The Art of Changing the Brain by James Zull
Larning through a virtuous Acquireing Cycle. That'due south the message from Dr. James Zull, Professor of Biology and Biochemistry at Case Western University, Director of UCITE (The University Center for Innovation in Teaching and Education), and Professor of a Human Larning and The Brain class.
Dr. Zull loves to learn. And to teach. And to build connections. He has spent years building bridges between neurobiology and pedagogy, every bit a outcome of which he wrote The Art of Changing the Brain: Enriching the Practice of Teaching by Exploring the Biology of Learning, which shows how neurobiological research tin can inform and refine some of the best ideas in educational theory.
In that book, Prof. Zull added biological substrate to David Kolb's Learning Bike framepiece of work. David Kolb'southward Experiential Acquireing: Experience equally the Source of Learning and Development book refers to human being acquireing, only Professor Zull tells that today, in his desk, he has cognitive neuroscience papers and research that show that apes go through the same 4 stages when they are learning a new activity, activating verbally the same brain areas than we do.
AF: What is Learning? Can apes really acquire in the same style we do?
JZ: Learning is physical. Learning means the modification, growth, and pruning of our neurons, connections–called synapses– and neuronal internetworks, through experience. And, yep, we have seen that apes go through the same Larning Cycle as nosotros do, activating the same brain areas.
AF: How does Learning happen?
These are the 4 stages of the Learning Bike.
1) We have a Concrete experience,
2) We develop Reflective Observation and Connections,
iii) We generate Abstract hypothesis,
iv) We then do Active testing of those hypotheses, and therefore have a new Concrete experience, and a new Learning Cycle ensues.
In other words, nosotros i) get information (sensory cortex), 2) make hatefuling of that information (dorsum integrative cortex), 3) create new ideas from these hatefulings (front integrative cortex) and iv) act on those ideas (motor cortex). From this I propose that in that location are iv pillars of learning: gathering, analyzing, creating, and acting.
This is how we learn. Now, learning this manner requires effort and getting out of our comfort zones. A fundamental condition for learning is self-driven motivation, a sense of ownership. To feel in control, to feel that one is making progress, is necessary for this Learning Cycle to self-perpetuate. Antonio Damasio made a strong point on the role of emotions in his great Descartes' Error book.
AF: can nosotros, as learners, motivate ourselves? How tin we become better learners?
JZ: Great question, because in fact that is a uniquely man ability, at to the lowest degree to the caste we can practise so. We know that the Frontal Lobes, which are proportionally much larger in humans than in any other mammal, are central for emotional cocky-regulation. We tin can be proactive and identify the areas that motivate usa, and build on those. In other words, the Art of the Learner may be the Art of Finding Connections between the new information and challenges and what we already know and care about.
If I had to select one Mental Muscle that students should existently exercise, and grow, during the schooling years, I'd say they need to build this Learning Muscle. Learning how to Larn. That might be even more than valuable than learning what we stress in the curriculum, i.e., the subjects we teach.
AF: Exercise you call back this is happening today in our schools?
JZ: I don't recollect then. First, of all, too many people still believe that Education means the process by which students passively absorb information. Even if many educators would like to ensure a more than participatory and active arroyo, we still apply the structures and priorities of another era. For examinationple, nosotros even so pay too much attention to true cateastwardgorizing some kids as intelligent, some equally non then, instead of focusing on how they could all learn more.
Second, learning and changing are not that easy. They require attempt, and also, by definition, getting out of our comfort zones. We need to try new things, and to neglect. The Active Testing stage is a critical one, and sometimes our hypothesis will be right, and sometimes wrong. The fear of failing, the fear of looking united nations-smart, is a key obstacle to acquireing that I see too frequently, especially for people who want to protect perceived reputations to such an extent that they can't attempt new genuine Learning Cycles.
AF: Fascinating. Given what you merely said, how practise y'all help your students go better learners?
JZ: Despite the fact that every brain is different, let me simplify and say that I usually observe 2 types of students, with different obstacles to learning and therefore bendue eastfiting from different strategies.
A) Students who accept an introversion tendency can be very expert at the Reflection and Abstract hypothesis phases, but not and so at the Agile Testing one. In gild to change that, I help create small groups where they feel safer and can take risks such every bit sharing their thoughts aloud and asking more than questions.
B) More extroverted students can be very good at having constant Concrete experiences and Active Testing, but may beneastfit from increased Reflection and Abstruse hypothesis. Having them write papers, maybe predicting the outcome of certain experiments or even current political affairs, helps.
AF: Very useful. What other tips would you offer to teachers and parents?
JZ: E'er provoke an agile reaction, ensuring the student is engaged and sees the connection betwixt the new information and what he or she already knows. You lot can do and then past asking questions such equally "What does this make you think of? Is in that location some part of this new material that rings a wild bong for you lot?" To ensure a safe acquireing environment, you have to brand sure to take their answers, and build on them. We should view students every bit plants and flowers that need careful cultivation: growing some areas, assistanceing reduce others.
AF: Please give the states an case.
JZ: Well, an example I use in my books is that middle school students frequently have a hard fourth dimension acquireing about Martin Luther and the Reformation because they confuse him with Martin Luther Rex Jr. We can choose to become frustrated about that. Or we can exploit this saying someaffair like, "Yes! Marcan Luther King was a lot like Martin can Luther. In fact, why practise you lot recollect Martin can Luther King's parents named him that? Why didn't they name him Sam Rex?"
AF: Thanks. And what would you lot suggest for u.s. who want to become better learners?
JZ: Learning is critical at all ages, not only in the school environment. We have brains precisely in order to be able to larn, to adapt to new environments. This is essential throughout life, non but in school. We at present know that every brain tin can change, at any age. In that location is really no upper limit on learning since the brain neurons seem to be capable of growing new connections whenever they are used repeatedly. I think all of us need to develop the capacity to self-motivate ourselves. 1 style to exercise that is to search for those hatefulingful contact points and bridges, between what we want to learn and what nosotros already know. When nosotros do and then, we are cultivating our own neuronal internetworks. We get our ain gardeners.
AF: Prof. Zull, many cheers for sharing your thoughts through your book, and for your time today. Y'all accept changed my brain-and probably will change the brains of a number of readers.
JZ: My pleasure!
Source: https://sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/12/an-ape-can-do-this-can-we-not/
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