Left brain versus Right brain learning

In our study this week of the brain, I read with great interest in our text regarding the left brain and the right brain.  I have always been intrigued by that concept and because of my affection for the study of math and science I automatically assumed that I was left brained because I like to learn in a logical step by step process, as opposed to a right brained individual who is more dominant in visual and spatial processing (Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler, n.d., p. 34-35).  As I read a little further in our text that there was no such thing as teaching to the left brain or the right brain (Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler, n.d., p. 46), it got me thinking more about the differences between the right and left brain.  A great article on the left brain versus the right brain in the classroom was found on the scholastic website, www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/left-brainright-brain .  It is a great site with a 21 question quiz that you can take to see where you fall in the spectrum of either right brained, left brained or middle brained.  Also listed on the page, were characteristics of the teacher and the student that fell into each category either right or left.  For those that fell into the middle-brained category, characteristics include being more flexible, but vacillation between the two brain hemispheres when making decisions.  For those in the middle brain, tasks can be completed using both the right brain and left brain. 

Another site at http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivespsychology/a/left-brain-right-brain.htm calls the theory of left brained or right brained learning more a myth, and that both sides of the brain work together, and one have a stronger right sided or left sided brain network.

Other sites concerning left brained or right brained learning include, www.mathpower.com/brain.htm, which provides a list of successive hemispheric style and simultaneous hemispheric style,  www.singsurf.org/brain/rightbrain.php. gives a great exposition on the brain, the quadrants and the function of each quadrant, and spdsupport.org/articles/19-learning-styles-both-hemispheres.shtml which toward the end of the article lists some well-known individuals who were misunderstood as children but went on to do amazing things.  If you want to see what category many of them fell into, you will need to check out the article. 

After reading and researching the above sites and our class material this week, I am not convinced that people can be categorized as being left brained or right brained.  I think we all have preferences in how we learn, and what characteristics come a little more naturally, but to say that someone is right brained because they are artistic and someone is left brained because they are good at logic or systematic problems, tends to lead people to think that they think better with that side of the brain, when in actuality, the quadrants of the brain work together simultaneously to learn, process information and solve problems.

References

Ormrod, J. E., Schunk, D. H., & Gredler, M. (n.d.). Learning theories and instruction (Custom ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.

 

http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivespsychology/a/left-brain-right-brain.htm

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/left-brainright-brain

http://www.mathpower.com/brain.htm

http://www.singsurf.org/brain/rightbrain.php

http://spdsupport.org/articles/19-learning-styles-both-hemispheres.shtml

My first attempt at searching blogs

Welcome to my very first blog attempt.  I stumbled across a great blog site titled http://www.elearninglearning.com/.  One of the things that I was impressed about was that you could select topics to get a daily feed from, and there were hundreds to choose from.  So, if you were looking for particular topics from eLearning to technology to theories and everything in between, it was listed there.  You could simply select the topic you wanted and any new blogs would be delivered via RSS right to you either daily or weekly.  You chose the frequency.  The only drawback I see for some is that because there is so much information available, it can be a little overwhelming unless you know exactly what you are looking for.  I think that it will be an invaluable resource in my coursework and beyond since the range of topics is so vast.  This will allow me to collaborate with colleagues both in and out of a classroom and to share ideas and thoughts, and learn real life examples that may not be taught in the classroom environment.  There was an interesting blog that peaked my interest.  The title lead the reader to believe that the writer would prove a substantive list with colors and their effect on behavior.  http://www.saffroninteractive.com/does-magenta-make-me-mellow-the-truth-about-how-colours-affect-behaviour/.  I have always been intrigued how colors could affect one’s behavior or mood, or that certain colors would evoke certain responses.  As I read through the article, no list was ever provided and there was very little in the way of explanation.  I had hoped for more context.

Another site I looked at, http://theelearningcoach.com/ was a good site, but not as comprehensive as the first site I found.  It was more technology based, which will come in handy later on when we design coursework.  One of the articles that I found interesting was a blog by Connie Malamed, in which she lists her top 10 qualities that are ideal for an instructional designer to have. http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/10-qualities-of-the-ideal-instructional-designer/#comment-6171  She has the following list-

1.      Conceptually and intuitively understand how people learn.

2.      Know how to connect with an audience on an emotional level.

3.      Be capable of imagining oneself as the learner/audience member.

4.      Be obsessed with learning everything.

5.      Brainstorm creative treatments and innovative instructional strategies.

6.      Visualize instructional graphics, the user interface, interactions and the finished product.

7.      Write effective copy, instructional text, audio scripts and video scripts.

8.      Meld minds with Subject Matter Experts and team members.

9.      Know the capabilities of eLearning development tools and software.

10.  Understand related fields—usability and experience design, information design, communications and new technologies.

She also sites a survey which indicated that 60% of instructional designers did not have a degree in ID.  As I looked down her list, I thought of only a few that would fall under the category of, “I don’t need a degree for that.”  Numbers 2, 3, and 4 on the list above are safe bets that you won’t learn that in a classroom setting.  You either have those skills or you don’t.  The rest of the items on the list benefit from having a degree in Instructional Design.  Whether it is understanding the culture of an organization, how to effectively implement design strategies or use the newest software tools to disseminate information, a degree in ID would prove valuable.

One other blog that I came across was http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/.  This site had a list of resources that branched off into their own blogs.  Topics included, Rapid E-Learning 101 Designing the Right Course Instructional Design Building Scenarios for E-learning Managing E-Learning Projects PowerPoint for E-learning Visual & Graphic Design Audio & Video Tips.  I like this site because it goes beyond the theoretical and into practical application which is great.  You get great information.  I particularly like the layout of the page.  It has little cartoon figures and site is very easy to navigate around in.  Since I tend to be more of a visual learning, the little characters appeal to me. 
One thing I gathered from these blogs was that there is so much more to being a trainer than just presenting information.  There is a very methodical approach to developing training that caters to the learner’s style rather than the teacher’s style.  I learned long ago that telling someone something isn’t the same thing as training them.  These blogs are loaded with great information that I will be able to use not only the theoretical development of courses, but also in the technical aspect as well.  There are many posters on each of these blog sites, which ensures that the thoughts and ideas that are presented are fresh and up to date with the latest technology and trends in instructional design.