Have you followed our NEW Twitter list of cognitive scientists yet? #retrievalpractice https://t.co/aXYIblZ37Y
— Retrieval Practice (@RetrieveLearn) June 7, 2022
On 05/05/2022,
in digital audio, digital learning, education technology, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning preferences, memory, podcasting, productivity / tips and tricks, tools,
by Daniel Christian
A Podcast Listening Strategy for Learning — from learntrepreneurs.com by Eva Keiffenheim
Three steps to make the most of your podcast time
Excerpt (emphasis DSC):
Use apps that help you remember more
You won’t remember much from a podcast if you only listen to it. Your brain needs repetition and elaboration to make new knowledge stick.
Unlike books, you can’t highlight audio?—?or can you?
I listen to my podcasts while biking or walking. Hence, an extremely uncomfortable situation to open a notepad or Roam Research whenever I hear an interesting idea.
But two applications have transformed how I listen to podcasts: Snipd and Airr. Both are audio highlighting tools.
The Key Idea All Great Books on Learning Have in Common — from learntrepreneurs.com by Eva Keiffenheim
And how you can implement the powerful way to learn.
.
On 03/31/2022,
in Daniel S. Christian, learning, learning theories, memory, personalized/customized learning, psychology,
by Daniel Christian
I Analyzed 13 TED Talks on Improving Your Memory — Here’s the Quintessence — from learntrepreneurs.com by Eva Keiffenheim
How you can make the most out of your brain.
Excerpt:
In her talk, brain researcher and professor Lara Boyds explains what science currently knows about neuroplasticity. In essence, your brain can change in three ways.
Change 1 — Increase chemical signalling
Your brain works by sending chemicals signals from cell to cell, so-called neurons. This transfer triggers actions and reactions. To support learning your brain can increase the concentration of these signals between your neurons. Chemical signalling is related to your short-term memory.
Change 2 — Alter the physical structure
During learning, the connections between neurons change. In the first change, your brain’s structure stays the same. Here, your brain’s physical structure changes — which takes more time. That’s why altering the physical structure influences your long-term memory.
For example, research shows that London taxi cab drivers who actually have to memorize a map of London to get their taxicab license have larger brain regions devoted to spatial or mapping memories.
Change 3 — Alter brain function
This one is crucial (and will also be mentioned in the following talks). When you use a brain region, it becomes more and more accessible. Whenever you access a specific memory, it becomes easier and easier to use again.
But Boyd’s talk doesn’t stop here. She further explores what limits or facilitates neuroplasticity. She researches how people can recover from brain damages such as a stroke and developed therapies that prime or prepare the brain to learn — including simulation, exercise and robotics.
Her research is also helpful for healthy brains — here are the two most important lessons:
The primary driver of change in your brain is your behaviour.
…
There is no one size fits all approach to learning.
From DSC:
This is so important. It’s the underlying cognitive science/psychology involved in the posting I recently created that was entitled, “What are the ramifications of having cognitive “highways in our minds?” It occurs to me that patience, grace, forgiveness, work, new habits, and more are required here.
Daniel Willingham: "Memory is the residue of thought."
DC: Which got me to thinking, what's my residue about? What is it composed of? This topic reminds me of Philippians 4:8. Hmmm…I think that I have got a long ways to go.
— Daniel Christian (he/him/his) (@dchristian5) March 31, 2022
On 03/30/2022,
in adjunct faculty, colleges, communities of practice, community colleges, corporate universities / corporate training, education, faculty/staff, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, ideas, instructional design, K-12 related, law schools, learning, learning ecosystem, learning preferences, learning theories, lifelong learning, memory, pedagogy, productivity / tips and tricks, student-related, teachers, teaching & learning, training / L&D, universities,
by Daniel Christian
Excerpt:
While studying I misjudged the depth of my knowledge. I confused familiarity with knowing.
