Sunday, 23 February 2014

Edutopia how the brain learns best

One of the main reasons I want to study teaching is that I have really struggled with traditional learning approaches. I have a very short attention span, and while I love to learn, I found many classes at high school, and most of my university learning to be very boring. Thus I have a strong interested in understanding how the brain works.

So, I haven't finished watching the video yet. I've had to watch the first 30 mins twice because i found it too hard to concentrate the first time. I was hearing but not retaining what was being said. The second time round I am really interested in the concept of creating a safe learning environment, and the flight fight freeze responses when students are stressed. 

I am also surprised with the white board idea, simply because I actually spoke with a colleague about a similar concept this morning. Instead of using white boards, there is a  electronic clicker technology where by the moderator can put up questions on an interactive white board and then the participants answer using their clickers. I'm not sure whether it can also be used to gauge individual responses but the moderator can use it to modify the content, providing more information if the participants are not understanding the topic, or moving on if concepts have been understood.

5 comments:

  1. Brilliant stuff Claire. You are drawing in yourself, and your past experience which is valuable to all. We all have our individual styles, and the more we share with each other, the richer our understanding of the barriers to, and affordances for learning offered by ICT.
    Thank you for such a personal insight, and for the other ideas which indicate a probing, complex approach to your own learning.

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  2. Hi Claire,

    I've used an electronic question/answer mechanism in lectures and tutes at uni, and have also participated in lectures where you dial one of two (or more) freecall numbers, which records your vote/answer on an interactive web-based learning test/quiz type setup, and then after about a 5 second pause, gives the correct answer with a graph of who answered right, and how many answered wrong. You're on track there! Good blog entry.

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    1. It amazes me how far teaching and learning has come - I am envious that you got to experience this type of learning, and I am looking forward to giving it a trial soon

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  3. Hi Claire,

    I found the video pretty long too. I made the mistake of watching it on the lounge - one nanna nap later and a reload I got through it. Wow! I thoroughly enjoyed all the concepts. I did end up watching another Dr Judy Willis video which I found very good and short (23 mins). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARymnvIsies

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    1. Thanks Geoff - I'll give this video a go. I need to reset my head to think of video as a tool to be treated with more respect - not as a form of entertainment/relaxation

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