Website to test working memory

[fmichonneau]

the site (http://cat.xula.edu/thinker/memory/working/serial) we use to test working memory requires Flash. As it's phasing out, it would be great to find a replacement that use another technology

[ErinBecker]

Thanks @fmichonneau. That's good to know. If anyone has any suggestions, please add to this issue.

[kariljordan]

Here is an interactive test from the Open Cognition Lab, but I can't tell if it requires flash.

[fmichonneau]

the one mentioned by Kari doesn't require Flash

[ErinBecker]

I taught with @symulation and @reedacartwright this week and we had some difficulties with the new memory game.

• Not all of the symbols render on every operating system
• This activity takes a LOT longer than the previous version. Probably 3 minutes instead of 30 seconds.
• The result isn't a number of items that they could remember, so isn't directly comparable to the 7 plus or minus 2 rule. It was a score on some normalized scale.
• The activity doesn't work with the chunking exercise. Much harder to make stories/connections between symbols than words and also not enough time to repeat the exercise to illustrate chunking.
• There is an optional survey at the end before they get their results. You don't need to answer the questions, but there are about 5 pages of questions, so it's another few clicks. Also, the survey asks some awkward questions (seem to be randomized from a set, but the first time I took it there was a question about people from a particular location being stupid/lazy). Some of these questions could raise stereotype threat issues.

I highly recommend changing back to the original activity if possible, or testing out a new version to replace this one very soon.

[ChristinaLK]

Should we just remove it for now?

[raynamharris]

What if we replace the website with a verbal exercise that the instructor read aloud? See #835. The instructor could recite the following:

"I'm going to the market to buy 16 items:
apples, blueberries, cherries, peaches,
tea, coffee, beer, wine,
cinnamon, nutmeg, basil, oregano,
doughnuts, muffins, croissants, bread.
What are the 16 items?
pause
Did anyone notice that these 16 items could be grouped in to four catagories:
fruits, beverages, spices, carbs? Did grouping help you remember more words ?"