A walk across the classroom increases blood flow to the brain by 15%

A walk across the classroom increases blood flow to the brain

by 15%

Brain Research is on my radar?

A

BC

D

E

What’s my interest in Brain-Research?

A- Ken…tell me more on the edge of my seat.

B- Sounds Kewl man…I’m interested

C- This might be okay!

D- Please…My plates too full.

E- No thanks…It’s just another fad

Visual processing

Language,writing, hearing

Parent Voice

Motor memory

Spatial and Sensory

Thalamus- first stop for sensory informationHypothalamus- monitors internal systemsAmygdala- Emotions are processed hereHippocampus- consolidates memories/learning

Frontal Cortex and Limbic System

The frontal cortex is in charge of creativity, planning, strategizing, decision making and judgment.

The limbic system is primarily responsible for our emotional life, and has a lot to do with the formation of memories.

Teens use the Teens use the limbic system more than adults for processing more than adults for processing responses. Adults rely more on the frontal cortex, which responses. Adults rely more on the frontal cortex, which governs reason and planning. governs reason and planning.

Frontal Cortex and Amygdala

We are born equipped with most of the neurons our brain will ever have.

Between the ages of 6 and 12, the neurons grow bushier, each making dozens of connections to other neurons and creating new pathways for nerve signals.

This info was new to me?

A- Wow…What a surprise!

B- I had heard this, its good to have confirmed

C- I knew this, but it was a good reminder

I am going to make make an effort to use this research to

change my practice

A- Definitely

B- I want to…tell me how

C- Tell me more…I’m not convinced

D- I don’t see how this applies to me

Brain-Based Research: factors that dramatically influence learning

• Engagement: goal-oriented attention and action

• Input Quality: capacity, flow, chunk size

• Coherence: models, relevance, prior knowledge

• Timing: time of day, interval learning

• Error Correction: mistakes, feedback support

• Emotional State: safety, state of dependency

• Repetition: priming, reviewing and revising

• Attention to a task is crucial for learning– Attention, Emotion and Engagement are linked– Motivation and persistence is a key factor

And…our attention is limited

Engagement: It’s harder than we “think”• Biological relevant stimuli is stronger than

curriculum. – Survival instincts: Hunger, safety, breeding– Paying Attention requires that we orient, engage, and

maintain independent neural networks.– When stimuli are working, pleasure centers are activated

Engagement: When does it happen?

• When students choose relevant, meaningful learning.

• When you “capture” learners (limited) attention.

• When interacting with others in small groups.

• When glucose levels are at proper levels

• When threat is minimized

Engagement:How do we create it?

• Provide opportunity for student choice/voice

• Brevity: Cut the length of focused attention time. The human brain is poor at nonstop attention.

• Increase interaction among peers.

• Goal Setting

• Activated Amines : (the brains uppers) Change activity and focus regularly

This info was new to me?

A- Wow…What a surprise!

B- I had heard this, its good to have confirmed

C- I knew this, but it was a good reminder

I am going to make make an effort to use this research to

change my practice

A- Definitely

B- I want to…tell me how

C- Tell me more…I’m not convinced

D- I don’t see how this applies to me

Input Quality:

• It more useful to view the human species as bad at thinking rather than cognitively gifted.– Respect short term memory (the Hippocampus

is a surge protector) – Exploit the visual function of the brain

Input Quality:

• In-depth learning requires time for organizing, integrating and sorting new information.

• We have an enormous lifetime capacity for learning…but on a daily (per task) basis we are very limited.

• Our brains need processing time

Input Quality…quantity• Synaptic gap: building new connections for

explicit learning happens with in 15 minutes of exposure to new information and continue to strengthen during the next hour.

Input : Neurons• If the synapse is disturbed before it can be set the

memory is lost.• The brain must recycle proteins in the neurons

during an incubation or settling time.• Downtime is essential for the hippocampus to do

it’s work of consolidation.• Sleep is also essential

Input: Suggestions• Activities must make meaning and sense

• Respect the limits of short term memory

• Brains need rest breaks (settling time). No new learning can happen during settling time. (only practice or discussion)

• The amount of settling time depends on the content and learner. 2-5 minutes of processing for every 10-15 minutes of instruction.

Coherence: Relevance

• Content will get attention if it is: Emotional, Specific or Novel (not familiar). The brain is good at habituation.

• Content is more likely to become meaningful to us if we can:– Relate it to familiar, prior information.– Be both active and reflective with it.– Learn it in context

•

Coherence: Prior knowledge

• Prior knowledge is physical brain matter

• Prior knowledge fundamentally influences how students gain deep understanding. (word association)

• Prior knowledge is personal, complex and highly resistant to change.

• The best way to teach is to build on it.

•

Building Memory

EnvironmentWorking Memory

?

Long-Term Memory?

The Towers of Hanoi

Problem: Move the wooden circles from one peg to another without placing a larger

circle on a smaller circle.

In the inns of certain Himalayan villages is practiced a refined tea ceremony. The ceremony involves a host and exactly two guests, neither more nor less. When his guests have arrived and seated

themselves at his table, the host performs three services for them. These services are listed in the order of the nobility the Himalayans

attribute to them: stoking the fire, fanning the flames, and pouring the tea. During the ceremony, any of those present may ask another,

“Honored Sir, may I perform this onerous task for you?” However, a person may request of another only the least noble of the tasks that the other is performing. Furthermore, if a person is performing any tasks, then he may not request a task that is nobler than the least noble task

he is already performing. Custom requires that by the time the tea ceremony is over, all the tasks will have been transferred from the

host to the most senior of the guests. How can this be accomplished?

Compare the Tasks

EnvironmentWorking Memory

?

Long-Term Memory?

