Wednesday 21 January 2009

Just read - Zull

The Art of Changing the Brain: Enriching the Practice of Teaching by Exploring the Biology of Learning
by James Zull

Stylus Publishing (Oct 3, 2002)
Paperback – 263 pages
ISBN-10: 1579220541
ISBN-13: 9781579220549

Interesting book - very much in the American Scholarship of L&T model - enthusiastic etc.

I found the combination of Kolb's learning cycle and neurophysiology a bit forced at times and still have problems with reflection as a stage - although at least Zull does try to define it.

Having been around when left/right brain stuff was popular and now being totally confused about its status having understood that it was invalid - but then seeing a you-tube video of a neuro-scientist analysing their experience of a stroke using it - I have been left with a suspicion of its use - how do I know that current models are not going to go the same way.

One specific intersting analysis is what Zull talks about re changing students false models and how you can't just dismiss them but have to help create a route from their false model to where they need to be.

No comments: