Brain-Compatible Learning

Lanai Slifka

EDU 417: Cognitive Studies Capstone

Joanna Savarese- Levine

04/28/2014

• The purpose of this presentation is to introduce to everyone the idea of brain-compatible learning and how it can be incorporated into the classroom.

• The use of neuroscientific principles will also be emphasized. The importance of why we should support this teaching style as well as ways that these techniques can be implemented will be shared.

• In addition, it is brain-compatible techniques that can benefit students and teachers.

Purpose of this Presentation

Introduction

Hi my name is Lanai Slifka. I live in Ohio. I have been married to my

husband Nick for 8 years. We have three daughters. All of them have

birthdays at the beginning of April. Adalena turned 8 on April 8 th,

Cheyenne turned 6 on April 5th, and Chaselyn turned 3 April 8th as well.

I am also 23 weeks pregnant with girl number 4. I am a stay at home

mom and have been since my oldest daughter was born. We also have

two dogs. They are both girls and both turned one in January. Kira is a

rot/lab mix and Penny is a red blood coon hound.

Introduction part 2

• I am so excited to announce that this is my very last class with Ashford. I started with Ashford in August of 2008.

• I will be participating in the May commencement and will be graduating with a double bachelor in Child Development and Cognitive Studies as well as a minor in Psychology.

• I do not know how I plan to use my degrees once I am finished, time will only tell what opportunities will arise.

Overview of Brain-Compatible Learning

• Brain-Compatible teaching is purposeful teaching with the brain

in mind. Teachers that utilize this approach do so in a way that

they know why they are teaching in the way that they are and

also how it will be accepted by their students.

• Some of the pros for brain-compatible education are that teachers

create lessons that will individually target students. Students will be

able to learn in their own way. Teachers use the approach of Howard

Gardner’s multiple intelligence to focus lessons on the student’s

strengths. Using brain-compatible learning is appropriate because just

as everything evolves overtime so does how the brain works. As we

gather more information on how the brain works, it is only fitting to adjust

the approach to education to match. Students are provided with more of a

variety of teaching to help target different learning styles and abilities.

(Fischer& Immordino-Yang, 2008)

Traditional Learning vs. Brain Compatible Learning

Traditional Learning• Assumes all students learn in the same manner

• Positive or negative environment• May present more information than can be processed.• Teaching time to complete the lesson regardless of the child’s age.• Teach one lesson right after one another without the opportunity for a brain break in between.• Does not support drinking of water within the class, seen as a distraction.• Teaches on a need to know basis, for tests.• Relies on rote rehearsal.

(McDaniel, 2008)

Traditional Learning vs. Brain Compatible Learning

Brain-Compatible Learning

• Knows what type of learner the student is. Visual, kinesthetic, auditory etc.• Positive learning environment/stress free• Chunking based on age• Teaching times based on child’s age• Teaches the new information first and then provide activity to review that

information they just learned.• Allows times in between lessons for children to rest their brains and to

stretch• Allows students to drink water in class as it can help avoid dehydration

which can cause a loss of focus and attention.• Provides students with the opportunity to focus on the type of learner they

are and to do assignments according to their strengths.

(McDaniel, 2008)

Genetic Factors that Impact Learning

• It is important to understand the relationship between genetic factors and

how they can impact learning. Some of the genetic factors include reading

disabilities, speech disabilities, hearing impairments and behavior disorders.• A teacher needs to understand how these different genetic factors can affect

the way the student can and will learn. Students who have reading disabilities

may have them because of speech disabilities or hearing impairments.

Observing and evaluating students is a great way to see what kind of additional

help may be needed to help them learn. Students who are having behavior

issues or disorders may need to seek additional support. Once a teacher knows

what is going on with a student they will be able to accommodate their needs

so that they can still have optimal learning and development.• Some students may require additional support in cases such as autism,

cognitive delays, or intellectual disabilities.• A brain-compatible setting needs to be aware of these conditions in order to

appropriately assist students to offer them the best environment and set up to

learn.

Environmental Factors that Impact Learning

• There are environmental factors that occur in and out of the classroom that can

affect the way a student learns. Some of these factors include movement, sleep,

nutrition, and technology. Movement can affect a student. Allowing students to

take a break to stretch or hop around the room can give them a brain break.

Physical activity can also positively affect emotional and physical well being.

Consolidation occurs while we are sleeping. This is the process of information

going from short term to long term. It also gives our brain a break from

constantly receiving incoming stimulus. Sleep also helps make connections

between received information. Nutrition is important as it helps the brain to

develop and to function. It also has a role in the deliverance of chemicals within

the brain. Lastly, technology can be beneficial to learning as it gives students the chance to

problem solve and use higher end thinking. Students are also internally motivated to learn as

they reach new levels in games and need to continually think to advance in their goals.

