Information Processing Approach to Learning: Memory, Thinking, and Mechanisms of Change, Slides of Human Memory

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CHAPTER 8

The Information-Processing Approach

The Information-Processing

Approach

The Nature of the Information-Processing Approach Mechanisms of Change Information, Memory, and Thinking Cognitive Resources: Capacity and Speed of Processing Information

Characteristics of Information Processing The information-processing approach to learning emphasizes that children manipulate information, monitor it, and strategize about it. Central to this approach are the processes of memory and thinking. Children develop a gradually increasing capacity for processing information which allows them to acquire increasingly complex knowledge and skills.

Information Processing Con’t

As children grow and mature, and as they experience the world, their information processing abilities increase. These changes are influenced by increase in both capacity and speed of processing. These two characteristics are often referred to as cognitive resources, which are proposed to have an important influence on memory and problem solving. Both biology and experience contribute to growth in cognitive resources

• Brain Structure
• Neural: synaptic pruning and myelination

Mechanisms of Change (Cont’d) In addition to these mechanisms changes, children's information processing is characterized by self modification. Self-modification: Represented by metacognition, “knowing about knowing”. That is children learn to use what they have learned in previous circumstances to adapt their responses to a new situation.

Metacognition

One example of metacognition is what

children know about the best ways to

remember what they have read.

Do they know that they will remember

what they have read better if they can

relate it to their own lives in some way?

Thus in Siegler’s application of information

processing to development, children play

an active role in their cognitive

development when they develop

metacognitive strategies.

What Is Attention? Attention is the focusing of mental processes Sustained attention is the ability to maintain attention for a prolonged period of time. Selective attention is focusing on a specific aspect of experience that is relevant while ignoring others that are irrelevant. Divided attention involves concentrating on more than one activity at the same time.

Developmental Changes in Attention

 Research indicated that older children

focused their attention better than younger

children and more socially disadvantaged

children.

 The length of time children can pay

attention increases as they get older

Getting Students to Pay Attention

Make learning interesting Encourage attention and minimize distraction Use cues and gestures for important material Focus on active learning and be aware of individual differences Use media and technology to make learning enjoyable

The Information-Processing Approach Memory What Is Memory? Storage Retrieval and Forgetting Encoding

Memory

is the retention of information over time. Getting information into memory ENCODING Retaining information over time STORAGE Taking information out of storage RETRIEVAL

Encoding Strategies CONSTRUCTING IMAGES DEEP PROCESSING Deeper processing, better memory REHEARSAL Consistent repetition of information over time ELABORATION Adds to distinctiveness ORGANIZATION Aided by chunking ATTENTION Concentrate and focus

Memory’s Time Frames Sensory Memory – Retains information for an instant (a fraction of a second to several seconds) Short-Term Memory – Limited capacity; retains for 30 seconds without rehearsal Long-Term Memory – Unlimited capacity over a long period of time (up to a lifetime).

Developmental Changes in Memory