Transcript How the Brain Learns

Review of chapters 1 & 2
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Comparison of brain and forest
Education reformwhat to do?
Pros and cons of brain-based learning
Multipath learning
Uniqueness of brain
Characteristics of left and right brain
preference….
How the Brain Learns
Jensen, Chapter 3
Basic Brain Anatomy
• Weights @ 3 lbs.size = large
grapefruit
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78% water
10 % fat
8% protein
Flesh colored
Can be cut with a knife
Largest portion = cerebrum
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Made up of million of brain cells
Divided into two hemispheres
Right side controls the left side
Left side controls the right side
Responsible for higher order
thinking and decision making
functions
– Outer surface of our brain = cortex
• Thickness of an orange peel
• When opened = size of a sheet of
paper
Lobes of the Human Brain
Occipital Lobes
• Visual and visual interpretation
• Initial phase of reading
• Images from the retina to the
optic nerve
• Then to the visual cortex
• Each neuron process one aspect
of vision
Temporal Lobes
• Divided into clusters
• Give us abilities to:
– produce and understand speech
– Recognize objects and faces
– Recall long term cognitive
memories
– Modulate emotions
– Parietal Lobes
• Area of the brain in which we live
• Allow us to experience our surroundings
• Process higher sensory information (touch, judgment of
texture, shapes and our body orientation in space)
– Frontal Lobes
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Allows you to be who you are
Judgment is processed
Goal setting
Creativity
Working memory
Produces motion of speech
Ideas and emotions
Mid-Brain Area (limbic system)
Thalamus
• Complex structure that
performs vital functions
• Gateway to the cerebral
cortexprocess all
sensations except olfatory
one
• As sensory information
comes in, thalamus
attempts to organize,
categorize and transfer to
the appropriate areas of
the cerebral cortex
– Hypothalamus
• Regulates primitive functions of the brain
• Controls the autonomic nervous system
• Regulates homeostasisbody’s ability to maintain
internal environment by adjusting the temperature
and energy
• Monitors hydration
– Hippocampus
• Referred to as gateway to memory
• Plays an integral role in processing consolidating all
cognitive memories
• Information is relayed from the thalamus to the
hippocampus where it is compared with previous
learning and experiences before it is transferred to
the working memorymeaningfulness
• Only responsibility is tagging facts of information
• Neurons in this area grow as result of exercise
(physical and mental)
– Amygdala
• Buried deep in the temporal lobe
• Highly involved in responding to stress and novel
situations
• Mediates all emotionally charged experiences
• Brain Cells
Glial cells = interneurons
Outnumber neurons
Serve in supportive role
Maintain the ideal environment for
neurons to flourish
Producers of myelin for axons
Transport nutrients
Help in immune system
Neurons (100 billions)
Help us be aware of changes in the
environment
Communicate these changes to
other neurons to alter body’s
responses and sensations
It receives signals or impulse
Process these signals
Transmit them to other neurons
This makes them flourish or grow
Has only one axon and several
dendrites
Axons and dendrites talk to each
other
To communicate with other cells, the
axon subdivides and branches out
The dendrites send information to the
cell body and moves out through
Functions of the axon:
1) conduct information (electrical
stimulation)
2) transport chemical substances
• Learning Insights
– Learning physically changes the brain
– By altering the wiring and our chemistry
– New stimuli activates new path ways
– If stimulus not meaningful, information is given
less priority and eventually forgotten (in sleep)
– If considered importantlong term potentiation
(LTP)
– “Window of opportunities”
– Cognitive maps = connections
– Genes are not templates for learning, but they
represent enhanced risk or opportunities
• Learning Factors
– No blank slatebrain full of experiences
– Plasticityshaping and changing in the brain
Instructional
Climate
Neural
Practice
– Learning influences:
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Nutrition
Peers
Brain dysfunction
Prior learning/experience
Temperament and character
genes
Cerebral
Engagement
Abundant
Connections
• Stages of Learning
Preparationpriming pre-exposure
(4) Functional
Integration
Extended Usage
(3) Memory
Formation
Rest, emotions,
associations encode
learning
(1) Acquisition
Direct and Indirect
Learning
(2) Elaboration error
correction and depth
Class, give an example of each stage