The Brain Revolution

Interesting Discussion. Here are some highlights:

Paul Nussbaum, Neuroscientist, University of Pittsburgh: Neuroplasticity—the brain can grow and generate new cellular connections in an enriched environment. School systems represent brain health centers. Curriculum is a prescription. The brain receives information through all five sensory pathways. Integration of different forms of information creates a new type of intelligence that, if applied in ways that are unpredictable to the learner, leads to the most sophisticated types of learning. Good teachers understand how to stimulate the brain to realize its potential and how to integrate with other areas. In 2050, there will be gadgets that work with the brain.

Marc Prensky, Author of Digital Game-based Learning: Today’s students think and process information in fundamentally different ways. They are more comfortable with multitasking. Doing is very motivating. They like the interactivity and rapid change of games. School is where we keep kids safe while their parents work. Education is learning, which often happens after school as they use technology, play games. Good teachers will do more than just teach. They will have multiple roles. The right thing to do, how to do it, and how to get it done skills. Interacting with other people, technology, machinery. Interact on a world level. Creativity will be a big factor going forward. In 2050, text will be an artifact. Audio and video, even making art, will be more common than putting squiggles on a page.

Eric Grant, KnowledgeWorks Foundation: Why not pick the learning style in the age of learning that fits the learner best? A good teacher will be someone who knows how to identify the most effective learning styles of individuals and then connect them with people and resources. Schools in 2050 will need to be participatory, personalized, post-national.

George Siemens, Learning Technologies Center in Manitoba: Educators need to do the unlearning. They need to think about what we need education to be. We don’t yet understand the problem. Schools need to educate students for complex systems—problems that have not yet been answered.