This is an open distance learning material about brain based learning, wherein, there is content, activities, reinforcement, and an answer key. It is an entire package of learning material for self learning purpose.

1. Index
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Defination
1.3. What are our brains like?
1.4. What is brain based learning?
1.5. What does a brain based teacher do?
1.6. Whats new from the reaserches?
1.7. History : how it all happened ?
1.8. Why is brain based learning important?
1.9. Summary
An Introduction To Brain Based Learning
Think about it ?
Have you ever thought about how we remember what we learn? ever stopped
and wondered how we exactly learn ? which part of our body helps us for
learning? what processes take place in order for us to understand something ?
We all know that learning happens sooner or later, every individual learns
something or the other, indeed we know that we remember what we learn most
of the times.
While we go through this material, let us try to find out the answers to the above
questions.So today , we are going to study about how learning happens. And
what is ‘Brain-Based Learning’ .
Let us see what we re going to learn in this section.
Objectives
• After studying with the help of this material, you will be able to :
• Describe the concept of brain based learning in your own words
• Recall the history of brain based learning
• Explain why brain based learning is important for learning
• Summarize Brain-Based Learning as per your understanding in 50-60 words
1.1. Introduction
Hello friends,
After going through the objectives of this section, you surely
must have got a fairly good idea about what you are going to
learn. Lets us go further and go through a brief introduction
of what Brain-Based learning is all about. Read ahead...
It is a known fact that efficient teachers keep exploring
different ways to improve student achievement. Recent
Fig .1.1

2. innovations in science have allowed a remarkable look into the way the brain
works. The exciting learning about brain function and its effects on learning
have the potential to change teaching and learning process. Brain research
has provided new knowledge about the various ways that humans learn.
Brain-based learning has resulted from educators and researchers applying
the findings of brain research to guide teaching practice.
Brain-based teaching involves the implementation of carefully-designed
principles with consideration of their impact before, during, and after each
lesson.
People often say that everyone can learn, and yes it’s a reality that
everyone does learn. Every person is born with a brain that functions as an
immensely powerful processor. Traditional schooling, however, often inhibits
learning by discouraging, ignoring, or punishing the brain’s natural learning
processes.
It is a comprehensive approach to instruction using current research from
neuroscience. Brain-based education also called “educational neuroscience”; it
emphasizes how the brain learns naturally and is based on what we currently
know about the actual structure and function of the human brain at varying
developmental stages.
1.1. Definition
In the text above, we read about the introduction to brain based learning.
Now let us move on to the definitions of brain based learning.
“Nature’s biological necessity is simple: No intelligence or ability will unfold
until, or unless, it is given the appropriate model environment.” – Eric Jensen
(2000)
Eric Jensen is the leader of the brain based learning movement. He has
written many books for this area of study.
This form of learning also encompasses such educational concepts as:
Mastery learning,
learning styles,
Multiple intelligences,
Cooperative learning,
Practical simulations,
Experiential learning,
Did u know?
The length of student retention is directly proportional to the method
used for teaching. Lecture being least effective at 5%-10%, discussion
mid-range and, practicing immediately after exposure to materials being
the most effective at about 85-90%. Simply put, if you want students to
remember, do something memorable.
Box 1.1

3. Fig .1.2
Problem-based learning,
Movement education
This theory is based on the structure and function of the brain. As long as the
brain is not prohibited from fulfilling its normal processes, learning will occur.
1.2. What are our brains like?
Our brains are like jungle-nothing runs a jungle, all elements of the jungle
work together to make it one. Similarly, all parts of the brain participate with
each other, while each has its own function. There is natural pruning or nueral
pruning that’s occurs. (‘Pruning’ means the removal of the memory saved in
the brain, if the brain is not used for a long time for recalling that particular
memory).
“Learning is a delicate, but a powerful dialogue between genetics and
environment” – Robert Sylwester, A Celebration of Neurons.
1.3. What is Brain-Based
Learning?
“Brain-Based Education is the purposeful engagement
of strategies based on principles derived from solid
scientific research.”
The above definition means that, Brain based learning is the
application of the principles in the form of strategies that are derived from the
well researched facts of science.
Research in related fields such as social neuroscience, behavioural genetics,
psychobiology, cognitive science, neuroscience and physiology also play a role in
brain based learning. We shall keep in mind that, Brain-Based Learning is not a
solution or magic bullet to solve all of educational problems. There is not yet a
“one size fits all” brain-based program, model or package for schools to follow.
Our brain is “not only the control center of the entire human body, organizing our
behaviors and biological functions, but it also defines humanity. It defines who we
are, how we act, and the very nature of our species.” For e.g. Our nature, the
way we talk to others, the way we behave in a social setting.
Activity 1
1. _____________ was the leader of Brain-based learning
movement.
2. This theory is based on the _________ and the _________ of
the brain.
3. ___________ is the removal of memory saved in the brain.
Box 1.2

