A longtime educational consultant and executive based in Columbia, MO, Willy Wood offers a variety of workshops and training seminars on instructional and class management techniques for educators. At his speaking engagements, Willy Wood draws on concepts from cognitive psychology and neuroscience to explain how students learn.
When it comes to brain-based learning, there are a number of myths that still linger in the public consciousness. Here are three common misconceptions about the brain and learning.
-We only use 10 percent of our brains: This alluring claim, which implies that humans may have a way to unlock immense cognitive potential, is categorically false. In fact, recent brain imaging research suggests that no part of a healthy brain is entirely inactive.
-Left-brained vs. right-brained: While the left and right sides of the brain are responsible for different cognitive functions, there is no evidence that certain personality types favor one side over the other.
-You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Until somewhat recently, prevailing knowledge held that people’s brains became static and unchanged after reaching a certain age. However, research suggests that the brain continues to change over the course of a person’s life, enabling learning and new memory formation.
When it comes to brain-based learning, there are a number of myths that still linger in the public consciousness. Here are three common misconceptions about the brain and learning.
-We only use 10 percent of our brains: This alluring claim, which implies that humans may have a way to unlock immense cognitive potential, is categorically false. In fact, recent brain imaging research suggests that no part of a healthy brain is entirely inactive.
-Left-brained vs. right-brained: While the left and right sides of the brain are responsible for different cognitive functions, there is no evidence that certain personality types favor one side over the other.
-You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Until somewhat recently, prevailing knowledge held that people’s brains became static and unchanged after reaching a certain age. However, research suggests that the brain continues to change over the course of a person’s life, enabling learning and new memory formation.