Episodic Memory and Storytelling
I’ve always been fascinated with memories my mind keeps. I have vivid episodic memories dating back to the time I was about 2-years old. I remember seeing John F. Kennedy as his motorcade drove past my elementary school. I remember seeing Lee Harvey Oswald being shot on TV.
Using memories such as these, I have found storytelling to be an effective tool in the classroom. By sharing personal episodes, my students can compare my experiences with their own.
Joe,
Students really light up when life experiences are shared by instructors. When you share one of your stories you are increasing the value of the content to the students since you are showing them how the content can be applied to real world situations. Keep tying these stories to the different content sections and you are going to have some very engaged students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I usually try to give some life experiences to my students and try to give them something to help them remember part of the material. Joe
Nicholas,
The memories you are sharing with your students are connectors to the content being offered. You are increasing the value of the course by illustrating the knowledge and skills being acquired with these stories. In addition, these types of stories increase the motivation level of students because they can see themselves facing many of the same things as you did when you were in the field.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I never put much thought into it, but I use memory as a teaching tool all the time. I teach a course in sound postproduction for film/tv/videogames at an institution that teaches the technologies and techniques in audio engineering; my course is quite unique at the school. In order to keep the attention of students whose main focus is music or production, I resort to telling stories of dealing with directors, producers, premiers, actors, and the nightmares of failing technology. It's always interesting to see how my memories seem to captivate them more than utilizing tools they've spent months learning about.
Vickie,
Students like to hear experiences and examples from their instructors. Keep up the story telling because this helps to get them engaged and focused on what is being offered in the class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
On the first day of class, I take the time to find out a little about where they come from, some of their history. I'd make notes next to their name, so I could recall it. At some point in the course, I would try to find something in the subject being taught to which they could relate. Storytelling is my forte'. The best days are when I can relate it to one of their episodic memories. You can see the light in their eyes when they 'get' it.
Hi Tonya,
I believe this is true. I often tell my students of real life occurances to relate to the material we are studying. In many cases my stories are of awful scenarios that I encountered on the job but ends up becoming a story of what I should have done, or could have done. Students tend to remember the material more if I can relate it to actual experiences on the job.
Lindsey,
Student like to hear stories from their field. These stories reinforce the value of the content being shared as well as showing the students the relevance to the knowledge and skills they are being asked to acquire.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Corey,
I am a big fan of suing stories to reinforce what is being taught. With your years of experience you have stories that fit every lesson in the course and as a result keep the interest of the students high while bringing value to the learning process.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As a dentist in a clinical hygiene program, relying on storytelling is one of the best and efficient ways to get the students to learn. I often tell stories to the patients in front of the students...the students and the patient learn from my experience.
I use storytelling to my students frequently. I am able to tell my students about real situations with patients that are related to the current material. I really think the students enjoy hearing stories about real life experiences that they may encounter some day.
Rita,
Good examples you made me reflect on my own episodic memory. The more we can connect the dots between life experiences and our course content the greater the retention is going to be. Thanks.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I also utilize episodic storytelling. Some of my memories are when Ali fought the "trilla in manilla' and the day Elvis died. By using episodic memory all students can use their individual past esperiences making learning relatable.
Tonya,
This is why the saying "it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks" comes to mind. A negative experience has lasting impact on a person and this is why many adult students fail or are afraid to come back to school. They had a bad freshman experience in high school and that memory impacts their feelings about success as 45 year old learners.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Gene,
This strategy really helps to "connect the dots" for students so the more you can do this the greater content retention will be. Keep up the good work in helping your students with their episodic connections.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I know they enjoy that as do I but sometimes they will astray from the subject on hand and I have to redirect them.
It also seems any bad experiences are burned in the brain longer for some reason.
Yes to have experienced something u are goona learn about will captivate their attention since they've encountered it already.
I do also, I'm also in the medical career so when I teach anatomy I can related to past experiences.
