Implications of Brain Research

and the Classroom

By Dr. Jeb SchenckKnowa Inc.

Knowa2@gmail.comSyngnosistraining.com

307 864 3982

WhyWhy Do We Need to Know Do We Need to Know

How the Brain Works?How the Brain Works?

Knowing how and why

the brain/mind works

allows more effective instruction

WhyWhy DoDo We We Need to Know Need to Know

How the Brain Works?How the Brain Works?And better informs our leaders about which policies, laws, and practices actually agree with neuroscience research

3 x 5 CardList Three Things

1. Something you’ve heard about the brain works2. Something about the brain you’d like to know more about3. A practice or policy you think MIGHT NOT agree with research

More Complicated than Rocket Science

More Complicated than Rocket Science

Stephen Hawking finds the universe is easier to understand than the human brain

How DoesDoes The Brain Work ?

Where we are going:Where we are going:

• The Brain & LearningThe Brain & Learning• Brain’s Use of PatternsBrain’s Use of Patterns• Emotional & Attentional ProcessingEmotional & Attentional Processing• Movement & Memory buildingMovement & Memory building• Study Strategies/assessmentStudy Strategies/assessment• Making Useful Applications

Learning Takes Place HERE

A Learning BrainLiterally Grows Connections

Use It or Lose It

What Would Your Brain Look Like

If you DON’T Use It?

In effect, all animals are under stringent selection pressure to be as stupid as they can

get away with.Richerson & Boyd,

Not By Genes Alone, 2005.

In effect, all animals are under stringent selection pressure to be as stupid as they can

get away with.Richerson & Boyd,

Not By Genes Alone, 2005.

The default state in solving any problem

is to do as little as possible.

Brain in Default State

Modern Understanding Started

With An Accident

Phineas Gage

SPECT SCANS

NORMALNORMAL ADHDADHD ON ALCOHOLON ALCOHOL

Brain drawing/photo of lobes

Brain drawing/photo of lobesReasoning, impulse & emotional controlPersonality

What & Where

Memory starts, sound, emotional

tags

Vision

BalanceHeart , respiration & sex drive (automatic

processes)

The Brain is Plastic(Neuroplasticity)

To learnIt Must Change

Learning physically changes the brain

Brain Span vs. Life Span

Brain Span: 75 yrs

Life Span: 85-92 yrs

Increase Brain Span to match Life Span

Some knowledge about the brain is

becoming common…but misleading

Teen Brain Maturation

The Brain Grows

Everyone grows at their OWN RATE

Different parts grow at different times*

*It does NOT grow at the assumed rate of National/State StandardsCommon recommendations for Literacy Have NO Neurological foundation

The 4,000 Year-old Box of

Instructional Methods

The 4,000 Year-old Box

• If they don’t perform by a specified time….

The 4,000 Year-old Box

punish them

A Performance Goal is NOT A problem…

if we keep it in line with brain’s cognitive growth.

What is Red Shirting?Why is it done?

• Brain Grows In CYCLES

Cycles in Cognitive Development

Low Support Functional Level

Optimal Level High Support

Skill

Lev

el

Kurt Fischer 2008

Direct teacher support

What Can They Do With No Support?

What Can They Do With a Lot of Support?

Cycles in Cognitive Development

Skill

Lev

el

Kurt Fischer 2008

Direct teacher supportWhat Can They Do With a Lot of

Support?

Teaching

Cycles of Brain Growth

• Many cycles in early years

• 10-12 Years • 14-16 Years• 18-20 Years • 21-24 Years(From K. Fischer, 2000)

Cycles in Cognitive Development

Low Support Functional Level

Single Abstractions

Principles

Optimal Level High Support

Skill

Lev

el

8 12 16 20 24 28

Kurt Fischer 2008

Multiple Abstractions linked into systems

Abstractions linked

Age in Years

Direct teacher support

Independent or little support

Cycles in Cognitive Development

Low Support Functional Level

Optimal Level High Support

Skill

Lev

el

Kurt Fischer 2008

Direct teacher support

What Can They Do With No Support?

What Can They Do With Lots of Support?

What happens if we push too fast for that student ?

Optimal Performance During Brain Optimal Performance During Brain Growth SpurtGrowth Spurt

• Optimal performance requires direct support/instruction vs instruction by book or computer.

• Independent student performance is at a lower level (suboptimal)…You don’t get best performance when they do the task independently w/o coaching

• Students can’t transfer from an optimal level in one area to a high performance level in a different area*

A Student Brain Develops Unevenly (Out of Phase)

Math computational skill is hereReading Math

Comprehension is here

Where Do You Expect the Student to Perform?

