Faculty Dive in Deep: Learning and the Human Brain
**Are Boxes A and B the same color?**
A little over twenty years ago, a class at Dartmouth changed my life: The Psychology of Learning. On January 2 during a faculty in-service, I had the opportunity to revisit the epiphany that sparked my interest in teaching. Dr. G. Christian Jernstedt, Professor Emeritus, Adjunct Professor Emeritus, and Director Emeritus at Dartmouth College and the Geisel School of Medicine, gave the second of a two-part lecture to KUA faculty in which he explored not only the neuroscience behind learning but also the significant impact that we as teachers can have on learning outcomes. We discussed how the deliberate construction of a positive learning environment can not only enhance learning, but can also undo associations with previous negative environments. We learned about the power of forgetting and of self-guided learning, of association and of assessment, of prompting and shaping learning outcomes. Most importantly, we came away from Prof. Jernstedt’s talk with a deep appreciation for what is indeed the final frontier: the human brain.
Thank you, Jenny, for this thoughtful recap of the day with Dr. Jernstedt.
**Believe it or not, boxes A and B are the exact same shade of grey. Isn't it amazining what the human brain can do?**
**Believe it or not, boxes A and B are the exact same shade of grey. Isn't it amazining what the human brain can do?**
Further reading from recent editions of The Kimball Union Magazine:
