Building Bridges Between Home and School Library : What's New - Newest Additions To Our Handpicked Articles and Teacher Resources

35 New Links:

Neuromyths - When What You Believe About The Brain Is Wrong Brain Only "Plastic" For First Three Years Of Life - False - by OECD
OECD takes on the myth that brain plasticity applies only in infants until three years of age. People believe that those first three years are critical for development, but this article questions that conclusion because brain plasticity lasts throughout life. new (Views So Far 175 )

Enriched environments enhance the brain’s capacity for learning - False - by OECD
Interesting take on the OECD site about the idea that enriched environments, particularly for children are required for development. However, this may be one area where 'we don't really know' yet. new pop (Views So Far 204 )

We Only Use Ten Percent Of Our Brains - False - by OECD
So many people believe this, so here's an indepth article on why it's wrong, and speculates on how this neuromyth got started. new (Views So Far 106 )

There is a visual, auditive and a haptic type of learning - False - by OECD
This believe that there are different types of learning underlies the notion of learning styles, and has impacted educational practice and rhetoric via the idea of matching teaching approaches to different sensory learning styles. new (Views So Far 169 )

The left brain/ right brain myth (False Beliefs) - by OECD
Almost everyone believes this myth, which is more of a metaphor than reality. Here's an indepth but understandable explanation of the myth, and why it's wrong. new (Views So Far 160 )

It's time for teachers to wake up to neuromyths - by NA
Over recent years a new industry has exploded that sells educational interventions purportedly based on neuroscience to schools. In 2006 a paper published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience reported that teachers were receiving 70 emails per year marketing these tools and it seems the problem has only got worse. Unfortunately, neuroscience research simply doesn't even remotely back up a great many of the claims that are now being made. new (Views So Far 94 )

Neuromyths and why they persist in the classroom - by Prateek Buch
Ouch. On the list of neuromyths teachers believe are: importance of learning styles, right brain/left brain, multiple intelligences, and more. How many to YOU believe in? new pop (Views So Far 192 )

Sense About Brain Gym - Used, but Ineffective? - by Sense About Science
(Get The Full PDF Report) Sense About Science has been receiving calls from parents and teachers who are concerned about the use of 'Brain Gym' - a programme of teacher-led physical exercises claimed to improve cognitive abilities - in primary schools. These exercises are being taught with pseudoscientific explanations that undermine science teaching and mislead children about how their bodies work. Working with neuroscientists and physiologists we have produced a series of responses to the claims made in the Brain Gym Teachers' Edition. The director of Sense About Science, in association with The Physiological Society and the British Neuroscience Association, has written to local authorities to ask them to make this material available to schools in their area. new (Views So Far 159 )

Neuro Myths: Separating Fact and Fiction in Brain-Based Learning - by Sara Bernard
A good read that contains a number of the common false beliefs people have about brains and learning, but a little simplistic, because we don't really know a lot about how brains work. For teachers. new pop (Views So Far 391 )

Neuromyths in Education: Prevalence and Predictors of Misconceptions among Teachers - by Sanne Dekker et al
If you can get through this in depth and lengthy academic article on neuromyths in education, you may come away with a better idea of how education gets pulled and pushed by fads. This is a valuable article to print for your own use and share with your colleagues. new pop (Views So Far 218 )

Separating neuromyths from science in education - opinion - - by Tom Bennett
Opinion piece. This one takes on a number of neuromyths including EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. This article probably won't make your brain hurt, as some of the others in this section might. new pop (Views So Far 192 )

Video - Beware of 'Neuromyths' Like Those on Brain Usage and Improving 'Learning Styles' - by Christopher Chabris
A short five minute Wall Street Journal Video that takes on some of the myths about learning and brains, and particularly learning styles. new (Views So Far 82 )

Science or Pseudo Science? Prevalence of Neuromyths in Education - by Leah Tomlin
When tested/surveyed and given a list of "facts" about brains/learning, teachers believed a full half of the false myths presented to them. A great article, and one that also talks about Brain Gym of real life costs of believing it works. new (Views So Far 182 )

Neuroscience And Teaching - Education Neuroscience Should Teachers Be Trained In Neuroscience? Caution Needed - by NA
It would make sense to include training in neuroscience into curriculi for teacher education, but some believe this would be a bad idea, because it would promote "neuromyths", believing things that aren't true. Neuroscience is complex, and a little knowledge may be worse than none. new (Views So Far 112 )

