This lecture is on Learning. This is based on the book written by Professor Barbara.

1. The Art of Simple Learning ~ A
Neurobiological Basis – Part 1
Dr.K.Prabhakar

2. What made me to prepare for this lecture?
• This talk is prompted by myself not being able to learn subjects
that fascinated me but eluded.
• I am dissatisfied with my teaching methods as I am not able to
identify Nobel Laureates Santiago Ramon Cajal and may have
missed many as I was not able to inspire them.
• Inspired by work of Prof. Barbara Oakley, Prof. Terrance
Sejonowiski ,Prof. Diana Fleischman and Prof. Bruce Hood.
• This work is dedicated to Barbara Oakley and Terrance
Sejonowiski and I liberally borrowed from these two scientists.
• The contributions of Dr. Jayatheesen, Professor of Physiology
and Prof.Bernali Sengupta are gratefully acknowledged for
inputs on brain and nutrition.
• Any miscommunication of ideas and errors are mine and you
may send your comments to the author.

3. Simple Ideas or a toolkit with
Powerful Impact on learning
This lecture is to provide a
framework for thinking about
learning.
To reduce frustration and
increase understanding while
learning
The material based on
Neuroscience, Social Psychology
and Evolutionary Psychology and
you are not expected to have any
background in these disciplines.
Apply these tools to learn more
deeply, effectively, and with less
frustration.

4. Why we have brain?
MIND~BODY ERGO COVET NEATO ERGO
SUM ~I THINK THEREFORE I AM -RENE
DESCARTES
MIND IS A PRODUCT OF BRAIN OR TO A
LARGE EXTENT THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.
BRAINS EVOLVED AS A WAY OF
PROCESSING THE EXTERNAL WORLD
AND THEN INTERPRETING THAT IN
GENERATING INTERNAL MODELS SO
THAT YOU CAN NAVIGATE THE WORLD.

6. • Let us examine the Anatomy and Physiology of Brain.

9. Our brains are totally different from that of
our ancestors
most of the working is done below our
level of consciousness. The conscious
mind influences thought processes,
memory, emotions and motivation.
MRI Imaging generally help. We have
active stage and resting stage. But
resting stage is as active as active stage
with different parts being active.

12. First Summary
•  We learned that analogies provide powerful techniques for
learning.
• We learned about how the brain's two different thinking
modes, focused and diffuse, each helps us learn, but in very
different ways
• And finally, we learned that learning something difficult can
take time.Your brain needs to alternate its ways of learning as
it grapples with and assimilates the new material.

13. Brain Facts
(www.brainfacts.org)
• Lateralization of brain
• The unused parts of brain are removed by
apoptosis process.
• There is a constant rewiring of the brain.
• The brain gets upgraded after every sleep.
• Sleep with the problem and wake up with
solution. During sleep it tides up your brain,
• It's as if the complete deactivation of the
conscious in the pre-frontal cortex at the
forefront of your brain helps other areas of your
brain start talking more easily to one another,
allowing them to put together the neural
solution to your learning task while you're
sleeping.

14. Procrastination
• Tasks that we want to do and do not wish to
do.
• If we are unfamiliar with some of the task
there is feeling of negativity towards the task
and there is a discomfort.
• This discomfort disappears if you make
efforts. You can make these zombies to
come to a halt.
• This will be in the case of learning subjects
like mathematics. It is abstract. Your mind
need to understand this.

15. Chunking
Compact packages of information that your mind can easily access.
Chunks are pieces of information, neuroscientifically speaking,
through bound together through meaning or use
Working memory and permanent memory
While working with working memory your brain is focusing like
octopus.
It tries to make meaning out of what inputs it is getting and try to
form a chunk.
Various bits of information is there for you to learn a single task.
Example. Dressing up for the day.
We combine complex ideas, concepts together with mini chunks.
You start with worked out problems in the book. This provides you
with the basic chunks. Then you need to graduate go higher levels.

16. Forming Chunks
1. undivided attention means no multitasking.
2. understand the basic idea or traces.
3. Understanding is like a superglue that helps hold the underlying
memory traces together. Closing the textbook and then trying to
recall is the most important learning tool.
4. Gaining context- When this chunk is applied. When to use and
when not to use.
5. Top down and bottom up approach. How to use and when to use?

