Investigates whether memory for positive and negative television messages differs in the amount of verbal and visual-spatial information recognized and recalled by television viewers, as a function of differential activation of the brain hemispheres elicited by emotional messages. Suggests that message valence may be related to the amount of…

The relationship between brain asymmetry and age-related differences in cognitive abilities was examined for 29 adults aged 18 to 78 years using magnetic resonance imagery (MRI). Brain and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex size correlated positively with fluid intelligence but did not add to the fluid intelligence variance explained by age alone.…

Debunks brain/education myths. The term "brain-based education" is redundant; learning is the brain's function. More brain cell connections do not equal more learning. There is no "critical period" for developing human brain capacity. All learning is emotional, and learning never ends. Tips for high-school teachers are…

The new consensus on the nature of learning helps educators understand what fosters learning and how to improve ineffective, detrimental aspects of teaching. Science curricula should capitalize on three concepts: learners construct meaning for themselves; to understand is to know relationships; and knowing relationships depends on having prior…

Discusses connections between Madeline Hunter's elements of effective teaching and current brain research. Hunter's emphasis on setting the stage for learning fits precisely with research on the brain's attentional mechanisms. Other Hunter elements, including level of concern (challenge), task analysis, procedural memory, and prior learning, are…

Discusses cognitive navigation, cognitive maps and online learning, and the role of the hippocampus in navigation. Topics include brain research in animal and human studies; types of memory; human navigation, including land navigation and information navigation; instructional strategies; tree maps of curriculum structure; cognitive complexity; and…

Examined affective and motoric reactivity hypothesized to be associated with later inhibited and uninhibited behavior. Affect and reactivity were classified at four months. Brain electrical activity was assessed at 9 months, and behavior toward novelty, at 14 months. Found that greater activation in both the left and right frontal hemispheres was…

Proposes that a mute verbal modeling system gets lodged in the brain, because the brain is human and modeling, representing, and communicating create connections in the brain. (Author/VWL)

Suggests time management techniques that can be useful for school librarians. Highlights include differences in right brain-left brain chemistry; making lists; setting priorities; using a daily planner; and creative uses of time, including breaks. (LRW)

Applies information on memory for different types of experiences to Montessori teacher education programs. Differentiates verbal, visual, emotional, and kinesthetic memory. Provides suggestions for meeting brain needs to enhance learning performance. Maintains that brain development is dependent on challenging learning experiences and on providing…

Develops the distinction between "referential" and "modalizing" aspects of language and describes their functional dissociation, as observed in various manifestations of aphasia and in the speech of hemispherectomy and commissurotomy patients. (Author/JL)

Analyzes three common learning style inventories (LSIs)-- 4MAT System, Dunn's LSI, and Renzulli and Smith's LSI--matching them to the most compatible teaching strategies. The paper presents tables to help teachers select the most appropriate teaching strategies, makes suggestions for selecting and designing LSIs, and discusses practical…

Notes that outcomes of the "Mozart Effect" on early brain development are not thoroughly proven and presents challenges for future research. Points out that it is still unknown at what age exposure to musical concepts should begin, and that parents should allow children to pursue musical interests at their own pace to avoid burnout at a…

Presents information on prenatal brain development, detailing the functions controlled by the medulla, pons, and midbrain, and the implications for cognitive development. Concludes that fetal cognitive motor activity, including auditory discrimination, orienting, the wake-sleep cycle, fetal heart rate accelerations, and defensive reactions,…

John Bruer previously stated that "brain science has little to offer educational practice or policy" and urged attention to cognitive science. In conjunction with knowledge from other sources, neuroscience findings are yielding additional insights into the learning process. Educators should know about findings on enrichment, constructivism, and…