TEACHING DIGITAL LEARNERS THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF BRAIN BASED LEARNING

What is Brain Based learning?

It was always thought previously that the brain growth was static but today we see that the brain is changing in response to the changes brought about by the high-tech information age in which we live in.

Brain based education focuses on how the brain is stimulated naturally at every developmental stage and the teachers being aware of this biologically driven change can bring effective instruction to the students and a classroom that is diverse in exposure to various kinds of digital equipment and communication tools. We will examine how the neuro plasticity of the brain performs in these students in the digital age. I particularly like the phrase in the article Brain based teaching in the digital age that “becoming a part of this transformation is something we must do because we are dealing with digital brains. So even if you are a digital dinosaur, it’s not too late. Your brain can change, too. In fact, it’s changing every day.” (Springer, 2010)

The Digital Learner-

The generations of learners today are exposed to a variety of technology like never before. Hence the key to understanding the digital learner is through these digital devices that the learner has strong relationships with.  These students maneuver a variety of digital activities and devices  such as texting ,Nintendo, X box, Play stations, cruising the internet  just to name a few and these things are the source of their pleasure. Just as we have heard that movement encourages the release of dopamine which is the neurotransmitter that releases pleasure these activities stimulate the brain similarly.

So what is this technology thriving brain deriving? We see that many students are having attention problems, concerns about stunted brain growth, delayed emotional intelligence skills and their ability to empathize is because their neural networks focus on a faceless world without gestures.  The stress levels of students are increased as they are constantly waiting for instant solutions and the need for connectivity through responses to their texting and messages. Computer usage in isolation has caused delayed language development and depression due to lack of human touch. Multitasking  is an impossibility for the brain is challenged by the technology tools that constantly distracting a student at a task.

There’s also the dangers of addictive behaviors such as preoccupation, lack of control, physical withdrawal symptoms, addiction to computer games and these could be seen in action through interference in their life, telling lies, using the internet as an escape to avoid problems.

What are the Pros of the digital learner’s brain?

The digital brains are really good at what they do. They know how to seek and find information when they have school projects and research. The collaboration skills develop immensely because of their high-tech world, thus one could say those working together in groups using multimedia develop emotional intelligence through social interaction.

BRAIN BASED LEARNING : KEYS TO LEARNING & TEACHING

·         EMOTIONAL CLIMATE FOR LEARNING- The limbic system in the brain that derives emotional responses connects the students emotionally to an activity. Positive emotions encourage learning and enable long term memory. Stress inhibits learning. Teachers create an environment that lessens stress by assigning the  students responsibilities that change periodically, give procedures that the students do regularly, by having lesson previews and agendas posted- I’ve seen this happening in the Science class in school and copying the day’s to do is a procedure students follow, and it settles them into the lesson immediately. Rules and consequences should be consistent.

·         CREATING A PHYSICAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

The active brain is constantly seeking stimuli visually. Novelty of changing environments stimulates the children to be on task contrary to being off task in a  bland environment. Soft background music, sound, lighting, scent- speaks to the limbic and alerts the senses. Creating group learning experiences by organizing the desks in a particular way, having corners in the class room for quiet reflective work. Variety of places that provide different lighting, spaces for children to work in. Variety of settings in the class room- so that learning activities can be integrated one to another will stimulate the learner.

•     THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE THROUGH PATTERNING

Helping students to connect to previous knowledge through patterning will enable them to create new knowledge. According to Judy Willis (2006), “patterns are passageways for memories to follow.” Most effective way of teaching patterning is through chunking information, which gives a logical organized pattern and using graphic organizers. I my teaching I’m constantly using these patterning techniques for EAL students who struggle to connect concepts, vocabulary and readings all in one class. Hence enabling them to illustrate the lesson in a graphic mind map has enabled comprehension and the bigger picture of the topic learned in class. Using mind map tools such as Mindmeister at the start of a lesson as whole class instruction will enable the students to grasp the topic I believe will be a great tool to explore as it will access both the left and the right side of the brain and link new information.

•   MASTERY OF SKILLS ,CONTENT AND CONCEPTS THROUGH SEARCH FOR MEANING.

Memory patterns are sustained through short term memory, working memory and long term memory. The brain makes connections through the application of information to real life. A strategy where students become co teachers in the classroom will increase their memory content; Bringing parents into the discussion will further enhance the learning through discussion. Researching on how useful this information is will motivate their learning thus enable long term retention. Having guest speakers coming in for certain lessons, stories also engage many different emotional triggers that are helpful in retrieving information will enhance their learning.

•       EVALUATING LEARNING – TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

Provide students with relevant feedback about their performance so that student is able to learn what the student needs to change and the teacher makes instructional decisions to further facilitate learning. There should be multiple methods of assessments through interdisciplinary and cross curricular projects. Student generated reflections are tools that my school has placed in all subjects. I believe this evaluation of self in a particular learning unit directly brings the student to engage in the learning process. Another example is scoring rubrics and students evaluate their possible score by peer evaluations.

•  THE SOCIAL BRAIN:  Feeding the social cognition in the brain is important for students to understand how to develop emotional intelligence and develop social cognition. Flexible grouping strategies, encouraging listening to another skills, discussing the effects of social networking and how to use it positively with other students should be encouraged.

•               LEARNING STYLES AND TECHNOLOGY

Offer  digital choices to our students, that relate to their learning styles

The visual learner-videos, Web sites, text messaging, and movies on an iPod may be interesting.

The auditory learner -group work around the computer, music on an iPod,and audio conferencing via the Internet.

Kinesthetic learners may be attracted to-Internet searches, using an iPod or iPhone, and anything with buttons to push or things to touch

•        MUSIC  & THE BRAIN

 Music changes the brains of both you and your students. Music makes memories of events, people, and content. Music can manage the movement in your classroom.

  We recognize that the 21^st Century digital brain belongs in our classrooms in this new age. Maximizing the gifts that technology brings and making wise decisions to extend a balanced student learning experience by providing high tech and face to face encounters we will be able establish holistic student learning.

References

Dr.Mariale Hardiman, E. (n.d.). John Hopkins School of Education. Retrieved Nov 15, 2014, from The Brain Targeted Teaching Model: http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/Journals/spring2010/thebraintargetedteachingmodel/index.html

Education, S. C. (1998-2013). The Twelve Principles for Brain-Based Learning . Retrieved November 15, 2014, from The Talking Page- Literacy Organization: http://www.talkingpage.org/artic011.html

Springer, M. (2010). Brain Based Teaching in the Digital Age. Alexandria USA: ASCD.

Today.com, P. (n.d.). What music does to your emotions, your pain and your brain. Mind Valley.