An Inquiry into the Brain, Learning and Teaching Practice:
An Inquiry into the 1 Brain, Learning and Teaching Practice: Review, Strategies & Applications for Consideration
© 2013
South Dakota Head Start Rapid City November 6, 2013 Brain & Learning Institutes Frankfurt, Lausanne, North Carolina, Vancouver, New Mexico, Tennessee, Beirut, Ontario, Vancouver & Madrid. Upcoming: Prague. Tentative: Geneva, Hong Kong Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.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.”
Agenda Impacting What Happens in the Learner’s Mind 1. Overview w/some neuro--myths 2. Interactive Component—YOUR Mind 3. Engage in Mini-Application(s) 4. Dual Coding / Bi-modal Central Focus:
The “Minds On” Intersection Dichotomies Learner vs. Student Long-term memory vs. Short-term memory Processing to memory vs. Attending to Task
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Cellular Level • • • •
Each “fires” 2x second…. or more 100 Billion Neurons 10,000 dendrites per neuron— connections to other cells Each as complicated as a major city [David Eagleman, 2008]
Neural spikes in a Leech brain
+/-8 “steps” along the way to creating and strengthening memory… (next slide)
Levels of Activation & Areas of the Brain “Within 0.7 seconds, areas across the brain are involved.” G. Yonus, Potomac Institute, 2009
L/R work independently? Not unless you work in 0.7 second intervals.
Gender superiority & brain research ??? Caution: Many so-called “experts” writing in the gender area are “taking license” by extrapolating educational or instructional applications beyond the actual scope of the neuroresearch findings. For a complete, credible review, please see Dr. Lise Eliot’s 2009 book: “Pink Brain, Blue Brain, How Minor Differences Grow into Troublesome Gaps”.
Overarching Educational Benefit to date from the Neuroscience Literature:
ALL teaching / learning practices must be geared to engage learners toward active processing, long-term memory, recall, and ultimately, transfer.
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Memory Formation Path “The Barn” Long-Term Memory
Input Via Senses see smell taste hear touch
Desktop
Path to Memory
“Desktop” Processing Short-Term, Working, or Continuous Memory Processing Level
3
2 1
Problem = Most inputs depart quickly.
“Blue cars”
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
9 Most Effective Strategies for Achievement a la Marzano et. al. 2001 (updated 2011)
"CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION THAT WORKS" CATEGORY
PERCENTILE GAIN
Identifying Similarities and Differences 45% Summarizing and Note Taking 34% Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition 29% Homework and Practice 28% Nonlinguistic Representation 27% Cooperative Learning 27% Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback 23% Generating and Testing Hypotheses 23% Questions, Cues, and Advance Organizers 22%
NUMBER Of STUDIES
31 21 21 134 246 122 63 63 1,251
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Strategy #2 The Creation & Development of Meaning Meaning = Personal meaning, purpose, context… to the learner
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
3 Questions: !!! Pay CAREFUL attention to how YOUR brain processes these !!! Q #1: Penny Q #2: Pledge Q #3: Phone
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Intermittent Pause Reflective Learning System
Please write something down about participation vs. active processing for memory. (who’s doing the work?)
Journaling vs. …….. Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Two “Minds-On” lenses for exploring Long-Term Memory, Recall & Transfer as it applies to our practice.
“Minds-On” Lens 1: S/he who does the work, learns. #1: Who is doing the work of learning in your classroom? “Minds-On” Lens 2: 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?
Process of interactions needs to move from adult activated/directed to student activated/directed Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Student Generated Learning Cognitive Structures [Context Availability & Classification]
Quick “Pairs” exercise to follow Get out a paper/pencil.
Source: Brain Based Teaching,” www.GreenleafLearning.com
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Student Generated Learning EXAMPLE sparrow mouse fish eagle rat cat hornet kangaroo deer elephant snail shark opossum dog human turtle rabbit whale ant snake salamander worm mosquito fly bear leopard koala alligator spider bat robin eel mole lobster horse Source: Brain Based Teaching,” www.GreenleafLearning.com
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Student Generated Learning Same activity for younger students mouse
fish rat cat frog deer elephant snail dog sheep ant snake bug fly bear bat
Source: Brain Based Teaching,” www.GreenleafLearning.com
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Activity for very young students
Classification is a basic, fundamental, cognitive structure.
Patterning, grouping, organizing, debating, critical thinking, and so forth… all require varied levels of classification-related elements.
Context Availability & Classification Possible Task Habitat
Travel
Outer layer
Skeleton
Diet-etc.
Your Choice
Most Similar Most Different
Source: Brain Based Teaching,” www.GreenleafLearning.com
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Age 4-5 Letter Configuration Micro-feedback formative task Instruction: “Put a BLUE circle around the three slanted lines.” “Put a RED circle around the three curved lines.”
