Teach the Brain Forums

Ever since the paradigm shift in education to emphasize LEARNING, experiential education has moved to a different location on the scale of good.
It seems that the endorsements of the Universities and Colleges to Learning and expecially experiential education is no fluke. It always has been good...but since it didn't seem to have any real stamp of approval on it.....it just kind of floated in mid air. Now it is ... reaping rewards that were really identified years ago....but no mind, that is the way education goes....
URLs retrieved today August 14, 2005. [Experiential Learning]
Best,
Rob
URL: http://www.uop.edu/admission/academics/exp_learning.asp
URL: http://www.4hccsprojects.com/learn/weblinks.html

:o Experiential learning really comes in many forms, yet the learning is mostly hands on and full of involvement. I am reading the many forms of experiential learning and will share some with you. These urls were retrieved 8-14-05.

URL: http://www.insideoutscotland.com/basic.htm
URL: http://www.wilderdom.com/experiential/Ex...hatIs.html
Best,
Rob

Experiential learning comes in many different packages or forms or styles. But you will always recognize it because it is hand on learning and the interaction between you and the experience is real. I am looking at many different offerings in experiential learning. There are many and I will try to share them with you. Despite the wide variety of outdoor education programs, a unifying thread seems to be the facilitation of emotional growth and well-being. This is a great unifying and self-enhancement form of education. Being confident in ones ability if important. Dr. Ron Ritchhart wrote a very interesting and great book titled Intellectual character: What it is, why it matters, and how to get it. It gets into detail about learning dispositions and even has comparison model of learning dispositons. Ron Ritchhart is a Professor at Harvard University.
Best,
Rob

URL:http://www.casdn.neu.edu/sap/
URL:http://www.wilderdom.com/conferences.html
URL: http://www.aee.org/customer/pages.php?pageid=28

Thanks very much for these Rob.

THEORY:
Lave and Wengers' (1991) Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation discusses apprenticeship as a form of experiential learning. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who isn't yet familiar with it.

PRACTICE
An example of an experiential learning program at Harvard's graduate school of education:
http://www.isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do...b.page1019

All the best,
Christina

Hi Rob
You write that experiential learning can be recognised as hands on learning.
Though, I would suggest that it needs to be recognised as 'multi-sensory' learning. Where the key factor is the engagement of multiple senses in the activity of learning.
Crucially multi-sensory learning, supports greater memorisation and understanding.
Furthermore, this practical approach to learning, enables greater 'transferrance'.
So that learning can be more readily applied in 'different contexts'.
Essentially it is a merger of Theory and Practise.
Perhaps, 'Reality Education' might be a better terminology?
Or maybe 'Applied Education'?
At an 'emotional level', it also provides greater motivational potential.
Geoff

geodob Wrote:Hi Rob
You write that experiential learning can be recognised as hands on learning.
Though, I would suggest that it needs to be recognised as 'multi-sensory' learning. Where the key factor is the engagement of multiple senses in the activity of learning.
Crucially multi-sensory learning, supports greater memorisation and understanding.
Furthermore, this practical approach to learning, enables greater 'transferrance'.
So that learning can be more readily applied in 'different contexts'.
Essentially it is a merger of Theory and Practise.
Perhaps, 'Reality Education' might be a better terminology?
Or maybe 'Applied Education'?
At an 'emotional level', it also provides greater motivational potential.
Geoff

Hi Geoff, I kind of like multisensory approach, but I know it is that....like it...but isn't it more than a multisensory approach. I would like a name that compliments its full function if that is possible. We were chatting that it seems mostly a nondeclarative memory/learning...Maybe we should establish that first...because of the nonconsciousness of nondeclarative memory/learning....I will see what I can find.
Retrieved from the internet 8-18-05 GoVenture.net
URL: http://goventure.net/home.cfm

You are a good man, Charlie Brown. (Geoff)
Be well,
Rob

Experiential learning can take a lesson from the trusted involvement of sensory perception. It only makes sense [ no pun intended ] that our use of the five senses and proprioceptive senses along with our vesticular sytem are uniquely involved in experiential learning.....Since experiential learning requires great involvement, the act of bringing the world into the brain as forms of experiences is heightened....especially when we know or are beginning to know the extent of the sensory receptors that through varied transduction mechanisms that have been found in each of the major classes of sensory cells.