Math computational skillReading Math

Comprehension

Transfer—Problem Solving Fails when skills have not developed

Test level

Incomplete Frontal Lobe Development In

A Group

• What happens to judgment?

• What happens to anticipating how others will feel?

• What happens to anticipating how they will feel?

03.05.07Dunk_Shot_1.wmv

Incomplete Frontal Lobe Growth

Incomplete Growth

• Impaired decision makingImpaired decision making• More impulsiveMore impulsive• Less emotional controlLess emotional control• Lower ability to reasonLower ability to reason• Lower ability to see consequencesLower ability to see consequences• Lower ability to anticipate emotional impactLower ability to anticipate emotional impact

Fact vs. Fiction

FactBrain automatically organizes information

But it doesn’t tell you How

• Overriding impulsive actions ….

is harder because frontal lobe isn’t fully functional

Fact

FactChange the brain chemistry

and you’ve changed their

memory

How a question is Asked

changes memory

FACTFACT

• Recalled information is reconstructed from pieces

• Memory is being Memory is being REBUILT REBUILT eacheach time time you recall & use you recall & use informationinformation

FACTFACT

Neuromyths

You use only 10%

If you used only 90% you’d probably be in a coma

Neuromyths

Right BrainLeft Brain

Learning PreferencesDifferentiate• w/ levels of challenge• w/ different modalities

Teaching and testing to a “learning style” • Makes no difference, Roediger and Pashler, 2009

• Neurologically invalid, dubious, outdated information (Schenck & Cruickshank, 2015)

• Wastes time, • Wastes $

Neuromyths• Right Brain-Left Brain training

• Ritualized movement produces higher performance (Brain Gym™)

• Intelligence is fixed (can be expressed as a single number) The Flynn Effect

• Learning can be expressed as a single number

• Preferred learning styles results in higher performances Roediger and Pashler, 2009

Brain Break 4 minutes

• Stand and in groups of 3:Stand and in groups of 3:

• Something that was new or Something that was new or surprised you?surprised you?

• Compare your Compare your ““What do you What do you know about the Brainknow about the Brain” ”

• Something you’d like to Something you’d like to know more about?know more about?

Attentional SystemsEmotional Systems

Systems of the Brain How to Use them

Engaging the Brain

Engaging The Brain

Attention Systems

Looks for Patterns

Tries to Make Sense of Patterns

The Brain must Recognize Patterns to make associations

Raise your hand when you FIND TWO patterns

The Brain must Recognize Patterns to make associations

Raise your hand when you FIND TWO patterns

Detecting patterns heavily influenced by 1. Prior Experience

2. Brain Growth3. Knowing What to Look For

The BrainThe Brain Associates Patterns w/MeaningAssociates Patterns w/Meaning

A pattern must be Recognized

or students become

LOST And Frustrated

Patterns• May Have Emotional Significance• Patterns Change our Focus of Attention

AttentionAttention SystemsSystems

“ I’m Not inattentive,-----you’re just boring.”

From Thom Hartmann

Attention Systems

• Systems are limitedSystems are limited

• The brain can’t give full attention The brain can’t give full attention to multiple tasks to multiple tasks

= = Divided attention Divided attention

An Demonstration ofDemonstration of

AttentionAttentionWatch Video Clip

Of Student and Stranger

Multi-tasking Experiment

Can We Can We REALLYREALLY Focus Our ATTENTION EQUALLY Focus Our ATTENTION EQUALLY On the Tasks?On the Tasks?

Partner Up

You Need:

1 dollar bill or 3 x 5 cardAbility to count to 121

Watch Demonstration

Attention Systems

A student must ATTEND to the lesson

No Attention =

almost NO CHANCE of information getting into memory

No memory = No learningNo memory = No learning

Attention Strategies:Physical—manipulate objects, or move the whole body, such as hands-on, role play,

draw, pantomime, build, model, standing a position, MUSIC (non-vocal) Visual Imagery --imagine a picture or object, draw, sketch, build a model, design a

poster, create one power point slide for a group

Semantic –Reflect, summarize, describe, individually write, note-take, explain, tell, NOTE THE DIFFERENCES and then SIMILIARITIES Between____________ ***

Social --have them watch & text answers/info to explain their partner’s actions

Sex Differences Girls are more attracted to activities where EMOTION can be expressed, Boys more attracted to ACTION, MOVEMENT

*** Brain can recognize differences easily; similarities are difficult to tell apart

Attention Strategies:The Student is

PHYSICALLY ACTIVE

during the learning event

The Brain SEEKS stimulation

If you don’t provide it, the students find it for themselves

What HappensWhat Happens

If Left On Their Own?If Left On Their Own?