4. If classrooms are to be places of learning, then the organ of learning-the
brain, must be taken into consideration.
The school becomes an "exciting center where there is constant encounter
with the richness and variety of the real world" as opposed to a "boring
classroom” where there is a lack of interactivity and exposure, due to which
little learning happens.
Brain-based education is actually a “no-brainer.” Here’s a simple, but
essential idea: the brain is intimately involved in, and connected with,
everything educators and students do at school. Any disconnect is a reason
for frustration and disaster. Brain-based education is best understood in three
words: engagement, strategies and principles. You must engage your learners
and do it with strategies that are based on real science.
1.4. What Does a Brain-Based Teacher Do?
Roshni is using the Brain based learning method to teach her students.
Let’s find out the attributes of a Brain-based teacher.
A brain compatible teacher teaches with the brain in mind.
This educator understands the principles and uses strategies in a purposeful
way. This path is all about an educator who understands the reasoning behind
their teaching. It is also one who stays constantly updated through continuous
professional development.
Brain-based teaching is all about smarter, more purposeful teaching that can
reach a greater number of students.
Scenario
Roshni is a primary school teacher; she plans her lectures in very innovative
forms. She always makes it a point to brief up the students about the topics they
will be learning, why they need to learn it, and what is the importance of it. She
always presents the students with additional information or reading materials
about the current updates.
Which approach do you think Roshni is using?
Activity 2
State whether the following is true or false:
1. The brain is connected with all thought processes that go on at
school.
2. The brain is the control center only of the body alone.
3. The principles and the strategies of brain based learning are
based on the knowledge of the educators.
Box 1.3
Box 1.4

5. Fig .1.3
It’s not any one single thing you do. It’s more about the on-going, purposeful
aggregate of environment, instruction and curriculum strategies that makes it all
work.
1.5. What’s New from the
Researches?
Our brain is a vastly complex and adaptive
system with hundreds of billions of neurons and
inter neurons that can generate groups of
neurons acting in concert, from which our daily
experience is constructed. We can accept that all
brains are unique and a product of interactions
with different environments, generating a lifetime
of different and varied experiences; what
scientists call plasticity. We can accept the notion
that either you use it, or you lose it; new neural pathways are created every
time we use our brains in thinking through problems, but are lost forever –
are pruned – if we do not use them.
The findings from neuroscience are now validating scientifically much of the
new instructional strategies being advocated in educational reform.
Individualized instruction for instance is validated by findings concerning the
importance of intrapersonal intelligence. Activity-based learning is now on
solid footing with what we know about body-kinaesthetic intelligence.
Cooperative learning strategies are a logical extension of the growing body of
knowledge about the importance of interpersonal/social intelligence and brain
development.
The conclusions reached by both researchers and educators are that we
should use caution when applying the findings of brain-based research, but
at the same time move ahead with what we know. One example that is
brought up is that scientists used to think that the brain was hardwired at a
very early age and set for the rest of life. This assumption is only partially
true today. Research has confirmed that nerves continue to grow throughout
one’s life. This is a huge discovery and has implications for life-long learning.
When we learn a skill later in life, such as when we learn driving or skiing, we
find the learning process to be frustrating and awkward at first, but soon
these skills become automatic. This is a clear example of growing new neural
connections for learning.
Watch this:
http://www.youtbe.com/watch?v=HyYhoCqo58w
Fun facts!
Our brain is the
fattest organ of our
body
Box 1.5
Box 1.6

