dr. robert k. greenleaf bob@greenleaflearning.com an inquiry into the brain, learning and teaching...

Dr. Robert K. Greenleafwww.greenleaflearning.combob@greenleaflearning.com

An Inquiry into the Brain, Learning and Teaching Practice:

Review, Strategies & Applications

for Consideration c 2009

What is Learning?

Collect a series of ideas about optimal “learning” while we’re convening today.

From these ideas, develop a model (more than

words alone) of “learning” as you see it.

I’ll provide brief, intermittent moments for you to give this thought as we proceed.

Can research from the field of neuroscience really inform

educational practices?

Some say not yet, however ~ ~ there are important signs…

The human brain is wonderful.

It starts working the moment you wake up in the morning

and doesn’t stop

until you’re called on in class.

“Brown experience”Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf

www.greenleaflearning.combob@greenleaflearning.com

Perspectives on Learning, Teaching and the Brain G. Christian Jernstedt ~ Dartmouth College, 2004

“The biological limits to our potential are relatively minimal compared to the cultural and environmental limits.

There are sound and weak techniques of learning and teaching, more than bright and dull minds.

We can now consider our own philosophy of teaching,

our own goals for what will happen for our students,

the methods we use and would like to use to help our students learn, and the outcomes we typically achieve.”

Myths & Clarifications

Statement:

We only use a fraction

of our brain’s capacity.

Myth or Reality?

* 2X-Sec…

General Cellular Level Information

• Each “fires” 2x second…. or more

• 100 Billion Neurons• Each as complicated as a major city [David

Eagleman,2008]

• 10,000 dendrites per neuron—connections to other cells

• The brain entertains 400 Billion impulses per second ~ yet only 2,000 make it to the Reticular Activating System (to be processed for memory) [Judy Willis,

0.000000005% of activity

Superior Spearman g: 162 I.Q. slide by Dr. Rex Jung ~ Mind Institute, 2007

Left HemisphereGray Matter

Right HemisphereWhite Matter

Myths & Clarifications

“Localization”

Statement: The left and right hemispheres of the brain operate independently.

[Myth]

Slide by Dr. Judy Willis, M.D., M.Ed. 2008Levels of Activation & Areas of the Brain

* If we add areas for “visual” (not seeing) as an overlay on these areas of activation—We’d have most of the brain covered!!

Brain Areas / Anatomy (Macro)Slide by Michael Kaplan, Yale, 2008

Cellular Micro-Perspective: Production of Long-term Memory

9 new proteins synthesized10 connectivity is strengthened

“The Search for the Memory Switch” Rusiko Bourtchoiuladse, Cerebrum, 2002

New proteins synthesized

Overarching Educational Benefit to date from the Neuroscience Literature:

ALL teaching / learning practicesmust be geared to address

long-term memory and recall.

(Human Behavior ~ Education Application) Processes in the Formation of Memory

seesmelltaste

soundtouch

Most inputs depart quickly.Input

Some inputs are processed more thoroughly than others.

IntegrationOur nervous system filters and regulates inputs that initiate memory making paths… or not!

Sensory Input & Integration Sensory Processing Level

ProcessWhen we draw on what is in the barn in the processing phase, we enhance the likelihood that new information or skills will make their way into "the barn.”

“Desktop” ProcessingShort-Term, Working, or

Continuous Memory Processing Level

ElaborationHow interconnected is the information?How strong are the connections?

Recall: is the information readily retrievalbe?

The Barn:Long-Term Memory

Processing Level

Dr. Robert K. Greenleafwww.greenleaflearning.combob@greenleaflearning.comSource: Brain Based Teaching,” 2005

www.GreenleafLearning.com

“Blue cars”

What is Learning?

Work on YOUR key ideas for a Moment

1” Intermittent Pause

Brain Systems a la Given

Five natural learning systems of the brain…

That cut across all areas, lobes and regions.

Source: Barbara Given, “Teaching to the Brain’s Natural Learning Systems.” 2002

www.ASCD.org

How do Brain Areas Interconnect? 5 NATURAL LEARNING SYSTEMS of the Brain

Barbara Given, GMU ~ Krasnow Institute

• Cognitive Learning System:

Interprets, stores, and retrieves information

~ Caveat: Can be overrun by the stress response system

• Emotional Learning System:

Personal meaning ~ relevance

Empowers / energizes or depresses / stifles all learning

~ Caveat: Generates powerful vehicles for enhancing memory

or likewise powerful inhibitors and blockers

Given, Barbara. “Teaching to the Brain’s Natural Learning Systems, ASCD, 2002

NATURAL LEARNING SYSTEMS (cont.)

• Social Learning System: Governs interactions, teamwork and communications

with others.~Caveat: Acquiring social skills is crucial to long-term productivity

• Physical Learning System: Gathers information through all senses. Distributes information throughout the brain and the body. Involves movement, body in space, light, diet, sleep…~Caveat: Takes longer to establish, however is more often sustained

• Reflective Learning System: Weighs past, present, and future projections. Metacognates.~Caveat: Learning Systems always operate within a context.

