Teaching Facts & Information

Conceptual knowledge consists of abstract concepts which have been "constructed" in the mind. But these concepts also need to be communicated to others. Hence these are summarized in terms of mathematical definitions and statements.

These definitions & statements can also be learnt or remembered as "final products", without full or partial understanding of the underlying concepts.

Similarly algorithms & geometrical construction procedures can also be remembered merely as a set of rules without understanding the underlying concepts.

Definitions, statements, algorithms & procedures constitute factual knowledge in math.

Remembering factual knowledge is not a difficult issue for those who understand the underlying concepts.

But those who want to remember factual knowledge without understanding, there are basically two strategies - Memorizing & Remembering By Repeated use.

Understanding Memory

In simple terms, there are 3 kinds of memory - working memory, short term memory & long term memory. Working memory lasts only a few seconds and is just a few words long. If the information is important, it goes into short-term memory where it would stay for about 20 or 30 seconds. To be remembered in our brain the information needs to go into our long-term memory.

Memorizing and remembering are mental processes which attempt to send information to the long term memory. But they are different in spirit and implementation.

Even information in the long term memory fades away unless (a) it has a strong emotional content or (b) it is recalled occasionally or (c) it is somehow connected to our other memories.

Memorizing

Memorising is a commonly understood & adopted strategy. It is a conscious effort to push some information into our long term memory. It is a difficult & repetitive process and needs a lot of effort, time & repetition. Memorizing something without understanding also creates a lot of anxiety and mental stress of the risk of not being able to recall it when needed.

Many a time, in the stress created while sitting for an examination and waiting for the question papers to be distributed, there is a danger of temporary mental "blank outs" or memory loss.

Many trainers offer memorising techniques like mnemonics & "memory palaces". But these have a very narrow purpose and are not suitable in learning academic subjects.

Remembering BY Repeated/ Deliberate Use

Remembering by Repeated use is a strategy all of us naturally use in our life. How do we remember the names of our friends & relatives? In the fixed land phone era, how did we remember the phone numbers of our friends?

Have we ever sat down, written down numbers & names and tried to memorise them? Then how did we remember them and recall them easily as and when we wanted?

We use the strategy of remembering by repeated use. In simple terms, we "recall" and "use" the information frequently. We phone our friends frequently and exchange news about them. Over a period of time, such information lodges itself naturally in our long term memory.

In fact, we do not memorize anything in our life except for examinations & elocution contests!

What are the simple ways teachers can implement this strategy in the classroom?

1. Identify the "factual knowledge" content in the topic being covered. Document it as a part of the lesson plan.

2. Write the definitions & vocabulary list on charts and paste on the walls of the classroom. Let them remain on the walls through the time period of the lesson being covered. Students would be able to refer to the charts for an extended period of time.

3. As a 5 minute "warm up" at the beginning of the period, pose short questions to the class, which are related to the factual knowledge to be covered.

4. Explicitly explain vocabulary which is unfamiliar or confusing to students. For example a geometry term like "scalene" is a word which is never used outside a geometry classroom. While teaching "whole numbers" bring out the difference between "whole" and "hole".