The Use of Method of Loci (MoL) Teaching Tools Enhances Students’ Short-Term Memory

Abstract

To recall Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles and implementation steps was challenging for Food Technology Program students, though remembering the principles and steps usually requires lower-order thinking skills. Previous reports indicated that using the Method of Loci (MoL) in teaching and learning (T&L) has noticeable potential to enhance students’ memory and further improve their learning capacity. Therefore, conventional lecture MoL (CLMoL) teaching tools were developed. This study aims to investigate the short-term and long-term memory retention among participants after using CLMoL teaching tools in T&L of HACCP principles and implementation steps. In this experiment, two (2) groups of participants were taught using Conventional Lecture (CL), and the other two (2) groups were taught using CLMoL teaching tools. Thereafter, four (4) similar memory recall written assessments were performed, namely, pre-intervention assessment (Q1), post‐intervention assessment (Q2), 4‐week follow‐up assessment (Q3, 29 to 32 days), and final examination (FE). Q2 and Q3 assessments showed significantly better (p≤0.05) short-term and long-term memory recall for the CLMoL group (treated group) compared to the CL group. Even though the Q3 mean score for the CLMoL group was still significantly higher than the CL group, the mean scores for both groups indicated a declining pattern after a lapse of a month. The assessment results, along with the positive survey responses suggest that the use of CLMoL teaching tools may improve the efficacy of T&L of the HACCP concept by apparently enhancing the short-term memorization of the HACCP principles and steps of implementation.