I commented on groups 1 & 4
The month of November ended a lot more quietly than it started out. I was much more able to keep up with the work even though I had a lot more personal distractions going on outside school and work. In terms of the course, after completing my syllabus design I had it reviewed by two different education professionals who provided me feedback on the work I showed them.
As I have stated, I found the feedback to be a bit weak because they focused on things like providing dates and information about support services and didn't really focus on the content the way I would have liked. I believe that may have been my fault for not explaining better what I wanted or it also could have been that they were just unfamiliar with the subject matter and didn't know how best to provide feedback. Either way I found other responses from my classmates and comments from my blog to be more useful.
I also completed my project demonstration for which I used the program Prezi. This was my first time using that program and I will admit to a bit of frustration with the steepness of the learning curve. I think if I had a little more time and patience I could have made it a better work but I am happy with what I put together. Reflecting on the work I have done in this class I feel pretty good overall. I struggled turning theory into practice on some levels but I was also able to take a pretty abstract concept and turn it into something that could be used as the basis of real work which makes me happy.
I would really have liked to focus more on the differences between the ideas of the Brain and the Mind as separate concepts but this project and the time requirements didn't really allow for it. I think if I continue this research into the next course I might choose to add that component to what I have already done. Maybe working the two areas together will help me present a more compelling case.
I also submitted my literary review for consideration at an upcoming conference but sadly it was not selected. While it is disappointing it was my first time doing something like that and I am happy that I actually took the time to submit. I will try to do it again with a better body of work in the months ahead.
Overall I have enjoyed this course. I think it has been a little easier for me to manage than the other course that I am in but that may be because I am working independently here where I am not in my other course.
Blog dedicated to a review of the brain and the mind as they relate to adult learning.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Project Demo
I commented on groups 3 & 5
Project Demo: The Brain - Final Presentation
Project Demo: The Brain - Final Presentation
Abstract
This is a project
demonstration that seeks to combine the body of work conducted over the course
of the semester in EDAC 635: Strategies
for Teaching Adults. The goal for this project was to take the
central concepts of brain-based learning and apply theory to create a working
syllabus. The goal for the syllabus was
designed to provide a basic structure for a program that uses the concepts of
brain-based learning applied to a physical education program. The program itself was designed to provide
students with a basic understanding of physical fitness, health monitoring and nutrition. Students were expected to participate in
lectures, hands-on demonstrations and reflective activities that would ideally
lead to learning through repetition and practice. Since the target is an adult audience the
program was also meant to be flexible and provide opportunities for students to
come and go as the please picking up information that was of interest to them
at any given time.
The syllabus itself provided clear instructions and calendar
that would guide the students through the course from day to day. It also
provided guidance on dates of attendance, course material to be used and links
to useful resources. Students were
expected to register for and learn to use myfitnesspal to help them through
their learning. Links were also provided
to assist in the creation of food logs, exercise programs and other
activities. There is also a
consideration of the general thought regarding grading criteria. Finally Feedback from evaluators is
summarized and used to provide insights regarding next steps should this exercise
continue beyond this course.
Prezi is used as an attempt to incorporate technology and
present the information in a way that is creative and entertaining to the audience.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Syllabus Design Feedback and Review
Evaluator One: Assistant Vice
Chancellor Of Student Affairs/Adjunct Business Faculty, Ivy Tech Community
College – Northeast, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Qualifications: Oversight
of Academic Advising, Student Success Strategies and Retention initiatives for
the regional campuses – Teaching, business, accounting and introduction to
college success courses
Feedback:
Feedback:
I liked
that under assignments the expectations were identified for students
I also liked all the elements that were included within the syllabus
What I think should be improved:
I also liked all the elements that were included within the syllabus
What I think should be improved:
·
I would list the purpose of
the class first and move the meeting dates and locations closer to the
schedule/calendar for clarity and to help with structure as you are going over
the syllabus with the students on the first day.
