We Only Use 10% of Our Brain Myth
The average human uses 100% of the brain on a daily basis, and there is no “silent areas” of a normal healthy human brain.
Learning
Acquiring, modifying, and reinforcing knowledge including behavior, skills, values, and more. Learning is dependent on memory and attention and those are dependent on how we interact with the world. As we learn our brains are rewired (plasticity).
Learning can also be practiced by machines and other non-human organisms.
Factoids tagged with "Learning"
Memories are Stored in a Single Part of the Brain Myth
Memories aren’t stored in a single part of the brain. Memories are stored in neurons located in different parts of the brain, recalled using other parts, and connected to even more parts via synaptic pathways.
Common Core Doesn’t Work Myth
The Common Core works in theory, in that it should teach all kids key critical thinking skills, but the implementation has been under-supported leading to real issues.
Mirror Neurons Fire When Observing and Preforming an Action Fact
Mirror neurons are neurons that “fire” when observing an action and when performing an action, this allows for learning through imitation (“mirroring”).
Smiling and Laughing Have Health Benefits Fact
Smiling and laughing have health benefits, they improve your mood and the moods of those around you. An uplifted mood has been long-linked to good health.
There are Only 5 Senses Myth
Humans have more than 5 senses; we have 5 traditional senses, but over 20 senses in total with non-traditional senses counted. Other organisms have a variety of senses too.
10,000 Hours of Practice Makes Perfect Myth
The “10,000 hours theory”, that it takes roughly 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become an “outlier”, is a useful concept, but not an exact rule.
There are Best Practices for SEO Fact
Best practices for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) revolve around great content, proper structure, quality links, relevance, and user experience.
State Universities Began Charging Tuition in the 60’s Fact
A series of social and legislative changes in the 60’s ended an era of tuition-free state universities in the US and started the current student loan crisis.
Cognitive AI is a Computer Program That Can Think and Learn Fact
Cognitive Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a computer program that can think, learn, and generally mimic human cognition.
There are Different Types of Memory Fact
There are three basic types of memory: sensory memory (what we perceive), short-term memory (what we think about), and long-term memory (what we know).
Sleeping on a Problem Helps You Solve it Fact
Sleeping on a problem works. Studies show a positive correlation between sleep and cognitive function. Contemplating a problem and then “sleeping on it” can result in better problem solving
Humans are Born Selfish, not Compassionate Myth
Humans are born both selfish and compassionate; we are hardwired to show compassion to our group and fear to those outside it. It’s genetic self-interest.
Our Brains Can Process More than Language Can Express Fact
The speed and complexity of our thoughts exceed our abilities of language and communication, specifically our ability to convey complex ideas.
We Learn Best by Being Taught Myth
The best way to learn isn’t “being taught”, its mixing self-directed learning with the roles of student, peer, and teacher in different social settings.
Humans are Hardwired to be Social Beings Fact
Humans are hardwired to be social beings. We naturally cooperate, care, and compete. From quarks, to cells, to plants, to animals, cooperation is in our DNA.
Humans Can Have With New Ideas Without Input Myth
Humans can’t have new ideas without prior sensory input. We copy, transform, and combine old ideas to create new ones.
Machine Learning is Computers Learning From Example Fact
Machine learning is creating algorithms that allow computers to learn from example and past experience rather than reading preprogramed information.
The Internet of Things is a Network of “Smart” Objects Fact
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of connecting electronic objects which can collect and exchange data.
People Can Multitask Effectively Myth
People can’t multitask effectively. Giving simultaneous attention to tasks, or alternating and dividing attention between tasks, reduces the performance of at least one task.
Language is a System of Communication that Uses Symbolism Fact
Language can be thought of as a system of communication that uses symbols to convey deep meaning. Symbols can be words, images, body language, sounds, etc.
Thoughts Can “Rewire” Your Brain Fact
Thoughts and other stimuli can essentially “rewire” our brain, strengthening useful synaptic pathways and weakening less used ones, this is called neuroplasticity (AKA learning and memory).
U.S. Universities Have Always Charged Tuition Myth
US public state universities used to be tuition-free from the early 1800’s to the late 1960’s, although they still charged fees, but college has never been free in the US.
Humans Only Use a Small Part of Their Brain Myth
Evidence suggests that humans use virtually every part of their brain on a daily basis. Some areas function more than others at any given time, but every part of the human brain has a function.
Blog Posts tagged with "Learning"
Giving Names to Concepts
We discuss “giving names to concepts” (defining terms), identifying with terms, be identified by terms, and the implications of this.
Hardwired Versus Softwired (Brain)
In pop-science, in reference to the brain, you’ll hear the terms “hardwired” and “softwired”, hardwired means genetically programed and softwired means learned.