Course Sharing
Our habits, routines, and mindsets have the power to change our lives—and rewire our brains.
How we choose to spend our time and what we choose to focus on allows us to develop and strengthen certain pathways in our brains at the same time that we weaken or discard others that we don't use as often (Ackerman, 2018; Fairbanks, 2021). This process happens every day of our lives, regardless of our age or our health (Plasticity Centers, 2018).
But not all learning is equal. Learning new facts or memorizing information won't allow our brains to grow new connections and improve on our skills (Ackerman, 2018).
What's most important about how we learn new things is what we choose to do or practice.
For example, if you wanted to learn how to be a better cook, you could read lots of recipes, watch lots of cooking videos, and talk to friends about their secret ingredients—but the only way to get better at cooking is to get in the kitchen and try it out!
Watch the video below to learn more about how this ability called neuroplasticity works and why it's important for your education.
After watching the video, reflect on the following questions:
Ackerman, C. E. (2018, July 25). What is neuroplasticity? A psychologist explains [+14 tools]. PositivePsychology.com. http://positivepsychology.com/neuroplasticity
Fairbanks, B. (2021, August 24). 7 adult learning theories and principles to enhance your education. PhonenixBlog. https://www.phoenix.edu/blog/adult-learning-theories-principles.html
Plasticity Centers. (2018, April 19). What is neuroplasticity? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/kWlagHUqD8A
Sentis. (2012, November 6). Neuroplasticity [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/ELpfYCZa87g
