Is it better to understand or to memorize?

Memory and understanding is not linear, it definitely is integrated. To memorize something, there might be some elements of information that need to be understood. And to understand, some important elements of the information might be required just to be memorized. Important rule: ask yourself, do I really need to understand this? Let’s take few examples:

Fact: With increase in temperature, the state of matter changes from solid to liquid to gas.

This piece of information has more of understanding elements which subsequently becomes part of memory. Such information could be remembered through verbal explanations, a few drawings on paper/board, watching a relevant video or by either conducting or by observing experiment(s) that validate the fact. With clarity, observation and attention to the underlying supporting information, one easily understands and thus remembers such information.

Fact: The atomic number of Beryllium is 4 and that of Boron is 5.

This simple statement has relatively lesser understanding elements (two elements and a relationship). While in the previous fact statement – temperature, increase, state of matter, solid liquid and gas are presumed to be known (already understood and remembered) and it makes a sense for the learner to know about these. If this fact statement is provided to an 8^th or 9^th grade student, to him/her understanding the meaning of Boron or Beryllium (or Argon or Scandium - some Greek or Latin scientific names) might not make any sense. At this point he needs to remember that for atomic numbers, Beryllium :: 4 and Boron :: 5 (and similarly 100+ such relationships, subsequently). So, s(he) is left to put into his memory such information (the technical names and some numbers) with hardly any better means than rote and repetitive methods.

This is where “making memory simple” through a toolkit (of memory principles, rules, policies and techniques) comes into play. And the good news is that with such a toolkit as your backpack, the burden of information overload gets relieved and the journey of learning and memory becomes such a fun! 

In the coming posts, we will gradually walk through some important principles of memory that could help making memory and learning a joyful activity. 

Feedback welcome and awaited :)