Five Questions about the Neuroscience of Learning, with David Rock

A complementary webinar, The Neuroscience of Learning, featuring David Rock, Founder and Leader of the Neuroscience Institute, is now available on-demand at the i4cp website. Rock will be a keynote speaker at the i4cp 2013 Annual Conference, March 18 - 22 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The following are five questions asked by webinar attendees and David's answers:

What is the best environment for learning and retention?

The best environment would be one in which you can focus without distraction. This means a curious, open, interested and happy environment. People generate memories when they feel safe, which is why you want a strong trust and connection between learners (i.e. shared experiences and goals).

How important is it to trust the facilitator?

This is very important. People use two separate mechanisms to process information from the out-group versus the in-group, so the facilitator wants to be considered part of the in-group. When someone is speaking from the out-group, people listening don't create mental maps to help recall the information. If the speaker is viewed as being a part of the in-group, people process the information as if they are speaking themselves.

What is the optimal time of rest for effective learning?

While there is no concrete answer to this, a week to two weeks is a good amount of time to leave and come back to something. Spacing learning into an hour every week will allow dramatically more retention than cramming a few hours of learning into one day.

Is gaming an effective platform for learning?

Yes, gaming is a great way of retaining information because it engages social memory, which is very robust. If the game is a little challenging, but not too challenging, it is very helpful in creating memory.

Where does storytelling fit into memory?

When you tell a good story, people create pictures in their heads and create maps that generate into memories.

Learn more and secure your seat at the i4cp 2013 Annual Conference - seats are limited!