Memory & Recall

Did you know that your mind has natural rhythms and processes that you can use to maximise your learning?

Learning a new, and complex, skill that you will be using to earn your living will take a little effort on your part. Some would argue that learning is hard work, no matter how easy this course makes it. But you can do a lot to help yourself by understanding a bit about how memory works when taking in new information...

During practical training for Part-Three and Instructor development I discuss the concept of 'mini-lessons'.

Mini lessons are simply units of learning that last about 25 minutes and are completed within the main driving lesson format (usually between one and two hours). As part of my discussion I use a 'rough and ready' memory test involving the ability to recall a list of words.

I read a list of words to my student – and then, after a few minutes, I ask how many they can recall. The results are almost always the same – this is because of the way memory works.

Students usually remember some words from the beginning of the list, some from the end but only a few from the middle of the list. This pattern is well documented and is virtually always present.

There are specific memory techniques that can be learned to help you remember long lists of things but they go beyond the scope of this course – one cabaret act in Blackpool in the 1990s was based on a 'memory man' who had learned the local 'yellow pages' directory by heart and could recall 1000's of names and phone numbers!

 

Primacy and recency. Remembering words from the beginning of the list is known as primacy – from the end of the list as recency.

Words from the middle of the list that have a strong emotional link to an individual, that link to something else previously known (an electronics engineer would remember capacitors or rheostats from a random list), or which are outstanding or out of place will also be remembered.

So, now you know a bit about memory, how can you use the knowledge to help you study? Simple. Use a 'mini lesson' approach. By maximizing your 'beginnings and endings' you will maximise the primacy and recency effect.

If you study for three or four hours without a break you will forget a lot from the 'middle' - on the other hand, if you stopped for a break every 5 minutes you would not get into the flow of learning. You need to split your study into useful 'time chunks' – in other words, use the 'eating an elephant' method described earlier in the course.

The length of time will vary with each individual and you might work up to longer periods with practice, however, you will find that the best study 'chunk' is usually between 20 and 50 minutes.

The time chunks will mean that you create more primacy/recency high points and will remember more from your studying. The breaks will give your mind a chance to rest from learning and doing something different will actually stimulate it.

Recall and memory

Your recall will be aided by the fact that you have 'worked with' the information provided in this course and in your reference material by answering the Knowledge Booster questions (as opposed to just reading and answering a question).

Answering the Knowledge Booster questions has helped to deepen your understanding. You cannot remember things usefully if you don't understand them.

You also need to transfer the new information from your short-term to your long-term memory so that you can recall it whenever you want to.

To really maximise your recall needs a bit of effort and the help of the confidence marking sheets provided for use with the DVSA questions. But first, lets think about what you can remember without trying.

The answer to the question above was known as long ago as 1885 when Hermann Ebbinghaus conducted experiments in recall and memory – Ebbinghaus proved that within one to two days, we forget about 80% of what we have learned. BUT (a big but) you can remember a lot more with a little bit of effort.

When you finish your study session your brain keeps working - maximum recall will be about ten minutes after you stop studying.

With this in mind, you should make a key point summary of the main things you have learned ten minutes after your final study 'chunk'. Do this on your blank notes sheet. Look at any key word notes (on your confidence sheet) for five or ten minutes an hour or two after your study session (or next morning if you study before going to sleep).

Your ability to recall this information will remain at a high point for about a day before it begins to drop off rapidly. So it is a good idea to review what you have learnt again after a day. This is why we ask you to return to the 'low confidence' questions at the start of each study session.

You can take this further still...

A daily review will mean that your ability to recall what you have learnt will remain for about a week before some of it begins to tail off again. Because revision is built into the course and the DVSA questions this shouldn't bee a major problem, however, looking back on your notes after a week, and again for a week or so before your exam will help your long term memory.

A simple revision plan

First, you can spend 10-15 minutes at the end of each home learning session reviewing what you have learnt in that session. While you do this you can also mentally rehearse your new learning as described previously in the course.

Secondly at the end of each week you can spend about 30 minutes or so reviewing what you have learnt during that week as part of a regular study session.

Finally at the end of each month you can devote a complete learning session of about two hours to reviewing and revising everything you have learnt during the course up to that time.

Practice all of the new driving and road safety information each time you drive. Getting into the habit of noticing all the new things you have learnt and putting them into practice in 'real time’ on the road is a marvellous way ensuring what you have learnt 'sticks’ and is put to practical use.