The Hidden Life of the Basal Ganglia
12th March 2025
Cheery Friday Greetings from Barb Oakley!
Book Pick: The Hidden Life of the Basal Ganglia by Hagai Bergman. If you’ve ever wondered about the backstage crew running the show of your everyday thoughts and actions, The Hidden Life of the Basal Ganglia is a fascinating peek behind the curtain. Hagai Bergman takes readers deep into this underappreciated yet essential brain region, revealing its role in one of our most crucial learning systems—habitual, non-conscious learning.
One of the delights of this book is Bergman’s use of metaphor, making the complexity of basal ganglia circuits surprisingly intuitive. My favorite? The striatum as the melody of a piano, and the subthalamic nucleus as the pedal—beautifully illustrating how these structures interact to shape our behavior. The striatum, the brain’s primary hub for processing incoming information, is like the pianist’s hands on the keys, selecting and refining actions based on experience. Meanwhile, the subthalamic nucleus (STN) acts like the sustain pedal, momentarily amplifying or inhibiting actions, helping to fine-tune movement and decision-making by adding a crucial layer of control. Too much or too little engagement of these structures, and the melody—our fluid execution of learned behaviors—gets disrupted.
The basal ganglia, often relegated to discussions of movement disorders, emerge in this book as key players in decision-making, learning, and even emotion. Bergman’s insights help illuminate how we automate skills—from playing an instrument to making split-second choices—without needing conscious oversight. If you’re fascinated by neuroscience, psychology, or just how your brain quietly learns without you realizing it, The Hidden Life of the Basal Ganglia is a deeply rewarding read. Highly recommended!
GSoLEN Shines a Spotlight on Learning How to Learn!
What a delight to see GSoLEN (the Global Science of Learning Education Network) giving Learning How to Learn—Terry’s and my book on learning, geared for younger people, a well-deserved spotlight! GSoLEN, a collective of international scientists, educators, and policymakers, is dedicated to integrating the science of learning into educational practices worldwide. In their recent LinkedIn article, they dive into the impact of this little book with a big mission—helping learners everywhere unlock the science of how to learn more effectively. Whether you’re a student, teacher, or lifelong learner, it’s thrilling to see these principles spreading far and wide, making learning easier and more joyful for so many. If you haven’t checked out their post yet, now’s the time to give it a read and share the love of learning!
Barb in New Zealand and in Suzhou
I’m in New Zealand for the months to come under the auspices of the New Zealand Initiative, speaking throughout the country. There are still some dates available if you are interested in new insights in learning, (especially related to ChatGPT!), that could help your business, university, or school, please reach out to Jamuel Enriquez at jamuel.enriquez@nzinitiative.org.nz.
And I’ll also be speaking on April 12th in Suzhou, China at the East Asia Schools Conference. (Here’s the English registration, and here is the Chinese registration.)
Feel free to read more about my work from a Chinese perspective by the ever-brilliant Ling Huang, here! 从学渣逆袭成工程学教授——美国的良知芭芭拉·欧科丽与你分享学渣逆袭为学霸的奥秘.
Making Math Click: The Right Kind of Fun
A recent EdSurge article explores whether more play in math instruction could improve student learning. The key isn’t whether play is valuable—it absolutely can be—but rather, what kind of play best supports deep mathematical understanding. When play sparks “aha!” moments and reinforces structured practice, it can be a fantastic learning tool. Programs like Smartick demonstrate how gamification can keep students engaged while systematically building their math fluency. Research shows that automaticity—developed through well-sequenced, effortful practice—lays the foundation for higher-level problem-solving.
This August, I’ll be launching a new MOOC on Coursera, “Making Math Click,” co-taught with mathematician John Mighton. The course is designed for teachers, parents, and anyone who wants to understand how math learning really works. Our focus? Bridging the gap between discovery-based learning and the structured practice that builds lasting mathematical intuition. Because when done right, math isn’t just fun—it clicks.
How We Think, Learn, and Focus
Can AI make us less critical thinkers? Can attentiveness spread like a social contagion? Can a simple “why” question improve reading comprehension? This week’s Edu-Snippets explores fascinating new research on how learners engage with AI, how the focus of one student can influence others, and how elaborative interrogation helps deepen understanding.
That’s all for now. Have a happy week in learning!
Barb Oakley
- Uncommon Sense Teaching—the book and Coursera Specialization!
- The LHTL recommended text, A Mind for Numbers
For kids and parents: Learning How to Learn—the book and MOOC. Pro tip—watch the videos and read the book together with your child. Learning how to learn at an early age will change their life!
