More Brain Research
We will be sending out a series of emails; they will highlight some of the current thinking on learning and human development and let you know what you can expect if you attend IAL's international conference in Houston from January 14th - 17th 2010 in Houston. The first in the series begins with a look at some of the current research on the brain and learning.We hope you will enjoy the mini-articles coming your way. Feel free to pass these on. We'd love to welcome you in Houston for an engaging and inspiring conference. Visit www.ialearn.org to find out more about our great program!
According to the work of a number of neuroscientists like Dr. Fritz Mengert, Dr. Janet Zadina and other researchers like Dr. Boyzatis and Dr. Zull at Case Western, Dr. Tobin Hart at West Georgia, or those like Dr Renate Caine and others who have worked to translate science to classroom practice, there are a number of things we now know about the brain and learning that can help us make a difference in the work we do.
Some of the highlights of the research suggest that:
• Emotion and Cognition are linked in the brain and learning is state dependent. Music is an important tool to create an optimal state for learning. The arts, discovery process, and an engaging environment help us create meaningful learning experiences that not only accelerate and deepen the learning process, but help shift limiting beliefs and tap into potential.
• “Cells that fire together wire together” – the more natural repetition that is build into learning and the more senses engaged in the learning, the more the learning is embedded and accessible.
• A feeling of progress motivates learners to persist in tasks that could seem daunting or even tedious. Success breeds success. By designing learning (using for example the AL cycle) learners continuously success, make progress and see the relevance of the learning to their lives.
• Novelty in a stress free environment arouses and engages attention. It is important to create a environment free of high stress, and one that offers novel experiences – ones that arouses attention. The methods, the environment itself, the changes embedded into the learning design all support novelty and attention.
• Self-efficacy or being in control of one’s own learning and actions facilitates learning because it sets the right emotional tone and motivates. When we enable learners to co-create the learning, they learn more and deeper.
• The brain-mind is social. We learn more together in collaboration than alone. When we talk about the content, we learn at a deeper level as well.
• Patterning is a key element of learning and emotional connection improves the ability to pattern.
• When we write down things and put a time and place to when we are going to do them, it increases intention in the brain. Reflection activities, action plans, and ways to end a learning module, day or program helps learners take the learning back and apply it.
• The leader/facilitator’s mood, attitude, emotions and ability to empathize and connect with learners impacts learners ability to learn, their emotional state and how they see themselves and the learning. As facilitators of learning our own self-awareness, self-regulation and ability to empathize and manage our own state supports others in their learning. “We teach what we are!”
At the IAL conference, there are a number of workshops to help you translate the current research into your teaching practice. In our Inner Teacher track, you will experience ways to develop yourself, your presence, your ability to empathize, engage with others and use everything as a “teachable moment”. You will also have an opportunity to see how you can add contemplative knowing to what you are already doing with reflective activities, mind-calming, focusing and other ways to help learners get rid of self talk, distracting thoughts and engage in significant learning.
Several concurrent sessions demonstrate ways of using the arts in learning – music, activities from the world of entertainment, the visual arts, and storytelling. Many sessions are designed to help you discover how to apply the science to the art of teaching. And, because we practice what we preach, the conference will engage you in multiple ways to promote your own learning! Visit www.ialearn.org to see our complete program, and register before October 31 st for our best rate!
Gail Heidenhain, IAL Board Chair






