This paper surveys past and current theories about the workings of the mind, current brain research and psychological applications of non-linear dynamics. Parallels are drawn between the world of high-functioning autism, gifted individuals with learning disabilities, and aspects of genius. An organizing theory is presented, which includes these…

This document begins with a report of a study of the learning styles of American Indian students at the Sante Fe Indian School (New Mexico). Santa Fe Indian School is a secondary school of 550 students, primarily from the Pueblo communities of New Mexico. A learning style assessment instrument was administered to 459 students, Grades 7-12, in 4…

Two methods to teach study skills to underprepared college freshmen at a two-year technical institute were compared. The effectiveness of using a traditional method was compared to that of the Suggestive-Accelerative Learning Techniques (SALT) method, a holistic method that attempts to engage both sides of the brain by creating a positive learning…

A pilot project involving implementation and evaluation of the 4MAT curriculum system at secondary schools in Scarborough and North York (Ontario) is described. The 4MAT system is a curriculum delivery model developed by B. McCarthy that incorporates research by D. Kolb in the fields of learning styles and brain dominance. The model identifies…

This review of journal literature proposes that ethnic/race-specific research on cognitive/learning styles provides models for cross-cultural and multicultural classrooms that will maximize learning through building self-esteem and devoloping a reason for learning. The intent of the review was to discover patterns and themes developing across…

A creative visualization approach to spelling and word recognition has been tried successfully with both adults and children. Unlike the traditional phonic approach to spelling, which is a left brain, analytical approach, the creative visualization approach uses the right brain. In addition, the approach eliminates the unpleasant associations with…

This book describes the unique characteristics of visual-spatial learners and teaching techniques designed for this population. Following a quiz to identify visual-spatial learners, chapters address: (1) how visual-spatial learners think and the plight of being non-sequential; (2) the power of the right hemisphere, eye movement patterns, and…

This on-going study explores the hypothesis that stock fund managers who underperform do so because they make bad decisions, and examines whether their choices can be improved by using a decision model that invokes principles of brain hemispheric consensus. The study, begun in fall 1999, involves two groups of business students: the control group…

Analyzes effect of brain hemisphere orientation on music appreciation. Reports results from 36 left-hemisphere and 36 right-hemisphere undergraduates who responded to a musical selection verbally or visually. Finds right-hemisphere students show greater appreciation, measured by attention, understanding, and enjoyment scores. Discusses…

How the nervous system encodes learning and memory processes has interested researchers for 100 years. Over this span of time, a number of basic neuroscience methods has been developed to explore the relationship between learning and the brain, including brain lesion, stimulation, pharmacology, anatomy, imaging, and recording techniques. In this…

This study applied brain lateralization research and a model of generative teaching and learning to economic education. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of verbal-only, imagery-only, and integrated (verbal-to-imaginal) strategies on fifth graders' proclivity to use economic reasoning (i.e. cost-benefit analysis) in personal…

A study of 55 growth-disturbed children, aged 8-17, was conducted to assess how rate of physical maturation and pubertal development influences cognitive and neuropsychological functioning. The sample included 27 boys with short stature and delayed pubertal development (SSB), 15 girls with delayed puberty (DPG), and 13 girls with precocious…

The ways in which sensory information, music in particular, is managed by the mental processing system of differentially gifted students were studied. A total of 138 right-handed adolescents and young adults (aged 14 to 22 years), who were gifted in music, mathematics, or dance, were tested on two tasks of music and one task of speech perception.…

The Information Mapping technique was used to present a learning packet, and its usefulness in helping right-brain cerebrally dominant students to achieve the same level of subject mastery as their left-brain counterparts was examined. Reading level, grade point average, and gender were also analyzed. Torrance's "Your Style of Learning and…

Returns to the etymological root of technology to advocate broad interpretations of design technology features of the United Kingdom's, National Curriculum. Urges avoiding narrow applications of technical education. Favors nourishing right hemisphere talents to encourage student inventiveness. Stresses the importance of language and learning…