A Bridge No Longer Too Far: A Case Study of One School's Exploration of the Promise and Possibilities of Mind, Brain, and Education Science for the Future of Education

Kelleher, Ian; Whitman, G.D.

doi:10.1111/mbe.12163

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…In the educational neuroscience field, which has been advancing more to emerge as a distinct discipline, how to integrate neuroscience into educational practice remains a discussion ( Wilcox et al, 2021 ). Between the past (or still present) caution views and promising research works arising, all agree that more is needed to build a robust translational bridge between brain research and classroom practices (e.g., Bruer, 1997 , 2006 ; Ansari and Coch, 2006 ; Kelleher and Whitman, 2018 ; Tan and Amiel, 2019 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Looking for the Brain Inside the Initial Teacher Training and Outreach Books in Portugal

2022

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The fascination with brain research is widespread, and school teachers are no exception. This growing interest, usually noticed by the increased supply of short-term training or books on how to turn the brain more efficient, leads us to think about their basic training and outreach resources available. Little is known about what the official Initial Teacher Training (ITT) offers concerning the brain literature and if it meets scientific standards. Also, what are the science communication materials that teachers can access to learn about the developing brain remain undiscussed. First, we examined the ITT courses taught in Portuguese Higher Education, both in public and private institutions, to identify the syllabus with updated neuroscientific knowledge. Second, we searched for the neuroscience-related books published in the last 6 years through the National Library of Portugal database. Thirty ITT courses and 35 outreach publications were reviewed through a rapid review methodology. Our results showed an absence of curricular units indicating in their programs that brain research, and its relationship with learning, would be taught in a representative and updated way. In contrast, the number of brain-related books for educators increased in Portugal, corroborating the demand for this field of study by these professionals. Based on the literature that shows how misunderstandings about the brain have increased in school contexts, our discussion recognizes that science outreach could be a way to increase the scientific literacy of school teachers with the research community working more in this direction, but, since a previous problem seems to be unsolved, there is an urgent need for specialized attention to the development of training curricula for future kindergarten and elementary school teachers.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Looking for the Brain Inside the Initial Teacher Training and Outreach Books in Portugal

2022

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“…While these examples are of privileged school systems, they nonetheless point to encouraging examples of better learning science decision making into educational leadership practice. Many of the low to no cost policy changes which rely on new teacher training for professional development possibilities have already been adopted by some teacher colleges (Deans for Impact, 2015) and thousands more educational leaders in the public school systems have been trained in conference formats such as Learning & the Brain and Mind, Brain, and Education (Kelleher and Whitman, 2018) and through programs like "BrainU" at the University of Minnesota (Dubinsky et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Learning Sciences Framework in Educational Leadership

Tokuhama-Espinosa

2019

Front. Educ.

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The learning sciences clarify how people learn best under which conditions and how human variability influences outcomes. Despite great advancements in some learning sciences over the past 30 years, there has been relatively little change in educational science, a sub-field of the learning sciences. To determine why knowledge from the learning sciences has not had a greater impact on educational policy, this study considered evidence from the learning sciences through a previously published systematic review of the literature followed by a Delphi panel of experts on the learning science (Tokuhama-Espinosa, 2017). This was compared with a literature review of the trends in leadership decision-making models (data-based; context; distributed; transformative; goal-orientated, results-oriented) (Appendix A in Supplementary Material). This review found 30 current educational policies that contradict evidence from the learning sciences, suggesting a disconnect between educational science and other learning sciences. While there are some initiatives underway in a small number of educational leadership sectors to incorporate more learning science data into decision-making, it is not a norm. The current business-oriented model in educational policy design may explain this divide. The analysis of these results considers how switching from a business to a learning science model may result in different educational priorities. Such a vision offers a distinct and possibly more universally acceptable measure of "quality" education, detached from the immediate social and political goals and independent of the historical times in which they are taken. This paper suggests further research into this new learning sciences evidence-based framework on which educators base policy decisions.

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“…These ranged from knowing more about working memory and motivation to dispelling neuromyths. Some schools and groups of teachers have implemented pedagogical practices based upon neuroplasticity and correcting neuromyths (Kelleher & Whitman, 2018). A problem with some of these ad hoc educational efforts is that they emphasize pedagogical implications while minimizing the basic neuroscience underpinnings, potentially resulting in shallowly understood prescriptive practices.…”

Section: Neuroscience As Part Of Teacher Knowledge Of Studentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Place for Neuroscience in Teacher Knowledge and Education

Dubinsky

Roehrig

Varma

2022

Mind Brain and Education

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The foundational contributions from neuroscience regarding how learning occurs in the brain reside within one of Shulman's seven components of teacher knowledge, Knowledge of Students. While Knowledge of Students combines inputs from multiple social science disciplines that traditionally inform teacher education, teachers must also (and increasingly) know what happens inside students' brains. Neuroscience professional development provides neuroscience principles that teachers can learn and apply to distinguish among pedagogical choices, plan lessons, guide in‐the‐moment classroom decisions, and inform the views of students. Neuroscience does not directly invent new pedagogies. Rather, knowledge of neuroscience guides teachers in choosing appropriate pedagogies, pragmatically informing teaching. By providing physiological explanations for psychological phenomena relevant to education, teachers benefit from neuroscience content in their training and professional development.

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A Bridge No Longer Too Far: A Case Study of One School's Exploration of the Promise and Possibilities of Mind, Brain, and Education Science for the Future of Education

Cited by 8 publications

References 12 publications

Looking for the Brain Inside the Initial Teacher Training and Outreach Books in Portugal

Looking for the Brain Inside the Initial Teacher Training and Outreach Books in Portugal

The Learning Sciences Framework in Educational Leadership

A Place for Neuroscience in Teacher Knowledge and Education

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