Given, Barbara. “Teaching to the Brain’s Natural Learning Systems, ASCD, 2002

What is Learning?

Work on YOUR key ideas for a Moment

9 Most Effective Strategies for Achievement a la Marzano et. al. 2001

PERCENTILE NUMBER CATEGORY GAIN Of STUDIES

Identifying Similarities and Differences 45% 31Summarizing and Note Taking 34% 21Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition 29% 21Homework and Practice 28% 134Nonlinguistic Representation 27% 246Cooperative Learning 27% 122Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback 23% 63Generating and Testing Hypotheses 23% 63Questions, Cues, and Advance Organizers 22% 1,251

"CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION THAT WORKS"

9 Most Effective Strategies for Achievement a la Marzano et. al. 2001

PERCENTILE NUMBER CATEGORY GAIN Of STUDIES

Identifying Similarities and Differences 45% 31Summarizing and Note Taking 34% 21Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition 29% 21Homework and Practice 28% 134Nonlinguistic Representation 27% 246Cooperative Learning 27% 122Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback 23% 63Generating and Testing Hypotheses 23% 63Questions, Cues, and Advance Organizers 22% 1,251

Modeling directly employs most, if not all!

Three lenses for exploring Long-Term Memory and Recall

as it applies to our practice.

Statement: S/he who does the work, learns.#1: Who is doing the work of learning in your classroom?

Statement: The formation of long-term memory requires more than

participation. It requires active processing.#2: What must the learner actually “do” in order to complete the task assigned?

Statement: No meaning, no long-term memory.

#3: What context or personal connection(s) to the curriculum does the learner experience in their mind?

What is Learning?

Work on YOUR key ideas ~ toward a model ~ for a Moment

Strategy #2The Creation & Development

of Meaning

Meaning = Personal meaning, purpose, context… to the learner

3 Questions:!!! Pay CAREFUL attention

to how YOUR brain processes these !!!

Q #1: Penny

Q #2: Pledge

Q #3: Phone

The Formation of Memory

BOTTOM LINE:

The mental conclusion of “not important” suggests that little meaning (value) is indicated.

That which has only minimal impact on learners can, by definition, have no significant emotional base

for retention.

“No Meaning” ~ No Sustained (LTM) Memory !!

* (read aloud—PARIS)Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf

Please read aloud:

“I LOVE

PARIS IN THE

THE SPRINGTIME”

* (Try next…)

What color is this box?

Reflective Question:

What is the difference between students recognizing something and knowing something?

Dr. Betty Garner, “Getting to Got It,”

ASCD, 2007

What is Learning?

Work on YOUR key ideas/a model of optimal “learning” for a moment

Chat with a neighbor about one of your current thoughts.

Dual Coding Theory and Bi-Modal Memory Packet Formation:

Moving Toward “Modeling” as an Interdisciplinary Approach.

c April 19, 2009

Illustration of “Visual” Locations in the Brain

Occipital Lobe

Visual Imagerya la Stephen Kosslyn,

Department of Psychology, HarvardAssoc. Psychologist in Neurology, MGH

“Mental images have the same effect on the mind and body as the actual

activity/situation.”

Visual Imagery a la Stephen Kosslyn,

Department of Psychology, HarvardAssoc. Psychologist in Neurology, MGH

Image Rotation“Rotate the Letter “N” below, 90 degrees counter-clockwise…. What do you get?”

NDr. Robert K. Greenleaf

Visual Imagery Paired Words Exercise

A la Steven Koslyn, 2006

Quasi-experiment: Form two groups (This is an individual-based, silent activity)

I will speak a list of “paired” words, like:Squirrel Doughnut

As you hear the pair of words:Group #1 repeats words over and over(silently to themselves) avoiding visual processing

Group #2 explicitly creates visual links between the two words/items

What is Learning?

Work on YOUR Key Ideas/Concepts/Model for a Moment

Dual Coding Theory

• Bi-modal memory “packets:” The formation of long-term memory & recall

When both VERBAL and VISUAL elements are EXPLICITLY and SIMULTANEOUSLYrepresented & actively processed … the formation of memory is more powerful and sustained.

Source: Memory, Recall, the Brain & Learning,” 2005www.GreenleafLearning.com

Dual Coding TheoryCrude Bi-modal Representation

Verbal Visual

Context Availability

Visuo-Spatial Components In Reading

“The phone is in Mark’s pocket.

Mark is in the car.

The car is on the BQE (expressway) in NYC.”

Where is the phone?

To have meaning,

the mind contextualizes visually.

Control “Read very carefully to remember as best

you can.”

Same assessment (recall and

comprehension)

Dual-Coding“Cover the text after

each section and make a quick picture

in your head.”

Dual-Coding group

outperforms

DESIGN: Matched Subject GroupsSame Reading Task

Dual Coding Research

Mental Imagery Training & ComprehensionGambrell & Bales, 1986

• 4th & 5th grade poor readers• Short training session encouraging students to make pictures in their

head while reading• Control group was told to do whatever they could to understand and

remember while reading• The reading passages included both explicit and implicit

inconsistencies in the text• Students were instructed to determine if there was anything not clear

or easy to understand.