We need to take plenty of time to go over this in detail; it is great!
Best,
Rob

Hi Rob,
You wrote: I kind of like multisensory approach, but I know it is that....like it...but isn't it more than a multisensory approach. I would like a name that compliments its full function if that is possible. We were chatting that it seems mostly a nondeclarative memory/learning...Maybe we should establish that first...because of the nonconsciousness of nondeclarative memory/learning....I will see what I can find.

Which caused me to recognise the Non-Declarative neural processes that support our Sensory usage.
We are not born with fully functioning senses, where we in fact learn how to use them? Where we develop control through non-declarative learning.
Though within any classroom, a majority of students with a learning difficulty, actually have a particular sense\s dysfunction?
Where in turn, often the dysfunction is a result of having acquired ineffective non-declarative techniques for sensory usage.
The synchronisation of the left and right sides of the body and brain, with separated senses on each side is a problematic area?
Which requires learning/developing of lateral synchronisation so that it is able to be used in an automatic\ non-declarative manner.
Though given that this is initially 'learnt', their is considerable potential for some ineffective lateral developmental learning to have occurred as this non-declarative foundation is established.
For example, it is not uncommon with hearing, to have a 20 milli-second time delay between the left and right ears. Which makes listening to speech most difficult. So that language and literacy development is seriously impeded.
Left and right eye synchronisation is another common problem.
As is left-right body/motor skills coordination. Where proprioception and/or vestibular sensory control is implicated.
Sensory Hyper-Sensitivity is also another notable problem area.
You might not know that we all have a Volume control for our hearing?
Where some people have it turned on Full, all of the time!
I could also list more examples.
Though my basic point, is that these 'Disorders', are in fact, all occurring as a result of a Non-Declarative dysfunction.
But most crucially, this is a 'Learnt' dysfunction, which can be 'Re-Learnt'!
It is not a problem with the Brain, but not having learnt how to use it most effectively.
Having assisted people relearn and overcome the above- mentioned problems, I can attest to the validity of this proposition.

Though Rob, the crucial issue that you made me realise, is that these and many other developmental learning disorders.
In fact come under the single banner of a Non-Declarative Dysfunction.
Which vitally, are Learnt Dysfunctions!
That can be Re-Learnt!
As a result, I am now considering writing a 'paper' proposing the introduction of a comprehensive Non-Declarative Learning component into Childhood Education.
I might also suggest that this could be a simpler way for Teachers to understand many of their Student's Learning Disorders?
Forgive my carrying on, though this is a bit of a revelation for me, which has got me rather excited?
Geoff.

How does one evaluate an experiential learning...Interesting URL retrieved 8-24-05.
Best,
Rob

URL: http://www.ericdigests.org/1995-2/improving.htm

Great URL retrieve August 24,2005 from the internet....
Good read, but carefully absorb....
Best,
Rob

URL: http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/ate/tlc/cda/experiential.htm

Experiential learning in a nutshell.....good url, retrieved 8-26-05 Experiential Learning....URL:http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/ate/tlc/cda/experiential.htm [SCROLL TO THE END OF THE PAGE AND YOU WILL FIND A POWERPOINT HYPERLINK.....THIS IS THE AREA TO BE LOOKING A TODAY ALONG WITH THE EXISTING PAGE.

Be well,
Rob

Experiential learning is really very interesting and important. It seems that we have for some reason not responded well to any University or College course work that was not held on campus. I mean on campus. You could be holding the same class in a store front but the stigma of not being on a campus held firm for many decades.
Very excellent and comprehensive URL retieved August 28, 2005 from the internet...Experiential learning.
URL: http://reviewing.co.uk/research/learning...s.htm#more

Best,
Rob

URL retrieved 8-29-05 from the internet....Carl Rogers says no to cognitive learning??????????

URL: http://tip.psychology.org/rogers.html
Be well,
Rob

Well if you take a good look at the way our sensory system sort of takes over [in a manner of speaking] the environment, it would be hard to not select experiential learning as the most efficacious in terms of mixing with the environment and mixing first person with experience. Can you imagine the transduction of the physical environment and the potentially rich sources of sensory information. Experiential learning is just there to be transduced into neural code and then connected in most cases to the central nervous system [ spinal cord ]. The transduction of the environment and outside experience does not just happen. It takes sensory receptors [touch] and afferent neurons to help make this happen....and due to the neuron theory it will usually take about three afferent sensory neurons to make it all the way to the cerebral cortex. Again meeting synapases along the way that must carry the neural code with skill; approaching the thalamus and then deciding whether it needs an urgent side trip to the amygdala for close scrunity of fear and emotion or straight from the thalamus to the cerebral cortex and maybe just maybe the long trip to the amygdala.

