Combating Forgetting

Kathleen Riepe Learning Assistance University of Wisconsin-Parkside

2002c

Credits

Becoming A Master Student, 8th edition.

Dave Ellis. Houghton Mifflin. 1997

How to Study in College, 6th ed.

Walter Pauk. Houghton MIfflin. 1997 Kathleen McWhorter. Harper Collins. 1997 Perry, Dawson. Macmillan Publishing, 1988 Steven Covey. Simon/ Schuster. 1994 Don Lintner, University of Wisconsin-Parkside

College Reading & Study Skills, 2nd ed

Secrets Our Body Clocks Reveal

First Things First

Photos

Get the Big Picture

Making sense of all that Gray Matter Stress and Memory Theories of Forgetting Strategies to Combat Forgetting

Why Get the Big Picture?

With hocked gems financing him, he defied all scornful laughter that tried to prevent his scheme. Your eyes deceive,they said, It is like a table , not an egg. Now three sturdy sisters sought truth. As they forged along, sometimes through calm vastness, yet more often over turbulent peaks and valleys, their days became weeks as many doubters spread fearful rumors about the edge. At last, from nowhere winged creatures appeared, signifying the journeys end.

Billiards and the Brain

PBS. ORG Three D Animation

Synapse Firing Neurons

Neurons

Cerebellum

Limbic System

Occipital Lobe

Parietal Lobe

Temporal Lobe

Short Term Memory

Long Term Memory

Movement

Stress and Anxiety

Explaining Controlling

Recognizing Stress & Anxiety: Symptoms

Pounding Heart Shaking Dizziness Sweating Palms Shortness of Breath Headache Irritability Mental Blankness

Explaining Anxiety:
Fight or Flight:
The Bodys Natural Response to a Threat
to its Physical Wellbeing Intellectual Wellbeing Social Wellbeing
is to Release

Adrenalin and Cortisol to

Fight the Threat or to Flee from the Threat

Controlling Anxiety: By Breaking the Cortisol Grip

Cortisol - The stress hormone

In response to stressful situations

The hormone cortisol is released into the body

Memory is significantly impaired
Quervain, University of Zurich

Cortisol - The stress hormone

Limiting stress is the single biggest way to get your brain to work better Ongoing stress on a regular basis interferers with the ability to think well. Brain lives on oxygen and glucose. Stress slows down circulation to the brain. Body doesnt consider the brain all that vital at the time of fight or flight.

Control the cortisol by fooling your

Limbic Brain
Humor Time Management Posture Message Breathing Going to Your Fantasy Place Healthy Lifestyle
Nourish your Brain Exercise your Brain Rest your brain

Humor Time Management Posture Message Breathing Going to Your Fantasy Place Healthy Lifestyle
Nourish your Brain Exercise your Brain Rest your brain

Happily Ever Laughter

Laughing releases the feel good hormone endorphinealso a natural pain killer.

Laughing lowers your blood pressure and heart rate.

Laughing raises T-lymphocytes in your body.

Increases your immune system .

There is a 45 minutes residual chemical effect in your body after hearty laughter.

Posture Message:
Tells your limbic system everything is fine.
Sit confidently

Hold your head up

Smile or Chuckle to yourself

Breathing:
Best exchange of Oxygen occurs in the bottom one third of your lungs. Slowly Breath in through the nose to count of 4 Breath Out through the mouth to count of 4

Dont Forget!

Practice Going to Your Personal

Fantasy Spot
Several times a day Take three deep, cleansing breaths Close your eyes Imagine a peaceful place

Notice every detail - sounds, sights, smells etc.

Tune out the rest of the world Let the calmness engulf you

THEORIES OF FORGETTING
Use it or Lose It Its Gotta Be There Somewhere Fighting for a Spot Caught in the Crossfire Negative Attitude

Memory Strategies
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Activate Previous Knowledge Kinesthetics Meaningful Organization Dialog with the Author Mnemonics One Hour Rule Lesson From the Packers

1. Activate Previous Knowledge

Columbus Think about the topic Write yourself questions Four minute Freewrite

2. Kinesthetics
The sense (formerly known as touch) that detects body position, weight, or movement of the muscles, tendons, and joints. Muscle Reading
Highlight and Mark your text Keyboard your notes Act out information in role play

Take Advantage of All the Pathways

Most students use primarily sight and hearing Memory is enhanced when we maximize the use of other pathways such as our sense of kinesthesia

Sense of Touch
Kinesthetic Learners transfer information into the brain via the sense of touch

2. Organize in a Meaningful Way -- Chunking

Causes of the Civil War
No financial backing from wealthy No investment from industry Social causes No tolerance for Lincoln Desire to keep plantation economy Economic causes Moral concern about slavery Lack of capital to buy ammunition Political causes Desire of South to keep power Desire to maintain Southern Way of Life

Organize in a Meaningful Way

Causes of the Civil War Social Causes Moral Concern over Slavery Desire to Maintain Southern Way of Life Economic Causes No Financial Backing from wealthy No investment from industry Desire to Keep Plantation Economy Lake of Capital to buy ammunition Political Causes No tolerance for Lincoln Desire of South to keep power

Dialogue with the Author

Put a face and a voice behind the pages Learn about the Author
Preface Title Page Cover

Make Reading an interactive two way process Not a one way passive activity

3. Mnemonics
Make an Immediate Connection

Hippocampus Important to Memory

Hippopotami are large. I want my memory to be large.

Synapse sounds like gap in the middle

HDL- Good cholesterol should be high

LDL- Bad cholesterol should be low Foil First Outer; Inner last

4. One Hour Rule

Within

ONE HOUR you should review in one or all of the ways listed
Think

about the

topic Reread notes Rewrite notes Recite/Talk Teach the topic

Retention Curve
One Hour Rule
The Bad News:
Within only one hour, you will forget half of any new information you learn

The Good News

You can intervene by various forms of immediate review

Immediate Review
Within ONE HOUR you should review in one or all of the ways listed
Thinking about the topic is a good idea However, teaching the topic to someone is one of the best ways to retain new information

Think about the topic Reread notes Rewrite notes Recite/Talk Teach the topic

Periodic Review
Review at intervals of about one day, two weeks and monthly to keep the information fresh Use any or all of the techniques listed Waiting until the last minute to cram is ineffective Short, frequent study sessions are most beneficial

5. A Lesson from the Packers

Why Last Minute Cramming Is not Effective
Before the Super Bowl, did the Packers stay up all night long playing football, getting only a couple hours of sleep, then get up and play the big game? Of course not! They practiced several hours everyday. They ate healthy and got a good nights rest the night before the big game.

Avoid Cramming Before a Test

When you use your brain for long periods of extended cognitive functions (thinking/studying), the chemicals that help conduct the electrical firings across the synapses from neuron to neuron get used up. These chemicals need time to recharge so that your brain can work more effectively.

Memory Strategies
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Activate Previous Knowledge Kinesthetics Meaningful Organization Dialog with the Author Mnemonics One Hour Rule Lesson From the Packers