Cognition & Technology
Aligning Brain-based Research and Technology Integration
EDIM 501 was my first course in the EDIM program and a class I recommend that every teacher take. We discussed brain based research and how to apply theory into educational practice. Of course there was an emphasis on incorporating technology. Here I will share a few of the projects and discussion from the course.
VoiceThreads & Research Paper
Humor, Laughter, Emotion and Social Interaction VoiceThread
Play, Creativity and Motivation Voice Thread
Unit 1 Response
The United States and other nations are moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age, from a left-brain dominated society to a society more reliant upon a combination of both left-brained and traditional right-brain thinking. (Pink, 2005, pp. 48-49) Though, not an unfamiliar concept to me, the catalyst and effects of this shift were not a point of thought or attention. The reasons and consequences of this change, in the corporate world as well and education, should be a focus point for educators. Corporations, who fail to adapt will close. Universities will see a drop in applications and public schools may lose students to more whole-minded thinking charter schools.
Luckily, humans can thank their brain for our incredible capacity to adapt and survive in an ever-changing world. In ClimateWire, Massey (2013) quotes Rick Potts, a director at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, "Our brains are essentially social brains. We share information, we create and pass on knowledge. That's the means by which humans are able to adjust to new situations, and it's what differentiates humans from our earlier ancestors, and our earlier ancestors from primates." It is this unbelievable ability of our brains to adapt and share information that will help us survive in the new Conceptual Age. While this article was mostly speaking about our ability to adapt to changing climates, it can be applied to the change from L-brained-style thinking to more R-Directed Thinking. Humans must use their minds to find new and original ways to survive in this world of whole mind thinking. The journey from traditional education to an R-Directed educational system, along with its metaphorical speed bumps and potholes, frightens and excites me. It may not be easy, but this change in attitude that Pink encourages should be an emphasis in my teaching, both now and in the future.
I feel one of the first significant changes in education will be in standardized testing. While I do not have a direct effect on the tests, the tests do modify the way I teach. These tests have been a point of contention for many groups over the years. The reasons for and against them are both numerous and compelling. One of the loudest arguments against these tests measures almost exclusively L-brained thinking and not all students think or learn in such a rational and deliberate way. I agree with Pink when he says that these test can be a roadblock for students whose skills these tests do not measure. (Pink 2005, p. 59) Standardized testing has changed the way schools educate their students. Math, Language Arts, and Science are at the center of education. Research concentrates on how to help students learn these subjects. Teachers of these topics receive extensive amounts of training and a lot of pressure to ensure their students excel on the tests. More right-brained subjects get pushed to the side and in many cases dropped from the curriculum. Students who excel in the arts and humanities may struggle in this type of educational system and may leave for alternative schools and methods of teaching. Those who stay may find it harder to learn and shine.
I do not believe that standardized testing will go away in the future, but I do think there will be a shift in the content of the tests. Pink told us about the Rainbow project and how it is different from other standardized tests, yet better at predicting the future success of students. (Pink 2005, pp. 58-59) If the Rainbow project is successful we may see more tests like it; tests that measure creativity and practical life skills, not only mathematical reasoning. This shift will be frightening as Social Studies may become a tested subject, but a relief as well. The need to change my teaching methods, allowing R-Brained thinking to matter in the classroom will take effort and dedication. The struggle would be worth it as it would allow the R-Thinking student to become a focus once again in education. R-Thinking students will have a greater chance of success. Educators will come to see the value of their roles in the Conceptual Age. As Pink pointed out, we have already started to see this change in some university programs. I was surprised to learn that learn the Yale School of Medicine had medical students studying painting, and UCLA Medical school helps students feel empathy with their patients after an overnight hospital stay. (Pink 2005, p. 52) Perhaps we have seen hints of similar teaching methods in at the primary and secondary level. For example, music programs are once again returning to the schools as we understand the value and fulfillment it can bring to our students. Art and Math teachers at my school collaborated on geometric design projects to strength Geometry skills with an artist's attention to detail.
As we move into the Conceptional Age, where both left, and right brained thinking is valued and appreciated, I will need to adapt my teaching approach and allow for more right-brained activities. I will need to see the importance of both types of students to help them achieve future success.
References:
Pink, D. (2005). A whole new mind. Moving from the information age to the conceptual age. New York: Riverhead Books.
