Online Resources about the Brain and Learning

The internet is full of invaluable resources for the instructional designer. Digging into some resources to find real treasures can seem overwhelming, however I’ve compiled a few that I think do a great job in helping us understand the brain and learning, information processing theories and problem solving methods during the learning process.

1. Neuroscience and the Classroom 

This site offers a free course including videos, visuals and interactives that help break down the art and science of teaching from a neuroscience perspective. The principles discussed can be applied to learners of any age. I appreciated the connections presented among emotion, thinking, learning and memory. Much of the information presented debunks popular theories such as the left-right learner, and those of different learning styles. My favorite was unit 4 entitled “Different Learners, Different Minds”.  I appreciated that it focused on looking at learners’ strengths and weaknesses and the context in which we must solve problems.  What could be considered a weakness in one context can be a strength in another.  It is through the great collaboration between scientists, educational researchers and teachers that instruction can reach an entirely new level. I look forward to looking back at this site for additional workshops such as this one.

2. Five Minute Film Festival 

If you have a short attention span like me (and most of us in this day and age really) you would greatly appreciate the five minute festival presented on this site. The entire series is a collection of youtube videos celebrating the brain. My favorite film was “Born to Learn” which helped me see the importance of activating certain learning processes at critical junctures in life. This was emphasized in Chapter 2 of Learning Theories and Instruction, which discusses the development of the brain. It stated “the timing of environmental stimulation (or lack thereof) makes a considerable difference” in the development of certain functions or skills. It cited the example of a kitten who had its eye sown shut for the first three months of life. As a result, it remained functionally blind in that eye throughout life. The film discussed the critical period of learning language during the first 8 years of life.  For adult learners, which most instructional designers cater to, we must take advantage of the abstract thinking that can occur in adulthood versus childhood. Regardless, making connections in the brains our learners is the goal. This “festival” also gave me a great idea to use in designing future content to present to learners. I think this type of format not only helps learners pace themselves, but gives a lot of instruction in a little package.

3. Problem Solving and Metacognition in Education and Life

This final website is a mess of information (and I mean that quite literally, it is difficult to navigate through). However, it is a treasure trove of design principles, learning strategies and tutorials. I loved all the flowcharts created to simulate the design process and I am sure I will be referring back to these in the future. 

These sites have the "write" stuff...

As I venture into the world of instructional design, I find it especially important to tap into different “pools” of knowledge to gain a global perspective on current trends and methodologies. A great resource is the blogging world, which provides for a more informal approach to collaboration and learning. Although I follow many blogs, I have never been a blogger myself. This initial journey into blogging has led me to several different sites that I hope to learn from moving forward. Here are a few of my favorites:

The Write Spot

This blog is particularly geared towards instructional designers. It explores different technologies and analyzes current trends. You’ll find reviews on software, books, articles, and industry vendors as well. The site includes many poignant entries on the presentation of instructional content, interesting infographics with a specific focus on e-learning. I find this to be especially relevant towards my career since I am a virtual teacher and “accidental” instructional designer for my company. The information presented in the entries helps me to think outside the box and provides me with many ideas on different learning approaches.

The Knowledge Project

The knowledge project is the creation of Ms. Dianna Hope. She has a passion for finding different ways to help people acquire knowledge. Once again, her focus is on e-learning which is especially pertinent considering that is where the future is headed. The digital learning age has arrived and innovations in e-learning will continue to help enable individuals to learn at any time and any place. Her blog includes many tutorials and ideas on creating effective and engaging story lines, tips to increase work flow, and reflections on learning theories. I am especially attracted to her videos that breakdown step by step the instructional design process for sample projects she has created. It allows me to see the thought process behind the finished product. I will definitely be referring back to this page for some innovative ideas.  

Cathy Moore

The goal of Cathy Moore is to save the world from boring instruction. As such, she uses her extensive knowledge and experiences as a trainer and designer to provide others with ideas on how to create lively training. This is especially applicable to me because part of my duties with my company is to train all our new teachers nationally. Just as with virtual teaching my younger students, training adults on an e-learning platform can at times be challenging. One of my favorite entries, includes a discussion about responding to learning style believers. You can find it here. Considering the discussion that was had this past week on learning theories and the criticism due to lack of evidence supporting learning styles, I appreciated her insightful outlook on the matter. The entry included additional cross postings that further serves to debunk the theory of learning styles. Although I still appreciate how learning about different learning styles has enabled me to be thoughtful about creating different activities and thinking outside the box, I now see that content doesn’t have to appeal to every learner’s preferred method, but instead the style in which it’s presented should be the most effective to relay the content. I look forward to reading more of Cathy’s entries and exploring her page for more training ideas.