Design media technology and learning space in brain-based learning

Brain-based learning (BBL) is essential – even for the very young.

Children should be taught stuff that matches their age and mental development. Lessons that are taught at a very fast pace or are too complex threaten to affect a child’s learning ability, self-confidence and self-esteem in the long run. 

Therefore, recognising the importance of BBL, the Office of Knowledge Management and Development (OKMD) recently organised a workshop on the subject for teachers from municipal schools. I attended one of these workshops as a speaker, and helped guide kindergarten teachers on how to design media technology and create a learning space for the young ones. 

I have always supported the idea of making lessons fun for young children. 

In other words, when designing a learning space, be it inside a classroom or outside in the playground, teachers should create an environment in which their students are exposed to and discover new things. Activities should be designed so they become challenging and are fun to tackle. Walking, talking, dancing, painting, singing, writing and other kinds of play-based learning activities are among the things teachers can use for their classes. 

Teachers must also include opportunities for their students to interact with their fellow classmates. Not only will this boost their social skills, but they will also learn from one another. Also, the media or learning materials used should in some way relate to the young children’s daily lives. 

If a new subject can synchronise with what a child has previously felt, encountered or thought of, then the child will find it easier to comprehend. It is also great to have pictures to hold children’s attention and help them understand the subject better. 

Discovery and hands-on learning techniques are also very good. Young children generally look for a pattern that they are familiar with, and when they make new discoveries, they learn to link up different pieces of information to understand the subject better. 

Teachers must understand the physical development of the brain as well as the comfort zone of learning. Most importantly, teachers should observe and record their students’ response and reactions during classes. 

While at the OKMD workshop, I learned a lot about the BBL principle from other speakers. 

Brain-based learning experts explained that learning should be harmonised and synchronised to the structure and function of the brain. A brain starts developing from a child’s first experience of sight, sound and touch. The brain is a unique organ that needs both physical nutrients (such as protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and so on) as well as emotional support (like love, joyful, happiness, etc).

Hence, it is very important for teachers and parents to know exactly when your children or students are ready to learn. That moment usually comes when children achieve a balance in emotion, knowledge and brain development. 

The limbic system in the brain’s frontal lobe is open for active learning when happiness and positive emotions are present. When children are successful in learning, their brain generates endorphins, which makes them want to learn more. 

In other words, we, as parents or teachers, should never force our children to study.

We need to first create an environment in which they will feel like learning. That way, they will excel. Our brain picks up things from real and symbolic objects as well as from easy to difficult subject matters. Therefore, when designing a classroom or learning environment, we should set up a learning-by-doing space where children can learn through trial and error. The more children try, the more they experience and remember, and hence learn more accurately, quickly and beautifully. 

So, when designing a learning process and space, we should try to link indoor and outdoor activities. And most importantly, we need to link the “hand-head-heart” process to these activities. 

Before bringing their classes to an end, teachers should also hold a question-and-answer session to revise the lesson. This way, children will understand the subject better, not just memorise what has just been taught. When teaching young children, don’t lose sight of brain-based learning. By spending time on designing an environment that best matches the brain of the young, teachers will maximise their ability to learn.