Scientific Benefits of Visualization for Students (Peak Learning Strategy)

In this video, Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath discusses the incredible power of leveraging mental visualization in the classroom.
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In the realm of sports, using mental visualization to enhance training and boost performance has long been a popular practice.
For years, elite athletes like Michael Phelps, Conor McGregor and Ronaldo have leveraged visualization to maintain a competitive edge over their peers.
However, more and more people are now beginning to appreciate the many benefits of activating the ‘mind’s eye’ that extend well beyond the playing field.
In education, we still have a great deal to learn about this phenomenon … but what we have discovered to date is quite promising.
For instance, numerous studies have shown that visualization can help students perform better across a range of important academic skills such as reading comprehension, learning retention and abstract thinking.
In this From Theory to Practice video, I explore a piece of research that can help us dive a bit deeper into this topic -- which happens to be one of my personal favorites:
Motor Imagery as a Method of Maintaining Performance in Pianists (Anna Christakou et al, 2019)
Here are some of the questions I tackle in this installment:
• To what degree is learning and neuroplasticity impacted by mental visualization versus overt physical practice?
• What is covert activation, and why might it explain large performance gaps observed among otherwise similar students?
• What are three strategic takeaways from this research that can help teachers across all contexts strengthen their pedagogical approach?
Give it a watch, and let me know what you think in the comments.
And, as always, if you find this video valuable, interesting and/or entertaining, you can support our channel by liking, sharing and subscribing ;)
#VisualizationForLearning #MentalVisualization
Joe Rogan | JRE Clips | Athlete Equanimity
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JARED COONEY HORVATH | PhD, MEd
Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath is an award-winning cognitive neuroscientist, best-selling author and renowned keynote speaker with an expertise in human learning, memory, and brain stimulation.
Dr. Horvath has published 4 books, over 30 research articles, and currently serves as an honorary researcher at the University of Melbourne and St. Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne.
His research has been featured in popular publications including The New York Times, WIRED, BBC, The Economist, PBS's Nova and ABC’s Catalyst.
www.lmeglobal.net/media​
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LME GLOBAL
LME Global is a mission-driven company aiming to serve teachers, students and educators through applied brain science.

[@JaredCooney]

Hi all. My new book '10 Things Schools Get Wrong (and How We Can Get Them Right)' is now available on Amazon. You can also learn more at LME(dot)global/10-things

[@amichaelthomas83]

This is one of the main reasons why I almost completely removed moving animations from my practice (well it was a happy accident when google etc removed flash support from their browsers).. my students started to understand things better when I didn't give them an animation but instead got them to imagine how a still image might be animated. It is not quite the same thing but I found it very interesting.. now i know the reason why.

[@LisaLaasch]

Love this! I'm playing it for my middle schoolers. We do calming visualizations all the time & I wanted to show them the science behind it!

[@omarcamacho2672]

OH MAH GAWD IM SO BLESSED TO HAVE CROSSED YOUR CONTENT!! AMAZING AMAZING !! You’re amazing! 💕 thank you

[@matthewcummins209]

This was incredibly encouraging!

[@tamirrozenfeld3572]

Great explanation!

[@modernbaby9497]

I am visualizing that your channel will soon have 10,000 subs ;)

[@luminyam6145]

I am so happy I found your channel.

[@KhaledMansoor]

I love the way you explain the power of visualization and how it can be used in teaching kids.

[@LevelUpLifeYT]

Dude, insande job!

[@Lee-iq7wg]

Waiting for your channel to blow up!

[@softwater7336]

I can say that this method is really the best i've tried in my own life. I discovered it by myself just when i realized that, if i want to grab and put something in my mind, like information or practice, i need to work this information in my mind. I'm happy that this method has now a scientific prove, thank u so much, this is probably the best method of learning.

[@husseinsingu]

Great Video! Thank You!! Always learning!

[@Seurph]

So interesting man. Good job

[@naturalhometreatments724]

Thx 🙏

[@johannemartel3423]

Love it !

[@rangerbud]

The benefits of repetitive visualization is exactly what was promoted in Maxwell Maltz's "Psycho Cybernetics" in the very early 1960s.....

[@unknown-10k]

6:33 What does have the juice mean?

[@richardyoung9886]

A very interesting study, thanks for sharing. I notice that the study and the motor imagery model they used is focused specifically on physical tasks like music and sport, where you are training your body to perform repetitive movements. Is motor imagery as effective for mental tasks like performing maths problems or creative writing where physical movement is less important?

[@JaredCooney]

Hey Richard - good thinking! From what we can tell - absolutely. Whether it's physical, cognitive, or emotional, the same covert activation mechanism occurs (simply through different parts of the brain). This is why retrieval practice, meditation, and CBT are effective practices.

[@richardyoung9886]

@@JaredCooney Great, thanks Jared!

[@martinmcsweeney732]

When they asked this person to imagine playing, what does that mean exactly? Did they imagine the physical nature of touching the instrument... AND/OR singing (or imagining) singing the music as well? ... or imagining what the music would sound like in their minds? Were they allowed to sing as part of the imagination process? That is to say- were they audiating? Using one's musical imagination to imagine what something sounds like? Or were they imagining the physical sensation? Or were they imagining the visual of what it looks like playing the piece? or... all three?!

[@JaredCooney]

Ooh - they outline the specifics in the paper. In this case, i think it was first person notor movement (and they measured to ensure no actual finger movement). I imagine there was no vocalized audition - but perhaps subvocalized! Back tp the paper to check...

[@sandymccleary1414]

Would visualising a negative outcome eg failing a maths test or public speaking task have negative effect in the same way as visualising you can do something has a positive effect?

[@JaredCooney]

Hey Sandy - absolutely. The brain does not differentiate between good and bad, or right and wrong. It's incapable of making value judgements -- it cares mainly about staying alive. So, if you commonly visualize yourself screwing up, will absolutely adapt to make screwing up the 'norm'. Good or bad - the brain is following our lead!