The Benefits of a Brain-Compatible Education

Elizabeth Phillips
Ashford University
EDU 417: Cognitive Studies Capstone
Instructor: Joanna Savarese-Levine
August 10, 2015
Image retrieved from: Google Images

PURPOSE
The purpose of this presentation is to inform, guide, and provide my
professional viewpoint on brain-compatible instruction and the benefits
that it will provide to your child's education.

Image retrieved from: Google Images

WHO AM I?
My name is Elizabeth Phillips and I am a mother of a beautiful five year
old boy named Caeden.

I grew up in San Diego, California and reside in this beautiful city. I

currently work in higher education where I am in Student Services.

My son is currently in first grade and is learning how to read. This is

one of my favorite moments with him right now. The moments I get to
spend one-on-one time with him are the moments I cherish.

I am intrigued with the development of the brain, specifically the

cranial nervous system, and how it correlates with cognitive functions. I
hope to eventually be working on the clinical side of Child Psychology
specializing in research and development for children with development
delays.

Through this growth and exploration I get to experience with my son

and his education, I have found through research and development that
children benefit most from brain-based and brain-compatible
education.

I have learned through my studies in Cognitive Studies that brain-based

and brain-compatible learning is essential in the learning processes.
Everyone does learn and through brain-compatible education, the
learning journey engages the whole physiology. Brain-compatible
learning is innate and meaning comes from patterning which are based
around emotions, attention and peripheral perception, conscious and
unconscious processes, and considers that each brain is unique.

WHO AM I?

WHAT IS BRAIN-COMPATIBLE
LEARNING?
Brain-Compatible

Learning

First

you must understand the relationship between psychology,

neuroscience, and education.

Once

understood then we are able to process and apply an understanding

of how the human mind works and the behaviors associated with it.

Offers

a way to approach all learners

Focuses

on intelligences and learning styles

Brain-compatible

learning principles should be applied to all classrooms.

There

have been many advances in neuroscience over the past thirty years
that have made it possible to understand the processes in brain functioning
the have led to brain-compatible education.

Information

that is flowing in from neuroscience can provide more

information for decisions that we make in our classroom.

Physical

activity inside and outside of the classroom.

WHY IS BRAIN-COMPATIBLE
LEARNING ESSENTIAL?
Human brain physically changes when it
learns.
The brain functions best.
Engagement, strategies, and principles

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TRADITIONAL LEARNING
VS.
BRAIN-COMPATIBLE LEARNING
Traditional

Brain-Compatible

Back-to-Basics

Conventional
Note Taking

Lecturing

Emotions
Intelligences

Learning Styles

Mind and Brain

Google Images retrieved from: Google Images

VS.
BRAIN-COMPATIBLE LEARNING
ACTIVITIES
Brain-Compatible

Traditional

Music

Story Telling

Technology

Games

Discussions

Reading

Essay Writing

Phonics

Testing

Google Images retrieved from: Google Images

Environmental and Chemical Factors.pptx

Google Images retrieved from: Google Images

A child's social environment and neurochemicals

impact their behavior, emotions, willingness to learn,
sleeping, and overall well-being. It is our
responsibility as parents and educators to help
influence and created positive behaviors and
environments through modeling influences and
behaviors, creating stress free environments, and
creating engaging curriculum. Through positive
interactions, influences, and environments, a child's
learning experience will be successful.
WHY IT IMPACTS
LEARNING?

Images retrieved from: Google Images

HOW STUDENTS LEARN

Students learn by processing and retaining information through using

the information-processing model.

The Role of Emotion

The Role of Retention

Image retrieved from: Google Images

INFORMATION-PROCESSING MODEL
USING THE INFORMATION PROCESSING APPROACH IN THE CLASSROOM
Principle

Example

Gain the students' attention.

Use cues to signal when you are ready to begin.

Move around the room and use voice inflections.

Bring to mind relevant prior learning.

Review previous day's lesson.

Have a discussion about previously covered content.

Point out important information.

Provide handouts.
Write on the board or use transparencies.

Present information in an organized

manner.

Show a logical sequence to concepts and skills.

Go from simple to complex when presenting new material.

Show students how to categorize

(chunk) related information.

Present information in categories.

