All posts by MINDZ ADMIN

Phil is the creator of Mindz Brainplay, the only company in the world to take neuroscience out of the lab, and onto the street.
Mindz for Teachers, Mindz in Schools

Brain research for educators

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There’s far too much research happening to cover it all. However, here’s some summary points and links. We try to choose plain-English interpretations of scientific research. A couple aren’t education based, but relevant for teachers personally..

  • Run, jump, learn: A Ted talk from Dr John Ratey. Click HERE
  • Inside the Learning Brain – Seven years old but extremely relevant: Click HERE
  • What’s happening in the adolescent brain: Click HERE
  • School-based proof on exercise and the learning brain: Click HERE
  • Neurogenesis research: Click HERE
  • Escaping the multi-modular brain state (important for teachers): Click HERE
  • Exercise and the brain: Click HERE
  • Micro-dosing and mood: Click HERE
  • Left and right brains?: Click HERE
  • Brain function and learning: Click HERE
  • Theta and learning: Click HERE
  • Psychedelics and brain reset: Click HERE
  • Herpes and the link with Alzheimer’s: Click HERE
  • A complex, peer-reviewed journal article debunking old left and right brain thinking: Click HERE

 

Mindz for Teachers, Mindz in Schools

NSW STAGE 6 Investigating science

FACT or FALLACY?

Fact or Fallacy is strictly for Investigating Science Students.

Fact or Fallacy  Students will conduct a series of mind-based EEG experiments to prove Fact or Fallacy on several common beliefs. A common belief is that lying down helps a person relax and creates ‘Theta’ brainwaves. Another belief is that heavy metal music creates ‘Beta or Gamma’ waves and cannot help a person relax. The session investigates these beliefs using our EEG headsets to see if they fit into the areas of Fact or Fallacy.  We train the students on EEG use.

This investigation is different to the ‘Working Scientifically‘ session in that students don’t design their investigation. All guidance is supplied. For the full session outline, click HERE.

Outcome Points: (relevant to all the sciences)
11/12-1, 11/12-3, 12-5, 1/12-6, 12-7, 11/12-2

Group size: We can cater for up to 20 students in a research session. However, we only supply 2 x headsets and 2 x laptops for up to 10 students to use. Schools with more than 10 students in the session need to provide laptops or tablets for extra groups. They will  also need to purchase 1 x headset per extra group at the cost of $240. We provide training and notes on their use. Most schools find these invaluable for use in further investigation or teaching students how to find their ‘learning state’.

For costs, syllabus points and extra information, click HERE.

To inquire or make a booking, see below…
[wpforms id=”3061″]

 

Mindz in Schools

Stage 6 Working Scientifically

NSW Stage 6 Working Scientifically

Mindz will guide classes through a 90-120 minute scientific exploration using EEG headsets we provide (up to 2).

The session is based around group scientific investigation, not lecture and presentation. After a 15 minute introduction, students will design an investigation and then collect, analyse and evaluate data following scientific method. They will then communicate this information to a specific audience.

For those new to science
If you have students new to the sciences, designing their own research project can be daunting. We offer an additional ‘practice session’ where students are guided through a research task using scientific method and our EEGs. This is a very step by step session which may not be suitable for advanced science students.

Outcome Points: (relevant to all the sciences)
11/12-1, 11/12-3, 12-5, 1/12-6, 12-7, 11/12-2,

Group size: We can cater for up to 20 students in a research session. However, we only supply 2 x headsets and 2 x laptops for up to 10 students to use. Schools with more than 10 students in the session need to provide laptops or tablets for extra groups. They will  also need to purchase 1 x headset per extra group at the cost of $214. We provide training and notes on their use. Most schools find these invaluable for use in further investigation or teaching students how to find their ‘learning state’.

For costs, syllabus points and extra detail, click HERE.

To book or inquire, see below

[wpforms id=”3061″]
Mindz in Public

Mindz Experiences in Sydney Top 10

It took us just over a year but the Sydney ‘Journey inside your Brain’ Experience has been ranked by AirBnb as number 7 in the top 10 Sydney Experiences.

Our experience differs greatly from other experiences in that it doesn’t showcase the beauty of Sydney or give a ‘physical’ experience like bush-walking, snorkeling or kayaking. It does take guests inside a 19th century Aussie pub for the experience and guests do love the irony of exploring their brain while having a beer!

We find 50% of our guests are locals or interstate visitors who want something a bit different or who are just interested in health, mindfulness and what makes them tick.

So far we’ve had 650 guests and over 200 5-star reviews. Special thanks to the AirBnB people for taking the risk on our ‘totally different’ experience and the hundreds of guests who’s stories and sense of humour never cease to amaze me.

Phil
Sydney Experience Host

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NSW Stage 6 Biology

Infectious and Non-Infectious diseases of the brain
Our standard presentation has been adjusted to not only give students the full EEG Mind Control experience, but focus on infectious and non-infectious diseases of the brain.

