Chapter 3
Understanding Learning & Memory
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Understanding Learning & Memory 71
• Where Does Learning Take Place in the Brain?
72
• Is Intelligence Fixed or Malleable? 74
• Why Is a Growth Mindset More Beneficial than a
Fixed Mindset? 74
•
Exercise 3.1: Self-Observation: Analyzing My
Mindset 76
• How Does the Information-Processing System
Explain Learning? 77
o Short-Term Sensory Store 78
o Working Memory 79
• Exercise 3.2: Demonstrating the Capacity of
Working Memory 80
o Long-Term Memory 82
• What Are the Flaws in Human Memory? 83
• What is the Difference between Rote and
Meaningful Learning? 85
• Which Learning Strategies Promote Learning and
Retention? 86
o Rehearsal Strategies 87
o Elaboration Strategies 87
o Organizational Strategies 90
• Exercise 3.3: Demonstrating the Importance
of Categorizing Knowledge 90
• Exercise 3.4: Identifying Learning Strategies
92
• Key Points 93
• Follow-Up Activities 93
© Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2016
LEARNING OBJECTIVES (LO)
LO 1: Recognize common myths about learning.
LO 2: Explain how the brain’s ability to change
through adulthood affects our ability to
learn.
LO 3: Compare and contrast fixed and growth
mindsets.
LO 4: Differentiate between the different parts of
the information-processing system and
their functions.
LO 5: Identify the 7 flaws of human memory.
LO 6: Compare and contrast rote and
meaningful learning strategies.
LO 7: Differentiate between rehearsal,
elaboration, and organizational strategies.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
•
What myths about learning and / or the brain
were you surprised to find out are not true?
How does this impact your beliefs about how
humans learn?
•
Do you have a fixed or growth mindset? How
does this impact your learning?
•
Now that you have learned about the
information processing system, what
changes may you need to make to your
study routine?
•
What strategies do you normally use when
studying? Are they rote or meaningful
learning strategies?
•
What elaboration and organization strategies
could you incorporate into your study
routine?
Chapter 3
Key Terms
Neuroplasticity 74
Suggested Special Projects
•
An Analysis of My Learning and Study Behavior,
including use of the Learning and Study Strategies
Inventory (LASSI). Continue discussion about the LASSI.
Focus on discussing the Study Aids and Information
Processing portions of the instrument and the results
students received. If students received high scores in these
sections, have them explain the strategies they use.
•
Learning and Motivation Portfolio. Have students who
scored low on the Information Processing portion of the
LASSI discuss which meaningful learning strategies they
are planning on implementing and writing about in their
portfolio.
•
Self-Regulation Studies. If meaningful learning is an area
of challenge for some students, then they may want to
consider conducting a self-regulation study in this area. If
meaningful learning is addressed at the beginning of the
semester, this may be a study you have all of your students
complete.
Fixed Mindset 75
Growth Mindset 75
Information-processing system 78
Encoding 78
Retrieval 78
Short-term sensory store 78
Working memory 79
Chunking 80
Maintenance rehearsal 81
Long-term memory 82
Rote learning 85
Meaningful learning 85
Mnemonic 86
Distributed practice 87
Massed practice 87
Rehearsal strategies 87
Elaboration strategies 87
Suggested Class Activities
•
Utilize discussion questions to start a dialogue about
common myths in society regarding how humans learn.
•
Utilize discussion questions to start a dialogue about how
students can integrate meaningful learning strategies into
their study practices.
•
Utilize discussion questions to support students in
analyzing their study strategies and distinguishing which
strategies are ineffective or effective.
•
Have students take the LASSI and have a discussion about
the strategies that may pose a problem to students based
on their scores.
•
Have students bring in material from other courses and
utilize elaboration and organizational strategies to prepare
for upcoming assignments or exams. This is beneficial
when students are taking similar courses, so they can work
in small groups. If this is not possible, have them practice
with the material from your course. Giving students the
opportunity to practice meaningful strategies will support
them in automating these effective strategies.
Acronyms 87
Organizational strategies 91
© Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2016