The fundamental issue for learning – recollection

I have been thinking again about memory recently from two perspectives:

1. Reflecting on my own role and development, remembering how I have learned things and developed.
2. Working with a number of my subject expert colleagues to really get to the bottom of how we can better support initial learning but also reinforce the key messages throughout the careers of our teams.

Neither of these are new, or unique, to this week but as I have been helping on-board a new team recently the visibility of the first item has increased.  I have recently signed up for a workshop (to be run later in the year) which should help me have even better conversations around point two.

One aspect that came to mind with both points was the relevancy in separating out memory and recollection. Aristotle on Memory and Recollection, which I have just had a quick look over in Google Books, does a really good job of comparing different views.  In summary:

“Aristotle stresses that there is a crucial difference between memory and recollection, since man is the only animal with the ability to recollect, whereas several animals have the capacity to remember”.  Whilst it goes on to talk about how these might mean different things in translation I think this is an interesting point, not least if we think that by recollect we may mean apply and reflect.

Author: iangardnergb

My name is Ian Gardner and I am interested in various topics that can be seen as related to learning, technology and information. To see what I am reading elsewhere, follow me on The Old Reader (I.gardner.gb) and/or Twitter (@iangardnergb). View all posts by iangardnergb