Information Processing Theory and Approach

Are you aware of the complex neural-psychological mechanism that helps your students (or the majority of people) find new concepts and information? That's the question Information Processing Theory aims to clarify. It dives into the intricate process of registering, observing and processing data in our brains. It also retrieves it whenever it is needed.

Learn more about the theories and methods to apply it to creating online classes to help students. Let's start with a brief review of how the course started.

Skip ahead:

•       An overview of Information Processing Theory
•       The most important concepts of Information Processing Theory
•       Where does it all happen in the mind?
•       Students must be aware of the web-based content for your course
•       Fundamental Information Processing Techniques that can assist students to better remember information.
•       Lesser-than-averages of Information Processing Theory in online learning
•       Strategies to make information processing theory work more effectively for online learning
•       Humanize the theory of processing information so that you can create online courses that have a human touch

     A brief history of Information Processing Theory    

The 1950s were the time when psychologists realized that computers were the answer in understanding how brains function. George Armitage Miller and Edward C. Tolman established the basics of how humans use short-term memory and acquire knowledge. Basing their work on this foundational design, two popular theories on the theory that arose from information processing: The Atkinson and Shiffrin Model as well as the Baddeley and Hitch Model of Working Memory.

The Atkinson and Shiffrin Model discusses the three phases of processing information, which include sensory memory as well as the short-term memory (working memory) and long-term memory. The emphasis is on the importance of attention and elaborate rehearsal behaviors that lead to data being stored in long-term memory. It is based on The Baddeley and Hitch Model of Working Memory was developed based on these ideas and describes the way we deal with language and spatial patterns.

Do you have a lot of terms in your head? Don't worry! We've merged aspects of these theories to aid in understanding the way that humans process information. Let's begin understanding that by looking at how human beings manage to organize data in everyday situations, as we examine all these functions in greater detail.

     Concepts at the center of Information Processing Theory    

In my role as an educator for creators, it's essential to be aware of the fundamentals of information processing.

We'll try this using the example below.

If you're in an area with a lot of people and are confronted with a myriad of noises, smells and sights. There are also people who hug you in the event that you meet large numbers of people. In order to avoid the craziness and noise, you decide to go to a place you know is quiet and peaceful. It is also important to be aware that they offer the best coffee and croissants that are available in this area of the town.

Information processing theory in action and in actual reality. We'll see:

1. It is possible to feel various stimulations (people walking around, someone who is touching your shoulder, a car racing across the road and on. - sensation. The term "stimulus" refers to any input from outside (or external)
2. It appears to you as overcrowded (perception is how we interpret what we perceive).
3. Through your experiences in the past (long long term episodic memory) You identify this specific event as unpleasant and potentially hazardous (being being pushed around, memories from the past)
4. So, you will be able to recall a place that had previously offered you ease (another chain of memory will bring you back the information about the peaceful cafe as well as its delicious croissants, which is a form of the cognitive memory).
5. The memory activates, and walk into the cafe (judging/analyzing and making a decision. The trip to the cafe is an example of process memory).

First, you sense your environment

Human beings receive information, called "stimulus" via five senses of smell, sight, touch, (hearing) as well as the sense of tasting. Sixth sense that relates to body's posture or movement as well as balancing vestibular perception.

The senses as well as the related organs

• Vision Eyes
• Audio - Ears
• Touch Skin
• Taste - Tongue
• Aroma - Nose
• Vestibular sense: Ears as well as other parts that make up the nerve system.

The sense organs in your body transform world's information into electrical signals the brain interprets and processes them as data which you recognize at an unconscious level. What you are seeing is determined by previous associations (similar data stored in your mind that is able to recall and connect).

Notice to creators: Unless you use virtual reality or augmented reality within your lesson content I would suggest that you use mainly inputs (stimuli) that relate to visual (reading documents or watching video) as well as music (voice in background music).

     Perception is a result of sensing.

The sense organs detects stimulus outside, and then transform the signals they detect into electrical signals sensed by different parts of the brain. Sensory processing happens in the organs that sense while perception is carried out within the brain. People with different perceptual and learning difficulties may experience it challenging to comprehend information easily.

Attention to Authors: If you are planning to design your content to be accessible to people with disabilities, it is advisable to look into accessible design principles. Examples of accessible design include making sure that words are spaced evenly and long paragraphs, breaking them into shorter paragraphs, and making sure there is adequate white space.

HTML0 When the data being viewed is treated (encoded) the information gets stored in memory.

