-Brain+Based+Research+and+its+Effect+on+Instruction


 * = ** Brain Based Research and its Effect on Instruction

**

**"Our Continuing Mission" To research current findings on education in relation to brain development, memory, cognition, and appropriate instructional practices****.** media type="youtube" key="3D_AVQSIUsY" height="373" width="481" ||< **Group members:**

Amy Wilson
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 * **Progress of Group**


 * Meeting of October 7:** Our discussion centered around what our objectives and goals should be. We decided that we needed more information about such a mercurial and complex subject. What is recent in brain research one day is irrelevant next week. We are still unclear as to our goal and implimentation once that goal is reached. We will begin by talking with ex-professors, friends, and those in our small community to prepare for a possible trip to the Center for Brain Research here in Dallas. We plan to attend functions there once we have established some refined and narrow questions about application and implementation in our subject areas and grade levels.


 * Amy Wilson's early success:** Amy began researching the benefits of using large exercise/balance balls for student learning. This kinesthetic approach tied into our brain research and has been tested by many, including the Mayo Clinic. The reported benefits are tremendous in supporting increased focus, energy throughout the day, and posture/strengthening. As of November 12, a classroom set of these are on their way to St. John's for Amy to pilot in her classroom.



**
 * Amy's presentation on Balance Balls **

Group presentation slides: April 5



Growth vs. Fixed Mindset** **A Pilot for __Brainology__**: A new web-based program that promises to change the way students view their learning and their abilities.



In Thor Herrin's Fifth Grade Advisory, students will be participating in a pilot program to encourage them to view their brains as malleable as opposed to fixed: more like a muscle in need of training than a computer with set memory and processing speed. The program is called "Brainology" and is presented by Carol S. Dweck, PhD and Lisa Sorich Blackwell, PhD. It consistes of five modules of 30-50 minutes each where two animated guides take students on an exploration of their brains and the way their brains work. The idea is based on several years of intense research that compares students who have developed a fixed mindset with those who see their intelligence as something that can be cultivated and grown (a growth mindset). The following links are to articles outlining some of this research.

[|Boosting Achievement with Messages that Motivate]

[|Intelligence vs. Effort (origionally published in Scientific American)]

[|The Effort Effect (Stanford Magazine)]

The process began on March 9, 2010. All students were given a short survey quiz meant to determine their individual minsets. In all 19 students in the grade are classified as having a non-fixed mindset about their learning, while 23 students were classified as fixed (with several being non-determiners). Please see the excel tables for graphed results of specific questions.




 * Change data based on survey questions:**



The Herrin advisory will complete the online modules and then comparisons will be made between academic performance (especially regarding individual improvement) as well as change of overall mindset.

Possible uses for this progam/approach to teaching would be: 1) Parental Education: Parents reassuring their children that they are very smart and gifted **may be the worst thing they could do!** Effort, persistance, resiliance, and creativity should be praised, not product or innate ability. Students praised for their intelligence in Dweck's studies prove to struggle the most as work becomes more difficult, while those praised for effort tend to overtake and succeed.

2) Summer School: Students asked to take summer school at St. John's would benefit greatly from a mindset change. Studies show conclusively that underperforming students when given tutoring and study skill education alone performed far lower than those given the additional growth mindset information. In the specific studies involving High School Juniors struggling in Math, the simple extension of discussing an article about how the brain learns and can be trained to learn had long lasting results.

3) A Reminder and Helping Hand for Teachers: Perhaps the toughest job of a teacher is challenging the student who is beyond the standard curriculum. Using this as an extension will help the student see challenges and obstacles as opportunities to be overcome, and give the teacher a way to engender a love of challenges in a student for whom there has yet been no real challenge.

As we progress through the modules, information will be journaled in the space below. Please bare with us, this needs to be done in Advisory time slots which may mean that one one module per week could be completed. media type="youtube" key="aPNeu07I52w" height="385" width="480"


 * Journal for Mind-set Pilot**

Day 1- March 9, 2010: Surveys distributed, tabulated, and cross-referenced. Data available above in excel tables.

Day 2- March 22, 2010 Discussion with students about survey results and reason for the program. Introduction into the idea of effort and growth as important to student progress. Class questions and discussion regarding topics.

Day 3- March 29, 2010 Students are logged on and all watch the intro video portion of Brainology in the computer lab.

Day 4-14 Ending April 12, 2010 Students were encouraged to complete as much of the program's four modules at home. Result, two students are complete. Advisory time is insufficient for students to engage in the program. Often levels must be restarted for them to continue. At best, 20 minutes are devoted to work; practically, only fifteen are spent engaged with program.

April 15-May 3 ERB and Health classes take away advisory time. Students' responses to program are filmed.

May 4 Students are assigned to finish program as time at school remains insufficient. In-class computers do not have latest Adobe Flash Player 9, they cannot play the program; only Aaron has password to download program updates. Survey is performed requiring answers to basic brain function questions. Control group vs. Brainology participants.

**Video for presentation on Brainology**

media type="youtube" key="xDEvsKIvMbM" height="385" width="480" || **Essential Questions:**

We are waiting to write formal questions until initial inquiries are completed. Preliminarily, we have the following, broad focus questions.

1. What are the current findings of brain research related to educational practices for grades K-8?

2. How do we practically apply what we've learned from brain development research to enhance student learning? || This is a book recomended by Lynn Granello after attending a special conference on assessing, treating, and teaching ADD kids. New studies suggest that many kids with ADD show significant brain tissue deficiency in the frontal lobe. Stimulants are often successful (the studies suggest) as they increace blood flow that encourages tissue growth. This new area may have far reaching implications regarding the diagnosis and treatment for ADD. These tissue deficiencies appear as holes on the latest devices for scanning and mapping brains. New medicines may begin to appear that are meant to rebuild/grow tissue and not simply "focus" the brain.
 * Resources:

[|Center For Brain Health Lecture Series] We are in discussion about which of the listed lectures might be useful. The first //The Brain that Changes Itself: The Neuroplasticity Revolution,// may prove to be the most useful, especially when the recent studies mentioned above are considered.



Dweck's book already ordered from Amazon. Information here regarding specific studies and results. Regardless of the aforementioned pilot of Brainology, in order to be effective, the ideas presented must be adopted top-down by the school and the parental community to ensure best chances of success.

Link to New York Magazine article: [|"How Not to Talk to Your Kids."]

Interesting techniques to "re-build" brain. [|Web MD]

Possible conferences:

[|Learning and the Brain] San Francisco, California: February 18-20.

[|Learning the Brain (Focused Mind, attention)] Washington D.C.: May 6-8. ||
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