Cognitive Learning Theories
Theories that explain learning in terms of people's thinking and the processes involved in acquiring, organizing, and using knowledge
Information-Processing Theory
A theory that describes how information enters our memory system, is organized, and finally stored
Model
A representation that helps us visualize what we can't observe directly
Human Memory Model
Composed of three major components: memory stores (sensory memory, working memory, and long-term memory), cognitive processes (attention, perception, rehearsal, encoding, and retrieval), and metacognition
Memory Stores
Sensory memory, working memory, and long-term memory repositories that hold information, both in a raw state and in organized, meaningful form
Sensory Memory
The memory store that briefly holds incoming stimuli from the environment until they can be processed
Working Memory
The memory store that holds information as we consciously process and try to make sense of it
Central Executive
A supervisory component of working memory that controls the flow of information to and from the other components
Phonological Loop
A short-term storage system for words and sounds in working memory
Rehearsal
The process of repeating information over and over, either out loud or silently, without altering its form
Visual-Spatial Sketchpad
A short-term storage system for visual and spatial information in working memory
Short-term Memory
Historically, the part of our memory system that temporarily holds information until it can be processed
Cognitive Load
The amount of mental activity imposed on working memory
Chunking
The process of mentally combining separate items into larger, more meaningful units
Automaticity
The ability to perform mental operations with little awareness or conscious effort
Long-term Memory
The permanent information store in our human memory system
Declarative Knowledge
Knowledge of facts, definitions, procedures, and rules
Semantic Memory
Memory for concepts, principles, and the relationships among them
Episodic Memory
Memory for personal experiences
Procedural Knowledge
Knowledge of how to perform tasks
Conditional Knowledge
Knowledge of where and when to use declarative and procedural knowledge
Schemas
Cognitive structures that represents the way information is organized in our long-term memory
Meaningfulness
The extent to which information in long-term memory is interconnected with other information
Scripts
Schemas for events that guide behavior in particular situations
Perception
The process people use to find meaning in stimuli
Encoding
The process of representing information in long-term memory
Rote Learning
Learning that involves storing information in isolated pieces, most commonly through memorization
Imagery
The process of forming mental pictures of an ideas
Dual-Coding Theory
A theory suggesting that long-term memory contains two distinct memory contains two distinct memory systems: one for verbal information and one that stores images
Organization
An encoding strategy that involves the clustering of related items of content into categories that illustrate relationships
Schema Activation
An encoding strategy that involves activating relevant prior knowledge so that new knowledge can be connected to it
Elaboration
An encoding strategy that increases the meaningfulness of new information by connecting it to existing knowledge
Analogies
Descriptions of relationships between ideas that are similar in some but not all respects
Mnemonic Devices
Memory strategies that create associations that don't exist naturally in the content
Forgetting
The loss of, or inability to retrieve, information from long-term memory
Interference
The loss of information because something learned either before or after detracts from understanding
Proactive Interference
The loss of new information because of the influence of prior learning
Retroactive Interference
The loss of previously learned information because of the influence of new learning
Retrieval
The process of pulling information from long-term memory into working memory
Metacognition
Our awareness of and our control over our cognitive processes
Meta-attention
Our knowledge of and control over our ability to pay attention
Metamemory
Knowledge of and control over our memory strategies
Unconscious Processing
The tendency to make conclusions and decisions without thinking about them
Equitable Distribution
The practice of calling on all students in a class equally