Illustrates the technique of mind mapping as applied in executive education and management development. Indicates that most of the 70 students surveyed appreciated its use for recall and creative thinking, although some prefer a top-to-bottom, linear outline approach. (SK)

Discusses evidence for experience-dependent reorganization of adult and developing brains, examining changes in the mature brain as a result of experience, reorganization in the developing brain, and mechanisms of change. The paper notes that there is general agreement that experience can have a profound effect on the organization of the brain.…

Presents theory that fundamental causes of cognitive change reside in the architecture of the mind. Describes mind as a three-level universe, types of changes occurring in cognitive development, and mechanisms that cause changes. Offers a general model of the nature of cognitive development and current research in cognitive development and…

Electroencephalographic power spectra were studied in two poor-reading adolescent groups (n=38), dysphonetic and phonetic. Significant Group x Hemisphere effects were found in the alpha and beta bands, with the phonetic group showing right greater than left asymmetry. Results suggest more circumscribed and mature processing in the phonetically…

Data from the Collaborative Perinatal Project analyzed for a subsample of 100 Asian Americans showed a higher IQ for the Asian American sample at age 7, and larger cranial capacity at birth, 4 months, 1 year, and 7 years as compared to Whites and Blacks. Socioeconomic status related to cranial capacity and IQ scores, but not stature or weight.…

What and how students eat can profoundly affect their ability to learn. Children require a high-protein breakfast for alertness, and a balanced diet, including complex carbohydrates throughout the day. Chronic stress causes the brain and body to deplete available nutrients. Nutrition is an important issue; better school food equals better school…

Recent research suggests that thinking of learning as an activity of the brain will lead to greater understanding of how and why students learn and how faculty can better facilitate learning. Discusses: genetic contributions; epigenetic growth; the synapse; stabilizing synapses; pedagogy; the role of emotions; kinds of learning; active learning;…

Three-dimensional model building can help superintendents understand and monitor alternative perceptions of the school organization. Using simple models to depict district leadership or supervision plans (using nails in a board or other simple materials) can bring tangible meaning to abstract visions. (MLH)

Today's brain research is unveiling new information that supports and advocates for the methodologies and practices seen in technology education laboratories. Technology educators must keep current in order to apply this information in teaching. (JOW)

Adults (N=58) with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and 29 age-and education-matched controls were evaluated for right hemisphere dysfunction. Findings support the concept of right hemisphere dysfunction in a subset of patients with ADHD, although this subset did not represent a distinct clinical subgroup in terms of medication response,…

Brain-based learning strategies (learner choice, movement, small groups) may be inappropriate in corrections for security reasons. Problems encountered in correctional education (attention deficit disorder, learned helplessness) complicate the use of these strategies. Incorporating brain-based instruction in these settings requires creativity and…

Evaluated brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) on 10- to 12-year-olds who had been classified as high or low reactive to unfamiliar stimuli at 4 months of age. Found that children previously classified as high reactive at 4 months had larger wave V components than did low reactive children, possibly suggesting greater excitability in…

Electrophysiology is a timely and important tool in the study of early cognitive development. This commentary polishes the definition of event-related potential (ERP) components; often interpreted as expressions of mental processes. Further, attention is drawn to time-frequency analysis of the electroencephalogram (EEG) which conveys much more…

The functional maturity of the newborn infant's brain, the resemblances between neonatal imitation and imitation in adults and the possibly lateralized neonatal imitation suggest that the mirror neuron system may contribute to neonatal imitation. Newborn infants not only imitate but also initiate previously imitated gestures, and are able to…

A large orthographic neighborhood (N) facilitates lexical decision for central and left visual field/right hemisphere (LVF/RH) presentation, but not for right visual field/left hemisphere (RVF/LH) presentation. Based on the SERIOL model of letter-position encoding, this asymmetric N effect is explained by differential activation patterns at the…