Sunday, April 21, 2024
Brain-Based Learning Wins All
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Cubistic, Wooden Faces for Focus
Attention spans often
lapse in today’s volatile, digital screen world.
Filmed wooden faces are designed to progressively build Short-Term Memory span length, strength, and capacity to develop listening and visual detail skills.
Once the automatic looping, wooden facial process begins, cubistic faces are repeated within daily practice sessions.
Automated Chunking Action: Each memory span has a beginning and an end. Like a bridge span, it can hold many units. A span can be Right-Brain or Left-Brain.
The chunking starts with a series of three items and progresses in difficulty level to ten or more items. Participants rehearse three unrelated items within the categories of letters, colors, numbers and words, reciting with the character models through scanning rotations [i].
How:
2. It registers in the brain
either in parts or its entirety
Many subconscious thoughts enter as whole patterns. The
complexity of the information interfaces with the length and strength
of your Short-Term memory span.
3. Information
enters Short-Term Memory, and settles according to your span length.
4. If it
doesn't process correctly, because of a short, overloaded span length, it is
forgotten.
5. If it continues to process, it
is synthesized with other background knowledge, and then classified by topic and enters Intermediate-Term Memory. Mental thoughts or concepts form.
6. Next, the
Left-Brain sorts and categorizes the information.
7. It then
requires ordering or visual or auditory sequencing to integrate.
8. The sorted information finally
enters Long-Term Memory. Understanding and conceptualization develop, based upon the early pattern selection, with
intuitive thought and feelings.
9. Reasoning
and logic commence, which are dependent on the above factors.
Unfortunately, weak attention spans coupled with wandering thoughts, hinder our daily lives, leaving us lost in a digital world.
[i] Erland, J. K. (1980). Vicarious Modeling, Using Peers and
Puppets With Learning Disabled Adolescents In Following Oral Directions. Unpublished Masters thesis, The University of
Kansas.
Erland, J.
K. (1990, 1988, 1987, 1986,
1981). The Memory Retainer Mental
Exercise Review Book.
Lawrence, KS: Mem-ExSpan, Inc.
Erland, J . K. (1992). Reading and learning disabled students
improve reading and math through video-taped analytical training. Journal of the Society for Accelerative
Learning and Teaching, 17, (3 & 4), 171-223.
Erland, J.
K. (1994, 1991). The Bridge To Achievement, Accelerated
Cognitive Training System. Lawrence,
KS: Mem-ExSpan, Inc.
Erland, J.
K. (1994). Analytical skills training through video-tape
instruction develops higher-order thinking skills capability. Journal of Accelerative Learning and
Teaching, 19, (2), 155-227.
Erland, J.
K. (1998). Cognitive skills and accelerated learning
memory training using interactive media improves academic performance in reading
and math. Journal of Accelerative
Learning and Teaching, 23, (3
& 4), 3-57.
Erland, J. K. (1999, Spring): Brain-Based Learning Longitudinal Study
Reveals Solid Academic Achievement Maintenance With Accelerated Learning
Practice. Journal of Accelerative Learning and Teaching, Volume 24,
(1 & 2). (available for pdf download
on www.memspan.com/jalt.html)
Erland, J. K.
(!999, Fall) Brain-Based
Accelerated Learning and Cognitive Skills Training Using Interactive Media
Expedites High Academic Achievement The
Journal of Accelerated Learning and Teaching, 24, (3 & 4). (available for pdf download on www.memspan.com/jalt.html) In ERIC Clearinghouse ED # 437 650. 100-page Jan K. Erland
Monograph Scientific Report on Intelligences and Accelerated Learning
Applications Documenting Treatment success with eleven classrooms and three
control groups in all ITBS academic
subject areas.
Erland, J. K. (2000, Fall) Brain-Based Accelerated Learning Longitudinal
Study Reveals Subsequent High Academic Achievement Gain for Low Achieving, Low
Cognitive Skill Fourth Grade Students”. The Journal of Accelerated Learning
and Teaching, 25, (3 & 4). 5-48.
(available for pdf download on www.memspan.com/jalt.html)
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Listening Success
This article continues my perspective on the importance of listening comprehension as it plays a role in procedural training and the cognitive skills required for deep learning acquisition.
