The Learning Brain

Watch The Learning Brain

  • 2018
  • 1 Season

The Learning Brain is a fascinating and informative educational series from The Great Courses Signature Collection, presented by cognitive neuroscientist Thad A. Polk. In this comprehensive course consisting of 12 lectures, Dr. Polk explores the inner workings of the human brain and how we learn, understand and retain new information.

The course begins by laying the foundation for understanding the brain, covering topics such as neurons, neurotransmitters, and the anatomy of the brain. As the course progresses, Dr. Polk dives deeper into the complexities of cognitive processing, including perception, attention, memory, learning, and decision-making.

Throughout the course, Dr. Polk peppers in real-world examples and stories to help illustrate his points and make the subject matter relatable. For example, he uses the story of a man who suffered a brain injury that left him unable to recognize faces to explain the concept of perception, and he discusses how the brain processes information differently when we read a book versus watching a movie.

One of the most interesting aspects of this course is Dr. Polk's exploration of how the brain changes and adapts over time. He explains how the brain is constantly rewiring itself in response to experiences and learning, and even takes a look at how different activities and environments can affect the brain's structure and function.

Throughout the course, Dr. Polk emphasizes the importance of understanding how the brain learns and absorbs new information, and how we can use that understanding to improve our own learning and teaching practices. He provides practical tips and strategies for optimizing learning and memory, such as breaking information into small chunks and using spaced repetition.

Overall, The Learning Brain is an engaging and informative course that offers a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of the human brain. Whether you're a student, teacher, or simply someone interested in how we learn, this course offers valuable insights and practical advice that can help you improve your own learning and teaching abilities.

The Learning Brain is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (47 episodes). The series first aired on May 25, 2018.

