reduces the need to

remember a great deal of information short-termShort term memory stores up to 7 bits If you don’t use it you loose it!

Increased knowledge allows more effective USE of the cognitive processes.

Increased knowledge reduces the amount of conscious attention needed to perform some tasks.

Information Processing CapacityATTENTION – being able to attend to

relevant and irrelevant stimuliOverexclusive mode (young children) attend

to one stimulus exclusive of all othersOverinclusive (older children and

preadolescents) attend to many stimuli irrelevant to task

Information Processing SpeedEvidence suggests speed of processing

increases as children mature; i.e. reaction time studies

Effective Use of MemoryEncoding & RetrievalDifferences in effective use of the memory

system could be due to the 1. available mental capacity,2. the strategies of memory use, or3. a combination of both

Types of MemorySensory store (1 second or less)

- Holds stimuli briefly for possible processing- Example – Radio number – you will not recall it

Short-term store (20 seconds)- Holds up to seven (7) bits of information for

about 20 seconds- Example – Long enough to dial number

Long-term store (unlimited)- Our permanent storehouse of memories, which is thought to have essentially unlimited capacity.

Effective Memory UseEvidence suggests children do NOT use their

memory systems (strategies) as effectively as adults.

Current research suggests that STRATEGIES of memory use (NOT capacity) best explain differences between age groups.

Implication as teachers – we must teach strategies to help children learn and remember.-Teach METACOGNITION – teaching children how

to learn, remember, retain information-Use best practices to help children learn, use, and

apply information

What are some of the control processes or memory strategies that facilitate the movement of information into memory?

Strategies for MemoryRehearsal (say & do)

Teaching children rehearsal strategy in addition to the skill itself will enhance their skill acquisition.

Labeling (verbal label-meaningful)Instructing children to use labels helps recall

Grouping (Chunking/Organizing)

Strategies for MemoryRecoding (re-organizing information) – research

indicates children do not do this.i.e. Balls with backspin, 2 or more items combined = new term

Ridiculous Associationsi.e. To learn names associate action or imagery then substitute words; i.e. for Smith picture a blacksmith hammering,; for doering picture someone ringing a doorbell or a door with a ring around it or a bell under the door frame, get the idea?

“I hear and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand.” Chinese proverbActivity

a. Either verbal or physical activity can be used to encode material in long-term memory:

b. Physical activity aides memorization. Teach concept of around/through having a child move around/through a hoop for example.

- math manipulatives- science exploration with magnets, water, colors, etc.- spelling with bodies, in sandboxes, with shaving cream- sing songs to memorize lengthy or complex stuff; ie. Hip bone connected to leg bone, Obama song, presidents, capitals,

Other Memory StrategiesMeaningfulness – new to old, connectionsDepth of association aids memory

Mnemonic devices work will because they enhance encodability and retrievability of information.Mnemonic Devices (jingles or phrases)

a. “I before e except after c” - “When two vowels go walking the first one does the talking”

b. Acrostic (sentence mnemonic) “The star boarder is always right.” “The ship left port.”

c. Acronym (1st letter) B.E.E.F.d. Keyword method – isolate a keyword then form an

interesting visual image (used often to teach a foreign language); i.e. PATO is duck in Portuguese – picture a pot on a ducks head.