The Motivated Brain handout [Read-Only]files.ascd.org/pdfs/onlinelearning/webinars/webinar-handout1-10-13-2015.pdfConscious Learning • When an experience gets intense enough or proves

ASCD Webinar October 13, 2015

The Motivated Brain: Using the SEEKING System to Improve Student Attention, Engagement, and Perseverance with Gayle Gregory and Martha Kaufeldt

The Motivated Brain:Improving Student Attention,

Engagement and Perseverance

Tuesday, Oct. 13th, 2015 3:00 pm EST

Martha Kaufeldt & Gayle Gregory

Gregory, Kaufeldt, 2015

Learning Intentions:In this session: we will• Introduce the neuroscience of the SEEKING system & motivation

• Identify the three levels of the SEEKING system

• Suggest some classroom applications that foster the SEEKING system & student engagement


Motivation• derived from the Latin movere, to move.

Motivation is the result of all organisms being in a position to “choose, seize and even seek out satisfaction”.


Motivation:

“The process used to allocate energy to maximize the satisfaction of needs” Pritchard and Ashwood (2008)




Motivation

• Moving towards• Attracted to…• Seeking satisfaction• “Wanting”


Affective NeuroscienceAffective neuroscience is the study of the neural mechanisms of emotion. This interdisciplinary field combines neuroscience with the psychological study of personality, emotion, and mood.


Primary Emotional Systems

1. SEEKING – Expectancy2. FEAR – Anxiety3. RAGE – Anger4. LUST – Sexual Excitement




AdditionalPrimary Emotional Systems

5. CARE – Nurturance6. PANIC/GRIEF – Sadness7. PLAY – Social Joy – Friendly

interaction


#1 SEEKING – Expectancy System

• Instinctual drive that urges us to seek (Wanting)

• In charge of maintaining homeostasis


• In humans, this may be one of the main brain systems that generates and sustain curiosity, even for intellectual pursuits.


• Previously referred to as the brain’s “reward system” because it was believed that the release of dopamine caused us to feel pleasure when we met our goal or received the reward.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dopamine_pathways.svg#/media/File:Dopamine_pathways.svg



Dopamine is responsible for motivation

• The pleasure that is felt ‐ is the good feelings one has in looking forwardto something good, not the pleasure of obtaining something good.


Dopamine (DA)• Is one of the main brain chemicals released when we are seeking,anticipating, and being motivated.


Dopamine

•Gets us “Up and Out”

“Makes us excited when we think we’re going to get what

we need.”Gregory, Kaufeldt, 2015

OLD belief:

Our “reward system” is triggered when we complete a task…




NEWSFLASH: The SEEKING System provides us with continued enthusiasm, interest and motivation while

we are in the midst of processing incoming information

that is important for us. Gregory, Kaufeldt, 2015

We feel good while we are doing tasks – not just upon

their completion.

http://www.public‐domain‐image.com/free‐images/people/children‐kids/children‐while‐they‐play

SEEKING System• Curiosity• Interest• Foraging• Anticipation• Craving

Creative Commons https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisbrenschmidt/1831955837

Three Processing Levels of the SEEKING SYSTEM





“Anoetic” Consciousness= without explicit knowledge.

• At the primary processing level, we are not consciously trying to learn and are intrinsically motivated.


Primary Processing ‐ Instinctual

• “Generating” – Excitement and anticipation.

• Exploring the environment for resources and pleasure


“Sustained Anticipation”

Exciting feelings as we look forward to positive experiences

and pleasurable activities.

Creative Commons https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexnormand/5992512756



Novel or interesting (or threatening)

stimuli garner our attention

• Colorful visuals, Media• Interesting sounds, music • Things to examine (tactile), • Things to smell and taste


Create classroom conditions for Level 1 SEEKING to flourish:

• Enriched environments• Collaborative activities• Unstructured, spontaneous play• Recognition of students’ needs and preferences

• Time to explore and make choices


Primary Level SEEKING in the Classroom

• Novelty• Curiosity• Play

• Rich resources and realia

• Collaboration

Copyright free image Gregory, Kaufeldt, 2015






Moving to Conscious Learning

• The point at which we move from innate primary processing to secondary processing.


