Information Processing Theory and Approach

Do you know the complex neuro-psychological process behind how your students (or just about anybody) develop new ideas as well as information? That's what the theory of information processing seeks to explain. It delve into the complicated method of recording, perceiving as well as processing data in our brains, and then retrieving it when necessary.

Find out more about the concept as well as ways to implement it into online courses to aid your students. Begin with a short review of how it all got started.

Skip ahead:

•       A brief history of Information Processing Theory
•       The key concepts of Information Processing Theory
•       What happens to it? take place within the brain?
•       Students should be aware of your online course content
•       Fundamental information processing techniques for helping your students learn better.
•       Lesser-than-averages of Information Processing Theory in online learning
•       Strategies to make in the study of how information processing theories work better for online learning
•       Humanize theory of information processing to create online courses that have human-like characteristics

     A brief introduction to Information Processing Theory    

In the 1950s, it was where psychologists realized computers as the most important information needed to comprehend how our brains function. George Armitage Miller and Edward C. Tolman set out the basic principles of how we make use of short-term memory as well as the capacity to acquire knowledge. Based on their fundamental design, two well-known theories on the theory of information processing eventually came into existence the Atkinson and Shiffrin Model and the Baddeley and Hitch Model of Working Memory.

The Atkinson and Shiffrin Model discusses the distinct stages of processing that comprise sensory memory, short-term memory (working memory) and long-term memory. The focus is on the significance of paying close attention to complicated rehearsal patterns that ultimately lead to information being stored in the long-term memory. The Baddeley and Hitch Model of Working Memory extends these concepts and explains how we handle words and spatial patterns.

Are you averse to a variety of psychological terminology? Don't worry! We've amalgamated aspects of the theories discussed above in order to offer you all the knowledge you need to know about what we humans do to sort through information. Begin by examining how we use data to resolve everyday challenges as well as analyzing the steps involved more in depth.

     The most fundamental ideas in Information Processing Theory    

As an educator of creators, it's super helpful for you to be aware of all aspects involved in data processing.

Let's do that by using the following illustration

When you're walking down a busy street, you'll encounter a myriad of sounds as well as sights and smells. People also rub your shoulders when you're unlucky to bump into a group of people who are upset. In order to avoid the hustle and bustle and noise, you choose to walk into a cafe that you are sure is quiet and serene. Additionally, you are aware that they provide the best croissants and coffee available in the area of town.

Information processing theory is operating in the real world. Let's look at how:

1. There are various things you can feel (people strolling around and rubbing your shoulder, or a vehicle traveling at high speeds or an automobile speeding past, etc. - sensation. It could refer to an external input (or information)
2. The place you see is crowded (perception is how we perceive what was sensed).
3. Based on your previous experiences (long time episodic memory) This particular situation with being unsafe and uncomfortable (being in a position of being carried about, past associations)
4. So, you remember the place that once gave some comfort (another chain of associations leads to retrieving information about the peaceful cafe and its pastries - semantic memory).
5. Your memory is what you take action on, and then you walk to the café (judging/analyzing before making a decision. The journey to the cafe is a procedure memory).

First, you sense your environment

Human beings receive information referred to as "stimulus" through five different senses: smell sight, the touch (hearing) as well as taste. The sixth sense is related to body's posture as well as movement and balance, called vestibular sensing is also there.

Senses and the associated sense organs

• Vision Eyes
• Audio - Ears
• Touch skin
• Taste - Tongue
• Smell - Nose
• The sense of Vestibular, the ear along with different parts of the nervous system.

Your sense organs inside the body translate information from real life into electrical data, which your brain processes them and interprets them as information that you can recognize on an unconscious level. The way you see things is affected by connections from the past (similar information stored inside your brain which is able to recall and create connections).

Notice to creators: Unless you integrate virtual reality or augmented reality in the content of your lessons typically, you'll be using inputs (stimuli) that are related to visual (reading documents or watching video) as well as music (voice or music that plays in background).

     The process of perception results from being able to sense.

The organs of sense respond to different stimuli from the external environment and transforms the signals they receive into electrical signals, which can be perceived by different regions of the brain. Sensory processes occur within the organs of sense, and perception takes place in the brain. For those with different perception and difficulties with learning may find it challenging to comprehend knowledge effectively.

For authors: If you plan to make the content of your course accessible for handicapped students, you might want to think about accessibility design guidelines. Examples of accessible design include making sure that words are distributed evenly, and for longer paragraphs breaking them into shorter paragraphs, and ensuring enough white space.

