Evaluating and Identifying Online Resources

Eric P. Jensen’s article “A Fresh Look at Brain Based Education” , which can be found at http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k_v89/k0802jen.htm, presents a compelling review of more than two decades of debate about the practical usefulness of brain based research in an educational environment. While this week’s ID assignment has been largely about the brain and learning, this article provided some clarity for me on why this has become so important. Originally, at the beginning of this week’s study, I was a naysayer, thinking, “I don’t have to know how a car is constructed in order to drive one.” Similarly, “I don’t’ have to break down the chemical and natural processes of the brain in order to construct a valid learning experience.”


This article argues that, while neuroscience is not exclusively the factor that will make or break a lesson’s construct, it’s certainly a factor, and shouldn’t be ignored. After reading this article’s arguments, I have to agree. Certainly, some of the strategies of application mentioned here, for example, incorporating physical education and music into the environment to strengthen the learning process – even meditation and stress reduction (which I find equally as useful) – not only make logical sense – but scientific sense.

Sometimes things have to be said in a certain way for all the pieces to click into place, right? So for those of you who could use a different presentation to understand the issues related to brain based education, this article is certainly one that I would recommend.

"The Information Approach to Cognition" provides a summary information processing concepts. It reviews the stages of memory, discusses knowledge organization, and concept formation, all concepts that we have just gone over and now know that, by repetition and looking at different representations of the same ideas, we stand a good chance of enhancing our learning potential here.

What I like about this article, too, is how it cleanly ties each principle of the direct instruction model to practical use in the classroom. For example, to gain the student’s attention, the article suggests that the instructor use cues to signal the start of the lesson, and move around the classroom and use voice inflections to get the class engaged. This is very simple and basic information that I find useful as I try to look at how to become a better instructional designer. I can’t move around the classroom, because all of my classes are online; however, I can look at parallel strategies to enhance that online/classroom experience. Nothing new here, but certainly useful all the same.

Source: Huitt, W. (2003). The information processing approach to cognition. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved 05-16-2010 from http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cogsys/infoproc.html