MODULE 5

Making Long-Term
Memory Work
Pre-discussion Activity:

Memory Quiz
Instructions: Unlock Module 1– Answer the
Memory Quiz to determine if your brain currently
functions well.
 WHAT TO EXPECT

❑ You will learn the major types of memory that help in learning.
❑ You will know what brain-links are.
❑ You will be able to understand a number of strategies that you
could use when it comes to learning information and reviewing
material previously discussed in your classes.
Are you one of those who
thinks that school sucks?
Nelson Dellis, memory champion
Cedrick Argueta
Hidilyn Diaz, Olympic Gold medalist

Becoming an expert isn’t easy. As what Maya Angelou said, "All

great achievements require time."
 Ask yourself:

How do I store information What are the learning

in my memory? strategies I currently use?

Am I satisfied with how I How can we make

learn? learning easier?
HOW DOES THE BRAIN LEARN?

• The human brain is said to be a part of the Central

Nervous System (CNS) that receives, organizes, and
distributes information for the body (Biological Sciences
Curriculum Study, 2007).

• Experts tell us that it is our brain’s responsibility to control

our ability to think, recall, feel, see, analyze, manage
emotions, and much more (Stangor & Walinga, 2014).

The Brain…
Using
Metaphors

TYPES OF MEMORY

Think: How is your working memory like a schoolbag?

How does memory work?
Working memory

• The working memory is

conceptualized as a storage
compartment that holds information
briefly, while having the capacity to
manipulate the content if necessary
(Jonides et al., 2005).
What instances illustrate working memory?

• Remembering the beginning of a

sentence
• Retaining a number while solving a
mental math equation
• Recalling the location of a recently
seen object
 TYPES OF MEMORY
Think: How is long-term memory like a locker?
 How does memory work?
Long-term Memory

• The long-term memory is generally

defined as a storage of vast
information and record of prior events
that last for a long period of time
(Cowan, 2008).
• Unlike your working memory, the long-
term memory has a somewhat limitless
capacity.
Two (2) Ways on How information are encoded in the
long-term memory:
1. Facts – The name of your pet, the formula for computing speed,
the birthday of your best friend, the capital of your favorite
country are information that you encode in your memory.
 “One study found that after three days of learning a material, a person retains only
10% to 20% of written or spoken information but almost 65% of visual information.”

Two (2) Ways on How information are encoded in the

long-term memory:
2. Pictures – One important findings on memory research indicates the
existence of a large capacity of the long-term memory for visual images
(Brady et al., 2008).

Bobek and Tversky (2014) have emphasized the effective use of visual
representations like diagrams, photographs, illustrations, flow charts,
and graphs in understanding different concepts.
Before we discuss what are brain-links, let’s familiarize ourselves
with what neurons are.

Neurons are specialized cell of the nervous system which

typically consist of a cell body (contains a nucleus and receives
incoming nerve impulses) and an axon (which carries impulses
away from the cell body).
A neuron fires a signal along its axon to cause a shock in a
dendritic spine of the next neuron.

WHAT ARE
NEURONS?
A real-neuron versus a neuron-alien
 The “spark” from the synapse creates an electrical signal
that can flow through the neuron. If the signal reaches the
end of the axon, it can cause a spark on the next neuron.

Technically, when creating brain-links,

neuron fires a signal along its axon to
cause a shock in a dendritic spine of the
next neuron.

Learning something new means creating

new or stronger links in your brain.

Building strong set of brain links is

important because they help students to
easily handle complex information.

WHEN NEURONS CONNECT…

Remember:
The goal is to create stronger brain-links. The
stronger the links, the easier it is for the brain
to digest complex information.
What are the roles of sleep, diet, and exercise
in learning?
Want to learn better? Then eat properly!
 • Our brain needs ‘fuel’ to function properly
24/7. Selhub (2020) mentioned that eating
Diet and high-quality food (containing vitamins,
minerals, and antioxidants) helps in
learning. nourishing the brain and protecting it from
free radicals (waste) which can damage cells.
Diet and
learning. • Polyphenols protect neurons from neurotoxins
and help facilitate memory, learning, and
cognitive function (Meeusen & Decroix, 2018).

