CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

Learning and human are closely related to each other. Researchers and teachers believed

that there is significant relationship between the brain in human and learning. Brain is a

set of organ that developed during pregnancy and early childhood. If brain learn new

task, it produce information by making connections between neurons (Stevens, 2014).

Thus, from that, learning process occur through neuron interactions. The new

connections of neurons may be created or maybe become loose during learning process

occur. The way of teaching also gives impact on how learning affects the brain. Teachers

and others in the field of education should know the pedagogy to perform learning by

engaging in order to activate brain.

Learning is so wide and interesting. Learning is a process that can be observed by

changes in behavior or their response to mental stimulus which was accessed according

to cognition, psychomotor and emotion. The internal mental process consists of

information flow through individuals response to their environment via their processing

of the information into short and long term memory and is dependent on intrinsic

motivation. It is not only influenced by behavior environment but also flow of

information in memory and personal factors such as expectation (Bray, 2008). The way

people learn and how the process itself occurs always are the questions for psychologist

and educator. Every individual may have their own process of learning that may be

different from the others. It refers to individual learning style and learning strategy. These
domains of learning can be categorized as cognitive domain (knowledge), psychomotor

domain (skills) and affective domain (attitudes).

The Malaysian education system is on track to becoming among worlds best under the

Government Transformation Plan (GTP). But there was still a long way to go before

Malaysia be the worlds best education system. Malaysia country report on education has

covered the issues on access, equity, quality and relevance on education. It is closely

related to the systematic strategies and plans for the learning development of children.

In order to overcome the problem in learning, there were some innovative techniques that

can be used in learning. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has suggested the concept of

teaching school where student teacher able to apply their practical teaching at school

(Ministry of Education [MOE], 2004). One of innovation to education system was

cooperative and collaborative learning that applying in pedagogical and content

knowledge. The use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching and

learning process also is a good innovation in order to improve the education system.

However brain approach also was an effective way to produce balance competitive and

high level of self-esteem of individuals (MOE, 2004).

Whole brain learning is one of the new innovative teaching practices that combine direct

instruction, sharing and immediate responding from students. It requires establishing

rituals and routines, stimulating emotions and allowing students to

become active learners. Both right and left side of cerebral hemisphere are intimately

working together to produce high efficiency of learning. Whole brain teaching breaks
learning down into small segments with direct instruction leading to cooperative learning

and instant feedback (Jensen, 2005).

Psychomotor is type of skill based which includes physical movement, coordination and

use of motor-skill areas. The psychomotor domain includes physical movement,

coordination, and use of the motor-skill areas. Development of these skills requires

practice and is measured in terms of speed, precision, distance, procedures, or techniques

in execution. Learning in the psychomotor domain is associated with physical skills such

as speed, dexterity, grace, use of instruments, expressive movement, and use of the body

in dance or athletics. The psychomotor domain shows skills relating to manual tasks and

physical movement as well as operation of equipment, such as a computer, and

performances in science.

Cognitive learning refer on how people process the information and solve problem by

which involve mental process to receive, store and apply knowledge (Ormrod, 2008).

Learners who are students strongly associated with cognitive as they learn throughout

their life. The ability of learners to possess cognition system allows them to carry out any

tasks from the simplest to the most complex. As the cognition process which proposed by

Bloom called Blooms Taxonomy shows from the low into the high level of thinking has

been an important guideline and benchmark in education in order to assess the cognitive

development in children. Educators must know the strength and weaknesses of student

and need to create new effective strategy to tackle his or her students properly. According

to the research conducted on the needs for enhancing skills in Malaysia adolescents

student by Kuldas, Hashim & Ismail (2015), student who are unable to receive and apply

cognitive skills have a big problem to give full commitment in cognitive tasks.
1.2 Problem statement

The traditional teaching method only focusing on teacher centered learning which unable

to engage classroom environment. Educator has to use classroom teaching to enhance the

ability of students to put what theyve learned into practice, and the way they improve

classroom learning. According to Fiszer (2004), the main point that highlighted for

model human development is the connection between practice and training. It is the goal

of this research to test whether or not the whole brain learning efficient for 14 years old

students learning since little research exist about whole brain learning in Malaysia (Saleh,

2012).

