EXECUTIVE CONTROL

PROCESSES
• The executive control processes involve
the executive processor or what is
referred to as metacognitive skills. These
processes guide the flow of information
through the system, help the learner
make informed decisions about how to
categorize, organize or interpret
information. Example of processes are
attention, rehearsals and organizations.
 FORGETTING

Forgetting is the inability to

retrieve or access information
when needed.
There are two main ways in which
forgetting likely occurs:

 Decay – Information is not

attended to, and eventually
‘fades’ away. Very prevalent in
Working Memory.
 Interference – New or or old
information ‘blocks’ access to
the information in question.
 METHODS FOR INCREASING
RETRIEVAL OF INFORMATION
 Rehearsal – This is repeating
information verbatim, either
mentally or aloud.
 Meaningful Learning – This is
making connections between new
information and prior knowledge.
 Organization – It is making
connections among various pieces
of information. Info that is organized
efficiently should be recalled.
 Elaboration – This is adding additional
ideas to new information based on
what one already knows. It is
connecting new info with old to gain
meaning.
 Visual Imagery – This means forming
a “picture” of the information.
 Generation – Things we ‘produce’ are
easier to remember than things we
‘hear’.
 Context – Remembering the
situation helps recover information.
 Personalization – It is making the
information relevant to the
individual.
OTHER MEMORY METHODS
Serial Position Effect (recency
and primacy)
- You will remember the
beginning and end of a ‘list’ more
readily.
Part Learning

- Break up the ‘list’ or “chunk”

information to increase memorization.
Distributed Practice

- Break up learning sessions,

rather than cramming all the info in at
once.
Mnemonic Aids

- These are memory techniques

that learners may employ to help them
retain and retrieve information more
effectively. This includes the loci
technique, acronyms, sentence
construction, peg-word and association
techniques, among others.
 Executive Control Process (including Metacognition)
Rehearsal, Elaboration,
Maintenance Rehearsal Meaningful Learning,
Organization, Visual
Imagery, Generalization

Senses Sensory Short Term Long Term

Perception
f

Memory Memory Memory

decay Forgetting Retrieval

The Information Processing Model
 Information is received through the
senses and goes to the sensory
memory for a very brief amount of
time. If not found relevant, information
may decay. It goes to the STM and if
given attention and is perceived and
found to be relevant, it is sent to the
LTM. If not properly encoded,
forgetting occurs. Different cognitive
processes applied to the information
will then determine if information can
be retrieved when needed later.