When you passively consume information like reading books or watching courses and things start to make sense we often tell ourselves: “Oh, easy. I understand this. Got it.”
But it’s wrong to think you can access something from your memory if you can recognize it.
On 03/17/2022,
in Daniel S. Christian, experimentation, faith, hearts -- matters of the heart, learning, learning theories, lifelong learning, memory, Michigan, morals/values, passions, psychology, reinvent, relationships, religion, society, sociology, student-related, teachers, teaching & learning, vision/possibilities, youth,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
What are the cognitive “highways” within our minds?
I’ve been thinking a lot about highways recently. Not because it’s construction season (quite yet) here in Michigan (USA), but because I’ve been reflecting upon how many of us build cognitive highways within our minds. The highways that I’m referring to are our well-trodden routes of thinking that we quickly default/resort to. Such well-trodden pathways in our minds get built over time…as we build our habits and/or our ways of thinking about things. Sometimes these routes get built without our even recognizing that new construction zones are already in place.
Those involved with cognitive psychology will connect instantly with what I’m saying here. Those who have studied memory, retrieval practice, how people learn, etc. will know what I’m referring to.
But instead of a teaching and learning related origin, I got to thinking about this topic due to some recent faith-based conversations instead. These conversations revolved around such questions as:
- What makes our old selves different from our new selves? (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- What does it mean to be transformed by the “renewing of our minds?” (Romans 12:2)
- When a Christian says, “Keep your eyes on Christ” — what does that really mean and look like (practically speaking)?
For me, at least a part of the answers to those questions has to do with what’s occupying my thought life. I don’t know what it means to keep my eyes on Christ, as I can’t see Him. But I do understand what it means to keep my thoughts on what Christ said and/or did…or on the kinds of things that Philippians 4:8 suggests that we think about. No wonder that we often hear the encouragement to be in the Word…as I think that new cognitive highways get created in our minds as we read the Bible. That is, we begin to look at things differently. We take on different perspectives.
The ramifications of this idea are huge:
- We can’t replace an old highway by ourselves. It takes others to help us out…to teach us new ways of thinking.
- We sometimes have to unlearn some things. It took time to learn our original perspective on those things, and it will likely be a process for new learning to occur and replace the former way of thinking about those topics.
- This idea relates to addictions as well. It takes time for addicts to build up their habits/cravings…and it takes time to replace those habits/cravings with more positive ones. One — or one’s family, partner/significant other, and friends — should not expect instant change. Change takes time, and therefore patience and grace are required. This goes for the teachers/faculty members, coaches, principals, pastors, policemen/women, judges, etc. that a person may interact with as well over time. (Hmmm…come to think of it, it sounds like some other relationships may be involved here at times also. Certainly, God knows that He needs to be patient with us — often, He has no choice. Our spouses know this as well and we know that about them too.)
- Christians, who also struggle with addictions and go to
the hospitaler…the church rather, take time to change their thoughts, habits, and perspectives. Just as the rebuilding of a physical highway takes time, so it takes time to build new highways (patterns of thinking and responses) in our minds. So the former/old highways may still be around for a while yet, but the new ones are being built and getting stronger every day. - Sometimes we need to re-route certain thoughts. Or I suppose another way to think about this is to use the metaphor of “changing the tapes” being played in our minds. Like old cassette tapes, we need to reject some tapes/messages and insert some new ones.
What are the cognitive highways within your own mind? How can you be patient with others (that you want to see change occur within) inside of your own life?
Anyway, thanks for reading this posting. May you and yours be blessed on this day. Have a great week and weekend!
Addendum on 3/31/22…also relevant, see:
I Analyzed 13 TED Talks on Improving Your Memory— Here’s the Quintessence — from learntrepreneurs.com by Eva Keiffenheim
How you can make the most out of your brain.
Excerpt:
In her talk, brain researcher and professor Lara Boyds explains what science currently knows about neuroplasticity. In essence, your brain can change in three ways.
