Sensory Memory-the information store that briefly hold incoming stimuli from the environment until they can be processed.
Important because it's the beginning point for further processing.
Example: If someone says "That's an oxymoron," you retain "Ox see moron" because it has no meaning to you.
Working Memory
Working Memory- the memory store that holds information as we consciously process and try to make sense of it.
Has THREE components:
Central Executive-controls flow of info
Phonological Loop- short term storage for words and sounds
Visual-Spatial Sketchpad- short-term storage of visual and spatial info in working memory.
Long-Term Memory
Long Term Memory- the permanent info store in our human memory system.
Has THREE components:
Declarative Knowledge- knowledge of facts, definitions, procedures, and rules.
Procedural Knowledge- knowledge of how to perform tasks.
Conditional Knowledge- Knowledge of where and when to use declarative and procedural knowledge.
Developmental Differences in the Memory Story
Researchers have found that older children retain sensory memory traces longer than their younger counterparts.
Because of their experiences, older children bring a deeper and broader store of prior knowledge to learning activities.
The Brain and Human Memory
What gets fired gets wired, and what gets fired depends on experience.
This research has TWO implications for teachers:
First- Our job is to provide students with a rich and varied menu of experiences.
Second- Neural connections forged by our teaching determine important learning outcomes such as retention and transfer (students being able to state 7 x 8 =56 without thinking about it)
