How-to: ‘brainfriendly’ tips for successful learning and development events

Article originally appeared on social media; Philippa Hammond ‏@TalkingSpeaking, Jul 17, 2015

Learning and Development events: go to many? Deliver many? Find that many disappear into a black hole when they’re over?

Think ‘learning’ not ‘training’ – learning we do for ourselves.

1. Collaborating, discussing & sharing is great for some – and reflecting & thinking solo is better for others. Mix it up.
2. Get them moving and doing, thinking and talking – hormones and oxygen helps us think and learn better, earlier & faster.
3. Ensure students know there’ll be breaks and serve brain-friendly food – sugar rushes and post-heavy-lunch slumps won’t help.
4. Go for lots of visual images on PowerPoints instead of block text.  Give visual cues to illustrate and illuminate what you’re saying.
5. Follow up with students and find out if they’re applying what they learned. Has it changed how they think feel & behave?

PH

Photo credit: MeditationMusic.net (Creative Commons)