This commentary follows my “Listening Your Best Asset” November 2021 blog.
It accentuates my “Hierarchy of Thinking” paradigm. [i]
Understanding aural information is critically important in our every day life. Many take listening for granted, but there are three types: [ii]
2. Active
Listening: with full attention to learn and retain information
3. Critical, or
analytical to make judgments what was heard.
My innovative work is to strengthen short term memory spans
for active listening. a requirement for
critical listening found through parallel processing.[iii] This process creatively applies images and
sound/voices[iv]
described in juried, publications [v]
[i] Erland J. K. (c 1989), Hierarchy of Thinking.
[ii]
Cherednichenko G., (2011, Vedeco trendy technology conference paper) “The Role
of Technology and Teaching Listening” monograph pp.78-83 available on online,
Academia.edu.
[iii]
Rumelhart, D. E., McClelland, J. and the PDP Research Group. (1986). Parallel distributed processing: Explorations in the micro structure of
cognition.
[iv] Erland,
Janis L. (February 4, 1986; copyright TXu 225 862). Contrapuntal Thinking and
Definition of Sweeping Thoughts.
[v] Erland,
J. K. (Fall 2000). Brain-Based Longitudinal Study Reveals Subsequent High
Academic Achievement Gain for Low-Achieving, Low Cognitive Skills, Fourth Grade
Students. Journal of Accelerated Learning and Teaching. 25,
(3&4) pp.5-48. ERIC ED # 453-553. & # CS 510 558. https://Books.Google.com/jankuypererland
page 44.
Saturday, February 17, 2024
Solutions Rejected
A former December blog. “Memory Development for Me, revealed my
pleasure in upskilling my own cognitive skills, and the mental overload relief
I obtained with mental practice exercises.
An
The new order code is “sensationalism”. All seek it. All want it.
Many unsubstantial memory and learning companies have entered a crowded landscape
promising the ill-informed
If our weakness becomes uncomfortable, we swallow a pill, or smoke a joint. Ultimately, our health becomes at stake.
Yet, procedural learning remains critically important, beyond the pill or joint.
Many
Because a good outcome takes practice, and more practice, then, some more.
Analytics become looped with the practiced outcome. Questions follow. What additionally is needed?
Tried and True researched, clinical trials, or taking actions that work under pressure.
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Effective Wellness Reconsidered
Many are unaware that they operate below par with their mental wellness functions. Some are concerned, while many do not care.
Several cognitive,
medical, and psychological predispositions comprise mental state relationships.
Trapped, disappointed, and living in a non-focus state, their fingers rapidly scroll their
screens. When not scrolling rapidly, they rush between tasks and demands at
hand.
Unfortunately, productivity is lost. Only one in five can execute, and then complete a challenging, technical procedure. Personal skills remain at a low ebb.
Subsequently, work skills remain at a premium, and are in short supply.
Finding
their work life in a static position, promotions or new jobs remain elusive,
inflation stings.
We may rush to find partners online to help pay the freight, whereas, it might be better to upskill for proficient, mental wellness enhancement.
It is time
to contemplate your own situation, select effective researched, self-recovery methods,
as marketing is having a hey-day at your personal well-being expense.
Follow my work with viewing pogram and lesson samples
on YouTube under jankuypererland1111
Additionally, YouTube features one minute “shorts” to expedite the scrolling process, to complement their social media platforms that may promote ego boosting photos hinged with brief comments.
Utilize my research and developed applications, as it becomes cemented into ongoing and future medical, cognitive, and psychological research applications.
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Memory Development for Me
Never dreaming that my training initiative would benefit myself, as well as others, this realization came as a Christmas surprise.
The sudden rainbow of colors on me created a sense of wonderment.
Now, with my own thrust with my own prescribed memory and cognitive auditory transfer training, the efforts have proved out in spades within three dynamic levels:
complex health procedures for
56 years to remain healthy.
2. the ability to team-work for complex film sound and video procedures to complete an arduous, demanding project.
3. to quickly understand, follow, and manage complex household procedures, avoiding timely over-charge details.
