Neural Communication in a Mnemonic Nutshell: A Cognitive Framework That Improves Understanding.

L EARNING biology is not easy. As researchers develop an ever more subtle understanding of biological processes, the sheer quantity of information makes it difficult for students to retain enough facts to develop a holistic understanding of the material. The problem is particularly acute in introductory courses where students are exposed to an array of detailed, sometimes disparate, information. Although we know that the students need this information to succeed in advanced courses, the sad reality is that they will forget much of it after the semester. Given the demands upon our students, there are at least two options open to us. First, we can emphasize concept learning over rote memorization whenever possible. Second, when students do need to memorize material, we can restructure the disparate facts so that they relate to things that the students are interested in. For example, the late James V. McConnell of the University of Michigan developed a series of clever stories about the function of various brain structures. He told his classes that the function of the hypothalamus is to control the "four Fs" of behavior: "fighting," "fleeing," "feeding" and "mating." Years later, students who have forgotten nearly everything else about biology still recall the functions of this area of the brain. This paper has two goals. The first is to promote the use of memory devices, also known as mnemonics, by outlining six different types that are proven ways to better help students recall information. These mnemonics have been carefully studied by cognitive psychologists (Bower 1970, Loftus 1980, Lorayne & Lucas 1974, Ross & Lawrence 1968), and each is best suited to remembering different types of material. My hope is that this outline will enable teachers to develop new and more effective ways to present complex information. The second goal of this paper is to describe a memory device that I use to help my students more easily recall the process of neural conduction. This device takes the form of an allegory of life on a college campus, and it incorporates many of the mnemonic techniques that I outline. I present this allegory with an experiment I conducted that measured its pedagogical value.