[Catalist] The Human Brain and the Process of Learning

[Michael McGarry]

Greetings Science Colleagues,


I invite colleagues to conduct a Google search using the words “brain based learning” to locate ‘commercial’ websites produced by charlatans who I label ‘snake-oil salesmen’, which sell so-called brain-based learning resources that are not supported by rigorous neuroscientific research.


Please consider this selected extract from Chapter 5 of the seminal NAP publication: How People Learn, Brain, Mind, Experience and School: Expanded Edition (2000).


“In considering which findings from brain research are relevant to human learning or, by extension, to education, one must be careful to avoid adopting faddish concepts that have not been demonstrated to be of value in classroom practice. Among these is the concept that the left and right hemispheres of the brain should be taught separately to maximize the effectiveness of learning. Another is the notion that the brain grows in holistic “spurts,” within or around which specific educational objectives should be arranged: as discussed in this chapter, there is significant evidence that brain regions develop asynchronously, although any specific educational implications of this remain to be determined. Another widely held misconception is that people use only 20 % of their brains—with different percentage figures in different incarnations—and should be able to use more of it.” 


Reference URL: https://www.nap.edu/read/9853/chapter/8 <https://www.nap.edu/read/9853/chapter/8>
I have the professional opinion that all of our students, especially students in Years 10, 11 and 12 should know: How People Learn so that more of our students can become successful learners in school.


Consequently, I developed an interactive PDF science curriculum module for Year 10 to 12 students and their teachers: AUS BS10 SU STRAND: MODULE 3 v4: NEUROSCIENCE AND TEENAGE BRAINS. Students enjoyed completing the “Neuromyth Survey Tool”. Colleagues can download these curriculum resources from my Biological Sciences webpage at this URL: http://moodle.asta.edu.au <http://moodle.asta.edu.au/>.


From time to time I update my Australian Science curriculum modules Years 7 to 10 with website URLs that inform recent progress in scientific research, e.g.,


CM URL 1: https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/brain-research-shines-light-on-how-long-term-memories-are-made <https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/brain-research-shines-light-on-how-long-term-memories-are-made>
CM URL 2: https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/how-human-memories-are-made <https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/how-human-memories-are-made>
Best Wishes,


Michael John McGarry

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