Brain-Based Learning: Of Mice and Memory
By Jillian Douglas on January 31st, 2010
Brains learn and remember better if there's fun involved. This fact was reinforced for me recently while watching a Nova Science Now episode where mice were tasked to find an island within a pool of water. After finding it, some mice were taken to a getaway – a fun game and exercise filled mouse vacation, others were not. After two weeks away, guess which mice easily found their island again? Okay we're talking about mice and not people, but the same principles apply – relaxation, fun, creativity, and exercise all enhance the brain’s ability to create memories and form positive associations. Fun and games are fun, but they also serve a purpose – even in the classroom, and even for those uptight participants who think it's a waste of time. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/0301/02.html
