9/5:  Orientation & Setting Personal Goals 

·         Course website:  bfclass.com

·         BrainHQ site:  https://v4.brainhq.com/

·         Student site with schedule and more:  sdcestudent55.com

·         Site to enroll in classes:  myportal.sdccd.edu

·         Official SDCCE site:  sdcce.edu

Take a look at our course website:  Go to the website by typing in: bfclass.com.  Take some time to look around the site.  Some of the things to look at include:

Home page:  Everything you need to get started.  Includes a welcome video.  Provides links for most of the sections of website under “Welcome to Brain Fitness Online”.  Links to BrainHQ site as well as a short video on logging into BrainHQ.  The official syllabus and a video tour of the syllabus. View the biographies of your brain fitness instructors.

Accessing lessons (BF Topics Fall 2023):  Clicking on the link takes you to the page listing all weekly lessons.  Clicking on a weekly lesson takes you to the lesson page. You can also access the weekly lesson by hovering over the title (BF Topics Fall 2023) and selecting the week.  It is recommended that you use the course website to access lessons.  The weekly handout has the same information, but the website includes images, videos and a link to the weekly quiz.

The Zoom Classroom:  Become familiar with this updated page!  It includes all of the Zoom sessions during the week, links to the Zoom sessions, a calendar with the links and more details such as phone numbers, and tutorials and videos on using Zoom.  Lots to learn on this page!

Fall 2023 Weekly Emails:   If you miss an email, you will find it on this part of the website.

FAQs (Frequently asked questions):  Find out more about the class, the BrainHQ program, how to deal with technical issues, video tutorials on the different activities and interviews with PositScience.

Prospective Brain Fitness students:  Point your friends to this page as we explain the program and how to get started.

Student Registration:  All of the updated tutorials for Fall 2023.

Brain Ed:  More brain related education including seminars and recordings

Announcements:  Check back frequently for up to date announcements

NOTE:  Our Brain Fitness site usually includes the past semester topics.  The Fall site provides a link to the Summer Topics classes and the Summer Mindfulness sessions.

A key component of the brain fitness class is regular participation in an online brain training program called BrainHQ.  You can access Brain HQ by going to:  https://v4.brainhq.com/ 

Clearly an incentive to taking this class, the BrainHQ program features a series of brain exercises designed to make your brain sharper and more responsive.  There are six categories of exercises (attention, brain speed, memory, people skills, intelligence and navigation).  Although the exercises may be different, the benefits of these exercises will sometimes overlap.  The BrainHQ program incorporates the research surrounding brain health as well as the design of the exercises.   

The BrainHQ site includes links to some of the research using BrainHQ and the results in the brain.  This research has suggested that the training rewires the brain and improves brain activation, timing and connectivity between different regions.  It also looks at the Institute of Medicine’s Checklist for Brain Training and have successfully checked off the five components listed to determine if a brain training program is scientifically proven. 

By consistently using the BrainHQ exercises, you may find benefits in your cognition and more.  Consecutive sessions are the best.  Benefits can be seen in as little as 20 minutes per session.

Things to note about our weekly lessons:

§  Our lessons focus on a brain healthy lifestyle, and things that you can do to achieve this lifestyle. 

§  The curriculum is based on the sources that we use.  We try to use sources which are peer reviewed, from reputable websites and publications.  It is conceivable that another source may disagree.  Wherever possible, multiple sources will be used.  We will also provide links to our sources in case you want to have a look.

§  We may include some science in the lessons.  We are not brain scientists, so we may lack some of the scientific background to explain all of the concepts.  We include these more technical parts of the lesson to challenge you, and perhaps encourage you to look further into the topic. You are not expected to understand everything in the class.   We welcome your feedback on what you have discovered.

§  We avoid giving medical advice and will always advise you to consult your physician if you have specific medical conditions. 

§  We understand that research is occurring each day, and that a concept which was widely believed in the past may no longer be accepted today.  A fine example of that is the concept of brain plasticity, a relatively new concept originally researched by Dr. Michael Merzenich, the founder of PositScience (BrainHQ). 