If the information that is being processed (encoded), it enters memory.

Memory is an umbrella term that encompasses various aspects of cognitive functioning. It begins by keeping the information for a period of duration (sensory and working memory) and then transferring that information into long-term storage by consolidating (encoding).

The duration of sensory memory can range from half a second to three seconds. If you do not pay your attention to what you are experiencing and don't pay attention, it does not turn into short-term memory. Studies have shown that short-term memory stores approximately seven pieces of information over a time period that ranges from 15 to 30 minutes. Through practice, your brain is able to store this information after which it degrades or gets lost.

When you practice the brain performs an encode. This results in the data being stored in long-term memory. When it's stored in a long-term memory, you are able to access the information anytime, provided that you don't allow it to diminish or subject it to interruption. Memory that is long-term may range from recalling something that occurred in the past just a few minutes, to occasions that took place in the past. It could extend back all the way back to your youth.

Note to the designers of your project The purpose of rehearsal is as a way to aid in rote learning situations of education. But we know that most students have difficulty to master rote learning within the natural world, which is why it's not the most effective method to learn complex concepts or abstract concepts.

The various types of memories that are lasting comprise:

1. Explicate memory is the one that can be accessed consciously. When someone asks you to determine what the capital city of Great Britain is, you are likely to claim it's London. So explicit memories are known as declarative memory. Declarative memory can further be broken down into

• A sporadic memory experiences of particular events that took place in your life. For instance, visiting an old friend's home during your childhood.
• Semantic memory refers to the capacity to remember things that you've learned about world like when you heard about the official declaration of World War 2 (September 1, 1939).

1. Implicit memory - It is stored as part of your memory over the long term, however it also relates to movement and performance. Examples of this are swimming as well as remembering how to drive your car after an extended gap or.

Attention makes memory to stay longer and enhances your ability to learn.

Though our sense organs absorb many kinds of information they are not registered in our brains until we take note of the information. They are stored in "sensory memory" after perception. These memories are only used for a brief period of time (between 1/2 second and 3 seconds).

Concentrating here is the ability to focus your attention on one particular stimulus in the absence of any other stimulation. As an example, say you enter the cafe that you love and pick what kind of bread that you would like to take a bite of, regardless of numerous other foods which are available.

When you think of a crowded road, your brain might have noticed the different people. But, perhaps you've not paid attention enough to remember their faces. In the end, the information associated with the face of every person has changed and will be lost forever.

     Where does it all take place within the brain?    

If you are an educator and create, you might be wondering how your learning materials that you offer to students is stored in their brains. Baddeley as well as the Hitch Model of Working Memory provides a clear answer to this.

It has been suggested that the frontal brain region (a part that is located in the brain) is the brain's processing unit which stores information, and later is retrieved. Memory of various types are stored in different areas in the brain. As per Hitch:

• Information about the auditory system (information expressed in sounds, usually referred to as music, language, or various other types of sound) is stored in the phonological loop.
• The Phonological Loop is comprised of phonological storage, in which information is held for a short duration, as well as the process of articulatory training in which the brain practice auditory signals to save for a lengthy time.
• Visuospatial sketchpad is the part of the brain that stores images and spatial information including shapes, designs pictures as well as other information.
• Episodic buffers are believed to enhance the capacity of the mind to encode, store, and retrieve data through the linking of various brain areas that assist in the processing of information.

Let's now implement the knowledge we've gained from information processing to virtual learning spaces.

     Students must be aware of their on-line course material    

When you are developing or designing modules, you should be thinking about the task this way. If you do not present your video or slides appealing enough, the pupils will not be interested then move onto the next. They glance at the slide or video (sensation occurs) but do not perceive it for the length of duration required to keep the information in their short-term memory. It is left to practice until they reach longer-term memory storage, and the data is erased from their sensorimotor memory. Thus, keeping their focus is crucial.

Consider the fact that your child may be caught up in a daydream, or distracted by your work. Each of these things can impact your ability to focus on what must be learned and recorded into long-term memory. So, ensuring that you develop material that will keep the interest of your students is crucial.

 What can you do:

• It is important to encourage them to take a break each ten to 15 minutes. Research shows that attention spans decrease within 15 minutes.
• Therefore, you should plan your classes to be divided into sections with a at least 15 minutes. You do not have to record lectures or videos which last only 10 minutes. Instead, it is better to offer your students small game, exercises or chillouts.
• Make online learning more interactive spaces for students. We will explain why later on.

