Title: Information Processing Model
Course: EPS 201: PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING (B) > Section: Lesson Four: Information Processing Model,

Topic-level overview | Topic/week/section | 4
Topic name: | Information Processing Model,
Aim of the topic: | The aim of the topic is to equip you with knowledge on how the human brain takes in information, stores, and retrieves it from memory.
This topic covers: | 1.       Memory banks 2.       Remembering 3.       Forgetting
Intended learning outcomes:
At the end of this topic, you will be able to:

1.       Describe the characteristics of  different memory banks

2.       Evaluate the strategies that enhance memory

3.       Outline factors that cause forgetting

Information Processing Model

Topic-level overview | Topic/week/section | 4
Topic name: | Information Processing Model,
Aim of the topic: | The aim of the topic is to equip you with knowledge on how the human brain takes in information, stores, and retrieves it from memory.
This topic covers:
1. Memory banks
2. Remembering
3. Forgetting
Intended learning outcomes:
At the end of this topic, you will be able to:

1. Describe the characteristics of  different memory banks
2. Evaluate the strategies that enhance memory
3. Outline factors that cause forgetting

Overview of student activity:

Overview of student activity: | The online audio- visual and reading materials provided in this section, will help you engage with the learning tasks in e-tivities 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3, which are aimed at supporting you to achieve the intended learning outcomes for topic 4.

Constructive alignment of topic level outcomes with module level outcomes, learning activities and assessment

Constructive alignment of topic level outcomes with module level outcomes, learning activities and assessment
Intended topic learning outcomes: | No of module-level outcome | Activity where students engage with this outcome | Where and how is this outcome assessed?
At the end of this topic, you will be able to:
1. Describe the characteristics of  different memory banks | 1, 2 & 3 | E-tivity 4.1 | Multiple choice items in the LMS
1. Evaluate the strategies that enhance memory | 1, 2 & 3 | E-tivity 4.2 | Short answer question in the LMS
1. Outline factors that cause forgetting | 1, 2 & 3 | E-tivity 4.3 | Short answer question in the LMS

Module-level outcomes addressed:

Module-level outcomes addressed:
Topic 4 addresses module-level learning outcomes 1, 2 and  3
Purpose of the topic/week/section:
The purpose of this topic is to introduce you to the information processing model, causes of forgetting and strategies that you may use to enhance memory of learners
Over to you:
The information processing system deals with the ability of human brain to take in information (encode), store it in memory and retrieve the information from memory. The classroom experiences show that learners forget the information they learn. The explanation for this phenomenon is that between the time material is learned and the time its retrieval for use is needed, some information is lost through forgetting. In this topic we will learn why forgetting occurs as well as how memory can be improved.
Pre-topic activity: | Number of hours | 30 minutes
“The human brain works like a computer”. In reference  to this statement, discuss with a colleague, some of the features of a computer that are comparable to the human brain.

1. Post your answer to discussion forum 4.0
2. Go through what your colleagues have posted and pick any new and meaningful idea that you had not considered and repost your enhanced work in discussion forum 4.0
Face to face time: (if applicable) | Number of hours | 2 hours
Before learners go online the moderators are expected to:

1. Introduce information processing system using Atikson and Shiffrin(1968) model, with special attention to the three different memory banks.
2. Help learners perform a demonstration through a skit on the flow of information

E-tivity 4.1

Online activity: | Number of hours | 1 hour
What should students do?
E-tivity 4.1

Read this textbook and the module on this link. Using the information from the two texts as well as these slides ;

1. Describe the characteristics of different memory banks and generate a diagram showing the interrelationships among the different memory banks. Post your answers to discussion forum 4.1
2. Read through the work your colleagues have posted, give positive criticism about their work and post your contribution to the discussion forum 4.1.
Where do they do it? | Discussion forum 4.1.
By when should they do it? | By the end of the end of the 2^nd day of the week.
E-moderator/tutor role
1. Ensure that learners are focused on the context of discussion.
2. Provide feedback on the learning progress
3. Close the discussion forum
How is the learning outcome in this sub-topic assessed? | Number of hours | 30 minutes
The learning outcome will be assessed through multiple choice items.
How does this section link to other sections of the module?
The concepts learnt in this topic will help you understand the succeeding content in this course.

