How The Brain Learns, And The Role Of Time And Timing In Education, To Be Discussed At ''Science Of Learning'' Forum, USA

Main Category: Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 03 Mar 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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Can a better understanding of the science of learning help us educate our students? Researchers at the Temporal Dynamics of Learning Center (TDLC), a National Science Foundation Science of Learning Center, think so. To address the issue the TDLC is hosting a forum titled, "Brains R Us: The Science of Educating," a free, open to the public event on March 3 at the Salk Institute's Frederic de Hoffmann Auditorium in La Jolla, Calif.

Drs. Paula Tallal and Mike Merzenich, noted neuroscientists and co-founders of Scientific Learning Corp., are among featured speakers at the day-long event, which is sponsored in part by Scientific Learning. Scientific Learning is the developer of the Fast ForWord® family of products, educational software that accelerates learning by developing the student brain to process more efficiently.

At the forum, prominent researchers and policymakers will share new information on how the brain learns and how this data can benefit academic instruction and performance. One area of particular focus will be the concept of instructional timing and its impact on knowledge retention. Researchers with the TDLC, a collaborative consortium of University of California San Diego, Rutgers University and Vanderbilt University, will address their belief that the role of time and timing in learning is an essential and understudied element of learning that could have a powerful impact on the success of children in schools.

Another major theme at the forum will be how neuroscience research can be put to use in today's classrooms to help student of all ages and capabilities build learning capacity and improve overall literacy.

"Educators and policy makers should be aware of the advances in neuroscience and how they can help develop and strengthen students' cognitive skills," said Dr. Paula Tallal, co-director of Rutgers University's Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience and a co-founder of Scientific Learning Corp. "Research on neuroplasticity has opened the door for developing novel, neuroscience-informed methods for enhancing basic cognitive and linguistic skills that are critical to reading success. This is just one example of how neuroscience can provide practical tools for teaching and learning."

Joining Tallal as a featured presenter is Dr. Mike Merzenich, co-founder of Scientific Learning Corp. and the Francis A. Sooy Chair of Otolaryngology in the Keck Center for Integrative Neurosciences at UC-San Francisco. Dr. Merzenich has been awarded more than 50 patents and has contributed his software development skills to several therapeutic training programs including Scientific Learning's Fast ForWord® software products, as well as those from Posit Science Corp., which strive to improve the brain health of aging adults by using effective, non-invasive tools that engage the brain's natural plasticity.

As an extension to the event, Roger Bingham, Director of The Science Network, will videotape a conversation with Physics Nobel laureate, Dr. Leon Lederman on Tuesday, March 4 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The conversation will be followed by a signing of Dr. Lederman's books The God Particle and Symmetry and the Beautiful Universe. This interview will offer attendees a unique opportunity to meet one of world's most engaging Nobel laureates and leading spokesmen for science education.

Individuals interested in attending the event can visit http://www.thesciencenetwork.org. Admission and parking are free but seating in the auditorium is limited, so registration is essential to guarantee attendance. For people unable to attend, a live webcast will be available at http://www.calit2.net/webcast on March 3 and will begin at 8:15 a.m. PST. A video of the event will be offered later on The Science Network Web site at http://www.thesciencenetwork.org.

For more information about the Temporal Dynamics of Learning Center, visit http://tdlc.ucsd.edu.

About Scientific Learning Corporation

Scientific Learning creates educational software that accelerates learning by improving the processing efficiency of the brain. Based on more than 30 years of neuroscience and cognitive research, the Fast ForWord® family of products provides struggling readers with computer-delivered exercises that build the cognitive skills required to read and learn effectively. Scientific Learning's Reading Assistant™ combines advanced speech recognition technology with scientifically-based courseware to help students strengthen fluency, vocabulary and comprehension to become proficient, life-long readers. The efficacy of the products has been established by more than 550 research studies and publications. For more information, visit http://www.scientificlearning.com and http://www.brainconnection.com.