Appreciating the Brain and Its Role in Learning

To be frank, I wasn't excited to begin my second class at Walden University online called "Learning Theories and Instruction." Theories are not my favorite thing; I understand their value, but I struggle to understand them! In my undergraduate studies I struggled with learning theories, and I think that's where part of my hesitation comes from. Well, that and the fact that I am a very concrete-sequential learner and theories are anything but a concrete topic. Nevertheless, I had to accept the challenge to give learning theories a second chance, and I think this time I'm beginning to internalize their value and truly understand why my professors have made/are making me suffer.

This week I read an article by J. M. Worden, C. Hinton, and K. W. Fischer titled "What Does the Brain Have to Do with Learning?" The title caught my eye since I was asking that very same question out of frustration as my Learning Theories and Instruction class began. Nevertheless, I'm in my second week of class, so I'm beginning to appreciate the brain and its role in learning. Worden, Hinton, and Fischer tackled that question by unraveling some common myths:

Myth #1: "The brain is irrelevant in learning" (Worden, Hinton, & Fischer, 2011, p. 9).
It's quite obvious that the brain is needed to learn, but knowing how the brain works is, in fact, relevant to learning. The field of Mind, Brain, and Education (MBE) is growing and with good reason. The more we know about how the brain receives, responds, retains, and retrieves information, the better educators can learn how to teach so that those processes will become more natural. Worden, Hinton, and Fischer (2011) wrote, "While brain research alone can't tell us how to teach children, understanding the brain leads to uncovering underlying learning mechanisms" (p. 10). And once we know those, instruction can become more pertinent to all learners.

Myth #2: "Neuroscientists know it all, and teachers don't understand research" (Worden, Hinton, & Fischer, 2011, p. 10).
Teachers need to study the "why" and the "how" of learning and they can do this best by taking advantage of neuroscientists' studies. The two should actually work together to make research more meaningful, applicable, and ultimately more beneficial. Worden, Hinton, and Fischer (2011) stated, "Both scientists and educators have important knowledge to contribute to solving educational problems, and supporting this type of collaborative work leads to improved educational outcomes" (p. 10).

Myth #3: "Johnny is right brained and that is why..." (Worden, Hinton, & Fischer, 2011, p. 10).
Most people believe that one side of the brain is dominant; however, this is false because people have to use both hemispheres of the brain. The brain has many complex connections and "all complex learning tasks involve a widely distributed network of brain areas" (Worden, Hinton, & Fischer, 2011, p. 11). Believing students use a dominant hemisphere only aids in stereotyping, something that can limit a child's potential.

Myth #4: "Everyone knows you can't learn a language after age __" (Worden, Hinton, & Fischer, 2011, p. 11).
We've all heard this myth and likely accepted it (especially since it so conveniently explains why learning that second language in high school was so difficult), but it's just not true. The brain has so much plasticity that it is possible to learn a language later in life. Worden, Hinton, and Fischer (2011) said, "...extensive research shows that there are sensitive periods for certain aspects of language, but not a critical period for language learning" (p. 11). And as the United States continues to increase and embrace its diversity, it wouldn't be a bad idea to dust off your Spanish books and give it another go. Worden, Hinton, and Fischer (2011) also wrote, "Recent studies have even begun exploring the cognitive benefits of acquiring non-native language in adulthood for mitigating or delaying the symptoms of some age-related disorders such as Alzheimer's" (p. 12). So... ¿Hablas español?

Myth #5: "Girls are better at reading, but boys dominate math and science" (Worden, Hinton, & Fischer, 2011, p. 12).
This is another myth that is tied to stereotyping and therefore the limiting of a child's potential. Worden, Hinton, and Fischer (2011) declared, "No neuroscientific data suggest that boy's brains are better suited to any given domain or subject or vice versa" (p. 12). Every student has their academic strengths and weaknesses, but those are not tied to gender, period.
The format of Worden, Hinton, and Fischer's article was entertaining and made it a quick read. Likewise, they assert ""by working together, we can shift our focus from debunking neuromyths to building understanding of teaching and learning" (Worden, Hinton, & Fischer, 2011, p. 12). Discrediting myths is a great start to building that understanding, so if you have a chance, read their article.