• Sugar consumption that exceeds on what your

brain needs to function can lead to a decline in
cognitive function and memory (Fuhrman, 2020).

• Essential micronutrients like iron and zinc

facilitate neurogenesis and are essential for
normal brain development (Ekstrand et al.,
2020).
Want to learn better? Then get some sleep!!
 • Although most would agree that the best time for
learning is when we are awake, research tells us
Sleep and that enhanced memory consolidation occurs
when we sleep (Baars & Gage, 2010).
learning.
• Memory consolidation is defined as a process in
which new information learned is strengthened
or solidified and transformed into long-term
memory (Squire et al., 2015).
Sleep and
learning.

• Guang Yang, a research scientist who is interested in

how we learn, found out that neurons do change
when we learn. Yet, the big change actually
happens after we learn something and go to sleep!

• As illustrated above, few small bumps appear when

we learn, but the spines grow more during sleep.
Exercise for a smarter brain?
 Hidilyn
who??!
Exercise and
learning.
• Literature has emphasized the role of exercise in
cognitive function and memory as it is believed to
also be a protective factor for neurodegeneration
(Mandolesi, 2018).

• According to McNerney and Radvansky (2015),

physical exercise actually benefits scores on
neuropsychological test batteries, enhances attention
and perceptual abilities, and reduces risk for
dementia.
 • When you exercise, your brain produces a chemical
Exercise and known as BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor)
which is responsible for making neurons strong and
healthy (Oakley et al., 2018).
learning.
• Also, just like the power of sleep, exercise makes
dendritic spines much taller and broader, allowing
neurons to easily connect with other neurons.

WHAT IS BDNF?
 Do some physical exercises
not only because you want to
look good but also because
you want to learn more.
Before we, proceed, try to revisit some
of your current learning strategies.
Some Learning Strategies:
Some Learning Strategies:
1. Deliberate
Practice
If you practice deliberately, which means you
put your focused attention and conduct a
goal to improve your performance in
anything you do that results to the increase
in performance and experience.

In simple terms, the best performers

continually learn from experience in both
real-life and practice situations.
2. Interleaving
Interleaving is a process where you mix,
or interleave, multiple subjects or topics
while you study in order to improve your
learning.

A research by Dunlosky et. al. (2013),

states that students using interleaved
practice performed worse than their
counterparts using block practice during
the practice session but performed
better when tested at a later date.
 • The Memory Palace is a technique where things
you have to remember are placed into a familiar
place to assist you in recovering the previous
information whenever your mind visualizes the
place again (Huttner & Robra-Bissantz, 2017).

• This technique is actually one of the methods

that Nelson Dellis utilizes in memory
competitions. Even Jonas von Essen, another
memory champion, relies on this method during
tournaments.

3. Use memory palaces

How to create a memory
palace?
a) Choose a place that you know very
well – it could be a building in
school, your own home, or one of
your favorite places to visit.
b) Place all the things you have to
remember “mentally” on your
chosen place as you walk through it.
c) Make the images silly and add some
movement in it. It would even be
better if you could “mentally”
interact with each stuff.
• Research tells us that muttering or saying
concepts out loud increases brain activity and
awareness of the said idea or concept rather
than by just merely thinking about it (Lupyan &
Swingley, 2011).

• Technically, the idea behind this is called “The

Protégé Effect.” In this phenomenon, it is
believed that learners become more motivated
and better understand the material if they teach
it to someone else (Kobayashi, 2019).

4. The-rubber-
ducky method
 Any questions?
Learning does not always come easy. We often
find ourselves drowning in piles of books, reading
and memorizing a bunch of stuff. Given that we
are now facing the “new normal,” ways on how to
deal with additional hindrances posed by online
instruction must be adapted. Now that we know
how the brain works, we could use some of the
ways discussed on how we could better store
information in it. For us to learn, we have to
focus, practice, and constantly recall things.
But we have to take note that these would not be
enough if we don’t sleep and exercise as the
two plays an integral role in learning.

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