Like many, I have much to be thankful for this holiday season, and offer this wish to the rest of you reading this commentary.
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Sunday, October 29, 2023
Podcast 2 of 3 Creating a Program - Mem-ExSpan, memspan's
Sunday, October 15, 2023
The Erratic Tik - Tok Brain Embraces Entertainment
To continue my ongoing discussion of “Solid learning factors”, including focus, many articles today discuss concerns about the current 1-minute Tik Tok brain instilling erratic focus for our young people.
Poor focus interferes with listening integration sorely needed for sequencing, learning, retaining and applying new material.
Historical Impact:
Subsequently, it stands to reason, that speaking, looping, puppet faces might provoke staring, leading to focus.
Professor Brown becomes a local “hit" for a few people, so decided to hike to the New York Stage with a backpack of puppets.
Although it took him awhile to travel such a distance, he was well
received on local city small vaudeville stages, making some income to feed his
family. They have been surviving on buttermilk and popcorn in rural
1923 - 1955 “Doc”
Brown’s two sons, Fay and Foy E, are soon carving wooden faces like their
father had done earlier. They perform for local
1935 – 1955 Roughly
in the same time frame, Ventriloquism was becoming a hit comedy act for night
club entertainment on the East and West coast areas. Many tried to perform in
The final outcome of the “Peers and Puppets” experiment was
that team students’ TIED with the puppetry methods. Both groups focused on a
peer role model and the teaching cloth puppet. All win-wins.
Jan meets with Foy, in 1972, purchases two ventriloquist dummies, and soon is applying puppetry comedy routines for advertising with her three children as musical and speaking performers. It becomes a summer activity for the three children, who are musical.
Saturday, September 23, 2023
Banging Your Head Against the Wall
Sometimes it feels like we are “banging our heads against a wall” when people are not listening to us. They often ask questions just explained.
Unfortunately, many can only focus and follow one step holistically at a time, and cannot detect issues within the entire sequential procedure. Slow in procedural thought, “one unit at a time-piecemeal”, they become over-whelmed with step-wise instructions.
This unpredictable mind set creates a flow of errors that is both time-consuming and costly to reformulate properly.
Today’s work projects often employ three to five individuals, at high cost inefficiency, to accomplish a simple procedure.
The following alarming story was recently related to me by a hospital book-keeper, as an incorrect coding entry had been taking a year of our involvement to resolve the accounting/mis-coded issue.
Without productive efficiency, projects fail with faulty detail. All work operations are a series of ordered details to be completed correctly, systematically, with full accountability.
Any work chain with too many links can break down to error laden inefficiency.
Actual Medical Scenarios:
Inversely, there were several people at the Medicare side to conduct the same, expensive, time laden, data entry chain link process to finally correct the claim.
Then the doctor confronted with the dire results, requiring
immediate surgery, lucky for me with my high listening-auditory-coding
capability, I recognized the problem immediately, and confronted her with
“these photos are not my newly filmed records”.
Of course, the doctor double checked my file, was embarrassed, and apologized, as I have nearly perfect eyesight.
Obviously, I could have gone through unnecessary eye surgery, not to mention, the time involvement, and the anxiety-stress incurred.
Subsequently, this circumstance could have been avoided by pre-testing the listening capability of future technician applicants.
Erland, J. K. (February 1986, 1989).Contrapuntal thinking
and the definition of sweeping thinking).
Monday, September 4, 2023
What is Common Sense and Logic? Why Do We Need It?
The term “common sense” always baffled me, as I was growing up; individuals said I had amazing “common sense,” and tackled problems wisely. This leads me to the discourse, “what is common sense, exactly?”
A Basic Conclusion for “Common Sense”
would be simply: “Don’t step in
front of an oncoming car.” “Avoid lightning strikes”, or Don’t eat strange
reptiles,” as the outcomes are obvious to most people.
My Personal Conclusion “Common Sense”: It may be the ability to flood the mind rapidly, with a variety of options, and then make the best choice rationally, not emotionally, in any given moment.
If
it is an emergency, we are forced to think fast. Otherwise, we can carefully
weigh in our personal options – pros and cons in a logical manner.