·
Also, for the calendar I
believe it is helpful to students to have specific dates listed--again for
clarity and planning.
·
Under materials needed,
fitness attire was listed, but there wasn't any reference to the use of the
fitness attire in requirements or assignments.
·
I think the grading
criteria should be more defined. How can a student receive a certificate but
not be required to attend each day and or complete any type of assessment to
ensure they have mastered the material? I
just think there could be more clarity around expectations to receive the
certificate of completion.
·
Lastly, I would suggest adding
listings of relevant support services such as tutoring, library, disability
support, trio etc. Statements regarding plagiarism and other pertinent
statements specific to the institution should also be included such as
environments free from harassment etc.
I found the feedback that was provided by evaluator one to be a
bit of a mixed bag. Because so much of
her role is focused on retention strategies and student outcomes I think she
focused more on content and actual design in some areas that I really hadn’t expected
her to. This is good on some levels
because the overall goal of any course should be to ensure that the information
you are trying to present to the learner is going to come across in a clear and
easy to understand way.
The first point that was made with regard to putting the purpose
of the course is also helpful. I think I took for granted that a person would
know why they were taking a basic introduction to exercise, fitness, and
nutrition course without needing to state it explicitly however from the
standpoint of providing structure and easy of information processing on the
first day of class this comment is valuable.
I think the same can be said for adding specific dates for the
calendar. I left them out with the
thought that it would be easy to use this same syllabus at different times of
the year so it would be best from that position to not put specific dates. Again putting the needs of the student first
I could see how it might be a good retention step so that students could plan
ahead for their work and other obligations if I gave them specific dates for
what would be covered.
The comment about the fitness attire was a bit confusing to me
because again I am working on a course that is designed to focus on working out
so I don’t know if I see the need to add a statement about when the student
will need workout clothes but this is again another personal preference situation
I think. I don’t see that it adds much
value to say in the schedule what clothes to wear when I the beginning of the
document I state that indoor workout attire is required in the materials needed
section.
Grading criteria was an area I wasn’t sure about. I debated for awhile about the need to
outline grading criteria. My thought was
to make this a very flexible course that students were taking for their own
personal interests. This would not be
tied to grades or a particular course of study it was strictly meant to be a
personal enrichment exercise. Because of
this I left out areas for specific evaluation and even made attendance to all
sessions optional. Students can ideally
take whichever parts they feel will add the most value to them and discard what
is not of interest. I added the
certification piece as a draw for people who might be interested in more
advanced practice and needed some evidence of basic knowledge as is sometimes
required for health and wellness programs.
I like the suggestion of additional support services however it
comes across very generic to me on some levels.
I think the point there was to show that there are options for
additional support services if need like tutoring and study skills management
however is that something that would be necessary for a personal enrichment course? I don’t think so but it could also be that It
is there as standard verbiage for all courses.
Same goes for the statements about policy. Overall there were some good points in this
review but I think some of the finer points might have been lost in the
evaluation. This is still a valuable set
of suggestions
Evaluator Two: Registrar, Adjunct
Business Faculty, Ivy Tech Community College – Northeast, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Qualifications: Campus
Records Retention – Teaching, business, accounting and introduction to college
success courses
Feedback:
Under
"Objectives" -- be sure that the points are grammatically parallel to
the "At the conclusion of this course, students will..."
heading. For instance, "At the conclusion of this course, students
will....'develop a safe and effective workout routine' " OR "BE ABLE
TO develop a safe and effective workout routine."
*Is attendance optional? Is this a for-credit course? How will the students' final grades be calculated?
What I liked:
Dividing the schedule into hour increments will keep the instructor accountable to a timeline, but will also help students know what is going on when.
*Is attendance optional? Is this a for-credit course? How will the students' final grades be calculated?
What I liked:
Dividing the schedule into hour increments will keep the instructor accountable to a timeline, but will also help students know what is going on when.
