It's easier to remember something if you understand it, which is why rote memorization is inferior, because it takes so many more repetition to get something to stick in your mind.
People need to realize that human memory != computer memory. It’s not even similar. Human intelligence is all about identification and differentiation. Intelligence comes from being able to work with raw data and seeing how it can apply to given circumstances, predicting outcomes and selecting correct actions.
Memorization is the lowest form of intelligence, although it does have uses. I think it would be very beneficial for standardized testing to move away from testing ones ability to remember dates and lists of things and more toward problem solving and ability for the student to come up with solutions to problems of the field being studied.
Memorization is the lowest form of intelligence, although it does have uses. I think it would be very beneficial for standardized testing to move away from testing ones ability to remember dates and lists of things and more toward problem solving and ability for the student to come up with solutions to problems of the field being studied.