Impulsivity and “Common Sense”: a fast, risky, choice is made without any
deep thought. An individual may realize they made it, but cannot fathom how
they reached that conclusion. or understand the eventual consequences.
Often, this line of thinking is habitual,
and this decision-making pattern continues throughout their lives.
How the Brain is Involved
In trying to understand the role of “Common Sense” cognitively, we can realize that the cerebellum is the master or “muscle,” doing the brain’s work load, whereas, the cerebrum is the “thought control”.
And, additionally, each individual has their own unique electrical synapse
system created through their learning experiences.
Therefore, we should desire interconnecting
them in concert for optimal whole brain thinking leading to logical thinking
and decision making.
We can create “Choice Architecture” [1] In making decisions that permeate our wired brains.
We can use tools, or options,
to create common sense through logical thought processes, for making decisions
with desirable outcomes.
Device Screen Options
We can apply a unique assortment of options
with our devices’ screens to give us the answers we seek.
Consider not being distracted by the
constant advertising on our screens, so we can maintain our thought flow and
make optimum decisions, or levels of thought operations.[2]
My former article on “Focus” reiterated the Tik Tok - UTube data findings[3] that many have developed a “one-minute” brain attention span.
This recent article for
“Family and Tech” in the Wall Street Journal, reveals that “UTube one- minute “Shorts”
give kids short, thrill bursts, making it harder to pull away” Brains are being
short-circuited, camouflaging any possible “Common Sense” or logic.
As many innovators spot this issue, they
clamor to come up with immediate, money-making solutions. This data is rapidly
absorbed into marketing advertisements.
This becomes a “Hay-Day” for marketing and
screens, as our brains’ logical capabilities wither.
Takeaway, thought-provoking point to
ponder:
If we have a uniquely wired brain, laden with experiential, ethics, and skills learning, making our formulated choice options based on this factor, yet, data mining shows that many can focus only for one-minute or so, what can (or will) alter this anomalous paradigm?
Are we
making choices based on a short-circuited brain, lacking logic?
[1] Johnson, Eric (2021). The Elements
of Choice.
[2] Erland, J. K. (1989). Hierarchy of Thinking
Model.
[3] Julie Jargon. (August 15, 2023). “An Antidote
for ‘Tik Tok Brain’ Has Also Become a Problem” The Wall Street Journal.
Monday, August 14, 2023
Finding Focus
Poor Mental Focus: The Universal Problem:
My last article reviewed how the average person can understand the mechanics of assessment, plainly known as “testing” or even “cognitive tests”. Many brain boost companies claim both recent and historic cognitive findings, some cloudy, not accurately clarified. And, most digital learning applications do not generate sustained focus.
The internet is awash with brain and cognitive articles and podcasts with many view slants. My articles are rooted as a parent of three, classroom and learning disabilities teacher, data analyst, researcher, and artistic program designer applying puppetry.
To stay abreast with current popular thought/mind processes, and to offer understanding and desire for mental/physical wellness, I am visible on social media.
With that said, this article is on how deep learning with fixed focus affects our lives and identities.
Identity Empowerment through Focal Strength
There are many types of over- layers of our focal identities: on the family, religious, work, school, social, and emotional event-spending.
Yet, the most important one to consider: How to take on new tasks and ignore distractions.
My former articles have discussed how visual and auditory memory integration becomes elusive with too much addictive screen time adherence.
It will destroy visual and auditory integration (necessary for deep understanding/comprehension).
Once you completely “understand” a situation, and apply rationale, your stress level lowers.
But, instead, we react impulsively. We all “obey” our screens with compulsivity. Marketing strategies depend upon our compulsive natures that we will react instantly to their clever lures. Ads pop up continuously, diverting our thoughts and concentrated attention.
We apply cell phone “Focus” settings to turn out the distractive onslaught of visual images. But, even then, we still do not focus on new learning tasks optimally.
Engulfed by distractions, we multi-task that further diverts the concentration at hand.
Creating Purposeful Goals to Sustain Focus
We may additionally have weak visual and auditory working memory to focus effectively. Thereby, we may not integrate properly for good reasoning capability. This soon unites with mental depression, ignited by constant screen adherence.
