Memory is a complex process that allows us to retain many different types of information and make connections between those bits of information. It is stored in pieces in your cerebrum and cerebellum which allows the information to be recalled and added to new information over time.
Basic Elements of Memory
In any learning opportunity, the brain needs memory. The memory can be divided into two basic elements: short-term memory and long-term memory.
Short-Term Memory
What we once thought of as one thing, short-term memory has been shown by research to encompass both sensory memory and what is now termed working memory (Sousa, 2022). Sensory memory gathers all of the information coming in through your senses. There is a lot of information coming in and the brain decides what is important and filters out or forgets the rest. If it is determined that the information is important, it gets passed on to the working memory (Sousa, 2022). Working memory is where we consciously interact with the new information. It is limited in capacity and in the amount of time it can maintain that new information (DiTullio, 2021).
Short-Term Memory and Learning
The limited capacity of working memory and the overwhelming amount of input coming from the sensory memory has implications for structuring learning experiences. Creating a calm learning environment where distractions are limited is important for helping learners’ brains focus on the important sensory inputs. It can be helpful to engage the senses directly with parts of the learning sessions to make the learner’s experience more robust and more memorable. To make sure the working memory doesn’t get overloaded, keeping direct instruction times short and providing time for application and reflection will allow learners to make sense of the instruction and begin to move it into long-term storage.
Long-Term Memory
Unlike working memory, long-term memory is seemingly unlimited in its storage capacity (Sousa, 2022). Long-term memory can be divided into declarative and nondeclarative memory. Declarative memory is responsible for what we call remembering and knowing (Sousa, 2022). It holds information about our personal history and experiences (episodic) as well as facts, words, faces, and objects (semantic). Nondeclarative memory is responsible for many of the things we learn and then perform without intentionally thinking about it. Knowing how to ride a bicycle (procedural), having feelings of nostalgia when you hear your Senior class song (classical conditioning), and learning to ignore car alarms (nonassociative learning) are all part of nondeclarative memory (Sousa, 2022).
Long-Term Memory and Learning
Emotional memory is part of long-term memory, has both declarative and nondeclarative components, and is always linked to learning (Sousa, 2022). How we feel about a learning experience or the content of it will impact our ability to retain it. If we have negative emotions during a learning experience, cortisol is activated and our frontal lobe activity is reduced but if we have positive emotions while learning, our brain releases endorphins which stimulate frontal lobe activity (Sousa, 2022).
Forming New Memories
Our sensory memory takes in all of the information around us and, if it is determined to be valuable, sends it to the working memory for us to intentionally process. When new information gets into the working memory, the long-term memory is activated to scan for and bring into the working memory any previous understanding related to the new information. If the learner is able to make meaning and/or sense out of the new information, it will reinforce the previous memory or be added to that memory and be re-encoded back into the long-term memory (Sousa, 2022).
Trauma and Memory
Among working memory’s limitations is what information is given weight and prioritized for response (Sousa, 2022). According to Sousa (2022), the highest priority information is that which impacts survival. Next in the lineup is information that produces emotions. Last in line for getting through for processing is new learning. If a learner has experienced trauma, their brains are in survival mode and are focused only on what will keep them safe and happy. If new learning can’t make it through the working memory into long-term memory, it cannot be recalled later (Sousa, 2022). Trauma also heightens the response of the amygdala and shuts down rational thinking, preparing the body to respond to danger (Therapy in a Nutshell, 2022). Regular memories are recalled and revised over time, allowing the individual to add further understanding and meaning to their experiences. According to Therapy in a Nutshell (2022) trauma memories differ from regular memories in key ways:
- They are still as painful and vivid as the day they happened.
- The passage of time does not change them.
- They feel as though they just happened or are happening now.
- They may have gaps and are not organized in a sequence, which can be disorienting.
Strategy for Improving Memory
Knowing how trauma impacts memory, it is important to take steps to set learners up for success. Weaving practices for reducing stress into learning sessions or environments gives those who have experienced trauma a better chance of learning and retaining information. Mindfulness is a great way to do this and the benefits of this practice can be felt by all learners (Mindworks, n.d.). Mindfulness can help reduce stress, increase focus, regulate emotion, improve self-awareness, in addition to improving memory, and the benefits can be achieved in just minutes a day (Mindworks, n.d.).
References
DiTullio, G. (2021, September 9). How to engage students’ memory processes to improve learning. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-engage-students-memory-processes-improve-learning.
Mindworks. (n.d.). Does meditation improve memory? https://mindworks.org/blog/does-meditation-improve-memory/.
Sousa, D. A. (2022). How the brain learns. (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Therapy in a Nutshell. (2022, September 29). Why are trauma memories so different from other memories? How PTSD affects memory [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRSOjYnFak8
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