WOOT Algorithms!

YAY! No, really.  I like algorithms.  The logic puzzle ones anyway.  There is this great sense of accomplishment when you finish a logic puzzle.  You have to actually think things through (multiple times) in order to finish one.  AND THEY'RE FUN!  Heuristics are too fast sometimes; it's nice to be able to work through something step by step.

Also, I quite enjoy cartoons.  They help you learn AND make you laugh.  Double win.

Christmas Card Algorithm:

And a Batman cartoon is always worthwhile:



If only, if only:



Prototype Lesson

Your test scores were:
Auditory: 35%   Visual: 50%   Tactile: 15%

I learn by reading or seeing pictures!

For a lesson plan, I would like to use many visual tools to facilitate learning.  We would begin with a video.  Actually seeing things would help the visual learners like me to picture things when they are studying later.  The movie would provide a clear picture and make things easier to see and learn.  I know that when I watch a movie, I encode and remember the information better.

It would also be beneficial to utilitze either a prezi or a powerpoint.  More likely a prezi because of the easier flow of information.  Prezi's also keep the attention of students focused.  The different movements and styles of the Prezi will help keep the class engaged and learning.  Prezi's can also be very colorful and include pictures, videos, and music, which would be a goldmine for visual learners.

After that they could make posters to visually represent what they just learned.  Writing things down and drawing pictures will stimulate students' learning.  We did this a lot in our history classes and it helped to associate certain drawings or phrases with the things we were learning.  Also, if there were any experiments or things that could go with what we are learning, those would be very helpful.  Acting things out and making us think through things on our own is a good way to learn.

Being a visual learner means reading, looking at pictures, watching movies, using flashcards, and color coding things to help learn.  For this type of learner (like me!) it help to do these things: sit near the front of class, use flashcards, write down key words, relate things to Harry Potter, and avoid distractions.

I Can't Understand What You Are Saying

Let me start off by saying that Magnetoencephalography machine is one of the scariest things I have ever seen.  Poor babies.  It does indeed look like a "hair dryer from Mars."  Anyway, this video was actually very interesting.  It amazed me to see how the American babies were able to learn Mandarin sounds after only 12 sessions.  It seems young children do have a much better ability to soak up new languages.  This also seems like a depressing statistic for those who want to learn a new language later in life.  But just because it's not as easy doesn't mean it can't be done.  So I will have hope!

The part that actually interested me the most from this video was our inability to distinguish different syllables or words in other languages.  I have had first hand experience of this because I am a fan of music from all over the world.  When I heard my first Japanese song, for example, it was very difficult for me to pick out any particular word; they all seemed to blend together.  After a while, however, I was able to hear different Japanese words and sounds and recognize them.  When hearing other languages, it is very hard to get use to because the sounds used are different or blended together (Japanese r and l sounds sound the same).  I can see now why they start language classes at such a young age.  They are trying to help us learn a new language when we are most primed for learning it.

Free Schmidt!!

So people are not always accurate in their memories?  That doesn't seem all too surprising.  I mean, nobody believes people when they say they've been abducted by aliens.  It was surprising to me to find out how easily people's memories can be changed though.  Especially when people say that they suddenly remembering a relative abusing them when they were a child.  I have always been skeptical of people just suddenly remembering something that big during therapy.  A simple word can make people believe they saw something when they really didn't. 

It is frightening to think of all of the people that could have been sent to jail unjustly because of someone's inaccurate eyewitness testimony.  This reminded me of a book I read before, though.  It is called The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz.  A major point of this book was when one of the main characters started a grass roots campaign to free a man named Schmidt, who had been imprisoned for a crime that he did not commit.  You can actually buy shirts that say "Free Schmidt" to advertise this.    http://freeschmidt.com/

I Am Smart in More Ways Than One

I like this whole idea of multiple intelligences.  It always bothered me when people thought others were stupid just because they didn't get as good of a grade on some test.  There is more than just book smarts in this world.  There are those people who are amazing at a musical instrument but cannot, for the life of them, figure out a math problem.  Just because someone is not smart in one aspect doesn't mean they don't know anything at all.

While I like the different intelligences provided by Gardner, I have no doubt that more will be added in the future.  For every theory that is produced, there is someone to argue against it.  Personally, I believe I have more Interpersonal Intelligence.  I can tell when people are having problems and lend a ear if they want to talk.  One of my friends always says how she can't hide anything from me because I can always tell when she's in a bad mood.  I think each of these different intelligences have their own uses and merits.  We wouldn't want everybody to be skilled at everything.  I mean, how boring would it be if everyone was the same?

My Brain is Bigger than Yours

I always wondered about the whole bigger brain=more intelligence thing.  Is it actually true?  Article time!  This one is from Psychology today, so it's legit.  It says that we actually reach our peak number of brain cells at a young age.  So, it's not the sheer size of the brain, they say, but which regions are larger, better connected, or more developed.  They have found that the hippocampus, the structure that lies just inside your temples, plays a specific role in memory (remember?). 

In studies of patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, it was revealed that their hippocampus had actually shrunk, resulting in a drop off in memory.  If you want to have a better memory you have to have a robust hippocampus.  You can increase size by excercising, experts say.  How?  After excercising, a person has elevated levels of nerve-growth chemicals that cause nerve cells in the hippocampus to multiply.  Overall, they say that the structure of specific brain regions may play a role in mood, behavior, intelligence, and other aspects of who we are.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/you-illuminated/201002/brain-cosmetics-and-herculean-memory

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