Furthermore, instead of creating a unique personal identity to formulate the joy of our own being, we spend excessive amounts for concert entertainment.
This brief surge of excitement does not compensate for our lack of mental focus, or a sense of purpose, we sorely need for today’s survival. Yet, we become addicted to this sketchy lifestyle expenditure pattern.
We Search for this Elusive, Desired, Focusing
A recent neuroscience article stated findings re visual stimuli and fighting distractions called “Beta Bursts,”and how they appear from sustained, continued focus. [1]
Brain frontal cortex neurons create “Beta Bursts” through visual movement and fixed attention. To personally obtain a visual Beta Burst, you must forcibly be directed towards a goal, rather than distractions. Brain neurons can be re-directed to an important task, but it does take an enormous amount of determined energy to do so.
Okay, how do we create these goals for fixed focal attention?
Solution: Daily, Progressive Procedural Learning.
But, which one?
There are many brain development choices: stimulation devices, (but will not improve current cognitive levels), medical drugs, pills, various digital, brain programs, (few will improve the critically needed auditory sequencing capability), diets, all designed to reduce brain fog and create learning prowess.
But, these varying choices do not necessarily make you adept in following and retaining sequential, skill-set procedures, nor last.
My digital solution is a worthy consideration: The Bridge to Achievement has 42 years in published, juried, Beta research and development. [2]
1. Musical, rhythmical, facial focus with chunking – visualization – pattern finding operations, is a good option to obtain fixed attention for deep learning,
2. Consecutive, determined practice is the next requirement.
3. The lessons must then build on each other in difficulty level with purpose.
4. Then, the learner should recognize their progressive improvement, and keep going.
5. Finally, the rhythmic, timed, visual and sound adherence will re-formulate one’s brain cognition and integration. Improvement is “not a quick fix”, but you can see improvement gradually, peaking in a year or two, if you are motivated, and determined, with a goal-set.
Now, you can recognize and resolve your insidious mental focus limitations, so you can take action to alleviate stress, depression, and confusion.
[1] Odorczyk, Kelsey. (August 11, 2023). Brain’s Traffic Directors: Neurons that Keep Us Focused on Tasks. Neuroscience News, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine.
Erland,
J. K. (Fall 2000). Brain-Based Longitudinal Study Reveals Subsequent High
Academic Achievement Gain for Low-Achieving, Low Cognitive Skills, Fourth Grade
Students. Journal of Accelerated Learning and Teaching. 25,
(3&4) pp. 5-48. ERIC ED # 453-553. & # CS 510 558. https://Books.Google.com/jankuypererland
pages 41, 44
Erland J. K. (c 1989), Hierarchy of Thinking. Mem-ExSpan, Inc.Erland, J. K. (© 2008). Downloadable, unpublished report. Five Generations, 27-years of iterative Brain-Based Accelerative Learning Experimentation Demonstrate Cognitive Skill Improvement Enhances Academic and Career Goals. (https://memspan/jalt).
Erland J. K. (c 1989), Hierarchy of Thinking. Mem-ExSpan, Inc.
Saturday, July 15, 2023
Understanding Cognitive Skills Testing: What Is It? Why Have It Admin? & Where To Find It?"
I am reprinting an earlier version, 2010 article of mine, regarding the value of cognitive skills, standardized, longitudinal testing, still applicable today.
Later, interestingly, in 2014, the University of Pennsylvania's Brain Behavior Lab created a simple, normed test, computerized, self-administered in one hour, called Mindprint Learning. It gives a direction for personalized learning plans in 10 skill levels.
While helpful for parent/teacher/student planning, the Mindprint Learning self-awareness test, therefore, differs greatly from the rigorous pre-post-post standardized test batteries I discuss, and administered at 13 learning sites.
I work from the Guilford Intellgence model for backbone theory, with a reformulated, brief, puppetry playbook model on downloadable film.
Lesson 1 preview is now available on Utube under "Jan Kuyper Erland".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yBvAnGjJeI (paste link in your browser)
All of my lessons and content are original. The article goes well with my following July article on "Digital Transformation."