There are basically four fundamental elements of the information processing approach. These elements supports ad underlays this approach as well as other cognitive models. The four elements are:
1. Thinking
The process of thinking includes the activities of perception of external stimuli or environment, encoding the same and storing the data so perceived and encoded in one's mental recesses.
2. Analysis of Stimuli
This is the process by which the encoded stimuli are altered to suit the
brain's cognition and interpretation process thus, enabling one to make appropriate decisions.
There are four distinct sub-processes that form a favorable alliance
to make the brain arrive at a conclusion regarding the encoded stimuli
it has received and kept stored. These four sub-processes are encoding,
strategization, generalization and automatization.
3. Situational Modification
This is the process where by one uses his experience, which is a collection of stored memories, to handle a similar situation in future. In case of certain differences in both situations, the individual modifies the decisions they took during their previous experience to come up with solutions for the somewhat different problem.
4. Obstacle Evaluation
Besides the subject's individual development
level, the nature of the obstacle or problem should also be taken into
consideration while evaluating the subject's intellectual, problem
solving and cognitive acumen. Sometimes, unnecessary and misleading
information can confuse the subject and he/she may show signs of
confusion while dealing with a situation which is similar to one he/she was exposed to before, which he/she was able to handle
successfully.
In general, the ability of an individual to process information varies accordingly. When we absorb information from different external environment, we will go through a process on how the information is being processed and stored into one's memory. As seen from the model above, there are three main stages of Information Processing.
Stage 1: Sensory Memory Stage
Human body perceives the environment through the different senses. It is the first main stage of information processing is affiliated with the transduction of energy. In this stage, our mind holds the information for extremely brief period
of time, since it receives a great amount of information more than it
can hold or perceive. This is the reason why attention is very important
on this stage.
In order for the information to proceed to the next
stage, that information must be attended to, or must be familiarized by
the thinker. In addition, the duration is different among the senses, like auditory memory is more persistent than visual memory.
*My personal thought:
In this stage, we can somehow relate it to how Andy process the information given in class. According to the PBL scenario, the teacher, Ms Wong, told the class that "we have no time" and she had to rush through the class by emphasizing rote learning, using the memorizing technique. She did not explain the topic clearly to the students thus, students were unable to familiarize the information given.
Stage 2: Short-term Memory Stage
This stage, in short, STM is created if we attend to an external information, a thought that popped in our head, or both. The capacity of short term memory is said to be 7 plus-minus 2. This means that STM can hold 5 to 9 chunks or bits of information. The duration of the
information while in the STM is dependent on how we organize or
practice/repeat that information. Thus, organization and repetition,
plus chunking or grouping, can help the information proceed to the next stage, that is the Long-Term Memory.
*My personal thought:
In this stage, it is relatively similar to the PBL scenario as the teacher, Ms Wong stated "Look at the board and repeat loudly after me", which emphasizes on repetition of the information given in class. By doing so, the students are actually at the stage of STM where they are able to process some of the information into their brain memory. However, in Andy's case, he is unable to absorb the information as he do not understand the concept of the topic, Water Cycle. This means that not all student are able to process information through rote learning. They need to understand and familiarize the information given into their brain before memorizing it.
Stage 3: Long-term Memory Stage
This is the final stage of memory wherein the information can be stored
permanently until needed. Its capacity is unlimited and its duration is
indefinite.
*My personal thought:
Andy is unable to relate this stage and store his memory permanently into his brain memory space. As stated from the PBL scenario, Andy was unable to remember what he studied and apply it during his Science test. Since he did not understand the topic of Water Cycle, he could not apply it for his exam. Without understanding it, he will not be able to memorize the information and process it into his brain memory permanently.
However, these stages are not like machines that once turned on, will do the process 1st step, 2nd step,
3rd step, so on and so forth. The processes are said to be controlled
and regulated by an executive processing system, more popularly known as meta cognition. Meta cognition, in simpler terms, is "thinking about thinking".
Source taken from: http://jaylordlosabia.blogspot.sg/2010/07/information-processing-theory-explains.html
Photo credit: http://www.stephpalmer.co.uk/Cognitive/infomodel.gif
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