Reviews

The Learning Brain by Thad A. Polk

bookjerm's review

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3.0

The chapter about motivation and it’s effect on learning, especially about high and low perceived control and fixed vs growth mindset I found particularly interesting.

rakhya's review

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5.0

An excellent series of lectures on learning.
Highly recommended to anyone cultivating a newfound interest in the human learning process, this is still an enjoyable listen for anyone who is already familiar with the subject matter.

xzahn's review

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5.0

4.5 / 5

1. Interesting Case Studies - Most of which were quite fascinating. However, some felt like a digression from the main point hence a bit tedious to listen through. It could have been shorter. That is the reason for the 4.5 rating.
2. Practical Advice - It's not just theoretical course. It actually boils down to practical guide for optimizing learning.
3. Great Course Structure - The information is quite nicely structured using some of the principles mentioned in the course itself. It begins with a brief introduction and overview of what the course is all about. Then it breaks down the neuroscience of certain processes in our brains and their part in the learning process. And then it culminates with a scientifically-backed guide for optimal learning. It finishes off with a summary.

morgan_blackledge's review

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4.0

Instructor Thad Polk is a professor of psychology with the University of Michigan. His other Great Courses include the Addictive Brain and the Aging Brain.

If you like the Great Courses, and you’re interested in this subject (cognitive psychology), than you will like this course.

I actually think everyone should have exposure to this material. It dispels horribly damaging myths and intuitions about learning that make people wast time and feel frustrated when they work hard for poor learning outcomes. Additionally, the course explains learning and study practices that actually work.

It’s worth it for that alone.

georgea_1234's review

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5.0

A nice overview of the theories of learning and how they are enacted in the brain. I had hoped that it would inform me what has changed over the last 20 years since my university days, but many things have stood the test of time.

Great for anyone wanting an intersection between education and brain theory.
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