The next article I chose to read was O. O. Abiola and H. S. Dhindsa's "Improving Classroom Practices Using Our Knowledge of How the BrainWorks." The title was intriguing to me, a 9th grade English teacher. As I continue to study and understand the brain, it's important to reflect upon how that can affect my teaching. Worden, Hinton, and Fischer helped me unmask some myths, and Abiola and Dhindsa helped me appreciate the plasticity of the brain and how that can play into instructional practices.Abiola and Dhindsa (2012) assert that "the brain never stops changing through learning" (p. 72). They listed examples of those who are blind or an amputee who must relearn skills and functions; in order to do so, their brains adapt. Abiola and Dhindsa (2012) also discussed the importance of physical activity during brain and body development because it "enhances the process of reorganisation and brainplasticity that favours improved cognition" (p. 75). Physical activity can have a positive effect on neural development so including physical activity in the school curriculum is especially important for young children. In fact, young children can learn through play techniques, so teachers should be "creative in developing new teaching techniques" (Abiola & Dhindsa, 2012, p. 75).

People learn in two different forms: declarative--learning about people, places and things--and procedural--learning motor skills and perceptual strategies (Abiola & Dhindsa, 2012, p. 73). Whatever was learned then goes into the short-term (working) memory where it is encoded, consolidated, and finally "followed by some long-term storage phase where the memories are less vulnerable..." (Abiola & Dhindsa, 2012, p. 74). However, memories can be reconsolidated if they are recalled or reactivated and then they are "vulnerable to disruption" (Abiola & Dhindsa, 2012, p. 74). Abiola and Dhindsa (2012) state, "It is imperative for teachers to be aware of this so that the recalls of materials which are newly taught to students are not done during the destructible labile phase" (p. 74).  Therefore, practice is important as students continue to encode and consolidate (or elaborate) information correctly and it's equally important for teachers to provide feedback on that practice so they know what and when students understand. Similarly, Abiola and Dhindsa (2012) wrote, "It is therefore important that we teach content that lasts for longer durations to minimise the role of hippocampus so that students will not require a modification to their neural structures... and the information becomes accessible more easily" (p. 76). It's like the old cliché says, "Quality over quantity," something that can be difficult with standardized testing always looming overhead. Nevertheless, teachers should focus on the quality of their teaching to ensure students are converting the information to long-term memory accurately as opposed to checking off all part of the curriculum to get it done.

Lastly, Abiola and Dhindsa (2012) explored the effect of the environment on brain development because "the brain learns faster in challenging, creative, accommodating, and healthy environments" (p.77). Students should have a space to express themselves and grow at independent rates. Abiola and Dhindsa (2012) wrote, "...learning environments that provide student choice and empowerment of students, created through the utilization of hands-on, differentiated instruction allow children to be actively responsible for their learning, thus engaging several areas of the brain simultaneously" (p. 77). Personally, I try to offer project and essay options as much as possible and that is an easy way to encourage autonomy in the classroom. It can be difficult to try to teach to every students' strength, but having them show you what they know from an area of strength allows them to take ownership of their learning to produce a product that helps the student make the material more meaningful to them and possibly link "new knowledge to the existing memory" to prevent decay (Abiola & Dhindsa, 2012, p. 77). As Abiola and Dhindsa (2012) said, "Understanding how and when to engineer enhancements in learning and memory development and consolidation will be important to helping teachers to improve their thinking skills and classroom practices" (p. 78). It's no easy task, but as I continue to learn how the brain works and how information is retained and recalled, I'm hoping my instructional design skills will improve as I become more intentional with my design.

References

Abiola, O. O., & Dhindsa, H. S. (2012). Improving Classroom Practices Using Our Knowledge of How the Brain Works. International Journal Of Environmental And Science Education, 7(1), 71-81.

Worden, J. M., Hinton, C., & Fischer, K. W. (2011). What Does the Brain Have to Do with Learning? Phi Delta Kappan, 92(8), 8-13.