Long Term Memory Development

In my reading for my classes, both in the texts, and the articles, I've been slightly surprised by the role that emotions play in the development of memory, so I almost decided to post about that. I also almost wrote about the Neuromyth regarding how people learn better if we teach to them in their preferred learning style. My boss loves to talk about this neuromyth, so I can't wait to discuss "learning preferences" with him. However, I've decided to post about what I found exciting regarding "immediate" memory.

Ten or so years ago, I took a facilitation training and was introduced to the process of moving a learning objective from short-term to working then long-term memory. Since that moment, I have always used that process and that lexicon to discuss learning and training in my roles at work. As good as that description of learning was, it always seemed to leave me wanting more. It was terrific for surface level explanations, but I'm very glad that Sousa wrote how "immediate" memory is a part of that process as well. The way that Sousa describes immediate memory as a clipboard where we place thoughts for just a short period, while working memory is more like a work table, where we decide what to do with these thoughts, figure out how they might work with other thoughts, and decide if we want to file them away for long term memory storage, really spoke to me. I might have changed "clipboard" to "post it note" for immediate memory. Regardless, this description helped me tremendously in terms of further developing that process of learning and long term memory development.

 During my training classes on large tanker trucks, I was always looking for "timelines" and "specifications" regarding how the truck works. While my Subject Matter Expert (SME) might say "you fill the tank" I would ask "How long does that take? At what point should I as a new person become nervous that something is wrong? What's a good rule of thumb?" (The correct answer, in case you are wondering, is for a 3000 gallon tank vacuuming up a viscous water-like liquid on a level surface with no debris blocking the hose, is about 15 minutes).

Watching the video linked here helped provide some of those specifics about the different types of memory like the phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad and the episodic buffer helped me understand how immediate and working memory interact.  These really helped me understand what makes it from immediate to working and why.

I really liked that my simple process of moving a learning objective from short term to working to long term memory has already become far more nuanced and well developed thanks to just these first few resources and I look forward to seeing what else I can pick up in the following weeks.

I wonder in what ways others in this group have already further developed their understanding? 

What made the most impact on the rest of the group the way these two made an impact on me?