This review seemed more focused on
the grammar and style elements of the syllabus than on the content. As with the first evaluator I think the focus
on attendance is not necessary because ultimately the student is coming at his
or her own leisure and doesn’t need to attend all the sessions to get the most
value out of the program. There is also
a consistent them of interest in having a grading scale or some way to identify
progress within the program. Maybe a
daily check off or peer evaluation form can be provided to help address the
need.
I also liked the way the schedule
was broken down and the interest in holding the instructor and the students
accountable to what is being presented.
It is interesting that both reviewers were consistent about making sure
the student was well informed about the class meeting times and dates. This maybe a topic for more discussion.
I have mixed feelings about these
two reviews. I think that there are some valuable comments and themes in the
feedback but ultimately they seem to have missed the point of the assignment
and focused on things that really don’t seem that important to me. I am cautious about this though because
having never taught myself I can’t be sure if some of the concerns are valid or
just nitpicky extras that have no real bearing on the success of the
program. Regardless I appreciate the
assignment and the feedback that was given by my reviewers.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
October Monthly Summary
I commented on October Monthly Summaries for groups 3 and 4
October
Monthly Summary:
The month of October was incredibly packed in this class.
We had the program investigations and then the syllabus designs that were
due. I continued to focus my efforts on
the functional workings of the brain and how they relate to student
learning. The programs I reviewed gave
me some good ideas with regard to ways of stimulating learning and how to take
advantage of theories that relate to brain based learning. What I love about my topic is that there are
so many different directions that a person can take to approach a theory of
learning. I sometimes found it hard to
remain focused on any one idea to create a well thought out process.
I
was challenged with turning some of my theory based ideas into actual usable
practices. This came into focus when I went
from the program investigation to the actual syllabus design. I think for the lion share of this course I have
been thinking in terms of theory and very focused on the brain and not asking
myself how what I am doing would be put into practice in the field. When designing my syllabus I had to take a
step back and really question what my takeaways had been and how I wanted to
push them to the next level. I finally
did pull it all together and came up with a program that I could relate to my
everyday life and my passion for exercise and fitness.
The
next step in this process is to find an academic to review my syllabus and get
their feedback with regard to my work. I
am worried that I won’t find the 2 required in the time I have to get it
done. Hopefully I will find a few
willing participants in the next few days that can help me with some quick
feedback. Shortly after that we will
have our final paper due so I am really going to be working hard to get that
done. I have really enjoyed this course
I am really thinking this topic might make a great thesis if I can keep it going.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Syllabus Design
Brain-Based Learning Syllabus Design
William (Chris) Cathcart
Ball State University
October 3, 2013
Introduction:
This paper is designed to show an example of a simple syllabus
design for a brain-based learning program.
Specifically, for this assignment an outline is created for a five day
training session built around teaching adults basics of health, fitness and
exercise practices. The target audience
here is the working adult who is interested in weight management, exercise and
fitness, and nutrition basics. This mock
syllabus will provide key information about the course including:
·
Course Meeting Dates & Locations
·
Course Objectives
·
Purpose
·
Format
·
Materials Needed
·
Schedule
Students
are given a very clear understanding of the expectations of the course and what
deliverables will be required at each step in the program. Helpful links are also provided as examples
of how to approach different assignments.
At the conclusion of the course students should have a self-created
quick reference guide that they can use to develop their own fitness and nutrition
plans or as a study guide to use in preparation for a nationally recognized
personal training certification program.
The
assignments draw heavily upon work presented by Cain and Cain (1991) to provide
a set of general principles upon which active brain functions are engaged to
optimize learning and retention. Other
key concepts that are explored include brain plasticity as it relates to
learning, Tri-brain hierarchy, optimal brainwave activity, and left/right brain
skill dominance. The basic structure of this design is based on work previously
outlined in a literary review of brain-based learning and two program reviews
with the same subject focus.
Rationale
This
program uses traditional theories of brain-based learning to introduce a few
key components necessary for the development of a solid exercise and fitness
routine when partnered with sound nutrition practices. The subject matter is presented in a format
that builds on itself with each successive day.
