Thursday April 16, 2009, 10:39 am
Kit, a friend of mine used "eye tracking" to initially diagnose learning disabilities in reading years ago.

Thursday April 16, 2009, 12:08 pm
Yes, Blue that is observable and very helpful, with early clues to possible problems - adjustments can be made in the curicculum for those students.

Thursday April 16, 2009, 12:13 pm
True, Kit! Our correspondence tells me that you are a very peerceptive teacher; not every student learns in exactly the same way; some are right brain or left brain dominant, some are aural or visual learners, etc.

Thursday April 16, 2009, 11:55 pm
Blue, A child learns when he understands all the words, has not skipped a gradient and has something solid he can relate to. The left and right brain theory is from Psychiatrists who base their findings on an Algorithm and have not cured anyone without dangerous mind altering drugs, "how was your childhood" and Electric Shock treatment that kills brain cells and the guy dies as a result.

Saturday April 18, 2009, 3:52 am
Actually, left brain/right brain theories and learning cues are individual learning adaptations. Students learn in various ways some kinesthetic, others aural and all use visuals cues, unless the student is visually impaired beyond the need for glasses.

And example is; an important factor in understanding learning styles is understanding brain functioning. Both sides of the brain can reason, but by different strategies, and one side may be dominant. The left brain is considered analytic in approach while the right is described as holistic or global. A successive processor (left brain) prefers to learn in a step-by-step sequential format, beginning with details leading to a conceptual understanding of a skill. A simultaneous processor ( right brain) prefers to learn beginning with the general concept and then going on to specifics.
People think and learn in different ways. In any group of students there will always be evidence of different learning characteristics, but different cultural groups may emphasize one cognitive style over another.

An algorithm is generally considered to be a set of rules for solving a problem in a finite number of steps. In mathematics it is a proven application of a step-by-step protocol, to discover the solution.

Saturday April 18, 2009, 2:04 pm
Yes, there are many theories and ways to get by but where are their stats, what have these mind theories done for the classroom. Education has dive bombed since they started implemented theories in the 60's and has not risen. One must first know how to study. The education system as a whole does not use or show how to study and/or how to use a dictionary, which are practically obsolete these days. Give me a child with a dictionary and I will show you a child who can learn at a decent rate.

Sunday April 19, 2009, 6:23 pm
Many theories have allowed teachers to be far more effective in a classroom simply by understanding how to address different natural learning styles. American education has undergone many set-backs, most related to political agendas before educational needs. American students are just as able to learn as students of comparable age in any other society, and our teachers are able to teach.

Student's are also extremely aware non verbal cues - so when education is not valued they know. Americans seem to love to complain about politics, taxes and education. They don't seem willing to do more then complain.

Students begin in first grade to learn how to use dictionaries, by fifth grade they are expected to know how and when to use reference materials and how to cite them when writing. But this will not in and of itself improve the rate or ability to learn. But as noted before knowing how students learn can make a strong difference, why stats did you have in mind?

Improve education; get rid of 50% of all administration, funnel the money to classrooms, and keep class size at a maximum of 15 students, allow teachers to teach and pay them a fair wage. Keep all political and religious ideas and goals out of the classroom.

Sunday April 19, 2009, 6:25 pm
Eye tracking is the tool many neurologists use to test for the onset of Huntington Disease- but they dont use any tracker - they just ask you to look form side to side and observe your eye movements.

Sunday April 19, 2009, 10:26 pm
Interesting Julia, I wonder if they're looking for nystagmus.

Saturday April 25, 2009, 4:49 am
Interesting news! It's noted and thank you Kit.