You should respond to at least two of your peers by extending, refuting/correcting, or adding additional nuance to their posts.?Your reply posts are worth

Classical Conditioning & Brain, Cognitive, & Language Development

Read and watch the lecture resources & materials below early in the week to help you respond to the discussion questions and to complete your assignment(s).

(Note: The citations below are provided for your research convenience. Students should always cross-reference the current APA guide for correct styling of citations and references in their academic work.)

Read

· Durwin, C. C., & Reese-Weber, M. J. (2020).

· Chapter 5: Brain Development

· Chapter 6: Cognitive Development

· Chapter 7: Language Development

· Chapter 8: Behavioral Learning Theories

· Chapter 20: Intelligence and Giftedness

· Heller, R. (2018). What we know (and think we know) about the learning brain: An interview with Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa.  Phi Delta Kappan,  100(4), 24-30.

·  Kappan the learning brain.pdf

 

Watch

· The Little Albert Experiment (6:20) Johncheezy. (2010, June 1).  The Little Albert Experiment [Video].  YouTube.  The Little Albert Experiment

· The importance of bilingualism (4:02) Thechildrens. (2011, March 29).  The importance of bilingualism [Video]. YouTube. The Importance of Bilingualism

· Sarah-Jayne Blakemore: The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain (14:26) TED. (2012, September 17).  Sarah-Jayne Blakemore: The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain [Video]. YouTube.   Sarah-Jayne Blakemore: The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain

· Teaching matters: scaffolding (5:13) eMedia Workshop. (2012, September 17).  Teaching matters: scaffolding [Video]. YouTube.  Teaching Matters: Scaffolding

· Reply from Demario Chris Lee

· During Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa's interview regarding the learning brain, a critical principle that resonated with me was the significance of scaffolding in education. Scaffolding, a technique that assists students in acquiring new skills and concepts, gradually reduces support as they become more independent. This highlights the importance for teachers to customize their assistance based on the unique needs of each student, providing a more individualized education.

· Acknowledging the value of scaffolding transforms my teaching approach by encouraging me to incorporate more structured support in my lessons. When introducing complex ideas, I can deconstruct them into smaller, more manageable parts.  I could utilize modeling and guided practice, eventually allowing students to explore on their own. This method aligns with Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (1978) which posits that learners flourish when they receive support just beyond their current capabilities.

· A common misconception among educators is that intelligence is determined by genetics. This belief can hinder a teacher's effectiveness by discouraging differentiated instruction and overlooking potential growth in students. Research shows that intelligence is malleable and can be nurtured through effective teaching strategies and a supportive environment (Dweck, 2006).

· One key point from Figure 2 that I would emphasize is the importance of emotional safety in learning environments. According to Siegel (2012), fostering a safe and supportive atmosphere optimizes brain function and enhances learning. When students feel emotionally secure, they are more likely to engage deeply with the material, take risks in their learning, and achieve greater academic success.

· References Dweck, C. S. (2006).  Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House. Siegel, D. J. (2012).  The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are. Guilford Press. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978).  Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.

Reply from Brenda Gerald

It is one of the six mind, brain, and education (MBE) science principles that Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa points to: neuroplasticity, or adaptability, of the brain. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to reorganize itself through the creation of new neural networks over time. This flexibility becomes particularly strong in childhood and adolescence but remains during adulthood and affects learning and memory (Tokuhama-Espinosa, 2020). Neuroplasticity makes educational sense because we see that every student can develop. The lens makes educators want to cultivate the growth mindset, because a belief in the ability of students to acquire new skills and knowledge can have positive impacts on instruction and student learning (Dweck, 2006).

 

Neuroplasticity will guide my teaching and leadership as I try to ensure that all learners are allowed the opportunities to grow. For example, I will implement strategies focused on mastery learning where learners work at their own speed and attempt to absorb what they learn before proceeding. This fits with neuroplasticity because it constructs knowledge and skills in layers that reinforce brain connections (Sousa, 2016). Also, I’ll be working on fostering a spirit of improvement, where we show students, that new skills can be learned with practice and work. It would help to create resilience, perseverance, and better grades.

One of the most erroneous myths of education is that "learning styles" exist – that all children learn best if they learn according to their own learning style – for example, visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. Studies have indicated that addressing purported learning styles does not significantly improve student performance, yet this strategy is commonly employed by teachers (Pashler et al., 2009). A belief in learning styles could be a hindrance to a teacher’s effectiveness because they’ll often get caught up in trying to tweak lessons instead of trying to make sure everyone understands everything. This misguided idea can lead us away from more valuable practices — learning to think critically and using material in multiple contexts that help us build understanding.

 

The principle from Figure 2 is that emotions are important for learning, a view bolstered by findings that emotional experience increases cognitive processing. Emotion and learning, as Immordino-Yang and Damasio (2007) see it, are co-related, as emotional states trigger neural mechanisms to enable memory and interaction. Acknowledging this link will help teachers to incorporate emotionally charged content into their teaching, and foster emotionally nourishing classrooms, thereby increasing cognitive learning and retention.

 

 References

 

 Dweck, C. S. (2006).  Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House. 

 

Immordino-Yang, M. H., & Damasio, A. (2007).   We perceive, therefore we understand: The contribution of affective and social neuroscience to teaching. Mind, Brain, and Education, 1(1), 3-10 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-228X.2007.0004.x

 

Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2009).  Learning styles: Concepts and evidence.  Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 105-119 https://doi.org/10.1111/j1539-6053.2009.01038.x

 

 Sousa, D. A.  (2016).  How the Brain Learns.  Corwin Press. 

 

 Tokuhama-Espinosa, T. (2020).   What we know (and believe we know) about the learning brain: An interview with Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa. Module 3: Lecture Materials & Resources.