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Learning Discussion 1: Brain Function—Neural Plasticity
Neural Plasticity: the physical changes, including the growth of neurons, which occur in
your brain when you learn something new.
Neural Pathways
In your brain, when you do not
know how to do something, you
may not have developed a neural
pathway for that task—yet.
When you learn something new,
the nerve cells (neurons) have to
communicate. To do this, an axon
terminal of one neuron transmits
information across the synapse to
a dendrite of another neuron.
This communication may cause
neurons to make new connections
with each other.
In your brain, after you create a
new neural pathway, you can
perform that task, or learn new
information faster.
Passing the Cotton Ball Game
In the game, before it starts, the
students are not ready to pass
the cotton ball—yet.
Neurons that
“fire together
wire together.”
In the game, students extend
their arms towards their
nearest neighbor. They use the
spoons to pass the information
(cotton ball) from one student
to the next. With some practice,
each individual should get
better at the task, as will the
group. Neurons function in
much the same way—
Experience changes individual
neurons as well as their ability
to work in a group.
Experience/learning can even
create new neural pathways.
In the game, after the yellow
team had created the neural
pathway and practiced, they
could pass the cotton ball
(information) faster.
When we learn, our brains create new neural pathways. Our brains literally change and
get stronger as we learn. This is “neural plasticity.”
Apigo & Powers | Mindset
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