Download Is There a Connection Between the Brain and Learning?

Hollebeke
June2013
Is There a Connection Between
the Brain and Learning?
An Introduction to Educational
Neuroscience
Brain Research
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Hollebeke
June2013
Regions of the Brain
Cerebral Hemispheres
Cerebral Hemispheres
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Hollebeke
June2013
Cerebral Cortex
Prefrontal Cortex
• part of the frontal lobes
lying just behind the
forehead
• takes in information
from all of the senses
and orchestrates
thoughts and actions to
achieve specific goals
• one of the last regions
of the brain to reach
maturation
Prefrontal Cortex
• often referred to as the “CEO of the brain.”
• this region is responsible for:
– cognitive analysis
– abstract thought
– moderation of “correct” behavior in social
situations
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Hollebeke
June2013
A Peek Inside
So what…
…does this have to do with learning?
Learning And Memory
• Major functions of the higher levels of the
nervous system are learning and memory
– Learning is a neural mechanism by which the
individual changes his or her behavior as the
result of experience
– Memory refers to the storage mechanism for what
is learned
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Hollebeke
June2013
Learning And Memory
• All learning comes
through the senses
• Before anything can be
learned and retained in
memory, it needs to be
processed by the brain
Memory Processing
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
― Aristotle
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Hollebeke
June2013
Functional Brain Systems
• Functional brain systems consist of neurons
that are distributed throughout the brain but
work together
– Reticular Formation
– Limbic System
Reticular Formation
Reticular Formation
• Reticular Activating System (RAS)
– Sends impulses to the cerebral cortex to keep it
conscious and alert
– Acts as a filter
• filters out repetitive and weak stimuli
• involved in sorting out the important from the
unimportant information that our brain receives
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Hollebeke
June2013
Reticular Formation
• Reticular Activating System (RAS)
X
The Limbic System
The Limbic System
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Hollebeke
June2013
The Limbic System
• Amygdala
– routes information based on the emotional state
and its sorting takes up excessive amounts of
nutrients and oxygen
• Hippocampus
– links new sensory input to both memories of the
past and knowledge already stored in the longterm memory to make new relational memories
– These new memories are now ready for
processing in your prefrontal cortex
Memory Test
JAZZ
HORN
CONCERT
ORCHESTRA
RHYTHM
SING
PIANO
BAND
NOTE
INSTRUMENT
ART
SOUND
SYMPHONY
RADIO
MELODY
Memory Test
• Was sound on the list?
YES
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Hollebeke
June2013
Memory Test
• Was car on the list?
NO
Memory Test
• Was music on the list?
NO
Memory Test
JAZZ
HORN
CONCERT
ORCHESTRA
RHYTHM
SING
PIANO
BAND
NOTE
INSTRUMENT
ART
SOUND
SYMPHONY
RADIO
MELODY
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Hollebeke
June2013
Memory Test
Memory Test
15 second
pause
Memory Test
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Hollebeke
June2013
So what…
…does this have to do with learning?
Memory Systems
Memory Systems
• Memory is distributed throughout the
nervous system, and different brain regions
are involved in mediating different types of
memory
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Hollebeke
June2013
Memory Systems
Memory Systems
Memory Systems
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Hollebeke
June2013
Molecular Basis of Memory
• Learning causes changes in
– neuronal RNA
– dendritic branching
– deposition of unique proteins at LTM synapses
– increase of presynaptic terminals
– increase of neurotransmitter
– development of new neurons in the hippocampus
Neurotransmitters: Dopamine
Dopamine is one of the brain’s most important neurotransmitters
neuron
synapse
Neurotransmitter
neuron
receptor
Neurotransmitters: Dopamine
• Extra dopamine is released when an
experience is enjoyable
– As positive emotions trigger dopamine to travel to
parts of the brain, additional neurons are
activated
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Hollebeke
June2013
Neurotransmitters: Dopamine
• Consequently, a boost in dopamine not only
increases your own sense of pleasure, but also
increases other neurotransmitters, such as
acetylcholine, that enhance alertness,
memory, and executive functions in the
prefrontal cortex.
So what…
…does this have to do with learning?
Actions to Take
Thinking brain
(prefontal cortex)
vs.
Reactive brain
(mostly the rest of the lower brain)
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Hollebeke
June2013
Actions to Take
• Help the brain work optimally
– Physical activity
– Well-rested
– Take Short ‘brain breaks’
• do something active during the break
– Develop awareness of and some control over
emotions
Actions to Take
• Slow down and take a moment to reflect
• Set up lessons to include some engaging
activities
• Review and practicing something learned
facilitates learning and memory
– Practice make permanent
– Review new learning through actions
Actions to Take
• Include activities such that encourage
dopamine release
– Humor
– Physical activity
– Create positive interactions
– Activities that give the student a sense of
accomplishment
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Hollebeke
June2013
CONCLUSION
• By providing insight into the abilities and
constraints of the learning brain, neuroscience
can help explain why some learning
environments work while others fail
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