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Seasons
Optimize Your Learning
24. Optimize Your Learning
May 25, 2018
Professor Polk wraps things up by discussing five strategies that can make you a better learner. These strategies draw on and integrate some of the key themes that have appeared throughout the rest of this Great Course. And, putting them into practice in your own life can help you to become the best learner you can be.
Optimize Your Learning
24. Optimize Your Learning
May 25, 2018
Professor Polk wraps things up by discussing five strategies that can make you a better learner. These strategies draw on and integrate some of the key themes that have appeared throughout the rest of this Great Course. And, putting them into practice in your own life can help you to become the best learner you can be.
Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities
23. Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities
May 25, 2018
Several common learning disabilities are defined and explored. Learn about dyslexia, the most common learning disability, including its symptoms, the neural mechanisms that underlie it, and how difficulty in recognizing and manipulating phonemes - the set of basic sounds that get combined to form words - plays a large role.
Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities
23. Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities
May 25, 2018
Several common learning disabilities are defined and explored. Learn about dyslexia, the most common learning disability, including its symptoms, the neural mechanisms that underlie it, and how difficulty in recognizing and manipulating phonemes - the set of basic sounds that get combined to form words - plays a large role.
How Aging Affects Learning
22. How Aging Affects Learning
May 25, 2018
Here's another fascinating surprise: Aging does not inevitably lead to learning and memory problems. In fact, there are substantial differences in how aging affects different cognitive functions and in how it affects different people. Fortunately, Professor Polk demonstrates several proven - and enjoyable - methods of maintaining and even improving our brains as we get older.
How Aging Affects Learning
22. How Aging Affects Learning
May 25, 2018
Here's another fascinating surprise: Aging does not inevitably lead to learning and memory problems. In fact, there are substantial differences in how aging affects different cognitive functions and in how it affects different people. Fortunately, Professor Polk demonstrates several proven - and enjoyable - methods of maintaining and even improving our brains as we get older.
How Sleep Affects Learning
21. How Sleep Affects Learning
May 25, 2018
If you think "getting a good night's rest" is the only way that sleep affects learning, think again. Our brain is often just as active during sleep as it is while we're awake, and what happens at a neural level during sleep has a profound impact on what we remember, and what we forget. Different stages of sleep influence different kinds of learning and memory, and that's just the beginning.
How Sleep Affects Learning
21. How Sleep Affects Learning
May 25, 2018
If you think "getting a good night's rest" is the only way that sleep affects learning, think again. Our brain is often just as active during sleep as it is while we're awake, and what happens at a neural level during sleep has a profound impact on what we remember, and what we forget. Different stages of sleep influence different kinds of learning and memory, and that's just the beginning.
How Stress and Emotion Affect Learning
20. How Stress and Emotion Affect Learning
May 25, 2018
Ask almost anyone where they were when they heard about major events like the 9/11 attacks or the Challenger explosion and they remember immediately. Why, psychologically, do those memories remain so vivid? And do short, quick moments of stress versus chronic stress affect our memories differently? How? These answers and more await you.
How Stress and Emotion Affect Learning
20. How Stress and Emotion Affect Learning
May 25, 2018
Ask almost anyone where they were when they heard about major events like the 9/11 attacks or the Challenger explosion and they remember immediately. Why, psychologically, do those memories remain so vivid? And do short, quick moments of stress versus chronic stress affect our memories differently? How? These answers and more await you.
How Motivation Affects Learning
19. How Motivation Affects Learning
May 25, 2018
Enjoy this eye-opening discussion about our drive - or lack thereof - to learn, and the enormous impact our motivation can have. Our personal interest in a subject, our belief in our own ability to learn it, and several other factors profoundly impact what we retain about that subject. Improve your learning ability today with this practical lecture.
How Motivation Affects Learning
19. How Motivation Affects Learning
May 25, 2018
Enjoy this eye-opening discussion about our drive - or lack thereof - to learn, and the enormous impact our motivation can have. Our personal interest in a subject, our belief in our own ability to learn it, and several other factors profoundly impact what we retain about that subject. Improve your learning ability today with this practical lecture.
Training Your Working Memory
18. Training Your Working Memory
May 25, 2018
Psychological elements of working memory? Check. Neurological elements? Check. Next, we learn about the controversial topic of improving your working memory. Some scientists believe that training your working memory can improve your overall intelligence and reduce ADHD symptoms; others disagree. Both sides of these widely debated controversies are discussed.
Training Your Working Memory
18. Training Your Working Memory
May 25, 2018
Psychological elements of working memory? Check. Neurological elements? Check. Next, we learn about the controversial topic of improving your working memory. Some scientists believe that training your working memory can improve your overall intelligence and reduce ADHD symptoms; others disagree. Both sides of these widely debated controversies are discussed.
The Neural Basis of Working Memory
17. The Neural Basis of Working Memory
May 25, 2018
Diving back into the brain itself, this lecture explores the neuroscience behind working memory in much the same way earlier lectures examined explicit memory and implicit memory. Are different parts of the brain responsible for storing visual information versus verbal information in working memory? Prepare for an illuminating ride.
The Neural Basis of Working Memory
17. The Neural Basis of Working Memory
May 25, 2018
Diving back into the brain itself, this lecture explores the neuroscience behind working memory in much the same way earlier lectures examined explicit memory and implicit memory. Are different parts of the brain responsible for storing visual information versus verbal information in working memory? Prepare for an illuminating ride.
