The Brain
Introduction to basic concepts
Jean Cory-Wright: [email protected]
“..brain scientists rarely have a conversation with teachers,
business professionals, education majors, accountants,
superintendants and CEO’s” (Medina, 2008).
Its time they did!!!
Concepts from neuroscience:
brain structure (Hannaford 1995)
View from side
Our brain has three main layers comprised of 5 key
areas and all incoming information gets filtered through
all of them
The innermost part is the brain stem and this is the
source of all our instincts
moving
Around this is the limbic system and this is the key
generator of our emotions.
thinking
Towards the back of this area is the hippocampus H
and this is believed to play a role in coding and
retrieving memories
emotions
Prior
experience
eye
H instincts
The outer layer is the cerebrum, which has 3 main
areas
At the back of the cerebrum is the cerebellum, which
plays a part in coordination.
View from back
Spoken language
Reading
Number
Strucutured
Sequential
Analytical
Processes in
areas
left
right
Language thoughts
and
comprehension
Music, ryhtym
Pictures
Graphs and maps
Processes all over
Estimates
Random
Spontaneuos
At the front of the cerebrum are the frontal lobes and
these are the source of our thinking
At the top of the cerebrum a band of brain is the motor
cortex. It is from here that most of our actions are
effected
At the back of the brain, the cerebellum coordinates
our movement and words
The brain is split into 2 halves called hemispheres, that seem
to have different functions. The left is more logical and
analytical, the right is more holistic and random. Hemispheres
can be switched in some people
How the brain filters information
Jensen’s theory on what parts of the brain seek:
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Simplified brain areas
Brain stem avoids harm
moving
Limbic system seeks pleasure
thinking
emotions
Prior
experience
eye
instincts
Cortex seeks novelty
neurone: myelin coats the neurone and
makes a stronger signal travel faster
Chemicals called neuro transmitters help the message
jump across the gaps between neurone
How the brain filters information
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Our brain has three main parts and all incoming information gets
filtered through all of them
1st filter: brain stem- asks the question, “Am I safe?” If a person does not
feel safe, this blocks the information from going any further.
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2nd filter: limbic system - asks the question “what do I feel about
this?” This colours the persons perception of and response to the incoming information.
3rd filter: hippocampus- asks question “Have I experienced this
before?”
4th filter: cortex- asks question ”what do I think, and what shall I do
about this?”
5th filter: motor cortex- effects the action
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When we see that everything we think and do is passed through these filters, we see why
knowledge of them is crucial to teaching and learning, especially in deep learning and in the
domains of attitudes and values
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Motivators for each part: ( Jensen 1994)
Stem: avoids harm
Limbic system seeks pleasure
Cortex seeks novelty/curiosity
More brain details
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Incoming messages: the Reticular Activating
System is in the brain stem and it sorts all the
incoming information and sends it to
relevant parts
The amygdala is deep in the mid brain and if
it feels a threat it flares up and causes a
reaction. Teaching people to by pass the
amygdala is the source of emotional
intelligence
The mid brain is where emotional responses
are triggered and these drive our motivation
Pulvinar nucleus is at the back of the mid
brain and plays a role in stimulating focus
Pleasure pathway is lit when a trace of
dopamine is sent from the ventral tegmental
area to the nucleus accumbens. Both are
situated between the brainstem (instincts)
and the mid brain ( emotions)
The hippocampus sorts and retrieves
memories. This is set towards the back of
the mid brain and has strong connections to
emotions and vision.
Episodic memories are powerful and include
the emotions and senses
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The corpus callosum joins the 2 halves of the
brain. Its bigger in women and is related to
multi tasking
Intuition is based on experience, the brain
tracks back through past experiences in an
instant in intuitive decision making
Decision making seems to occur in the pre
frontal lobes near the anterior cyngulate
gyrus. This is small in sufferers of ADD and
ADHD
Thinking and emotions are integrated in the
orbito frontal cortex
These 2 parts of the brain are slow to
develop in humans and can take up to age 30
The aha moment (an idea springs to mind) is
more prevalent when people are relaxed and
happy and often in an outdoor setting
Most significant learning happens when
there is experience, movement and an
engagement of emotions. (Hannaford 1995)
Depression, chronic build up of cortisol and
or adrenaline, suppresses connections
between mid brain and cortex and hinders
learning.