Satisfaction = Reward

• When we make a connection• Opioid system engages with a short burst of endorphins ,etc.


Conscious Learning• Sensory stimulation and feedback from an experience or action =noetic consciousness

• “knowing about the world.”




Conscious Learning• When an experience gets intense enough or proves to be of value, we can describe and reflect on it.

• “Recognized awareness” is the beginning of the learning process.

•Gregory, Kaufeldt, 2015

Secondary Processing• “Coupling”

–Hooking to prior learning–Relevance to daily lives


Encourage the Secondary processing system in the

classroom by:• Discussing new learning experiences;• Making a connection to prior learning;• Discovering relevance to students’ daily lives;

• Creating sustained anticipation and interest;

Secondary Processing = Wanting

•Make a connection to what we already know and have an interest in

•Offer opportunities to socialize and connect with others




•Provide a “call to action” to help others with survival needs (CARE);

•Provide us time and tools to be creative and to play.

Secondary Processing = Wanting





Tertiary Processing ‐ Cognitive• “Enacting” ‐ Applying ideas • Higher levels of thinking• Synthesis and creativity• SEEKING answers to new questions

Creative Commons https://www.flickr.com/photos/laffy4k/404321726



Strategic Thinking• Develop higher mental processes as we create hypotheses, make predictions, and fine‐tune our expectations.

Creative Commons https://www.flickr.com/photos/66351465@N00/14075184764

Motivation:The force or energy that results in

engagement.

In a classroom it is the complex interaction of teacher, student and curriculum that helps create motivation that yields high engagement.


• Learn at high levels and have a profound grasp of what they learn.

• Retain what they learn. • Can transfer what they learn to new contexts.

Students who are engaged: What is true “engagement?”Student engagement occurs when: • Students make a psychological investment in learning.

• Students are involved in their work, • Students persist despite challenges and obstacles

• Students take visible delight in accomplishing their work.



Engagement

• Fully involved in the learning process: enthusiastic and willing to take steps forward.

• Fun and excitement: having a joyful outlook no matter what you are involved with

Engagement

• Curiosity and creativity: questioning the world you live in and creating new things

• Spirit of adventure: being excited to venture forth, risking and trying new things

Leveraging the SEEKING System to Maximize

Student Motivation and Engagement

1. Primary processing: SEEKING–Create conditions for SEEKING–Provide enriched environment: novelty, resources, collaboration and exploratory play

–Offer variety and choicesGregory, Kaufeldt, 2015



2. Secondary processing: Wanting –Conscious coupling and collaboration

–Call to action, opportunities to make meaning

–Tasks to interact with contentGregory, Kaufeldt, 2015

3. Tertiary: Enacting and Extending• Applying ideas • Using Higher levels of thinking• Synthesis and creativity• SEEKING answers to new questionsThrough projects and problems


“Traditional schooling isn’t working for an awful lot of students. We can respond to that fact either by trying to fix the system (so it meets kids’ needs better) or by trying to fix the kids (so they’re more compliant and successful at whatever they’re told to do).”

Alfie Kohn 2014Gregory, Kaufeldt, 2015

A suggestion from Dr. Panksepp

“I agree that this SEEKING system, so important for generating feelings of “enthusiasm” as opposed to rewarding “pleasure,” needs to be on the radar of educators. If this system can be captivated by teachers, they have done half their job”.

—Jaak Panksepp, March 22, 2014


© 2014 by ASCD© 2015 by ASCD

Gayle Gregory

[email protected] 336 6565289 400 1853Twitter @gaylegregory6

Martha Kaufeldt

[email protected] 335 75901 866 83BRAINTwitter @marthakaufeldt

Documents

The Motivated Brain handout [Read-Only]files.ascd.org/pdfs/onlinelearning/webinars/webinar-handout1-10-13-2015.pdfConscious Learning • When an experience gets intense enough or proves