EmilyDavis

CollegeKnowledgeFinal

Introduction:
Howdowelearn?Howdoesourlearningaffectus?Humanscanlearninmany
differentways.Themostcommonstylesthatpeopleusetolearnarevisual,auditory,and
kinetic.
Thebrainistrainedthroughlearningexperiencestoconnectpathwaystorecognize
andsolveproblems.Peopletendtoprefertolearnbytheirlearningstyle,andmanypeople
believethattheywilllearnbetteriftheylearnthroughtheirstyle.However,thereisnoscience
supportingthattheywilllearnbetter.Theylearnthingsfasterbecausetheyalreadyhave
pathwaysconnectedsotheyeasilyfindsolutionsandlearn.Aneffectivepracticeisto
introducepeopletomultiplestylesoflearning,ensuringthatpeoplecancreatemore
pathwaystounderstandandrememberthings.Anotherwayoflearningiscognitivelearning.
Thismeansthatyouhaveaveryorganizedwayoflearningandyoucanconnectprevious
knowledgetolearnortocurrentproblemstofindsolutions.Thebrainlearnsbyforming
pathwaysinthebrain.Thesepathwaysarecreatedbyneurons,orbraincells.Signalsare
passedbetweenneuronsasaformofcommunicationwhiletheypassinformation,sensory
informationfromthebodyandbrainfunctions.Ifpathwaysareconsistentlymade,youmakea
memory.Thiscanbearesultofthinkingofamomentoramusclemovementfrequently.
Shorttermmemoriescanbecomelongtermmemorieswithinthehippocampus.The
hippocampusislocatedwithintemporallobeinthecerebralcortex.Skillsandknowledgeis
createdthesameway,bythefrequentuseoftheinformationorskill.Whenthebrainhasa
learningtype,itsimplymeansthatthestrongestpathwaysthatyouformmemoriesand
learnedskillsisbyaspecifictypeofinformation(visual,auditory,etc.).Thisinvolvesthe
processofcomprehendingthesetypesofinformationinthebrain.Thedifferentinformation
typesgetseperatedbywhattypetheyare.Theoccipitallobeprocessesvisualinformation,
theparietallobeprocessessensoryinformation,thetemporallobeprocessesauditory
information,andthefrontallobeisresponsibleforcreatingcognitivethinkingskillsamong
otherfunctions.
Whentestingformylearningstyle,IreceivedtheresultsthatstatedthatIhadthe
highestpercentageforanintrovertedlearningstyle,ortobeabletolearnbestwhenIam
alone.Whenlookingintoprospectiveschoolsformyfuture,Icouldgoeitheroftheseroutes:
lookintoschoolswiththeopportunitiesforintrovertedlearninginordertoensureIwilllearn
fastandwithoutproblems,orIcouldlookintoschoolsthatlearninotherstylesaswellsoI
couldpracticeandlearnhowtomakenewpathwaysandconnectionsinmybrain.
IresearchedthebrainandhowhumanslearnbecauseIbelievethatitwillgreatly
impactmychoicewhenchoosingthecollegeIwanttoattendandotherimportantlifechoices.
Byusingthisresearchtomakeaninformeddecision,Iwasabletoformulateapathinlifethat
Iaminterestedinpursuing.ThispathisnecessarysothatIhaveanideaformulatedonhow
tosucceedatmyfutureschool,career,andlifechoices.GiventhatIamajuniorin
highschool,itisimportantthatIhaveaplangoingintosenioryear.Iwanttobecomea
professionalmusicianbecauseIlovemusicandplayingmycelloandthepathwaythatwillget
methereisabachelorsinperformancemusicatShepherdsCollegeinRiceUniversity.


Career,Lifestyle,and/orPursuit:
Iwishtobecomeaprofessionalmusician.Thenecessaryskillsforperformingmusicis
memorization,responsibility,timemanagement,collaboration,recognitionofpatterns,
conceptualizationofmusic,workindependently,andtheabilitytoplay(music)byear(ability
tohearandrecognizetunednotesvs.outoftunenotes).Ialreadyhavepracticeinworking
independentlybecauseIhaveanaptitudeforthatlearningstyle.Theseskillsareeasily
attainable.Theseskillscanberetainedthroughmemories.Inmemorization,yourbraintakes
ashorttermmemoryandconvertsitintoalongtermmemory.Ifyourbraincontinuallymakes
aconnection,itwillbecomestrongerandbecomealongtermmemory.Animportantpartof
practicinganinstrumentistherecognitionofpatternsandtheabilitytoconceptualizemusic,
twoskillsthataregainedthroughthesimilarprocessofmemorization.ThemoreIpractice
andlearnpatterns,themorepathwayswillbebuilt.Avitalpartofplayinganinstrumentisthe
abilitytohearonesselfandwhattunednotessoundlike.Auditoryinformationisdeliveredto
andprocessedintheauditorycortexwithinthetemporallobe.Itisnecessarytousethe
auditorylearningstyleoftenwhilepracticing.Theotherskillscanbelearnedthrough
repetition.Ifyourepeatanactionorskillthesynapsesinyourbrainwillbeabletoforma
strongpathwaytotheskillbeingused.
Anotherskillthatisvitalformysuccessinthisfield,andinallotherareas/timesinmy
life,iscognitivethinkingskills.Theseskillsincludecreatingtwodifferentmemories,onebeing
themeaningofwordsandconcepts:semantic,andtheotherbeingparticularmemoriesin
yourlife:episodic.Learninginthisstylebenefitsyourlearningandmemorygreatly.Thistype
ofthinkinggiveslotsofvaluableskillssuchasknowingknowledgeaboutacertaintopicor
subjectandconnectingsubtopicstogetherthroughpathways,knowingasequenceofthings
(suchasthetypicalorderofaschoolordayschedule),knowingmultilevelknowledge(types
ofthingssuchasdifferentbreedsofaspecificanimalspecies),andhavingmentalimages
(visualimage,suchasamap,inyourmind).Ifyouthinkwiththisstyle,youlearndifferent
kindsofinformationandknowledge:procedural(knowinghowtoperformsomething,an
assignmentoractivity),declarative(knowingfacts,names,numbers,andrules),and
conditional(knowinghowandwhentoconnecttwodifferentstrategiesorprocessestoeach
other).Allofthisislearnedinthecerebralcortex,specificallyinthefrontallobealongwith
othercomplexthinking.

