Brain Research:

CreatingA Model for Learning

“But I knew a lot of stuff that wasn’t on the test”

One Month Later...

14

22

30

42

72

83

92

0 20 40 60 80 100

Hearing

Seeing

Demonstration

Sensory Redundency

Movies of the Mind

Challenging Activities

Teaching Others

Result of Didactic Learning

1 Day Later 54%

7 Days Later 35%

14 Days Later 21%

28 Days Later 14%

Only 58% of brain is genetic…

(Gelb)

dendron = tree

• Left loves school.

• Right hangs around hoping.

• Left does verbal things.

• Right does visual things.

• Left likes sequences.

• Right likes random patterns.

• Left sees the trees.

• Right sees the forest.

• Left likes structure.

• Right is fluid and spontaneous.

Males

• Don’t read anymore.

• Are victims of organization.

• 42.6% (only) graduate on time.

• 73% of all learning disabled.

• 75% of all behavior problems.

• 90% of all ADHD.

Applying Brain Research To The Classroom

I. Work from the relevant

FA

FAT

FATH

(Father)

FATHEAD

Build from the familiar !!!

1. What color is this background?

2. What do cows drink?

I love

Paris

in the

the spring

Applying Brain ResearchTo The Classroom

2. Appeal to emotion

Emotion is the Key

9/11

Challenger?

Princess Diana?

HOOK

Personal involvement!

Real-life relevance!

• Prompt:

Write down all the vegetables you

can using your left (off) hand.

… if you remove the “I”

40% of neurons run toward the emotional centers

60% from emotional mid-brain to thinking center

(Begley)

Applying Brain Research To The Classroom

3. Use student illustration

Effects of Self-Generated vs. Instructor Generated Examples on Retention

Instructor Generated 75.9%

Self-Generated 90.8%

Knower(s)

“Relative Ethics”

A cheek

Rubbing Dr. Chris’s cheek

Sent him to heaven.

A passionate kiss

Planted on my lips

Remains a routine.

The powder on his cheek

Stayed for a week.

The saliva on my lips

Is washed down the drain.

Thirty years later

I’d rather dance

With a ruler held between us.

• Activity

Ask learners to illustrate what a lesson was all about. For example, if lesson was on types of government, have students draw an illustration of what a particular government form (e.g. democracy) means to them.

Applying Brain ResearchTo The Classroom

4. Make it controversial

Controversial

Not just “debatable” or “quarrelsome”

rather -

“learners are left to present and analyze several student initiated possibilities”

(essence of Critical Thinking)

TOK Essay Criteria

C. Quality of Analysis

“Counterclaims are explored and evaluated.”

“If I am just learning facts, I only get the book’s position, which only serves the purpose of passing the test. If there is controversy, I get emotionally involved, and automatically process the information instead of memorizing it.”

(Josh)

Death Tolls in Iraq:• U.S. Service Members – 4,217

• Iraqi Citizens – 600,000+(as of 19 Jan 2009)

Cost: $250 million/ day

Controversy!

“If you stay in the bread aisle, you will never find the milk.”

Applying Brain ResearchTo The Classroom

5. Infuse student and

teacher questions

Average pause after a teacher question?

2.1 seconds !!

UCSB is a breeding ground for immorality because 8 of 10

students tested for STD’s tested positive.

Student generated questions = purpose

Purpose = importance for learning

Importance = self-analysis for correct

answer

(cycle of teaching … 92% retention)

The Future of Classical Education

10 – 15%

Acquisition ofOrganized Knowledge

DIDACTIC

60 – 70% 15 - 20%

Development of Intellectual Skills

COACHING

Increased Understanding of Ideas and Values

SEMINAR

The Three Types of Teaching That Should Occur In Our Schools are Didactic Teaching of Subject Matter, Coaching that Produces the Skills of Learning, and Socratic Questioning In Seminar Discussion (Paideia Principle #7)

Group Multiple Choice

• How would life be different if fossil fuels were not available?

a. Transportation and travel would be limited.b. Solar energy development would be a priority.c. Nuclear power would not be as resisted, but

further developed.d. Small scale hydropower would be prevalent at

the community level.

“By engaging students only in the quest for the correct answer, rather than for the interesting question, we condemn them to live inside other men’s discoveries.”

- Pricilla Vail

Applying Brain ResearchTo The Classroom

6. Get Students Out of Their Seats

Applying Brain ResearchTo The Classroom

7. Provide time for student reflection

(Writing brings 70 % retention)

TOK GRADES

Essay

Presentation______________________________

Reflection

2/3

1/3

= 100%

SUMMARY:

1. Relevance2. Emotion3. Illustration4. Controversy5. Questioning6. Movement7. Reflection

Teach 1 way = 1 pathway to the

brain

2 ways = 2 pathways

4 ways = 4 pathways

Traditional

Plan – Teach – Test – Mark

Mastery

Plan – Teach – Check – Reteach – Test-

(Mark) – Analyze Data – Plan – Teach …

Intelligence is not predetermined !!!

Housing project kids, by age 15, have heard 30,000,000 fewer words than the children of professors.

Our Responsibility

Make all students welcome as contributing citizens through increased knowledge.