Cognitive Map to Course Introduction

Validation of Educational

Psychology Theories

Personalization of School Reform

based on...

How studentsLearn?

Brain research

What are the findings about

the brain?

Quality of schoolexperience

Random thoughts onHow we were trained

Are they valid?

Learning is change;Change in ourselves

Because it is a change in the brain

Am I prepared to accept thisNew learning

And makeChanges in my

Teaching?

Search Engine on Brain

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p+human+brain+and+learning

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=human+brain+develpment+audiovisual

http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=fp-pull-web-t&p=human+brain+development

Rethinking the Brain

Chapter 1“I am not inattentive, you are just

boring” Thorn Hartmann

“the brain is a rain forest jungle…”

• Quiet vs. teaming with life

• Internal clocks

• Ecosystems and brain regions are interdependent

• Law of the jungle and the brain is survival

• Jungle/brain has no teacher/trainingsimple rich, evolving system with different pathways

• Jungle has no memory except what it needs for survivalbrain = survival economically, socially, emotionally and physically

• When does learning takes place?

• History– Brain based learning began in 1980s– By 1990’s exploded:

• Immunology• Physics• Genes• Emotions• Pharmacology• Education

– Behaviorism• Began in the 50sSkinner & Watson (earlier)• Goal = achieving the highest rank in test scores• See the mind as tabula rasa• At the expense of being creative, depressed

oppositional, motivated and in control

Researching Research (adults)• Resilient Factors

(Seligman)– Optimism– Choice– Control– Social support

• Hardy Adults (Kobasa)– Challenge– Commitment– Internal locus of control

• Greatest Human Needs (Glenn)– Personal potency– Control– Relationships where

feelings and ideas are respected

– Life has significance

• Seven Human Needs (Holocaust Survivors)– Security– Acceptance– Belonging– Self determination– Structure– Purpose– Validation

Researching the Research (children)

• Coping Skills (Sapolsky)– Physical Outlet

– Choice

– Control

– Predictability

– Social interaction

• Basic Needs (Glasser)– Power

– Freedom

– Fun

– Belonging

– Love

• Ten things every child needs

(McCormick Tribune)– Interaction/communication

– Touch

– Stable relationships/self esteem

– Safe environment

– Quality of child care

– Play/music/reading

• Resilient children (Werner)– Internal locus of control

– Physical interaction with environment

– Assigned responsibility

– Age appropriate reading skills

– Variety of support

• Present School Environmentmodels– Survival of the fittest– Determined behaviorists– Brain based naturalist

• What is brain-based learning?– An approach based on needs

of learner– In accordance with the way the brain

is naturally designed to learn– In biology the way things work depend

on their physical structure, i.e. genetic

inheritance depends on the structure of the DNA and digestion depends on the structure of the gut

– Therefore the structure designed for human learning is the brainSo we should create the conditions

for this to happen

Activation A

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