3 Top Reasons Why Conventional Learning Will Smash Education Technology?

What is learning?

Learning is the process of acquiring new memory (called a learning block) and storing that memory in our permanent memory so that the brain can use it at a relevant time.

A learning block may be of the following types:

1. Answers to a question that the brain seeks.
2. Steps to solve a problem.
3. Tricks to solve a problem faster(or more efficiently).
4. Data, examples, or information about a subject is already stored in our brain as a memory.
5. Objective truth, or theory behind why something happens.
6. Connecting block that may connect two or more learning blocks.

And so on.

So, a learned memory block is essentially an answer to either of a) why b) where c) how d) why not e) when f)who g) can we? h) should we? 

Structure of a Learned memory block in our brain

1. The question.
2. The context of the question.
3. Category of the question.
4. Events when the brain raised the question.
5. Index of the answer(like this blog, major headings)
6. Pointers to all other associated blocks.
7. Body’s hormonal and physiological signature at the time of learning(feelings)
8. A final pointer is stored in the index of the brain.
9. Sensory details about the environment of learning.

How does our brain store memory?

1. All the sensory data, such as visual, auditory, touch, and smell is processed by different sensory decoding sections of the brain.
2. Then this data is sent to the linguistic section, where the data is converted into meaningful information.
3. The information is then sent to our cognitive section, where meaning is derived from the information.
4. Based on the initial meaning, our brain decodes emotion. Based on emotion, the hormonal state changes in our body, which results in a physiological change, that we can feel. This is called feeling.
5. Feeling, Meaning, Raw Data, and Information are bundled and saved in different temporary locations, and a memory index is generated.
6. This memory index is the memory relevant to the current experience. This memory management is done by a section of the brain called the Hippocampus.
7. Hippocampus then store this memory bit in a temporary memory, as well as tries to compare this bit with our long-term memory stored in Cerebellum.
8. If there is fear/threat perception, then Hippocampus passes on the threat message to a section called Amygdala, which manages the instinctive, instantaneous, and immediate action called fight or flight. This is also called the Reaction.
9. The reaction now needs to make the body physiologically ready first by making the hormonal changes. Therefore, it is sent to the Hypothalamus section. Hypothalamus works as a messenger between the Endocrine(hormonal) system, and the Nervous system, including Autonomic Nervous System, which connects all the organs.
10. Hypothalamus messages the pituitary gland to manage the hormonal state, as well as generate relevant electrical signals for our nervous system.
11. Our Somatic nervous system then manages the muscle movements, which results in the way we react or respond physically.
12. At the same time, the memory bit is sent to our Pre-frontal cortex section, where several analysis of the information is performed. This section solves any problems like threats and offers various solutions(called Ideas).
13. All these continuous sets of memory bits are then combined through indexes like a garland, and store a single index as an Event memory.
14. The brain then calculates the relevance of the event based on the number of hormonal variations, and stores the event in the long-term memory of the Cerebellum.

Therefore, learning is simply the process of acquiring this learning block memory. Quality of learning is the ability of the brain to recall the learning block whenever relevant and able to reuse the block for multiple purposes.

For example, we all have read Ohm’s Law in our preliminary science classes. Ohm’s law state that the current between two ends of the conductor is proportional to the voltage applied between the points.
If you still recall this then you have a good memory of what you have learned. If you can immidiately figure out why or how Ohm’s law is relevant in the current context, then you have learned efficiently.

What are the common ways of learning?

1. Self-learning.
2. Observational learning.
3. Experince-based learning.
4. Experiment-based learning.
5. Reading-based learning.
6. Learn by listening.
7. Need-based learning.
8. Guided Learning.
9. Practical learning.
10. Forced learning.
11. Practice-based learning.

How does the brain allocate relevancy to the learned blocks?

Storing and recalling any resource is energy-intensive for the brain. Therefore brain allocates relevance to the learned blocks. It keeps the most relevant blocks on top of the memory to extract the most frequently required learned memories faster. The brain cleans almost 90% of the learning over some time.

There are only two ways a brain allocates and changes this learning relevance:

1. Reinforcement learning.
2. Reward-driven learning.
3. Punishment-sensitive learning.

The brain gives higher priority and relevance to those learning blocks used in practical life, good or bad. It uses punishment to avoid certain situations and rewards for repeating using the learned block in that situation.

Because you have probably not used Ohm’s law ever in your practical life, you might not recall the law or care least about the law.

However, because we have talked about Ohm’s law a few times in this article, you may be thinking, why are we discussing Ohm’s law in the first place? That is your curiosity.

Learning is like the current, Knowledge of the teacher(here I) is the positive voltage, curiosity is the negative voltage of your brain now, and emotion is the conductivity between your and mine brains.

So, Ohm's law of learning:
Learning as current= 
[Knowledge(teacher)-curiosity(student)]as voltage /(1/Emotionas conductivity)

If I had directly come to the point and narrated the 11 reasons why conventional learning would exist, that would have been like information for you because we had no emotions. And so, you could never remember those points.

However, you had a curiosity, and now you learned something fascinating. Your brain will feel happy and edited now because it got the use case of a learned block that it probably never used. Now your brain will release Dopamine which is a pleasure hormone and also a hormone that ensures neuroplasticity.

Even though you barely know me, just because you are feeling good now, your brain has established an emotional connection with me ever so slightly. Now your brain will care to learn.

Even though you are learning from technology, I emulate conventional learning the way I would have taught you in class. I first raised your curiosity and prepared you for the learning so that when you finally learn, it will stay in your memory longer. Besides, you are feeling good now, and even though you may not have had a good day so far, you will feel much happier after reading this.

Are you not smiling yet?

Now, if you go back to the previous block, where I have explained how memory works, you will see that each memory needs a feeling for storage.

Let us now go to the actual subject on the next page.

Rupam Das

Passionate, Accountable Student for Life