Page 50 - Microsoft Word - The Future of Learning April 2017.docx

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The speed at which creativity takes place is extraordinary, as brainwaves can scan the brain looking for possible outcomes in hundreds of thousandths of a second. The amygdala and the hippocampus combine to connect knowledge, ideas and concepts and create new, or possibly more complex, ideas, concepts or concept frameworks, in just seconds. In this model for how the brain learns, creative thinking relies on the brain trialling different combinations of brainwave profiles associated with different ideas and concepts until an “aha!” moment is achieved, or we give up. Knowing when to give up and when to persist is a subtle art, born of experience.
Interestingly, the brain struggles to be creative while other thinking processes are taking place and to optimise our creativity we need to be in a ‘daydreaming’ state with the brain doing minimum processing if we wish to be imaginative. The amygdala requires minimal brainwave activity to be able to sense the resonance between possible brainwave combinations, that may meet the criteria our brain is looking for. While it is possible to come up with new ideas and be creative in a conscious state, it appears that the process of creativity is far more productive when we are in a non-conscious, daydreaming state.75 What we can all relate to is that after not being able to find the connections we were trying to create, we drift off into that daydreaming state and suddenly the answer just ‘pops into our head’. Our brain applies our capacity for imaginative processes to continue the searching process ‘non-consciously’ while we are awake, daydreaming or even when we are asleep.
To be creative we need to experience boredom, and let our mind drift and daydream. This is an essential aspect of the Learning Process and, as learners, being in the daydreaming state is essential. In our busy world, this is more of a challenge than most of us would imagine. We are at our creative best when we are in our daydreaming space.
An important aspect of daydreaming or letting our mind wander, is that memory formation surrounding ideas and concepts relies on the memory ‘attaching itself’ to sensory data. However, when we are drifting off to sleep, daydreaming or letting our mind wander, our brain is almost devoid of sensory data resulting in no memories being formed. Unless we can provide some sensory data to attach that memory to our new ‘amazing idea/concept will not be remembered. How often do we come up with an amazing new insight, idea or concept just before going to sleep and in the morning, have no memory of that inspiring event? Hence, it is good to write the inspiration down (provide some sensory data), and place the note where you will see it in the morning!
75 For additional information on creativity see chapter 19.