Information Processing (week 8)

*Chapter Summary*

In this chapter we have learned about the information- processing theory. This is how an individual learn, store and recall information. We discussed memory stores and control processes. Memory stores are the sensory register, short-term memory and long-term memory. Control processes are recognition, attention, maintenance rehearsal, elaborative rehearsal, and retrieval. According to our book, some information can be held in the STM indefinitely through the use of maintenance rehearsal. We also learned that information is transferred to the LTM from the STM by learning new information and linking it to previously learned information.

We also learned about metacognition. This term is referring to the knowledge someone has about how individuals think and how those processes can be used to learn. It is something that improves with time, and is most prominent in older students.

In my experience, STM and LTM are valuable at any age. I use both in school and at work. Before now, I had not known a lot about metacognition, but after learning the definition and examples of it, I see that it is something that I use frequently.


*How Will I Benefit?*

By keeping this blog, I am able to have a quick reference to the things learned in this course. I think that by referring back to this I will be able to read about different processes involved in learning and use this as a base to build my teaching styles from. While a this point I do not have any new ideas for specific assignments, I have been able to broaden my repertoire in effective teaching tactics.


*Following the Blog*

This week Kiri has only written a few times. There are two "most memorable" posts that I read from her. One was about how she let her sons catch two spiders and she caught a beetle and took them to her classroom for her students. They kept them in an aquarium and watched them daily. After only about two days one spider was "toes up" according to the students and the other had made a web and trapped the beetle in it. Her students got to experience this first hand and in person rather than learning about it in a text book. I think this memory will stick with them much longer.

The second post was about her assistant teacher Nan leaving her classroom. Nan wrote a very inspiring email to Kiri and she shared it in her blog. Nan wanted Kiri to know that just because this year has been rough, with removing two students from her classroom in hopes that they can succeed better in a special education class, that Nan had been with Kiri four years. She reminded her of some great successes she has had and encouragement to get through the rest of the year, starting each day as new- wiping the slate clean. Nan said Kiri is a great teacher and I think Kiri knows she is. Sometimes you just need a little reminder! =)


*This Week in the Discussion Boards*

I think that the most interesting thing I have learned in the DBs this week is some different techniques that some of my other classmates plan to use in their classroom when working with students to improve their students' STM and LTM.


*Question of the Week*

What are some specific techniques that you would like to incorporate into your teaching based on information processing? Why do you think these techniques will work?

I would like to incorporate the use of maintenance rehearsal into my classroom. This will work to improve a students STM by using repetition. I will also use elaborative rehearsal to help link the students STM with LTM. I think that this will be beneficial to the students and easy to incorporate because we will continue building on previously learned concepts. Elaborative rehearsal involves organizing information with shared concepts into groups. I think this will be beneficial in my classroom to help the students to understand the similarities in ideas or concepts we are learning. This a tool that I use a lot in studying for tests, and something I find to be very beneficial.

I think that I would have used these tools and techniques prior to this chapter, but I am glad to knwo the correct terms for them and now, I will have this blog and that chapter to use as a reference tool in my teaching.