THEATER for the MIND: Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down: One original entry required during Week 2.
YouTHEATER for the MIND: Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down: One original entry required during Week 2.
You are to choose your favorite, most informative video and write a short review detailing pros/cons of the video. Be sure to include the activated url for onliners to "click and go." are to choose your favorite, most informative video and write a short review detailing pros/cons of the video. Be sure to include the activated url for onliners to "click and go."
I thought the Split Brain Behavioral Experiments video was pretty cool (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMLzP1VCANo). The video shows an example of a man (Joe) who, due to epilepsy, had the nerve fibers connecting his brain hemispheres surgically severed. It appears that the surgery was successful at alleviating the symptoms of epilepsy, but he lost the ability to communicate effectively between hemispheres.
ReplyDeleteThe video then shows a series of experiments where Joe is shown a various words or pictures and asked to identify what they are. If the pictures are seen through his right eye, he can communicate what they are. If the pictures are seen through his left eye, he can't communicate what they are, but he can draw them.
I was interesting to watch his face as he was drawing. It looked like he was curious to figure out what his hand was doing.
This type of story lends itself well to video presentation. It would have been difficult to appreciate the picture and drawing experiments without actually seeing them occur.
I'm usually not that impressed by videos because much of the material in the video could be presented more efficiently in a written form. Often the words are shown too slowly (and I get bored) or too quickly and I have to rewind the video to re-read the words.
In this case, the video was probably the best method for presenting the information.
The video quality was a bit poor, and it seemed (based on the clothing that was worn) that the video might have been produced 10 or more years ago.
I liked the title "Your Brain on Google," so I went to that video. The title reminded me of the commercials from the 90's, "your brain on drugs." The idea that if you crack an egg in a hot fry pan it ... fries! Well, those of you familiar with this ad can probably appreciate the analogy. This video denotes the same message.
ReplyDeleteThe neuroscientist Gary Small, studied and compared brain scans of individuals not savvy with internet searches against those who are regular web users. In particular he looked at scans of brains reading a book and then another scan of internet surfing. Three of the four scans were very similar. However the brain of the savvy internet user who was surfing the net had a highly activated brain! This is a brain on google.
This does provide insight into the future "natives." Small claims that current and future generations have brains that are wired differently. He envisions a time when possible probes will be attached and a person just has to think of an event for it to occur! It seems to me that this actually requires less brain activity. No speaking or thinking what words to use or hand gestures to make has got to decrease brain activity.
Just my thoughts.
Candace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhLnoZFCDBM
I chose The Secrets of Einstein's Brain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNOKT-xv7Dw
ReplyDeleteI found it somewhat disturbing that years after his death, the doctor who performed the autopsy had the dissected parts of Einstein's brain in the trunk of his car and brought them around to parts of the country like a traveling road show.
A neuroscientist, Dr. Marian Diamond, finally performed a formal study 30 years after his death. The findings indicated that he had an average number of neurons, but more glial cells (which supply nutrients to the neurons) in the front left part of his brain - the side that governs math and spatial reasoning. Other neuroscientists, however, dismiss the findings as showing anything significant, claiming intelligence is governed by factors beyond large quantities of glial cells.
Perhaps most reassuring is one doctor's assessment that Einstein most likely was born with a gift, not something we can necessarily attain. Here's a link to an explanation of neurons and glial cells:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/anatomy/brain/Neuron.shtml