Memory and Learning
Modal Memory Heading link
Have you heard of Modal Memory?
Neither had I before I read this article on it. Essentially, we know that there is short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM). As educators, how do we get important information from STM to LTM? Students often use flashcards for study purposes. Tools like Quizlet, Anki, and Osmosis do a good job of creating these types of opportunities for retaining information. However, how does one retain information – i.e. transfer or encode it from STM to LTM using these types of tools? Osmosis is built on the concept of spaced repetition, that is, you won’t learn a concept from a flashcard if you just see it once, so learners can set up how frequently they want to revisit specific cards/topics.
Encoding of information STM to LTM is not solely dictated by the time spent rehearing or memorizing, but also depends on how much attention one gives the information. Type 1 processing could be considered a very shallow way to retain information, which has a very high rate of forgetting. An example of Type 1 is rehearsal / memorization. Type 1 is sometimes referred to as ‘processing without analysis.’ Type 2 processing on the other hand “consists of deep rehearsal with analysis of the stimulus.” I really like this example from the article.
As an example, repeating “albuterol treats asthma” for three minutes would be considered Type 1 processing, whereas thinking about how albuterol, as a ß-agonist, binds with ß2 receptors in the smooth muscle of the airways and reduces bronchoconstriction in the lungs, would be considered Type 2 processing.
What is your trick for retaining / encoding information into your LTM?