learning and the brain

LEARNING and THE BRAINLEARNING and THE BRAIN

Taking our science lesson forward

Peter Gow

BCDS 2006

Taking our science lesson forward

Peter Gow

BCDS 2006

August 2006 Progressive Ed 101 @BCDS 2

ABSOLUTE BASICS IABSOLUTE BASICS I

We know that each person’s “cognitive system” is different—all of us come hard-wired with different learning styles.

AND, each individual’s “cognitive system” is also shaped by experience—individual and cultural.

(It’s Nature AND Nurture)

= NO TWO PEOPLE LEARN THE SAME WAY (and, learning is social)

We know that each person’s “cognitive system” is different—all of us come hard-wired with different learning styles.

AND, each individual’s “cognitive system” is also shaped by experience—individual and cultural.

(It’s Nature AND Nurture)

= NO TWO PEOPLE LEARN THE SAME WAY (and, learning is social)


ABSOLUTE BASICS IIABSOLUTE BASICS II

The brain NEEDS water, energy, oxygen, rest, sensory input (= “stimulation”)

The brain LIKES repetition, strong emotional or sensory associations, patterns, connection, uncluttered input, positive reinforcement

The brain NEEDS water, energy, oxygen, rest, sensory input (= “stimulation”)

The brain LIKES repetition, strong emotional or sensory associations, patterns, connection, uncluttered input, positive reinforcement


IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATORS

IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATORS

Build learning environments and promote expectations that are physically, psychologically, and socially humane; pleasant is good

Establish personal (emotional) connections with students

Shape learning experiences to respond to a variety of learning styles

Build learning environments and promote expectations that are physically, psychologically, and socially humane; pleasant is good

Establish personal (emotional) connections with students

Shape learning experiences to respond to a variety of learning styles


MORE IMPLICATIONSMORE IMPLICATIONS

Be flexible and inclusive in the design of curriculum, assessment, classroom activities

Be open to student responses that you have not anticipated

BUT MOST OF ALL: be thoughtful about learning styles, pedagogy, curriculum design, and assessment strategies

Be flexible and inclusive in the design of curriculum, assessment, classroom activities

Be open to student responses that you have not anticipated

BUT MOST OF ALL: be thoughtful about learning styles, pedagogy, curriculum design, and assessment strategies


INTELLIGENCEWhat the heck is that?INTELLIGENCE

What the heck is that?

One of the early 20th century’s most entertaining psychological questions A measure of “brain capacity” for predictive

purposes; some early theorists literally measured brain size

An idea with incredible (and horrific) potential for the sorting and eugenic development of humanity

(White guys in tweeds at the top!)

One of the early 20th century’s most entertaining psychological questions A measure of “brain capacity” for predictive

purposes; some early theorists literally measured brain size

An idea with incredible (and horrific) potential for the sorting and eugenic development of humanity

(White guys in tweeds at the top!)


Let’s explore gLet’s explore g

(g is the old-time psychologist’s designation for a kind of intelligence that is general and above all measurable--the all-encompassing, one-stop shopping idea of smarts)

(g is the old-time psychologist’s designation for a kind of intelligence that is general and above all measurable--the all-encompassing, one-stop shopping idea of smarts)

What did we learn?What did we learn?


WHO WAS THE SMARTEST PERSON YOU’VE EVER

KNOWN?

WHO WAS THE SMARTEST PERSON YOU’VE EVER

KNOWN? How did you know s/he was so smart? What kind of smart was this person? What did being so smart “get” this person? What was this person not so smart about?

How did you know s/he was so smart? What kind of smart was this person? What did being so smart “get” this person? What was this person not so smart about?

What did we learn?What did we learn?


Contemporary ideas about “intelligence”

Contemporary ideas about “intelligence”

The notion of a unified or singular “intelligence,” measurable by some sort of simple instrument—whether a caliper or an “IQ test”—has become less prevalent

New thinking focuses on the functional aspects of cognition and on the way “intelligence” makes itself apparent in the context of experience

The notion of a unified or singular “intelligence,” measurable by some sort of simple instrument—whether a caliper or an “IQ test”—has become less prevalent

New thinking focuses on the functional aspects of cognition and on the way “intelligence” makes itself apparent in the context of experience


Multiple-Intelligence TheoryHoward Gardner, 1983

Multiple-Intelligence TheoryHoward Gardner, 1983

“Intelligence” a constellation of capacities. Everybody possesses each, but some of us are stronger in certain ones:

1. Verbal/linguistic (good for traditional schooling)2. Mathematical/logical (also a traditional winner)3. Bodily/kinesthetic (athletes and dancers)4. Musical/rhythmic (musicians and dancers)5. Interpersonal (“people skills”)6. Intrapersonal (self-knowledge and reflection)7. Visual/spatial (artists, athletes, architects, pilots)8. “The Naturalist” (a later addition; observes, collects)9. Existential (another later addition; seeks meaning)

“Intelligence” a constellation of capacities. Everybody possesses each, but some of us are stronger in certain ones:

1. Verbal/linguistic (good for traditional schooling)2. Mathematical/logical (also a traditional winner)3. Bodily/kinesthetic (athletes and dancers)4. Musical/rhythmic (musicians and dancers)5. Interpersonal (“people skills”)6. Intrapersonal (self-knowledge and reflection)7. Visual/spatial (artists, athletes, architects, pilots)8. “The Naturalist” (a later addition; observes, collects)9. Existential (another later addition; seeks meaning)