C
C C Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Age 4-5 Letter Configuration Data 100%
92% 90%
85%
80%
70%
Percent of Class Correct
62% 60%
60%
54%
50% 40% 30%
20%
8%
10% 0% Curve
Straight
Cross
Circle
Slant
Combined Sub-Total
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Age 4-5 Letter Configuration Micro-feedback formative task Instruction: “Put all the letters with a slanted line into the circle.”
A
W
P
T
Y
B
V
L
Z
S
D
E
G
H
K Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
What do the orange shapes have in common?
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Put the orange shapes into one group. Put the green shapes into a different group. How are these groups the same? Different?
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Put the shapes with straight lines into one group. Put the shapes with curved lines into a different group. How are these groups the same? Different?
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Classification is a Cognitive Structure Required Across All Curriculum (kayak) Take 2” ~ • Reflect on or discuss with colleagues how classification is critical in processing information for meaning, for application and for transfer. What does it mean to identify criteria to determine membership in a set or group? (or to develop criteria to be used to evaluate something)
• How is providing criteria different from asking children to come up with their own ways of ordering or classifying content? Adapted from Dr. Betty Garner, “Getting to Got It,” ASCD, 2007
• How does re-classification fuel “Minds-On” thinking and creativity?
Welcome to Geometry! “Parallels” x 2 Power of 2: Second wait time Student generated Processing prompts
Nature, Geography, not, fine arts….
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Story Reconstruction with “Overlays” Classics & Fairy Tale Exercise
PAY ATTENTION TO HOW YOU “RESPOND” (disposition)… TO EACH INSTRUCTION…
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Story Reconstruction: Classics & Fairy Tales Five Minute Exercise 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Form groups of 4-5 (10 sec.) Who will volunteer? (15 sec.) Select a story/tale (5”) Re-write the essence of the story/tale OVERLAYS ~ as you re-write…. Group(s) 1: no word twice Group(s) 2: 3 adjectives Group(s) 3: no verbs Group(s) 4: 2-3 word sentences only
5. Take liberties… be playful with your new version of this story/tale. Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf 6. Begin! www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Context Availability …having a “place” to hold new ideas and information while pattern & meaning are being explored and developed... …provides greater retention (processing for meaning) during the “construction” of networks—as well as for transfer to other domains of learning.
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Please feel free to email if you have questions!
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Books available at the book sales table.
© 2013
South Dakota Head Start Rapid City November 6, 2013 Brain & Learning Institutes Frankfurt, Lausanne, North Carolina, Vancouver, New Mexico, Tennessee, Beirut, Ontario, Vancouver & Madrid. Upcoming: Prague. Tentative: Geneva, Hong Kong Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.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.”
Agenda Impacting What Happens in the Learner’s Mind 1. Overview w/some neuro--myths 2. Interactive Component—YOUR Mind 3. Engage in Mini-Application(s) 4. Dual Coding / Bi-modal Central Focus:
The “Minds On” Intersection Dichotomies Learner vs. Student Long-term memory vs. Short-term memory Processing to memory vs. Attending to Task
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Cellular Level • • • •
Each “fires” 2x second…. or more 100 Billion Neurons 10,000 dendrites per neuron— connections to other cells Each as complicated as a major city [David Eagleman, 2008]
Neural spikes in a Leech brain
+/-8 “steps” along the way to creating and strengthening memory… (next slide)
Levels of Activation & Areas of the Brain “Within 0.7 seconds, areas across the brain are involved.” G. Yonus, Potomac Institute, 2009
L/R work independently? Not unless you work in 0.7 second intervals.
Gender superiority & brain research ??? Caution: Many so-called “experts” writing in the gender area are “taking license” by extrapolating educational or instructional applications beyond the actual scope of the neuroresearch findings. For a complete, credible review, please see Dr. Lise Eliot’s 2009 book: “Pink Brain, Blue Brain, How Minor Differences Grow into Troublesome Gaps”.
Overarching Educational Benefit to date from the Neuroscience Literature:
ALL teaching / learning practices must be geared to engage learners toward active processing, long-term memory, recall, and ultimately, transfer.
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Memory Formation Path “The Barn” Long-Term Memory
Input Via Senses see smell taste hear touch
Desktop
Path to Memory
“Desktop” Processing Short-Term, Working, or Continuous Memory Processing Level
3
2 1
Problem = Most inputs depart quickly.
