9th Stop...Cognitive Load Management

According to the Institute for the Future in its report Future Work Skills 2020, "Cognitive Load Management is the ability to discriminate and filter information for importance, and to understand how to maximize cognitive functioning using a variety of tools and techniques."

"Organizations and workers will only be able to turn the massive influx of data into an advantage if they can learn to effectively filter and focus on what is important."

Steam Punk Harriet is going to show you:

• How to Focus
• Where to Focus
• How to Remember what you’ve learned

How do you filter and focus?

For the past half-century business and project leaders have used a technique call SWOT analysis. SWOT in an acronym for the internal Strengths and Weaknesses of an organization and for the external Opportunities and Threats that the organization faces in its environment. For more about the SWOT technique, here’s some information from Mind Tools.

Where do you filter and focus?

Now that you know what to look for where do you go to find things to focus on or filter out?

Here are some suggestions for you to try:

LISNews
All the news in the library and information science cosmos

Stephen's Lighthouse
The latest trends provocatively presented

Librarian by Day 
“a variety of library and technology related topics”

David Lee King
“I create, write, think, and speak about the social web, emerging trends, and libraries.”

librarian.net
“My passion presently is mucking about in the intersection of libraries, technology and politics and describing what I find there.”


Look them over. Did you see something there that you consider a strength or weakness or a threat or opportunity for the library? Make a note of it. This will be on the quiz.

Now that you’ve found something fascinating to focus on how do you remember it?

In his book Brain Rules, John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist, says that there are several types of memory, and declarative memory (learning facts like the five laws of library science) has four steps. They are:

                1. Encoding
                2. Storing
                3. Retrieving 
                4. Forgetting


In our short term memory we start on the fourth step, forgetting, in about thirty seconds.

So one of Media’s Brain Rules is Repeat to Remember

“If you want to extend the 30 seconds to a few minutes or even an hour or two, you will need to consistently re-expose yourself to the information. Memories are so volatile that you have to repeat to remember.”

He also writes that you can improve your memory by elaborately encoding it during its initial moments.

“Many of us have trouble remembering names. If at a party you need help remembering Mary, it helps to repeat internally more information about her. 'Mary is wearing a blue dress and my favorite color is blue.' It may seem counterintuitive at first but study after study shows it improves your memory.”

Mary is wearing a blue dress and my favorite color is blue.
Mary is wearing a blue dress and my favorite color is blue.
Mary is wearing a blue dress and my favorite color is blue.
Mary is wearing a blue dress and my favorite color is blue.
Mary is wearing a blue dress and my favorite color is blue.
Mary is wearing a blue dress and my favorite color is blue.
Mary is wearing a blue dress and my favorite color is blue.
Mary is wearing a blue dress and my favorite color is blue.
Mary is wearing a blue dress and my favorite color is blue.
Mary is wearing a blue dress and my favorite color is blue.

His next brain rule related to retaining the memory, moving it from short term to long term memory is to Remember to Repeat.

"It takes years to consolidate a memory."

"Repeated exposure to information in specifically timed intervals provides the most powerful way to fix memory into the brain." 

"Repeat what you have learned 90-120 minutes after the initial learning occurred."

"Forgetting allows us to prioritize events. But if you want to remember, remember to repeat."

So now that you have read and remembered everything in this blog you can move on to

The Questionnaire 
Use the form to answer the following questions.

1. SWOT means
1. Special Weapons and Tactics
2. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
3. It’s time to get the hand sanitizer and wipes
4. Star Wars The Old Republic
2. What Strength or Weakness or Opportunity or Threat did you find when you were scanning the information superhighway? (Harriet told you this was going to be on the test)
3. Which was it, a Strength, or a Weakness, or an Opportunity or a Threat?
4. Copy its URL in the space below
5. Who was wearing the blue dress at the party?
1. Peggy Sue
2. Mary
3. Denise
4. the Devil
6. According to Dr. Medina memory is
1. volatile
2. forever
3. a blank slate
4. as permanent as red Kool-Aid™ on your white shag carpeting
7. What is the fourth step in declarative memory?
1. Encoding
2. Storing
3. Retrieving
4. Forgetting
8. What is the best way to retain what you have learned?
1. repeat it 90-120 minutes after the initial learning occurred
2. repeat it regularly at specifically timed intervals
3. a or b
4. all of the above
9. ”Repeat to remember” and “remember to repeat” are learning techniques to improve
1. Declarative short- and long-term memory
2. Your memory of the girl you met at the party
3. Your score on this quiz
4. Your ability to forget
10. What is the best way to retain what you have learned?
1. repeat it 90-120 minutes after the initial learning occurred
2. repeat it regularly at specifically timed intervals
3. a or b
4. the same answer as #8
11. (Bonus Question) What is your favourite color?
1. Blue
2. Burnt Orange
3. Aggie Maroon™
4. Blue. No, yel...auuuuuuuugh!

When you have submitted the form at this station, you will receive the your medal and 1 hour of training.   You have until November 30 to complete this exercise.

Eighth Stop...Computational Thinking

Working in libraries we interact with and track a variety of data.  We compile data on the number of programs offered in our branches; the number of attendees;  how much time volunteers work with and support us; how many readers complete the Summer Reading program; and more.  We also receive data in the form of feedback from our customers - for example "We love coming to this library's Toddler Time!" But what do we do with all this data?

Even if you don't think of yourself as a numbers or statistics type of person, computational thinking will become an increasingly important skill in the future.  Computational thinking is the ability to take data and be able to draw conclusions from them and to make sense of vast amounts of information.  For example, looking at programming statistics might lead you to reconsider the types of programs offered, how they're promoted, or whether or not the same program might work better at a different time or on a different day of the week.

Below is a short video from Sebastian Wernicke, demonstrating how one might take recorded data, draw conclusions from them, and create a possible framework for future success.

At this stop on the Brain Train, we'll be creating an Infographic - a visual representation of data or information.

Here is an Example.

Social Media Growth | Create infographics

Instructions

This is an individual activity.

1. Pick statistics to track from the Combined System Report for 2013-2014 or any of the archived reports (or a combination).  You can do it for your branch or the system.  For example, you could compare your branch computer use in minutes to circulation.  Or compare the number of adult, children's and teen programs.
2. Using infogr.am, create an infographic using your chosen statistics.  Note: you do need to register.
3. When you are done, click Share at the top of your graphic, then "View on the Web."  Copy that link into the form.

Note: If you experience problems in Internet Explorer, use the Chrome browser.

When you have submitted the form at this station, you will receive the your medal and get 1 hour of training.   You have until November 30 to complete this exercise.