Take 30 seconds to memorize the list on the next slide

XCN

NPH

DFB

ICI

ANC

AAX

Count to twenty and write down the list on a sheet of paper in the

correct order.

How many did you remember?

Take 30 seconds to memorize the list on the next slide

X

CNN

PhD

FBI

CIA

NCAA

X

Count to twenty and write down the list on a sheet of paper in the

correct order.

How many did you remember?

Let’s compare:

X

CNN

PhD

FBI

CIA

NCAA

X

XCN

NPH

DFB

ICI

ANC

AAX

EnvironmentWorking Memory

?

Long-Term Memory?

Simply put…thinking requires:

1) Information from the environment

2) Facts in long-term memory

3) Procedures in long-term memory

4) “Space” in short-term memory. (7)

• The mind is not designed for thinking…and when we can get way with it we don’t!

• Instead we rely on memory

Keys to creating memories…

• Emotion

• Attention

• Repetition

• Thinking about meaning– How you do this will determine what you

remember. (auditory, visual, etc.)

Emotional State: safety, state of dependency

What’s your fear level when you think of this year?

A E

This info was new to me?

A- Wow…What a surprise!

B- I had heard this, its good to have confirmed

C- I knew this, but it was a good reminder

I am going to make make an effort to use this research to

change my practice

A- Definitely

B- I want to…tell me how

C- Tell me more…I’m not convinced

D- I don’t see how this applies to me

Human mind is exquisitely tuned to understand and remember stories

• Causality

• Conflict

• Complication

• Character

• Comprehending requires inferences…forcing you to think about meaning.

• Stories have causal structure…one thing leads to another

Power of Stories

The body clock: Ultradian Patterns• Our body clock seems to run in

90-110 minute cycles of low to high energy or relaxation to tension.

• Generally speaking learners will focus better in the late morning and early evening.

• Physical exercise can trick the body clock.

Repetition• “Attentive” repetition

strengthens (synapse) connections in the brain.

• Pre-exposure: prepares to brain for future learning through creating background knowledge.

• Pre-viewing: activates prior knowledge.

1. Emotions affect all aspects of learning, retention, and recall. (novelty seeker)

2. Past experiences always affect new learning. (knowing your students is essential)

3. The brain’s working memory has limited capacity. (hippocampus)

4. Teacher centered instruction usually results in the lowest degree of retention.

This info was new to me?

A- Wow…What a surprise!

B- I had heard this, it’s good to have confirmed

C- I knew this, but it was a good reminder

I am going to make make an effort to use this research to

change my practice

A- Definitely

B- I want to…tell me how

C- Tell me more…I’m not convinced

D- I don’t see how this applies to me

OKAY…Now put a computer in front of them!

Brian-Based learning:Leveraged with technology

• Engagement: goal-oriented attention and action

• Input Quality: capacity, flow, chunk size

• Coherence: models, relevance, prior knowledge

• Timing: time of day, interval learning

• Error Correction: mistakes, feedback support

• Emotional State: safety, state of dependency

• Repetition: priming, reviewing and revising

Engagement: goal-oriented attention and action.

Compete vs Partnering

Engagement: Strategies

• Ask for Attention (half mast)

• Room configuration.

• Work with the Biology (group work)

• Ask the important questions– Meaningful– Real/relevant

Making Meaning Technology

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq5tIy_pqXI

Make Meaning

Make

Sen

se

A B

C D

NoveltyInfinite Possibilities

Factors that dramatically influence learning: leveraged with technology

• Engagement: goal-oriented attention and action

• Input Quality: capacity, flow, chunk size

• Coherence: models, relevance, prior knowledge

• Timing: time of day, interval learning

• Error Correction: mistakes, feedback support

• Emotional State: safety, state of dependency

• Repetition: priming, reviewing and revising

Input Quality: capacity, flow, chunk size

• Use visuals when ever possible

• Limit the surfing– Point them in the right

direction.

• Limit the information per class/day

• Teach tagging and social book-marking

Factors that dramatically influence learning: leveraged with technology

• Engagement: goal-oriented attention and action

• Input Quality: capacity, flow, chunk size

• Coherence: models, relevance, prior knowledge

• Timing: time of day, interval learning

• Error Correction: mistakes, feedback support

• Emotional State: safety, state of dependency

• Repetition: priming, reviewing and revising

Coherence: models, relevance, prior knowledge

• Graphic Organizers

• Choice = Relevance

Factors that dramatically influence learning: leveraged with technology

• Engagement: goal-oriented attention and action

• Input Quality: capacity, flow, chunk size

• Coherence: models, relevance, prior knowledge

• Timing: time of day, interval learning

• Error Correction: mistakes, feedback support

• Emotional State: safety, state of dependency

• Repetition: priming, reviewing and revising

Timing: time of day, interval learning

• Take technology breaks

• Get out of the building

• Get out of the seat

• Look at the day– Human clock

Factors that dramatically influence learning: leveraged with technology

• Engagement: goal-oriented attention and action

• Input Quality: capacity, flow, chunk size

• Coherence: models, relevance, prior knowledge

• Timing: time of day, interval learning

• Error Correction: mistakes, feedback support

• Emotional State: safety, state of dependency

• Repetition: priming, reviewing and revising

Error Correction: feedback Emotional State: safety

• Peer Editing

• Building of strengths

• Building their passion

Factors that dramatically influence learning: leveraged with technology

• Engagement: goal-oriented attention and action

• Input Quality: capacity, flow, chunk size

• Coherence: models, relevance, prior knowledge

• Timing: time of day, interval learning

• Error Correction: mistakes, feedback support

• Emotional State: safety, state of dependency

• Repetition: priming, reviewing and revising

Repetition: priming, reviewing and revising

• Computer Gaming

• Online flashcards

• Online tutors

Questions