For module 7, teachers choose one of the following  diseases as our focus.
⇒ Meningitis
⇒ Encephalitis

Content focus: The treatment, prevention and control of infectious disease both locally and globally. The study of the human immune system and its response to infectious disease. This includes:

  • Modes of transmission
  • Transmission during epidemic
  • Types of pathogens and the body’s response to exposure
  • Adaption of the pathogens to assist host to host transmission
  • Symptoms, imaging and treatment

For module 8, teachers choose one of the following diseases as our focus.
⇒ Parkinson’s
⇒ Alzheimer’s
⇒ Epilepsy
⇒ Cardiovascular disease (whole-body related)

Content focus: Engagement with the study of non-infectious disease and disorders including causes and effects on human health. This includes technologies in treating the disease and the epidemiology of non-infectious brain disease. We include:

  • Causes and effects – genetic susceptibility and new research
  • Internal systems allowing homeostasis via neural pathways
  • Symptoms and imaging
  • Technology used in Treatment and management
  • Patterns of the disease in a population

A smaller section is dedicated to the brainwaves that aid information retention and release – vital for students doing the HSC. The entire session is 90 minutes.

Outcome Points
BIO 12-14: Analyses infectious disease in terms of cause, transmission, management and the organism’s response, including the human immune system:
BIO 12-15: Explains non-infectious disease and disorders and a range of technologies and methods used to assist, control, prevent and treat non-infectious disease:

For costs, syllabus points and extra detail, click HERE.
To book or inquire, see below …
[wpforms id=”3061″]

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Fact or Fallacy?

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An Investigating Science Research Session

♦ Does listening to heavy metal music really stop relaxation?
♦ Does chocolate really help you feel good and calm down?
♦ Is laughter really the best medicine?

By using our EEG headsets, students investigate whether these beliefs are actually true, partially true or completely false. We provide the headsets, the guidance and the worksheets while students undertake a 90 minute group investigation where all members get to use the equipment and have their brain analyzed.
Groups also look at the variables involved, the validity and the ways the experiments could be improved. They will also individually look at the relevance of their investigation for society and do a short quiz so you can see their level of engagement.
Sessions limits
We can take up to 25 students in a session and as group experimentation is involved, a reasonable space should be set aside so that the activity from groups doesn’t disrupt others.

The cost of the session is $380 – less if booked as part of a full-day incursion. We need 75 minutes prior to the session to set up headsets and laptops. All headsets, headphones, and up to 2 x laptops are supplied.
For the full description of all session outlines including Fact or Fallacy, click HERE
To inquire or make a booking click HERE

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Dogs and brainwaves

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During Neuroscience in the Pub on November 7, we put the EEG on Albert – a friendly and very patient 3-year old Groodle (Golden Retriever x Poodle) . 20161107_191401
Getting a signal through all that fur wasn’t easy but he eventually stood still long enough for quite a solid signal to register on our brain visualiser.
The result? Albert had brainwaves the same as we do yet not every type of brainwave was evident. Albert showed lots of Theta waves (brown/orange) which is a very relaxed and quiet, focused wave in humans. He had a tiny amount of beta (pink – concentration) and some Gamma (white – excitement). Mainly though, Albert showed waves within the 4-7Hz range depicting deep focus – almost meditative. See the video by clicking HERE.

Albert's brain. Lots of brown (theta) shows a fairly relaxed pup
Albert’s brain. Lots of brown (theta) shows a fairly relaxed pup

However, these brainwave interpretations are for humans – not dogs. It’s a long stretch to interpret canine brainwaves using the same system. Or is it?
Stanley Coren, a behaviorist from the University of British Columbia has spent years researching doggie brainwaves and emotions. His conclusion is that canine brainwaves are very similar to humans and their brain displays the same chemical reactions ours do. Read the full article HERE.
Thanks to Sam and Rochelle for bringing Albert in for his brain scan and we believe Albert will be leading workshops in meditation technique soon.

Mindz in Public

About Phil Dye

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Phil Dye has been described as the reluctant king of Australian citizen science.

He began his career as a primary school teacher on the South Coast of NSW. After 20 years of teaching, he retrained in Communication Management specializing in science and medical communication.

Phil worked for the NSW Blood Service and the Australian Bone Marrow Registry before eventually becoming the Communication Manager for the Australian Organ Donation and Transplantation Service (ACCORD). In this role he was the winner of the Golden Target Award for his community communication programs around organ donation.

Yes, body parts!

He went on to lecture in Communication at the University of Technology Sydney and in 1998, wrote  ‘The Father Lode’, published by Allen and Unwin. The book looked at the psychological impact on men of becoming a new dad.

Between 2011 and 2013, Phil worked with people with extreme disabilities. These were people who had up to 80 seizures a day or had never experienced a voluntary movement in their life. Music therapy played a dominant part of that work and began his interest in the brain.

In 2014 he became an educator in the School of Medical Sciences at the University of NSW. His role was to make complex concepts simple and use plain English to teach everyone from school aged children to visiting overseas medical delegations.

One of the concepts he explained was the use of the Deep Brain Implant to treat conditions like Parkinson’s Disease and Epilepsy. This further seeded his fascination with the brain and led him to create Mindz Brainplay – the first concept to take neuroscience out of the lab and into the schools, pubs, nightclubs and boardrooms. Mindz Brainplay operated through franchisees throughout Australia.

Covid-19 changed Mindz Brainplay from a multi-state entity to a single NSW entity. ‘Phil Dye the Brain Guy’ is the result this devolution yet Phil remains as passionate about brain health and education as he was in 2014.