How We Learn

Learning is a complicated process. It requires taking information that is seen, heard or read, making connections with pre-existing knowledge or understanding, and then storing it in long term memory. We then have to be able to retrieve and apply these memories in both authentic situations, like in a job setting, and in abstract situations, like when writing a test. Understanding how we learn is important to see how learning can be improved through cognitive science principles.


Preparing to Learn - Video

The following three and a half minute video is an introduction to the process of learning. It explores what learning is and the basic processes involved in learning new information. Feel free to include this short video into your own courses to guide students as they explore effective learning techniques. You can also find this video at the following link: Introduction: Preparing to Learn Video

Information Card: Accordion Component Edit HTML mode: ON 

Note: This icon   indicates that certain text or panels can only be seen while in HTML Edit mode. When you save and close they will not be visible to the students.

right click link to open in new tab or window
Tip: Right click to open any link while in Edit Mode


For Helpful Tips and Information on how to Edit, Customize, Copy, Delete, please visit the Quick Start Guide page for this component by simply right clicking on the "Quick Start Guide" link text and then selecting open in a new tab or window.

Accordion Builder

Accordion ID Accordion Name Accordion Contents

1

Preparing to Learn - Video Transcript

INTRODUCTION  SCREEN [Music] – Preparing to Learn

Narrator:

Let’s talk about how we learn by comparing the process of learning to a walk through the woods to a specific destination.

Narrator:

Imagine that you are staying at a cabin in the woods where you can see a beautiful lake in the distance that you would like to visit, but when you step out your door all you see is trees.

Narrator:

As you walk, you leave signs of how you came through the woods. These signs are small and weak, and the next time you walk to the lake it will be hard to find your path. You’ll have to walk slow and pay attention so you don’t get lost. The first few times you walk to the lake will be like this, like there’s no path at all...

Narrator:

As you walk to the lake daily, you start to wear a path into the forest floor. Because you can see where to go, you begin to walk the path faster and more confidently.

Narrator:

Over time, a permanent trail forms. It didn’t happen overnight. It required you to walk it many times, over many days and weeks. But now that path will be in the forest forever.

Narrator:

When we learn, we connect new information, like the lake, to something familiar, like the cabin.

Narrator:

Studying is how we build the path in our brains between what we know and what we want or need to know.

Narrator:

Let’s take a different look at how learning takes place.

Narrator:

Everything we learn comes from our senses. We constantly take in information about the world around us: what we hear, see, smell, touch, and taste. This is called our sensory memory, and most of this information never makes it to our memory. Only information that we specifically pay attention to travels to our working, or short-term memory.

Narrator:

Your brain is already filled with information about the world around you, and learning you have already engaged in. This pre-existing knowledge is called your schema. Your brain takes the new information that is now in your working memory and compares it to your schema. If they match, then the new information gets combined with the old. If it doesn’t, your brain will either create a new memory and connect it to other existing memories, or not retain that information at all. Once information is in your working memory you have about 30 seconds before it is forgotten. Working memory doesn’t last long – this is like that first walk through the woods.

Narrator:

When we need to remember something, like someone’s name or how to get to the lake we typically  repeat it over and over until we can write it down or connect it in our memory. This is called practice or rehearsal. As you practice, the information slowly transfers into your long-term memory.

Narrator:

But it may not always be easy to recall memorized information when you need it, especially if some time has passed since you’ve used that information. In addition to rehearsal, you also need to practice retrieving the information, bringing it back into your working memory to be accessed and used. Every time you retrieve and use that memory, it is strengthened, making it a little easier to retrieve the next time. By practicing retrieval, you will be able to access the information when you need it, like on a test. This process of practicing, storing and retrieving information is how we learn.

Narrator:

So, when you study, don’t just try to memorize your notes. Rehearse the information and practice retrieving and applying what you've learned.

Narrator:

In the next modules, we’ll discuss strategies to help you transfer information into your long-term memory. We'll also reveal strategies to help you pull that content back into your working memory for when you need it.

END SCREEN [Music] – This project was made possible with funding by the Government of Ontario and through eCampusOntario’s support of the Virtual Learning Strategy. Created by Durham College.

When we learn new information, our brains try to make connections with existing knowledge. The more connections made to that information, the better it is retained in memory, and the more times we access and apply that memory, the stronger it becomes.


Learning and Forgetting

It has long been known that our brains are designed to forget, but forgetting is an important part of learning! In the 1880s, Hermann Ebbinghaus pioneered research into learning and memory, discovering that information is quickly forgotten unless repeatedly accessed (see image below). The more often information is accessed over time, the better it is remembered, with one small catch: learning is enhanced when some information is forgotten between repetitions. This is because the brain cannot possibly store everything that it encounters, so it has to select what information to keep and what information to throw away - or forget. If forgetting didn't happen our brains would be overloaded, connections would be skewed, and we wouldn't know what is important and what is not. So, each time we access stored information a tiny little bit is forgotten, which makes the information (memory) more concise and precise, making it easier to retrieve (access) each time.

This is a picture of the forgetting curve. An accessible version is available below.

Click here for an accessible version of the above image: The Forgetting Curve.pdf

Forgetting begins as soon as learning occurs, but the science of learning demonstrates that if we can connect new information to a broader network of existing knowledge and access the new information more frequently, we can produce more durable learning.


The Science of Learning

The science of learning is a set of principles that have emerged from cognitive science research that connect how we learn effectively to practices that can be put in place in the classroom and in personal study. They are evidence-based strategies to support durable learning.

These six (6) key principles are:

Evidence shows that these principles improve learning when purposefully incorporated into classroom and student study activities.

A picture of the Science of Learning Infographic.

Click here for an accessible version of the above image: Science of Learning Infographic.pdf

Throughout this resource, you will be introduced to each of these principles and learn strategies to incorporate them into your virtual classes to create durable learning for your students.


How Digital Tools Can Support Learning

The virtual learning environment differs from the in-person environment. Students feel less connected to their online classes and there is a perception from many that they cannot learn online. And these feelings are common for instructors too. It can thus be challenging to facilitate an online class that engages students and promotes effective learning.

One strategy that can increase engagement is the use of digital learning tools. Digital tools can translate online learning into an active process. Instead of just reading or watching videos, students can interact with content in ways that promote learning. These can include using flipcards or online quizzes for self-testing, concept-mapping apps for elaborating and connecting knowledge, or using infographics to present content in a memorable and meaningful way. The use of gamified elements, like app-based quizzes, can promote collaboration and even competition between students, increasing connection and motivation within a course.

Be mindful that digital tools are not an ultimate solution on their own. For learning technology to be effective, it must be used deliberately. Too many videos and students will begin to skip over them. Too many interactive activities and they lose their impact on learning. Consider your courses, look for the topics that students typically struggle or disengage from, and use those as a starting point for incorporating digital tools into your course resources.


References

Photograph by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Collins, S. (2019). Neuroscience for learning and development: How to apply neuroscience and psychology for improved learning and training (2nd ed.). Kogan Page Limited.

Sumeracki, M. (2019, November 28). Six strategies for effective learning: A summary for teachers. The Learning Scientists. https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2019/11/28-1

Weinstein, Y., Madan, C.R. & Sumeracki, M.A. (2018). Teaching the science of learning. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-017-0087-y