This TrainingZone thought-leader piece is part of a discussion between two pioneers in the field of brain-friendly or brain-based learning - Eric Jensen and Kimberley Hare of Kaizen Training.

Kimberley Hare: Eric, firstly we're delighted that you will be coming over to do the Keynote Session on 28^th January at the Kaizen Conference…. especially as you'll be talking about “Tools for Engagement” - one of our all-time favourite books!

For learning professionals in the UK who may not yet be aware of your outstanding contribution to the field, perhaps we could talk about what's most significant for you, and some of the principles that drive your work…

Eric Jensen: Sure…

Kimberley: Firstly, what is brain-based learning?

Eric: It is the application of a meaningful group of principles that represent our understanding of how our brain works in the context of business.
 
Brain-based learning is not a panacea nor a magic bullet to solve all of business's problems. Anyone who represents that to others is misleading them.  It is not yet a program, a model or package for schools to follow. For the moment, I am hesitant to "package" brain-based learning any more than it is already.

Kimberley: How did this passion begin for you?

Eric: I've always had a passion for learning. As far back as five years old, I was unusually curious about the world. We have a great zoo in town. As a kid, I used to go to the zoo by myself not for entertainment, but to really learn about the animals. I learned to read by age four and was always a voracious reader.

Kimberley: For you, what's the most compelling reason you'd give to trainers for why they should learn more about brain-friendly or brain-based learning, and especially “Tools for Engagement”?

Eric: Well, I'd say that these tools will make your life easier and make training a real joy. You get reliable results, engaged participants who learn better and want to come back for more.  Most trainers have figured out many tools on their own or learned them from others. What “Tools for Engagement” does is give the synthesis of 25 years of understanding of the brain and learning. They are what you wish you known 5-10 years ago!

Kimberley: So, there's a big pay-off for trainers - and, of course, for learners. What would you highlight as the benefits to business organizations of getting better at this stuff?

Eric: Developing people is an on-going process. To get people to come back again and again, it takes two things: 1) valuable, practical information or tools and 2) a positive emotional experience. Companies must provide the first one; as trainers a big part of our role is to provide the second one.

Kimberley: Many of these ideas have been around for a good while now - and yet we still meet many corporate training functions who still design and deliver learning in the old, traditional way - chalk and talk, or death by powerpoint. If brain-friendly learning is so great, why doesn't everybody do it?

The biggest reasons, I think, are that trainers already do some aspects of it - so there's a “so what?” factor. Also, much of it requires a deal of time and diligence to understand - and trainers lack time. Finally, many presenters have communicated it poorly to trainers, and they got turned off.
 

Kimberley: Many trainers will be familiar with Kaizen's five principles of brain-friendly learning: Keep it Real; Honour Uniqueness; Facilitation Creation - not just Consumption; Make it Rich and Multi-Sensory and State is Everything… What are the principles that drive your work?

Eric: There are ten principles that drive my own work. Every one of these principles is backed by an extraordinary base of research ranging from basic, to clinical, to applied on-site research.

Malleable memories       Memories are often not encoded at all, encoded poorly, often changed or not retrieved. The result is that participants rarely remember what we think they should. Memories are strengthened by frequency, intensity and practice under varying conditions and contexts.
 

Non conscious experience runs automatic behaviors      Our complexity requires we automate many behaviors. The more we automate, the less we are aware of them. Most of our behaviors have come from either "undisputed downloads" from our environment or repeated behaviors that have become automatic. This suggests potential problems and opportunities in learning.

 

Reward and addiction dependency      We have a natural craving for positives, including novelty, fun, rewards and relationships. We try to limit pain even if it means compromising our integrity. For complex learning, we need to defer our gratification and develop the capability to go without an immediate reward.
 

Attentional Limitations      We cannot hold attention for long except in flow states. We cannot hold much in short-term memory. It's tough to maintain focus for extended periods of time. Emotions, meaning making, ultradian rhythms and glucose uptake are some factors. Some brain mechanisms facilitate attention by processing the desired areas and others facilitate attention by inhibiting unwanted inputs. Adapting the content to match the learner provides better attention and motivation to learn.
 

Brain seeks and creates understanding     Our brain is a meaning-maker and meaning seeker. The more important the meaning, the greater and the more attention we must pay to influencing the content of the meaning.
 

Rough Drafts Brains rarely get complex learning right the first time Instead we often sacrifice accuracy for simply getting something "close" or a "rough draft" of the learning. If, over time, the learning maintains or increases in its importance and relevance, we'll upgrade our rough drafts to improve meaning and accuracy. To this end, prior knowledge changes how our brain organizes new information. Goal driven learning proceeds faster than random learning. Learning is enhanced by brain mechanisms which contrast output with input goals.
 

Input Limitations      Several physical structures and processes limit our ability to take in continuous new learning. The "slow down" mechanisms include our working memory, the synaptic formation time for complex encoding and the hippocampus.
 

Perception influences our experience     Our experiences of life are highly subjective. Many studies show how we can be easily influenced to change how we see, what we hear, feel, smell and taste.  This subjectivity alters our experience, which alters our perception. When you change the way you perceive the world, you change your experience. Remember, it's our experience that drives change in the brain.
 

Malleability/Neural Plasticity     We continue to break new grounds in discovering new areas of brain plasticity and overall malleability. In addition to growing new brain cells, we now know that our experience can drive physical changes in our sensory cortex, frontal lobes, temporal lobes, amygdala and hippocampus. In addition whole systems can adapt to experience such as the reward system or stress response system.
 

Emotional-Physical State Dependency       Our emotional and body states influence our attention, memory, learning, meaning and behavior.  These states become more stable over time and will resist changes. For example, the longer one is angry or depressed, the more comfortable he or she becomes with that state. This has profound implications for the social and behavioral role of education and training.
 
Kimberley: In your view, what makes somebody a truly outstanding learning leader or trainer?

This is a trainer that understands and uses the principles listed above. It is one who understands why they do what they do, when they do it. It is also one who stays constantly updated through continuous professional development.
 

Kimberley: What do you say to people who say they can't affect the states of their learners?

I'd say you already do! Every day, you influence the states of others, on purpose or by accident. The trick is to learn how to do it purposefully, quickly and often without any notice. The beauty of this is that your participants will learn better and enjoy it more.

Kimberley: Finally, what do you hope your legacy will be to the world of learning?

Eric: I want to feel like I've made a difference in the way we all learn. I have a long way to go to get there, but the journey's fun!

Kimberley: Thank you so much, Eric. We look forward to seeing you in January in London!

Kaizen Training Limited is a well-established consulting and training firm based in the UK and offering its services to the global business community. Training for Excellence is a leading-edge Train the Trainer company based in the U.S. and providing training programs internationally. For more information, contact us at info@wetrain.biz

brain based learning brain friendly learning eric jensen learning leader learning trainer