Working Memory vs Short Term Memory

Working memory is very short term memory that allows us to interact with and process information Our brains use different types of buffers for different types of information (words, ideas, pictures, seams)

Short term memory is the memory function used to keep things in our mind for 15 to 20 seconds

Right now our working and short term memory are our primary bottlenecks, we need to get them enlarged before we can get things into long term memory

Synapses are specialized connections between neurons

Memories are created when your brain sends neurotransmitter signals to two neurons at the same time

When this happens again and again it forms a neural network

Brain has two Hippocampus. The hippocami tell the brain what’s worth remembering.

It looks at things and determines if it is worth storing

Our brains actively forget memory in order to stay efficient and healthy

Hippocampi are searching for relevance and connections

The more connections we make between memories in our brains the less we forget

This is why writing things down and mnuenomics are a basic way of learning.

1. Self concept
2. The role of experience
3. Readiness to learn
4. Orientation to learning
5. Motivation to learn - need to know why you need to learn this information

Malcolm Knowles 5 requirements for adult learning

1) Adults understand why something is important to know or do 2) Adults have the freedom to learn in their own way 3) Learning is experiential 4) The time is right for them to learn 5) The process is positive and encouraging

Adults understand why something is important to know or do

You need to know why this is important, why should you understand it. How does it impact your world. If not their hippocampi is going to filter it out.

Adults have the freedom to learn in their own way

We have different learning styles, visual, adutiory, tactile. You should be able to leverage the learning style that works best for you.

Learning is experiential

Activities that get your people involved enhance your their learning experience. Example of activities includes

• small group discussions,
• experiments,
• role playing,
• skits,
• building something at their table or desk,
• or writing/drawing something specific.

Activities also keep people energized, especially activities that involve stepping away from their desks.

The time is right for them to learn

No matter how hard you try, if a someone isn’t ready to learn, they won’t. Luckily, adult learners choose to be learning, which means they have already determined that the time is right.

As an instructor, listen carefully for teaching moments and take advantage of them. When someone says or does something that triggers a topic on your agenda, be flexible and teach it right then

The process is positive and encouraging

As an instructor of adult students, it’s important to exude positivity, encouragement, and patience. Give people time to respond when you ask a question. They may need a few moments to consider their answer. Recognize the contributions they make, even when small. Give people words of encouragement whenever the opportunity arises. Most people will rise to your expectations if you’re clear about them.

Chunking

For most peo[ple the working and short term memory can only remember sequences of 7 +- 2 pieces of information

Chunk items into 3 to 5 groups.

Dual coding

• Different types of working memory buffers to work at once, increasing the storage and recall

Why working memory is so powerful

Visual information is easier to recall that auditory infomration

Important to transforma concepts, ideas, and other important information into imagined visual pictures.

Markers: Imaginary pictures or visual associations used to represent infomraiton we want to remember

The best, and most memory types of visual markers are strange, bizarre or imotionally connected to memories.

When and why creativity training may be necessary

On goal of super memory is to transform any and every piece of information into a visual image.

Creativity is something we are all born with and can gain it back with a little bit of practice

The multiple uses test > helps simulates creativity Pick an object and try and write down as many uses you can have for that object.

What types of images are most natural for you to imagine

Stereotypical image Fictional image Personal image Graphical image

Imagine a coffee cup

Put as much detail as possible on the image you are imagining With time you will build up a visual library of images

How do we apply visual techniques to learning ot reading

There are 3 stages of memory

• Encoding,
• storage
• retrieval

Grouping similar tasks together is an important way to reduce waste

If your brain thinks learning is a one off occurance your brain won’t think it is worth remembering the information.

Visualization to help reading

Gave an example of creating markers for a wikipedio article

Creating effective markers for better memory

Markers are at the heart of the super learning methodology.

Good markers represent a concept or idea. A concrete concept that cen be retrieved easily. Good markers have rich details Good markers can be easily connected to other markers Prioritize details over generic concepts Good markers can be easily and quickly converted to images Good markers prioritize the solution over the problem Good markers connect to existing knowledge wherever possible

Try to create a marker for every single detail that seems important.

Your goal is to remember every piece of information that you deem important.

Logical & Creative Markers

Logical markers follow convergent thinking

Examples of logical markers > Arrows, X’s, Circle,s Flow charts, emotions

Ask yourself what is your opinion on this information?

Linking and chunking markers for better retention

Tree structure (grouping) Silly story with unique events Any set of markers can be chunked and linked with enough creativity

Lists should be chunked to about 4-7 items

When you try to visualize a list, remember the first and last item in more detail than the others items. This allows you to link a story from the beginning and the end. Avoid interting information that was not in the original text

Using spaced repetition to help us maintain memories

Overtime if we do not use information that we learn our brains start to push it out of our memory We can reduce the forgetting curve and in some cases almost illiminate it Maintaining skills and knowledge requires constant work If we deepen our knowledge and use these skills periodically our brains will remember them

The leitner systms - a way of organising flashcards to help recall things Anki will learn how quickly we are forgetting and will remind you of information at scheduled intervals Anki can function like your brains memory tune up. Anki is amazing.