Why teachers shouldn't learn neuroscience - by Valerie Strauss
In this Washington Post article, the author suggests that the move to teach teachers about neuroscience may be misguided and be more harmful than not. Takes about neuromyths, pseudo-science, etc. new (Views So Far 87 )

'Brain-based' education: Run from it - by Valerie Strauss
The central theme of this article is that "brain based learning" (and teaching) is more of a marketing ploy than a science, and that teachers are being taken in by charlatans. new (Views So Far 129 )

3 brain facts every educator should know about neuroscience - by Daniel Willingham
Cognitive scientist Willingham weighs in on three important things teachers need to know about neuroscience. Two points jump out: that it's very difficult to make the jump between brain science and practice, and the connection between what the brain does and actual behavior is hard to establish. new (Views So Far 106 )

A Neurologist Makes the Case for Teaching Teachers About the Brain - by Judy WIllis
Caution: This article lacks specifics and reads like a marketing article, but the case is made that teachers should know about neuroscience because it will help students. One problem for teachers, as illustrated by this article, is separating the BS from the real science. new (Views So Far 110 )

The Neuroscience Of Learning: 41 Terms Every Teacher Should Know - by Judy Willis
Another article by Judy Willis, who clearly has an unshakable, and perhaps unwarranted belief in the current value of neuroscience for teachers, but we include it here because it contains forty one terms about the brain that teachers may want to learn if they want to learn more about neuroscience. new (Views So Far 147 )

Book Excerpt: The Social Neuroscience of Education - by Louis Cozolino
Horace Mann, the founder of American public education, believed that pedagogy should be based on sound scientific principles. His science of choice was phrenology, which is the study of intelligence and personality based on the arrangement of the bumps on our heads. Thus began a long history of "science-based" (or, more accurately, pseudo-science-based) teaching. The most recent trend of "brain-based learning" applies findings from cognitive neuroscience to the classroom. Many steps ahead of Mann's phrenology, it attempts to apply what laboratory scientists have discovered about learning and memory to classroom education. The problem is that science is complex, challenging to learn, and difficult to apply. The result is that a few principles are taken out of context, turned into a sound bite or a list of "Ten Important Scientific Facts," and come to nothing but a new set of cliches. new (Views So Far 95 )

Research Paper: Neuroscience for Educators: What Are They Seeking, and What Are They Finding? - by Cayce J. Hook and Martha J. Farah
What can neuroscience offer to educators? Much of the debate has focused on whether basic research on the brain can translate into direct applications within the classroom. Accompanying ethical concern has centered on whether neuroeducation has made empty promises to educators. Relatively little investigation has been made into educators' expectations regarding neuroscience research and how they might find it professionally useful. In order to address this question, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 educators who were repeat attendees of the Learning & the Brain conferences. Responses suggest that 'brain based' pedagogical strategies are not all that is sought; indeed, respondents were more often drawn to the conference out of curiosity about the brain than a desire to gain new teaching methods. Of those who reported that research had influenced their classroom practice, most did not distinguish between neuroscience and cognitive psychology. new (Views So Far 96 )

Neuroscience and Education: Issues and Opportunities - by Economic and Social Research Council
Great 28 page report on issues related to using neuroscience to improve instruction. A good starting point for teachers just starting to get interested in the application of brain research for better instruction. new (Views So Far 102 )

Questions to Neuroscientists from Educators - by Dee Dickinson
Brain research so far, as previously noted, has most often been used by educators to make a case for what they would like to do or are already doing. It is high time for educators to ask neuroscientists for information that can help them to better understand their students and the learning process. The Krasnow Institute is offering a wonderful opportunity to do so. We desperately need guidance in meeting many new kinds of challenges, and need to make sure we do not misinterpret the findings or apply them inappropriately. It would also be helpful if neuroscientists in partnership with teachers could observe firsthand how their the results of their studies affect educational planning and practice. Although help regarding pressing problems must clearly come from many different sources, what guidance do you think brain research may offer brain in regard to the following specific challenges? new (Views So Far 87 )

Multimillion-Pound Brain Fund Set Up To Stop Teachers Buying Into Neuroscience Myths - by Brid-Aine Parnell
Teachers are buying into pseudo-science about the brain that one English organization is allocating a large amount of money to educate teachers on the myths they may be acting upon. new (Views So Far 108 )

Controversial: Teachers shouldn't need to learn neuroscience - Daniel Willingham - by Daniel Willingham
Opinion piece. Perhaps short sighted, but is the reality that neuroscience cannot YET inform teaching practice? Excerpt:Teachers don't need to learn neuroscience, or better put, teachers shouldn't need to learn neuroscience--not to be protected from charlatans. Teachers need to learn things that will directly help their practice. Charlatan protection ought to come from institutions: from schools of education, from district central offices, and (potentially) from institutions of teachers' own creation. new (Views So Far 109 )

