What Do We Know 
About the Human Brain?

 

Increasingly, we are becoming aware of the need to incorporate brain-based research into our models of learning and teaching. Various models of our brain's architecture have been proposed over the years:

The Holistic Brain: The brain is a pattern-seeking, holographic organ.

Two Cerebral Hemispheres: The left hemisphere is responsible for linear thought/language; the right is responsible for creativity, holistic thinking, and intuition.

Paul MacLean's (1978) model suggests that the brain is a triune organ that evolved to process survival, emotional, and rational functions.

Howard Gardner (1983) suggests that our conscious brain functions through multiple forms of intelligence processed in different brain areas (e.g., linguistic, spatial, logical-mathematical, etc.).

Gazzaniga (1985) conceives of the brain as a vast number of interconnected, semi-autonomous networks of neurons called modules, each specializing in a limited cognitive function. Neural modules are formed to consolidate activities in order to process complex cognitive functions.

Back to Brain-Based Dimensions of Learning Page

s Back to Learning Theory Page

This site was developed by the Department of Staff Development, in collaboration with the Division of Instruction. Questions, comments, and other inquiries may be addressed to Allene Chriest (achriest@pgcps.org) or Jeff Maher  (jmaher@pgcps.org).