Mind mapping

Mind mapping is drawing out a neural network of concepts Mind mapping allows us to draw out and visualize neural networks in the physical realm Mind maps are personal and should be adapted to your needs

Keep the anchor in mind (this is where you access the whole mindmap, this should be unique and stand out) Retrieval markers (markers are created after reading the article) Main branches - allocated for core ideas, these should come with viable markers Leaves - this is the detail, the facts and numbers with specific information

When do you use mindmapping, it is useful for whever a logical strucutre is created

Can mind mapping be used with other forms of visualisation

• absolutely

Memory Palances

Memory palaces are buildings or strucutres that are filled or populated with memories Loci are areas in your house to store memory points Our brains are extremely effective at remembering where things are Our brains are tuned to remember where things are physically located Memory palaces are extremley effect at helping us index events.

How do you them? Memory palaces are not used for everything. Does not work for speed reading Great for ordering events, list of items. Things that give us time to process things.

Watch Ted Talk Read Magnetic Method Adapt the technique to daily meditation.

Introducing the SQ3R system

SQ3R => Survey, Question, Read, Recall and Review.

Survey > Skim or scan content Question > Ask questions to improve motivation, why and what’s in it for us? Read > read it Recall > Add details to the markers after reading each paragraph Review > Analyse from multiple perspectives and see what we learned

Survey or Skim (pre-reading)

Investigate, examine, question and record.

Look for titles, sub-headins, proper nouns or things that just don’t fit in Generate thoughts and ideas about the text Use prereading to inspire curiosity

• Envision yourself using the material, how would you use the knowledge
• Start asking questions
• Consider different perspectives (ask yourself other peoples perspectives), what viewpoint does the author have, I have, what would critics of this article say, what would I expect to see that I am not seeing.

Question

Adult learners need to be curious about what you are learning and connect it to your existing knowledge

How to properly test your comprehension without fooling yourself

Sometimes we mistake familiarity with retention (confirmation bias)

After reading, jot down everything you remember and then compare your notes to the actual text

Whenever you miss an important detail or context as yourself why did that happen

Sleeping and learning

During sleep we solidify things that are going into our long term memoery A power nap is good for learning You can improve your learning pace by taking naps Sleep in a dark cold room

Proper learning environment

If you learn in the same environment that you are exercising that learning you will learn better (state based learning)

Avoid lying down when learning Have sufficient light (bright light means work, orange light tells you to sleep) Oxygen is a stimulent for the brain

Learning by Audio & Video

Use speed adjustment to adjust viewing speed Create markers, view them, link them and create pauses to recall

Learning Languages

Never forget a name

Pay attention when you meet people and they say their name Make a habit of saying the name Create markers for names Connect that persons name to a visual marker of another person or a visual idea What does this person have in common with someone who has the same name that you know

Speed reading

Speed reading is a tool Speed reading is not natural as the slow way of reading You need to constantly remind yourself to have good speed reading habits Comprehension dips at about 600 wpm Learning speed reading with high comprehension is challenging

Sub vocalisation means we sound things out in our mind. This is a hard habit to break because how we learned to read. Sub vocalisation maxes out at about 250 wpm’s

Sacades

These jumps are called sacades In normal reading we a sacade per every word, this is hugely inefficient In speed reading Imagine 2-3 columns on a page and let our eyes jump across them We can train the eye to have a wider periphery Don’t start sacades at the beginning or end of a line

Schultz Table Exercises

Speed training with a card

Never ever go back on a paragpraph of text because you think you missed something Never stop and re-read when you are midway through a pragraph Use an index card to hide the material you have already read.

Progressive overload

Method used by weight lifters to constantly push their body to improve without causing injury or stress It’s better to push yourself to help improvement, the sweet spot is just outside your current ability but not too far to cause damage

Use acceliread or spreader tools to speed up your reading.

Remember to pause, to create markers and review it.

Training phases (assume 250 to 300 wpm)

Phase 1 - 1 minute per page (large fixations or saccades) Phase 2 - 45 seconds per page (focus on saccades) / 350 wpm Phase 3 - 500 wpm Phase 4 - 700 wpm Phase 5 - 1000 wpm (limit is between 700 & 1000 wpm)

Dont’ slow down unless your comprehension doesn’t seem to catch up after several sessions.

Tricking your brain to speed up

Move the card at a speed double the speed we can read. Do this 3 times trying to catch as much as possible as you read. Then go back to the speed you are trying to read at.

Creating pauses to create markers

Do not create markers while reading simultaneously.

One technique, assign an emotional color to each paragraph

Prereading speeds up marker generation.

Marker density

How many markers should you have wehen you read

• depends on the density of information
• what is the purpose of you reading the text
• when beginning, start with 1 large image marker per page
• you get better at creating markers with time and practice

Using strucutre of text to create markers

• Can’t remember everything about a book in a single visual palance

Top level

• Title
• Publication Info
• Authors
• Main Idea
• Linkts to other knowledge, impressions & criticisms

Middle Level

• book strucutre, how they relate

Bottom level

• Detailed info by section
• Stories
• Examples
• Other interesting details

Self directed training

• Practice every day as possible, at least 4 days a week
• Practice skills for a few months to see benefits
• You will slip into old habits (sub vocalising, forgetting peoples names, etc)

Progressive Overload

• Always be training near or just below your limits

• Every time you progress you immediately increase the level of intensity to maintain the level of progress

• Identify 3-5 goals for the course, be specific
• Establish my base line reading spead and comprehension level

Initial Baseline Comprehension & Retention

Total correct answers: 3/7 Time to read: 2m 18s

References

Better memory