Major(andotheractivities):
Inordertobecomeaprofessionalmusician,IwouldneedtomajorinPerformance
Music.Thismajorisbestformyprospectivecareerbecauseitwillteachmethetechniques
thatIneedtobesuccessfulinthislineofwork,itwillteachmethelifeskillsthatIneedtobe
successfulinmycareer,anditwillgivemeanbeneficialexperiencewhereIcaninvestinmy
ownknowledgeandbemoreindependant.
Majoringinmusicgivesmetheopportunitytolearnmoreaboutmyinstrument,the
musicIplay,andperforming.Therearemanyclassesthatarerequiredforthismajor
includingavarietyofclassesonnotesandtheoryaswellasclassesonalloftheerasof

classicalmusic.Allofthisknowledgewillteachmehowtoplaythemusicgiventomeaswell
asperformingit.
SinceIhavebeeninterestedinthisfieldandmajorsinceIenteredhighschool,Ihave
alreadycompletedsessionsinmultipleorchestraswhichincreasemychancesofgettinginto
acollegethathasagoodmusicprogram.Ihavealsoparticipatedinsolocompetitionsand
attendedtwomasterclassesthathavegivenmeskillsthatareusefulandgivememore
opportunitieswhenapplyingtocolleges.

College:
ThecollegethatIaminterestedingoingtoisRiceUniversitybecauseofitsthorough
musicprogram,professionalcelloteachers,andexcellentopportunities.
Thiscollegehasmanytoolsthatarehelpfulwhenpursuingmusicasacareer.Ithas
fourconcerthalls,sevenclassrooms,fiftyfivepracticerooms,fiftyfourteachingstudios,an
orchestrarehearsalhall,andproductionandrehearsalhalls,allofwhichwillhelpmegrow.
Thiscollegehasthreeprofessionalcelloteachers,allofwhichIcangettaughtbyandlearn
from.Thisschoolisdifferentthanothersbecauseofthishighernumberofcelloteachers,
makingitmytopcollegetoattend.ThisschoolislocatedwithinthecityofHouston,which
givesmeaccesstoopportunitiesthatIcanonlyreceiveinabigcity.RiceUniversitycreatesa
largeimpactonthecityscommunitybyreceivinganaverageofseventyfivethousandwho
attendanaverageoffourhundredeventsannually.

Statement:
Goingintothisproject,IknewaboutlearningtypesbecauseIhavetakentestsfor
determiningthembefore.Ididntknowthesciencebehindlearningtypesandmemorybefore
thisproject.WhatIneedtolearnatthispointinthejourneytogotocollegeiswherethebest
fitformewouldbe.Iknowmymajorandaprospectiveschool,butIdontknowwhatkindof
schoolatmospherewouldworkthebestformebecauseIhavenoideawhatthecollege
experienceislike.IhopetotourmorecollegesandunderstandwhichonesIlikeandwhy.I
plantobecomeamusicianbygoingtocollegeandcreatingopportunitiesformetherewhereI
canperformaswellaslearningaboutteachingmyinstrumentsoIcanhaveacareerafterI
amdoneperforming.Idontwish(atthismoment)toperformformyentirelife/careersoI
wanttolearnhowtoteachsoIcandothat.

Sources:
https://thinkneuroscience.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/themythoflearningstyles/
http://optalk.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/20/howbrainmythscouldhurtkids/?_r=0
http://www.personalizelearning.com/2013/05/thebrainsciencebehindlearning.htm
l
http://www.educationplanner.org/students/selfassessments/learningstylesquiz.shtml?event=
results&A=7&V=6&T=7
http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/learning/Cognitive.htm
http://www.uiowa.edu/~c07p075a/class1/Classhandouts/cognitiveoutcomes.htm
http://music.rice.edu/about/info.shtml
http://music.rice.edu/degreeplans/bm/Cello2014.pdf