Eclectic Technology

Technology...some argue for it and others against it, but was does the research say? This post explores current research. Sections include:

* Better at maths, worse at reading - In short, "edtech applications boost mathematics achievement, especially when individualized computer-assisted instruction is involved."

* More games, bigger brains - Research shows that playing video games can make an impact on the brain. One study cited stated "a robust positive association between the cortical thickness and video game duration in teens who invested the most time in games." Two areas of the brain, the prefrontal cortex (responsible for decision making and self-control) and the Frontal Eye Fields (which govern visual-motor processing) showed cortical matter increases.

* Selective knowledge, shallow creativity - This section discusses how technology may make it easier for us to recall information. Are we potentially "outsourcing our knowledge to digital tools"?

What do you think? Many schools are moving towards 1-to-1 digital devices to help students learn. Will this improve their outcomes at school? This post explores some of the issues that may help us choose the best ways to use digital tools, and when it may be better to approach learning using other methods.

Do our learners know how to study? Perhaps a better question is do we understand the research that shows successful ways to study have been known for decades, but our current learning environment is not necessarily conducive to these learning habits. T

This post shares ten strategies for studying, as well as providing links to additional resources. It ends with a short discussion on why we may not be seeing these strategies used.
Four strategies are listed below. Click through to the post for additional information.

* Study to learn, not to "know." Knowing means we may know an answer, but not truly understand what is being discussed.

* Imagine you'll be teaching someone else. Research is showing that the expectation that you will need to teach material to others tends to use more effective learning strategies.

* Separate process from progress. Does learning end? Do we make progress but continue in the process?

* Space out your study sessions over time. Brain research shows that cramming is not effective.

There are many insights in this post that you may want to share with your students and colleagues.

Do you know that your brain may sabotage you? This posts looks at sixteen ways the brain may set "traps" that lead us astray. Additional resources are also listed in many of these "traps."

* Equating Knowing With Learning. It takes time for us to really "learn" something, which means we need to review this new information so we can move it from short-term storage to long-term storage.

* Being Biased Towards Ourselves. If you bomb a test or assignment do you tend to base blame on others? This is one example of being biased toward ourselves. We blame the book, teacher...the list could go on.

* Making Us Think We Can Multi-task. What happens when you multi-task? Your brain is quickly switching back and forth between multiple task your brain becomes overloaded and cannot perform at full capacity.

To read more about these three items, and learn about the other 13 ways your brain may try to trick you click through to the post.

Sticky teaching looks at "understanding what the brain can't ignore." In this post there is an explanation of six strategies of sticky teaching.

1. Awaken the intrigue.

2. Begin and end often.

3. Create lots of contrast.

4. Draw them in with stories.

5. Emotion draws attention.

6. Focus on the big idea.

Each of these ideas is discussed in the post.

There is also an embedded slideshare in the post. It provides some interesting statistics and explains why each of these strategies work.

This infographic looks at the brain and how we learn. As more is learned about the brain it is clear that education is not a one-size-fits all.

* Learn how the occipital lobe, Wernicke's area, Broca's area and auditory processing impacts reading. 

* Read three examples that show brain plasticity (the ability of the brain to change over time).

* And find out how struggling readers can be helped at a neurological level.

Some additional resources are also included.

We have many students who struggle with reading. This infographic provides information that you may want to share with parents.

Learn more about the brain and dyslexia in this five minute video from TED-Ed. Find out what type of teaching works best for students with dyslexia, and experience how it feels for students with dyslexia to decode words. You will also find questions you may use with students, additional resources and a forum for discussion. 

Are you interested in learning how to learn? This post provides 5 tips that may help you.

1. Get enough sleep to de-toxify your brain

2. Outwit procrastination with the Pomodoro technique

3. Use spaced repetition to remember key facts

4. Use recall rather than re-reading to see whether you’ve learned the content

5. Vary learning/studying environment

Each of these is explained in more detail in the post.

As teachers we are also learners, and it is never too late to become better at learning. Sharing these five tips with our students may help them become better learners. And if this is a topic of interest to you, consider checking out the Coursera course Learning How to Learn that will begin on August 1st.

Once again TED-Ed hits a home run in explaining a complex concept simply. This video, which looks at the World Wide Web will help students understand the difference between the World Wide Web and the Internet as well as teaching them about how hyperlinks mimic the way our brains learn and much more. As always you will find a quiz, additional resources and an online forum/

Do you understand the teen brain? This infographic explains how "teens forgetfulness may be due to major changes in their brain. These changes can last into the college years."

This is a long infographic with three sections. Section 2 looks at the question "Why is my teen so forgetful?" and Section 3 will provide ideas on how you may help your teen. Although designed for parents this is  a great infographic for teachers to gain a better understanding of the current research on teens and their brains. The final section of the infographic provides references. You may download this as a single file or download each section independently.

