Simplify to be Creative

"Appeal to the buying brain. Clutter forces the brain to consume energy. Create uncluttered environments instead. The Apple Store is spacious, clean, well-lit, and uncluttered. Cables are hidden from view and no posters on placed on the iconic glass entrances. Computer screens are cleaned constantly."


This is an important principle for learning - to keep the learning environment simple so that the brain has less work to do. 

Read more: http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2012/04/10-things-you-can-learn-from-the-apple-store.html#ixzz1vvpBXT6K

The Divided but Creative Brain

Neuroscience is making new discoveries and clarifying the functioning of the brain through experimentation and scientific analysis.  We can be more creative and discover more about how we learn if we understand how the brain functions. Please, watch this very interesting YouTude video by McGilChrist to learn more about the role of the brain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dFs9WO2B8uI

Imagining the Future

""A new study from the January issue of Psychological Science may explain why we are all so optimistic about what’s to come. The authors report that people tend to remember imagined future scenarios that are happy better than they recall the unhappy ones."

Cognitive scientists are very interested in people’s “remembered futures.” The whole idea seems contradictory in a way, as we tend to think of memory in connection with the past—recollections of people and things gone by. The fact is that we all imagine the future, and from time to time we recall those imaginary scenarios. Recent research has shown that the same brain areas are active when we remember past events and when we think about the future. Indeed, some scientists believe that these “memories” are highly adaptive, allowing us to plan and better prepare ourselves for whatever lies in store. If we can remember the actions and reactions we thought about in the past, our future behavior will be more efficient."

This study has implications for reading comprehension, motivation, and well-being.

Go to Scientific America to see full article.