INVESTIGACIÓN DOCENTE

In the realm of education and cognitive psychology, understanding how we learn and retain information is paramount. One of the most fundamental principles in this domain is the need to imbue our learning with meaning. This involves transforming what we learn into discrete, meaningful «pieces» that our working memory can handle efficiently. These pieces, once comprehended, can then be integrated into a broader, interconnected network within our long-term memory. I learned this idea of zooming in and out (from the pieces to the whole, and backwards) from Christian Moore-Anderson blog and books. This approach not only enhances our ability to grasp new concepts but also ensures that this knowledge is retained and easily retrievable when needed. By giving structure and context to our learning, we create a robust mental framework that supports deeper understanding and long-term retention.

I am going to insist on this idea several times because I find it essential: in order to learn, we need to give meaning to what we are learning, turning it into a «piece» with meaning in working memory, which then integrates into a broad network of interrelated pieces, which are housed in long-term memory. When you start studying something, begin by asking yourself: how does this fit with what I already know? What beginning and end can I give this? Turning it into something with a beginning and an end helps integrate it into memory, but that beginning and end are like the couplings between train cars: it doesn’t start and end there. What comes before? What comes next?

Reading a topic in a book, even a paragraph on the device you have in your hands, might give you the idea that knowledge is like a linear sequence that you go through from beginning to end. However, it is very difficult to learn long sequences of information from beginning to end. Simply put, our memory is not a collection of rolled-up scrolls, each dedicated to a topic, like the Great Library of Alexandria.

The term for breaking information into parts is called «chunking,» proposed by American psychologist George A. Miller in his classic 1956 article on working memory titled «The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity for Processing Information.» For more on this article, How Learning Happens 2nd edition by Kirschner and Hendrick is a must. Using chunking in the learning process has several benefits, and involves grouping information into smaller, meaningful units known as chunks to facilitate learning and retention.

Firstly, this strategy allows for more efficient information processing. As mentioned earlier, our brain has a limited capacity for processing information. Specifically, it is working memory that has a limited capacity, and by dividing information into smaller chunks, cognitive load is reduced, making comprehension easier.

Additionally, it helps to organize information more meaningfully. By grouping related elements into these chunks, connections are established, creating a context that facilitates a global understanding of the topic. This allows for seeing relationships between concepts and makes it easier to retrieve what has been learned in the future. Another benefit is that it facilitates the transfer of knowledge; by learning and remembering connections of information instead of isolated elements, deep understanding is promoted, and the ability to apply knowledge in different contexts is enhanced.

In this sense, each chunk acts as a building block, like bricks or pieces of the famous brand of building blocks, which can be combined and used in different situations, promoting cognitive flexibility. Lastly, using this strategy encourages the automation and fluency of learning. By grouping information, the need for conscious processing is reduced, improving the speed and accuracy in task execution. This is especially useful in complex skills such as reading, mathematics, or music, where fluency is essential, as explained in the previous chapter on reading.

In summary, chunking information and visualizing it as small, related chunks is a powerful strategy for learning, as it improves cognitive efficiency, facilitates the organization and understanding of information, promotes knowledge transfer, and fosters automation and fluency in learning. By using chunking, we can optimize our learning process and improve our results. Creating outlines is a widely used technique in learning situations, but its full potential is generally not utilized. It’s not about transcribing what has been read or heard, but about creating units of meaning (chunks) and expressing the relationships that exist between them. For example, it is very useful to make a list of the main ideas of a text and strive to connect them.