++

=

+

The only brain getting benefit of exercise is the dog.

No Engagement, No Activity = Little Learning

Brain BreakStand, in groups of 2 or 3Stand, in groups of 2 or 3Share With Someone Near YouShare With Someone Near You

The Most important thing about ATTENTION is:

Something staff can do to increase attention is:

Take 1 Minute Compare with a neighbor

what you checked on “What do you know about the Brain?”

Test

Today!

Emotion

“Emotional Filter”

New Memories

EmotionsEnhance LearningHinder Learning

Emotions Affect Learning

If Emotionally Important, Brain Pays Attention

Make the Connections With Someone

First…

then consider the actual message

(Papanek & Greenleaf, 2005)

Emotional Significance

Do You Remember:• Challenger blowing up, 9/11, the World Trade

Center?• Your third algebra test?• What you did on your 21st birthday?• Your Wedding Night?

Emotions & Memory

• Chemically Made

• Changed by Threat or Depression

• Negative State NOT rapidly dissipated

A Demonstration

• 4 volunteers who like Soda Pop• ICE COLD soda pop• FREE to 4 volunteers that will participate in….

To Increase Memory• Tasks have greater personal importance• Student is physically & personally involved• Greater natural consequences that they care

about• Increased Focus of Attention• Light to Moderate Stress

Brain Break: 3 minutes

• Pair and Share:Pair and Share:

• 1 idea to make a lesson have 1 idea to make a lesson have more PERSONAL IMPORTANCE more PERSONAL IMPORTANCE to to the student the student (and not (and not threatening!)threatening!)

• In Groups of 4-5 Share ideas In Groups of 4-5 Share ideas

Working Memory

• It’s what your are thinking about

RIGHT NOW!

Long-TermMemory

WorkingMemory

What you are Focusedon Right Now(1 item only)

Attention + Emotions

Cowan, 2005

Working Memory is Very limited

OverloadOverload:

We Speak 10-20 Times Faster

Than A Student Can Write

AVOID Overload

Overload picture

Working Memory

3-4 Items Activated, Readily Accessible

1 Item Focused Upon

Working Memory

3-4 Items Activated, Readily Accessible

1 Item Focused Upon

Working Memory• Brain EASILY overloads• Focuses on ONE thing• Juggles several others• Leaves ONLY the gist

AVOID OVERLOAD

Working Memory StrategiesWorking Memory Strategies

• Slow DownSlow Down

• Don’t attempt several overlapping tasksDon’t attempt several overlapping tasks

• Present instructions 4 ways (Present instructions 4 ways (On board, On board, Verbally, In handout, On-lineVerbally, In handout, On-line))

• Repeat back instructionsRepeat back instructions

Working Memory StrategiesWorking Memory Strategies

• Slow DownSlow Down

• Don’t attempt several overlapping tasksDon’t attempt several overlapping tasks

• Present instructions 4 ways (on board, Present instructions 4 ways (on board, verbally, in handout, On-line)verbally, in handout, On-line)

• Repeat back instructionsRepeat back instructions

Look At Handout:What Administrators Should

Know

On 2nd page: Working Memory

WHO Should Repeat Back the Instructions?

Working Memory StrategiesWorking Memory Strategies• PausePause during explanations, lecture during explanations, lecture

• Provide skeletal notes Provide skeletal notes to help organization and reduce to help organization and reduce loadload

• Give Brain BreaksGive Brain Breaks

• Use different colors to organize materialto organize material

• Students actively process Students actively process just 1 itemjust 1 item

Brain Break• Individually: Give an example

of how you will reduce WM overload & write it down (2 min).

• Something YOU can do to create Movement within a long Staff meeting:

• In Groups of 3In Groups of 3 Discuss examplesDiscuss examples

Long-Term Memory

Preparing for Assessment

Long Term Memory ?Remember Working Memory?

