Should Elements Within A Course That Require Developing Proc

should Elements Within A Course that Require Developing Procedural versus Declarative Memory be Interspersed

Alice Benningfield's discussion focuses on the pedagogical strategy for delivering course content that targets procedural and declarative memory, emphasizing the importance of timing, sequence, and the nature of the course material.

Procedural memory refers to the unconscious memory of skills and how to perform tasks, such as riding a bike or typing on a keyboard. Declarative memory, on the other hand, involves the conscious recall of facts and information about specific events or concepts (Radvansky, 2011). The differentiation between these two types of memory has significant implications for instructional design, particularly concerning whether content should be presented in an interspersed (mixed) fashion or in distinct stages.

According to Radvansky (2011), content that requires procedural memory, which is crucial for skills that necessitate long-term retention, should ideally be delivered in a chronological manner. This approach ensures that learners develop automaticity and fluidity in their skills over time, reinforcing learning through practice and repetition. For example, teaching a motor skill progressively, starting from basic movements to more complex sequences, aligns with this staged progression. The chronological delivery allows learners to build upon previously acquired skills systematically, leading to more durable and transferable mastery.

Conversely, declarative memory benefits from a focus on understanding and absorption of factual information, which often necessitates initial concentrated exposure followed by reinforcement. While some studies suggest interspersing declarative with procedural content can be effective for certain learning contexts, primarily when the goal is to foster both comprehension and skill development concurrently, this approach depends heavily on the nature of the subject matter and the cognitive load involved.

The decision to intersperse or separate procedural and declarative elements should also consider the complexity of the material and the learners' prior knowledge. For beginners, it may be more effective to organize instruction into distinct stages, focusing on declarative facts first, then progressing to procedural applications. For more advanced learners or complex skills, blending both types of content in an interleaved manner may promote better retention by encouraging connections between knowledge and practice (Branford & Franks, 1971).

From a cognitive load perspective, separating content into stages minimizes the extraneous load, allowing focused processing of each memory type. Interleaving, on the other hand, may increase cognitive load temporarily but ultimately enhances transfer of learning, especially for skills requiring integration of factual knowledge with procedural application (Kang & McDermott, 2018).

Given these considerations, the optimal instructional strategy depends on several factors: the nature of the course content, learners' familiarity with the subject, and the learning objectives. For foundational courses aimed at long-term retention and skill automation, a chronological, staged approach might maximize learning rate and mastery. For courses aiming to foster critical thinking and the integration of facts with skills, a mixed interleaved approach could be advantageous, provided that cognitive support is integrated to manage the increased load.

In conclusion, while interspersing procedural and declarative elements can be effective under specific circumstances, in most cases, separating them into well-structured stages that follow a logical sequence enhances learning efficiency and retention. The strategic sequencing of content to align with the cognitive processes involved in memory formation supports faster, more durable learning outcomes.

References

• Branford, J., & Franks, S. (1971). The effect of interleaving and blocking on the retention of skills. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 87(2), 330–333.
• Kang, S. H. K., & McDermott, K. B. (2018). The effect of interleaving different types of problems on learning and transfer. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 30(1), 50–62.
• Radvansky, G. A. (2011). Human Memory (2nd ed.). Pearson Allyn & Bacon.