Another post based on my file clean-up. This is from about 25 years ago, and it largely still accurate.
So just what are the things that I believe about learning?
- As best as I understand it… learning is a process that causes changes in the brain and the changes have primarily to do with the changes in the ways that the neurons are connected.
- Our understanding of how learning occurs comes from new technologies that allow us to see into the brain as well as experiments in animal behavior and psychology
- There is much to learn about how the brain works… and there are connections that cannot yet be proven (for example the connection between myelin and Piaget’s stages)
- It is an intensely personal thing… it is some thing that each person must do on his or her own
- It is generally hard work
- There are multiple interpretations of “fact” and each is valid in the learner’s mind
- There are some things we can do to enhance learning:
- Care about what we are doing (internal motivation is essential)Interact with the ideas over timeConnect the new ideas with prior knowledgeTalk/Write/Explain
- Understand your learning (become metacognitive)
- Although the brain is sensitive to changes at different times, the brain is plastic and can continue to be developed throughout life