The information processing theory is an approach to the cognitive development of a human being, which deals with the study and the analysis of the sequence of events that occur in a person’s mind while receiving some new piece of information. (Schraw, 2003-2009). The components of the information processing theory are sensory memory, long term memory, and short term memory. The sensory memory is that part of the mental processing unit that receives all information and then stores it temporarily or permanently. Sensory memory processes incoming sensory information for very brief periods of time, usually on the order of 1/2 to 3 seconds. (Schraw, 2003-2009).The amount of information held at any given moment in sensory memory is limited to five to seven discrete elements such as letters of the alphabet or pictures of human faces. (Schraw, 2003-2009). The sensory preceptors of a human being function in the same way as the hardware of a computer does, and the mindset and the rules and strategies adopted by the person while learning is equivalent to the software used by computers. The main purpose of sensory memory is to screen incoming stimuli and process only those stimuli that are most relevant at the present time. The information processing system of a person can be enhanced if these preceptors and rules are altered. (Schraw, 2003-2009). Short term memory is that part of the sensory register where the information is stored temporarily. Once the decision has been made regarding the information, the information will either be discarded or transferred to the long term memory. Short term memory has a fairly limited capacity; it can hold about seven items for no more than 20 or 30 seconds at a time. You may be able to increase this capacity somewhat by using various memory strategies. Long term memory is the part where all the information is permanently stored. It can be retrieved later as and when the need arises. Important information is gradually transferred from short term memory into long term memory. The more the information is repeated or used, the more likely it is to eventually end up in long term memory, or to be "retained." (Mcleod, 2008). Unlike sensory and short term memory, which are limited and decay rapidly, long term memory can store unlimited amounts of information indefinitely. People tend to more easily store material on subjects that they already know something about, since the information has more meaning to them and can be mentally connected to related information that is already stored in their long term memory. That's why someone who has an average memory may be able to remember a greater depth of information about one particular subject. Most people think of long term memory when they think of "memory" itself, but most experts believe information must first pass through sensory and short term memory before it can be stored as a long term memory. (Mcleod, 2008). At any time, if an individual is perceiving information, storing information, encoding information, representing information or retrieving information to or from his mind, he is said to be thinking. When a problem or a dilemma presents itself, the individual must encode the critical information about this problem, and then use information that has been stored beforehand to solve this problem. The 4 steps that make up this process are encoding, strategy construction, automatization and generalization. (Mcleod, 2008). By modifying and adjusting responses to previous problems, a person develops newer ways to deal with similar problems in the future without making the same mistakes. This is known as self-modification. (Mcleod, 2008). The information processing model provides four important implications for improving learning and instruction. The first is that memory stores are extremely limited in both sensory and working memory. The two main strategies that effective learners use to cope with limited capacity are selectively focusing their attention on important information and engaging in as much automated processing as possible. (Mcleod, 2008). A second implication is that relevant prior knowledge facilitates encoding and retrieval processes. Highly effective learners possess a great deal of organized knowledge within a particular domain such as reading, mathematics, or science. A third implication is that automated information processing increases cognitive efficiency by reducing information processing demands. (Schraw, 2003-2009). Automaticity is an important aspect of effective learning for two reasons. One is that being automated makes it easier selectively to allocate limited resources to information that is most relevant to the task at hand. A fourth implication is that learning strategies improve information processing because learners are more efficient and process information at a deeper level. All effective learners draw from a repertoire of learning strategies in a flexible manner. (Schraw, 2003-2009). As a child grows the way they process information and how the process work develops and changes as the child grows. In infancy babies show signs of learning as soon as they are born. During early childhood the attention span of a child is short, and children are easily distracted. At such a young age children are limited in relation to their knowledge because they have not had much experience with variable stimulation. By ages two to five years, most children have developed the skills to focus attention for extended periods, recognize previously encountered information, recall old information, and reconstruct it in the present. (Oswalt, 2008). Between the ages of five and seven, children learn how to focus and use their cognitive abilities for specific purposes. During early childhood, most children show great gains in each of these developmental skills. Advancing in emotional intelligence is lifelong goals that can help people maintain emotional health and prosocial, cooperative behaviors. (Oswalt, 2008). The interconnection between cognitive skills and emotional development is particularly important. As children's abstract thinking and language skills increase, they become better able to label and discuss their emotions with others. During early childhood, children typically start to develop self-conscious emotions as they start evaluating themselves, instead of purely reacting to caregivers' or other adults' evaluations (Mcleod, 2008). From the age of six to ten years old children are more capable of focusing on important information, and they are not distracted as easily as before. Middle childhood is also characterized by "increasingly symbolic nature of thought and knowledge", "gradual automatization of basic skills", and an "expanding base of knowledge." (Oswalt, 2008)Early adolescence is a point for children where their ability to focus on one task for an hour or so is developed. Basic skills such as writing and math are basically automatized, and knowledge base is expanded in relation to school subjects and interests. During late adolescence a child's ability to focus on tasks is extended to lengthy periods of time instead of an hour, and their knowledge has increased to become "extensive and somewhat integrated" in some areas of content. (Oswalt, 2008). Environment and heredity are both factors that can influence intelligence and the processing of information. Environment influences perception, and "perception of one's surroundings is essential for survival, the human species has undoubtedly evolved some biologically built in perceptual mechanisms." Children are born into environments and the information they are first confronted with comes from direct stimulation from the environments they are in. The environment inevitably has an effect on what a child perceives and what information is remembered and thought about. Environments vary and the factors instilled in children in relation to knowledge vary as well. As a child grows older the child's environment expands as does the child's base of knowledge. Heredity is also a factor that affects the development of processing information and intelligence. Heredity can cause children to have mental illnesses that can cause mental developments to not happen at the normal rate. Heredity is also relevant to processing information because it affects children's natural inclination of what information to remember; this is also caused by the environment. A child is born into an environment that is completely determined by the parents and surrounding society. The society's thoughts and actions are presented to the child. Yes I do believe that environment and heredity influence intelligence and information processing. Depending on what genes you inherited from your parents can make you process information in different ways. The environment can also play a major role in the information process because your environment can affect how you take in information depending on your surroundings. The information processing theory is a very complex theory that attempts to categorize the way information is recognized, utilized, and stored in the memory. It is an extremely intense topic to approach because it is abstract ideas that are being studied and recorded. This theory recognizes the ability for a person to control what information is processed and the changes and developments of these abilities. The mind works in mysterious ways, and it is important for teacher's to be aware of how a child develops to be to truly reach students. It is also important for teacher's to be able to recognize the development of children in order to teach effectively and maximize the student's information processing ability; it is also relevant because teacher's can plan lessons that are structured in accordance with the developmental needs of the students. If a child is not developing at a normal rate, a teacher will be more aware of this problem, if the teacher is already knowledgeable of the information processing theory. Overall the information processing theory is a valuable tool in order to teach effectively, and understand how the memory actually works.