Four Lobes, an audio clip written and produced by Ryan Stotland, has some lyrics that you won’t soon forget – no matter how hard you try to shake them (Stotland, 2021).
The song takes you through the four lobes of the brain as it outlines their basic functions, all of which is sandwiched intermittently between the song’s catchy chorus.
Video produced by: Ryan Stotland
Video Sourced from: Youtube
Video Description for Visually Impaired: A 3 minute video accompanies the song that describes the four lobes of the brian. In alignment with the song that plays in the background, the lyrics are presented on the screen in big, bold letters. The lyrics are displayed a phrase or two at a time. In the background of the lyrics is a dark unfocused image of a human brain in sagital view, i.e., cut vertically from front of head to back of head.
Although not an inherent activity, as it does not require any structured reactions, nor is it a designed activity, as there are no suggestions that follow, it still proves to be a beneficial tool for enhanced learning. This is because our brain remembers statements easier when they rhyme (Pedersen, 2022), which increases the chances that the learner will think about this song and its contents long after viewing. Employing a constructivist approach, this example of learner-generated interactivity relies on the catchiness of the song to inexplicitly encourage the learner to rehearse the song outside of the learning environment, i.e., humming the lyrics on the way to their next class.
Like many learning materials, this video can easily be paired with a suggested activity to create structured interactivity. For example, the learner could be asked to create a slideshow, using PowerPoint or Canva, that provides visuals to go along with the lyrics (whether that be drawings, digital images, abstract representations, etc.). This activity would allow the learner to expand on their conceptualization of the material through asking them to interpret the information in a visual format, ultimately leading to a more holistic understanding.
Since feedback is one of the most crucial aspects of learning, learners could also be asked to post their slideshow on the class’s chosen medium, to which the instructor and peers could asynchronously toggle through while listening to the music video in the background. Once they’ve digested the visuals and music together, the teacher and peers could then post reflective comments. What’s more, because the requirements for facilitating the feedback are so basic, i.e., posting and commenting, the class could select any medium. Some examples, however, may include a private Facebook group, a Google document, or even a shared Instagram page.
Following the feedback from peers and teacher, the students could be offered the opportunity to refine thier project and re-post it on the chosen medium. This would allow the learners to reflect on the feedback and consider ways they could further ellicit implicite learner-generated interactions for thier viewers.
Not only would this interactive activity be fun, but it would also be extremely time efficient for the instructor, whom would only be required to provide the project’s expectations and some advice on how to use either PowerPoint or Canva, as well as curate their own comments on each learner’s post. Furthermore, if the class held a substantial number of learners, the instructor could request that the activity be completed in groups rather than individually. This would add an extra layer of interplay, as it facilitates learner-learner interaction.
Another reason to love this simple activity is for its subtle use of the Keller’s Arcs Model for motivation. The activity keeps the learners engaged, through tapping into their artistic side; motivated, through making the task personally relevant; confident, through fostering autonomy; and satisfied, through seeing a project through to completion (What Are the ARCS Categories, n.d.). It is with this level of motivation, that the activity transforms from being tolerable to exciting, which fuels the fire of inquisitiveness that is at the heart of learning.
Why Not Give it a Go?
Listen to the music video (posted above) and comment on my blog post with any mental representations of the lyrics that spring to mind. You never know, you may learn a thing or two!
References
Anonymous. (n.d.). What Are the ARCS Categories. ARCSMODEL.COM. https://www.arcsmodel.com/arcs-categories
Pedersen, T. (March 30, 2022). Memory and mnemonic devices. PsychCentral. https://psychcentral.com/lib/memory-and-mnemonic-devices
[Video of Four Lobes]. Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAt92zzFMoo
Chosen Prompts
1-5 (EDCI 335)
What a fun video you did find! It will help make learning stick! 🙂 We always remember information that triggers an emotional response through various senses. The creative activity would further help master the concept. I also greatly appreciate that you are thinking about how to decrease the instructor load. Peer feedback can not only help with the load, but also it can improve students’ performance in project-based creative assignments. Peers can interact with the creative project and suggest strategies to increase engagement or trigger emotions.
Hey Syd,
I really liked reading your blog post on interaction.
After listening to the song you provided about the lobes of the brain, it reminded me of a song my grade 11 math teacher played for us about algebra. After all these years I can still sing the chorus of the song.
Thanks!
Caitlin