The learning process: animation

Learning is a change in long-term memory. Long-term memory is where we store everything we know. Here, all the facts, concepts and procedures we’ve ever learnt interconnect in a series of networks, known as mental models. The gateway into long-term memory is our working memory. This is like our temporary mental workspace, where we actively process new information, and build connections to our existing knowledge in long-term memory.  

As a simple example, let’s say Kaylee’s Year 3 class is learning about insects. Kaylee’s teacher explains to the class that insects have 6 legs. He shows images of different creatures, and counts their legs with the students to identify which ones are insects. Kaylee draws on her prior knowledge of insects in her long-term memory. In her working memory, she connects her prior knowledge to this new information. Under the right conditions, this link between new and prior knowledge is encoded into her long-term memory. So Kaylee’s refined mental model now reflects her deeper understanding of insects.  

Now, while there’s no known limit to how much knowledge we can fit into our long-term memory, there is a limit to how much information can be processed in working memory at any one time. Overloading working memory with too much new information at once is known as cognitive overload. When this happens, it’s far less likely that this information will be properly processed and encoded into long-term memory.  

Another limitation of working memory is that it can only hold information we’re actively giving our attention to. So if Kaylee’s distracted while counting the insects’ legs with her teacher, her working memory might not effectively transfer this new information to her long-term memory.  

Having said that, even knowledge that does get encoded can be easily forgotten, if we don’t recall and apply it. Every time we retrieve our prior knowledge from long-term memory – like when we talk or write about it – we strengthen the connections in our mental models. This is known as consolidation. For Kaylee, this might be a practice task where she independently counts the legs of different creatures, and sorts them into insects and non-insects. As we continue to retrieve and consolidate our learning over time, this eventually leads to mastery. When we achieve mastery, we’re more likely to recognise which knowledge and skills in our mental models are most relevant to the task at hand. This allows us to more easily apply what we’ve learnt in different contexts – like when we need to think critically or creatively, or solve unfamiliar problems. For example, Kaylee could apply her growing knowledge of insect features when adding descriptive detail to her narrative writing.