I find that my students are very oriented toward episodic memory. They always have a story about something they did or didn't do. I play into that memory by encouraging their stories and adventures. By listening , and then applying it to the current learning structures that we,re on.
Ken,
I'm the same way. I have always been fascinated by which memories my mind decides to regurgitate. I know they're all in there but sometimes it is just downright confounding that I can't draw certain memories out on command. It is my opinion that students really enjoy hearing personal stories from their instructors. It is an excellent way to tie the materials from that certain class episode to a personal anecdote.
Cheers,
Steve
Ken,
Good points about episodic memory and the role it can play in learning. Certain key historical events that you witnessed via directly or through media are forever burned into your mind. The more we can connect our course content to the life experiences of our students the greater their retention of the content is going to be as well.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
