Institute/Session Summary:

As a former community college reading and composition instructor, now engaged in neuroscience research, I seek to bridge the gap between brain research and education. I have presented numerous pre-conference institutes and sessions for CRLA on brain research and instruction, as well as keynoting state, regional, and national and international conferences. This is a new presentation in a series that I have done for CRLA on Brain Research and Instruction.

Purpose:

It has been well established that high stress can impede learning. Educators are aware that students come into the classroom stressed and that classroom experiences can be stressful. What educators are probably not aware of is that brain research is showing that subtle factors in the classroom may increase stress. These hidden triggers may actually be behaviors the educator is engaging in without realizing the effect. The purpose of this presentation is to create an awareness of the hidden triggers for stress and to suggest effective strategies for reducing stress.

Objective:

Once an educator is aware of the hidden triggers, steps can be taken to minimize those behaviors. In addition, specific strategies can be initiated to reduce stress in the classroom. The overall objective of the presentation is to create an awareness of hidden triggers and to provide strategies for avoiding the triggers and for reducing general stress in the learning environment.

Content:

The presentation will cover the following:

1. Hidden Triggers:

• priming effects
• effect of facial expression on the amygdala
• looming effects during testing
• effect of novel environment on stress and recall
• impact of cognitive load
• effective vs. detrimental arousal
• effects of text anxiety and math anxiety

2. Countering Stress: The concept of Coping Self Efficacy in reducing stress will be described. Attendees will learn about the importance of modeling to the brain and the role of mirror neurons in learning and in reducing stress. Some additional stress-reducing strategies will be included.
3. Question and Answer Period

Significance:

Learning is state dependent. Emotion and cognition are closely linked in the brain. Stress is a significant factor in learning and is prevalent in the classroom. This stress comes from outside sources (home life, interpersonal relations, economics, desire to achieve) and from within the classroom (hidden triggers in behaviors that educators may engage in as well as self-induced stress as a result of performance). Being able to reduce the stresses that can be controlled gives teachers another tool to improve teaching and learning. The brain chemicals involved in stress can be modulated by effective practices in the classroom. Understanding this is critical to educators in that emotion must be addressed in order for their lessons to be effective.

Relevance to CRLA attendees:

Many CRLA attendees work with developmental students who may have both higher stress in the classroom due to anxiety about their abilities and may lack Coping Self Efficacy. Improving the students’ Coping Self Efficacy and reducing classroom stress are effective tools for the developmental educator.

Plans for engaging the audience:

Interactive experiential activities are fun and enlightening for the attendees. In addition, Power Point visuals are high interest. References to the research will be provided.

Presenter1 Name: Janet Zadina
Presenter1 Institution: Tulane University School of Medicine
Presenter1 Bio: Dr. Janet Zadina is an experienced high school and community college instructor and reading specialist now engaged in neuroscience research. She received her doctorate in the College of Education at the University of New Orleans, conducting her award-winning dissertation research on the neuroanatomy of dyslexia through collaboration with Tulane University School of Medicine. She is currently an Assistant Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology at Tulane, where she is researching neuroanatomical risk factors for developmental language disorders through MRI brain scans. Dr. Zadina is co-author of Writing Now, a college developmental composition textbook. She has presented keynotes and workshops on brain research and instruction for numerous regional and national conferences, as well as for faculty development workshops.