BRAIN-BASED LEARNING

Some Research Findings: Intelligence is not “fixed” People can learn in many different ways Intelligence is multifaceted & complex Attitudes play a big role in learning

What is Intelligence? The ability to learn and apply knowledge to suit and form your environment, and to reason and have abstract thought Problem solving ability, mental speed, general knowledge, creativity and memory Being able to adapt to changes, comprehend complex ideas and learn from experience.

The brain consists of neurons: Source: sevensecondmemory.com

Brain Facts: The brain uses 10X more O2 than any other part of the body 25% of all your energy is used by the brain Neither O2 nor energy can be stored in the brain  it has the most elaborate vascular system of the body in order to supply all its needs

Metacognition Learning about how we learn and thinking about how we think (metacognition) can accelerate learning and can significantly increase the levels of transfer of learning Metacognition can also increase transfer of learning beyond the classroom into life situations

Information is stored in hierarchical form inside the brain, with highly generalized concepts followed by more and more specific facts and details Students should try to see the big picture (make a conceptual framework) before attempting to work on retaining facts

KEY PRINCIPLES OF BRAIN-BASED LEARNING…..

STRESS AND THREAT IMPACT THE BRAIN IN MANY WAYS They reduce capacity for understanding, meaning and memory. They reduce higher order thinking skills. Ppl can’t learn when worried about loss of approval, helplessness, lack of resources and un-meetable deadlines.

EMOTIONS RUN THE BRAIN Bad ones can affect learning negatively. Feeling threatened shuts down the thinking part of the brain. Good emotions create an excitement and love of learning. Anything with emotion in it is remembered longer

THE NEOCORTEX IS RUN BY PATTERNS, NOT FACTS We learn best with themes, patterns, and whole experiences. Patterns of information give us better understanding when trying to learn.

The Secret to Better Learning That Most People Don’t Know According to a very recent article on Psyblog, “Mixing up your learning can lead to massive gains” – they call this idea “interleaving”…. Check it out: Go to article

FEED THE BRAIN Our brains are stimulated by challenge, novelty and feedback. Creating more of these conditions = more brain growth Glucose and oxygen are critical for nourishment – increase the concentration = better performance How?……

EXERCISE! Do some cardiovascular exercise for at least ten minutes – run, ride a bike, walk briskly, or do jumping jacks – exercise increases the amount of oxygen in your brain

EAT! Eat a piece of fruit or drink some fruit juice to feed your brain with glucose. Drink a glass of water to speed the delivery of the glucose.

Some of us favor our left hemisphere, and some our right… Some of us favor our left hemisphere, and some our right…. Try some neat little tricks…. Raise your right foot off the floor, and make clockwise circles with it…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CEr2GfGilw Here are some more tips for increasing our brain power….. http://www.dumblittleman.com/2012/04/3-easy-ways-to-improve-your-brain-power.html