Working Memory: The What, the Why, and the How

• Published in: The Australian educational and developmental psychologist Vol. 30; no. 2; pp. 105 - 118
• Main Authors: Alloway, Tracy Packiam, Copello, Evan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.12.2013; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Classroom techniques; Intelligence quotient; learning; Learning processes; math; Memory; reading; Teaching methods; working memory; IQ; reading; learning; math; working memory
• ISSN: 0816-5122; 2059-0776; 1839-2504; 2059-0784
• DOI: 10.1017/edp.2013.13

Working memory, the ability to work with information, plays an important role in learning from kindergarten to the college years. In this article, the authors review the what, the why, and the how of working memory. First, they explore the relationship between working memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. They also investigate research on the link between whether environmental factors, such as financial background and mother's educational level, affect working memory. In the next section - the why of working memory - they compare the predictive nature of working memory and IQ in learning outcomes. While IQ typically measures the knowledge acquired by the student, working memory measures what they do with that knowledge. Working memory skills are linked to key learning outcomes, including reading and math. In the final section, the authors present classroom strategies to support working memory. They also review current research on the efficacy of working memory training. [Author abstract]