A Model for the Creation of
Meaningful Community College Learning Experiences

The Construction of Individual Meaning

by Lisa A. Ford

Introduction

If something is worth teaching, it's worth teaching well. -- David A. Sousa

The third component of our theoretical model -- the construction of individual meaning -- can not be discussed fully without considering the other two elements, the environment and the unique learner. The three components of the model go together, but considering the "whole" through the "lens" of each component is useful. For example, looking at "the whole" (learning) through the lens of the "construction of individual meaning" can help us see more clearly the "whole" and the other two parts of the theoretical model (the unique learner and the learning-centered environment). In other words, our theoretical model is like a set of three connected lenses that we can use to examine how we learn and how we can, as community college instructors, facilitate learning in our classrooms. At times, we'll use one of the lenses, at other times we'll use two of the lenses, and most of the time, we'll use all three. In short, we've found that analyzing what's going on in our classrooms with the three lenses of our model helps us understand how to improve student learning.

Another idea to keep in mind as you read through the "Construction of Individual Meaning" section of our model is that much of what I will present will seem at first glance like common sense. There are two simple explanations for this. First, I will be modeling one of the major premises of this section of our model by "using what you know" to help you make meaningful connections to the new material. Second, much of what current brain science and teaching theory is revealing includes concepts that good teachers have known all along (through intuition, experience, and common sense). However, teaching theory developed by the Caines, Gardner, Jensen, and others, which is based on new research in neuroscience, psychology, and other fields, is worth examining closely because it helps us understand WHY what works in the classroom works. This understanding can help us design more effective methods for developing and assessing curriculum. In addition, when we call for teaching reform (as we do in the conclusion of this manuscript), basing our recommendations on current science and theory will help persuade our colleagues and administrators to embrace our application of the science and theory in the classroom. Here's a simple example. Final exams are scheduled at our college in different classrooms than where the students attended the course all semester. This is done for practical reasons related to room size, standardized tests being given to more than one section of a course, and so on. If we can show (using brain research and theory) that scheduling exams in the same classroom where students learned the material improves learning retention and test scores, administrators will be more likely to help us devise creative changes in scheduling that will facilitate learning.

Again, brain science (and theory based on the science) in many cases illuminates what we already know intuitively. However, the science and theory provide evidence that can support/explain what we know as "good teachers" and, furthermore, can provide solid evidence for the need for change. If we examine how we do things in the college classroom, it's apparent we don't always use what we know, often because of constraints that have nothing to do with teaching and learning. Studying brain science can help us make the arguments we need to make to effect appropriate change.

To illustrate how learning about brain science can help us become better teachers (validate approaches we may be using already), consider the use of humor in the classroom. Good teachers realize that appropriate (no put-downs) use of humor can keep the interest level up in the classroom and contribute to a positive learning environment. Let's explore the connection between how the brain "processes" humor and the classroom.

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Have you heard the one about the hippocampus and the amygdala?

  What kind of fish performs brain operations?
A neurosturgeon!

  What street does the hippocampus live on? Memory Lane!

  What did the Hollywood film director say after he finished making a movie about myelin?
That's a wrap!

(Special thanks to Dr. Eric H. Chudler, University of Washington, for giving us permission to use these jokes from "Neuroscience for Kids." )

If researchers were scanning your brain while you "processed" these and other jokes, they'd see a different area of your brain light up for different types of jokes (semantic jokes, puns, etc.). However, the same region of your brain (the medial ventral prefrontal cortex) would light up when you "got" the joke, and the funnier you thought the joke was, the brighter that region of your brain would light up. Brain researchers Vinod Goel and Raymond Dolan wrote about this in Nature Neuroscience. The feeling of mirth we experience when the medial ventral prefrontal cortex is stimulated is our reward for "getting" the joke. It's like an emotional pat on the back for doing the cognitive exercise of "getting" the joke (Hayden, 2001).

