Learning, the Brain, and Memory

On December 12, 2000, in his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Dr. Eric Kandel said,

“Our generation of scientists has come to believe that the biology of the mind will be as scientifically important to this [new] century as the biology of the gene has been to the 20th century…[and] will not only improve our understanding of psychiatric and neurological disorders, but will also lead to a deep understanding of ourselves” (Byrne, 2001).

While most educators are not trained in neuroscience or neuro-anatomy, of particular interest to our field of research are advancing discoveries in learning, the brain, and memory.?Dr. Thad A. Polk, a cognitive neuroscientist and professor of psychology at the University of Michigan (2018), defines learning as “acquiring knowledge or behavioral response from experience”…and memory as “the result of the product of learning.” ?Learning is about acquiring new information and memory is the storage and retrieval of this information. Dr. Polk encourages students of all ages to adopt a holistic approach to optimize learning, improve brain health, and increase the power of memory skills.?This holistic approach is based on scientific research from the fields of neuroscience, psychology and education. The areas where these fields intersect is often referred to as neuroeducation. To paraphrase Dr. Mariale Hardiman (2012) of Johns Hopkins University, neuroeducation may help educators focus on “how students learn rather than on merely what they learn based on narrow achievement goals.”?In this process, we may also need to “unlearn” certain practices that both students and educators thought were effective yet have minimal impact or even waste time, according to research. Let us explore the five points to effective learning promoted by Dr. Polk.

Point One - Be Positive. Extensive evidence from more than 30 years of research from Dr. Carol Dweck and her team from Stanford University, shows that adopting a positive or “Growth Mindset” is the most important first step of learning success.?A growth mindset is our belief that intelligence is not fixed and can be developed (2016).?A basic understanding of neuroanatomy helps us appreciate the human brain is the most sophisticated biological organism in the known universe – and we each have one!?The brain always learns whether we want to or mean to…our brains are always “on” and learning. ?We need to take advantage of this wonderful learning function through a positive belief in our ability to learn.?This positive mindset leads the learner down a path of achieving higher self-efficacy.?Self-efficacy is our overall belief in our ability to learn and succeed (Ackerman, 2019).?A growth mindset drives a higher desire to learn and achieve; the more we learn, the more our brains want to learn.?The better we perform in learning, the more we believe in our abilities to learn and succeed.?All students must accept that learning is a continual responsibility and a great joy of being human.

Point Two – Be Strategic.?Not all approaches to learning are effective and learners must adopt a strategic, deliberate approach to optimize time and effort. Establishing two to three realistic, achievable yet “stretch” goals is an effective strategy to reach larger learning targets.?These two to three goals help us to scaffold our learning to higher more difficult levels.?Each time we meet our goals, we will be more motivated to move forward to the next goal.?An additional part of this strategy is to identify challenges or “holes” in our knowledge, and then systematically file the hole through practice and repetition.?Practice time to overcome challenges and difficulties may hurt short term performance but will assist us in long-term learning, and practice is a good use of time.?Dr. Polk encourages students to use proven learning science strategies like spacing learning over time periods, challenging ourselves with stretch tasks beyond our current skills, interleaving learning with a variety of topics, and testing ourselves on learned material, will tend to make learning harder and produce better long term results and memory.

Point Three – Learn Actively. ?In the words of Dr. Polk (2018), “we learn better when we are actively engaged in processing information rather than passively encoding it.”?For example, several research studies dating back to Fowler and Barker (1974), show highlighting information in a book, or underlining information we think is important from lecture notes, or re-reading / re-listening to information like a lecture, has minimal impact on the retention of that information or success in tests and assessments.?While many students believe these practices are impactful, science tells us otherwise.?These strategies are passive approaches and detract us from active and successful strategies.?Active learning strategies include: generating explanations for material we read in a textbook or hear in a lecture; testing ourselves on material using flashcards; practicing problem solving like math calculations; developing key questions about the material we read in a text or listen to a lecture and then quiz ourselves on those questions; and apply the Cornell University note taking system to study material.?Whatever practices “force” us to engage with material will be more successful than passive approaches.?Finally, in the words of New York University neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki, (2015), “The best way to learn something deeply is to teach others about it.”?From personal experience, preparing to teach others forces me to actively engage with information and check my own understanding, or to find “holes” and fill them.?Preparing quiz material, tests, and study questions for students enhances my own understanding and motivates me to learn more and deeply.

Point Four – Consider the Source.?Identifying solid and reliable sources of research and / or scholarly based information that will challenge and engage us is a critical strategy to enhance and strengthen our neural networks.?Learning new and challenging information enhances cell growth in the section of our brain called the hippocampus and strengthens the connection of cells in surrounding areas of the cerebral cortex.?Learning makes our brains bigger and stronger, just as lifting weights strengthens muscles in our arms and shoulders.?In the internet age, we must consider the source, question the information, verify the qualifications of the provider, and consider the evidence that supports the research.?A healthy skepticism is a good measure to verify reliable sources of information.?Finally, seeking different points of view from our own helps us to learn and grow.?Engaging with different points of view will stretch our knowledge and make us better, more patient learners in the long term.

Point Five – Take Care. Dr. Polk tells us scientific research proves that taking care of our body protects our brains.?In particular, to optimize our learning, we need to stay active, eat right and sleep well.?Regarding staying active, we need to consider intellectual stimulation and physical movement.?Current research shows that engaging and challenging mental stimulation such as learning another language, practicing a musical instrument, or mastering a difficult hobby like painting of photography, improves brain function.?Stronger evidence exists that physical exercise, or whatever helps the heart, helps the brain.?Current research from the Mayo Clinic displays that 10,000 steps per day, and 30 minutes of cardio activity conducted five times per week, and 30-60 minutes of strengthening exercises completed two times per week, for the average adult, are optimal for a healthy heart and brain.?Regarding diet, research displays that a variant of the Mediterranean diet is most impactful for heart health and cognitive function.?Finally, a restful seven to eight hours of sleep per day, for most adults, improves brain function and protects brain health.

Summary. ?This article is a summary of some current neuroscience findings on learning, the brain and memory, highlighting U. Michigan’s Dr. Thad A. Polk and a holistic approach to optimize learning, brain health, and memory.?Recent scientific research uncovered significant findings about how we learn, how we may enhance brain health, and how we may improve cognitive function, memory and recall.?This research matters greatly to educators in terms of how we teach, how students learn, and how we may promote strategies for students to remember and retrieve information for long term success.

References:

Ackerman, C.E., (2019, March 7). What is Self-Efficacy in Psychology? Retrieved from: https://positivepsychology.com/self-efficacy/

Byrne, J.H., (2001, April 1). How Neuroscience Captured the Twenty-First Century’s First Nobel Prize. Retrieved from: https://www.dana.org/article/how-neuroscience-captured-the-twenty-first-centurys-first-nobel-prize/

Dweck, C. (2016, January 13). What Having a “Growth Mindset” Actually Means. Retrieved from: https://hbr.org/2016/01/what-having-a-growth-mindset-actually-means

Fowler, R. L., & Barker, A. S. (1974). Effectiveness of highlighting for retention of text material.?Journal of Applied Psychology,?59, 358–364.

Hardiman, M. (2012). The Brain Targeted Teaching Model. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Polk, T., (2018). The Learning Brain. Published by The Great Courses. Chantilly, VA: The Teaching Company.

Suzuki, W. (2015). Happy Brain, Happy Life. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.

The Learning Strategies Center. (2019). Cornell University. Retrieved from: https://lsc.cornell.edu/study-skills/cornell-note-taking-system/