Cosmos – Birth of a Star
Birthing Knowledge
Studies of the brain are spurring a revolution in education for young and old alike. Using a variety of research techniques, scientists are better able to observe how the brain learns, thinks and remembers. Understanding the brains of babies is the first step to developing a concept for a life of learning for they are masters at absorbing new concepts.
It used to be that scientists thought of infants as defective adults, egocentric, irrational and unable to understand cause and effect. Research is proving these theories wrong. At the forefront is Dr. Alison Gopnick, professor at UC Berkeley, and a leader in the study of children’s learning. She claims that children “possess a great deal of knowledge, literally from birth and grown ups are designed to unconsciously teach the young the very things they need to know.” She also believes that adults would do well to maintain, throughout their lives, the flexible exploration methods used by infants.
A July 2010 Scientific American article titled How Babies Think discusses the findings of Dr. Gopnick who lectures that children become acquainted with the world much as scientists do, conducting experiments, analyzing the results and forming intuitive theories or hypotheses. She suggests that brains are a kind of computer designed by evolution and programmed by experience .
I will never forget watching my son learn how to maneuver the stairs of my sunken living room. Over and over he crawled up the five carpeted steps. My husband or I would turn our toddler around at the top so he could back down only to start the process over again. He was relentless until he mastered the task, showing his displeasure by crying when we tried to pull him away. Our son was a young experimenter at work.
Babies are engineered to learn. Harried parents may call the mess they make getting into everything , but to the child all that they do is one big experiment. I watched a video of one of Dr. Gopmick’s test subjects and was impressed with how brilliant the pre-school boy appeared to be. When directed to solve a puzzle that would light up a box he develop hypotheses after hypothesis, testing each one before discarding it and going on to the next. In two minutes, five different pathways were taken in quick succession before successfully completing the challenge.
Infants are able to take in and process a great deal of information all at once from a wide variety of sources. Their consciousness appears to be expansive. They are not as good as adults at narrowing attention to a single detail which is needed to develop careers and master concepts. However, we do have a lot to learn from the wide-ranging approach of infants. As grown ups we often cut off information lines too early and make problem solving more difficult than need be.
An example close to home comes from watching my grandchildren try to correct a computer bug. Even when they do not know what is wrong they feel confident in their poke and try repair method. It always surprises me that their trial and error technique usually works. I, on the other hand, approach computer issues with purpose and timidity. My single minded approach is much less playful and filled with frustration. I recently resolved to change and decided to copy their bravado. Much to my amazement I have been rewarded with occasional successes. Yea! I pat myself on the back.
This brings me to my New Years resolution for 2015 . . . Don’t be afraid of failure. Take in as much information as possible and try . . .try . . . try. I am reminded that babies are the fast learners, so I plan to follow their example and keep on plugging away.
Happy New Year Everyone! May your dreams and wishes come playfully true.
To comment go to https://secretsofamuseumjunkie.com
For more information go to:
The Scientist in the Crib: What early Learning Tells Us About the Mind by Alison Gopmick, Andrew N. Meltzoff, Patricia K. Kuhl.
The Philosophical Baby: What Children’s minds Tell Us About Truth, Love, and the Meaning of Life by Alison Gopnik
http://www.ted.com/talks/alison_gopnik_what_do_babies_think?language=en – Video about What do Babies Think Filmed July 2011
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Cosmos – Birth of a Star
Birthing Knowledge
Studies of the brain are spurring a revolution in education for young and old alike. Using a variety of research techniques, scientists are better able to observe how the brain learns, thinks and remembers. Understanding the brains of babies is the first step to developing a concept for a life of learning for they are masters at absorbing new concepts.
It used to be that scientists thought of infants as defective adults, egocentric, irrational and unable to understand cause and effect. Research is proving these theories wrong. At the forefront is Dr. Alison Gopnick, professor at UC Berkeley, and a leader in the study of children’s learning. She claims that children “possess a great deal of knowledge, literally from birth and grown ups are designed to unconsciously teach the young the very things they need to know.” She also believes that adults would do well to maintain, throughout their lives, the flexible exploration methods used by infants.
A July 2010 Scientific American article titled How Babies Think discusses the findings of Dr. Gopnick who lectures that children become acquainted with the world much as scientists do, conducting experiments, analyzing the results and forming intuitive theories or hypotheses. She suggests that brains are a kind of computer designed by evolution and programmed by experience .
I will never forget watching my son learn how to maneuver the stairs of my sunken living room. Over and over he crawled up the five carpeted steps. My husband or I would turn our toddler around at the top so he could back down only to start the process over again. He was relentless until he mastered the task, showing his displeasure by crying when we tried to pull him away. Our son was a young experimenter at work.
Babies are engineered to learn. Harried parents may call the mess they make getting into everything , but to the child all that they do is one big experiment. I watched a video of one of Dr. Gopmick’s test subjects and was impressed with how brilliant the pre-school boy appeared to be. When directed to solve a puzzle that would light up a box he develop hypotheses after hypothesis, testing each one before discarding it and going on to the next. In two minutes, five different pathways were taken in quick succession before successfully completing the challenge.
Infants are able to take in and process a great deal of information all at once from a wide variety of sources. Their consciousness appears to be expansive. They are not as good as adults at narrowing attention to a single detail which is needed to develop careers and master concepts. However, we do have a lot to learn from the wide-ranging approach of infants. As grown ups we often cut off information lines too early and make problem solving more difficult than need be.
An example close to home comes from watching my grandchildren try to correct a computer bug. Even when they do not know what is wrong they feel confident in their poke and try repair method. It always surprises me that their trial and error technique usually works. I, on the other hand, approach computer issues with purpose and timidity. My single minded approach is much less playful and filled with frustration. I recently resolved to change and decided to copy their bravado. Much to my amazement I have been rewarded with occasional successes. Yea! I pat myself on the back.
This brings me to my New Years resolution for 2015 . . . Don’t be afraid of failure. Take in as much information as possible and try . . .try . . . try. I am reminded that babies are the fast learners, so I plan to follow their example and keep on plugging away.
Happy New Year Everyone! May your dreams and wishes come playfully true.
To comment go to https://secretsofamuseumjunkie.com
For more information go to:
The Scientist in the Crib: What early Learning Tells Us About the Mind by Alison Gopmick, Andrew N. Meltzoff, Patricia K. Kuhl.
The Philosophical Baby: What Children’s minds Tell Us About Truth, Love, and the Meaning of Life by Alison Gopnik
http://www.ted.com/talks/alison_gopnik_what_do_babies_think?language=en – Video about What do Babies Think Filmed July 2011
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