E-tivity 4.2

Online activity: | Number of hours | 1 hour
What should students do?
E-tivity 4.2

1. Read the topic on memory from this link  and the video.  Using the information gained from the link and video, explain the factors that influence memory.
2. Read about cues to improving memory and based on your experience as a student, evaluate the strategies given for enhancing memory.
3. Share these strategies with your collegues in discussion forum 4.2. Read through their work and give new ideas that they can use to improve their work.  Post your ideas to the discussion forum 4.2.
Where do they do it? | Discussion board 4.2.
By when should they do it? | By the end of the end of the 4^th day of the week.
E-moderator/tutor role
1. Ensure that learners are focused on the context of discussion.
2. Provide feedback on the learning progress
3. Close the discussion forum
How is the learning outcome in this sub-topic assessed? | Number of hours | 30 minutes
The learning outcome will be assessed through short answer questions.
How does this section link to other sections of the module?
The concepts learnt in this topic will help you understand the succeeding content in this course.

E-tivity 4.3

Online activity: | Number of hours | 1 hour
What should students do?
E-tivity 4.3

The following video and e-book topic  provide more details on why learners forget;

1. Using the information from the two resources above, outline five reasons that may cause forgetting among learners and post your contribution to discussion forum 4.3.
2. Keeping netiquette in mind, give constructive comments on others work and post your comments on discussion forum 4.3.
3. Use the comments from your colleagues to improve on your work and repost the improved work on discussion forum 4.3.
Where do they do it? | Discussion forum 4.3.
By when should they do it? | By the end of the end of the 6^th day of the week.
E-moderator/tutor role
1. Ensure that learners are focused on the context of discussion.
2. Provide feedback on the learning progress
3. Summarize the points and close the discussion forum
How is the learning outcome in this sub-topic assessed? | Number of hours | 30 minutes
The learning outcome will be assessed through short  questions.
How does this section link to other sections of the module?
The concepts learnt in this topic will help you understand the succeeding content on transfer of learning.

= Total number of hours | 7 hours

Some important questions

Some important questions
Which learning resources/ references will scaffold the students’ learning? | The module, the e-books provided on the link, video links and slide share.
How are students enabled to access the resources? | Through the institutional LMS and OER Africa website
Where in this topic are students expected to work collaboratively? | In the discussion board 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3
How has an inclusive approach been incorporated in this topic? | Varied activities for the learners and e-moderator prompting the lurkers.
How will feedback on topic be obtained from students? | Online posts in discussion board.
How will student feedback be used to improve topic? | The e-moderator will consider the feedback from students to ascertain whether they have mastered the content for appropriate interventions where necessary.
At which point(s) will students receive formative feedback on the work they have done in the topic? | Students will receive system generated feedback  in the course of the 4^th week

Question 1

Which one of the following statement best describes the sensory register?

- It holds everything that it sensed in a relatively unencoded version
- It encodes information largely in terms of underlying meanings
- It holds only a small amount of information, selecting things that will probably be important to know
- It holds only a small amount of information, selecting things more or less at random

Question 2

Imagine that you are listening to your voice mail and a caller has left an important telephone number for you. As you search for a pen to write down thee number, -------------memory allows you to keep the number in mind and your-----------memory allows you to execute the mental operations to accomplish an efficient search

- Working; short- term
- Sensory; short- term
- Short-term; working
- Short -term; long—term

Question 3

Your memory of how to brush your teeth is contained in your ----------memory

- Declarative
- Procedural
- Structural
- Episodic

Question 4

Evaluate the strategies that enhance memory

Guidance to Question 4

The response should include a discussion on the effectiveness of each strategy such as:

- Capturing and maintaining attention
- Promoting meaningful learning
- Facilitating organization
- Encouraging learners to elaborate
- Facilitating visual imagery.

Question 5

Outline factors that cause forgetting

Guidance to Question 5

The learner is expected to list any four factors that cause forgetting, for example; Decay, lack of encoding information, multi-tasking and lack of rehearsal.