LTM Background

Hidden Factors in Long-Term Memory

OX

Mirror DrawingMirror Drawing

Hidden Factors Hidden Factors A DemonstrationA Demonstration

• 3 x 5 or 4 x 6 card3 x 5 or 4 x 6 card• MirrorMirror• Writing utensilWriting utensil• Mirror Drawing Practice Sheet & a hard surfaceMirror Drawing Practice Sheet & a hard surface

Prior Learning

Affects Current Learning

Memory Stabilizes after 10-14 days

Schenck, J. (2003)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83

Ite

ms

Re

ca

lle

d

Days

Discussion but uninterested

Passive: No Discussion

4th Grade

20%

13%

LTMAffected by:Development/ageRecognizing patternsAttention Personal Emotional SignificanceWorking Memory Prior LearningMethod of Study & Test Practice

LTMAffected by:Development/ageDevelopment/ageRecognizing patternsRecognizing patternsAttention Attention Personal Emotional SignificancePersonal Emotional SignificanceWorking Memory Working Memory Prior LearningPrior LearningMethod of Study & Test Practice

Strategies To Build Memory

• Personal Elaborations (Schenck & Cruickshank 2015)

• Personal Applications (Schenck & Cruickshank 2015)

• Space practices FAR apart *• Mix up the types of practice (Brown, Roediger, McDaniel, 2014)

• NO cramming [Binge & Purge Learning] (Roediger & McDaniel 2014)

• Sleep on it• Practice the TEST w/tests (uses RETRIEVAL CUES )

(Roediger & Karpicke 2006)

• In Math, do only 3-4 problems of same type • Learning Styles have NO EFFECT (Pashler, McDaniel, Rohrer & Bjork,

2008)• * Start with the Assessment Goals & Design Practices to them

Practice Tests

Practice Test Methods

SSSST

TESTe, Sm, Te, Sm, Te WIDE Equal Spacing, or Variable

Spacing No CrammingLimit practice of same type of problem

No Rereading• Practice of transfer w/application

Cahill, & McGaugh, (1995)Callender, & McDaniel, (2009)Karpicke, J., Butler, A.C., & Roediger, (2009)Rohrer, D., & Pashler, H. (2007)

Practice on Same Type of Problem

• More than 4 creates Cramming Effect & illusion mastery because problems are familiar.

• AVOID cramming by spreading practices out over weeks.

Limit

ReReading

Increases familiarity

Faster recognition

&

Creates False Sense of Understanding

Chabris & Simons 2010

ReReading• Does not increase depth of knowledge• Does not create new-linkages in brain

• ELABORATINGELABORATING does help…Explain WHY • The student must explain the connections

• Elaborate While Personally Engaged

More Robust Memory

=

Practicing Transfer

• Practice Conditions (A. Baddeley)

• Level of difficulty (K. Fischer; Craik & Lockhart)

• Number of Skills Practiced vs. Skills Assessed (Theo Dawson, DTS)

Long-TermMemory

Declarativeor ExplicitMemory

Non-Declarativeor Implicit

Memory

PerceptualProceduralskills, how todo something

Single EventMemory or

EpisodicPersonal

Experiences,events withspecific time

and place

RepeatedEvents orSemanticMemory,

facts,knowledge,language

Most Powerful & Long-Lasting

Mind Map that can be Manipulated

Mind Map that can be Manipulated1. Objects have unique shape2. Objects have color3. Can be in sequence or non-

sequential4. Student moves & explains5. Provides immediate feedback6. Creates multiple forms of

memory7. Faster than writing or lecturing8. Practice to mastery or past

perfection (abt.3-5 times)

Developmental Differences12 & 10th grade LTM

for Complex, Abstract Material

73 Days 37 Days

Getting PersonalMetacognitive Strategies

• Personal Involvement • Personal Elaboration• Physical Movement Elevate Respiratory and Heart Rates

• Prompt feedback (within 1day-- not longer than about 2 days, No help after a week ---Dweck)

• Meaningful personal consequences that are nearly immediate --They see their approach doesn’t work—as in a video game.

Poor Test Prep

Causes of Poor Performance• Forgotten RETRIEVAL CUES, not the information

(It is still there)• Mistakes Familiarity with Mastery ( “But I did a lot of the

problems”)

• Used Massed Practice (in either academics or Sports tested extensively at college & pro levels– Spread out the practice tasks,

avoid “massing”)• Practices too close together• Unskilled and Unaware of It• Too Much Screen Time

Brain BreakWith A Partner:With A Partner:The most important thing for The most important thing for

TEST PREP is:TEST PREP is:

Something I need to AVOIDSomething I need to AVOID

I can HELP students prepare I can HELP students prepare by….by….

Ultimately….

Two Brains Must be Trained:

Yours & Theirs

For PDF’s contact:

Dr. Jeb SchenckKnowa Inc.

Knowa2@gmail.com307 921-8906