     Essential methods of information processing to help your students improve their learning.    

Once information is stored in the short-term memory, but is not used, it may transfer to memory that is long-term or deleted. Repeating and practicing is crucial to retain data for long periods in the long-term memory. This is the reason it's important to develop lesson plans so that the pupils have plenty of time to practice things that are retained in their working memory. It is essential to do it within 30 minutes. Also, at the end of every lesson, which takes a short time, it is recommended that students repeat, practice during a practice or rehearsal. This ensures that the information they've processed is stored in their long-term memory.

In the event that something is recorded in a long-term memory, the data is able to be retrieved in the future, when the need arises. The effectiveness in regaining memory is dependent on the degree of curiosity that a student was able to comprehend the information (were sufficiently attentive, was your course material interesting enough, etc. ).

It is evident from this explanation that learning mostly is due to how we view information and how we relate it to previous experiences as well as the need to pay attention.

However, is it really so simple?

     the Limits of Information Processing Theory in online learning    

Humans aren't computers. Though drawing comparisons between our brains and computers is appealing, but they're quite different. Information Processing Theory doesn't discuss the role of motivation and emotions in our perception of the world or in our ability to recall information. Both are crucial to the process of learning and retention of information that we've learned.

The theory assumes that brains process information linearly -- that information is sensed, processed, and interpreted later stored, transformed (encoded) then stored and then recovered. This is known as sequential processing. This is the function computers do.

The brain however can be a parallel processor which means that it is able to concurrently handle various kinds of information. The ability to multitask of the brain of a human does not exactly match the work a computer capable of. Therefore, even though the information processing theory accurately defines how we perceive and manage and store information, it ignores emotion and the non-linear way that our brain works.

Students are prone to emotions, as well as needs and motives you may or might not have considered in the design of your classroom. Hence, it is essential to recognize that you are providing instruction to human learners, not machines. One of the most efficient ways to address the issue is to create virtual learning environments that make learning fun.

Let's examine how you can include emotions, motivation and emotion along with social interaction into your course, and incorporate information processing theories even more for the ultimate online class.

     Strategies to make the theories of information processing better to facilitate online learning    

Encourage your students to be attentive

What is the point of learning something when they aren't interested in it? It is essential to sense an intrinsic determination or desire to enroll in the course, and keep a commitment to complete.

Motivation of learners drives them to be attentive to what they are learning and can lead to improved process of information (encoding) and improved information retrieval abilities. If your child isn't motivated to learn, even the best course might be unable to register in their minds.

Motivation is a crucial factor in the processing of information as well. It is vital for us to be attentive to outside stimuli.

• Your role as an Creator educator lies in your ability to maintain the inspiration.
• Remember that motivation is not an empty space. It's important that people feel valued, get favorable feedback, and experience the feeling of being accepted by others as motivation for doing what they are good at. Do you remember your friends that encouraged you to complete something when you had low motivation or wanted to become more adept at specific tasks? This applies to learning as well.

Motivational and interpersonal relationships have a lot in common. We'll now look into the way this plays out in the social theory of information processing.

Encourage social interaction during learning

While one-on-one instruction is effective however, students can be taught better when they are working in groups. This is that traditional education is always conducted in groups or in classrooms, as studying with others can be much more enjoyable (and more effective).

Social Information Processing theory is one of the explanation for how people interact with one another by using computer-mediated systems, such as an online platform that facilitates education.

Humans learn through modeling or observation. That is, imitating how others behave. In this case, you as the person that created the system assume the position of a teacher, and students mimic the way you conduct yourself. Albert Bandura, a famous psychologist, noted that most learning occurs in social settings and it's impossible to completely remove "social" in the process of learning.

In this regard It is crucial for you to

• Create online group activities
• Encourage students to participate in forums, and even share their knowledge.
• Collaboration and involvement with social media a key part of your curriculum plan.
• Use social networks for sharing ideas. They could be utilized as a type of rehearsal
• Inspire positive feedback from their peers (other students) to provide reinforcement. To do this, have your students review their work positive.

Make use of specific mental strategies which are designed for achieving your objectives.

Cognitive strategies are usually specific to a particular task. That means that you should encourage your students to work on the subject directly. A few methods that can be used to online learning include note-taking, the repetition of concepts, understanding contextually, as well as using mnemonics. (A memory aid is a device that allows you to recall or access information stored in your mind.)