This post looks at five strategies to help students keep their brains turned on. You can also watch a video where Dr. Willis discusses "how boredom and fear cause students to literally switch their brains off." Below are two of the five items shared:

* Promote curiosity not as a thing, but the thing

* Use indirect signals rather than "telling"

You might also want to check out the post "Five Learning Strategies That Make Students Curious" located at

http://www.teachthought.com/learning/5-learning-strategies-that-make-students-curious/

Do your learners know what happens when the read, or when stories are read to them. This post, from the Open Education Database, provides a visual (that you may want to print out and share with learners and their families) as well as 10 ways that reading helps your brain workout. The list is below.

* We make photos in our mind, even without being prompted.

* Spoken word can put your brain to work.

* Reading about experiences is almost the same as living it.

* Different styles of reading create different patterns in the brain.

* New languages can grow your brain.

* Your brain adapts to reading e-books in seven days.

* E-books lack in spatial navigability.

* Story structure encourages our brain to think in sequence, expanding our attention spans.

* Reading changes your brain structure (in a good way)).

* Deep reading makes us more empathetic.

To learn more about each of these points click through to the post.

Learn why it is important to stretch your brain, to try new things (and to fail) and to continue to try and improve. Learn about our "Lizard Brain"  (also known as the amygdala),an important component of our brain that impacts how we learn, but the learning is related to the time when humans hunted in the wild. This part of the brain holds us back in many ways, and although it once protected us now it tends to hold us back.

What can we do about this? The video explores this and discusses some of the ways we can "dance" with this "Lizard Brain" and move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. For more information take the time to watch this video.

It seems that most days you can find an article that discusses new findings about how the brain works...and many of these finding my be important to educators. This post looks at how curiousity may trigger chemical changes in the brain, specifically "the parts of their brains that regulate pleasure and reward" as well increased activity in the hippocampus, which plays a role in the creation of memories.

As a teacher I ask myself how can we get our students to ask questions? How can we ask our students to be curious (something that may be declining as standardized testing is pushed)?
This post may raise more questions than it answers for you, but it is well worth the time to read it and to consider how you might increase curiosity in your classroom. Who knows, you may find yourself very pleased with the results!

As teachers many of believe it is important to teach students about growth mindset. This research provides additional information about the value of doing this. Quoting the last paragraph from this article in Time:

"The takeaway: How we’re predisposed to think about problems changes the way our brains handle them. Beyond the abilities we’ve inherited, the most important factor in achievement may be believing that it’s within reach."

If you are interested in more information on growth mindset search for the term in this Scoop.it. There are quite a few articles and videos that are appropriate to share with students.

How do students learn? There are many concepts that look at this question, and the visual above in one way to view this. 

To the left you have a box that shows that students take in content by reading, writing, listening and experiencing, and that to comprehend and interpret content they must have prior knowledge, make observations, identify main and supporting ideas and gather evidence.

In the midle section the student has to take the input and use critical thinking skills. To do this they must also be engaged in and committed to the learning process. 

And the final section looks at their output, how does the student show what they have learned.

In all phases technology may play a role.

This visual would be great to spark discussion amongst faculy.

Allowing young students free play time is important since it helps set up the prefrontal cortex (where executive functioning is located) to set up neuron pathways that help students to solve problems, make plans and regulate emotions. However, more and more schools are taking time away from recess, to focus on Common Core subjects.

It is critical that this is free play. The post states "No coaches, no umpires, no rule books."

Does your school have a policy about recess? Are students allowed to choose what to do, or are they given choices? This post shares insights that you may want to share with your PTO as well as others whom work in your school.

Are you looking for a simple explanation on how learning happens in the brain? The infographic above shows the shorthand version and a more detailed version is available in the post. Although this post is geared to e-learning the four processes that take place are also found in the traditional (and the blended) classroom.

Process 1: Getting the information which takes place in the sensory cortices. This is the time to touch as many of the senses as possible. Try to create lessons when introducing new material that include audio, visual and kinesthetic experiences.

Process 2: Make meaning which takes place in the temporal lobe. To make meaning of new information we must provide time for reflection.

Process 3: Form abstractions which takes place in the prefrontal lobe. The learner has received new information, reflected on the information and now begins to make meaning in their brain by making relationships, forming abstractions and creating new knowledge.

Process 4: Active testing which takes place in the motor cortex. The abstract becomes active, providing guides for future learning.

You will also find a link on this page which will allow you to download an eBook - Neuroscience Based eLearning Tips.

The more I look through TED-Ed videos the more I find that are useful to use with students. This one explores how sugar affects the brain. As always there are a series of questions you may use after viewing the video as well as additional resources and an online forum question. And if you are interested you can flip the video for your use.

One image with six facts about learning and the brain. As educators these are six facts that are useful to know as we work with our students.