Week 2 Assignment

In class this week, our topics were:

•     Learning and the Brain
•       Cognitive Information Processing Theory

What I learned from this week's readings is that each person learns differently. It is important for instructional designers to have this understanding because the success of each learner depends on how information is presented to them. Some may prefer visual images while some may prefer audio instruction. The success of each learner depends on how well they retain the information and be able to recall it when needed.

There are two online articles I thought were interesting and will help understand the brain and how information is processed.

• Research in Brain Function and Learning: The importance of matching instruction to a child's maturity level http://www.apa.org/education/k12/brain-function.aspx
• Have you ever compared your child's level of maturity or knowledge to other kids his or her age?
• Did you ever ask yourself: Is there something wrong with my child because his or her learning is delayed?
•  If you asked yourself these questions, then this article is very informative and will help you make sense of your child's maturity level. This article explains the different stages of development in a child. Not only does it describe and illustrate the development process of the brain, but it also explains where learning occurs in each child when they are at certain ages. It also talks about how learning is affected by prematurity, childhood illnesses, or family disruption caused by death or divorce.
• As an instructional designer, this article also provides recommendation on what TO DO and NOT TO DO when teaching or giving instruction to each age group or circumstance.
• Memory and Learning http://www.cdl.org/resource-library/articles/memory.php
• This article mentions a story about a child who used to love school until her grades started declining. When she takes a test, she cannot remember what she studied the night before. No matter how hard she studies for her tests, she still does poorly on her exams.
• But what is interesting with this child, according to this article, is that she remembers every tiny detail that happened when she was still very young. She was the family's storyteller because she remembers what happened during family vacations and events.
• This article explains what memory is and how memories are processed in our brain. Information comes to us through our five senses; seeing, hearing, feeling, doing and smelling. What we do with this information defines if it is kept in our short-term memory and maybe long-term memory, or completely lost and not retained.
• As instructional designers, it is important to understand this concept because we want to learn how to engage our students in learning and help them remember and apply what they learned.

References:

Semrud-Clikeman, M. (ND). Research in Brain Function and Learning: The importance of matching instruction to a child's maturity level. Retrieved from  http://www.apa.org/education/k12/brain-function.aspx. November 9, 2012.

Thorne, G. (ND). Memory and Learning. Retrieved from http://www.cdl.org/resource-library/articles/memory.php. November 10, 2012