Neuroscience

This section looks at the latest developments in Neuroscience and its implications to education. I am particularly interested in the implications of the brain sciences to designing relational learning environments. James Gee’s Smart Worlds echo how the brain works, i.e. iterative patterns, neural pathways, emergence/self organising>>>>check out CSIRO site on [|Complex Biological Systems] || Fields, R.D (2008) "White Matter" in //Scientific America//. March: 42 - 49. || Summary of article ·  White matter, long thought to be passive tissue, actively affects how the brain learns and dysfunctions.  ·  Although gray matter (composed of neurons) does the brain’s thinking and calculating, white matter (composed of myelin-coated axons) controls the signals that neurons share, coordinating how well brain regions work together.  ·  White matter changes within one person’s brain as he or she learns or practices a skill such as playing the piano. Even though the neurons in gray matter execute mental anmd physical activities, the functioning of white matter may be just as critical to how people master mental and social skills, as well as to why it is hard for "old dogs to learn new tricks".  ·  White matter is key to types of learning that requires prolonged practice and repitition  ·  A new type of magnetic resonance technology, called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), has for the first time shown white matter in action, revealing its under appreciated role.  ·  Myelin is only partially formed at birth and gradually develops in different regions throughout our 20s. The timing of growth and degree of completion can affect learning, self-control (and why teenagers may lack it), and mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, autism and even pathological lying.
 * What science is discovering about how we learn.
 * Sculpture depicts overhead view of brain's cortex (copper) and white matter core

What Shermer in the above March 2008 //Scientific America// article "Adam's Maxim and Spinoza’s Conjecture: Belief, disbelief and uncertainty generate different neural pathways in the brain": 24-25 is that w e seem to accept appearances as reality until they prove otherwise//. ” So subjects assessed true statements as believable faster than they judged them as unbelievable or undecidable. Further, because the brain appears to process false or uncertain statements in regions linked to pain and disgust, especially in judging tastes and odors, this study gives new meaning to a claim passing the “taste test” or the “smell test.”//

** POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS to how we reward flexible/creative thinkers. **
This research supports Spinoza’s (add link) conjecture that most people have a low tolerance for ambiguity and that belief comes quickly and naturally, whereas skepticism is slow and unnatural. The scientific principle of the null hypothesis—that a claim is untrue unless proved otherwise—runs counter to our natural tendency to accept as true what we can comprehend quickly. Given the chance, most of us would like to invoke Adam’s Maxim because it is faster and feels better (clarify) To counteract this we, in education, need to reward skepticism and disbelief and champion those willing to change their mind in the face of new evidence, uncertainity and change.

**Neural Connections** Nodes and connections – the stronger the connections between nodes the more rapidly information will flow- Robert Winston bridge. Data- Information, knowledge Meaning. And then generally results into something that can be acted on. Any element can become a node - thoughts, feelings, interactions with others, new data and network .The aggregation of these nodes results in a network (relationships where feeling and thoughts are important s as well as the data etc… Each network can only exert limited influence on the nature of each node in the network. Connections are key to network learning - connections can be strengthened based on a number of factors.  Motivation  Emotions  Exposure  Patterning  Experience  Logic  Strong reflexive and iterative process is one of network creation and forming. – not a content consumption process. Learning can no longer be seen as passive (add on) or active (acting upon other elements) process.  Social network sites are ways of people locating, organising, and storing information. -> data –> information –> wisdom