“Blue cars”
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
9 Most Effective Strategies for Achievement a la Marzano et. al. 2001 (updated 2011)
"CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION THAT WORKS" CATEGORY
PERCENTILE GAIN
Identifying Similarities and Differences 45% Summarizing and Note Taking 34% Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition 29% Homework and Practice 28% Nonlinguistic Representation 27% Cooperative Learning 27% Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback 23% Generating and Testing Hypotheses 23% Questions, Cues, and Advance Organizers 22%
NUMBER Of STUDIES
31 21 21 134 246 122 63 63 1,251
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Strategy #2 The Creation & Development of Meaning Meaning = Personal meaning, purpose, context… to the learner
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
3 Questions: !!! Pay CAREFUL attention to how YOUR brain processes these !!! Q #1: Penny Q #2: Pledge Q #3: Phone
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Intermittent Pause Reflective Learning System
Please write something down about participation vs. active processing for memory. (who’s doing the work?)
Journaling vs. …….. Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Two “Minds-On” lenses for exploring Long-Term Memory, Recall & Transfer as it applies to our practice.
“Minds-On” Lens 1: S/he who does the work, learns. #1: Who is doing the work of learning in your classroom? “Minds-On” Lens 2: 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?
Process of interactions needs to move from adult activated/directed to student activated/directed Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Student Generated Learning Cognitive Structures [Context Availability & Classification]
Quick “Pairs” exercise to follow Get out a paper/pencil.
Source: Brain Based Teaching,” www.GreenleafLearning.com
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Student Generated Learning EXAMPLE sparrow mouse fish eagle rat cat hornet kangaroo deer elephant snail shark opossum dog human turtle rabbit whale ant snake salamander worm mosquito fly bear leopard koala alligator spider bat robin eel mole lobster horse Source: Brain Based Teaching,” www.GreenleafLearning.com
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Student Generated Learning Same activity for younger students mouse
fish rat cat frog deer elephant snail dog sheep ant snake bug fly bear bat
Source: Brain Based Teaching,” www.GreenleafLearning.com
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Activity for very young students
Classification is a basic, fundamental, cognitive structure.
Patterning, grouping, organizing, debating, critical thinking, and so forth… all require varied levels of classification-related elements.
Context Availability & Classification Possible Task Habitat
Travel
Outer layer
Skeleton
Diet-etc.
Your Choice
Most Similar Most Different
Source: Brain Based Teaching,” www.GreenleafLearning.com
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Age 4-5 Letter Configuration Micro-feedback formative task Instruction: “Put a BLUE circle around the three slanted lines.” “Put a RED circle around the three curved lines.”
C
C C Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Age 4-5 Letter Configuration Data 100%
92% 90%
85%
80%
70%
Percent of Class Correct
62% 60%
60%
54%
50% 40% 30%
20%
8%
10% 0% Curve
Straight
Cross
Circle
Slant
Combined Sub-Total
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Age 4-5 Letter Configuration Micro-feedback formative task Instruction: “Put all the letters with a slanted line into the circle.”
A
W
P
T
Y
B
V
L
Z
S
D
E
G
H
K Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
What do the orange shapes have in common?
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Put the orange shapes into one group. Put the green shapes into a different group. How are these groups the same? Different?
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Put the shapes with straight lines into one group. Put the shapes with curved lines into a different group. How are these groups the same? Different?
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Classification is a Cognitive Structure Required Across All Curriculum (kayak) Take 2” ~ • Reflect on or discuss with colleagues how classification is critical in processing information for meaning, for application and for transfer. What does it mean to identify criteria to determine membership in a set or group? (or to develop criteria to be used to evaluate something)
• How is providing criteria different from asking children to come up with their own ways of ordering or classifying content? Adapted from Dr. Betty Garner, “Getting to Got It,” ASCD, 2007
• How does re-classification fuel “Minds-On” thinking and creativity?
Welcome to Geometry! “Parallels” x 2 Power of 2: Second wait time Student generated Processing prompts
Nature, Geography, not, fine arts….
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Story Reconstruction with “Overlays” Classics & Fairy Tale Exercise
PAY ATTENTION TO HOW YOU “RESPOND” (disposition)… TO EACH INSTRUCTION…
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Story Reconstruction: Classics & Fairy Tales Five Minute Exercise 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Form groups of 4-5 (10 sec.) Who will volunteer? (15 sec.) Select a story/tale (5”) Re-write the essence of the story/tale OVERLAYS ~ as you re-write…. Group(s) 1: no word twice Group(s) 2: 3 adjectives Group(s) 3: no verbs Group(s) 4: 2-3 word sentences only
5. Take liberties… be playful with your new version of this story/tale. Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf 6. Begin! www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Context Availability …having a “place” to hold new ideas and information while pattern & meaning are being explored and developed... …provides greater retention (processing for meaning) during the “construction” of networks—as well as for transfer to other domains of learning.
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Please feel free to email if you have questions!
Dr. Robert K. Greenleaf www.greenleaflearning.com [email protected]
Books available at the book sales table.
