Educational neuroscience is a relatively young scientific discipline that aims to discover more about how the brain learns, and to relay that information to teachers who may be able to apply the latest science in their classrooms. Psychology, cognitive neuroscience, genetics, technology, and education all come together with the ultimate goal of improving teaching and learning. Since educational neuroscience is such a new endeavour, we don’t yet have all the answers. However, now is a good time to start sharing the science that does exist so that teachers can try things at school based on the best available evidence. It is anticipated that in the future there will be many evidence-based strategies for teachers to choose from, but there’s still lots of work to be done.
Resources:
- The Science of Learning Zone was an online event that connected teachers and researchers in 2018. The website hosts the chats between teachers and researchers, and there is lots of information on numerous topics relating to education: Learning Zone.
- Learnus is a community that aims to bring research to teachers. Their website contains information about their events, including free talks to schools on neuroscience and education: Learnus.
- The Royal Society Brain Waves module on neuroscience and education reported on the state of the field in 2011: Brain Waves.
- The Wellcome Trust reported on the way that neuroscience was influencing education in 2014, based on teacher and parent surveys. This report particularly focused on the application of neuromyths, whereby approaches that purport to be based on neuroscientific evidence are used in the classroom, despite no evidence for their efficacy: ‘How neuroscience is affecting education’.
- Browse our Centre for Educational Neuroscience website for lots more information about the topic, including blog posts: CEN.
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Click on the topics below to find out more about the science in the film.
Sleep *** Hormonal Changes *** Prefrontal Changes
Inhibitory Control *** Mental Time Travel *** Limbic Changes
Sensation Seeking *** Risk taking *** Social Development
Theories of Adolescence *** Evolution *** Mental Health
Neuroconstructivism *** Educational Neuroscience
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