Activation of pre-existing knowledge

Perhaps you sometimes already do this instinctively when you learn: You activate your pre-existing knowledge in order to remind yourself of relevant knowledge already stored in your memory. But why is this process so important?

In this module you have already learned that knowledge is stored in your long-term memory in the form of network-like structures.
When you learn, the more associations you are able to create between new information and knowledge already stored in your long-term memory, the better you will be able to retrieve the information at a later date.
The activation of pre-existing knowledge is therefore key to successful learning.

Think of three ways you can activate your pre-existing knowledge as part of your revision for a forthcoming exam.

Once you have activated your pre-existing knowledge you can switch your focus to the new information you need to learn. It is a good idea to start by filling any gaps in your knowledge you noticed during the activation of your pre-existing knowledge.