These things don't just happen! Even though my words might not express it well,it really is amazing. I know that this is just the tip of the neural code and other more sophisticated higher learning, but I am impress with how experiential learning is so highly correlated to the sensory system. Those five senses and more that we learned in first grade really do something "big time".
Be well,
Rob

This is worth a second look...
URL: http://www.wilderdom.com/experiential/Ex...hatIs.html
Be well,
Rob

I was listening to a CD the other day with a transcript of that CD in my hands. It is called the Top 10 Discoveries: Refering to the decade of the Brain; The Infinite Mind...Dr. Fred Goodwin.
One discovery in which I was mostly interested was the TPA or Tissue Plasminogen Activator. It seems to stop pernicious action "by a stroke" if it can be administered at a hospital within 2 or 3 hours after the onset of the stroke. The claim is 50% recovery where without the TPA it is about 30%.

A most interesting feature of TPA is that it is only administered at the hospitals and only if you are first tested for eligible to receive TPA according to your physcial condition.....and that only approximently 10% of the hospitals in the United States offer the TPA injection. It seems that the increase of lives saved to 50% does not warrant the risks involved.
Best,
Rob

The Infinite Mind with Dr. Fred Goodwin was discussing the Top ten discoveries ...refering to the decade of the brain as my previous message noted. He also mentioned another of the Ten top.....and that is our technology that has become functional such as the (f)MRI and PET....we are now leading toward not only noninvasive view of the brain as a picture...but we are now seeing it funtionally with movement that can detect many potential problems. The cost of this equipment is tremendous, but worth it.
We are closing in on Parkinson's disease viewing...however it may not tell us enough yet...this disease which is a dying of the dopaminergic neurons circa substantia nigra. Clinically it is very difficult to diagnose until about 80% of the dopaminergic neurons have died....

In applying this to education, we see it as too expensive at this point to be use other than for special needs. The trend will be functional but relying on electric type curcuits. Our brain does give off enough electricity to light a flash light. I am really looking at new tech.
Best,
Rob

This is a long but good read. It covers a great deal about experiential learning plus other learning styles.....You will enjoy the graphs....hands on....is very high with students. URL retrieved from the internet on September 14, 2005.
URL: http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/reportls.htm
Be well,
Rob

Hi, my lunch and chat with Dr. Larry Squire from the University of California at San Diego was extremely positive. This leads me to his research which is essentially experiential . He really likes experiential learning and we discussed this for awhile. Now I am going to continue with this thread but place interenting thoughts about synapses. We cannot learn or remember or be involved in experiential learning to any large extent without functioning neurons.

A Synapse In The Brain Is Really IMPORTANT.Since the neuron theory evinces that each neuron be separated by each and every other neuron by a synapse or space between each neuron, we must question the degree of communication deficits that can happen and do happen to adults and children right at the area surrounding the synapse. One of the very earliest synaptic disease is called myasthenia gravis (where nerves stimulate nerve plates).

I aways thought that Parkinson's disease was due to so many dopaminergic nerves that died in the substantia nigra...well actually I am right but Parkinson's is also being referred to as a synaptic disease. Rapport, M.D., R. Nerve Endings: The discovery of the synapse: The quest to find how brain cells communicate [2005] Pg. 199.

...and now that we think clearly about the synapse and that is present throughout the body...it is truly remarkable that we have so few communication disorders. But that is not true either, we have many communcation disorders labeled under a myriad of other diseases. The synapse is very special and will need to be studied in greater depth.
Be well,
Rob

It seems to me that we can have too much behind the book and sit in the classroom experience unless that experience and those items read are commensurate with what you are caring about. I remember being asked to speak at one of the doctorate classes while I was pursuing my doctorate. This was a different concentration than I was pursuing, but I had a great amount of first hand experiential learning and knowledge. They asked me to speak on Zambia and the educational system there. I waited patiently before being introduced....roll was taken...the long way....and the announcements relating to "nothing" that I could see that was important took an exhaustive amount of time. I was watching students who had mortgaged their home to be sitting in this program.
Anyway I gave my talk and answered questions...then a question came that was right on the mark. This was a comparative education class and the person wanted to know the best way to learn about Zambia. I hesitated because I really did know the best way to learn about Zambia...so being impolitic I said. "It would cost you the same amount of money to go to Zambia and really learn as it is costing you to take this class and learn vicariously." Now that was really dumb of me to say...but true. It was impolitic because the instructor became upset and the students did not react with disdain.

