Presented By:
Jamie Carpenter
Greg Hutchings
Bronwyn MacFarlane
Holly Richard
Power Point
Presentation On Gender in Education
Travis Burns
Antoine Hickman
Patricia Kern
Shelly Nowacek
Power Point
Presentation On Special Education
Webmaster:
Jamie Carpenter
Brain Research and Educational Implications
The mind is a fire to be kindled, not a vessel to be filled.
~ Plutarch
In the era of high-stakes standardized testing, educators are searching for ways to help make lessons more meaningful in order to help students become lifelong learners. In order to meet the needs of students it is important for educators to understand how the brain functions and learns. Weighing only three pounds this organ, the brain, is responsible for cognition, memory, thoughts, and what is known as intelligence (Wolfe, 2001). Due to advancements in technology, researchers are able to study the human brain while individuals perform various mental tasks. No longer relying on the autopsy as the main source of information, researchers first began to use brain imagining techniques such as x-rays and CAT Scans. In 1973 newer techniques were developed that helped to monitor the brain’s energy consumption. These resulting advancements include the PET Scan (Positron Emission Tomography), the fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and the EEG (Electroencephalography). Researchers are now able to tell which part of the brain is working the hardest and how to match tasks with the various areas.
The brain takes up less than 2.5 % of the total body weight and uses oxygen and glucose at
ten times the rate of the rest of the body (Wolfe, 2001). There are several areas which educators should be aware of in order to understand the learning process and make educational decisions concerning instruction. The cerebellum controls balance, muscle coordination, and maintains body posture. The cerebral cortex covers the brain and has four lobes that account for different functions. The occipital lobe is responsible for processing visual stimuli. Visual stimuli do not become meaningful until the sensory perceptions are matched with previously stored cognitive associations. Anticipatory sets and stating the objectives of a lesson help students to focus on crucial elements and increase learning. The main function of the temporal lobes of the brain is to process auditory information. In addition to hearing, the temporal lobes are responsible for processing language and auditory memory. Wernicke’s Area is located in the temporal lobe and is responsible for the comprehension and interpretation of speech. This area also allows us to put together words and use correct syntax when speaking. The parietal lobes are responsible for spatial awareness and orientation. If this part of the brain is damaged individuals often have trouble manipulating objects and are clumsy. The frontal lobes are the largest part of the cortex and are responsible for the ability to move parts of your body at will, think about the past, plan for the future, focus your attention, reflect, make decisions, solve problems, and engage in conversation (Wolfe, 2001). Broca’s Area is found within the frontal lobes in a region called the motor cortex. Broca’s Area is responsible for speech. Connected to Wernicke’s Area by nerve fibers, these two areas work together. Before any speech can be uttered, its form and the appropriate words must be assembled in Wernicke’s Area and then relayed to Broca’s Area to be translated into proper sounds (Wolfe, 2001). Running down the middle of the brain is a deep groove called the longitudinal fissure; this groove divides the brain into two halves, the left and right hemispheres.
Left Brain:Right Brain
Your brain has an in-built mechanism for finding patterns you've programmed because of where you've put your attention. Solutions, innovations, and success come not from greater intelligence or creativity but from what we notice because of where we point those attributes.
~ David Allen
The left hemisphere is considered to be the logical hemisphere involved in speech, reading, and writing. The analytical hemisphere evaluates factual material in a rational way, tracks time and sequences, and recognizes words, letters, and numbers. The right hemisphere is considered to be the creative hemisphere. It gathers information from images; it is suited for pattern recognition and spatial reasoning. This hemisphere recognizes faces, places, and objects. Individuals with left hemisphere domination tend to be more verbal, more analytical, and better problem solvers. According to research females are more likely than males to be left-hemisphere dominant. Males are more likely to be dominant in the right hemisphere; males respond more favorably to the visual world than with the verbal.
