Brain Based Learning

So, you’ve finally set up a LinkedIn profile, figured out Twitter, and decided whether or not you’re going to friend your students on Facebook (you’re not – right???). Now Google+ has joined the picture, and there’s yet another social media platform to learn. Is it worth the effort? What does Google+ have to offer an educational institution (or any non-profit organization)?
I see two potential uses for Google+ when it comes to education (and non-profit organizations in general):

Video conferencing is still in it’s infancy. Trying to lead a group chat via …

In an Educause article from 2008 Chris Dede, the Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, proposes that there has been “A Seismic Shift in Epistemology” since the introduction of the collaborative, user generated online communities called Web 2.0.
Originally, websites were simply informational sites published by one user for readers to see and enjoy but not contribute to. In a new take on an old medium websites were books and papers published online instead of in print. With the introduction of web 2.0 …

A recent article in the NY Times discusses the differences in childrens’ behavior depending on the timing of  recess and lunch. It seems obvious, but apparently if they eat and then run out to play they rush through lunch, not necessarily finishing all their food, and many feel nauseous during recess and don’t run around as much as they’d like. This also impacts on how they feel and learn the rest of the afternoon.
The article suggests letting students have recess first and then come in for lunch. Apparently, in schools …

Science News reported Sunday that researchers were able to grow neurons from embryonic stem cells that successfully connected with existing brain cells in newborn animals. Directing stem cells to grow into a specific kind of cell, in this case brain cells, is only the first step. Confirming that they can indeed be integrated into the organ they are meant to heal is another major hurdle that apparently has just been passed, at least on a preliminary level.
The next step is to extend this success to mature animals, and then to …

So here’s an article that pretty much contradicts my last post – http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/instant_mentor/weir7
In it Rob Weir argues that older students tend to be more successful than younger ones and complete more online courses than his younger students, despite less familiarity with the technology. He claims that younger students love the idea of learning online but often drop out before the end of a course. Older students, in his opinion, are more self-motivated and better organized.
While statistics seem to bear out his conclusion, a closer look is warranted. This seems like …

One of the hardest things about distance e-learning is trying to stay focused and motivated when sitting alone in front of a computer. There are several factors that can determine whether distance learning is appropriate for a particular student, including self motivation, ability to filter out distractions, and strong reading comprehension, among other skills. But there is no doubt that for many people the isolating feeling of staring at a computer screen can be a big turn off.
The leading factor in not completing an online program for many people is …