Applying neuroscientific research to the classroom is a new and exciting endeavor. Thanks to ever-advancing technologies that allow us to image the thinking brain, we know more than ever before about how students learn. But it’s not easy to translate these findings to the classroom.

Footnotes

References

Bowers, J. S. (2016): The Practical and Principled Problems with Educational Neuroscience. Psychological Review, 123, 600-612.

Bunge, S. (Interview, 2017): Has educational neuroscience actually had an impact on education so far? BOLD – Blog on Learning and Development.

Carew, T. J./Magsamen, S. H. (2010): Neuroscience and Education. An Ideal Partnership for Producing Evidence-Based Solutions to Guide 21st Century Learning. Neuron, 67, 665-668.

Dubinsky, J. M./Roehrig, G./Varma, S. (2013): Infusing Neuroscience into Teacher Professional Development. Educational Researcher, 42, 317-329.

Gabrieli, J. D. (2016): The promise of educational neuroscience. Comment on Bowers. Psychological Review, 123, 613-619.

Goswami, U. (2006): Neuroscience and education. From research to practice? Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 7, 406-411.

Herrmann, U. (2009): Neurodidaktik. Die Kooperation von Neurowissenschaften und Didaktik. Journal für LehrerInnenbildung, 4, 8-21.

Horvath, J. C./Donoghue, G. M. (2016): A Bridge Too Far. Revisited: Reframing Bruer’s Neuroeducation Argument for Modern Science of Learning Practitioners. Frontiers in Psychology, 377, 1-12.

Lee, H. W./Juan, C. (2013): What can Cognitive Neuroscience do to enhance our Understanding of Education and Learning? Journal of Neuroscience and Neuroengeneering, 2, 393-399.

Macedonia, M. (2018): „Wissenstransfer aus den Neurowissenschaften“. Macedonia.

Madeja, M. (2015): „Hirnforschung, was kannst du? Die Schule erzieht junge Menschen, keine Gehirne“. Frankfurter Allgemeine, 07.03.15, Wissen.

Sigman, M./Peña, M./Goldin, A. P./Ribeiro, S. (2014): Neuroscience and education. Prime time to build the bridge. Nature Neuroscience, 17, 497-502.

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3 comments

    1. Thank you for your interesting thoughts!

      However, our blog post does not “propose that neuroscience offers ‘quick insights and solutions that can be implemented immediately in the educational system and programs of instruction.’”

      Instead, this is one of our examples of the (exaggerated) expectations for educational neuroscience.

  1. The race to the top for the next generation belongs to those who can think. It’s about cognitive capital. As a elementary principal for 16 years, I was tired of attending over 200 special education IEP’s a year, and seeing literally no movement/improvement in students. However, when I and my teacher team began to study neuroscience, applying it to our practice in both the environment and teaching thinking skills, I no longer had to address a revolving door of behaviors and student achievement improved. At first we noticed that we could pour more learning in to the instructional day. Then as we began teaching thinking skills alongside content skills, we noticed that students were taking greater charge of their own decision making including their education. While all have defined neural potentials, we can’t assume we know what they are. When we apply principles from neuroscience to our practice, we are refining and honing their thinking, giving them them best opportunity for their future.

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