Blog 2: Evaluating and Identifying Online Resources

Brain-based Learning

Having learned about the structure, function and characteristics of the brain in my course “Learning Theories and Instructions”, I was also prompted to identify my learning style and inadequacies I have in a particular area.  Through this course my own brain was filled with information that was not there, no wonder it is called learning.  Cognitivism, to date, appeared to be one of the more dominant theories. Cognitive Information Processing theory according to Ormrod, Schunk & Gredler (2009) “focus on how people attend to environmental events, encode information to be learned and relate it to knowledge in memory, store new knowledge in memory and retrieve it as needed” cited by (Shuell, 1986).

With this being said through my readings I have discovered that the complex structure allow someone to learn something through using what is called a sensory registry to trigger off a response to their short term memory who then try to encode the information by heavily depending on the long term memory to make an analysis to discover if any prior knowledge or association has been there to match the triggered response.  Cognitive Information Processing Learning theory also amazed me as it explains how through repetition the long term memory can be enhanced. Through employing several metacognitive strategies an individual can become metacognitive astute and self regulated.

I am really fascinated with the implications involved in cognitive information processing theory.  Through my reading I happen to come across another article “Brain-based Learning, the wave of the brain” written by Palombo Weiss (2000).  In the article the author alluded to Elderman, a neurobiologist, describing the brain to a dense of web of interconnecting synapses. Weiss (2000) cited that according to Eldelman “our brains are suffused with a vast number of interdependent networks. We process all incoming information through those networks, and any information already stored influences how and what we learn” (pg 28).  Brain-based learning and cognitive information processing theory with their varying characteristics identify ‘attention’ as a common critical component in the learning process. Therefore, that’s why I see it necessary to highlight this aspect of both approaches.  (Grabe, 1986) as cited in  Ormrod, Schunk & Gredler (2009) stated that attention “describes a general limitation on the entire human information processing system” (pg 55). 

From the Brain-based learning perspective the thalamus plays an important role in attention; and according to Jensen as cited in Weiss (2000) the human bodies have high-low cycles and students are at the top of the cycle they are filled with energy and are more attentive.  Hence, educators should take advantage when students are in this sector. Ormrod, Schunk & Gredler (2009) through a cognitive approach cited Broadbent (1958) suggesting a filter theory, wherein which attention is selective based on being held for a shot while in the sensory system and if not perceived are not sent for processing.  The Brain-based learning also looks at high stress and a low stress situation that affects individuals using their high order, more complex thinking and creativity.  There are several other factors that affect learning that the Brain-based learning approach looks at that is common, like memory and recall, and different (emotion) to cognitive information processing theory.  To see the brain-based article in its entirety click here or open the hyperlinks in the document.

How much people forget

Having learnt about the cognitive information processing theory and develop a little knowledge of the brain-based perspective to learning I am fuelled to extend my knowledge much deeper into factors surrounding learning. Ormrod, Schunk & Gredler (2009) stated that as we grow millions of our brain cells die some of which is irreparable. Then, what happened?  I came across this blog, “How much do people forget” written by Will Thalhemers posted on Tuesday, 14 December 2010, and was very much intrigued by its content.  To view the blog click here. Through the cognitive information processing theory I learn how individuals learn cognitively, now I want to explore what, if any, are the factor responsible for people to forget. Alzheimer’s, an incurable disease common to people over age sixty five years old is a common cause of forgetting and loss of memory, but is this the only factors is loss of memory? Can individuals younger forget or lose data?

Like the cognitivist, Thalheimer (2010) supported the view that adding meaning and relevance, giving repetitions, retrieval practice, feedbacks and other potent learning methods makes the content easier to remember. He see learners who are asked to retrieve information shortly after learning as better able to remember than if waited a longer period of time.

It is amazing how like the cognitivists, Thalheimer (2010) agreed that the type of materials, the learners prior knowledge, learners motivation, the contextual cues in the learning and remembering situations and the power of the learner plays a pivotal roles in how much and how easy people forget.  Upon extensive research it has been theorized that people forget forty percentages learned in twenty minutes, fifty to eighty percent and ninety percent after one month.  Therefore, it is important to keep a forgetting calculator as part of our everyday activities as this is part of us that need to be carefully monitored. To see a full report of this article click here

Reference

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. ( 2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson.) Chapter 3, “Cognitive Information Processing Theory"

Thalheimer, W. (2010, April). How Much Do People Forget? Retrieved January, 2011, from http://www.work-learning.com/catalog.html

Weiss, P. (2000). Brain-based Learning, The wave of the brain. Retrieved January, 2011 from http://fleen.psych.udel.edu/articles/AEP04.2.6.PDF