Brain Research #1

1. Educational decision-making can be informed by the combined scientific data in the areas of psychology, education and neuroscience. Brain science has contributed to the general understanding of the physiology of the brain. In this type of science, there are a variety of tools used that help scientists study the brain such as, PET scans, MRI’s and CAT scans. The structure and function of the brain is what allows for various activities to take place, each one different from the next. Neural pruning happens when the cerebral cortex weeds out unnecessary information and makes room for new information and energy. There are also many factors that affect brain development such as genetics, environment, plasticity, nutrition and teratogens. When one learns, their brain activity recognizes patterns and in turn becomes faster and more efficient at performing certain tasks.

Memory suggests that instruction is more likely to succeed if it is practiced and uses much attention and connections to patterns. Reading is the area with the highest degree of convergence between educational psychology and neuroscience. Emotion relates to learning and how brain research on emotions might be applicable to classroom practice.

2. The topic that surprised me the most is how our brain works when we are learning certain things and how certain brain cells learn to fire in unison and increases efficiency in the brain. This reading helped me to connect to previous learning experiences because when it talked about the various factors that affect our brain development such as nutrition and the environment that one learns in because I know that it’s hard for me to take in information if I haven’t eaten something or am in a loud, chaotic environment. I understood all of the information in this reading, mostly because I took many psychology classes in high school and know most of this basic information.

3. At birth, a process called “neural pruning” is in effect. This means that the cerebral cortex will focus its activities around regular and meaningful sounds within its environment and then will start weeding out neurons that are unnecessary. In this figure, it shows that as age increases so does the sensory data that is new to each individual. They are trying to master new skills that will eventually become automatic by adulthood. Extensive rewiring takes place between the ages of 3 and 6 and is focused on the areas of organization and focusing attention. The number of synaptic connections between neurons peak during early childhood.