Chunking Information
What is "chunking" information?
Chunking refers to a strategy for making more efficient use of short-term memory by recoding information. Herbert Simon uses the term "chunk" to indicate long-term memory structures that can be used as units of perception and meaning. Chunking is the learning strategy leading to the acquisition of these units. Chunking reduces the cognitive load as the learner processes information. For the average adult, studies show that short-term memory has a capacity of about "seven plus-or-minus two" chunks or units. Children's capacities for chunking increases from zero to the adult range as they age.
Chunking is used most commonly to organize or classify large amounts of information, especially when there are no obvious patterns in the material, or as a tool in classification. The phenomenon of chunking as a memory mechanism can be observed in the way information is grouped in our day-to-day life. For example, when recalling a number such as 14101946, group the numbers as 14, 10, and 1946, to create a mnemonic for this number as a date, month, and year.
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Chunking Example: Targeted ELD Writing Standards |
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Early Intermediate Proficiency Level |
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Writes an increasing number of words and simple sentences appropriate for language arts and other content areas. |
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Writes expository compositions, such as descriptions, compare/contrast and problem/solution that include a main idea and some details using simple sentences. |
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From a given topic, uses the writing process to write sentences and short paragraphs with supportive details about a given topic. There may be some inconsistent use of standard grammatical forms. |
What to consider when differentiating instruction
While chunking can be used and is effective to increase the long-term memory of information for all tiers of differentiated instruction provided to students, chunking of information into manageable units is a necessity for learners having difficulty with the acquiring of new material. Ensure that instruction is broken into a few comprehensible parts that are understood and learned before adding more information. Attention to the way that material is displayed can improve comprehension and readability for students. Teachers can assist students with learning by limiting the number of cognitive distractions during instruction.
Resources
Information Mapping
http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/infomap/index.htm
(outside link)
Information mapping entails principles for presenting information that allow for
improved readability and comprehension.
The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two
http://www.musanim.com/miller1956/
(outside link)
This webpage presents the historic article by George A. Miller on the research
on information processing and the brain’s limit for holding information in
short-term memory.
References
Chase, W. G., & Simon, H. A. (1973). Perception in chess. Cognitive Psychology, 4, 55-81.
Gobet, F., Lane, P.C.R., Croker, S., et al. (2001). Chunking mechanisms in human learning. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 5, 236-243.
Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63, 81-97.
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