Administrators have a thankless job. So here is some unsolicited advice for them in doing their job, just in case there’s an administrator wandering through who is looking for some advice on how to be an administrator (or, more likely, a faculty member who is thinking about taking on some kind of educational leadership position) who happens to be reading here today.
From The Chronicle of Higher Education.
I know we’re all artsy and what not here (where are the scientists?–and yes, Math counts as an Art in my world), but this is a cool site that I stumbled across that even a non-brain scientist can love; it’s full of a bunch of great information about learning from recent brain research.
It’s the work of John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist and consultant from out in Washington State, who came up with what he calls the “Brain Rules.” The rules are simple enough to remember (Exercise boosts brain power, Every brain is wired differently, Stressed brains don’t learn the same way), and the science behind them is clearly explained in little snippets like this or this or this (click on one of the topics under the menu).
There’s even a cool looking blog with links to more studies.
I think the end is my favorite part: “We didn’t come down from the trees and say, ‘Good lord, somebody give me a textbook.‘” Great stuff.
The Harold Lounge 