The Relevance of Brain-Based Education to Learning
I strongly encourage educators to be au fait with brain-based education, the connection of information processing theory, and problem-solving to develop effective learning experiences. In this blog, I will explain these three concepts and their impact on the learning process especially for online learning.
In the past educators disregarded the relevance of brain-based
research in learning but as the 21st century approached these ideas diminished.
In the readings of an article on ‘A Fresh Look at Brain-Based Education’, Bruer
described the model as a fantasy and questioned what neuroscience had to do
with learning, even if it could help educators do a better job. The question is,
what changed? Time changed, and this concept has become pertinent because
educators realized that everything that they themselves know and do is intimately
connected with how the brain works. As time passed by Educators realized that biology
and cognitive science do in fact support better education with direct
application in schools (Jensen 2008). In
the 1980s a new model was introduced to explain the connection between brain
function and educational practice (Jensen 2008). They realized that ignoring the
perspectives of how the brain works simply means educators are risking student
success. As Instructional Designers (ID), it is bearing to understand this
model in planning our concepts. Jensen (2008) used three words to explain the
concept of brain-based education, engagement, strategies, and principle. It is imperative
that educators and IDs know why they do what they do to bring meaning to
learning.
Information Processing Theory
When we speak of information processing theory we think
of learning, retaining information, problem-solving, and cognitive development.
The cognitive information process is relevant in the education setting regardless
of the curriculum or subject being taught. When speaking about cognitive development,
we refer to short- or long-term memory. Educators need to understand how the
brain works of young and old to effectively strategize in building people’s
memory. Ormrod et al (2009) shares that frequency and continuity aids in long-term
memory. If we look at the early childhood curriculum for instance, we will find
that the curriculum endorses repetition to develop the cognitive skills of the
youngsters. For example, the curriculum intertwines the numeral one concept
into several activities for over a period. This sort of practice (repetition)
leads to building their cognitive skills in remembering the numeral but
importantly it also teaches them to write. Once taught the right way, it is
lodged into the long-term memory of the child leading up to adulthood. People
who understand basic concepts are able to develop their problem-solving skills,
I call it competence to mastery.
Problem-Solving
The nature of cognitive development and problem-solving
is interwoven in learning. Dr. Jeanne Ormrod explained this concept in her
video on Information Processing and Problem-Solving. She explained that problems
are either well-defined or ill-defined. Regardless of the two she explained
that for problem solving to be effective problems must be encoded and it is the
encoding of the problem that reaps the solutions. Therefore, understanding the
problem becomes vital to its solution. Dr Ormrod explained three cognitive
processes involved with problem-solving, such as encoding the problem, retrieving
things relevant to the problem in your long-term memory, and metacognitively
supervising the whole process. I can connect to her metacognitive concept that adult
learners should be metacognitively astute as this develops their cognitive
skills. Dr. Ormrod found it ineffective for adults to try and rehearse concepts
rather than understand their concepts. This can be defined as an ill-defined
concept as adult learners especially sometimes try and figure out how to learn
new concepts and then there is the problem of trying to remember it. When I
reflect on how I learn, I find it meaningful and effective for me to understand
concepts rather than develop a rhythm to learn word-for-word meanings. I
believe that for adult learners, learning the word for word should be reserved
for learning your vocabulary and even acronyms. Therefore, understanding concepts
means that this information will be lodged in your long-term memory rather than
the short-term memory. Educators should try and understand concepts to bring
meaning to partaking these same concepts to learners to create a successful teaching-learning process.
In conclusion, it is imperative that educators
understand that brain-based research is vital to the development of lessons. Educators
should be encouraged to apply principles and practices in the classroom that is
meaningful to the cognitive development of the child and hence problem-solving skills.
Instructional Designers should understand what they do and why they do the
things they do to develop content that connects with the learners ably
builds the cognitive skills of students and fosters good problem-solving
skills.
References
Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M.
(2009). Learning
theories and instruction (Laureate
custom edition). New York, NY: Pearson.
·
Chapter 2, “Learning
and the Brain” (pp. 27–36 and 45–46)
·
Chapter 3,
“Cognitive Information Processing Theory”
Eric P. Jensen: A Fresh Look at Brain-Based Education - Teachers.Net Gazette. (n.d.).
Comments
Post a Comment