1.3 Significant of study

This study gives explanation on whole brain teaching as an efficient teaching method for

student and how it will help teacher to solve difficulties problems in teaching and

learning process. This method helps to activate students brain for maximal involvement

and engage students in learning process. The results of this finding may give an

appropriate use of whole brain learning and positive impact to teachers and students.

1.4 Objectives of study

The objective of this research is to test the efficiency of Whole Brain Learning Method in

students aged 14 by conducting lessons on the Science Subject based on the PT3- Form 2

Malaysian syllabus
1.5 Research Hypothesis

Ha: The whole brain learning will not significantly efficient to enhance active learning in

student aged 14

Ho: The whole brain learning will significantly efficient to enhance active learning in

student aged 14
 CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Teaching and learning process required the use of effective teaching strategies. Learning

always links with motivation, academic performance, and development of essential skills.

Teachers should understand that the demands of professionalism of teachers must be able

to perform learning by engaging and meaningful. So, they need to understand on how

brain works for human learning system. Whole Brain Teaching (WBT) is a new

instructional approach that combining various fields such as neuroscience and

psychology to engage student based on right and left brain function. System strategies of

Whole Brain Teaching were designed by combining characteristics of Direct Instruction

and Cooperative Learning (Biffle, 2013). This builds an engaging classroom environment

for students and for teachers. This literature study will discuss: (1) individual differences

in learning, (2) learning and cognition, (3) learning strategies and (4) Whole Brain

Classroom.

2.2 INIDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN LEARNING SCIENCE

Based on TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) that

conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational

Achievement (IEA), male performed much better than female. The fourth grade males
had higher science scores than females (Gonzales, et al., 2004). In 2007, by comparing

the results, it showed that males still performed better than females in fourth, eighth, and

twelfth grade in their science performance (Gonzales, et al., 2008). Gender differences do

exist between male and female in learning science. However, based on previous studies

that conducted by Halpern et al (2007), stated that, sex differences in learning science

have not evolved in any direct way but may in indirectly which related to differences in

interests and to specific brain and cognitive systems that not same between females and

males. So, the gender differences maybe give impact in learning science which depends

on their interest and cognitive preference towards science.

2.3 LEARNING AND COGNITION

Learning is process of acquisition of skills, knowledge, behavior and values through

study. Cognition is the mental process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through

thought, experience, and the senses. There are three perspectives that contribute to

understanding of cognition and learning which behaviorists, cognitive and situative

(Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989). The values and important of those perspectives was

useful in considering educational problems. As example, in behaviorist view, learning

was the process in which the acquisition and transferring of associations and skills occur.

The behavior that has been learned was used in another kind of situation. Cognitive

perspective is about the understanding of concepts and theories in different subjects

matter domains. Research about branch of cognitive perspective such as Gestalt

psychology and constructivism that developed by Piaget. Gestalt highlighted the nature of
knowledge and the importance of understanding in learning. However, theory

constructivism focused on cognitive growth in children and how people learn based on

observation and scientific study (Case, 1992). Situative focused on interactive systems in

which individuals interact with one another and physical and representational systems

(Brown et al., 1989, p.32).

2.3.1 Cognitive Learning Style

Every person has their own cognitive learning style. It is set of personal characteristics

that make the same teaching method become effective and may become ineffective. By

knowing students learning styles, educator can organize classroom with student needs.

They become more alert of the senses through which people remember information most

easily by hearing or speaking or seeing or experiencing and so on. Individuals with

different cognitive learning styles will learn differently from different teaching methods

and that instructional strategies should be match with their learning style. Rebecca &

Oxford (2003) states that, four dimensions of learning style that are likely to be among

those most strongly associated with human learning are sensory preferences, personality

types, desired degree of generality, and biological differences. The three major sensory

preferences of learning are visual, verbal and kinesthetic. Visual learners like to obtain

information by visual stimulation such as diagrams, charts, concrete images and maps.

