Training from the BACK of the Room! (TBR)

This short, animated video is the best visual description I’ve come across about the concept of “neuroplasticity” – the ability we all possess to rewire our brain.

Sentis is a company whose mission includes helping workers make sustainable positive changes in their organizations. Part of what Sentis offers is short, animated, educational videos about the human brain. Below is their video on “Neuroplasticity,” a concept that has been explored in-depth by cognitive neuroscientists in the 21st century. It basically means that the human brain rewires itself whenever it learns (and practices remembering or doing) something new.

(To view the video in full-screen mode, click on the “play” arrow in the middle of the slide screen and then click on the right icon in the bottom right of the slide screen.)

 Neuroplasticity by Sentis

The implications for those of us who teach, train, coach, and instruct others is enormous. Here are two implications that come to my mind:

1. Anyone can learn new information or new skills, regardless of age, culture, habits, skill-levels, or upbringing.

As teachers or trainers, we should remind ourself of this whenever we have learners in our classes or training who are struggling to learn something new. And we should use a variety of instructional strategies to help those struggling students learn. If you wonder whether or not they’ve learned the new content, click on the blog post You Said It But Did They Get It? How To Check For Understanding. 

2. Repetition is key to rewiring the brain. We don’t learn anything by one exposure to it, i.e. by doing it, or being exposed to it, just once. We learn by repeating the thing learned, over and over again, and over a period of time (hours, days, weeks, months).

As teachers and trainers, we should “revisit” major concepts throughout the class or training by building in short practice activities. These activities, spaced throughout the learning experience, will  strengthen the important information or skills being taught. For ways to “revisit” content, click on the blog post Got a Minute? 60-Second Activities to Revisit Content.

I’m sure you will think of more implications than the ones I’ve written about. Please do post your own thoughts about neuroplasticity in the “Comments” section below and I will make sure they are made viewable for my blog readers. Also, if you have other resources for current brain research you think might be of interest to blog readers, please send me that information to post, as well.

Finally, If you are interested in experiencing brain-based instruction in action, consider attending one of the “Training from the BACK of the Room” (TBR) classes listed on the What’s New? or Training Events pages of my website.

If you want to become a TBR Certified Trainer, the only Trainer Certification Course for 2017 will be held in San Diego, California on April 8th 2017 (the 2-day TBR class is a pre-requisite for the Trainer Certification Course). For more information about the “Trainer Certification Course” and “Training from the BACK of the Room,” click HERE.