Making Connections

The way we learn, the way we process information and how we solve problems are all linked to the way our brain is structured. Becoming aware of brain research is but one of the steps towards a better understanding on how we function as human beings.

The first source I found in which the author is making a direct connection between brain research and how to apply the findings in education is Eric P. Jensen, with an article A Fresh Look at Brain-Based Education.  In his article he discusses how discoveries through brain research have direct implications in education. One of these discoveries is neurogenesis. This one is defined by Jensen as the production of new neurons in the human brain which is a discovery that has become crucial to brain-based education. Jensen defines brain-based education as the "engagement of strategies based on principles derived from an understanding of the brain."

He discusses the notion that we should focus on the benefits of brain research but using information from multiple disciplines. Using multiple sources of information will give educators a broader understanding of the implications of brain research in education. The author explains how if we as educators, and those involved in policy making regarding education make the connections between the limitations we have in our educational system and findings in brain research, we could address educational concerns with the solutions already found through research.

This is a very valuable source because the author not only gives insight as to how we can apply brain research in education but also has generated responses directly related to how educators are supposed to interpret scientific data. An example of a response article is Sternberg’s (2008) in which he does not question the value of brain research used for improving education, but the accuracy in which educators apply brain research. Like this one, there are plenty of critics for Jensen’s work and its value.

I am in no position to take sides about Jensen’s claims or not, but I am delighted to have found his work because if anything, there is discussion about this issue in the first place. What would be the point of brain research if not to benefit the human race? And what better way to benefit our race than by educating ourselves not only on what has been done within brain research but why is it important and most importantly: how can we use the new information?

The way we process new information has been a curiosity for human kind for a long time. Check here if you want to know how this all began. Information processing theory is one of the cognitive theories of learning.  This one is covered at length by Huitt, W. (2003) in his paper The Information Processing Approach to Cognition.

According to the author, the model proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin in 1968 is that of a stage model. This one proposes there are three stages of how we learn. The first one being the sensory memory is related to the information we receive in our brain from our senses. The second one is the short-term memory or working memory. The first and second stages are working on you as you read this paper: Your eyes (senses) are sending signals to your brain to pay attention to these words (stimulus), and your thinking about what you are reading IS the sign that your short memory is at work. If you do not connect the new information you are reading to something you already know, this information will not be stored in your long term memory. Long term memory is the third stage of this model.

To remember new information, think of the first time you did something such as reading a series of books. Authors of series draw from their first book; its characters might be the same, though the adventures might be different. This helps you remember and make connections from the first book to the second, and from the second to the third and so on.

Huitt, W. (2003) goes on to explain the ways in which we organize our knowledge. Most importantly he uses this paper so the reader makes the connections necessary to remember this type of theory of learning: he gives examples on how to use the ways we connect information in the classroom setting. This article is a great starting point to learn of information processing theory and how to use the information.

Furthermore, in thinking of instructional design, I find it useful for transferring the use of this approach’s principles into online teaching. The problem now would be to find out how to apply these principles for online teaching purposes. One cannot think of processing information without thinking of how to problem-solve. So how do we do that? As I move forward in my studies, I will share the way I am finding out how to solve this problem. In doing so, I’ll explore theories of solving problems and how these work in our brains. Everything is connected indeed.

References
Huitt, W. (2003). The information processing approach to cognition. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University.
Jensen, E. P. (2008). A Fresh Look at Brain-Based Education.  (Cover story). Phi Delta Kappan, 89(6), 408-417.
Sternberg, Robert J. (2008). The Answer Depends On the Question: A Reply To Eric Jensen. Phi Delta Kappan February 2008 vol. 89 no. 6 418-420