Evaluating and Identifying Online Resources

This week's application assignment asked that we find two online resources that are linked to this week's reading:  the brain and learning.  Below, you will find links to articles I found interesting as well as relates to the ongoing discussion.

1. How Do We Know That? Learning Styles and the Brain by Bonnie Sheryl  Kimmel

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro98/202s98-paper3/Kimmel3.html

This article is very valuable as it distinguishes between left brain learners (analytic) and right brain learners (global).  It further discusses that learning takes place via two independent systems in the brain:  implicit (non-declarative) and explicit (declarative).  The author purports that a particular goal type affects whether implicit or explicit learning predominates one's learning style.

2. Education and the Brain:  A Bridge Too Far by John Bruer

http://www.jsmf.org/about/j/education_and_brain.pdf

This article argues that not enough is known about brain development and neural function to link that understanding in every meaningful, defensible way to instruction and educational practice.    Also, it draws a relationship between critical periods and synaptogenesis/synaptic pruning insofar as critical periods coinciding with the period of excess synapse formation.  Moreover, Bruer focus on in on the notion that an enriched and/or complex environment plays a part in synaptic growth throughout one's life span and not simply during the critical ages of birth through 10 years old.

Mapping Memory in the Brain

If you are any thing like me, this week's reading assignment was heavy duty.  But I think this video will help clear up any confusion that you may have.  So grab a cup of coffee, tea, juice, etc, put in/on your headphones and relax for the next 58 minutes and take in a great lecture.

FIRST BLOG

I must say that this blogging thing can be very intimidated for a beginner like myself.  Just fulfilling the requirements for this assignment was extremely challenging because the web is inundated with so much information on instructional design.  But, with a little patient, determination and will, I arrived at the end with result:  listing three blogs that I found interesting and a brief description of each.

1. Faculty Focus:  http://www.facultyfocus.com/

This blog is designed specifically for facilitators/teachers who want to improve their classroom environment both online and traditional classrooms.  Some of the blog topics include the following:

a. Academic Leadership
b. Curriculum Development
c. Faculty Assessment
d. Faculty Development
e. Learning Styles
f. Teaching and Learning

2. Rapid eLearning: http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/

This blog is great for those who wants to improve their PowerPoint presentation for eLearning.  One of the best features about this blog is that it list upcoming seminars/workshops in different cities for someone who wants to attend in order to develop and/or enhance a particular skills.

3. Upside Learning:  http://www.upsidelearning.com/blog/

This blog is my favorite as it addresses the booming trend of mobile learning.  This blog is definitely great for those who would like to share their thoughts, opinions, and experiences as they pertain to mobile learning, and equally beneficial for those who would like to develop and/or enhance their knowledge and learn about the man benefits of mobile learning.

I hope you find these blogs interesting and educatioal.