17. Illusions of Competence
1. Testing and mini testing
2. rereading. Probably you may repeat one or two readings. Recall will be
the best way. Karpicke’s Research on Active Learning.
3. Make mistakes and reread again retrieval process is best way to
reinforces your learning.
4. Encourage forming concept maps. Testing is a way to reinforce learning.
5. There are no more than 4-5 chunks in the short-term memory. Therefore
it is limited. Need to perfect these chunks so that you will send it to the
long-term memory.
6. Avoid illusions of competence. Glancing at the solution will always make
you think you know the subject. It is not. You need to workout yourself.

18. Recall is a
most
powerful
tool
If you can prepare a solution manual
for yourself and compare with
authors, it will be better.
Google creates an illusion of
competence.
Better to have your recall session in
a place something different from
that of where you generally study
e.g. Library.

19. What motivates you?
• neuromodulators are chemicals that influence how a neurons
responds to other neurons and impact subconscious mind.
Acetylcholine, Dopamine and Serotonin.
• Acetylcholine . neurons form neuromodulatory connections to the
cortex that are particularly important for focused learning, when you
are paying close attention.These acetylcholine neurons project
widely and activate circuits that control synaptic plasticity. Leading
to new long-term memory.
• Dopamine neurons are part of a large brain system that controls
reward learning and in the basal ganglia. Dopamine predicts likely
reward!

20. Loss of Dopamine
• Loss of Dopamine neurons leads to a lack of motivation; and
something called anhedonia, which is a loss of interest in things that
once gave you pleasure. Severe loss of Dopamine neurons causes
resting tremor, slowness, rigidity, this is called Parkinson's disease.
• Ultimately it leads to catatonia, a complete lack of any movement.
Dopamine neurons are part of the unconscious part of your brain.
When you promise to treat yourself something after a study section
you are tapping into your dopamine system. Remember after each
Pomodoro please reward yourself.

21. Serotonin
• Serotonin is a third diffuse neuromodulatory system that strongly
affects your social life.
• Prozac, which is prescribed for clinical depression, raises the level of
Serotonin activity.
• The level of Serotonin is also closely linked to risk taking behavior.
Lower serotonin will lead to high risk taking. Inmates in jail for
violent crimes have some of the lowest levels of serotonin activity in
society.

22. Emotions
• Emotion is a strong feeling deriving from
one's circumstances, mood (a temporary
state of mind), or relationships with others.
• Emotions and cognition are related and are
intertwined.
• Emotional stability is most important part of
learning.

23. Create Library of Chunks
• The more library of chunks you create the more you will be able to learn.
• Isolating oneself and then reading to increase the number of chunks is an
excellent way to create chunks.
• The chunks may be used not only in one discipline and may be transferred
to other disciplines. ( Physics and Chemistry)
• Your diffuse mode can help you connect two or more chunks together in
new ways to solve novel problems.As you build each chunk, it is filling in a
part of your larger knowledge picture. But if you don't practice with your
growing chunks, they can remain faint, and it's harder to put together the
big picture of what you're trying to learn.

24. Sequential VS Global
• There are two ways for us to solve problems.
• First there's sequential step by step reasoning, and second through a
more holistic intuition.
• Sequential thinking, where each small step leads deliberately
towards a solution, involves the focused mode. Intuition on the other
hand often seems to require this creative diffuse mode linking of
several seemingly different focused.
• Intuition is good but not always correct.You need to verify by focus
mode.

25. Overlearning, Deliberate Practice
Einstellung, and Interleaving
• Overlearning is good like practicing for Ted talk. But it will prevent you
from going further.
• focusing on the more difficult material is called deliberate practice. It's
often what makes the difference between a good student and a great
student.
• Einstellung or mindset that is your initial simple thought repeated and
strengthened, may prevent a better idea or solution from being found.
• Mastering a new subject means learning basic chunks and learning how to
select and use different chunks.The best way to learn that is by practicing
jumping back and forth between problems or situations that require
different techniques or strategies.This is called interleaving. interleaving
that starts building flexibility and creativity.

26. Procrastination Process VS Product
• Process means, the flow of time and the habits and actions
associated with that flow of time.
• Product is an outcome, for example, a homework assignment that
you need to finish.
• To prevent procrastination you want to avoid concentrating on
product. Instead, your attention should be on building processes.
• No need to use will power as it will be a cognitive burden of ego
depletion.