Brain-based Leaning
Research on brain specificity has been used to inform educational methodology for many years and has taken on more and more relevance. Brain-based research helps teachers understand how different areas of the brain affect a student’s preference with regard to learning style. The more educators understand “how” students learn the better prepared they can be to design instruction that will tap into each student’s learning preferences.
Figure 1 Brain Structures (from Wikipedia)
Figure 2: Association Area of Cortex (from Serendip,2005) )
Function of the Lobes:
Occipital: association with visual stimuli and processing
Temporal: Associated with perception and recognition of auditory stimuli, memory, and speech
Parietal: This area is associated with movement, orientation in space, recognition, and perception of stimuli
Frontal: This area is associated with reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem solving.
Steps in Processing Information:
1. Information enters the brain through the senses. Most researchers find that 99% of what we learn comes in through one of the senses.
2. Information moves through the brain stem to a part of the brain called the thalamus.
3. The thalamus then sorts the information and sends along to the proper association area in the neocortex.
a . Visual information goes to the visual cortex in the occipital lobe.
b. Auditory information goes to the auditory association cortex in the temporal lobe.
c. Kinesthetic information goes into the motor cortex located in the cerebellum.
4. If the information requires immediate attention, this alters the reticular activation system in the brain stem to release neurotransmitters which will help to focus attention. This is the process that occurs during any "flight or fight" reaction.
5. If the information is of a factual nature and will be needed for future use, the limbic structure called the hippocampus files it into long term memory. If the information is of an emotional nature, the limbic structure called the amygdala files it for long term memory.
6. The information is finally stored in the various association areas of the neocortex where higher- level thinking takes place.
It is in the various association areas that patterns are formed. For example, the visual cortex has a pattern of an airplane. It is through patterning that we learn to recognize objects in our environment.
All of our senses are continuously "on" and we are bombarded with sensory information every second. According to Sousa (1995 ) our brains take in about 40,000 bits per second through the senses. Since nearly all information is taken in through the senses, may researchers believe that we develop a preference for a specific sense just as we develop hand dominance (Dunn & Dunn, 1987 , Sprenger 2007). The preference is developed through experiences, genetics, as well as brain development. This sensory preference can be designated as the student's learning strength. Both children and adults will always learn best if the teaching is directed toward use of that strength ( Sprenger 2007).
What this means for educators is that the classroom environment is important in helping students to acquire and retain new information. It is often the case that educators rely on the auditory and ignore the remaining senses. However, an enriched classroom makes use of every sensory pathway to foster learning in students with different strengths. According to Jensen (1997) at least 85% of learners do not have an auditory preference but must be shown the material in a visual format, or experience the learning in a kinesthetic manner. Most teaching should be done in the classroom should be done using all three sensory modalities to provide opportunities for all students to learn the material. This is especially so for "slow learners" where teaching toward the modality which is strongest for them will greatly enhance their ability to take in and retain the material.
According to Barber and Swassing, it is sensation, perception, and memory combined which create a modality preference (Guild & Garger, 1998 ). Jensen (1997) has identified three learning modalities: visual, auditory and kinesthetic. As noted, most of us prefer one of these modalities over the others and learn better when taught in our preferred modality. For students who are not learning the material to a sufficient degree, they should be re-taught the material in the modality for which they learn best.
A Trip Down Memory Lane!
All About Memory
We all have more than one type of memory and, as with learning styles, some types of memory work better for us than others and educations should discover the memory type for each student in their class.
Memory researchers have discussed three phases of memory to include the learning or encoding phase, the storage phase, and the retrieval phase (Squire & Kandel, 1999). Problems may arise at any of these phases. For example, the learning phase may be disrupted by lack of attention or concentration. The storage phase may be affected by lack of sleep (Wilson & McNaugton, 1994). Problems with the retrieval of information can arise from lack of appropriate cues, distortion of information, and simply forgetting what was previously taken in.
Categories of Memory
Generally there are three processes of memory: sensory, short-term memory which consists of both immediate and working memory, and long-term memory.
Sensory Memory
As previously discussed, all information comes into our brains via our senses. Put another way our perception of the world around us comes in the form of sights, sounds, touch, smell, and taste. As we reviewed, each type of information is send to the appropriate association area of the brain, called the association cortices which compose the top layer of the brain; it is at this level that information is identified .
Immediate memory
The type of memory is sometimes also called conscious memory and is the process by which all sensory memory is stored in the brain. Immediate memory holds information for a limited amount while we take in more. Ideally, we are able to make connections with this new information which will allow us to take store greater amounts. Think of any new task you may be faced with. For example, the first time you tried to use your Blackberry or Palm Pilot. It is likely that, initially, you were only able to take in a limited amount of information since the device and its workings were foreign to you. However, as you became familiar with the features and operations, you were able to store greater amounts of information since you were making connections to prior learning.
Working Memory
Working memory is a component of short-term memory and is between immediate and long-term memory. Working memory is the area where new and prior information come together. As we take in new information our brains search for already existing schema in which it will fit. If we already have an existing schema, it is much more likely that the new information will be retained.
According to Levine (2000), working memory participates in the memory process in the following ways:
 Acts as a storage area where new information is compared and combined with old.
Stores the first words of a sentence so that the complete phrase will make sense.
In much the same way as the above, holds early parts of a problem so that you can arrive at a logical solution.
Stores information while you strategize over how to move it into long term memory.
Holds a question in your mind as you search for the answer.
Immediate memory can hold information without any type of rehearsal for a matter of only seconds. With some practice or elaboration on the material, active working memory takes over so that the information can be retained for indefinite periods of time. Note that this information will not automatically transfer into long-term memory unless some meaning is attached to it.
According to Hopper (2000) there are four factors which affect immediate and working memory which are particularly important for learning:
Interest
Motivation/Intent
Understanding
Prior knowledge
If interest, understanding and prior knowledge are not present, learning can still occur if the student has the intent/motivation. This is because the student's intent and motivation will result in the activation of their preferred memory system to foster either the recall of the information or generation of interest in pursuing the new knowledge.
Long Term Memory
Long term memory may be divided into two areas: implicit and explicit. Implicit memory, also called nondeclarative memory, occurs without our conscious effort. Sprenger (2007) divides implicit memory into conditioned response (CR), procedural memory (learning skills), and emotional memory. Explicit memory, also called declarative memory is conscious and Levine (2000) has described explicit memory as having two components: semantic memory and episodic memory. |