As we stated above, good teachers know that humor can be a super tool in the classroom. The use of humor can be part of creating a learning environment that taps into the emotions, for example. (Click here to read the role of humor in creating "Learning-centered Environment.") Humor makes us feel good (the emotional pat on the back) and therefore makes us more receptive to what is being studied. Digging deeper, though, it's useful to think about the idea that the brain, in effect, rewards itself for "getting" a joke, and in order to "get" the joke, the brain must "look away from the obvious conclusion." Working humor into our classroom is about more than just creating a fun, pleasant environment. Creating experiences that encourage students to do the sort of mental calisthenics required to process puns, semantic jokes, and gags will help students exercise their brains in ways that can affect their individual construction of meaning. As Vinod Goel explains, "Anytime you have to look away from the obvious conclusion, you're using sophisticated mental functions" (as cited in Hayden, 2002).

Another premise in our discussion of the "Construction of Individual Meaning" is that learning is improved when learners can connect new material to previous learning. Think about the jokes above. If we do not get the punchlines, we will not get the emotional pat on the back for doing the cognitive exercise of getting the joke. To understand the jokes, we have to make connections between old knowledge (that a sturgeon is a kind of a fish, that Memory Lane is the name of a street, and that movie directors say "that's a wrap") with new knowledge (what a neurosurgeon does, what the hippocampus does, and the function of myelin). If we were not able to connect the jokes to previous learning (if there's a gap in our past experience), the jokes will not have meaning for us. (A side note: using humor in the classroom also creates "novelty" - something our brains look for instinctively, and something we will discuss later in this section.)

This tidbit about the brain and humor is also an example of why we should keep our "antennae up" for information about how the brain learns; even if we don't have the technical background or time to read the neuroscience journals, for example, we can make learning about learning a priority and glean as much information as we can from as many sources as possible, making connections between what we have learned and our classrooms. I read this tidbit about the brain and humor in in a short article in the science section of U.S. News & World Report. Obviously, this is not an in-depth scientific article, but there's enough there to encourage me, as a teacher, to want to investigate further -- to find the relevant research and theory, and to think about how I can use what I've learned in my classes. My point is that although we might not be scientists, our classroom experience gives us a unique viewpoint from which to make connections. We should read as widely as possible in fields and in fields other than our own (so that we can help students make connections between the subjects we teach and the rest of the world), in the popular press as well as academic journals. As teachers, we should model for our students how we make connections between what we know, the world around us, and what we're trying to learn and do. This simple "blurb" about humor and brain research has inspired me to explore the use of humor in the classroom. In addition, I've used the article on joke telling (US News & World Report) for a concept mapping activity in class (click here to read about concept mapping). Students found the article interesting because it got them thinking about why and how instructors might use humor in the classroom, and how they react to the use of humor in the classroom. Getting students interested in metacognition and reflection (thinking about how they learn) aids in their construction of meaning. As you can see, everything is connected!

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Map for the Constructing Individual Meaning Section

In the Construction of Individual Meaning section of our model, we'll take a look at what we already know about the construction of meaning, the support for what we know (from current research and theory), and how all of this relates to teaching in the community college classroom. First, we'll take a look at what we mean by "construction of individual meaning" and examine the concept of "meaning". Next, we'll walk you through a series of "common sense" statements about what all good teachers know about the construction of individual meaning. After each "common sense" statement, we'll take a look at the brain science and/or theory that support the common sense statement and then provide answers for how we can address the statement in the community college classroom. We hope that taking a look at learning through the lens of "constructing individual meaning" (as well as the unique learner and learning-centered environment lenses) will give you a new ideas you can use in your college community.

As you read through this section, you might find it helpful to refer to our discussions of brain anatomy, new technology used in brain research, and a glossary of terms:

Click here to read about basic brain anatomy. (Coming soon!)

Click here to read about new technology used in brain research.

Click here to read our glossary of terms. (coming soon!)

The graphic image below illustrates the organization of the "Construction of Individual Meaning" section of our model. In addition, there's a series of links below the graphic that you can use to either work through the section sequentially or jump around within the section.

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What do we mean by "construction of Individual Meaning?

Construction of individual meaning is improved when students make connections.

Construction of individual meaning improves when students pay attention (and paying attention can shape the brain).

Construction of individual meaning improves when students think about how they learn (metacognition).

Construction of individual meaning is improved when instructors create appropriate assessment (including self-assessment) for complex tasks.

Construction of individual meaning improves when students develop their creativity.

Construction of individual meaning improves when students develop their ability to identify patterns.