Learning and Memory

 

When you study for a course and prepare to make use of the information you learn, such as

taking a test or completing an Application Assignment,

what exactly is going on in your brain?

In this assignment, you will need to think about how the information assigned for this week

applies to this very question. Given what you have learned about learning and memory, you also

will need to think about whet

her your own learning habits are efficient, or if you should be doing

something differently.

 

To prepare for this assignment:

 

·

 

Review the Learning Resources focusing on learning and memory, paying special

attention to the following:

 

 

·

 

How do brain cells chang

e when learning takes place?

 

·

 

Where is information initially stored in the brain?

 

·

 

How does information retained short

–

term become more permanent?

 

·

 

Once information is made more permanent, why is it subject to change or

forgetting?

 

The assignment: (1

–

2 pages)

 

·

 

Briefly explain how you study for this class.

 

 

o

 

What activities do you engage in to learn the material?

 

o

 

How much time per week do you devote to reading the assigned chapters?

 

o

 

How frequently do you review the week’s material before moving on to the next

wee

k?

 

o

 

Is your pattern of studying for this class similar to or different from how you

study for other classes? Explain.

 

·

 

You have read that the process known as long

–

term potentiation is a likely phenomenon

underlying learning.

 

 

o

 

As you study material for this

class, what is happening to the neural cells involved

in processing the information? (In other words, explain the process of long

–

term

potentiation.)

 

o

 

Based on the material in the chapter, what brain areas are involved in your initial

processing of this inf

ormation? (Keep in mind that this involves declarative

memory.)

 

·

 

Once you have learned the material, you are required to retrieve it for a test, or to

complete an assignment.

 

 

o

 

What brain areas are involved in this process?

 

o

 

Is the information likely to have been consolidated into long

–

term memory?

Explain your answer.

 

·

 

Assume that one year from now, you are asked to give a talk at your job about what

happens in the brain when we learn and remember information.

 

 

o

 

Assuming you ca

n still recall the information, will it be stored in the same

location that it is now? Explain.

 

Learning and Memory

When you study for a course and prepare to make use of the information you learn, such as

taking a test or completing an Application Assignment, what exactly is going on in your brain?

In this assignment, you will need to think about how the information assigned for this week

applies to this very question. Given what you have learned about learning and memory, you also

will need to think about whether your own learning habits are efficient, or if you should be doing

something differently.

To prepare for this assignment:

 Review the Learning Resources focusing on learning and memory, paying special

attention to the following:

 How do brain cells change when learning takes place?

 Where is information initially stored in the brain?

 How does information retained short-term become more permanent?

 Once information is made more permanent, why is it subject to change or

forgetting?

The assignment: (1–2 pages)

 Briefly explain how you study for this class.

o What activities do you engage in to learn the material?

o How much time per week do you devote to reading the assigned chapters?

o How frequently do you review the week’s material before moving on to the next

week?

o Is your pattern of studying for this class similar to or different from how you

study for other classes? Explain.

 You have read that the process known as long-term potentiation is a likely phenomenon

underlying learning.

o As you study material for this class, what is happening to the neural cells involved

in processing the information? (In other words, explain the process of long-term

potentiation.)

o Based on the material in the chapter, what brain areas are involved in your initial

processing of this information? (Keep in mind that this involves declarative

memory.)

 Once you have learned the material, you are required to retrieve it for a test, or to

complete an assignment.

o What brain areas are involved in this process?

o Is the information likely to have been consolidated into long-term memory?

Explain your answer.

 Assume that one year from now, you are asked to give a talk at your job about what

happens in the brain when we learn and remember information.

o Assuming you can still recall the information, will it be stored in the same

location that it is now? Explain.