Over the last decade, neuroscientists have learned more about how the brain works than at any other period in human history, as new technologies have enabled us literally to see the brain in action.
This new body of research has reshaped our understanding of how children learn, and how we might redesign both the school day and our learning environments.
Interest in the practical, classroom applications of neuroscience is growing locally, nationally and internationally. Recently, I was invited to the Soong Ching Ling Schools in Shanghai, China, to help them explore how their new middle school might reflect the latest neuroscience, sharing what Punahou School has pioneered with its Omidyar K1 Neighborhood and its Case Middle School. The Soong Ching Ling educators’ interest underscores how current brain research signals a new frontier in education; it also highlights Hawaii’s role in promoting the conversation among schools in the U.S. and Asia.
This June, 400 teachers from public and private schools across Hawaii and the nation, and from schools in China and Bali, convened for Punahou’s third annual Brain Symposium, keynoted by Dr. John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist and author of the best-selling book "Brain Rules." Medina opened with a neurological fact that has significant implications for the environments in which children learn.
"Humans are natural explorers," he said, "and our brains are wired to solve problems related to survival in an outdoor setting under unstable conditions, and to do so in near constant motion."
This raises important questions for educators: Are the sedentary conditions of the typical classroom compatible with basic human neurology? Are students regularly engaged in challenging, meaningful and highly interactive problem solving that leverages the brain’s natural capacities? Complementing Medina’s talks, 40 workshops with practitioners ranging from pediatric neurologists and child psychologists to art and movement instructors, explored the educational applications of neuroscience.
For example, Medina talked about movement as an essential ingredient of memory, priming the brain for learning at the molecular and biological levels. The neurological benefits of exercise linger for 2.5 hours, suggesting that interspersing movement throughout the school day can improve academic performance. Instead of seeing PE as a purely recreational activity, what would happen to student learning if schools integrated regular exercise into children’s daily schedules?
The brain is not like a computer hard drive, which stores inputs of new information. Normally, we lose 90 percent of new learning within 60 minutes if it’s not used or repeated. The brain responds better when learning is recursive. In order for new information to be transferred to long-term memory, it needs to be repeated at regular intervals. Medina recommends that educators break information into 20-minute chunks that students are exposed to again within a two-hour cycle. While this poses challenges for how schools typically schedule classes, it also opens creative opportunities for educators to reorganize teaching blocks.
Learning improves when instruction is interdisciplinary, cognitively challenging and incorporates the arts and movement — put simply, neurons that "fire together, wire together." Place also factors into retention, as we’re more likely to recall something within the setting where the learning occurred. Though our sense of sight is dominant, "the more senses you can stimulate at the moment of learning," the more permanent learning becomes.
Advances in neuroscience hold exciting new implications for teachers, students and schools. Recognizing that teaching is an art form shaped by theory and practice, the neurology of learning promises to lead to teaching practices that are more compatible with how humans are wired to learn. Furthermore, as Hawaii schools begin to incorporate these findings into instructional practice, teachers can play a central role in promoting educational innovation here and abroad.
