Module 1 - Activity 2 reflections

The readings in this activity were quite familiar to me as I has studied the works of Jean Piajet at teachers' college. His theory on cognitive development involving assimilation and accommodation laid the groundwork educational institutions around the world.  How we learn depends on how well we are able to retain new information.  The information processing model depicts this perfectly.  It assumes that our brains have the function of a computer. The new information is entered and is worked upon in the working or short term memory. I see most of the times students reach this stage and forget some of the content that was taught in the lesson.  This is where the model has implications for the teaching-learning exchange.  This is where learners need to be taught meta cognitive skills so that they can think about their own thinking ( how they learn or how they want the information to be stored) so that new information learnt is readily available in long term memory. When storing information on a computer it must be saved in special labeled places (file documents, pictures, etc.) where they are readily retrievable.  The same must be done with our learners. When they come into contact with new information, it is important that we draw from their readily previous knowledge and make connections with the new information.