welcome to the brain and pedagogy! presenters: paul sears

Welcome to the Brain and Pedagogy!

Presenters:Paul Sears

Brain BasicsAdult brain weighs a little over 3 pounds,

made up of billions of nerve cells. About the size of a small grapefruit, shaped like a walnut

Controls our feelings, behavior, and thoughts

Collects and sorts information

Controls unbelievably complex functions

Masters spoken language

Stores memories of a lifetime

A stop at the PARKING LOT

Brain Alert #1: THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

What are positive things for the brain in the learning environment?

Frontal – planning and thinking, rational and executive control center of the brain – higher order thinking, problem solving, regulates emotions

Temporal – sound, music, face/object recognition, some long-term memory

Occipital – visual processing

Parietal – spatial, calculation, other types of recognitions

Brain Boosters

Water – delivers nutrients to the brain, eliminates toxins. Hydration = brain function and alertness

*Drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water/day!

Oxygen - Brain cells consume oxygen and glucose for fuel. The more challenging task, the more fuel needed. Low amount of oxygen = less alert.

*Exercise to oxygenate blood!

Glucose – The form of sugar found in the blood from food. Fruit is excellent source. Eat moderate portions.

Sleep – Brain needs sleep for reviewing/storing information. Vital to memory formation.

Brain Busters• Nicotine – Absorbed by the lungs, enters into the

bloodstream and circulates throughout the brain. Can impede heart rate, breathing, memory, and learning

Caffeine – Coffee, soda, chocolate as examples. Acts as stimulant and dependency can develop. Causes fatigue and headaches.

Stress – A small amount can encourage increased performance. Prolonged stress can damage brain cells and impede memory storage and recall.

All Things In Moderation!

InteractionBrain constantly looking for stimuli

The brain is a “social brain” – pleasure derived from interacting with other brains

Provides a framework for support – not alone

Engages the senses

The Brain Loves Novelty!

-Constantly looking for stimulus in the environment

-Unexpected stimulus causes a rush of adrenalin

-The brain focuses attention on stimulus

-Examples:--Humor--Movement--Props--Music

Brain Alert #1: THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

What are positive things for the brain in the learning environment?

What should I do in my classroom to promote these things?

Where does new information come from?

The External Environment

How does new information get into the brain?

Does it all get processed?

Let’s watch some basketball!

Task

Monitor the basketball players in white and count the number of times that they pass the basketball.

You will be asked to state the number of passes you observed at the end of the video.

What happens to things that don’t get through the

filter?

OUT is OUT!!!!!

Brain Alert #2: KNOW THY STUDENTS

How does the brain decide what is important?

What’s Next?

The Hierarchy of the Brain

S

E

X

S U R V I V A L

E M O T I O N

X T R A N E O U S

Movie Time!

A Boy

A Bomb &

A Bus

Value Line Time!

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

Brain Alert #2: KNOW THY STUDENTSHow does the brain decide what is important?

What should I do in my classroom to promote these things?

Brain Alert #3: PLANNINGHow can effective planning impact student

learning ?

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Working Memory – Where thinking happens!

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The capacity of working memory has limits.

The Importance of CHUNKING

Providing the right amount of material in the right way for the learner

Often taking individual units of information and associating them into larger units

Let’s try an example:

Ready, Get Set, Remember!

CBSJFKFBILOLUSA

Try Again

CBS JFK FBI LOL USA

Let’s Check Your Memory!

Working memory also has limits of time

The Primacy-Recency Effect

Remember best that which comes first

Remember second best that which comes last

Retention During a 40 Minute Learning Episode

Deg

ree o

f R

ete

nti

on

0 10 20 30 40

minutes

Retention During a 20 Minute Learning Episode

0 5 10 15 20

minutes

Deg

ree o

f R

ete

nti

on

Write down the names of the

Seven Dwarfs.

THE SEVEN DWARFS

Sleepy

Happy

Grouchy

Fancy

Dopey

Sleazy

Sweetie

Bashful

Grumpy

Sneezy

Mopey

Doc

THE SEVEN DWARFS

Sleepy

Happy

Grouchy

Fancy

Dopey

Sleazy

Sweetie

Bashful

Grumpy

Sneezy

Mopey

Doc

Recognition vs. Recall

How much do our students need to memorize vs. recognize?

We need to reflect this in our teaching and then test in the same manner that we teach.

Brain Alert #3: PLANNINGHow can effective planning impact student

learning ?

What should I do in my classroom to promote these things?

Clearing the Worktable“The 5 Minute University”

Brain Alert #4: DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION

How will brain friendly instruction help ensure that

“in is in”

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What is required for information to move into

long-term memory?

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Sense &

Meaning

Average Retention Rate After 24 HoursLEARNING PYRAMID

The Goopation of Garpon

To survive in this world, everyone must be familiar with garpon. In order to use garpon successfully, it must be goopated often. Goopation begins with oxporation. Oxporation can only take place once every proquar. To oxporate, you must mix zorzine with cafon and stir gently. When the oxporation is complete, add garpon and the mixture will spontaneously goopate. Goopation can take from 12 to 14 spomanes. You will know the garpon is goopated when it fuzzles. Adapted from The Montillation of Taxoline by Pat

Wolfe (1996)

Forgetting

Losing pathways to the sites

Brain Cells

Brain composed of two types of cells – nerve & glial

Nerve cells – called “Neurons”, about 100 billion

Glial cells – (Greek for glue) hold the Neurons together, keep harmful substances out of neurons and support them

Dendrites – tens of thousands of “branches” from core. Receive electrical impulses from other neurons

Axon – transmits electrical impulses from neurons

“Synapse”

Neurons do not directly connect with one another.

Electrical impulses travel through axon to synapse. Synapse is where chemicals, “neurotransmitters,” are released and draw in neighboring neuron.

When a set of neurons continuously “fire” together, repeatedly, firings become easier and automatic – memories are then formed

**Synapse simulation / imagery

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Long-Term Storage

There is a 70-90 % loss of new learning within 18-24 hours.If it can be recalled after this time, it is probably destined for long-term storage.

Adequate time is needed for encoding and consolidation of new information into storage networks (file folders). Sleep is crucial in this process.

The Cognitive Belief System

“How we see the world”

The CBS is the sum total and combination of all that is in long-term storage.

No two people perceive the world in the exact same way.

Individual experiences result in different interpretations.

Self-Concept“The Way We See Ourselves

In The World”

Self-concept is shaped by past experiences – both positive & negative.

The addition of new positive and negative experiences alters self-concept.

Implications of Self-Concept

If prior encounters with information were successful…

then information is likely to pass along to Working Memory

If past experiences were unsuccessful…..

then “The blinds are closed”

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Brain Alert #4: DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTIONHow will brain friendly instruction help ensure that

“in is in”

What should I do in my classroom to promote these things?

Brain Alert #5: ASSESSMENTHow does ongoing assessment help me see if

“in is in”?

The degree of retention varies with the length of the teaching

episode and the type of teaching method used.

*Different forms of assessment*

Formative

Summative

Periodic

Unannounced

This is..

Brain Alert #5: ASSESSMENTHow does ongoing assessment help me see if

“in is in”?

What should I do in my classroom to promote these things?

A stop at the PARKING LOT

Thoughts/Comments on the Model?

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