Ages and stages
( numbers are approximate and vary through the population)
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0-1
0-2
2-3
Baby brains are all about instincts, food, water, comfort
Throughout these years the most nerve pathways are being created; feeding self, walking, talking
Known as the terrible two’s. The limbic system in the mid brain is growing. Baby is feeling
emotions but does not know what to do with them.
4
Front lobes start to grow, child can learn about emotions. Qualities such as compassion can
develop (eg caring for a pet). This is good time for social skills ; eg kindy
5-7
Creative frontal lobe connects: child is into fantasy things and creativity and reading skills develop
8-12 Logical frontal lobe develops: ideal time for introducing maths science etc. This is a huge learning
opportunity phase for children where reading should be encouraged.
13-14 Early adolescence: many nerve networks are pruned back and child appears to lose capabilities
such as conversation, social skills etc Sport, music, drama and outdoor activities are useful media
to engage passion and get through without going off the rails.
16-19 Late adolescence: teen still has pruned back nerve networks and can be less mature than
expected. Decisions making is still compromised and spontaneity and risk taking are high. Many of
this age group thrive on adventure and need it to flourish.
20-26 Young adulthood. Life starts to come together for the nurtured teen. It’s a time of deeper learning,
such as critical thinking. Its often a time of forming deeper values.
Brain chemicals
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Adrenaline ( epinephrine) arousal states fight
flight tend befriend: Aaahhhhggg!
Noradrenaline calms after adrenaline: Phew!
Endorphin, natural opiate numbs pain, feel good
after exercise: Yippeee!
Dopamine: positive mood feel good, fun: Yeehah!
Cortisol: produced in stress, heightens awareness,
long term cortisol supresses emotions and
learning: uuuuugggghhh.
GABA gamma-aminobutyric acid, switches signals
off. stop
Seratonin, induces relaxation, consciousness:
aaahhh
Acetylcholene: neuro transmitter at synapses:
effects movement
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Easy ways to
remember these in
red
The Brain and Learning
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Brain stem deals with instincts and homeostasis and
must be comfortable with the situation. A scared brain
does not learn.
A brain that has emotional distractions, does not learn
so well eg embarrassment, over excitement, sadness.
This is because the emotion messages are confusing the
learning messages
People suffering from depression experience an
emotional shut down and find learning more difficult.
The brain will refer to past experience to build on a
learning situation. If that has been scary or negative this
can affect the learning.
The brain must engage the cerebellum at the back to
coordinate the motor responses
The brain must use the motor area at the top to effect
the movements
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The motor neurones are the cells that join the brain to
the muscles and cause the movement
The sensory neurones are the ones that send
information to the brain about the movements and the
situation
The neurones form a thought pattern in the brain by
being linked by synapses and coated with myelin ( grey
matter in the brain)
Studies have shown that the brain can rewire nerve
pathways and create new myelin on nerves throughout
life (neural plasticity)
When learning, a brain has to use the frontal lobes to
consciously think about controlling the movement or
thoughts. Later it becomes more automatic
Memories are stored all over the brain but the
hippocampus plays an important part in retrieving them.
The memory of motor skills is wired through all three
areas ( hippocampus, cerebellum and motor cortex)
The Brain and motivation
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All references to the emotions in this power point can be linked to motivation
If a brain is seeking pleasure or seeking novelty, the person will feel motivated
If a brain is feeling slightly on edge ( adventure) but safe enough that the brain
stem is not overriding everything, and the person knows they have the skill to
cope, motivation to do what is required to stay safe, will be high and thus further
learning is enhanced.
This level of feeling on edge is different for different people, and any group leader
needs to be aware of this.
An example: a navigation exercise in groups, in good weather on an easy area with
no time pressure, can induce enough feeling on edge to perform well. When we
add bad weather and visibility, time pressure, assessment pressure or numerous
other factors, the feeling of being on edge can increase to the extent that brain
functions are compromised and mistakes are made.
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