The syllabus is designed to provide a detailed account of what to expect
at each stage in the program. The
schedule provided in the syllabus will define what topics are covered on each
day and what exercises the student will be expected to complete. A final deliverable is also described so that
students can begin planning their work from day one. The design follows the same formula for
success as other popular programs of similar focus. Documented principles of brain-based learning
are used to maximize potential for learning and successful demonstration of
subject matter presented.
Drawing
from several theories of brain-based learning, this program seeks to activate
learning centers by activities that stimulate cognitive interaction with
physical interactions. Several key
assumptions are made about learning processes that are related to brain
function that are key to this program’s execution:
·
Repetition of action increases
opportunities for learning
·
Pattern recognition and relationship
based learning can occur more quickly through brain plasticity concepts
·
Controlled brainwave activity through
the use of external stimuli maximize learning potential and retention
·
Time limits and structured learning
·
Mixing knowledge transfer methods will
stimulate brain hemispheres to achieve different types of learning (Caine & Caine, 1994)
Each
of these assumptions is embedded at differing levels within the program and is
made clear in through the layout and design of the syllabus. For example, sequencing of information is
very important to the learning process (Dendy, 2011). Each session is delivered in three parts:
1.
Lecture – introduces new concept and
relevant information near the beginning of the session when the brain is most
engaged and likely to remember information
2.
Group practice – Students work in groups
to practice newly learned concepts and develop deeper knowledge through shared
experience and repletion of exercises
3.
Reflective demonstration – Students
demonstrate their learning through reflective writing exercise to reinforce the
day’s learning activities.
Ideally
all activities are performed in an environment that is comfortable but not
relaxing and presented in a way that students feel free to question, explore
and reflect on their experience from day to day. The continuous change in activity and mixing
of lecture, group and hands on learning should act to stimulate both analytical/temporal
centers and gestalt, more non-linear centers at the same time. By doing this the student is not hindered by
an individual learning style and is instead able to take in information as he
or she deems appropriate.
Because
this is a course focused on exercise and fitness, some consideration is given
to the potential physical needs of the body.
Students are encouraged to get up and stretch grab water and interact as
necessary to ensure the optimal level of mental activity is maintained. All these techniques are designed to maintain
brainwave activity at or near the level consistent those of typical beta waves,
13-26 cycles per second (Mackeracher, 2004 p.95).
The
ideas presented in this course are designed to be portable and easily adapted
to the specific needs of the student.
Links and other helpful Information are provided within the
syllabus. Students are encouraged to
seek share their own personal experiences of success or failure with their
fitness commitment and to form their own support teams to help facilitate
future success.
Syllabus
Exercise,
Fitness and Nutrition: An introduction for working adults
Course
Meeting Dates & Location
This is a 5 day course that meets
Monday-Friday From 12pm and ends at 3pm in the Student Life Center Computer Lab
A across from the gym. The course will
be offered 4 times during the semester on the first week of every month.
Objectives
At the conclusion of this course
students will:
·
Be
introduced to basic concepts of healthy living
·
Be
able to identify key muscle groups
·
Develop
a safe and effective workout routine
·
Track
and improve dietary habits
·
Prepare
for personal training certification training
Purpose
To provide students with a comprehensive
understanding of the importance of good exercise and fitness through practical
learning experiences leading to the development of a framework for a lifetime
of healthy living
Format
This training course is meant for small
to medium sized groups of no more than 15 students. The course will progress in three stages from
lecture with time for question and answer in the first hour; partner
assignments with skill repetition components in hour two; and reflective activity
in the final hour of the course. The
each day is focused on a specific topic and will provide a unique exercise that
will come together at the end of the program to form a comprehensive outline
for future use. Students are welcome to
participate in the entire course or drop in for individual sessions as needed. The final day will be extended by one hour to
accommodate awards and certificate of completion celebration.
