Page 225 - Foundations of Learning, 4th Edition (Revised)

Memorizing

The final information processing skill we’ll discuss is memorizing. Memorizing involves both putting
information into memory and getting it out again at some point later in time. As a student, having a good
memory can be very helpful when taking certain types of quizzes and exams.

However, memorizing is not the same as learning or understanding. The customer who phoned the
customer representative had memorized his account number; it was a piece of information that did not
have a necessary connection to other information or even a larger context. In these types of situations,
where there is not a logical connection which can be understood, memorizing is appropriate. For example,
you can memorize the quadratic formula for a math class. However, simply knowing the formula doesn’t
necessarily mean that you understand the formula well enough to use it and apply it in different contexts.
Also, as you know from Chapter 5, learning is a complex process with many steps in the Learning Process
Methodology. Memorizing, on the other hand, has three main components.

Encoding
Encoding is making information meaningful. Be aware of encoding errors. These include misread-
ing, misinterpreting (what you see, hear, or read), and not understanding information correctly.

Storing
Storing involves organizing and placing information in short-term and long-term memory. The
goal is to move information into long-term memory for easier retrieval.

Retrieving
Retrieving involves getting back information so that it can be used in some way. Mnemonics are
methods, devices, or even mental tricks or games that help with improving memory; especially
aiding the retrieval component of memory.

Learning a New Tool

When’s the last time you learned something new? Do you remember how you went about doing it? Fred
remembers getting his electronic sketchpad in the mail. He was so excited that he just plugged it in and
started playing with it. When his images kept disappearing, he realized he needed to at least go through the
Quick Start section of the manual. With this basic information, he was then able to do more exploration
on his own.

As a student, you will be learning how to use a variety of new tools. In your science class, there will be all
sorts of lab equipment for experiments. Maybe you’ll take a pottery class and learn how to use a potter’s
wheel.

One tool you will need to become acquainted with is an online database. There are many kinds of databases,
all of which contain a wealth of information. Your college library probably has databases they’ve paid for,
which often include full-length articles. In the next chapter, we’ll talk more about using those databases
for research purposes.

For now, we want to give you some practice with an online database that is publicly available. It’s actually
one that you will probably find useful in many different respects: it’s Amazon.com®. Let’s check it out in
the following Critical Reflection.

Chapter 8 — Living in the Information Age 219