The Misuse of Neuroscience in Schools - by Cristina Akiko Iizuka
The pressure to improve educational practices has led to a number of misunderstandings about how neuroscience can be applied to maximize learning. These unfounded practices and beliefs may come from misconceptions brought about by past experience, undue generalizations of scientific data, biased interpretations and/or encouraged by media. As an institution for the dissemination of knowledge, however, it may sound shocking to even think that some of the practices and beliefs being encouraged in our schools today may be based on tenuous scientific evidence. Neuroscience knowledge has undoubtedly broadened our understanding of the brain in a way that is important for educational practices. new (Views So Far 92 )

Journal Article: Brain-(not) Based Education: Dangers of Misunderstanding and Misapplication of Neuroscience Research - by Larry A. Alferink
Oversimplification or inappropriate interpretation of complex neuroscience research is widespread among curricula claiming that brain-based approaches are effective for improved learning and retention. We examine recent curricula claiming to be based on neuroscience research, discuss the implications of such misinterpretation for special education, how neuroscience actually supports many traditional teaching methods, and suggest ways to foster more accurate understanding of neuroscience research and its potential for application in the special education classroom. new (Views So Far 84 )

Study: Many Teachers Believe Neuroscience Myths - by JOY PULLMANN
Teachers believe a great many myths about brain science, such as that learning styles matter and enriching preschool environments boosts learning, according to a study recently published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. The more general knowledge a teacher had, the more likely she was to believe false, popular myths about how brains works. new (Views So Far 101 )

Journal Article: Neuromyths in Education: Prevalence and Predictors of Misconceptions among Teachers - by Sanne Dekker et al
Startling results on neuromyths and how teachers believe incorrect information about how the brain works. A study from Frontiers In Psychology Journal on an OECD study. new (Views So Far 86 )

How Can Research on the Brain Inform Education? - by Southwest Educational Development Lab
Scientists caution that the brain is complex and, while research has revealed some significant findings, there is no widespread agreement about their applicability to the general population or to education in particular. Nevertheless, brain research provides rich possibilities for education and reports of studies from this field have become popular topics in some educational journals. Enterprising organizations are translating these findings into professional development workshops and instructional programs to help teachers apply lessons from the research to classroom settings. References to several teaching models based on brain research are found below. Contains interesting chart on implications of brain research to teaching. new (Views So Far 88 )

Journal Article: Neuroscience and education: from research to practice? : Article : Nature Reviews Neuroscience - by Usha Goswam
Somewhat technical article on making the jump from neuroscience pure research findings to improving classroom practices. A good way of realizing the complexity and difficulties involved. new (Views So Far 88 )

Neuroscience And Teaching - Education Neuroscience : Specific Topics Male and Female Brains? More Different Or More The Same? - by School of Education at Johns Hopkins University
Sex differences and the brain. What does it matter, you say? I think it does. Through such knowledge we will eventually be better able to understand the basis for behaviors that many now perceive as entirely rooted in social custom or familial history. From that understanding, we will gain the acceptance, patience, and respect so vital to all human endeavor. Interestingly, people who see a human brain for the first time often ask, "Is it male or female?" Yet, for many millennia no one, even scientists, thought about sex-related differences and similarities in the human brain. A brain was just a brain. Now hardly a year goes by that we don't read authoritative studies showing these differences. I was taken aback just a few months ago when, at a Ph.D. examination dealing with Magnetic Resonance Imaging of human brains, the student reported having pooled the data from both sexes. Even if the intent was not to explore male-female differences, one can hardly expect to make accurate interpretations from such mixed data new (Views So Far 84 )

Memory Research: Optimizing Memory in the Adult Brain - by School of Education at Johns Hopkins University
Interesting research summary on whether training in memory (and what kinds of training), might work to improve adult memory. new (Views So Far 87 )

Mind-Brain Learning Principles - by Renate Nummela Caine and Geoffrey Caine
MUST read for anyone interesting in brain research and education. Twelve principles regarding the brain drawn from neuroscience. new (Views So Far 80 )

Brain Gym - educational kinesiology - Good example of BS Pseudo-Science - by na
While this article is about "brain gym", using educational kinesiology, it's of interest to every teacher because it highlights the challenges of figuring out what's valid research, and what's BS and marketing hype. new (Views So Far 73 )