Tip #172: Involving the Senses: Model #2

Last week, we discussed the first model, Edgar Dale's Cone of Experience and Learning, which demonstrates why it is so important to actively involve participants in learning activities that require them to verbally interact and to physically apply their new learning.

The second model is the Triune Brain Model, which Dr. Paul MacLean developed in 1952. He discovered that there were three major layers or "brains," which were established successively in response to evolutionary need: the Reptilian System, the Limbic System, and the Neocortex. Each layer is geared toward more or less separate functions, but all three layers interact substantially.

For our purposes, one of the most important layers is the second layer, or the Limbic System. The Limbic System monitors emotion and plays a significant role in remembering new information. It acts as a switchboard, reading the sensations from the body and deciding which to send to the third layer, the Neocortex, for expanded awareness and action.

This model proves that memory is emotional and is lodged in the Limbic System. The more senses and sensations engaged, the more likely a memory will be created and retained. This is a cornerstone concept of Accelerated Learning.