Information Processing Blog Prompt 1

The Information Processing model of learning is based on the fact that cognitive processes influence learning. People unconsciously choose to pay attention to some stimuli and not to others, an important skill to avoid the overload of stimuli. Meaning is associated with stimuli based on a learner’s prior knowledge, experiences, and beliefs.

The Information Processing model follows a human’s internal mental processes. When a stimulus is present, it will register in the sensory memory. If it is important it will be received at a conscious level, if not it will be disregarded. The amount of attention given to a stimulus depends on the size, intensity, novelty, incongruity, emotional, and personal significance.

If the stimulus is regarded as important, it will be stored in the working memory. The working memory keeps this piece of information at a heightened state of activity and also draws information that is relevant from past experiences. The working memory has a variety of different systems that help its processes. You can think of working memory like a movie.

The central executive is like the director of the movie.

The phonological loop is the soundtrack to a movie.

The visuospatial sketchpad is the scenes and characters.

Episodic buffer is the whole movie put together on screen, integrating each part.

The working memory can hold 5 to 9 chunks of data at a time. That is why license plates are 7 letters because the working memory is capable of holding that information. Information in the working memory can be encoded in a variety of different ways to store it in the long-term memory. Encoding is like filing away the information for later use. Some ways that information can be filed away is by repetition of the information, using a mnemonic system and many more. A popular mnemonic system is “Every Good Boy Does Fine” which represents the notes on a musical staff, EGBDF.

            Long-term memory is stored in many parts of the brain and comes in many different forms. Some types of long-term memory include procedural, like how to tie your shoe. You probably follow the same steps every time, and don’t even have to think about it. We have conceptual knowledge that represents our understanding of things, episodic knowledge is the memory of certain episodes, usually an important even or experience.

            Retrieval of knowledge is like searching for a book in the library. You have retrieval cues, which are like the number codes on the side of the book. These lead you to the correct section and row. Sometimes, if a book isn’t shelved properly, it cannot be found. This happens when information is not encoded and you forget. Other ways of forgetting information could include decay of information during storage, and retrieval failure.

            My confusion after reading this chapter is about explicit memory. Explicit knowledge is the information in our long-term memory that we are consciously aware of. What would be an example of this type of information? Is it just your thoughts at a particular time? This part of long-term memory is confusing to me.

            According to the information processing theory, learning is the acquisition of knowledge and storage of that knowledge in our memory system. One implication for teaching is to help students create a conceptual understanding of the task. This way they understand the why behind the task. If it is a procedural task, and they have conceptual understanding of it, it can be stored in two different places in a student’s long-term memory, which gives them a better chance of recalling it at a later date.

            You can hear your name in a crowded room even when you were having a separate conversation because your name is an auditory stimulus that has personal significance. Because it meets this criterion, it gets more attention and is brought to a conscious level.