However, for those who are verbal learners performs well at absorbing written and

spoken information such as lecture and reading a book. Kinesthetic students like lots of

movement and enjoy hands-on activities with tangible objects, collages, and flashcards.

This kind of learner also classified in tactile learner which means touch-oriented person

(Bialystok, 1990)
2.3.2 Cognitive Learning Style Model

Witkins Field-Depedence/Field-Independence

Field Depedence/Field Independence is essentially individual ability to disembed in

perceptual tasks and in no-perceptual problem solving tasks. Field-independent learners

are categorized as intrinsically motivated and structuring their own study strategy. They

mostly operate with internal frame of reference. However, field-dependent learners tend

to operate with external frame of reference and extrinsically motivated also need

guidance from instructor to for structuring their own ideas. Embedded Figures Test (EFT)

is example of test that used to measure the construct.

Convergent-Divergent style

Convergent style can be seen as generation of one accepted correct answer from available

information and tendencies to produce acceptable solutions for problems. Assessment for

this type of learners is standard intelligence test and Consequences test. There is some

issues that highlighted by some researcher. Divergent style proves unpopular with

teachers and discouraged rather than convergent (Getzels & Jackson, 1962). There is

association reported between Field Depedence/Field Independence and Convergent-

Divergent. It shows that individual who is scoring high in divergent thinking also shows

same performance in field independence (Bloomberg, 1971).

Pavios Verbaliser-Visualiser Cognitive Style

The two coding theory strongly proved that, people have more consideration to process

information through verbal or imaginal. Test examining individuals ability is used to

access the verbalizer-visualiser cognitive dimensions. It able to generate information

which are not present but it still depends on the existence of spontaneous image that have

been seen in the individual (Riding & Taylor, 1976). According to Cassidy (2004), the

visualizer tends to response more quickly rather than verbalizers who are a little bit slow.

He also proposed that, there were high chance for individual to be on one dimension of

cognitive or another one dimension. The preferred in verbal or visual give implication to

learning as from previous study, they shows that the mismatch between learner and way

of presentation will affect cognitive performance (Cassidy, 2004).

2.3.3 Gregorcs Mind Styles Model

Model of Gregorc proposed four particular and observable behavior which is abstract,

concrete, random and sequential tendencies. Gregorc believes that this entire tendency is

come naturally since birth, however, human must be able to take action outside their

natural potential. The tool that used to measure the Gregorcs Mind Styles Model is The

Style Delineator that involves observation and interviews to access learning style. Rayner

and Riding (1997) insisted that Gregorcs model was presented within wholist-analytic

dimension of cognitive style.

2.3.4 Mind Organization Index

Mind organization index is the scale to determine the organization of information as

students learn in short and long term memory and ability to retrieve information. The

index helps to visualize individual four distinct styles which are Flexible Friend, Expert

Investigators, Power Planners and Radical Reformers. All four styles are proposed by

Bowie (1997). The styles were created by combining together the idea of perception as
concrete or abstract and element of organization. Based on research conducted by

Rosenberg (2013), knowledge of learning styles make clear picture of learner.

Information of learning styles provide appreciating in each of learner uniqueness, clarity

about personality of learner and learning strategies can be recommended for a particular

students and circumstances.

2.4 LEARNING STRATEGIES

Every learning process required a strategy to be adapted in order to achieve the objective

of learning. Learning strategy play a major role by providing meaning for learners in

effort of cognitive. Previous study has proved the important linkages between learning

strategies and academic performance (Pintrich & De Groot, 1990). Hence, they find out

how the learning strategies contribute to performance in student. A skillful learner should

have an effective; appropriate an independent strategy (Salovaara, 2004). So, learners are

required to know different types of problem solving strategy and able to identify which

one is the most suitable in solving problem. According to Paris, Bymes & Paris (2001),

learners should have self-regulated in themselves where they need to be motivated to use

the learning strategies.

2.4.1 Historical background

The term learning strategies originated since previous studies in the last century

focused on moving from behaviorism to cognitive theories of learning (Bloom, 1956;

Cronbach & Meehl, 1955). In addition, learning strategies was derived from research on

study skills and memory strategies and also cognitive theories which is Skinners

behaviorism (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968). They realize that all of those three components
may support student success in self-advancement and computer-based learning skills

during that era. All people racing to achieve progress themselves also master the internal

and external skills. However, throughout early period of learning strategies research,

different areas of interest appear over time. Most of researcher focuses on the area of

reading comprehension and memory (Zhang, 1993).

