Brain Differences
The American School Board Journal cover story for October is about differences in brain function and learning between genders. What is fascinating about the article is that it shows the direct lines connecting what we now know about gender, brain function, behavior, learning style, and instructional strategies. Researchers are now able to directly image how the brains of girls and boys operate differently while engaged in the same tasks, whether they are math, language arts, or other efforts. More importantly, researchers such as the author of the article have documented how to change teaching practice to apply this knowledge, with significant impact on student success.
While this is not about technology per se, it certainly has great implications for educational technology. If boys write better by creating a visual storyboard rather than an outline, what tools could we use to improve that process? (Suddenly digital photography takes on new instructional possibilities.) If girls do better in math when instructional materials emphasise verbal elements, would that influence your choices of technology-delivered supplementary math materials (such as Fizz and Martina, Math Mysteries, or PrimeTime Math from Tom Snyder Productions)?
Of course, this all appeals to me because I’m a science and research nerd. I love to see how our increasing knowledge and understanding of how the brain works can help us see the process of learning through new eyes. We no longer need to argue about or guess why girls and boys learn differently; we now know how and why. Now we can concentrate on how to apply this knowledge to help kids learn the best ways possible, and hopefully apply technology to enhance these new approaches.