Memory is a general concept that covers a wide range of components in cognition. It starts by storing the data for a certain amount of duration (sensory as well as working memory) before it is transferred to long-term storage through consolidation (encoding).

Sensory memories last between 2 and 3 seconds. If you do not pay attention to the feeling and don't notice it, you'll not enter short-term memory. The research has shown that short-term memory holds around seven bits of information for a period of 15 to 30 minutes. With practice, the brain can store the information, and then it is destroyed or lost.

As you work it, your brain is engaged in a process referred to as encode, which causes the information to transfer into long-term memory. When it is transferred to long-term memory, it's possible to retrieve it anytime, provided that you don't let it be subject to a cycle that is degrading or interrupted. "Long-term memory" or "long-term memory" could refer to something you observed a minute ago, or something that occurred quite a while ago. It could be referring to the time of your youth.

For creators, rehearsing usually is utilized to aid in the learning process in schools. We know that most students are not able to master rote learning, and it is not the best way for learning complex concepts or abstract concepts.

The various kinds of memory which are lasting include:

1. The expression "explicit memory" refers to the memory that can be accessed by you in conscious. If someone asks you about the capital city in Great Britain is, you are able to easily answer it as London. Hence explicit memories can also be known as declarative memories. Declarative memory is further subdivided into:

• Memory that's intermittent Memory of specific occasions that occurred during your lifetime. Examples include visiting a friend's house during your youth
• Memory that is semantic the ability to recall things that you have learned in the course of your life. This is the case even when you have made an official declaration of World War 2 (September 1 September 1939).

1. Implicit memory is stored in the memory that lasts for a long time of your brain. But it's tied to movements and performances. It is a good example of being able to swim, or remembering how to drive a vehicle after a prolonged gap and so on.

Attention makes memory last longer and also improves your ability to learn.

Though our sense organs absorb lots of data but they don't register in our minds unless you pay attention to the information. The information is stored in "sensory memory," after perception, and can last only a couple of seconds (between 1/2 second to three seconds).

Focusing here means paying attention to a specific stimulus even when there are other types of stimuli. In this case, for example, you walk into the restaurant of your preference and select the croissant you like even though there are numerous alternatives that are available.

When you imagine a busy street you may be aware of the presence of different individuals. But, perhaps you've failed to be able to see their faces in mind. At the end of the day, the details associated with the faces of every person has been lost and is lost forever.

     How does it happen? occur within the brain?

As an educator of creators, you may be thinking about how the the information you give your students will be processed by their brains. In the Baddeley model and in the Hitch Model of Working Memory gives a clear answer to this.

The researchers have explained that the frontal lobe (a component that is located within the brain) is the brain's processor that encodes information and retrieves it. The various kinds of memories are stored in different regions inside the brain. According to Baddeley and Hitch:

• Information about the auditory system (information expressed in the sound that is usually recognized as music, language or a variety of different sound) is stored inside the sound loop, which is also known as the phonological loop.
• Phonological loop is made up of storage of phonological information, where data is kept for a brief duration, as well as the process of articulatory rehearsal that allows the brain to practice auditory information to be stored for a longer period of time.
• The Visuospatial Sketch Pad is an part of the brain that stores visual and spatial information, such as shapes designs, images, etc.
• Episodic buffers are believed to enhance the capability of the mind to store, encode, and retrieve information by connecting various brain regions that assist in the process of processing information.

Now let's implement what we've learned on information processing in online learning environments.

     Students need to be aware of the contents of the online classes you offer.    

If you're developing or creating modules, think about it by this way. If you don't create your videos or slides attractive enough, students are likely to overlook their presentation and move on to the next. The students take a look at the slideshow (sensation occurs) however they don't notice it in the time required to store all the data in the short-term memory of their brains. It is left to be stored in long-term memory. It disappears entirely from memory of the sensory. Hence, sustaining their attention is crucial.

You need to factor in the possibility that your child might be distracted by daydreaming or your work. These issues can hinder the process of paying attention to the information that needs to be absorbed and stored in long term memory. So, making sure that you develop content that is able to keep the attention of your pupils is essential.

Here's what you could try:

• Make them stop for ten to fifteen minutes. Human attention waned within the first fifteen minutes.
• Also, make your lesson plans to be broken down into sections of 15 minutes or shorter. It is not necessary to make videos or a lectures that last only 10 minutes. Instead, you need to provide your students with little tasks, games or the chance to relax.
• Develop more engaging online learning spaces for students to learn. This is why we will explain later on.

     Basic methods of information processing to aid students better remember information.    