Wittrocks Generative Learning Theory (1974) proposed that learners combine new and

old ideas to gain a better and strong conceptual understanding. This theory supports that,

learners could show higher order process which is metacognition, motivational processes

will impact memory processes and information processing, learning involve neurological

brain functions and constructivism as a better way to understand learning. According to

Brown (1992), students could be taught based on their learning strategies for identifying

and enhancing their methods of processing information and solving problems. This study

focused on connecting brain research to issues in education such as creativity, learning

disabilities, gender differences in brain functioning, and art education. Wittrocks

Generative Learning Theory inspired people to improve quality of education and doing

learning strategies research to explore new paradigms for schools and training settings.

2.4.2 Strategies defined

The word strategy derived from the ancient Greek word strategia, which means steps

taken for the purpose of winning something. Hismanoglu (2006) proposed that, the

learning strategies are kind of approaches and action that students should take to enhance

learning and recall all of memory from previous learning. However, learning strategies is

one type of process that contributes to learning in life. When student required in
completing task, they will use different way of resources that they have to solve the task

given (Williams & Burden, 1997).

2.4.3 Oxfords Taxonomies of learning strategies

In 1990, Oxford proposed learning strategies for language. The language learning

strategies was one of the mostly used in teaching practice. The learning strategy was

divided into two major parts which is direct and indirect. Under direct strategies, there

were memory, cognitive and compensation strategies. Indirect strategies consists of

metacognitive, affective and social strategies.

Memory strategy help students store and retrieve information and was believed more

effective when used with affective and cognitive strategies (Nemati, 2009). However,

cognitive strategies are typically found to be most popular strategies and compensation is

intended to make up for a lack of knowledge in area of grammar. Metacognitive

strategies are related to monitoring and managing ones own cognitive processes

(Alexander, Schallert & Hare, 1991). Checking comprehension, self-questioning,

evaluating the learning process, and monitoring the use of cognitive strategies were the

scopes of metacognitive. Affective strategies aim at affecting ones own intrinsic

motivation such as preventing external disturbance or using thought stopping to keep the

learning process focused.

2.4.4 Assessing learners strategy use

There are many assessment tools that has been used to access learners strategy such as

survey report, interviews, observation and so on. But there are a superiority and shortage

in each one of the assessment tools. Some of these assessments give benefit and some of
it is not effective to access whole strategy of learner. The most method that always been

used by researchers to collect data of learners strategy is survey (Oxford, 1990). Lots of

researchers around the world used this instrument in their research studies.

2.5 WHOLE BRAIN CLASSROOM

Whole Brain Classroom is new approach to maximizing student engagement, and

focusing on the way the brain is really designed to learn. It is an integrated method

combining effective classroom management and pedagogically approaches to student

engagement that is effective with a wide range of student learning. Brain-based approach

is recommended because this approach emphasizes to optimal brain function by

combining the elements contained in brain-based learning principles (Jensen, 1996).

Bawaneh, Ahmad Nurulazam and Salmiza (2012) also emphasized that brain-based

learning can improve students' learning more effectively and motivate the students.

It is based on seven major components, called as The Big Seven. One of the interesting

and unpredictable technique is class-yes that serves as attention getter. Five of classroom

rules are an important element in any effective classroom to establish expectation for

behavior (Bonnema, 2009). Next, there is the scoreboard element rewards kids for doing

what the teacher expects and work for most students. Teach-ok and switch element make

students be part of the teaching that is going on, and they are delivering content to one

another using all their senses. These are just a few of the elements of Whole Brain

Teaching that provide teachers with a method that integrates both effective, fun, low

stress classroom management and exciting teaching methods that produce enhanced

retention and comprehension of content.

 CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Subjects

According to Creswell, (2008), a study population means group of individuals who

represent the same criteria within a study. Our study sample to test whole brain learning

in Science consist of 60 pupils of both male and female, aged 14 years old, from

secondary schools in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seri Serdang, Selangor. The

subjects will be randomly grouped after determining their Mind Organization Index. The

students are divided into two groups and will be subjected to I: normal teaching and II:

whole brain teaching. The subjects will be taught in three cycles of three weeks of

learning followed by an assessment on academic performance on the fourth week at the

end of each cycle. Overall, the students will be undergoing this experimentation for a

total period of three months. The assessment on the fourth week will evaluate both

cognitive and affective learning. There will be two parts to the assessment: Part A related

to the respondents background and Part B related to their cognitive and affective

learning. The assessment will be carried in both languages.

3.2 Whole Brain Learning

Whole brain learning is a method used in conducting this research. It is an instructional

approach used for activating both right and left hemispheres of the brain. It is type of

active learning to engage students.

According to Biffle (2013) the classroom rules have to be rehearsed at least once a day

using their gestures given for each rule. Teacher will perform all the five rules. He or she

will say the rule number and students rehearse that specific rule. For example, the teacher

says, Rule 4 and the class respond Rule 4: Make smart choices! and they will make

the Rule 4 gesture. Whole Brain Learning also takes into account six principles which are

used to set boundaries in class. The principles and theories are as follow:

3.2.1 Principle 1: Class yes!

Class-yes is used as attention getter. When the teacher need the students attention, she

would say Class! and students will respond Yes! by using same tone of voice. It is

helpful in order to stop any side conversation of students and get their attention.

3.2.2 Principle 2: The classroom rules

Rule 1: Follow directions quickly! Gesture: Students will move their arms and feet

pretending they are running.

Rule 2: Raise your hand to speak. Gesture: Students will raise their hand, and bring

down to head then and make a talking motion with their hand.

Rule 3: Raise your hand to leave your seat. Gesture: Student will raise their hand and

make a walking figure with middle fingers.

Rule 4: Make smart choices. Gesture: Students will tap one finger to their temple as

teacher say each word.

Rule 5: Keep your dear teacher happy! Gesture: Using both hands framing a smiley face.
3.2.3 Principle 3: Hands and Eyes

This WBT principle serves as focuser. Usually it is used by teacher to take more

attention from students to listen to what they are saying during the sessions.

3.2.4 Principles 4: Mirror

This principle is used to involve the students in any activity presented by teacher in

class. As example, the swim actions is introduced, and the teacher will said the word

Mirror and at the same time he or she will performed the actions. Then, students

answered Mirror and they started to mime the same actions.

3.2.5 Principles 5: Teach ok and switch

With this technique, students get to teach each other and help them to exchange

information with their partner. The technique Teach-Okay give chance for students to

deliver their learning and their partner learning (Biffle, n.d). First, the teacher teaches the

class and she or he will say Teach! and students will respond Ok!. After the session

Teach-ok, the teacher will say Switch, which gives the chance to the other student to

change roles to be the teacher. A recent study (Johnson, Johnson, & Stanne, 2000)

concluded that, cooperative learning occur when students shared learning together.

3.2.6 Principles 6: Scoreboard

Scoreboard helps students to increases their intrinsic motivation by receiving a reward

for behaving appropriately. A scoreboard is drawn on one side of the board and is set up

with Smiley or Frowny. These game required kids to do what they teacher asks and

keeping teacher from getting point. In our case, we chose to reward students with a
reward song. Every time they did something well, they sang We did it, we did it, we did

ithurray! They wiggled their hands to their left and to their right singing the song.

Students also have ability to choose their own seats to play the scoreboard game.

3.3 Statistical analysis

Data is analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.

The statistics used were frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. In this

study, t-test was used to test the null hypothesis for the mean differences between normal

teaching and whole brain teaching. Based on from data collected, we can get the mean

and standard error of mean of cognitive and affective response for each type of teaching:

the mean difference of cognitive and affective response between the two types of

teaching: the graphs and the t-test results to ensure the mean differences between

cognitive and effective response in normal and whole brain learning. The significant

value, p<0.05 and the equality of variance of Levenes test, p>0.05.