BRAIN BASED LEARNING
INTRODUCTION
Brain based learning is an approach
to instruction based on the findings of neuroscience. The findings of
neuroscience with regard to how the brain processes, interprets and stores
information is applied to facilitate learning. It emphasizes how the brain
learns naturally. It is based on what we presently know about the actual
structure and function of the human brain at different developmental stages .
It focuses on brain- friendly techniques that provide a biologically driven
framework for creating effective instruction.
Neuroscience has discovered the
critical role of emotions in learning. Emotions interact with reason to support
or inhibit learning. How the students feel in the classroom determines the
amount of attention they devote to. Positive emotions such as love, excitement,
enthusiasm and joy enhance the ability to process information. Negative
emotions such as stress , fear, threat etc. impede learning.
DEFINING BRAIN-BASED EDUCATION
·
Brain - based education is best understood in three words
v Engagement
v
Strategies
v
Principles
‘Brain – based education is the engagement of
strategies based on principles derived from an understanding of the brain’
CHARACTERISTICS
Ø Learning is
the expansion of natural knowledge.
Ø It shifts the
focus to the learning process.
Ø Emotions is
critical to learning.
Ø Knowing how
the brain works enhances one’s learning.
Ø It considers
how the brain learns naturally.
Ø Each person’s
learning is different.
Ø It immerses
learners in rich and varied experiences.
Ø Relaxed
atmosphere facilitates learning.
Ø Challenging
atmosphere enhances learning.
IMPLICATIONS
FOR BEST TEACHING PRACTICES AND OPTIMAL LEARNING
There are interactive teaching elements that
emerge from these principles
v
ORCHESTRATED IMMERSION: Learning environments are created
that immerse students in a learning experience.
v
RELAXED ALERTNESS: An effort is made to eliminate fear
while maintaining a highly challenging environment.
v
ACTIVE PROCESSING: The learner
consolidates and internalizes information by actively processing it.
PRINCIPLES
1.
BRAIN IS A PARALLEL PROCESSOR: Brain leads with several stimuli at a
time. Thoughts, intuitions and emotions operate simultaneously and interact
with other modes of information.
2.
LEARNING ENGAGES THE ENTIRE PHYSIOLOGY: This means that the physical health of the
child affects the brain, sleep, nutrition, moods and fatigue will affect the
brain’s memory.
3.
THE SEARCH FOR MEANING IS INNATE: This means that we are naturally programmed to
search for meaning. Pupil’s thirst for novelty, discovery and challenge may be
satisfied. Learning materials need to be exciting and meaningful.
4.
EMOTIONS ARE CRITICAL TO PATTERNING: In the
brain, emotion cannot be separated from cognition. Everything has some emotion
to it. Emotions are what motivates us to learn and to create.
5.
THE SEARCH FOR MEANING OCCURS THROUGH ‘PATTERNING’: Patterning
refers to the organization and categorization of information. The brain resists
when meaningless patterns such as isolated and unrelated pieces of information
are imposed upon it. The brain can easily receive huge amount of information
when it is related to its patterning process.
6.
BRAIN SIMULTANEOUSLY PERCEIVES AND CREATES PARTS
AND WHOLES: Learners need to use both the left and right
hemispheres of the brain. The whole brain strategies are needed. The brain
processes parts and whole simultaneously.
7.
LEARNING INVOLVES BOTH FOCUSED ATTENTION AND
PERIPHERAL PERCEPTION: Children learn from everything. They absorb
their experiences. Learning which is not used afterwards fade and vanishes.
When their knowledge is used, it is expanded.
8.
LEARNING ALWAYS INVOLVES CONSCIOUS AND
UNCONSCIOUS PROCESSES: We learn much more than we consciously
understand. Signals can enter the brain without our awareness. Meaning often
happens intuitively in ways that we do not understand. So we use both conscious
and unconscious processes while learning.
9.
WE HAVE ATLEAST TWO TYPES OF MEMORY: The spatial
memory and rot memory. The spatial memory system does not need rehearsal and
allows for instant memory of experiences. In the rot learning system, the
memorized information cannot be used. It has nothing to do with imagination.
10. LEARNING IS
ENHANCED BY CHALLENGE AND INHIBITED BY THREAT: The
environment should be highly challenging. It facilitates improved learning.
Children need more stability in the classroom. Rest is the basis of effective
activity. Threat is destructive.
11. EACH BRAIN
IS UNIQUE: This implies unique learning styles and way of
patterning. We have similarities and differences. We need to know that how we
learn and how we perceive the world and that men and women see the world
differently.
12. THE BRAIN IS
A COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEM : The brain can best adjust to the
environment. It function considering the situations we engage in.
13. LEARNING IS
DEVELOPMENTAL: Learning facilitates developmental. It is always
progressive.
ADVANTAGES
Ø
It creates more effective learning.
Ø
It provides rich and varied experiences to the learners.
Ø
It prefers problem solving skills to rote learning
strategies.
Ø
Stress free learning environment.
Ø
It gives individual attention.
Ø
It facilitates easy learning.
Ø
It adopts multisensory approach.
CONCLUSION
Brain based learning takes into consideration the needs of all learners
. It helps to establish a learning environment that blends wells with learners
characterized by different learning abilities. In addition, it also enables
learners to internalize information. The learning is also focused on relating
the learning experiences which learners are exposed to, to real life problems.
Thus it ensures that the learning content is meaningful and practical to
learners. Besides , brain based learning approach enables learners to learn
through all the possible approaches of solving problems.
REFERENCES
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