6. 1.6. History
For 2,000 years there have been primitive models of how the brain works. Up
until the mid 1900’s the brain was compared to a city’s switchboard. Brain
theory in the 1970’s spoke of the right and the left brain. Later the concept of
the triune brain (a term coined by Paul McClean that refers to the evolution of
the human three part brain) was introduced. In this theory McClean
hypothesized that survival learning is in the lower brain, emotions were in the
mid-brain, and higher order thinking took place in the upper brain. Currently,
we embrace a whole system, complex brain model. During the last two
decades neuroscientists have been doing research that has implications for
improved teaching practices. These scientists have been peering into the brain
in order to determine how it processes and retains information. Thus,
technology in medicine has made the way for many new learning innovations.
This is how the Brain-based learning evolved.
1.7. Why is brain –based learning important?
Friends,sofarwe have understoodthe conceptandthe philosophiesof Brain-based
learning.Butisthat enoughtoknow?Since we are learningaboutBrain-basedlearning,
it becomescrucial toknowthe reasoningof whywe needtostudyabout Brain-based
learning.
Thus,letus nowsee whatthe importance of Brain-basedlearningisandwhywe are
studyingit.
There are manyreasonswhywe shouldlearnaboutBrain-basedlearning,outof those
manywe will be discussingafew todayinthissection.
One of the reasons to study Brain-based learning is to learn that each brain
functions in a different way; therefore, there can never be one way to teach
everyone. There are various ways that suit various styles of learning. For example:
- Visual learners need more diagrams, kinaesthetic learner need to touch to learn.
These have to be kept in mind. Also, it is extremely important for our brain to
make sense of what it is learning. It needs to relate the knowledge currently being
learnt, to the knowledge already learnt. For e.g. students can understand the
concept of addition only after being introduced to numbers, before that it is nearly
impossible to learn addition.
Activity 3
Answer the following in your own words:
1. Explain the concept of triune brain.
2. What are researchers trying to find out since the last two
decades?
Upload your answer in the discussion forum.
3.
Box 1.7

7. Think about it!
Can you go back to any happy moment of your life and recall the details of it,
very rarely will you have trouble remembering what happened, who said what,
what was the occasion etc. It is all crystal clear in your memory. Wondered
why?
Activity 4
Choose one or more correct answers.
The reason why brain based learning is important?
a) Everybody has a different learning style.
b) Our brain does not understand any other method
c) Emotions are crucial to learning
d) Brain can learn even if learning does not make sense.
e) Challenges work better for learning
f) Social interactions are not important for learning.
School and communitybothplaya veryimportantrole inlearningforanindividual;
therefore itisveryimportanttounderstandthatneglectinganywill workagainstthe
knowledge buildingof the individual.
This is because our emotional state is crucial for learning. The more stable our
emotional well being, the better will be our learning. Thus, if you’re sitting in
class with a headache and you don’t remember exactly what was taught on the
immediately following day, it’s nothing but because of your emotional state.
One of the important characteristics of the brain is that, if the brain is challenged
better learning takes place. Thus, if food for thought is provided just before
teaching something, you are more likely to pay attention and learn in a better way.
1.8. Summary
We have well readandunderstoodthe above sections.Thus,forourhandinessletssum
it up.
 “Brain-Based Education is the purposeful engagement of strategies based
on principles derived from solid scientific research”
 Brain-Based Learning is not a solution or magic bullet to solve all of
educational problems.
 There is not yet a “one size fits all” brain-based program, model or
package for schools to follow.
 While teaching in classrooms the brain must be the focus of teaching.
 The brain is intimately involved in and connected with everything
educators and students do at school.
 Brain-based teaching is all about smarter, more purposeful teaching that
can reach a greater number of students.

8. Unit End Activity
Write a summary on Brain-Based Learning as per your understanding in
50-60 words. Upload your answer on the discussion forum.
 Our brain is a complex and adaptive system with billions of neurons
acting in concert.
 Research has confirmed that nerves continue to grow throughout one’s
life.
 Paul McClean coined the term triune brain that refers to the evolution of
the human three part brain.
 These scientists have been trying to determine how the brain processes
and retains information.
 Everybody has different styles of learning.
 It is extremely important for our brain to make sense of what it is
learning.
 Our emotional state is crucial for learning.
 The brain works better with challenges.
Answer Key
Activity 1
1. Eric Jensen
2. Structure and Function
3. Pruning
Activity 2
1. True
2. False
3. False
Activity 4
a, c and d are the correct answers