For example: VIBGYOR is an acronym for the seven rainbow colors: violet, indigo, blue and yellow. orange, and red. Other than acronyms, you can also use different types of mnemonics like flashcards, dividing objects into distinct categories and so on. All of them can aid in helping your pupils retain what they've learned within a brief duration.

 Support with high-level data processing by using methods of meta-cognitive analysis

Some researchers have suggested that there is something known to "metacognition," which means "thinking about being thinking." As you work or recall the things you've forgotten or employ techniques to aid people in learning or remembering (such when you teach to reach an objective) it is engaging using a metacognitive model.

The year 1987 was also the year that A.L. Brown began a debate about metacognition methods within the context of learning. Through time, it has developed quite a lot.

Within the context of online education, these are the best techniques for metacognitive learning:

• Advance organizers: Help your students think about the lessons you have planned by the sharing of calendars prior to the start of class. This helps them anticipate the things to expect, and also connect the information with the lessons they've already learned.
• Self-planning: Encourage students to arrange their work and the way they'll organize their work. They will have the chance to "think about what they are doing" - metacognition.
• Self-monitoring scales: Students self-rating their score is a great method to identify where your students need help. Develop online forms that let students keep track of their progress after the end of every lesson or week, as per your convenience.
• Self-evaluation can occur at regular intervals or after the end of the class. Since online classes are typically utilized by those who have a self-motivation, it is important that they see results.

Apart from self-evaluation you could also use associations to assist students with their learning, and to be aware of their progress. To ensure that this method is more effective, you need to be aware of what they are being taught by their teachers. So,

• Prior to involving someone in the program, evaluate their knowledge in order to ascertain if they are an appropriate match.
• If you don't, and want to create a course that will assist beginners, ensure that you develop your material so that they can relate the subject matter to what they're already familiar with. That means that you need assist them with the process of encode.

It is possible to use methods like chunking, imagery and elaboration.

• Divide your course into manageable pieces using interesting questions, interactive Q&As, online debates, as well as student support that keeps learners engaged.
• Help your students form associations to their prior knowledge by the presentation of information in a way that is simple to comprehend. It helps them use imagery for learning and retaining.
• In addition, your online class requires the participants to be engaged with the material in a way that is enjoyable. This approach, often referred to as elaboration, is crucial for engaging students and creating connections with previous information in order to increase their knowledge.

While these are all cognitive and metacognitive methods but you can't ignore the importance of emotions and motivation, as well as social theories of learning.

Integrate social interaction and emotion to the equation

The majority of students enroll into your classes because they are unable to be physically present for various reasons. Online learning environments can be an effective alternative to face-toface learning as well as a better level of engagement for many students. However, it is essential to create the online learning environment lively and enjoyable. One of the primary aspects is to employ techniques that are socially-affective, and involve the interpersonal interaction and emotional reactions. Make sure you know that "affect" is a reference to emotions.

How to do that:

• Create a rapport with your students, and assist them to learn by the example of. Inspire feelings of wonder, enthusiasm, delight and surprise., etc. It's easy to create the emotions of your students.
• Gamification is a great way to make your students be happy and content when they achieve specific levels of satisfaction.
• Giving them badges, certificates or other forms of positive reinforcement could help bring joy into your life.
• If you are able to offer to reduce the price of a high-performing student This is an opportunity to create an element of surprise. It can help them become more eager to study.
• Polling can be used to create games and tests every fifteen minutes to keep your students engaged and let them talk about the lessons they've learned through forums.
• As children become more comfortable with using social media, it's logical to integrate social media into the classroom as well.

     Humanize the concept of information processing to create online courses that have the human element    

Information processing theory can help to understand how we process and store information that we learn within our brains by using our sense organs and also the brain. Although this theory may be valid for how the sensation and perception operate, it does not explain social learning nor the role of motivation and emotions.

Moreover, the human mind is incredibly complex and cannot be reduced to the way a computer functions. In your role as teachers or creators, you must be able to be aware of your students' inherent desires and feelings in mind. When you create a stimulating online learning environment and understanding human limits, you are capable of creating a learning experience online that's effective and leaves an indelible impression for your students.

It offers a wide range of tools to help you create content for your course that are engaging and social. It helps you create educational materials that are based on data processing models however, it recognizes that students are thought and emotional beings who are a pleasure to interact with as they study. It offers powerful social engagement features that make it easy for you to form groups of learners and stimulate lively discussion with your students.

Humanizing online learning can help you engage your students' minds in a exciting manner. If you're interested in learning more about the ways we can help you develop classes founded on psychology Contact us now.

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