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The Learning Brain cover art

The Learning Brain

Written by: The Great Courses
Narrated by: Professor Thad A. Polk PhD Carnegie Mellon University
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Publisher's Summary

One of the most complicated and advanced computers on Earth can't be purchased in any store. This astonishing device, responsible for storing and retrieving vast quantities of information that can be accessed at a moment's notice, is the human brain. How does such a dynamic and powerful machine make memories, learn a language, and remember how to drive a car? What habits can we adopt in order to learn more effectively throughout our lives? And how do external factors like traumatic injuries and mood affect our gray matter? The answers to these questions are merely the tip of the iceberg in The Learning Brain.

These 24 half-hour lectures offer in-depth and surprising lessons about how the brain learns and how we can optimize that learning. Begin your journey by focusing on which parts of the brain are responsible for different kinds of memory, from personal experiences and memorized facts to short-term memory, and how these systems work on a psychological and biological level. Then, discover how to better absorb and retain all kinds of memories in all stages of life. This course is chock-full of valuable information, whether you're learning a new language at 60 or discovering calculus at 16. If you need better study habits, struggle with learning a new skill, or just worry about memories fading with age, The Learning Brain will provide illuminating insights.

Take this journey with Thad Polk, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, whose well-organized curriculum and relaxed teaching style ease you into intricate aspects of learning science, including the underlying cognitive and neural mechanisms involved. Professor Polk's credentials in psychology and over 20 years' experience in education shine through every lecture of The Learning Brain as he firmly supports this rigorous exploration with scientific studies conducted over the last several decades of neuroscientific research.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio. 

©2018 The Great Courses (P)2018 The Teaching Company, LLC

What listeners say about The Learning Brain

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Just what I needed, and nothing I didn't need.

This lecture series was delightful! The instructor is pleasant to learn from and very down to Earth with his explanations.

The material was concise and relevant to my needs.

Thanks for a wonderful lecture series.

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7 people found this helpful

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Simple way to listen to lectures

These lectures were clean and easy to follow. With a audible subscription this is a great choice for continued learning.

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6 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Makes me feel like I’m in the worst college movie

Listening to this awful and over theatric performance is just like eating dinner at your ex partners parents house

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4 people found this helpful

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One of the better Great Courses!

The title says it all.

It's exactly what you think it would be about. How the brain learns and some tips to help with it. The delivery was great. The Content was great. The pacing and structure are perfect. The accompanying PDF was also very helpful. If you're interested in how we learn, and how to make it easier, this is a course that you probably want to listen to.

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting and well put together.

Knowledgeable and informative, as you might expect with any good great course. If the subject interests you, this is worth a listen. This is especially true for those who want to know more about developing new systems of learning for any ol' activity: sports practice, reading, mastering a new subject, etc.

The hidden gem of this recording is the intro/outro music that is just cheezy enough so as to be entertaining. It provided more laughs for me than the professor. ;)

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1 person found this helpful

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Understanding how we view the world

This course not only delivers an exceptional review of learning from a cognitive and neuroscience perspective, it helps us understand how our own perspectives have shaped our lives and our learning. Professor Polk has crafted an amazing course that utilizes all of the science discussed to ensure it is an engaging and stimulating learning experience. Thank you sincerely for this course.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

Great "learn"!

This prof is a fantastic guy. Very intuitive teacher. I will get any courses from him...

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excellent course

excellent narration, have taken several of Thads courses highly recommend this one. it was excellent 😁

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Awesome

The performance, Perfect!
The concept, extremely useful.
I just believe the approach towards some of the topics could be more practical, based on the scientific evidence we saw here.

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Great Course

I really enjoyed listening to Dr. Polk's lectures on the Learning Brain. Well researched and highly informative, this course is packed with useful techniques for improving your ability to learn. Based on the latest science of how we learn, it's an eye opening discussion on various facets of our memory and learning brain.

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