Engaging the Body and Mind With the Spirit of Learning to Promote Critical Thinking

Abstract

Adult learners want to know the benefits of paying attention to continuing education and how it can improve the care they provide. Linking the body and mind with the spirit of learning can improve the likelihood of meeting both the staff's needs and the educator's goals in learning. Applying these brain-based strategies can engage the learner, focus attention, and increase the involvement of the professional level staff. These can be applied in a variety of different formats. Examples are provided for self-directed learning formats, which can be a versatile and cost-effective way to communicate continuing education to the learner.

Balancing Innovation and Evidence

“…Learners must first store information in the brain before it can be recalled or applied. Repetition should focus on learner engagement, the manner in which the information is recalled, the senses involved, and the application of the information in multiple situations (Sousa, 2011;Trapp, 2005). However, repetition should not be confused with rote memorization.…”

Promoting Cultures of Thinking: Transforming Nursing Education to Transform Nursing Practice

“…The advancing bodies of research on brain development and neurocognition provide rationale for educational strategies for teaching what are often referred to as the "soft skills" of interpersonal relationships and for the promotion of climates within our courses and programs in which students can truly thrive and develop their integrated brains (Caine & Caine, 1994;Cardoza, 2011). Examples of strategies based on new understandings of the brain include purposefully invoking emotions to strengthen memory, managing the amount of stress students experience to challenge but not impede or narrow their perceptions, drawing out personal emotional connections to increase the engagement of the learners, and using multisensory teaching approaches to enhance students' experiences (Trapp, 2005).…”

“…Developmental psychologists have long recognized the influence of movement on learning, and there is a growing consensus that embodied learning strategies hold promise in formal educational settings (Kerka, 2002;Kontra, Goldin-Meadow, & Beilock, 2012). Neurocognitive studies indicate that even small movements affect learning by increasing attention, concentration, and alertness and adding energy and excitement to the classroom (Trapp, 2005). Just moving students around to other seats or having students change places to work with a new group exposes them to different ideas and perspectives.…”