The
article I just read by Jane McGeehan
(which has no published date on it and that irritates me) on brain based learning brought up three key ideas:
- emotion is the gatekeeper to learning
- intelligence is a function of experience
- the brain stores most effectively what is meaningful from the learner’s perspective.
Scientific knowledge about the brain states that students will not retain information that is not meaningful to them. The article states that teachers can not know what is meaningful to their students unless they
know their students. Students I work with are reluctant to share information about themselves- but almost everything I've ever read talks about how social networking in the classroom (like through
Edmodo or
Schoology) can make even the most reticent student open up in new ways.
So.... if social networking can help teachers get to know their students....and getting to know your students = knowing what is meaningful to them
(which would then lead to)... teaching meaningful "stuff," it can then be assumed students will retain more information.....
Perhaps yet another interesting thought to share with social networking naysayers.
2 comments:
I have found in my experience, social media does this well. I have been blogging and using social media platforms with students for 6 years. Even though I only get to see students for 30 min once a week, I know each of my 456 students names, I know their siblings, their hopes, fears, likes, and dislikes. I have a great relationship with my students because I take the time to get to know them even if they won't open up outside of social media.
Mrs. Tenkely, what social networking media do you use? I think it's amazing that you are able to keep up with all the students!
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