Teaching With the Brain in Mind

they may soon become the rule of the day. We see
kids on Ritalin, dads on Prozac, and moms on
Provera. Grandmothers are taking estrogen supplements
to reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s, and
grandfathers are taking GM1 (ganglioside) or
GDNF (glial-derived growth factor) to combat
Parkinson’s. It’s a brave, new world, indeed.
Interpreting Brain Research
The military has a system for coding the level of
certainty about surveillance information. At the
weakest or lowest level you have unreliable sources,
outdated information, and a lack of alternative confirming
sources. At the other end of the spectrum is
“high confidence.” This means you have reliable
original sources, fresh confirming sources, a variety
of quality data gathering, and personal verification
of data, perhaps even eyewitnesses.
Figure 1.3 demonstrates a similar classification
system for interpreting brain research. At the lowest
level of confidence, Level 1, is simple theory.
There’s nothing wrong with theory, as long as you
recognize it for what it is. Level 2 means some discovery
or experiment has illuminated the theory.
It’s better than Level 1, but it has a way to go. As a
Level 2 example, consider neuroscientist Daniel
Schacter’s discovery that the brain stores real-life
experiences differently than it does a fabricated
story (1996). In medical experiments, PET scans
revealed a visible difference in the brain between
telling the truth and fabricated stories. Additional
research to determine potential applications for
this finding is necessary.
A Level 3 of confidence comes through widespread,
documented clinical trials. Usually done at
universities, these studies give us moderate levels
5
FIGURE 1.3
How to Interpret Brain Research
The New Winds of Change
These levels are listed from most to least reliable,
from top to bottom
Level 4: In-Context Applications
Done in schools or businesses, this documented
action research gives us testing results under
actual, real-life conditions.
Level 3: Clinical Studies
Usually university-supported, these studies are
best with multiple experimenters, large, diverse,
multi-age, multicultural populations
(double-blind is preferable).
Level 2: Laboratory Discovery
Could come from autopsies, experiments,
fMRI, PET, or EEG scans.
Level 1: Brain/Learning Theory
Any theory about learning and the brain that
explains recurring behaviors.
of confidence in the research. Level 4 confidence
means that action research, by you or other colleagues,
has confirmed that the idea works across
the board, for most anyone, most anywhere,
reflecting a high confidence in the method. Most of
the strategies described in this book will be at the
higher end confidence levels (3–4 range).
Unfolding brain research is both exciting and
full of pitfalls. The implications can be exhilarating,
but it’s just as important to consider the pitfalls.
For example, educators can apply only a
small percentage of brain research. Much of it is