Penstripe Student Planner Catalogue 24-25 - Flipbook - Page 109
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THE SCIENCE BIT – YOUR AMAZING BRAIN
THE SCIENCE BIT – MEMORY
The Science Bit – Memory
The Science Bit – Your Amazing Brain
Your brain is an extraordinary, super-powered machine that even has
capabilities beyond our current comprehension. It is responsible for learning,
analysing, storing and retrieving information – all of the processes involved
in effective studying.
Not that long ago scientists believed the brain did not change after childhood,
that it was hard-wired, the structure was fixed and incapable of any level of
malleability (or change). But thankfully, (after years of research) we have now
discovered that in fact the human brain is plastic – in other words it changes,
grows and develops in response to our environment (a scientific concept
known as neuroplasticity). This is great news for us, because it means we can
have a real and meaningful impact on our learning.
Understanding the memory system and how memory works will provide
you with the foundations for using this Study Skills Guide effectively. Before
exploring the various study strategies, it’s important to understand why some
work better than others and why, for example, leaving revision until the last
minute and cramming for exams is a bad idea.
The memory system is made up of working memory (often referred to as
short-term memory) and long-term memory. At a basic level, learning
(through studying) is the process of transferring information from working
to long-term memory, where it can then be retrieved at will at a later date.
The Memory System
What happens in the brain when we learn?
Our brains have over 80 billion neurons (or brain cells)
that carry messages through electrical and chemical
signals. The neurons are connected together to create
networks of communication. When we learn something
new, electrical currents fire up, pass across synapses,
between neurons and to different areas of the brain. The
more we practice, the faster the currents travel along
their particular pathways; the deeper the connections
and therefore the learning. That is exactly why practice,
or in your case ‘study,’ is so important for remembering
material in the long-term. When we try new learning tasks
our brains carve out new pathways and these strengthen
with practice. Our brains are therefore continuously
changing, and we are becoming smarter. However, if we
don’t practice, the connections can become weaker.
Copyright © 2021 Inspire Education
100,000
landmarks
Description
The Science Bit – Your Amazing Brain
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Working memory has a limited capacity - it can only process and hold a small
amount of information at any one time. Long-term memory has unlimited
capacity however, which means that it can process and store vast amounts of
information. At school, your teacher teaches you subject content so that you
can process this in working memory. But, as an independent learner, it is up
to you to do your part in transferring this subject content to your long-term
memory. If you don’t do this, it will be easily forgotten.
This is because your brain is wired to forget and the process of forgetting
happens almost immediately after learning. Your brain can also be a little lazy
and seeks out shortcuts. To learn more, you need to ensure that your brain is
effortful: the more effort, the more you potentially learn.
Description
The Science Bit – Memory
Copyright © 2021 Inspire Education
25,000
street names
One example of the brain’s astonishing capacity
to learn and retain information can be found
every day on the streets of London. If you want
to be a black taxi driver in London you have to
pass a series of tests on the specific location of
any of the 25,000+ street names and 100,000
landmarks in the city. Unsurprisingly, this test
is called ‘The Knowledge.’ The drivers who plan
and prepare for, and then perform in, these
tests are regular people like us. Their brains are
just like ours. The only real difference is that
their brains have been trained through months
and years of practice. We too can train ours.
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