Neuroplasticity and Growth Mindset
11 April 2024
1. Research Neuroplasticity
- Discuss how understanding the principles of neuroplasticity benefits people.
- Discuss how you might engage with the principles of neuroplasticity for your benefit.
- What are some of the ways to increase your neuroplasticity?
- Link to a resource that you found particularly useful or engaging.
Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change and adapt due to experience. It is an umbrella term referring to the brain's ability to change, reorganize, or grow neural networks. Brain neuroplasticity allows your brain to adapt and change helps promote the ability to learn new things, to enhance existing cognitive capabilities, rto covery from strokes and traumatic brain injuries, and to boost brain fitness.
I think it helps me to see learning process a different way and it explains the feeling I have when I am learning something new because it is making new connections and doing some 'brain exercise'. When I don't feel like doing it, it's because my brain is tired and asking some breaks.
To learn new stuff and try different things to be creative. To read and think while reading a book to do some reflection on the paragraph maybe about how you feel. These are ways to ask your brain to do some exercise.
This is the link that I got my research result from
This is a book that worths a read
2. Research Growth Mindset
- Discuss what it is and why it is relevant.
- In this exploration, did anything surprise you? Change for you?
- How will you integrate growth mindset into your learning journey?
- Link to a resource that you found particularly useful or engaging.
Individuals who believe their talents can be developed (through hard work, good strategies, and input from others) have a growth mindset. They tend to achieve more than those with a more fixed mindset (those who believe their talents are innate gifts). It tells us we can learn new skill because all it needs when learning new skills like intelligence, abilities, and talents are learnable.
Yes, because growing up, all my teachers are praising a student as smart, clever and I didn't even know the concept of growth mindset. They never told me all the traits that help us to learn new skills, the intelligence, the ability are not innate but you can gain through the right training. That's why for many years, I see myself as not-smart, not capable enough for lots of tasks and too scared to try new things. Until recent years, I found those who were claimed to be intelligent and smart couldn't do everything perfect when they tried it the first time and I, as claimed to be not-smart enough, can acquire new skills through deliberate practice. This growth mindset provides a theoretical explanation behind all this.
This already encourages me in my Sprint-3 and Sprint-4. There are times when I feel like I am not smart enough for this and this is a smart-people game then I will tell myself I am not the only one who is struggling and this is a skill that requires a lot of practice. I ask mysefl to stop this self-doubt and look behind how far I've come. Good things don't come easy. It's like tramping, I am struggling because I'm going uphill and on the way, I am getting physically and mentally stronger than before.
This is the link I enjoy reading
3. Blend with your learning plan and strategies
- Reflect and discuss how these understandings may shape or influence your learning plan and strategy.
Neuroplasticity and growth mindset are really powerful concepts that guide me and my learning/ thinking to the right path. I learned that I am making new connections in my brain every time I get something new and it's okay to be not-smart enough in terms of acquiring new skills. One thing that definitely changed since Sprint-3 is I am trying my best to just focus on my own learning. This definitely stops me from comparing myself with others and I spend less time worrying I am not hard-working enough but more time on monitoring my learning and mental health. It is extremely helpful for me to have a balanced learning journey to look after myself in physical and mental aspect which play an important role in finishing the course and acquire the skills.