Research and Development
Positive Psychology Perspective and the Mind, Brain Education Model
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 As the field of neuroscience accumulates more and more research there is growing evidence that the brain and learning are significantly impacted by emotions and feelings. In fact, a new book - Understanding the Brain: The Birth of a Learning Science – published in 2007 by the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) synthesizes research that focuses on a brain informed approach to learning. The research it addresses is that which intersects with cognitive neuroscience and learning. Because of Neumind’s interest in the integration of a Positive Psychology approach to instruction in their educational program, the information included in this book related to emotions and learning is of particular interest.
A quick review of the brain places, what scientists refer to as “the emotional brain,” in the center of the brain in what is known as the limbic system. The exciting news coming from research is that emotions can re-sculpt neural tissue, in other words the affect of emotions can result in an actual change in brain tissue. This is a fascinating finding for parents and educators because it tells us that the events on the lives of children and students do make a difference in their brains and this affects their ability to learn.
For instance, when children are put into situations that create excessive levels of stress and intense fear, they will be less capable of making appropriate social and cognitive responses. This is due to the affect the stress and fear has on their limbic or emotional brain. It is well documented that some stress is necessary to motivate humans to meet challenges and it actually can produce enhanced thinking and learning. The key to this though is the word “some”. When stress goes beyond a certain positive level it quickly disintegrates into creating a negative affect.
An interesting finding about how motivating learning experiences and emotions, thinking and learning are related is that positive emotions are some of the most powerful motivators. This can be seen in the experience of “getting it”, being “illuminated” or simply “knowing.” These motivating experiences come with the moment of grasping a new concept. This moment sets into motion and desire or the motivation to know more – and the cycle continues. This kind of research is showing that a major goal of early education is to ensure children have many of those moments of illumination or enlightenments. These kinds of experiences are teaching young children that learning is fun. When children have these kinds of learning experiences and do not experience failure after failure (or even partial successes) they have the underpinnings for meeting learning challenges.
Research is showing that learning how to manage feelings is vital step in the learning process. Being able to regulate emotions is now known to be a key skill for children as well as adults. Emotions direct or can misdirect learning by affecting such underlying learning prerequisites as paying attention, solving problems and attaining and maintaining positive relationships. Recent neuroscience research is showing the parts of the brain that are affected by being able to regulate emotions.
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With all of this said, is it any wonder that Neumind is dedicated to understanding the role that emotions and feelings play in a student’s learning and knowing how to support students to learn to self- regulate their own emotional states? It just makes good sense in terms of the research.
Just knowing that emotions affect learning is not enough. Neumind realizes for students to be successful, they must have a plan or model for thinking about emotions and applying it to the education of students. Positive psychology is that framework or model.
 The field of Positive Psychology has been saying that emotions and feelings affect not only learning but life-long happiness and satisfaction and there is solid neurological proof that learning is enhanced when children feel safe, secure, self-important and valued. Dr. Seligman is the leader and forefront researcher in the field of Positive Psychology and he describes it as the process of enhancing a person’s basic human strengths such as optimism, courage, honesty, self-understanding, and interpersonal skills.
Dr. Seligman recommends that people stop running on auto-pilot and become conscious of the affect their negative thoughts and emotions have on their sense of well-being and happiness. He would like families and schools to also become conscious of how their parenting or educating can have either a positive or negative impact on learning. His wish is that children would be allowed children to flourish and not feel the brunt of adults who tell them they are not trying hard enough thus being the catalyst for children developing negative thoughts and feelings about themselves. When this happens, learning is compromised and if it is severe enough, learning can be completely shut down.
Knowing a bit about the neuroscience of emotions and learning and knowing about positive psychology leads to the next level of discussion - how does Neumind apply the Mind, Brain and Education (MBE) model to the integration of positive psychology in the educational program. This can best be described by the use of a case scenario.
Bridgette is a 4 year old who is having considerable difficulty learning pre-academic skills such as colours, numbers and the alphabet. Staff feels Bridget is cognitively capable to learn on at least and average level. They have ruled that any of the areas associated with cognitive abilities are the reason for her lack of learning:
- Intelligence
- Attention
- Language processing
- Learning and development
- Memory
- Perception
When they investigate Bridget’s emotional life and status they begin to see there are a number of issues going on in Bridget’s life that could account for her inability to achieve at her potential. These include:
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A recent upheaval in her life due to being removed from her mother and father’s care, because of suspected neglect, and being placed in social services care.
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Potential lack of emotional support and encouragement
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Potential lack of environmentally appropriate stimulation
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Potential lack of age appropriate understanding of feelings and emotions.
Given this information, Neumind staff hypothesizes that:
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Bridget has not been exposed to developmental stimulation and will learn when appropriate instructional interventions are in place to help her learn what she missed at earlier developmental stages.
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Bridget has not had the opportunity to develop a positive sense of herself and will begin to learn when she receives encouragement, praise and positive support from staff
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Bridget does not understand that she has feelings and that these feelings are OK. When Bridget is supported in learning about emotions and feelings and how to recognize what she is feeling and why, she will be more successful in learning ore-academic skills.
Until the advent of neuroscience research education institutions did not understand the impact that emotions have on learning. As this information becomes more main stream, education systems will need to think about how they support the development of healthy emotional psyches in the process of teaching and learning.
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Resources
CERI. Chapter I Understanding the Brain: The Birth of a Learning Science (2007)
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/42/15/38813448.pdf
Seligman, Martin, Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. Positive Psychology: An Introduction. (2000).
American Psychologist. Vol. 55, No 1. 5-14.
http://www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/ppintroarticle.pdf
Gable, Shelly, Haidt, Johnathon. What (and Why) is Positive Psychology. (2005).
Review of General Psychology, Vo. 9, No. 2, 103-110.
http://faculty.virginia.edu/haidtlab/articles/gable.haidt.what-is-positive-psychology.pdf
Alex, Linley, Stephen, Joseph and Ilona Boniwell. Positive.
The Psychologist. Volume 13, No 3. 2003. http://www.infm.ulst.ac.uk/~chris/78.pdf
Lauren B. Alloy, Lyn Y. Abramson, Nancy A. Tashman, Dena S. Berrebbi,
Michael E. Hogan, Wayne G. Whitehouse, Alisa G. Crossfield and Antonia Morocco.
Developmental Origins of Cognitive Vulnerability to Depression:
Parenting, Cognitive, and Inferential Feedback Styles of the Parents of Individuals
at High and Low Cognitive Risk for Depression.
Cognitive Therapy and Research. Volume 25, Number 4 / August, 2001
http://www.springerlink.com/content/m4480u5062j51513/