Change 1 — Increase chemical signalling
Your brain works by sending chemicals signals from cell to cell, so-called neurons. This transfer triggers actions and reactions. To support learning your brain can increase the concentration of these signals between your neurons. Chemical signalling is related to your short-term memory.
Change 2 — Alter the physical structure
During learning, the connections between neurons change. In the first change, your brain’s structure stays the same. Here, your brain’s physical structure changes?—?which takes more time. That’s why altering the physical structure influences your long-term memory.
For example, research shows that London taxi cab drivers who actually have to memorize a map of London to get their taxicab license have larger brain regions devoted to spatial or mapping memories.
Change 3 — Alter brain function
This one is crucial (and will also be mentioned in the following talks). When you use a brain region, it becomes more and more accessible. Whenever you access a specific memory, it becomes easier and easier to use again.
But Boyd’s talk doesn’t stop here. She further explores what limits or facilitates neuroplasticity. She researches how people can recover from brain damages such as a stroke and developed therapies that prime or prepare the brain to learn?—?including simulation, exercise and robotics.
Her research is also helpful for healthy brains?—?here are the two most important lessons:
The primary driver of change in your brain is your behaviour.
…
There is no one size fits all approach to learning.
On 03/11/2022,
in digital learning, education technology, learning, Learning Experience Design, learning theories, memory, pedagogy, tools, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
Sticky learning: Digital brain dumps with Flipgrid and Socrative — from ditchthattextbook.com
Excerpt:
Retrieval practice is powerful. It can be an easy practice to incorporate in class. Plus, there are some great digital tools that are made for this kind of practice.
In this post, you’ll learn …
- What a “brain dump” is and how to do it
- How to do video brain dumps with Flipgrid
- How to do text brain dumps with Socrative
- Why you don’t need tech to do brain dumps
- Where you can find more info and research behind brain dumps
On 01/27/2022,
in biology, change, communications, culture, education, education reform, Emotion, generational differences, ideas, languages and translation, learning, learning theories, lifelong learning, memory, psychology, reading, relationships, skills, society, youth,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
One of my sisters is a Professor of Psychology and she highly recommended that I check out the work of Dr. Bruce D. Perry. Below is an example video that was recorded on October 25, 2014 as part of the 25th Anniversary Chicago Humanities Festival, Journeys. I included some excerpted slides in this posting to give you a flavor of portions of this talk.
Description (emphasis DSC):
Each of us takes the same journey from birth to consciousness—but none of us recalls it. This early stage of life is crucial; Sigmund Freud famously obsessed over it, as do millions of parents every day. What goes on cognitively during that time, and what can parents—and other adults—do to further promote infant well-being? Join renowned psychiatrist Bruce D. Perry, recipient of the 2014 Dolores Kohl Education Prize, for this discussion of early-childhood brain development and its long-term importance.
Social & Emotional Development in Early Childhood [CC]
On 01/25/2022,
in active learning, Canvas - and other Instructure-related items, CMS/LMS, communications, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate universities / corporate training, Daniel S. Christian, education technology, flipping -- inverted learning, higher education, ideas, instructional design, K-12 related, law schools, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, learning hubs & pods & microschooling, learning spaces, learning theories, memory, metacognition / metacognitive skills, tools, training / L&D, universities,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
How can we better get the word out to our learners regarding how they can maximize their Return On Investment (ROI) from their studying time and efforts?
Two ideas come to mind here:
- Place learning-related tips directly into our banners within our CMS’s and LMS’s
and/or - Link our banners to some other web pages/resources that provide such best practices and tips for our learners
Along these lines, we should have 11″x17″ (or larger) posters like this plastered in every hallway of every learning space out there:
Some would also add:
- Active learning
- Flipping the classroom
- Providing individualized feedback
- Metacognition (which was referenced in the first graphic above in regards to identifying gaps in one’s knowledge)