This project is all about teaching students how we learn and improve ourselves over time, so long as we work hard and challenge ourselves. A growth mindset values the effort an individual puts forth, and it trusts that our brains are capable of learning and mastering all skills - even if the task seems too difficult to accomplish! With the materials I am requesting, I can construct multiple sets of goggles with fresnel prism lenses adhered to the front. This device will skew the wearer's vision off to the side... disrupting their typical hand-eye-brain coordination they likely take for granted.
Rather than teach students how our brains create new, stronger neural pathways when we challenge ourselves, I am providing them with an experience where they reprogram their brain on the fly. After performing a simple task without the goggles (rolling a ball or tossing a beanbag), they will put on the prism lens goggles and attempt the same task. Students immediately realize that the task becomes near impossible, and their hands and arms simply don't respond to their brain's instructions the way they expect them to. However, with practice, students will be able to retrain their brain and body to work together once again. At this point, they've physically altered the neural pathways in their brain to adapt to the new sensory information their eyes are receiving through the goggles. The final task... students remove their goggles and experience the shock (and joy) of failing at the same simple task they were capable of just minutes before! Students will have to reprogram their brain once again to re-establish the correct neural pathways. This activity never ceases to surprise and amaze the students and adults alike that I've been fortunate enough to share it with.
About my class
This project is all about teaching students how we learn and improve ourselves over time, so long as we work hard and challenge ourselves. A growth mindset values the effort an individual puts forth, and it trusts that our brains are capable of learning and mastering all skills - even if the task seems too difficult to accomplish! With the materials I am requesting, I can construct multiple sets of goggles with fresnel prism lenses adhered to the front. This device will skew the wearer's vision off to the side... disrupting their typical hand-eye-brain coordination they likely take for granted.
Rather than teach students how our brains create new, stronger neural pathways when we challenge ourselves, I am providing them with an experience where they reprogram their brain on the fly. After performing a simple task without the goggles (rolling a ball or tossing a beanbag), they will put on the prism lens goggles and attempt the same task. Students immediately realize that the task becomes near impossible, and their hands and arms simply don't respond to their brain's instructions the way they expect them to. However, with practice, students will be able to retrain their brain and body to work together once again. At this point, they've physically altered the neural pathways in their brain to adapt to the new sensory information their eyes are receiving through the goggles. The final task... students remove their goggles and experience the shock (and joy) of failing at the same simple task they were capable of just minutes before! Students will have to reprogram their brain once again to re-establish the correct neural pathways. This activity never ceases to surprise and amaze the students and adults alike that I've been fortunate enough to share it with.