§  Our lessons can be accessed by a handout or on the course website.  We recommend that you use the website to get a full understanding of the lesson, and to take the quiz.

§  The Zoom sessions will be based on the lesson.  But each instructor will bring their own design and ideas into the lesson, so no two Zoom classes will be the same.

Our class includes information on the brain, including how the brain works, which structures are involved in which processes and how disease and illness affect your brain.  Sometimes this may seem like a lot to take in.  However, understanding how your brain works can directly impact what you do to improve it.

§  Understanding the concept of neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to change and adapt, can help you to create new neural connections, improve communication between brain cells, and even grow new brain cells.

§  Knowledge about how the brain works and the effects of different activities and lifestyle choices on the brain can help you to make healthier and more informed decisions about how to take care of your brain.

§  Understanding the brain can help to create a better awareness of how the brain works, which can lead to better stress management, improved memory and cognitive function, and a better overall mood.

§  Understanding the impact of emotions and stress on the brain can help to improve emotional regulation, and self-awareness, which can improve overall well-being.

§  Understanding the effects of aging on the brain can help to identify early signs of decline and take steps to promote healthy aging.

§  Understanding the brain can also provide a better understanding of the different forms of mental health disorders and how to address them.

§  Understanding the brain can also provide a better understanding of learning and memory processes and how to improve them.

Value of a healthy lifestyle

Our class emphasizes lifestyle changes that we can adapt in order to have a healthier brain.  These lifestyle changes will be repeated throughout the lesson and include things like:

Regular exercise: Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, which can help to improve cognitive function and protect against age-related decline.

Healthy diet: Eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats can provide the brain with the nutrients it needs to function properly.

Quality sleep: Getting enough quality sleep is essential for the brain to repair and rejuvenate itself.

Stress management: Chronic stress can have negative effects on the brain, so it's important to find ways to manage stress through techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing

Social interaction: Strong social connections can help to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and promote overall brain health.

Mental stimulation: Engaging in mentally stimulating activities such as reading, writing, and playing games can help to keep the brain active and sharp.

Avoiding toxins: Avoiding toxins such as alcohol, tobacco and other drugs is important for brain health as they can cause damage to brain cells and affect cognitive function.

Brain Fitness requires time and engagement to understand the concepts of a healthy brain.  For this reason, setting reasonable goals will help you to manage the readings, videos and BrainHQ activities associated with this class.

Goal setting involves defining clear, specific and achievable objectives within a certain timeframe.  Goal setting provides direction, motivation and a clear way to measure your progress.

Direction: Goals provide a clear direction and an endpoint to aim for.

Motivation:  Setting a goal provides motivation to overcome obstacles in the face of challenges.

Measurement:  With specific objectives, you can measure your progress and get a sense of accomplishment.

When setting up goals, you want to make sure that they are SMART:

Specific:  Direct, detailed and meaningful

Measurable:  Quantifiable to track progress or success

Achievable: Realistic and you have the tools to attain it

Relevant: Aligns with your objectives

Time-bound: Your goals have a deadline

A goal is related to objectives within a time frame.  As you come up with your course goals, it might help to think small (short term) as well as large (long term).

Short term:  By the end of each week, I will have successfully completed these tasks:

·         Read the weekly email

·         Reviewed the lesson on the handout and course website

·         Attended a Zoom OR watched the video

·         Took the weekly quiz

·         Worked on the activities on the BrainHQ site

·         Contributed to any active discussions of your interest on Canvas or via email

Understandably, this short-term goal for each week may not be met every week in a timely manner.  As an online class, you may not be around for every class.  Still, you can return to lessons after the fact and participate.  This way, you benefit from all of the topics and can be assured that you are getting the most from your class.

Long-term:  By the end of the semester, I will have

·         Attended at least 75% of online sessions (or watched the video)

·         Completed the quiz at least 75% of the time

·         Actively participated in group discussions which were relevant and interesting to you

·         Sought clarification for concepts which are difficult but important to understand

·         Discussed at least some of the lessons with someone else to insure your understanding

We are looking forward to an informative and engaging semester of topics.  We hope that you will use this opportunity to learn what is needed for a long and healthy life.