the learning brain lessons for education

the learning brain lessons for education

the learning brain lessons for education

Evolution and education, like nature and nurture, have often been put into oppo- sition. Here, our aim is to bring them together. The brain has evolved to educate and to be educated, often instinctively and effortlessly. The brain is the machine that allows all forms of learning to take place—from baby squirrels learning how to crack nuts, birds learning to fly, children learning to ride a bike and memo- rizing times tables, to adults learning a new language or mastering how to program a video recorder. Of course, the brain is also our natural mechanism that places limits on learning. It determines what can be learned, how much, and how fast.
Knowledge of how the brain learns could, and will, have a great impact on education. Understanding the brain mechanisms that underlie learning and memory, and the effects of genetics, the environment, emotion, and age on learn- ing could transform educational strategies and enable us to design programs that optimize learning for people of all ages and of all needs. Only by understanding how the brain acquires and lays down information and skills will we be able to reach the limits of its capacity to learn.

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore and Uta Frith