The sex appeal of studying the brain was one of my original draws to pursue a PhD in cognition. I believed that teaching educators about how the brain works would substantially improve student learning outcomes. Oh, how naive I was...
My blind-eyed romance with the brain ended around the third week of the fall 2006 semester. I realized many of the teaching strategies claiming to be brain-based were not based on good research. I also realized that I, like many other educators made an illogical jump from BRAIN>LEARNING, without seriously considering how to get from one to the other.
Through conducting research for a recent class, I attempted to get to the truth of the matter. What I found was both encouraging and discouraging. I am encouraged by research that helps educators better understand the situation(s) of kids with special needs. And in some cases, suggests interventions or strategies educators can employ to help those students learn. I am discouraged by the amount of liberties researchers have taken in co-opting teaching-learning from constructivism and other student-centered instruction models.
It is with a heavy heart I must end my love affair with the brain. However, I will continue on with an open mind. I will wait for the brain (research) to grow up a little more before I make my next move.
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Brain + Educational Practice = ?
A presentation done with some colleagues discussing the potential implications and cautions about applying information about the brain to educational practice.
Author:
GNA Garcia
Last modified:
03/10/2009 11:00 AM (PST)
"Parts of the Brain" by Pinky & The Brain
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