Activities & Discussion
It is important to spread the word about findings from the neuroscience community & to help educators update their knowledge about its role in the teaching-learning process
It's Not so straightforward...There are many facets as to how cognitive neuroscience and learning relates to education. Areas such as neuroplasticity, emotion, processing, stress, attention, memory, language, problem-solving, social cognition, behaviour, and the acquisition of knowledge, to name but a very few, are of interest to teachers who want to implement these finding into their educational practice to help student learn and develop. Cognitive neuroscience's contribution to the areas of learning disorders (dyslexia and dyscalculia for example) continues though some studies (Kaufmann, 2008) have already impacted educational understanding and applications. It is, unfortunately, not as easy as taking neuroscience findings and applying them straight to general and practical educational applications. For many years in the neuroscience community there has been propagation of neuromyths & debates about how best to implement brain-based research into education (Coch & Ansari, 2009, Pincham, Matejko, Obscener, Killikelly, Abrahao, Benavides-Varela, Gabriel, Rato & Vuillier, 2014, Purdy & Morrison, 2009). Some companies have tried to take advantage of this uncertainty and confusion (Hyatt, K.J., 2007). Hyatt suggests that educators become informed consumers of the research and should avoid implementing "programs" for which there is no credible theory or sound research basis and that educators need to be careful not to misrepresent results.
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Neuromyths...Neuromyths are misconceptions or false beliefs stemming from neuroscientific information are still prevalent in eduction.
neuromyths.pdf From Mind, Brain, and Education (2015) 9(1) Some familiar neuromyths are: 1. Students are either "right brained" or "left brained". 2. People only use about 10% of your brain. 3. Brain damage is always permanent. Below, two researchers, Dr. Lara Boyd (University of British Columbia)and Dr. Steve Masson (University of Quebec), speak about some of these brain myths. |
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'After Watching This, Your Brain Will Not Be The Same'
- Dr. Lara Boyd (TED Talk)
- Dr. Lara Boyd (TED Talk)
Neuromyths and Education - CEA - Dr. Steve Masson
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The Neuroscience of Imagination (TED Talk)
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Stress, learning, and the brain
"Neuroimaging scans of students during stress states, such as those that build up with sustained or frequent or frustration, offer powerful insights into the importance of classroom climate and differentiation of instruction" (Willis, 2012). These scans show the increased metabolic state that blocks processing in the prefrontal cortex when this boredom or frustration alienates students from instruction. While this is happening, the amygdala becomes hyperactive in response to this stress and switches its input and output away from the prefrontal cortex and down to the lower, reactive brain where the responses are to fight, flight, or freeze.
When the information is being redirected to the lower portions of the brain (which is more behaviourally reactive), and away from the prefrontal cortex where memory instruction occurs, learning is not retained. Students develop the "fixed mindset" if this continues to happen.
However, as Willis (2012) mentions, if educators are educated about the neurological consequences of the brain's programmed response to stress, we have the ability to make the appropriate changes including how we can influence the brain's successful processing via appropriate interventions, differentiation, and engagement that reduces stress and allows students to develop "voluntary control of their behaviour, and promote successful memory construction and cognitive processing in the prefrontal cortex".
Further to this, when students themselves learn about their own near-anatomy and how it impacts emotions, stress and memory capacity on their learning they become empowered with choices that impact what they do; this knowledge is intrinsically motivating (Desautels, L., 2015).
When the information is being redirected to the lower portions of the brain (which is more behaviourally reactive), and away from the prefrontal cortex where memory instruction occurs, learning is not retained. Students develop the "fixed mindset" if this continues to happen.
However, as Willis (2012) mentions, if educators are educated about the neurological consequences of the brain's programmed response to stress, we have the ability to make the appropriate changes including how we can influence the brain's successful processing via appropriate interventions, differentiation, and engagement that reduces stress and allows students to develop "voluntary control of their behaviour, and promote successful memory construction and cognitive processing in the prefrontal cortex".
Further to this, when students themselves learn about their own near-anatomy and how it impacts emotions, stress and memory capacity on their learning they become empowered with choices that impact what they do; this knowledge is intrinsically motivating (Desautels, L., 2015).
The following optional resources & academic readings can help take you even deeper into cognitive neuroscience.
feel free to CONTRIBUTE resources to this knowledge bank
Discussion
- Prior to attending this learning conference, how much did you already know about cognitive neuroscience? What was one new thing you took away from “attending”?
- How do you currently use your knowledge of cognitive neuroscience to inform your classroom practice, if at all? Do you feel it is an important theory to understand and implement? Why or why not?
- How might our knowledge of educational neuroscience guide curriculum development and implementation? How would you design the curriculum using this lens?
- How could teaching our students about neuroplasticity lead to a growth mindset?
Bring your thoughts and reflections back to the Blackboard Week 12: Cognitive Neuroscience Discussion Forum.