ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I explore the notion of learning. This is a critical feature of the teenage years, especially since so much time is spent in school, which is of course the ultimate learning environment. I note that the changes in the brain may pose some challenges for young people, but they also have hugely significant positive effects. The brain matures during this period, leading to better memory, better abstract reasoning, better language and more effective problem-solving. I outline some of the ways that the brain changes during the learning process, and discuss the differences between learning and memory. I then go on to discuss what is known as executive function, something which underpins cognitive development. There are four elements of executive function: these include working memory, inhibition, resistance to interference and flexibility. I provide a definition and explanation of each of these elements. Research has shown that, as executive function improves, there are significant changes in sites in the brain, especially in the frontal lobes. The chapter concludes by emphasizing that there are different types of learning. The more these types of learning are evident to young people, the more effective their learning will be.