• Teachers as well as parents need to understand the importance of these environmental

factors and how they do affect learning. Parents need to support their children at home as

well as schools do to children within their care. All of these factors can determine whether a

student will succeed or not.

(Wolfe, 2010) 

Information Processing Model

• Students learn through an Information Processing Model. This model consists of

three parts. There is the sensory memory, working memory, and long-term memory. In

our sensory memory we have receptors that will receive sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.

They are initially processed and either rehearsed or forgotten and not moved to the next

stage. If one of these sensors triggers meaning it is more than likely to be acknowledged and

related to something that is familiar. Once the information from the sensory memory reaches

the working memory it is either rehearsed and moved to long term memory or it is forgotten

and not moved to the last stage. Once information reaches long term it is broken up into two

types of memory storage. There is the declarative and also the procedural. Declarative

memory is something you recall that you can speak or write. Procedural memory is knowing

how to do something that cannot necessarily be explained such as riding a bike or tying your

shoe.

• People will remember information that elicits an emotional response longer than ones

that do not. It is incoming stimulus that will receive our initial attention if it is emotionally

relevant. If an event is meaningful we will remember it longer as it probably had more of an

affect on us. Therefore when teachers are teaching they need to find a way to emotionally

connect students to the lesson. This can be done through linking of information from

something old to something new that is relevant. (Banikowski,1999).

(Banikowski,1999)

Information Processing Model

(Model)

Sensory Memory

Working Memory

Long-Term Memory

Sight

Sound

Smell

Taste

Touch

Initial processing

Elaboration &

Organization

Retrieval

Rehearsal

Not transferred to next stage and forgotten

Declarative and Procedural

RECEPTORS

(Wolfe, 2010). (Wolfe, 2010). 

(Wolf, 2010)

Lesson Plan

• The initial lesson plan was called “Our Five Senses”. The students were to create charts and identify what the senses were and write a sentence about what the sense did. Example: I use my (eyes) to (see) the (clouds). They were to make a chart using each sense. I modified the lesson to make it more complex and more brain-compatible. I added in a science lesson before this lesson that reviewed what the senses were and what they did. The lesson had hands on experience, visual and auditory. After that pre lesson I went on to the initial lesson with some minor changes. The combined lesson plan was a way to incorporate brain-compatible techniques.

I USE MY TO MANY THINGS

Eyes See the clouds

Ears Hear the fire truck

Mouth Taste the pizza

Hands Feel the grass

Nose Smell the candle

(Mácajová, 2013)

Steps in Creating a Brain Compatible Lesson

• Cue to signal class for it to begin.• Associate new lesson with something already existing or known to help

link new information to old.• Point out the important information.• Present information in an organized manner.• Start with simple concepts and progress to more difficult ones.• Show students how to use the information in other relevant ways through

generalization and inductive reasoning.• Allow students opportunities to apply their new knowledge to other

relevant areas.• Use mental imaging to reinforce learning.• Use repetition.• Allow time for reflection.

*These techniques help to support brain-compatible learning.

Conclusion

This presentation has shown through various ways that brain compatible

learning techniques are ways that can benefit students and teachers and the

future of education. We can see through the comparison of traditional learning

techniques versus brain compatible techniques which ways offer a better

learning environment for students. Genetic factors are another area that can

show that brain compatible learning can be useful and can help to accommodate

these situations. Environmental factors are another area that is addressed as we

have been able to see through research the profound effect they have on a student

and how they learn. The information processing model is a good visual that allows

us to see just how the brain interprets incoming information. By this we can

present information in a more direct way so that our brains can process it and later

recall it. The last way that brain compatible learning has been shown to be

effective is through the modified lesson plan and the steps that create a brain

compatible lesson. These modifications are made to target the learning styles and

abilities of students. Brain compatible teaching allows students to learn where they

are at and teachers to teach where the students are at and to hopefully stitch it all

together to create a wonderful learning experience.

References

• Banikowski, A. K. (1999). Strategies to Enhance Memory Based on Brain-Research. Focus On Exceptional Children, 32(1), 1-16. Retrieved from the MasterFILE Premier database in the Ashford Library. 

• Fischer , K. W., Immordino-Yang, M. H., & , (2008). The jossey-bass reader on the brain and learning. (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

• Mácajová, Monika. Technológia Vzdelávania , 2013, Vol. 21 Issue 3, p19-27, 9p. Publisher: Zdruzenie Slovdidac. NEUROPEDAGOGY

AND BRAIN COMPATIBLE LEARNING -- IDEAS FOR EDUCATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/1365799732?accountid=32521

• McDaniel, R. (2008, July 28). Brain based learning vs. traditional learning. Yahoo Voices. Retrieved from http://voices.yahoo.com/brain-based-learning-vs-traditional-learning-1717969.htm

• Wolfe, P. (2010). Brain matters: Translating research into classroom practice. (2nd ed.). Alexandria,VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum

Development.