Components of Working Memory
16. Components of Working Memory
May 25, 2018
Several important components of working memory are covered here: the visuospatial sketchpad, which retains images from both recent perception and from long-term memory; the central executive, which decides which cognitive functions to perform and when to perform them; and the episodic buffer, which links information from other working memory components into integrated wholes.
Components of Working Memory
16. Components of Working Memory
May 25, 2018
Several important components of working memory are covered here: the visuospatial sketchpad, which retains images from both recent perception and from long-term memory; the central executive, which decides which cognitive functions to perform and when to perform them; and the episodic buffer, which links information from other working memory components into integrated wholes.
Introduction to Working Memory
15. Introduction to Working Memory
May 25, 2018
Begin with an overview of working (or short-term) memory, which is vital to rational thought. This lecture introduces you to the idea of working memory and discusses one of the most important mechanisms involved, the "phonological loop," which we use to store language sounds like words for brief periods of time.
Introduction to Working Memory
15. Introduction to Working Memory
May 25, 2018
Begin with an overview of working (or short-term) memory, which is vital to rational thought. This lecture introduces you to the idea of working memory and discusses one of the most important mechanisms involved, the "phonological loop," which we use to store language sounds like words for brief periods of time.
Learning Bad Habits: Addiction
14. Learning Bad Habits: Addiction
May 25, 2018
How can learning go wrong? Using the knowledge you've been taught so far, you can unmask the dark side of unconscious associations and reward-seeking behavior: addictions to drugs and alcohol. Professor Polk delves into the psychological, chemical, and neural mechanisms underlying addiction to help understand this serious and delicate subject.
Learning Bad Habits: Addiction
14. Learning Bad Habits: Addiction
May 25, 2018
How can learning go wrong? Using the knowledge you've been taught so far, you can unmask the dark side of unconscious associations and reward-seeking behavior: addictions to drugs and alcohol. Professor Polk delves into the psychological, chemical, and neural mechanisms underlying addiction to help understand this serious and delicate subject.
Strategies for Effective Skill Learning
13. Strategies for Effective Skill Learning
May 25, 2018
Beginning the second half of this course, we return to more practical applications of learning science. Care to step up your tennis, golf, or typing game? This series of sometimes counterintuitive, yet wildly effective, tips and tricks will surprise you. As always, proven studies and examples abound.
Strategies for Effective Skill Learning
13. Strategies for Effective Skill Learning
May 25, 2018
Beginning the second half of this course, we return to more practical applications of learning science. Care to step up your tennis, golf, or typing game? This series of sometimes counterintuitive, yet wildly effective, tips and tricks will surprise you. As always, proven studies and examples abound.
The Neural Basis of Implicit Learning
12. The Neural Basis of Implicit Learning
May 25, 2018
Turn again to the neural components of learning to better understand how unconscious, implicit learning occurs in your brain. You actually have more connections between the neurons in your brain than there are stars in our galaxy. Explore how your brain does so, how it learns to predict rewards, and the role that dopamine plays in the learning process.
The Neural Basis of Implicit Learning
12. The Neural Basis of Implicit Learning
May 25, 2018
Turn again to the neural components of learning to better understand how unconscious, implicit learning occurs in your brain. You actually have more connections between the neurons in your brain than there are stars in our galaxy. Explore how your brain does so, how it learns to predict rewards, and the role that dopamine plays in the learning process.
Language Acquisition
11. Language Acquisition
May 25, 2018
Learning a new language is labor-intensive and complicated, so how do toddlers do it so easily? This lecture details how our brains progress from single-word associations to forming full, original sentences, as well as how babies learn to overcome obstacles like learning irregular past-tense verb forms (look/looked versus run/ran, for example).
Language Acquisition
11. Language Acquisition
May 25, 2018
Learning a new language is labor-intensive and complicated, so how do toddlers do it so easily? This lecture details how our brains progress from single-word associations to forming full, original sentences, as well as how babies learn to overcome obstacles like learning irregular past-tense verb forms (look/looked versus run/ran, for example).
The Psychology of Skill Learning
10. The Psychology of Skill Learning
May 25, 2018
Compare the first time you tried to tie your shoes to your present-day, shoelace-tying mastery. How did you come such a long way? Practice alone doesn't begin to cover the intricate process of your brain learning a skill. See which stages are involved in acquiring skill-based knowledge and how you put them all together, with this insightful discussion.
The Psychology of Skill Learning
10. The Psychology of Skill Learning
May 25, 2018
Compare the first time you tried to tie your shoes to your present-day, shoelace-tying mastery. How did you come such a long way? Practice alone doesn't begin to cover the intricate process of your brain learning a skill. See which stages are involved in acquiring skill-based knowledge and how you put them all together, with this insightful discussion.
Unconscious, Implicit Learning
9. Unconscious, Implicit Learning
May 25, 2018
In this lecture, The Learning Brain switches gears from explicit to implicit learning, that is, learning that is unconscious and hard to verbalize. Discover non-associative learning, like learning to ignore a fan blowing in a room, as well as associative learning, such as conditioning, through which positive and negative reinforcement can shape behaviors over time.
Unconscious, Implicit Learning
9. Unconscious, Implicit Learning
May 25, 2018
In this lecture, The Learning Brain switches gears from explicit to implicit learning, that is, learning that is unconscious and hard to verbalize. Discover non-associative learning, like learning to ignore a fan blowing in a room, as well as associative learning, such as conditioning, through which positive and negative reinforcement can shape behaviors over time.
