Learning+and+the+Brain

**The brain is composed of cells called neurons. Each neuron contains an axon and dendrites (projections from the cell body). The terminals of each axon grow to reach the dendrites of neighboring neurons during learning. Each connection represents a new pathway from previous knowledge to new knowledge. As connections are made, recalling concepts becomes easier and you will have a better understanding of how the learning relates to past experiences. This makes learning meaningful and makes it stick.**

**Learning and the Brain** 1. The brain changes as a result of effortful learning. If you try hard to learn something new, the brain will form new connections. The more connections made in your brain, the better you will understand and remember concepts. 2. You are in control of your own learning. 3. Give yourself a growth mindset - the more you attempt to learn, the more you will know. As opposed to a fixed mindset - "My brain is not designed to understand these hard concepts." 4. Learning will be difficult. These difficulties during learning make learning stronger. 5. When learning is easy it is superficial and soon forgotten (cramming). 6. Your ability to learn is not genetic, if learning is effortful, it changes the brain and makes new connections, increasing your ability. 7. You learn better when you have to wrestle with solutions rather than being shown. 8. If you strive to learn, there will be setbacks (mistakes). Making mistakes is necessary in order to know what you need to do to achieve mastery. 9. Avoid the illusion of knowing - "I've studied enough, I'm good." or "I know that answer so I don't have to write it out."

**How not to study:** 1. Reread the text until you master the fluency. 2. Massed or blocked practice - repeat the same topic until mastery. 3. Cramming - waiting until the last minute to try to learn everything.

**How to study:** 1. Always read prior to the lecture 2. Retrieval practice - Look for the main ideas, what were the new terms?, relate to what you know, answer your own questions (no notes), then check using notes/text 3. Spaced practice - Study periodically, do not wait until the last minute 4. Interleaved practice - Review multiple concepts at once, no blocked practice 5. Elaboration - Relate to what you know, explain it to someone else, how it relates to life outside of class, summary sheets 6. Generation - Attempt to solve a problem before the solution is presented, predict what a topic will be about and how it will relate before it is explained 7. Reflection - Take time to review previously completed projects/assignments. Ask yourself what you did well, could have done better, what you need to learn to understand the assignment better?

__ Retrieval Questions __ __ Rules: Answer the questions WITHOUT LOOKING BACK at the information. Then, correct yourself by using the information in a DIFFERENT COLOR. __ 1. How are new connections formed in the brain? 2. How is a growth mindset better than a fixed mindset in terms of learning? 3. Jose had a big exam coming up so he reread the chapters until he could basically recite the content. He did poorly on the exam. Explain why. 4. Why do you suppose that interleaving your practice of new material is better than studying it in blocks? 5. How does the study of the brain and learning apply to your life outside of school?