Materials Needed
·
Textbook:
Villepigue, J & Rivera, H (2011).Fitness Bible for Men/Women: The Way to
Physical
Perfection. (3rd Ed.). New York, Heatherleigh Press
·
Appropriate
exercise and fitness attire for indoor training
Assignment
Students will work each session on the
creation of a comprehensive workout and meal plan that will be evaluated at the
end of the week. The plan will be
self-directed however students are expected to work with a partner to collaborate
and share ideas. The plan will be based
on the information provided during each part of the lecture progressing from cardiovascular
training to specific muscle groups. Once
all lectures are complete, each student will compile the work into a binder for
peer review on the final day of class. Students
may reference their text book for examples as well as the following links as additional
resources:
Schedule
Monday 12pm-1pm: Intro to Health &
Fitness
1pm – 2pm: Partner Assignment
and Tour
2pm-3pm: Lab Assignment –
Register for My Fitness Pal online
Tuesday 12pm-1pm:
Cardiovascular Health Systems and Fitness
1pm-2pm: Partner
Assignment Vital signs tracking and measurements
2pm-3pm: Demonstration of
selected Cardio equipment and create
exercise plan for cardiovascular health
Wednesday 12pm-1pm Muscle Groups &
Targeted Exercise
1pm-2pm Partner training exercise
2pm-3pm Develop full body
workout plan using selected exercises and
equipment
Thursday 12pm-1pm Nutrition Basics
1pm-2m Partner exercise my
fitness pal tracking
2pm-3pm create meal plan
Friday 12pm-1pm
Summary of key concepts
1pm-2pm Evaluate partner
workout & meal plan
2pm-3pm Revise individual
plans and present for evaluation
3pm-4pm Certificate &
Award Celebration
Grading
Criteria
This course is meant to be a personal
enrichment exercise aimed at improving the students understanding of his or her
own personal fitness goals and providing resources for future use. While there is no formal grading criteria
students will receive a certificate of completion and will be eligible to
participate in the next level of course which aims to build on the information
provided in this course with the goal of becoming a certified personal
trainer.
References
Caine, R. N., & Caine, G. (1994). Making
Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Dendy, C. A. (2011). Teaching Teens with ADD, ADHD
and Executive Function Deficits: A Quick Reference Guide for Teachers and
Parents (2nd Edition). Woodbine House
Mackeracher, D.
(2004). Making Sense of Adult Learning (2nd Edition). Toronto,
Canada: University of Toronto Press.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Brain-Based Learning Program Review
I commented
on Group 3: Embodied Learning Program Review and
Group 4:
Relationships and Learning Program Review
Brain-Based Learning Program Review
William (Chris) Cathcart
Ball State University
October 3, 2013
Introduction
Theories and
practices of brain-based learning have immerged as alternatives to the
traditional learning environments in classroom settings. Capitalizing on an understanding of current
research regarding the physical structures of the brain and their role in
cognition, learning, and development; educators are looking for new pathways to
success. Applications of this type of facilitative
approach to learning include techniques to maximize complex decision making and
pattern recognition. Reviews of prior work
on the subject of brain-based learning focus on the brain as a parallel
processor, constantly involved in multiple activities at the same time. Also highlighted in the literature is the
concept of brain plasticity, the ability to naturally strengthen or weaken
neural pathways involved in learning and retention based on repetition or the
lack there of. There are also several
theories with regard to the impact of emotions and self-perception as concepts
related to the mind as a separate, though theoretical, structure from the
brain.
This is a
program review that seeks examples of brain-based learning techniques as
applied in actual learning environments with specific interest in strategies
for adult learning. Of particular
interest are those programs that give attention to higher-order brain functions
and how they may be targeted to maximize learning where possible. While the main target for this study is the
adult learner, consideration is also given for techniques that have proven successful
for children as well.
