There was a time when education was viewed as simple memorization of facts and information. It was thought that teachers needed to present information to the students, and the students needed to memorize and retain the information. Simple exams with multiple choice questions were all that were needed in order to gauge a students level of understanding. Teachers could test what students had learned by simply testing their memorization of the information that had been presented to them. For example, did they remember the definition of this word, or the date on which that event occurred, or the name of the President that signed this act. Although memorization of factual information is important. Nowadays that is not the primary goal of education. Now we strive for something higher.
Why has there been a shift away from memorization of facts? It has been discovered that it is simply just not compatible with how our brains works. Memorization and comprehension are very difficult for the brain unless it has a way to analyze and connect the information to previous understanding (Schmidt, 2012). Those who are successful in memorizing information can only retain this information for a short period of time if it is not connected to previous understanding.
"What we now understand about learning indicates that instructional models and strategies based on the memory notion of cognition and over-emphasize lower-order thinking are not adequate for successful learning. New models and strategies engage learners in thought-provoking experiences in which they question, explore, analyze debate, create, and evaluate information and experiences. Through emphasis these higher-order thinking tasks and activities, learners will also successfully achieve those lower-order cognitive skills."
(Schmidt, 2012)
References
Schmidt, Diane. Stephan, Joseph. 2012. Models, Methods, and Strategies for a New Era: Shifting
Emphasis from Teaching to Learning.
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