ABSTRACT
To provide an overview of the function of the brain, including the development of the brain.
To consider the two main theories of cognitive development: factor theories and cognitive theories
To provide an overview of the constructivist theory of teaching and learning
To consider the nature of the learning environment in the light of these theories
To explore ideas related to cognitive acceleration
To consider the significance of the process of memory in cognitive development
To consider the roles of consciousness, metacognition, culture, language and age in supporting cognitive processes
problem-solving and creativity. Within the mammal brain there are differences from mammal to mammal and there are also differences between different human brains. There are differences between male and female brains, with men having 4 per cent more brain cells than women and about 100 grams more of brain tissue, and women having more dendritic cellular connections (that is, nerve connections) between brain cells and a larger deep limbic system and corpus collosum. The corpus collosum connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain (see Figure 4.1) and allows the two main parts of the brain to communicate with each other. This enables coordinated physical movement to occur and the transfer of learning from one hemisphere to the other. There have been many suggestions as to the results of male/female brain differences, from superior intelligence, different thinking mechanisms and greater intuition, but little is conclusively proved. Most people have a dominant side of the brain. For men, language is most often just in the dominant hemisphere, while a larger number of women are able to use both sides for language, probably because of the increased corpus collosum. Left-brain thinking is:
linear;
sequential;
symbolic;
logical;
verbal;
and involves the processing of reality. Right-brain thinking is:
holistic;
random;
concrete;
intuitive;
non-verbal;
and involves fantasy processing.
