Over successive recalls, knowledge stored in memory becomes increasingly robust and intricately linked, forming coherent clusters of memories.
💡 This gradual aggregation of learned concepts, known as chunking (Gobet et al., 2001), signifies stabilised learning and easily accessible knowledge.
Chunking leads to significant performance improvements, as illustrated by the example of chess grandmasters (De Groot, 1946, 1978). Grandmasters can memorise entire game configurations, while novices can only retain the position of a few pieces. ♟️
These exceptional performances are explained by the fact that game configurations hold implicit meaning for experts, whereas novices process each piece individually and explicitly. Interestingly, this advantage only applies to “plausible” game configurations—boards with randomly placed pieces are no better memorised by experts, as the lack of coherence disrupts their ability to extract meaning (Chase and Simon, 1973).
The example of learning to drive is equally striking. 🚗
When starting out, learner drivers dedicate all their energy to coordinating their movements and following vehicle-handling procedures. With so much focus on these tasks, they struggle to fully process road signals. Over time, these procedures become automatic, allowing drivers to concentrate entirely on navigating smoothly toward their destination. Resources previously spent supervising individual actions are now freed up for other cognitive tasks.
📋 How to facilitate chunking in your learners?
1️⃣ Explicitly highlight connections between concepts:
Show learners how ideas relate, e.g., “Look at this chess piece; when placed near this one, it forms a specific configuration.” Use analogies like, “How does this example relate to the one I showed you earlier?” to help them spot patterns more quickly than if they had to identify them independently.
2️⃣ Be mindful of your own expertise:
As an expert, your knowledge is highly automated. What seems obvious or intuitive to you may not be so for your learners.
💡 Take the time to:
Break down content into finer steps.
Spend extra time on certain concepts.
Simplify explanations, keeping in mind that your learners may not yet have the framework to understand complex ideas.
What feels quick and natural to you might be a challenge for your learners!
Keywords: pedagogical advice, memory
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