Humans process information with amazing efficiency and often perform better than highly sophisticated machines at tasks such as problem solving and critical thinking (Halpern, 2003; Kuhn, 1999). Yet despite the remarkable capabilities of the human mind, it was not until the 20th century that researchers developed systematic models of memory, cognition, and thinking. The best articulated and most heavily researched model is the information processing model (IPM), developed in the early 1950s.
Information-processing theory is a psychological theory about how we process and learn information. Clearly, this is a topic that is at the core of the everyday work of a classroom teacher, so let's spend some time exploring this theory and how it applies in the classroom.
The mission of Mind Positive Parenting is to equip parents and communities to raise children and youth who can thrive, meeting the challenges of the 21st Century.
Can Understanding Information Processing Theory Help Student Learning?
It should. Information Processing Theory uses a computer model to describe human learning. Information comes in, it gets processed, and then it gets stored and retrieved.
It turns out that male and female brains differ quite a bit in architecture and activity. Research into these variations could lead to sex-specific treatments for disorders such as depression and schizophrenia.