大象APP

High-powered panel to discuss the science of learning at MSU symposium

High-powered panel to discuss the science of learning at MSU symposium

Contact: Karyn Brown

STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 public forum examining the implications of research on the cognitive psychological science and neuroscience of learning and instruction will be held next week at Mississippi 大象APP.

Six internationally recognized researchers will be featured at the free university event taking place 9 a.m.-noon Sept. 30 in the Colvard Student Union鈥檚 Foster Ballrooms S and U.

The 鈥淪ymposium on the Optimization of Learning and Teaching鈥 features presentations by Robert A. Bjork of the University of California, Los Angeles; David J. Francis of the University of Houston; Mark Guadagnoli of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Thad Polk of the University of Michigan; Daniel Schacter of Harvard University; and David E. Sherwood of the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Their topics will range from the importance of becoming an effective learner to practical implications for learning in educational contexts. A question-and-answer session with audience members also will be part of the program.

MSU鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences and its Department of Psychology, along with the MSU Foundation, are symposium sponsors.

Noting that 鈥渟ix world-renowned researchers will be presenting cutting-edge scientific research on how to enhance student learning,鈥 associate professor Deborah Eakin said the symposium offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear from multiple distinguished researchers at one time. She and others in the psychology department and college are encouraging faculty and students both on campus and at area institutions of higher learning and communities to attend.

鈥淢ississippi 大象APP strives to be on the forefront of providing quality education to its students, and this symposium both informs and inspires that mission,鈥 Eakin said. 鈥淚t will provide an unprecedented opportunity for the exchange of ideas between these leading scientists and faculty scientists at the university who are also doing cutting-edge research on the science of learning.鈥

Regarding the speakers:

鈥擝jork, the Department of Psychology Distinguished Research Professor at UCLA, is an expert on human learning and memory. His research on how the science of learning informs teaching has impacted students and faculty worldwide.

鈥擣rancis is the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Chair in the Department of Psychology at the University of Houston. He also directs UH鈥檚 Center for Advanced Computing and Data Systems and leads the Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation and Statistics. He lends his expertise in measurement and quantitative analysis to the study of learning.

鈥擬ark Guadagnoli, a neuroscience and neurology professor who directs learning and performance programs at UNLV鈥檚 School of Medicine, is an authority in performance optimization and optimized learning. He is also the author of the book, "Practice to Learn/Play to Win."

鈥擯olk, the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Psychology, is a University of Michigan specialist in cognition and cognitive neuroscience, with research interests in cognitive aspects of smoking cessation and how neural structures change with aging.

鈥擲chacter is the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. He studies psychological and biological aspects of human memory, as well as memory distortion and mind-wandering. He is the author of the book, "The Seven Sins of Memory."

鈥擲herwood, associate professor in the University of Colorado鈥檚 Department of Integrative Physiology, researches such topics as the acquisition and control of multi-limb actions, as well as optimizing performance.

Rick Travis, interim MSU arts and sciences dean, invited area educators and all others interested in expanding their understanding of the learning process and ways to improve education to take part.

Travis said the symposium has been designed 鈥渢o benefit anyone interested in various theories of how people learn,鈥 he said, adding, 鈥淲e are very fortunate that psychologists of this caliber are presenting their research and theories at MSU.鈥 聽

For complete information about the College of Arts and Sciences, visit ; the psychology department at ; and the MSU Foundation at .

For additional details on the symposium, contact Eakin at 662-325-3202 or de115@msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .