Long Term Learning: Music Makes Memories

by Shannon McKenzie

Emotional impact and repetition are two techniques for transferring short-term memories to long-term memories.

As I was driving today, I found myself singing out loud to the song on the radio. I knew every single word. I was feeling fantastic. As I sang, it dawned on me: I hadn’t heard this song since I was in high school – the year my best friend and I would ride the bus home from school field trips, listen to music, and sing at the top of our lungs. How did I possibly remember every single word to that song? I was emotionally engaged – to the lyrics, to the fun I was having, to my friend –when I learned it. And we sang that song over and over and over.

Not only do I remember those lyrics today, I can recall where I was sitting on the bus, how it smelled with the rain coming down, and how much I enjoyed singing with my best friend. My song?  The Cure – Just like Heaven – listen to it now

Learning Technique: "Read It, Write It, Say It"

by Shannon McKenzie

Learning hasn't always been my strength, so it's ironic that I am the co-owner of an employee development and training company. When I was a kid in school I used to dread having to memorize dates in history, vocabulary lists and multiplication tables. My Mum has a great technique always seemed to work and now through rose colored glasses I see the wisdom of her ways.

"READ IT, WRITE IT, SAY IT." - I can still hear her drumming that into me! When I wasn't too lazy to try I would apply her technique almost always with great results. Of course what she was doing was engaging me cognitively (read it, say it) and physically (write it).

Now, take that same technique a step further and incorporate emotional engagement. I could have created a story using the vocabulary words, or created a mental picture or just had a dialogue about the content with my Mum, a friend or someone with whom I felt an emotional connection.

At IdeaLearning Group we take the Read it, Write it, Say it concept and create physically, emotionally and cognitively engaging employee learning experiences.

Looks like my Mum was onto something!

Laugh to Learn

Research indicates that children smile or laugh 400 times per day while adults smile or laugh only 15 times per day. At IdeaLearning Group we know that laughter is an important component of learning; it reduces stress, is emotionally engaging and enhances creativity and cognitive thinking.

Want to laugh more?...I am a big fan of Laugh and Learn by Doni Tamblyn. Also try subscribing to a RSS feed of daily jokes:

http://www.funnycleanjokes.com

http://www.cleanjoke.com/humor/bestaverage.html 

Training Tip: Cognitive Reflection

Here is a training tip for you: Think about one of your earliest memories. Can you see it in your mind? What does it feel like? Now, why do you remember this particular experience and not almost everything else that has happened since then? Did this event have a strongly emotional component; was it something that happened with great frequency? 

Emotional impact and repetition are two techniques for transferring short-term memories to long-term memories. That is one of the ways IdeaLearning Group works to create custom and complete learning experiences that will positively impact your business.

Food for Thought

Yesterday in a business meeting with a strategic partner, the conversation turned to restaurants – turns out this guy knows every yummy place in the city! Finally, I thought, I can find a great Chinese place. I’ve been searching for six years (not with great ambition) to find a fresh, not too oily, authentic Chinese restaurant.

So he recommends a great place, and I decide to test my cognitive association tricks. The name is Golden Horse.  Just so happens there is a gold light fixture at our table – good, got it. Next the horse part. Well, "horse" rhymes with "course" and I just finished the first course of my meal. Crazy association, but you know what?... three days later I still know the name of the restaurant.

Here’s why it worked:

1. I am emotionally connected to the outcome (I want to eat yummy Chinese food).
2. He described a delicious meal that got me salivating - physical connection.
3. I applied a cognitive association technique to remember the name: Gold Lamp Course... I mean Golden Horse!

** UPDATE** Finally got to the Golden Horse for lunch today (1/29/10) - simple atmosphere - great food.