Teach inductive reasoning.

Provide opportunities for students to

elaborate on new information.

Connect new information to something already known.

Look for similarities and differences among concepts.

Show students how to use coding when Make up silly sentence with first letter of each word in the list.
Use mental imagery techniques such as the keyword method.
memorizing lists.

Provide for repetition of learning.

State important principles several times in different ways during presentation of

information (STM).
Have items on each day's lesson from previous lesson (LTM).
Schedule periodic reviews of previously learned concepts and skills (LTM).

Provide opportunities for overlearning

of fundamental concepts and skills.

Use daily drills for arithmetic facts.

Play form of trivial pursuit with content related to class.
Information retrieved from (Huitt, 2003).

HOW TO IMPLEMENT
BRAIN-COMPATIBLE TECHNIQUES
How to implement?
1. Safe environment
2. Use emotions as effective tools
3. Enforce multisensory practices that make sense
4. Differentiated teaching practice is supportive
5. Special needs are met through planning
6. Bring forth sense and meaning because it is essential
Important to future education.
This is important to future education because it ensures the student are
enjoying their education journey, which then enhances their learning
experience. This provides a meaningful learning experience for the
student that encompasses all of their needs and wants. When the brain
becomes the focus of education, student become successful problem
solvers while able to take on new challenges that await.

Image retrieved from: Google Images

Educational games are an extremely effective in the

classroom. They are productive in the way of reinforcing
concepts that have been learned in the classroom.
Especially with todays advancements in technology,
children love games and are always interested in learning
more from these games. Learning situations that are ideal
provide opportunities for involvement and feedback
(Sherry, 2013). Recent studies in neuroscience show that
adding an element of chance and risk to classroom
learning games can have a positive influence on learning,
(Sherry, 2013). Educational games can be altered and do
cater to different learning styles which provide an
incentive to win, which is exciting to children.

These are examples of activities catered

around technology that help support
brain-compatible learning.
http
://www.brainrush.com/lesson/ou
r-senses#sthash.1VPneo6H
http://www.tickettoread.com/

LESSON PLAN &

BRAIN RUSH
Week 4 Assignment 1 EDU 417.docx
The lesson plan created is designed to support braincompatible learning. The lesson plan creates a richstimulating environment, allows space for group learning,
establishes a bigger purpose, is a safe environment, has all
resources available, flexible, and establishes active and
passive learning spaces (Lackney, n.d.).

NOW THAT YOU KNOW!

Through careful planning, knowledge of
neuroscience and the relationship with psychology
and education, and creativity, we can help support a
educational environment that can offer engaging,
brain-compatible activities that encourage learning.
Your student will become a successful learner and
successful problem solver while looking at future
challenging education endeavors as an exciting
adventure.

REFERENCE
Abbott, S. (2014). The glossary of education reform. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/hidden-curriculum
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Huitt, W. (2003).The information processing approach to cognition. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from
http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cognition/infoproc.html
Jensen, E. P. (2008, October 1).A fresh look at brain-based education. Florida Association of School Administrators. Retrieved from
http://www.fasa.net/upload_documents/neuroplasticity10.29.pdf
Lackney, J. A. (n.d.).12 Design principles based on brain-based learning research. Design Share. Retrieved from
http://www.designshare.com/Research/BrainBasedLearn98.htm
Psychology Majors. (2013). What is psychology: The study of the human mind. Retrieved from http://www.psychologymajors.com/psychology-the-study-of-the-human-mind
Psychology Today. (2015). Neuroscience. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/neuroscience
Schiller, P. & Willis, C. (2008). Using Brain-Based Teaching Strategies to Create Supportive Early Childhood Environments That Address Learning Standards. Retrieved
from http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200807/BTJPrimaryInterest.pdf
Sherry, R. (2013). Student Response to Risk in the Classroom Learning Games. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal 17.4 Received from
http://search.proquest.com/openview/1531d28cc1385442eab75aef7c88b2f2/1?pq-origsite=gscholar
Traditional education. (2015). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Traditional_education&oldid=669435107
Willis, J. (2011). A Neurologist Makes the Case for the Video Game Model as a Learning Tool. Retrieved from
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/neurologist-makes-case-video-game-model-learning-tool