di: DI and Neuroplasticity?

[Jim Cowardin]

Bob, I think I responded to you directly instead of to “the List” as well.
I forgot to check to see if the DI List was an addressee. I have added it
this time.

I am certainly not an expert on brain science. I am not an expert on much
of anything. But I think it boils down to the brain scientists’ (BSs for
Short, no pun intended) endeavor to show a causal relationship between
learning activities and brain change-the brain gets larger in “the area
that is receiving instruction.” I realize that this is your “in a nutshell”
description of the phenomenon. But I can’t help but wonder how the BSs know
what part of the brain is “learning.”  It gets larger, so does the new
knowledge act like food to build new brain cells? Maybe I need to read the
original research to find out what I am missing.

One of the things you can try with explanations by cognitivists and BSs,
who are both basing their science on hypothetical constructs is to leave
their explanations out of their descriptions and see if what is left makes
sense or even better sense. So let me rewrite your second paragraph:
...Mezernich has demonstrated in animal research that clear, consistent
repetition without distraction leads to more specialization, speed and
accuracy.  Da, da.

What does it add to the situation that the brain enlarges somewhere?  We
certainly cannot reverse the process and enlarge the brain (What material
would we use?) and experience “more specialization, speed and accuracy” in
some academic response. If you let us enlarge your brain, you will be much
smarter. We could sell that and make Apple and Microsoft afterthoughts in
the race for net worth.

If your going to enlarge brains through teaching, you need to teach well,
and it all comes down to the principles of DI.

Jim

On Mon, Sep 10, 2018 at 22:37 ROBERT <bhullinghorst at comcast.net> wrote:

> Dear Jim:
>
> Basically, as I understand it as a layman, neuroplasticity is new research
> demonstrating that the brain continuously manufactures new neurons, and
> these plus existing neurons can modify their synapses in response to
> training and other factors (like physical activity and nutrition).  This
> contrasts with the general medical position that the brain has fixed
> segments that cannot be changed.
>
> Most of the research focuses on treatment of brain disease.  However, a
> California researcher, Merzenich, has demonstrated in animal research that
> clear, consistent repetition without distraction enlarges that portion of
> the brain receiving instruction.   This eventually is translated into more
> specialization, more speed, and more accuracy.  Such brain changes have
> also been identified in humans.
>
> While I have read little, yet, to connect Neuroplasticity to education
> directly, there is a recent report in England that supports "rote
> memorization" and memory development as superior to the model that has
> plagued our education system for decades, overwhelming the research that
> supports Zig's Direct Instruction mode.
>
> While I have read other authors, Norman Doige's books on neuroplasticity
>  have been the core of my reading..
>
> I am responding to you directly.  I do not yet know how to participate in
> the forum.
>
> Bob Hullinghorst
> Boulder, CO
> 9/10/18
>
> Sent from XFINITY Connect App
>
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
>
> From: Jim Cowardin
> To: ROBERT
> Sent: September 10, 2018 at 2:06 PM
> Subject: Re: di: DI and Neuroplasticity?
>
> Bob, Please, define Neuroplasticity for me. I could take a guess (Roughly,
> generalization), but I would like hear then ‘scientific’ description of the
> concept.
>
> Jim Cowardin
>
> On Mon, Sep 10, 2018 at 12:13 ROBERT <bhullinghorst at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> For several months, I have been reading serious books and articles about
>> Neuroplasticity.  While some of the information is too technical for me,
>> and some is hokum, there seems to be much promise in the direction of this
>> research.
>>
>> As a former public official, I have been similarly interested in Direct
>> Instruction for more than a decade, because DI is the most promising route
>> for making public education more successful for all students.  While I am
>> not a teacher, I have attended DI classes and observed outstanding
>> successes.
>>
>> I would like to begin my participation in the DI forum by positing a
>> simple question--has there been research about how DI may relate to
>> Neuroplasticity?
>>
>> The simple answer is probably NO.  Even though the unique, structured
>> educational approach of DI may significantly support, or benefit from, the
>> phenomena being uncovered by research on Neuroplastinity.
>>
>> If the answer is, in fact, NO, I would like to elaborate on my suspicions
>> about the relationships between DI and neuroplasticity, and possible areas
>> of research.  Unless too many members of the forum tell me I am crazy.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Bob Hullinghorst
>> Boulder, CO
>>
>> Sent from XFINITY Connect App
>> _______________________________________________
>> di mailing list
>> di at lists.uoregon.edu
>> https://lists-prod.uoregon.edu/mailman/listinfo/di
>>
>
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