Sunday, April 11, 2010

Brain Based Learning

Brain Based Learning
Amy McCarthy

Brain based learning is concerned with understanding how the brain works best. The brain is very complex and brain based research is still in the developing stages. Each child’s brain is unique and the most effective teaching method varies based on each student’s learning capacities. Active participation, student-centered learning, and differentiated instruction are at the core of this theory. Most teachers are already incorporating these practices in one form or another, into their classrooms.

Brain based learning has had many new discoveries in relation to student learning. The article I read on this discussed pruning, the notion that the brain was hardwired at an early age and set for the rest of life. Now, scientists believe that the nerves continue to grow as you get older, allowing for optimal learning throughout one’s life. This contradicts the old saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” When we learn a skill later in life, it is awkward at first, but eventually will become automatic. We may tend to be more frustrated with the learning, but we are able to learn in the same capacity as when we were younger.

According to brain based learning, students learn best when they are immersed into the subject area. Exposing the students to as much of the subject matter, having them actively participate, and surrounding them with as many manipulatives as possible, creates the best environment for successful learning according to this theory. Each student learns differently, and it is the teacher’s job to provide the best opportunity for each individual to experience success. This can be accomplished through reading, hands-on activities, field trips, or creative expression.

Another key component of brain-based learning is active processing. This involves connecting learning to a prior experience. Students will better grasp a concept if there is a connection to something they have already learned. When students can relate concepts to a life experience or past knowledge, the brain is better able to comprehend.

Brain based learning also suggests the importance of balancing stress and comfort. It suggests students should be in a state of relaxed alertness. Teachers should create an environment that stimulates the brain, while eliminating fear. When students are challenged, or slightly stressed, the brain functions better. Too much stress, and the brain completely shuts down from learning.

There are many advantages of brain-based learning. Differentiated instruction accommodates all types of learners and active participation involves the students in the entire process. Another advantage of brain-based research is that students tend to retain more information when they are doing something they enjoy.

There are also many disadvantages of brain-based learning. It is costly to provide numerous manipulatives to use in the classroom, and field trips cost money. It is also time-consuming to do hands-on and student-centered projects. These tend to take longer than traditional lessons and all the standards may not get covered. Brain based learning also requires more teacher preparation and can be very difficult to accomplish with large class sizes.

It is evident that brain-based learning already exists in most classrooms. Differentiated instruction, creative projects and alternative assessments are a huge part of today’s educational trends. These require more effort on the teacher’s part and more time for the students to complete. By combining brain-based learning and traditional methods of teaching, both the student and the teacher can be accommodated.

Sources
http://www.funderstanding.com/content/brain-based-learning

http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1799/Brain-Based-Education.html

http://www.designshare.com/Research/BrainBasedLearn98.htm

www.mainesupportnetwork.org/handouts/pdf/Scope.pdf

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