Massey, N. (2013, September 25). Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most adaptive species of them all? ClimateWire. Retrieved from http://www.eenews.net/stories/1059987783/print
Unit 4 Response
Middle school is tough for teens. Their bodies and minds are changing in ways they don’t understand. Relationships with family, friends, and other classmates can be confusing and time-consuming. They have more freedom than before but still have a lot of rules to follow. In school, they are expected to be more independent, understand more abstract materials, and even open a locker. Social issues dominate the majority of their time and motivating them to do well in their studies can be a challenging task. Learning about Canada, DNA, or the Pythagorean Theorem is not on the top of their priority list. To engage their young learners, teachers become salespersons, pitching their lessons to a less than enthusiastic audience. Despite ability or motivation level all students must meet the same high standards of education. Teachers hope to show the value in what they have to offer, entice the students to listen, and motivate them to want to learn.
This experience is not unique to middle school teachers, teachers at all levels must motivate their learners. Is it possible to help students to learn and nurture their intrinsic motivation? If motivating students were impossible, education would be impossible. Students are unique they learn and are motivated in different ways. What may work for one student may not work for others. I am grateful to have had students who are self-motivators, whose desire to learn did not depend on my ability to motivate them, but in their willingness to better themselves. These were the easy, and the rare students. There were a few students who lacked any motivation and seemed to resist all efforts put forth by their teachers and principles. They too are rare, but they were also my failures. Most students fall into the middle, and an understanding teacher can help them learn.
Ned Cephalus, an “expert” with 12, 487 hours in the classroom presents his Ned Talk “How Youth Learn: Ned’s GR8 8” on how adolescents learn. (Cephalus 2012) This humorous speech explains eight motivators that help adolescents learn. Ned starts out by saying that he needs to “feel okay” to learn. Students who are upset, sick, distracted by their home life and not okay, cannot learn. (Cephalus 2012) I have sent plenty of students out of the classroom to speak to the guidance counselor or to calm down before they could learn. In her review of Cephalus’s video, Dr. Christina Hinton explains that neuroscience research backs up this claim and “emotion is fundamental to learning.” (Hinton n.d.) She explains that emotions help guide students learning and positive experiences will motivate students to learn. (Hinton n.d.) The first step in motivating our students is to be positive and make sure the students are okay. An empathetic teacher can understand the mood of their students and make sure their emotions are on track to learn.
Ned also explains he learns when “it stretches me,” and that “hard can be fun.” ( Cephalus 2012) Challenging our students with new material, higher concepts, and new ideas can motivate them to learn. In his 2004 Ted Talk, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explains that we can get into flow, a highly motivated state, by developing skills, and when we are no longer challenged, we must increase the difficulty to once again reach flow. (Csikszentmihalyi 2004) Increasing the difficulty of assignments and challenging our student's minds can motivate them to succeed. Not challenging our students can lead to apathy, the antithesis of motivation. It also means that teachers need to pay particular attention to the ability levels of their students. What is hard for one student, maybe too easy for another. Differentiation can be difficult, but it puts the lesson on a level the student understands and pushes them enough to keep them engaged and learning and closer to meeting the standards.
Another important motivator for Ned was to “have a coach,” someone who can help im practice and learn from his mistakes. (Ned 2012) This metaphor of a teacher as a coach is appropriate. A coach encourages their athletes to push themselves further than they thought they could, excel in their sport, and work together as a team. A coach knows that success on the playing field requires practice. Athletes need a safe place to make mistakes so they can learn and grow. This is all true for the student. To achieve success on state tests students need practice. They need to have a safe place to make mistakes and learn from their mistakes. Some students and athletes require training and one on one coaching. Just as a coach motivates their athletes to becomes experts on the fundamentals of the sport, and pushes them to achieve higher levels; the teacher motivates their students to achieve those high standards they need to meet.
References:
Cephalus, N. [wkcd] (2012 October 31) How Youth Learn: Ned’s GR8 8 [Video File] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_BskcXTqpM
Hinton, Christina (n.d) From Harvard: A Review of the “Ned Talk” Neuroscience research backs up Ned’s GR8 8. Retrieved from What Kids Can Do website http://www.whatkidscando.org/featurestories/2013/01_how_youth_learn/
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2004, February) Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow the secret to happiness [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow?language=en#t-507889