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Emotion and Learning: Implications for Mathematics Instruction. Matt Roscoe The University of Montana. Brain Based Education. From a cognitive perspective, learning is explained as the building of neural connections
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Emotion and Learning:Implications for Mathematics Instruction Matt Roscoe The University of Montana
Brain Based Education • From a cognitive perspective, learning is explained as the building of neural connections • A familiarity of basic neural connectivity and brain structure leads to greater understanding of how the brain thinks, comprehends and ultimately learns • An understanding of how the brain functions points to brain based educational reforms
e-mo-tion, n. • A mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by physiological changes; a feeling: the emotions of joy, sorrow, reverence, hate, and love • A state of mental agitation or disturbance • The part of the consciousness that involves feeling; sensibility
Cortex-Limbic Relationship • Far more neural fibers project from the limbic system to the cerebral cortex than the reverse • Emotion plays a role in focusing attention from competing sensory input • Emotion and memory are closely linked
Emotion and Education Emotion drives attention, which drives learning, memory and problem solving and almost everything else we do…by not exploring the role that emotion plays in learning and memory, our profession has fallen decades behind in devising useful instructional procedures that incorporate and enhance emotion. (Sylwester, 1998)
Mathematics Education Slope • Standard 1: The student must be able to calculate the slope of a line that passes through any two points on the coordinate plane. • Standard 2: The student must differentiate between positive/negative slope. • Standard 3: The student must understand the meaning of slope in application problems.
Mathematics EducationSlope: Standard Approach • Algebraically define slope • Calculate slope for several pairs of points • Describe positive and negative slope
Mathematics EducationSlope: Emotional Approach • Interpretation: Depreciation of -1,923.57 $ per year • Follow Up: • Which cars might have higher/lower rates of depreciation? Why? • Do any cars have a positive appreciation? Why? • Will depreciation always be linear? Why?
Mathematics EducationLines: Emotional Approach The price of cable television has rapidly increased in the recent past. Mathematically model this trend and use your model to make several predictions regarding the future pricing of cable television.
Mathematics EducationLines: Emotional Approach Cable TV has steadily raised about $1.51 per year. A linear model was used because when a steady increase of something is used it is a viable way to predict the future. The linear model for this particular problem was y = 1.508x +15.581. The model tells us that the increase each year is about $1.51 and in 1990 the cost was about $15.58. If you plug in “x” … you can predict the cost … in the year 2010 the cost will be about $45.74. (Student Response)
Mathematics EducationQuadratics: World Population World population has been increasing rapidly in the last century. Accurately predicting world population is important from an economic, political and social standpoint.
Mathematics EducationQuadratics: World Population I think the quadratic … (y = ax^2 +bx+c) better illustrates the world population. The past chart shows that the population [rate] rises nearly a full billion every 10 years. The quadratic form follows this pattern more closely. Notice that more of the points line up with the quadratic’s solution. (Student Response)
Mathematics EducationQuadratics: World Population Having an accurate count of future population makes it possible to make predictions for what social needs must be met in the future. It tells us how many people will be living in a voting district or estimated population of a city. It can tell us how much money we will need for social program like welfare, or how big to build roads leading to growing rural areas. With a linear growth model we will not have accurate numbers for determining social, political and economic needs. (Student Response)
Sylwester, R. (1994, October) How Emotions Affect Learning. Educational Leadership, 52 (2), 60-65. Greenberg, J. (1978, November) Memory Research: An Era of “Good Feeling”. Science News, 114 (22), 364-365. Sylwester, R. (1998) Discover Your Brain: Emotion and Attention. How Our Brain Determines What’s Important. Report, Retrieved February 10, 2005 from the ERIC database. Slywester, R. (1995) A Celebration of Neurons: An Educator’s Guide to the Human Brain. Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD. Caine, R.M., Caine, G.C. (1997) Education on the Edge of Possibility. Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD. Matt Roscoe University of Montana Missoula, MT 59812 (406) 243-6689 roscoem@mso.umt.edu References / Contact Info