So there has to be a happy medium...you cannot just travel all over the world and you probably should take that expensive class from someone who has never been there. Actually you had better take the class if you wanted to earn your doctorate. Vicarious learning is ok...if that is the best we can do. We can learn to swim on the land...but never go into the water and get wet. When I completed my doctorate, I realize that I knew less about current events than the day I arrived. I was so consummed with learning those materials presented to me and keeping a good GPA that I completely ignored the outside world. Now that was really dumb. But we spend too much time at tasks that could better be learned first hand or even on our own.

Making the school day and school year longer is not going to cut it. The teachers are wiped out and the kids are spending more time in their desks. I believe in one-to-one learning for the sake of learning in-depth. Well, I think that educational reform must be sure that the ladder is against the correct wall before the long climb. We should probably begin life with retirement and once we have really learned something then teach it.
Be well,
Rob

Hi rob

Experiential Learning...

I love your example of learning about Zambia

4 four using the abacus is Experiential Learning...

why do we deny it, my god Maria Montessori

spent her whole life developing simple Experiential Learning... TOOLS

FOR 4 FOUR AND OLDER, this did not mean she was unaware of Experiential Learning...(in the end it is all we rely on) but she was committed to providing the tools (the basic working brain) where it was most needed.

The first basic abacus was provided by the human body, we still have five fingers on each hand together they make the basis of the decimal system
our natural counting ability is finger line to five, the brain in vision works 5 and whatever.

Our early numerals are new, only a thousand years old there are examples in Egyptian signs of abacus awareness four thousand years before that.

So with thousand year old new numbers (ten symbols now universal) and Nicholson’s counter (seven years old) we can provide every child on earth with the opportunity of an Experiential Learning... experience that will embed basic mental arithmetic ability into the mind of every healthy child (normal) and many who have problems.

We do not need a trained teacher or a special building called a school we just need to be aware of it, it is pure Experiential Learning...
4 a four year old.

we give explanation to each other in words, we all teach we all learn we all think

what is perfect we should adopt

but we can not see inside each others head nor are we scraching the the surface of knowledge transfer we are most concious of what we hear then we are of what we see,

the neuro linguistic spelling gives a basic awareness of this,

just a chink of light

Good morning,

Experiential learning may be the answer for many of us who really learn by 'hands on learning' and by being totally involved in a subject or project. If we think carefully about totally involvement and the positive effects that it has on the neural substrates, it cannot help but be a tour de force in styles or ways of learning.

Just think of the sensory system and how it is positively activated with all of the experience and experiential learning taking place...the signalling and the receptors must be hard at work keeping up with the transducing of new/ soon to be prior knowledge making its way to central nervous system and fullfilling all of the synaptic requirements to move information from neuron(s) to neuron(s).
Very exciting ...
Best,
Rob

Hi...Probably the best book that I have ever read on experiential learning is: Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development by David A. Kolb. [ISBN: 0-13-295261-0] 1984.
I almost did not purchase this text because (1) expensive, (2) Copyright 1984 .....I purchased the book and it is now one of the prized possessions of my professional library. You will be glad you read this book.
Best,
Rob

Hi....Should every student learn with experiential means? Yes, I believe so. If you are able to provide an environment, rich with the wonders of the world, and affluent in books and pictures and travel...I suggest that is a GREAT way to learn...and remember we are learning through our sensory system and our cognitive system. We have found this true with rats and other such species...yet they don't read books....The best tread mills, food and relaxation and genuine positive stimulation cannot but help.

Remember the neurologically typical child (NT) and the special needs child have the same basic needs...

Special needs children especially need an environment that is VERY RICH with experiential learning. They are no different. It just takes them a while to process the information and cognition to take over. Very exciting.
Best,
Rob

As I have mentioned experiential learning is one of my favorite. I must not leave without mentioning that experiential learning is so efficacious that a person sometimes wants to be totally involved in something potentially damaging to experience the feeling. As good as experiential learning is, as a sensory or neurobiological substrate, it can be really harmful to apply experiential learning to drugs, or addictive pernicious habits etc...."You don't want to learn something so well that you can explain what it feel like to experience severe pain by hurting yourself"[Point made].
Best,
Rob