Enhancing Memory For Technical Lists With Computer-Generated Mnemonics

The automated generation of memory aids known as mnemonics is an application of AI that has great potential to improve education. We used an optimisation method based on techniques from natural language processing (NLP), corpus linguistics, and genetic algorithms to generate mnemonics called elaborated acronyms (EAs) for four technical lists. The efficacy of these computer-generated mnemonics was then tested in a higher education environment. 54 Malaysian university students were asked to learn the four technical lists containing a total of 30 words, each in strict sequence. Half of the students used the mnemonics generated by computer and the other half used rote learning. We assessed learning immediately after the learning phase and also after a one-week delay. Recall performance of mnemonics users was found to be significantly better than rote learners, both immediately and one week later, suggesting that the generation of mnemonics by computer is a learning technology worth developing.