This online course introduces participants to current brain research in neuro and cognitive science concerning teaching and learning, and suggests strategies and techniques for translating that research into effective classroom practices. The course starts with the current research on how the brain processes information. It will include the functions of the senses, working memory, long-term memory, storage, retrieval, and the development of the self-concept. The processing model becomes the basis for decisions that teachers must subsequently make to increase the probability that the classroom strategies and techniques they use are more likely to result in successful learning.
During the course the participants will discover when is the best time in a lesson to present new material, and will examine ways for improving the processing and retention of learning through chunking and rehearsal techniques. They will also learn about the power and impact of past experience in the teaching/learning process, the myths and science of lateral specialization, developing higher-order thinking skills, and the beneficial effects of arts (music movement and visual arts) instruction on developing the learner's neural networking. The course will update the participants' knowledge of how the brain learns, and debunk some of the common and persistent myths about learners and learning. There definitely will be some surprises!
- Instructor: Therese Flynn