Limitations of Short-term memory
Short-term memory (STM) is the capacity for holding a small amount of information in mind in an active, readily available state for a short period of time.
The limitations are, duration of short-term memory is short (in the order of seconds when rehearsal or active maintenance is prevented). Its capacity is also very limited, some experiments showed that the store of short-term memory was 7+/-2 items and some modern estimates of the capacity of short-term memory are even lower, typically on the order of 4 to 5 items.
The limitations are, duration of short-term memory is short (in the order of seconds when rehearsal or active maintenance is prevented). Its capacity is also very limited, some experiments showed that the store of short-term memory was 7+/-2 items and some modern estimates of the capacity of short-term memory are even lower, typically on the order of 4 to 5 items.
As short term memory lose easily and we cannot recall it after some time (not become our knowledge), how can we retain it?
Let’s look at how our brain works.
Gestalt Principles
Gestalt theories describe how people tend to organize visual elements into group when certain principles are applied. Look at the below picture:
Do you consider it as one object? This is the Gestalt principal Similarity.
Similarity
Similarity occurs when objects look similar to one another. People often perceive them as a group or pattern
Now, look at the other object.
Do you consider H links with the leave? It is due to Gestalt principal Continuation. The cross lines of H lead the viewer’s eyes to the leave.
Continuation
Continuation occurs when the eye is compelled to move through one object and continue to another object.
Do you consider the above object is a complete object? This can be explained by the Gestalt principal Closure
Closure
Closure occurs when an object is incomplete or a space is not completely enclosed. If enough of the shape is indicated, people perceive the whole by filling in the missing information. Do you consider the below is one object?
This can be explained by Gestalt principal Proximity
Proximity occurs when elements are placed close together. They tend to be perceived as a group
How about the below figure? Can you see tree and water?
You can see the figures because of our ability explained by Gestalt principal Figure and Ground.
Figure and Ground
The eye differentiates an object from its surrounding area. A form, silhouette, or shape is naturally perceived as figure (object), while the surrounding area is perceived as ground (background)
The above gives us idea of how to create pictures in the teaching materials and how to attract learners' attention .
Now let’s see how our brains learn.
Multiple representations
An external representation is something or some symbols that stand for/depict an object and/or processes. Internal representation concerns about representation in mind. Examples of representations are verbal descriptions, pictures, graph, formulas and rules. Multiple representations enhance visualization for the brain, it helps learners to construct another type of representation.
They help learners of different learning styles to learn better. Multimedia can be used to support in doing multiple representations. Is learning is a process of changing external representation to internal representation?
Then we look at different technologies:
Modality
Modality is a path of communication between the human and the computer. It describes a human-computer interaction. Human can receive the output of the computer through the sense. The computer can receive the input of human from sensor or device.
Multimodalities
Multimodality can support different modalities in different manners. It combines graphics, text and audio output with speech, text, and touch input, giving users multiple options for inputting and receiving information. This makes the service application much easier to use. For example, it allows telephony subscribers to move between different modes of interaction, from visual to voice to touch, it allows users speak into a wireless handset at the same time they're writing, reading or sending a message. Is it good for learners to learn when multimodalities are used in learning? To some extent, it is true but too many modalities are used in learning may distract the learners.
Dual Code
The dual code theory states that human have separate channels for processing visual and auditory information. Then the mind creates separate representations( visual codes and verbal codes) for information processed in each channel. The representations are used to organize incoming information into knowledge ,then stored in long term memory and can be recalled later.
Richard Mayor stated in his Modality principle that students learn more deeply from animation and narration than from animation and on-screen text. Due to the limited capacity in auditory and working memory at one time, we learn better when any extraneous information is removed (Coherence principle). Besides, multiple visuals or multiple narrations at one time may compete with each other and affect learning (Redundancy principal). Therefore, consider to use animation and narration in preparing the teaching tools. Combining Visualization and Interactivity
People use Knowledge Tools (e.g. senses, language, software) to perform Knowledge Processes (e.g. observation) on Information to create knowledge.
In general, people learn better by visualization than by just hearing. Interactive learning (learners need to do) can help the learners to understand the information and make their own knowledge easier. Based on that human learning rule, combining visualization and interactivity in the learning process can enhance learners to learn faster and build knowledge and long term memory easier.
Consider Combining Visualization and Interactivity in preparing teaching materials! Learners can learn deeply.
Consider Combining Visualization and Interactivity in preparing teaching materials! Learners can learn deeply.
Can you find some other teaching resources which fulfill the above requirement and can help learner to turn information to long term memory? Please share with us!
The above information is retrieved from the below websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modality_(human-computer_interaction)http://www.coreography.com/blog/tag/richard-mayer/
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/multimodality
http://www.instantmessagingplanet.com/wireless/article.php/976511/What-is-Multimodality.htm
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