Controversies in Explicit Learning Research
8. Controversies in Explicit Learning Research
May 25, 2018
To wrap up the course's section on conscious, explicit learning, Professor Polk delivers an enticing "myth-busting" talk about controversial topics in the field. Do people repress traumatic memories and can such repressed memories later re-emerge? Professor Polk cuts through the hype and lays out the actual scientific findings related to each of these controversies.
Controversies in Explicit Learning Research
8. Controversies in Explicit Learning Research
May 25, 2018
To wrap up the course's section on conscious, explicit learning, Professor Polk delivers an enticing "myth-busting" talk about controversial topics in the field. Do people repress traumatic memories and can such repressed memories later re-emerge? Professor Polk cuts through the hype and lays out the actual scientific findings related to each of these controversies.
Strategies for Effective Explicit Learning
7. Strategies for Effective Explicit Learning
May 25, 2018
Set your highlighters and pens down and stop re-reading your material! These are actually two of the least-effective study techniques. Professor Polk explains why these old techniques don't really work and offers four different, and more efficient, approaches to studying, which have been scientifically demonstrated to work more effectively.
The Neural Basis of Explicit Learning
6. The Neural Basis of Explicit Learning
May 25, 2018
Take a fantastic voyage into your brain to uncover the physical mechanisms involved in forming explicit memories. The voyage begins in the hippocampus, the seahorse-shaped structure in each temporal lobe, where explicit learning begins. It continues out to the cerebral cortex - the grey matter on the outside of the brain - where memories become consolidated and integrated with other memories.
The Neural Basis of Explicit Learning
6. The Neural Basis of Explicit Learning
May 25, 2018
Take a fantastic voyage into your brain to uncover the physical mechanisms involved in forming explicit memories. The voyage begins in the hippocampus, the seahorse-shaped structure in each temporal lobe, where explicit learning begins. It continues out to the cerebral cortex - the grey matter on the outside of the brain - where memories become consolidated and integrated with other memories.
Semantic Memory
5. Semantic Memory
May 25, 2018
How do you know the distance to the Earth from the Sun? With no first-hand experience, we use "semantic memory" - impersonal, fact-based memory - for world knowledge. Semantic memory also includes our grouping or categorizing of information - but how do our brains do that? Professor Polk makes short, easy work of the subject.
Semantic Memory
5. Semantic Memory
May 25, 2018
How do you know the distance to the Earth from the Sun? With no first-hand experience, we use "semantic memory" - impersonal, fact-based memory - for world knowledge. Semantic memory also includes our grouping or categorizing of information - but how do our brains do that? Professor Polk makes short, easy work of the subject.
Episodic Memory and Eyewitness Testimony
4. Episodic Memory and Eyewitness Testimony
May 25, 2018
Learn that much of what we remember is often a plausible reconstruction of what might have happened, rather than an accurate memory of what actually happened. We also discover just how susceptible eyewitness memories are to distortion, and how being asked seemingly innocuous questions can lead to substantial errors in our memory. Married couples, enter at your own risk.
Episodic Memory and Eyewitness Testimony
4. Episodic Memory and Eyewitness Testimony
May 25, 2018
Learn that much of what we remember is often a plausible reconstruction of what might have happened, rather than an accurate memory of what actually happened. We also discover just how susceptible eyewitness memories are to distortion, and how being asked seemingly innocuous questions can lead to substantial errors in our memory. Married couples, enter at your own risk.
Conscious, Explicit Learning
3. Conscious, Explicit Learning
May 25, 2018
Discover why we can remember visual information better than verbal information, and that we remember vivid images better than ordinary ones. Examine why how much you already know about a topic can have a profound influence on how easy it is to learn new information about it. These examples demonstrate conscious "explicit learning."
Conscious, Explicit Learning
3. Conscious, Explicit Learning
May 25, 2018
Discover why we can remember visual information better than verbal information, and that we remember vivid images better than ordinary ones. Examine why how much you already know about a topic can have a profound influence on how easy it is to learn new information about it. These examples demonstrate conscious "explicit learning."
What Amnesia Teaches Us about Learning
2. What Amnesia Teaches Us about Learning
May 25, 2018
In the 1950s, a Connecticut man named Henry Molaison became an unfortunate but invaluable source of information about how learning is implemented in the human brain after an experimental brain surgery led to profound amnesia. Studies of how he could (and couldn't) learn - and what those studies uncover about how the rest of us learn - are detailed in this revealing lecture.
What Amnesia Teaches Us about Learning
2. What Amnesia Teaches Us about Learning
May 25, 2018
In the 1950s, a Connecticut man named Henry Molaison became an unfortunate but invaluable source of information about how learning is implemented in the human brain after an experimental brain surgery led to profound amnesia. Studies of how he could (and couldn't) learn - and what those studies uncover about how the rest of us learn - are detailed in this revealing lecture.
Learning 101
1. Learning 101
May 25, 2018
Beginning with a clear, working definition of the concept of "learning," Professor Polk eases you into a course overview with simple examples of some of the topics that will be covered, including how scientists study learning, the neural basis of learning, and effective learning strategies. #Science & Mathematics
Learning 101
1. Learning 101
May 25, 2018
Beginning with a clear, working definition of the concept of "learning," Professor Polk eases you into a course overview with simple examples of some of the topics that will be covered, including how scientists study learning, the neural basis of learning, and effective learning strategies. #Science & Mathematics
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Where to Watch The Learning Brain
The Learning Brain is available for streaming on the The Great Courses Signature Collection website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The Learning Brain on demand at Amazon.
  • Premiere Date
    May 25, 2018
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