Results: The imagery group identified both types of inconsistencies more than TWICE as well as the control group.

Dual Coding ResearchDegree of Importance, Emotional Response & Degree of Spontaneous

Imagery and Recall ~ Sadoski, Goetz & Kangiser (1988)

• Students read literary short stories and articles from magazines.

• Students rated each paragraph (5 point scale) for:

1. The degree of imagery experienced

2. The degree of emotional response evoked

3. The level of importance of the information.

• Results: 16 days later, the recall on highly rated imagery and emotion paragraphs was high, but recall on paragraphs rated high on importance was not.

Conservation of ConstancyThe “languages” of Numeracy

Nonlinguistic Representations

“While most books are lavishly illustrated, these representations are rarely helpful

because they are too abstract, needlessly complicated, or inadequately explained.”

Wiggins & McTighe, UbD, ASCD 2005

OR… non-central to the concepts and essential big ideas, thus primarily a distraction.

Greenleaf, 2008

MAPS: * Teacher Generated* Student Generated* Class Generated

More specific

HogwartsGround FloorMap

Harry Potter

Reflective Question on Visual-Spatial• What are the instructional implications of students being

unaware of location, distance, direction and perspective? How do these affect the way students gather, process and express information? Relationships?

Dr. Betty Garner, “Getting to Got It,”

ASCD, 2007

Odyssey Map

Maps and Visual Images for Context

Distance, direction,Relative location, time…

Maps and Visual Images for ContextLaura Ingalls Wilder

Television

Website

What is Learning?

Work on YOUR Ideas/Model for a Moment

Without speaking, raise your hand if you recall the name of the equation below.

y = m x + b

NY state experience

What is each of these “unknowns” trying to represent?

Y = m x + b

Source: Memory, Recall, the Brain & Learning,” 2005 www.GreenleafLearning.com

Slope Intercept ~ done bi-modally

Graphic Organizers~ provide visual cues regarding the

relationship of information and ideas.

External structures, like graphic organizers, can serve to guide internal processing, thus

assisting in the formation of memory networks for improved organization & recall.

Basic Graphic Organizers

History

1. __________

2. __________

3. __________

4. __________

Characters

1. __________

2. __________

3. __________

4. __________

Geography

1. __________

2. __________

3. __________

4. __________

Word Acquisition Template

DescriptorThe Word or Concept

Descriptor

Descriptor Descriptor Descriptor

Picture or Photo Student Generated Drawing or Illustration

Definition ~ filled out last

Word #1Descriptors-(cues)

Drawing

Vocabulary Bookmark

What is Learning?

Work on YOUR Ideas/Model for a Moment

Photographs “drain” ideas/feelings/meaning & can be used to generate text

In depth examination ~ followed by interpretation

It is 1944. The Germans have just left Paris and the collaborators are being….

Learners

weatherTropical

winter

seasons

storms

sunClouds

summer

desert

change

Plants grow

hurricanes

Leaves fall

jungles

thunder

Pre-Study Representation

NLR: Strategy #22 or #33Talking Elements

Provide a reason for the dialogue.

1. What would “Fe” &“O2” have to talk about?

What would “Fe” &“O2” have to talk about?

“Let’s get together and make a little ‘rust!’ ”

Fe O 2

What would Na & Cl say to each other?

Let’s spice things up!

Let’s make salt!

What would Cu, Ag, and Au say to each other?

No higher resolution avail

Let’s form a heavy metal band.

Black Sabbath

What is Learning?

Work on YOUR Model of Optimal Learning for a Moment

Has Your Model of Learning Evolved?

What pleases, surprises, comes to your attention about what you’ve generated?

Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf

www.greenleaflearning.com

bob@greenleaflearning.com

Please feel free to email if you have questions!

Visual Mind & Modeling

Before language is acquired, the mind works on a level of Spatial Representations (essentially, geometric shapes and forces) and language (spoken, verbal, written, symbolic) is at the next level, what is sometimes called the Conceptual Reasoning level.

Most teaching and learning takes place at this language level, and a great deal of it is memorization. The teacher presents material to be learned, sometimes provides a conceptual framework within which to place it, and expects the student to reproduce this knowledge on exams.

Reconstructed from excerpts by Carole Hamilton, 2009

Visual Mind & Modeling

When students create their own conceptual frameworks, at the level of spatial representation, they are placing their theoretical knowledge where it can be called up to be applied in new settings. (transfer!!)

Students need to be called upon to explore and re-map their understandings in ways that alter spatial representations to correct theories, theories that they can see as working and that they can defend against questions and alternative spatial representations. When students draw out the relationships between ideas, they are operating at the spatial reasoning level.

Reconstructed from excerpts by Carole Hamilton, 2009Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf

dr. robert k. greenleaf bob@greenleaflearning.com an inquiry into the brain, learning and teaching...

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