Week 1: Brain and Flashcards
(19 cards)
What does the Science of Learning (SOL) focus on?
Broad focuses: memory/attention, social devlopment, motivation, human interactions.
what does the ‘science’ in SOL look like?
experiments, studying correlations, person-centered analysis
Why does SOL matter?
helps assess new research in educational spheres, helps troubleshoot issues, helps select teaching approaches.
What is a neuron?
signalling unit of brain, creates interconnected networks.
how does the brain communicate?
Action potential: electro chemical signals travelling along body of neuron, and the release of neurotransmitter molecules
what are the three main parts of the brain
Cerebral cortex, limbic/paralimbic system, cerebellum.
what does the limbic/paralimbic system do?
integrates and relays information across brain; Amygdyla: emotional expressions, Hippocampus: memory consolidation.
What are the four lobes of the Cerebral cortex + remaining areas?
Frontal lobe = Neural signals which affect movement
Temporal lobe = auditory input/output
Parietal Lobe = sensory cortex, critical for attention
Occipital lobe = visual cortex
Assosiation cortex = uses info from all cortecies to do complex functions
what does neural development look like in learning?
building neural pathways/strengthening them for entire life.
what are factors effecting brain development
trauma, drugs, hormones, diversity of stimuli, injuries
what occurs in synaptogenis and what age group is affected?
early childhood, expansion of synaptic connections
what occurs in synaptic pruning and what age group is affected?
early childhood, fine tuning of neuron connections; ‘use it or lose it’.
where is neurogeneis most common?
hippocampus
How does puberty effect adolescant neurodevelopment?
hormones, and increasing of synaptic connections and pruning results in impulsivity issues, preference for reward, more risk-taking behaviour.
what is plasticity?
CNS adapting to environment or injury through chemical/physical change.
What is the relationship between the brain and learning?
leads to memory formation (encoding, storage, retrieval), modifications to synaptic connections, encode patterns of neural connectivity.
What does Hebbs’ law state?
“Neurons that fire together, wire together.”
If two neurons are activated at the same time, the connection between them is strengthened. Over time, this repeated activation makes it more likely that activation of one neuron will activate the other. This is believed to be a basic mechanism underlying learning and memory.
List the movement of neurotransmitters throughout the brain
axon to dendrite
The association cortex that tends to be of most interest in education is:
The prefrontal cortex
