An instrument was designed to measure visual memory span, a common form of memory used by adult learners. The instrument tested 239 older adults, using color photographs of household objects, which were later recalled. A number of significant variables were found and the instrument is believed suitable for examining the efficacy of adult instructional methods. The Problem One of the universal issues among older adults is the performance of their memory because it is essential to learning and integral to their quality of life.
Older adults comprise one of the fastest growing populations in the United States.
Additionally there is an emerging awareness in education and the new field of cognitive neuroscience that knowing more how the adult learner learns can be of significant benefit to all persons. This represents an interweave of adult education, psychology and the neurosciences. The performance of older adult s memory and their ability to learn new information may significantly affect how well they live and may determine whether they will require assistance in daily tasks or be institutionalized. After an exhaustive search, there appeared to be no suitable instrument for measuring what a healthy, older adult could recall from realistic stimuli, necessitating the development of an instrument. Many instruments were reviewed.