by Guest Blogger Donna Wilson
Over the past half-century, psychologists and neuroscientists have
learned a great deal about the way our brains work. These discoveries
have revolutionized our understanding about how people learn. We now
know that academic achievement is greatly influenced by students’
abilities to apply thought processes in a systematic way. In education,
terms often used are cognitive strategies (we use the term assets) and
metacognition.
We cover this topic extensively in our new book, Teaching Students to Drive Their Brains: Metacognitive Strategies, Activities, and Lesson Ideas.
Cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists may use the term executive
functions or skills to describe similar functions. For example,
educators, psychologists and neuroscientists may all speak of the
importance of capacities such as working memory, selective attention,
and metacognition with regard to learning.
All three
groups of professionals are talking about skills that are linked to the
brain's prefrontal region, as well as other areas of the brain depending
upon the specific skill. Ongoing research continues to increase our
understanding about related structures and functions.
