Aug 13, 2010
For Trekies and casual viewers of Star Trek, the command “Engage!” brings memories of that point where the engine-power was unleashed, propelling the Enterprise into light-flash. As teachers we too hope to engage, to engage students most fully, that they too can take their learning wherever they choose to travel at “light-speed”. Like many films, Star Trek can be used to increase and deepen learning. Its integration of empirical science, fantasy, imagination and human struggles, personal and social, have provoked countless dialogues and hold historical relevance on many levels. The Enterprise crews explored space and other worlds, scientists today, like teachers, research the myriad dimensions of the human body, emotions and mind to discover how do people take in (sensory input), and process (integrate, assimilate, remember) information in ways that are actionable and useful.
What follows are just a few links for fun and the curious, to articles of recent scientific discoveries and questions that all have implications for approaches to adult learning that would meaningfully integrate thinking, feelings and action. Engage!
- People Hear With Skin as Well as Their Ears; The New York Times, Dec. 1, 2009
- Just What Are “Senses”and How Many are there? This web site lists works, and authors who examine senses, exploring philosophical and scientific evidence and insights.
- Next Big Thing in English: Knowing They Know That You Know The New York Times, March 31, 2010. This brief article explores cognitive theory, reading literature and “reading” complexity within literature.
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This blog is written by Darlene Goetzman.