The Art of Changing the Brain: Enriching the Practice of Teaching by Exploring the Biology of Learning

by James E. Zull

Book Overview

Neuroscience tells us that the products of the mind--thought, emotions, artistic creation--are the result of the interactions of the biological brain with our senses and the physical world: in short, that thinking and learning are the products of a biological process.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1579220541
• ISBN13: 9781579220549
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 263 Pages
• Weight: 0.87 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

The best book on educational neuroscience I've read!

For whatever it's worth, I just received my PhD in Educational Neuropsychology and have been looking closely to see what's recently been published in this nascent field. One key statement in my dissertation was a comment by a neuroscientist that teachers spend all day trying to change the brain while knowing practically nothing about it. Enter James Zull's excellent book. There's not much available on brain-based learning, educational neuropsychology, neuroeducation--or whatever one chooses to call it--and what there is just doesn't quite cut it for educators--many of whom have at least some degree of technophobia. Neuroscience feels especially daunting and inaccessible to most educators. This book, on the other hand, leads teachers gently by the hand into what was formerly scary territory in a warm, non-threatening way. After each neural function is described, Dr. Zull, (who I'm guessing wrote the book while on sabbatical at Harvard--specifically at their Center for the Mind, Brain, and Education), immediately discusses the implications that particular function has for teaching and learning. To his credit, he never loses sight of his primary audience--teachers. The other excellent tactic he uses which is quite novel is to relate neuroscience findings to learning theory--specifically Kolb's. If anyone knows of any other neuroscientist who's done this, please leave a comment as I'd certainly like to know. This is currently a huge gap between neuroscience, cognitive psych, and education. My only concern is that Dr. Zull may have sacrificed a bit of clarity in the effort to make a dense scientific subject accessible for a non-scientific (primarily) audience. I'd like to see some reviews of the book by other neuroscientists--many of whom are teachers (if in higher ed), themselves. Can we really talk meaningfully about the frontal and rear cortex? I've never heard that division before and would feel more secure with an explanation of which structures compose the front and rear and why this division can be made. Perhaps he's right but I'd like more evidence that this is not as overly simplistic as the "right-brain" and "left brain" divisions that so many non-scientists have glommed onto. I am submitting an outline for a course in "brain-based learning" at a university and will propose using this book as the primary text. It's that good!

it works, pure & simple

As I redesigned my course syllabus and lesson plans for introductory anthropology this fall, after reading Zull's book over the summer, I consciously tried to take into account the four step process described by the reviewer below. I've taught the course four times before and this was definitely the most successful -- by the end of the course the students were much more able to use the concepts they'd been introduced to over the course of the term, and the feedback and #s on the student evaluations of the course improved markedly.

A book that can change your life

Dr. Zull combines expert knowledge of brain imaging studies and learning theory, enabling a practical understanding of the brain's learning cycle: (1) New information is received by the sensory cortex, then (2) Reflective observation is carried out by the integrative cortex, then (3) Abstract hypotheses are constructed in the frontal cortex, then (4) The new knowledge is subjected to active testing involving the motor cortex (Bringing in new knowledge to perpetuate the cycle) When all steps in the cycle are working well in an emotionally supportive environment, the result is continuous active learning. When any of these steps is inhibited, active learning is not achieved. Dr. Zull gives suggestions for removing these blocks using examples drawn from a long teaching career. The book has been very useful to me for improving communication.

Prior Learning in Words ...to Neuronal Networks in the Brain

December 15, 2003Dr. James Zull has put together the biology of the brain along with connecting the brain and education.The Art of Changing the Brain is the best approach to learning about the function of the brain as it applies to education that I have ever seen. Dr. Zull style of writing is "easy going" and most enjoyable. One can learn about the functions of the brain without having to have a doctorate in neurology or other arcane sciences.He does teachers and learners a great service by taking the profession's vocabulary and putting it into scientific terms rather than the other way around. In chapter six of his book he deals with the importance of prior learning and it's formation of actual neuronal networks in the brain that validates the physical presence of learning. When actual life experiences can be reflected in the plasticity of the cerebral neurons then students really sit up and take notice. When we can validate the physical presence of learning, a new paradigm is created.Excellent book. Highly recommend!Dr. Rob Harriman

Discovering the fundamentals of a learning mind

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At first, I was skeptical that a biologist could deal sensitively with the psychological & social issues involved in helping students learn. But my skepticism quickly turned to enthusiasm when I discovered how clearly Zull linked his biological explanations of how brains work with the psychology of learning. He also described how instructors could put his insights to use in designing their courses & classroom activities. This is a great book and one I plan to use in my teaching seminar for graduate students. Well written and with lots of helpful examples.