Reflections on EDCI 7520

Bernard, S. (2010). Neuroplasticity: learning physically changes the brain. Edutopia. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/neuroscience-brain-based-learning-neuroplasticity Main Points: 1. Brains grow and change at any age, adapting to their environments. 2. Repetitive practice or access activates, organizes, and strengthens neural pathways and connections. 3. Neural pathways that aren't used are "pruned" or eliminated. 4. Making students aware of neuroplasticity positively impacts student achievement. 5. Ways to incorporate in the classroom: repetition, contextualize new information to tap into existing pathways, and teach students about how they can change their brains. Discussion: In my experience teaching high school, when students learn about neuroplasticity, it helps to encourage them to try to learn new things. Students feel less defeated, and more engaged in learning when I tell them about the relevance of our work. It also helps to support why we review and re...

Darling-Hammond, L., Rosso, J., Austin, K., Orcutt, S., & Martin, D. (2014). Session 1: How people learn: Introduction to learning theory. The Learning Classroom: Theory Into Practice. Annenberg Learner website, www. Learner.org/courses/learningclassroom/session_overviews/intro_home1. Html Main Points: 1. Learning is a continual and complex process, the heart of which is essential to the art of teaching.  2. Four major areas that impact learning are the learner, the environment, the process of teaching and learning, and the interactions of those factors which impact motivation. 3. It is imperative to understanding multiple intelligences of children as well as development.  4. Feelings, culture, and social aspects play important roles in the classroom learning environment.  5. The central ideas important to the process of learning are cognitive apprenticeship, metacognition, and transfer 6. Teaching requires constant reflection and adjustments on the part of the ...