The Triarchic TheoryRobert Sternberg, 1988

The Triarchic TheoryRobert Sternberg, 1988

Intelligence exists only as a functional capacity in three general areas:

1. Analytical: the capacity for figuring out what’s going on

2. Creative: the capacity for figuring out how to respond to what’s going on

3. Practical: the capacity for seeing oneself and one’s own situation/needs in the context of what’s going on

Intelligence exists only as a functional capacity in three general areas:

1. Analytical: the capacity for figuring out what’s going on

2. Creative: the capacity for figuring out how to respond to what’s going on

3. Practical: the capacity for seeing oneself and one’s own situation/needs in the context of what’s going on


“Dispositional Intelligence”Perkins, Ritchhart, and others, 1998“Dispositional Intelligence”Perkins, Ritchhart, and others, 1998

“Intelligence” is fully contextualized; it is the sum of an individual’s “dispositions” to respond in particular ways when confronted with a novel intellectual or cognitive situation.

≈ what educators have been calling “habits of mind”

“Intelligence” is fully contextualized; it is the sum of an individual’s “dispositions” to respond in particular ways when confronted with a novel intellectual or cognitive situation.

≈ what educators have been calling “habits of mind”


RETRO BUT USEFUL: TAXONOMY OF EDUCATIONAL

OBJECTIVES Benjamin Bloom, 1956

RETRO BUT USEFUL: TAXONOMY OF EDUCATIONAL

OBJECTIVES Benjamin Bloom, 1956

A hierarchy to describe the increasing complexity of cognitive tasks and capacities

1. Knowledge—has mastered the fundamental facts and skills

2. Comprehension—understands it3. Application—can use it4. Analysis—can use it to break a problem down5. Synthesis—can put it together with other ideas to

generate new ideas6. Evaluation—can use it as a basis for judgment

A hierarchy to describe the increasing complexity of cognitive tasks and capacities

1. Knowledge—has mastered the fundamental facts and skills

2. Comprehension—understands it3. Application—can use it4. Analysis—can use it to break a problem down5. Synthesis—can put it together with other ideas to

generate new ideas6. Evaluation—can use it as a basis for judgment


And this hierarchy, useful for thinking about curriculum

Grant Wiggins et al., 1994

And this hierarchy, useful for thinking about curriculum

Grant Wiggins et al., 1994 SKILLS—things you must know how to do

to achieve other goals UNDERSTANDINGS—things requiring

(deep) conceptual awareness; describable by degree

HABITS OF MIND—internalized dispositions to respond in certain ways to cognitive stimuli

SKILLS—things you must know how to do to achieve other goals

UNDERSTANDINGS—things requiring (deep) conceptual awareness; describable by degree

HABITS OF MIND—internalized dispositions to respond in certain ways to cognitive stimuli


Turbo-Bloom:

Six Facets of UnderstandingWiggins and Tighe, 1998

Turbo-Bloom:

Six Facets of UnderstandingWiggins and Tighe, 1998

EXPLANATION: Sophisticated and apt explanations and theories, which provide knowledgeable and justified accounts of events, actions, and ideas·

INTERPRETATION: Interpretations, narratives, and translations that provide meaning

APPLICATION: Ability to use knowledge effectively in new situations and diverse contexts

PERSPECTIVE: Critical and insightful points of view EMPATHY: The ability to get inside another person’s

feelings and worldview SELF-KNOWLEDGE: The wisdom to know one’s

ignorance and how one’s patterns of thought and action inform as well as prejudice understanding

EXPLANATION: Sophisticated and apt explanations and theories, which provide knowledgeable and justified accounts of events, actions, and ideas·

INTERPRETATION: Interpretations, narratives, and translations that provide meaning

APPLICATION: Ability to use knowledge effectively in new situations and diverse contexts

PERSPECTIVE: Critical and insightful points of view EMPATHY: The ability to get inside another person’s

feelings and worldview SELF-KNOWLEDGE: The wisdom to know one’s

ignorance and how one’s patterns of thought and action inform as well as prejudice understanding


At BCDS . . .At BCDS . . .

At BCDS, all this has meant a trend toward learning experiences that are

Collaborative: kids work together Connected: kids communicate often and directly with

classmates and with teachers Experiential: kids do it, try it, talk about it, feel it, go out

to see it Responsive: learning resonates with a multiplicity of

learning and cultural styles Reflective: kids have the chance to think about their

learning

At BCDS, all this has meant a trend toward learning experiences that are

Collaborative: kids work together Connected: kids communicate often and directly with

classmates and with teachers Experiential: kids do it, try it, talk about it, feel it, go out

to see it Responsive: learning resonates with a multiplicity of

learning and cultural styles Reflective: kids have the chance to think about their

learning


Hence:(You’ve read this before; it’s our “definition” of

Progressive Education at BCDS)

Hence:(You’ve read this before; it’s our “definition” of

Progressive Education at BCDS) Progressive education at BCDS puts the student at the

center. We believe that every child can meet the highest standard. Responsive, pragmatic teaching honors and challenges

the unique experience, creativity, and capacity of each student.

The curriculum is designed to deepen understanding and to inspire students, working individually and collaboratively, to make connections across disciplines, culture, and time.

Progressive education at BCDS puts the student at the center.

We believe that every child can meet the highest standard. Responsive, pragmatic teaching honors and challenges

the unique experience, creativity, and capacity of each student.

The curriculum is designed to deepen understanding and to inspire students, working individually and collaboratively, to make connections across disciplines, culture, and time.