Getting Students toUse Their Brains

TLC Webinar 2015

Brenda MattisonTri-County Technical College, Pendleton, SC

Tracie Miller-Nobles, CPAAustin Community College, Austin, TX

What is NOT in today’s session• Scientific explanations of how the brain works

What IS in today’s session:• Research findings related to how the brain learns• Some sample activities• Suggestions for teachers• Suggestions for students

Getting Students to Use Their Brains

3 Brain Rules to Remember

Rule #4 – Attention•We don’t pay attention to boring things.

Rule #5 – Short-term Memory•Repeat to Remember

Rule #6 – Long-term Memory•Remember to Repeat

Hydration

Exercise

Oxygen

Nutrition• More fruits and vegetables, less junk food

Sleep• Optimizes the consolidation of newly acquired

information in memory• People who nap after learning a new task remember

it better than those who don’t

5 Things the Brain Needs

The Most Important?Exercise!

How can we increase our students’ movement while learning?

5 Things the Brain Needs

Q1: What are the five things that the brain needs?

A. Exercise, Oxygen, Caffeine, Sleep, HydrationB. Sleep, Hydration, Nutrition, Accounting,

OxygenC. Hydration, Exercise, Oxygen, Nutrition, SleepD. Oxygen, Sleep, Laughter, Hydration, Nutrition

Left….Left….Left, Right, Left….Debit….Debit….Debit, Credit, Debit…

Let’s March!

• If you have a card with a(an):– Asset account, go to the Left side of the room– Liability account, go to the Middle of the room– Equity account, go to the Right side of the room

• If you have a card with a:– Permanent account, go to the Left side of the room– Temporary account, go to the Right side of the room

Index Cards

• Classified Balance Sheet Exercise– If you have a card with and Asset account, go to the

Front of the room– Line up in order (left to right) as the accounts would

appear on a classified balance sheet

• Human Bank Reconciliation– Create cards that have reconciling items, have

students put cards in correct order

Index Cards

Rule #4 - Attention

So how do we get their attention?

•Create interest

•Using alerts

•Emotions

Q2: What are some ways you get your students’ attention? (Select all that apply)a. Tell a funny storyb. Say, “This is going to be on the test!”c. Have them work in teamsd. Share a news article that relates to the topice. Show a video that relates to the topic

The 10-minute Lecture Outline

1st – Explain the lecture plan at the beginning, with liberal repetitions of “where we are”

2nd – Cover a single core concept

3rd – Bait the hook!• Tell a relevant story• Show a relevant video• Do a relevant activity

The Brain Needs a Break

“They (teachers) seemed to forget that the

information was brand new to us, and that we

(students) needed the time to digest it, which meant a

need for consistent breaks.”

Multitasking

Do you

multitask?

Are you good at it?

Do your students multitask?

Are they

good at

it?

“Studies show that a person

who is interrupted takes 50% longer to

accomplish a task.”

And…. Makes more than 50% more errors!

Rule #5 – Short-term Memory

People usually forget 90% of what they learn in class

within 30 days.

The majority of this forgetting occurs within the first few hours after

class.

Hermann Ebbinghaus

We can increase the life span of a memory by

repeating the information in

timed intervals!

Q3: What is the best way that we can increase the life span of a memory?a. Repeat the information right before the examb. Take study breaks oftenc. Meditated. Repeat the information in timed intervals

Our senses work together, not in isolation

Teaching to All the Senses

• Audio/visual• Integrate images• Use interactive websites

How to present information using multiple senses:

“Memory is enhanced by

creating associations

between concepts.”

13276796753

Memorize the numbers:

Memorize the numbers:

132767967531(327)679–6753

Memorize the numbers:

Do You See the Pattern?

• NRANBCCMTFBICBS• NRA NBC CMT FBI CBS

Do You See the Pattern?

• Teach students to look for patterns

• Use demonstrations that reveal how course material

is ordered and organized

Patterns

• Statement of Cash Flows (reversed alphabetical)

• Operating Activities• Investing Activities• Financing Activities

• Depreciation rules

Alphabetical Order & Mnemonics

Straight–LineSubtractSalvage Value

Double–Declining BalanceDon’t

• How does the transaction affect the financial statements?

• What can we do to increase the current ratio?

• Types of transactions

Cause and Effect

Assets = Claims

+ +

– –

+/–

+/–

• Explaining concepts in their own language helps students retain information

• One reason study groups are so effective

Own Language

Rule #6 – Long-term Memory

What you learn in first grade is not completely formed

until your sophomore year in high school!

Re-exposure to the basic facts is important!

•The more detailed elaboration the better

•Thinking or talking about the information enhances long-term memory

•Spaced intervals over a longer period of time are better

“If you have only 1 week to study, and only 10 times to hit

the subject, it is better to space out the 10 times than to

squeeze them all together.”

Blocking – information is stored but cannot be retrieved (test anxiety)

Misattribution – memory is attributed to wrong situation or source (taking several similar courses)

Transience – memory is lost over time

Stress – inhibits learning and memory

Why Students Forget:

• Teach students to space their practice

• Cumulative tests and/or homework

• Have students spend time in reflection• During class• After exams

• Ask students to explain what they have learned in their own words

• Use as much visualization as possible

Teaching for Long-Term Recall

TestingThe context of the study environment should match the context of the testing environment.

Using the same environment, memory could improve by as

much as 40%!

1. Focus – no multitasking

2. Don’t cram

3. Structure and organize information

4. Mnemonic devices can help

5. Elaborate and rehearse information

6. Relate new information to prior knowledge

7. Visualize concepts

8. Teach new concepts to another person

9. Pay extra attention to information in the middle of class

10. Vary your study routine

Study Suggestions for Students

Brenda MattisonTri-County Technical Collegebmattiso@tctc.edu

Thank you!

Tracie Miller-Nobles, CPAAustin Community Collegetracie.nobles@gmail.com