In the event that information is saved in short-term memory, it could be transferred to long-term memory or be deleted. Practice and repetition are essential to keeping information for longer periods of time within the memory of long-term. It is crucial to develop plan of instruction in order that the students get sufficient time to learn and repeat the knowledge that is retained inside their brains. It's essential to complete this within minutes. seconds. At the conclusion of any class that lasts a few minutes the students should be encouraged to take a look, and practice during an exercise or rehearsal. Learning through rotation helps make sure that they've learned the material stored for long-term memory.

After a certain point, something gets stored in your memory for a long time, it is stored in the brain, it can be retrieved whenever you are asked. But, the effectiveness of memory retrieval depends on how much the student was able to absorb the topic (were they attentive enough or was the information the teacher taught pertinent and relevant, etc. ).

As you can see from the previous explanation that learning is primarily because of how we perceive information, and how we link it to our previous knowledge in addition to the need to be attentive.

But is it really all so simple?

     Limits that are lower than average for Information Processing Theory in online learning    

Humans aren't computers. While drawing parallels between the brain of a human and computer might be appealing, they aren't the same. Information Processing Theory doesn't discuss the importance of emotion and motivation in the way we process information or remember things. Both of them are essential for recalling and learning the lessons we've learned.

The idea is that the brain process information in a linear fashion which means that the information is processed, sensed and then stored then transformed (encoded) before being stored, then later, retrieved. It is known as serial processing. This is exactly the same process computer systems do.

The brain, however, can be able to be able to process information simultaneously, which means you can simultaneously process various types of data. Multitasking ability of our brains does not match the capabilities of computers to do. Therefore, even though the theory behind information processing is correct and describes how we sense, perceive, process, and organize information, it does not take into account emotions or the non-linear method by which our brain operates.

The students you teach think that they are motivated by their desires or feelings that you may or may not have considered when creating the content of your class. It is therefore important to understand that you're training human learners, not machines. One of the most efficient ways to deal with this problem is to create online learning environments that are stimulating.

Let's look at methods to add emotion, motivation and interaction with fellow students into the mix. We will also explore ways to leverage the theory of information processing for the perfect online course.

     Strategies to make more effective the application of theories about information processing to facilitate online learning    

 Encourage your students to focus on their task.

How can someone be interested in learning something even if they aren't interested in it? You must be able to be aware of an inherent motivation or a desire to sign up to take the course, and remain committed to completing.

Motivation drives students to concentrate on your course material and this results in better information processing (encoding) as well as a better capacity to find data. If your pupil isn't motivated enough to become a learner, then even the best course might be unable to register with their brains.

Motivation is an important factor for information processing, as well. You must be able to remain alert to outside stimulation.

• Your role as a creator educator is to maintain the passion of your students.
• It is important to realize that motivation does not exist in a vacuum. It is important that you feel appreciated, receive feedback that is positive and appreciated by people around you to be motivated to continue making progress on a project. Remember your friends who encouraged you to work hard when you were feeling down or wanted to be better in some aspect? This applies to learning as well.

Interpersonal and motivational relationships are interconnected. We will look at how this is played out in the theory of social information processing.

Encourage social interaction during learning

Although one-on-one teaching is effective however, people learn more effectively when they're within a larger group. This is why traditional learning situations is done in classrooms or classes since learning in a group can be much more enjoyable (and efficient).

Social Information Processing Theorem partially explains how humans interact with one via computers such as an online learning platform.

Humans are also taught through models and observation. This means that they emulate what they see in others. As a result, you, as the educator who created them assume the role of acting as a model while your pupils mimic the behavior of others. Albert Bandura, a famous psychologist, emphasized that learning occurs in social settings and it is impossible to eliminate "social" elements that influence learning.

This is why it's crucial to

• Create online group activities
• Inspire students to engage in forums and discuss their experiences.
• Consider Social media collaboration and participation an integral part of your strategy.
• Utilize social media tools to share thoughts, which can then be utilized as a form of rehearsal
• Get positive feedback from your peers (other students) that act as positive reinforcement. For this, you should request your students to assess the work of their classmates positively.

 Use specific cognitive strategies for achieving goals

The cognitive strategies you employ are typically specific to the task at hand. This means that you must help your students work with the topic in a direct manner. One of the most effective methods of cognitive learning that could be used in online learning are note-taking, repetition, comprehension of context, and using Mnemonics. (A memory aid is one that allows you to recall or access the information you have stored in your memory)

Like: VIBGYOR is an acronym that is used to refer to the colors of the rainbow, which include violet, blue indigo the color green and yellow and orange. Apart from acronyms, there are many other kinds of mnemonics too such as flashcards, sorting objects into distinct types such as. They can help your pupils recall what they've learned quickly.

