Neuroscience for Learning and Development

How to Apply Neuroscience and Psychology for Improved Learning and Training

Stella Collins

• Publisher: Kogan Page
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN:
  9780749493264
• Edition: 2
• eBook ISBN:
  9780749493271
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Human Resource Management
• Index: Business

In order to design and deliver effective learning and development initiatives, it is essential to understand how our brains process and retain information. Neuroscience for Learning and Development introduces the latest research and concepts, equipping L&D and training professionals with an understanding of the inner workings of the mind. Covering areas such as how to create effective learning environments, promoting motivation and how to make learning 'stickier' through the use of stories, the book offers practical tools and ideas that can be applied in a variety of contexts, from digital learning and in-person training sessions, to coaching conversations, to lectures and presentations. Neuroscience for Learning and Development also features insights from L&D practitioners who have applied these approaches. Readers will not only find new techniques they can implement straight away, but will also discover research that backs up what they are already doing well, enabling them to put convincing cases to budget holders.This updated second edition contains new chapters on digital learning and on the importance of sleep, as well as updated wider content and new material on mindfulness, learning through your senses and the neuroscience of habits.

Index

Note: Numbers are filed as spelt out, with the exception of entries for stages of NREM sleep, which are listed chronologically. Acronyms and ‘Mc’ are filed as presented. Page locators in italics denote information contained within a figure or table.

accelerated learning 7, 10, 66, 122

see also MASTER model

acetylcholine 24, 55, 155, 156, 229, 231, 239

acrostics 163–64

action plans 41, 196, 197

actions 175

acute partial sleep deprivation 231

adenosine 223, 229, 233, 237

adenosine triphosphate (ATP) 229, 232

ADHD drugs 267

adolescents 144–45, 235

adrenaline 24, 76, 116, 119, 182

AEIOU questions 136

age 33–34, 59

AI (artificial intelligence) 243, 255

alcohol 165

alpha brainwaves 26, 82, 124, 197, 224

Alzheimer’s disease 24, 55, 223, 226, 228, 266, 267

American Academy of Sleep Medicine 224

amygdala 21, 58, 76, 173, 206, 232, 263

and memory 154, 163, 164

and senses 107, 108

amyloid proteins 226

anchors 88, 108, 161–62, 163

angular gyrus 71

anterior cingulate cortex 46, 117, 121, 137, 143, 173, 251

anterior cingulate gyrus 173

anti-histamine tablets 230

apps 77, 176, 195, 248

Archimedes 15

arousal 24, 98, 103, 115–16, 118–19, 120, 170, 173, 230

Artist, The 37, 39

Aserinksy, Eugene 223

Ashton, Ben 40–41

Ashton, Helen 218–19

association area 96, 137

associative learning 28, 55, 61–62, 107, 108–09, 231

associative visual cortex 71

ATP 229, 232

attention 76–79, 84, 114–28, 139, 232–33, ...

Table of contents

• Praise for Neuroscience for Learning and Development
• Title Page
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• 01 Why neuroscience and learning are good companions
• Do you know…?
• Your invitation to come on a journey
• Who you are as the reader
• Why this book has been written now
• The reasons I’m interested in the neuroscience of learning
• The definition of neuroscience for this book
• What you’ll find on this journey
• A start on the ‘How can I…?’
• So what? – takeaway ideas to experiment with
• How to navigate this book
• Summary
• References and further reading
• 02 The science of your brain
• When was your last eureka moment?
• Building blocks
• What’s the structure?
• The brain’s messengers – neurotransmitters and hormones
• What else is going on in your brain?
• What are some of the tools of neuroscience?
• Other definitions
• So what? – takeaway
• Summary
• References and further reading
• 03 What to do when someone says ‘neuroscience says…’
• Sometimes things aren’t all they seem
• Overview
• What you’ll cover in this chapter
• Perils of research
• Six questions to ask when someone says ‘research shows’
• Summary
• References and further reading
• 04 The science of learning
• Thinking about yourself whilst learning can inhibit your performance
• Overview
• What learning isn’t
• What learning is
• Some of the biology that’s useful
• Types of learning
• Working with a model of learning
• Summary
• References and further reading
• 05 Motivating learners from curiosity to persistence
• ‘When you’re smiling…’
• Motivated learners
• Brain states
• More practical steps to motivation
• Other influences on people’s beliefs about learning – negative and positive
• Motivating yourself
• Summary
• References and further reading
• 06 Use your sense: Getting information from the outside world and into your head
• Learning through your senses
• Real world challenges
• How the senses work
• Summary
• References and further reading
• 07 Attention, learning and why Goldilocks deserves recognition
• Look over there!
• What attention is and why you need it in learning
• System of attention
• Attention span
• Attention from inside and outside
• Paralysis by presentation
• Summary
• References and further reading
• 08 Making learning meaningful and valuing intelligence
• Beautiful mathematics
• The disruptive element in the classroom
• Intelligence and learning
• Summary
• References and further reading
• 09 Meaningful memories: From encoding to forgetting
• I’ve never met you before – have I?
• What is memory?
• Types of memories
• How you process memories
• How to help your learners remember
• Summary
• References and further reading
• 10 Testing, experimenting, habits and practice
• Punish the correct answer
• Why it’s important to test, experiment and practise whilst learning
• How to test
• Why sometimes testing gets in the way of learning
• Tests of learning
• Summary
• References and further reading
• 11 Review and reflect: Getting rid of the magic wand
• The Truly Terrible Training Course
• Why you need to review – what it feels like when you don’t
• Reviewing – the story of a beautiful relationship
• How to build the relationship
• How and when to review learning
• Who to involve
• Top Tip
• Summary
• References and further reading
• 12 Stickier stories and food for thought
• What you’ll cover in this chapter
• Stickier stories
• Language and learning
• Whilst we’re talking about the environment
• Being exploratory, playful and experimental
• Musically speaking
• Summary
• References and further reading
• 13 Sleep and learning
• A dangerous activity
• Overview – what you’ll cover
• What is sleep?
• Stages of sleep
• Anatomy of sleep
• Chemistry of sleep
• Lack of sleep and learning
• Common challenges
• What can you do?
• Summary
• References
• 14 Your brain and digital learning
• The curious worlds of digital and learning
• What’s coming up?
• What is digital learning?
• Does digital learning affect our brains?
• Digital social learning
• Virtual reality learning – how real is it?
• Features of the digital world that don’t help learning
• More features of the digital world that help learning
• Early starts and the effects on learning
• Top trumps for designing and delivering in a digital world
• Summary
• References
• 15 The future is already with us
• Mindfulness
• Overview
• The quantum brain
• Computational neuroscience
• Taking pills to make you smarter
• Summary
• References
• 16 The end of this journey and the start of more
• Managing tube journeys
• What you’ll find in this final chapter
• A race through a review
• Some challenges of embracing neuroscience into your practice
• Benefits of applying practical ideas from neuroscience
• Top ideas to take away
• Your call to action
• The end of this particular journey
• Summary
• References
• Answers to questions in Chapter 9
• Index
• Copyright