Chunking refers to grouping information into meaningful parts to aid working memory. Working memory can only hold around 7 individual items, so chunking information makes it easier to remember by reducing the number of individual elements. The document demonstrates this through examples of remembering numbers - it is easier to remember groups of 3 or 4 digits compared to 10 separate digits. Chunking helps utilize permanent memory by recognizing patterns among information.

1. Learning is not just about remembering, it’s about making sense of something

2. LEARNING IS ABOUT MAKING SENSE What is chunking???

3. CHUNKING IS WORKING MEMORY Working Memory Working memory is similar to RAM (random access memory) in computers. The greater the RAM the more powerful the computer The greater the RAM the more applications a computer can run Similarly most people have the ability to store seven separate items in ‘working memory’

4. MEMORY On the next slide, seven numbers will appear Stare at the numbers for 15 seconds and try to memorize them as best you can Don’t write them down, just try to remember them!

5. 7153629

6. Now write down what you just saw!

7. Now check it with the number below Did you get it right? 7153629

8. MEMORY TEST Now we’ll try one that’s a little harder! Memorise the number below 417483591845

9. MEMORY TEST How did you do? Did you get it right? If so, good! If not, that’s ok. Many people can’t remember ten different items with just their working memory.

10. CHUNKING Now try remembering the number below 417 483 591 845

11. DID YOU CHUNK? Now write it down Did you get it right this time? 417483591845 Was it any easier to remember? If your answer is yes can you identify why that might be?

12. CHUNKING If you think of the numbers as three groups instead of ten individual numbers, it can be easier to remember! This is called CHUNKING!! When teaching, it’s important to group things in such a way so you don’t overwhelm minds with too many pieces to work with at once. So what is chunking?

13. LEARNING PATTERNS Chunking is the appreciation that when learning masses of information we don’t need to remember all the pieces just the pattern Once the pattern is identified it allows us to go to our permanent memory to look up the constituent parts of such patterns It helps to concentrate on the pattern and reason with it in order so the relations between the constituent parts become second nature It’s the same process which are used when assembling a jigsaw puzzle. We each look for a pattern in order to build the picture

14. REASONING In teaching knowledge can be delivered in way which isn’t functional Many text books provide knowledge and the principles behind such knowledge without actually connecting the pieces of such knowledge together As teachers we can provide the jigsaw pieces sometimes several pieces at once without ever providing the means of assembling chunks of knowledge. There were no lugs to allow the chunks to be assembled together. It’s the ability reason which allows the pieces to be assembled together