Brain Based Learning Case #1 - Teaching Teens with ADD, ADHD
The first program suggestion comes
from the book “Teaching Teens with ADD, ADHD, and Executive Function
Deficits.” The book has as its target
audience educators who work with children and teens that have different levels
of learning challenge. The central idea
of interest is using techniques based on neuro-scientific theory as well as
those that outline how the brain learns as the basis for teaching
strategy. The text states that these
strategies are “effective for all students regardless of their learning
challenges” (Dendy, 2011,
p. 51) .
The program applies several of principles of brain-based learning as defined by
Renate and Geoffrey Cain:
·
All
learning is physiological
·
The
brain/mind is social
·
The
Search for meaning is innate
·
The
search for meaning occurs through patterning
·
Emotions
are critical to patterning
·
The
brain/mind processes parts and wholes simultaneously
·
Learning
involves both focused attention and peripheral perception
·
Learning
always involves conscious and unconscious processes
·
We
have at least two ways of organizing memory: spatial Memory system and a set of
systems for rote learning
·
Learning
is developmental
·
Complex
learning is enhanced by challenge and inhibited by threat
·
Each
brain is uniquely organized (Caine & Caine, 1994)
Caine and
Caine also recommend three teaching strategies:
·
Orchestrated
immersion
·
Relaxed
alertness
·
Active
processing
For application with the ADD/ADHD
population this program uses this information to suggest ways to increase
success in learning environment. They
focus on maximizing the available learning time by ordering information in to
sequences i.e. students remember best the first thing they hear (prime time 1)
and second best the last thing they hear (prime time 2). This implies that facilitators should share
important information near the beginning and the end of a lesson. In an example this would likely be
introducing key concepts in a summary at the start of a lesson and closing it
with takeaways. There is also
consideration of time limits as necessary to forestall mental fatigue. Suggestions are made for inclusion of humor as
a way to stimulate the frontal lobe of the brain, using laughter as a tool is a
unique perspective and one that might prove useful. There is also a suggestion that making sure
that the brain is receiving enough oxygen and the body enough water are keys to
longer lasting attention and general mental alertness.
Overall, I think these are good basic
outline of strategies that can be used to create brain-based learning
programs. The summary includes good
general explanations for how the brain learns and what techniques to use with
the goal of maximizing learning. While
the focus here is on students with a specific learning need, the biological
basis for the information being shared can be applied in almost any learning
situation from childhood to adult. For
my own use I would incorporate the suggestions for limiting time and sequencing
information for optimum retention. I
would not spend much time focusing on things like oxygen and water levels as I
wouldn’t have much influence over them overall as a facilitator for adult
learning.
Brain-Based Learning
Case#2 - Nova Southeastern University
Nova
Southeastern University is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and has 29,000
students. It has identified itself as
the eighth largest independent university in the United States. Their Abraham S. Fischler School of education
offers degree and certificate level programs in several disciplines. I looked at their work in BrainSMART.org
which is a brain-based learning approach with which the school uses to offer
graduate degree programs. Specifically
of interest were:
1.
M.S.
with a major in Brain-Based Teaching
2.
Ed.S
with a major in Brain-Based Teaching
These programs are designed for
adults that have had or are interested in working in academic environments
either as instructors or as administrators in education. The target student participating in this type
of program is one who is working or has outside commitments that do not allow
them to commit to fulltime study and thus would be looking for alternative
modes of study. Delivery methods include
DVDs, CD-ROMs, Online discussion threads and chats. The use of multiple formats is geared toward
providing a more flexible offering for adult students who can’t commit to
traditional educational models.
Both programs create frameworks and
strategies for enhancing student learning based on research around the brain
and the mind. The programs are offered
in a distance education format that gives the adult learner more control over
their experience and learning. Course
work includes topics that deal with physical structures of the brain and their
functions; applications for cognitive processes and strategies to influence
student achievement; Differences between learners from the perspective of brain
development and learning and brain connections in high order thinking and
learning.
