We have received the following question:
Is the Brain research group doing studies on the differences in learning online and in face to face environments?
Our answer:
We are not aware of any specific brain studies looking at the differences between e-learning and face to face. This is a most interesting suggestion. In the this phase of our project we are not conducting any research ourselves, but rather reviewing the potential implications of recent research findings into education. In a next phase of our project we are aiming to lead cross-cultural practise based research. As we are working towards compiling a research agenda such a suggestion and others of this nature from the education community would be most welcome for us.
I would like to present a new perspective on the "differences between e-learning and face to face." The indicated dichotomy is induced by companies trying to sell a new technology which is usually proprietary. I believe that there is an overlooked situation of e-learning *and* face to face. I was working with a student with a learning problem. I wanted to better understand what his brain was doing and this required collection of large amounts of data. I wrote a set of Perl programs to handle the situation. The software generated web pages which were sent to a teacher-student combination. The pages collected information that was then sent back for storage and later analysis. The system served its purpose and the student developed beyond levels expected by education experts.
My question is "May we expand the scope of discussion to include this additional concept of technology application."
Thank you for this interesting contribution. We welcome this discussion thread, particularly as many brain welcome this discussion thread, particularly as many cognitive learning tools are designed to work on computer interface. However, it is true that many are commercially based and falsely claim to be "brain based" to serve as a selling point. What kind of learning problem did your student have for which you designed this program? Can you for which you designed this program? Can you describe in more detail how it Can you describe in more detail how it works. Is your program available to share with others?
Thank you for your interest in what I had done. I did this about five years ago. I was working with a student whom we found was linguistically blind. The formal education system tried to force him into phonics which his brain could not see. I had done some ad hoc tests to see that other aspects of vision and cognition were functioning. We then decided that words were all pictures or site words to him. We also noticed that if he did not have meaning for a word then he could not read it. It was also interesting that he did not realize that there were such things as signs and street signs. Apparently the lack of meaning of words and the inability to see words made signs passive to him. He was so proud when he realized that streets had names and signs with those names and that he could read them.
We soon found that he had a growing vocabulary. The question was whether he could acquire a vocabulary and if so how fast. The program would present word lists and the teacher would determine if he could read the word and if he understood the word. Originally we wanted to acquire these two facts on separate screens, however, he acquired the words so fast we had to rewrite the program and acquire both at the same time. The data collected allowed us to determine retention, acquisition rate, and how these are affected by word structure.
The system has been disassembled however I believe I still have the pieces as I intended to go to a new version. I had hoped to cooperate with others in the development of these ideas but until this site and your inquirery I have not had the opportunity to discuss the matter. Everyone whom I had tried to discuss the matter with was so caught up in oppressive regulation and testing requirements and other systematic difficulties that they could not hear what I wanted to say.
i am intrested in slow developers
any child who can speak normally and see clearly and who can recognise the letter a and the number 1 must be capable of normal education given that it is being taught correctly. correctlly for some children has to have some latitude it is vital to ongoing research that where a child has excessive and persitant problems that the childs progress under regimes is studied.
where i use the term whole brain teaching i mean using tecniques that combine all posible senses being brought to bare, mini step by mini step
in basic skill establishment.
carry on your good work karldw