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Heart Learning

(also see redamancy, whole learning and other key terms)

“The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing” (Blaise Pascal, 1669)

One of a quartet

Here, we use idea of HEART in the context of three other categories intended to define the whole learner:

An umbrella term

In the NSF context we use the notion of HEART as a figure that stands for a great many aspects of the human mind-body. It is a memorable way to discuss different aspects of learning. The following examples are not exhaustive. They are offered as a way to open up discussion and action:

Sensing
Feeling
Experiencing
Emotion

Likely HEART activities

Experiments/endeavours that create feelings/sensations - experiencing, sharing, discussing, creating, etc.
Constellation workshops (our modified versions)
Emotional counselling
Inventing food recipes and finding out how they affect senses and feelings
Exploring, sharing and discussing different theories about the role of the above examples.

Why is it important to learning?

There has been a great deal of scientific research into brain functions for understanding how we behave.
Arguably, this knowledge has eclipsed the vital importance of other ways of knowing.
- Goleman (1996) mooted the term 'emotional intelligence' to counter the dominance of head-based reasoning.
- McGilchrist (2019) uses the idea of left-brain and right-brain thinking that includes events outside the brain.

The endocrine system

One aspect of our notion of HEART is the endocrine system.
It regulates the hormonal secretions that maintain the effective workings of the human body/mind.
For example, in facilitating interest and pleasure it enables the brain and body to learn (Li et al. 2021).
The endocrine system consists of pathways and feedback loops that regulate organs of the body.
This works by managing the amount of chemicals secreted by the glands that control them.
‘gut instinct’ / emotions e.g. gut bacteria helps the nervous system to synthesize vitamin B12
fast and slow thinking
quantum entanglement
active grammar
pluralized individuality
empathy
Goffman /

Apology
Derives from the Greek word ‘apologia’ (ἀπολογία) from root word ‘apologos’ (ἀπόλογος), “a speech in defence”.

Greek philosophers Plato, Isocrates, and Aristotle described apologia as an oratory to defend positions or actions particularly in the sense of a legal defense.

Regret is a negative conscious and emotional reaction to personal past acts and behaviors.
sadness, shame, embarrassment, depression, annoyance, or guilt, after one acts in a manner and later wishes not to have done so.

Regret is distinct from guilt, which is a deeply emotional form of regret — one which may be difficult to comprehend in an objective or conceptual way. In this regard, the concept of regret is subordinate to guilt in terms of its emotional intensity.

shame typically refers to the social (rather than personal) aspect of guilt or (in minor context) regret as imposed by the society or culture (enforcement of ethics, morality), which has substantial bearing in matters of (personal and social) honour.