Specific
information regarding how the courses are led with examples from syllabi are
not available. Information was largely taken from course summaries and outlines
for degree offerings provided through the website. It is difficult to really tell how much is
actually useful from this program however there does seem to be a significant
focus on physical structures of the brain and how they relate to
cognition. One area of interest is the
focus on critical thinking and development of the mind as an organized process
driven concept that is important in learning.
The program does address the impact of memory and has some aspect of
self-perception from the perspective of the student that makes it seem that
there is valuable information provided.
These ideas all fit with the findings in my literary review and are also
aligned with the concepts introduced by Caine and Caine.
I am
interested in the added flexibility that is achieved by offering course work
through a distance platform. This might
provide some students with an opportunity to exercise more control over the direction
of their learning and In turn could lead to better performance where
possible. I think though I would like a
hybrid model in which students still come to class and have the benefit of
shared experience that is augmented by online components. Repetition and pattern recognition are two
key components of brain-based learning both of which can be achieved online. I do think though where possible it is also a
good idea to have lectures from time to time.
I don’t know yet how much of this I would incorporate but there are
definitely some good opportunities here.
Conclusion
There appears to be a great deal of
work currently being done in the practice of brain-based learning. Most of this work seems to be taking place in
the school age child arena. This finding
should not suggest that the implications and potential applications of these
approaches are not still valid with regard to the study of the adult as a
learner. The two programs that have been
reviewed in this work represent both ends of the spectrum and each has its own
level of value for the creation of my own program.
For my own study I would take from
each of these programs by having a clear relationship with the theories of
brain-based learning as presented by Caine and Caine. Attention should be paid to the amount of
time spent on specific tasks, the sequencing of information shared and impact
of the environment as a distraction from learning. Exercises that involve pattern recognition
and repetition of concepts are important in this type of teaching and should be
included in the development of the program as well. Overall, while there was not a great deal of
detail provided by either program, I believe that the research that the work
has been based on is plentiful enough to guide my project in the appropriate
direction.
References
Caine, R. N., & Caine, G. (1994). Making
Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Zeigler Dendy, C. A. (2011). Teaching Teens with
ADD, ADHD and executive function deficits: A quick reference guide for teachers
and parents (2nd ed.). Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.
Main Features
|
ADD/ADHD Study
|
Nova Southeastern
|
Features I would adopt
|
Feature 1
|
Neuro-science basis that highlights brain structures and functions
|
Focus on the Adult learner’s need for flexibility
|
Focus brain processes for learning memory and cognition.
This can be achieved by incorporating more physical tasks that can use
repetition as a way to strengthen neural pathways leading to long lasting
retention. Also picking tasks that are
a mix of structured analytical and unstructured creative works to simulate
the different brain centers to become active in the learning process picking
up key information from both as needed.
|
Feature 2
|
Applies Caine & Caine brain assumptions – to define the
ways learning is created and maintained from a brain/physiological
perspective. The assumptions are
applied throughout the program using different methods to approach brain
activity and learning. Social interaction,
repetition and demonstration of work to show that learning has occurred
|
Mixed delivery methods are used to incorporate different
learning opportunities. Using active learning techniques such as hands on
skills development and more thought process based discussion to draw on the
different aspects of learning in development.
This also draws on the assumptions of Caine & Caine to build a
program that speaks to multiple aspects of brain learning.
|
Multiple delivery of lesson strategy that applies different
teaching styles to appeal to different types of learning.
|
Feature 3
|
Sequencing of learning
|
Pattern recognition
|
Sequencing - providing important information near the
beginning and end of a lesson
|
Feature 4
|
Time limits used to maximize learning
|
|
While limiting the total amount of time spent on one
particular topic as much as possible to reduce fatigue.
|
Feature 5
|
Biological needs consideration considers health aspects and
their effect on the brains abilities. Access
to water, food and oxygen slow or have the potential to increase
processing. Also consideration of rest
and recuperation time plays a role.
|
Repetition of process
|
Pattern and repetition process
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)