Brain Based LearningBrain Based Learning

Educational PsychologyEducational Psychology

The Cognitive RevolutionThe Cognitive Revolution

New technologies New technologies have replaced have replaced Behavioral Behavioral Psychology with Psychology with Cognitive Cognitive Psychology based Psychology based upon upon NeuroscienceNeuroscience

The Cognitive RevolutionThe Cognitive Revolution MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) EEG (electroencephalogram)EEG (electroencephalogram) PET (Positron Emission Tomography)PET (Positron Emission Tomography)

Patient drinks radioactive glucose

PET shows glucose activity in active areas of the brain

Looking at the anatomy of the Looking at the anatomy of the brainbrain

Parts of the BrainParts of the Brain

Evolution of the BrainEvolution of the Brain

Carl Sagan -1990Carl Sagan -1990

Brain PlasticityBrain Plasticity

Human Brains are Human Brains are neural networks neural networks acting as complex acting as complex systemssystems AdaptiveAdaptive Non-linearNon-linear Self-OrganizingSelf-Organizing

““We know that learning is a matter of making connections We know that learning is a matter of making connections between brain cells and that the experiences our student between brain cells and that the experiences our student have shape their brains. Obviously we do have shape their brains. Obviously we do learn from learn from reading and hearing reading and hearing but the but the strongest connections are strongest connections are often made through concrete experience- interactions often made through concrete experience- interactions with our environmentwith our environment. Which do you think would make . Which do you think would make the most lasting changes in the brain, reading about an the most lasting changes in the brain, reading about an experiment someone conducted, or performing the experiment someone conducted, or performing the experiment yourself?” experiment yourself?”

Pat Wolfe Ed. D Pat Wolfe Ed. D

There are two types of brain cellsThere are two types of brain cells Glial (Greek for glue) have no cell bodyGlial (Greek for glue) have no cell body

The brain has approximately 1 trillionThe brain has approximately 1 trillion Neurons ( Greek for bowstring) Neurons ( Greek for bowstring)

The brain has approximately 100 billionThe brain has approximately 100 billion Neurons are made up of a cell body, dendrites Neurons are made up of a cell body, dendrites

and axons. and axons. They are responsible for information processing by They are responsible for information processing by

converting chemical and electrical cells back and converting chemical and electrical cells back and forthforth

How The Brain Learns and How The Brain Learns and RemembersRemembers

Neurons are constantly firing, integrating, and Neurons are constantly firing, integrating, and generating new informationgenerating new information

Stimulation creates new dendrites Stimulation creates new dendrites Axons grow to connect with other dentritesAxons grow to connect with other dentrites Well used axons develop a fatty sheath of Well used axons develop a fatty sheath of

myelinmyelin

How The Brain Learns and How The Brain Learns and RemembersRemembers

Film ClipFilm Clip

How The Brain Learns and How The Brain Learns and RemembersRemembers

Brain DevelopmentBrain Development During the development During the development

process, the “wiring process, the “wiring diagram” of the brain is diagram” of the brain is created through the created through the formation of synapses.formation of synapses.

Synaptic connections are Synaptic connections are added in two basic ways:added in two basic ways: Overproduction and Overproduction and

PruningPruning Growth of new Growth of new

synapsessynapses

Brain DevelopmentBrain Development

Overproduction and PruningOverproduction and Pruning occurs at different rates and in occurs at different rates and in

different parts of the braindifferent parts of the brain visual cortex- more synapses at 6 visual cortex- more synapses at 6

months than as an adultmonths than as an adult in the case of deprivation from birth, in the case of deprivation from birth,

one eye takes over. one eye takes over. After the critical period, the After the critical period, the

connections have been “pruned.” connections have been “pruned.”

Brain DevelopmentBrain Development Overproduction and Overproduction and

PruningPruning occurs at different occurs at different

rates and in different rates and in different parts of the brainparts of the brain Language Language

development.development. Japanese speakers, for Japanese speakers, for

example, have lost the example, have lost the ability to distinguish ability to distinguish between “R” and “L” between “R” and “L” because it is not in the because it is not in the speech they hear.speech they hear.

The Adolescent BrainThe Adolescent Brain

Excerpt from Front Line special Excerpt from Front Line special on research concerning the adolon research concerning the adolescent brain escent brain

The Adolescent BrainThe Adolescent Brain

The irony of adolescenceThe irony of adolescence If we “protect” adolescents from If we “protect” adolescents from

“risky behavior,” the frontal cortex “risky behavior,” the frontal cortex will develop less rich neural will develop less rich neural connectionsconnections

If we allow adolescents to engage If we allow adolescents to engage in risky behavior, they are apt to in risky behavior, they are apt to make poor choices. make poor choices.

12 principles of brain based 12 principles of brain based learninglearning

The brain is a complex adaptive systemThe brain is a complex adaptive system.. The brain is “plastic.”The brain is “plastic.” The search for meaning is innate. The search for meaning is innate. Learning occurs through “patterning.”Learning occurs through “patterning.” Emotions are critical to patterning.Emotions are critical to patterning. Every brain simultaneously perceives and Every brain simultaneously perceives and

creates parts and wholes.creates parts and wholes. Brain chemistry affects behavior.Brain chemistry affects behavior. We are what we eat.We are what we eat. Movement affects learning.Movement affects learning. We at least two ways of organizing memory.We at least two ways of organizing memory. Complex learning is enhanced by challenge Complex learning is enhanced by challenge

and inhibited by threat.and inhibited by threat. Every brain is uniquely organized.Every brain is uniquely organized.

The Case for Quality Early Education:The Case for Quality Early Education:Brain ResearchBrain Research Human brain is Human brain is incomplete at birthincomplete at birth.. Most rapid/robust period of brain development Most rapid/robust period of brain development

is from is from birth to age fivebirth to age five.. Critical periods of brain development are Critical periods of brain development are

clustered in the clustered in the earliest years of lifeearliest years of life.. ““NatureNature” ” andand “ “nurturenurture” have dynamic and ” have dynamic and

cumulative impact on brain development;cumulative impact on brain development; Parents/caregivers influence children's Parents/caregivers influence children's

environment to environment to help them thrive or place them help them thrive or place them at risk.at risk.

Healthy social and emotional development Healthy social and emotional development foster foster exploratory behaviorexploratory behavior—the —the keykey to early to early learning.learning.