 Enhance high-level processing of information by using metacognitive strategies

Researchers have suggested the existence of something referred to as "metacognition," which means "thinking about the world around you." When you rehearse or try to recall things you've forgotten or use methods that aid others in understanding or retaining information (such such as presenting by focusing) It is a sign of participation in a metacognitive form.

The year 1987 was the year that A.L. Brown started to talk about metacognition as a way to learn. Over time, it has evolved quite a bit.

in the context of online learning. Here are some of the most effective metacognitive strategies.

• The advance organizer: Get your students to reflect on the lessons you teach by sharing schedules and calendars in advance. It will let your students know what is expected and also connect it to information they already know.
• Self-planning: Instruct your students to plan their tasks and the ways they'll organize their work. This allows them more time to "think about the things they're studying" - metacognition.
• Self-monitoring scales for students: Students' self-rating their score is an effective means of understanding where your students need help. Create online forms that help students track their progress towards the end of every session or week, at your convenience.
• The self-evaluation process can be conducted frequently as well as at the conclusion of the program. Since online classes are mostly used by people who are self-motivated It is essential that students see the results.

As well as self-evaluation and other methods, you may use associations to assist students in learning and remember what they learn. To increase the efficiency of this approach it is important to know the information your students are aware of. So,

• When you are deciding to enroll someone into any educational program, you should evaluate their current level of understanding to ascertain if they are a good candidate for the course.
• If you're not sure, when creating a beginner's course, ensure that you develop your content to enable them to connect the lessons your course offers to what they already have learned. This means that you must help them in the process of decoding.

There are many methods like images, chunking, and elaborate.

• Split your module into manageable pieces. Use fun quizzes, questions and answers online debates, help from peers for your students to be entertained.
• Help your students form relationships with their information by presenting it in a way that is easy to understand. This will help students use images to help students learn and remember information.
• Additionally, your online course should encourage your participant to keep the content active. This process, also known as elaboration is vital for keeping learners interested and build connections with current capabilities to learn new information.

Although they all are cognition and metacognitive techniques however, you cannot overlook the importance of motivation, emotions and theories of social learning.

 Add social engagement and feelings into the mixture

Most of your students are enrolled in your classes as they're unable to be physically present in your class because of various reasons. Learning online environments provide an alternative in comparison to traditional education which can boost participation in a variety of cases. However, it is essential to keep your learning online environment exciting and exciting. One of the primary aspects is to employ social-affective techniques, which require interpersonal communication and emotions. Be aware that "affect" is a reference to emotion.

Here's how you can accomplish this:

• Be relatable for your students so that they can learn from your modeling. Inspire feelings of wonder, joy excitement, joy, contentment exuberance, joy, etc. It's fairly easy to trigger these feelings in your students.
• Gamification can help your students feel happy and fulfilled as they finish certain levels of completion.
• Giving certificates, badges or other forms of reinforcement positive will help to bring happiness.
• If you give an unexpected discount to students performing well You combine excitement and surprise. It makes students more eager to learn more.
• Polling can be used to develop games and tests at intervals of 15 minutes to keep your students engaged and let them talk about their knowledge in forums.
• Children are getting more comfortable with social media, therefore it makes sense to integrate social media into learning and also.

     Theorize about humanizing information processing to make online courses that can be compared to    

The idea of processing information assists in understanding how we accumulate and store new knowledge in our minds, using the sense organs of our bodies as well as our brain. While this theory is correct as regards how sensation & perception work, as well as memory but it is not able to describe social learning, nor the importance of motivation as well as emotions.

Additionally, the human brain is very complex and can't be reduced to similar ways that computers work. As instructors is essential to keep the students' natural thoughts and thoughts in their mind. In creating an interactive online learning space and taking into account human limitations, you can create a course online that is successful that leaves a lasting impression on the students.

gives you various tools to assist you in creating courses which is fun and engaging. This helps you design classes that draw on information processing models yet recognizes that your students are thinking and feeling human beings, who enjoy engaging with one another as they study. It provides powerful social engagement capabilities that make it easier to design groups of learning and to encourage lively discussions among your students.

Through humanizing online learning, lets you engage with students' minds in a fun and engaging way. If you'd like to find out more about the ways we can assist you in developing educational programs that draw on the principles of psychology, get in touch to us now.

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