Page 158 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Training Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 158
how these skills are acquired with differences in brain structure and
function (OECD, 2002; Dehaene, 2009; Nieder & Dehaene, 2009).
This paper explores selected neuroscientific findings and considers
their possible impacts on the learning process. It stresses the impor-
tance of such advances in neuroscientific knowledge for teachers’
professional development and how this knowledge impacts students,
their academic achievements and self-efficiency. These factors are es-
tablished in the literature (Dumcius, R., Peeters, J., Hayes, N., Van
Landeghem, G., Siarova, H., Peciukonyte, L. et al., 2014) as negative-
ly correlating with ESL and thus work as protective factors counter-
ing it.
Key words: neuroscience in education, early school leaving, dyslexia,
brain changes in adolescence, brain functioning
Introduction
Neuroscience is a relatively new area of research that brings neurophysi-
ology, neuropharmacology, neurology, psychology and neuro-imaging to-
gether (Purpura, 1992; Kandel & Squire, 2000; Gill, 2005). The develop-
ment of modern techniques for recording the brain’s physiological activity
(functional magnetic resonance imaging – fMRI) while children, adoles-
cents and adults perform a certain cognitive activity has allowed scientists
to localise neuronal circuits or areas that synchronously activate within
the brain (Gazzaniga & Ivry, 2002; Blakemore & Frith, 2005; Willingham
& Lloyd, 2007). Neuroscientific studies provide fresh new insights into cer-
tain aspects of attention, memory, language, reading and writing, mathe-
matics teaching, sleep and emotion that are useful in the area of education
(Berninger & Corina, 1998; Byrnes & Fox, 1998; Stanovich, 1998; Brown &
Bjorklund, 1998; Geake & Cooper, 2003; Geake, 2004). Moreover, neuro-
scientific methods enable a better understanding of learning, the early di-
agnosis of learning disabilities and development of alternative methods for
children in need of special education (Markram & Markram, 2010).
Beyond specific neuroscientific domains, general knowledge about
how the brain develops might be very beneficial for all teachers. For ex-
ample, discoveries about structural and functional changes in the adoles-
cent brain (Gogtay et al., 2004) can deepen teachers’ understanding of ad-
olescent behaviour. Similarly, knowledge of the prolonged period in which
the neural systems implicated in cognitive control and attention develop
(Luna et al., 2001) can lead to the appreciation of what constrains learning,
158
function (OECD, 2002; Dehaene, 2009; Nieder & Dehaene, 2009).
This paper explores selected neuroscientific findings and considers
their possible impacts on the learning process. It stresses the impor-
tance of such advances in neuroscientific knowledge for teachers’
professional development and how this knowledge impacts students,
their academic achievements and self-efficiency. These factors are es-
tablished in the literature (Dumcius, R., Peeters, J., Hayes, N., Van
Landeghem, G., Siarova, H., Peciukonyte, L. et al., 2014) as negative-
ly correlating with ESL and thus work as protective factors counter-
ing it.
Key words: neuroscience in education, early school leaving, dyslexia,
brain changes in adolescence, brain functioning
Introduction
Neuroscience is a relatively new area of research that brings neurophysi-
ology, neuropharmacology, neurology, psychology and neuro-imaging to-
gether (Purpura, 1992; Kandel & Squire, 2000; Gill, 2005). The develop-
ment of modern techniques for recording the brain’s physiological activity
(functional magnetic resonance imaging – fMRI) while children, adoles-
cents and adults perform a certain cognitive activity has allowed scientists
to localise neuronal circuits or areas that synchronously activate within
the brain (Gazzaniga & Ivry, 2002; Blakemore & Frith, 2005; Willingham
& Lloyd, 2007). Neuroscientific studies provide fresh new insights into cer-
tain aspects of attention, memory, language, reading and writing, mathe-
matics teaching, sleep and emotion that are useful in the area of education
(Berninger & Corina, 1998; Byrnes & Fox, 1998; Stanovich, 1998; Brown &
Bjorklund, 1998; Geake & Cooper, 2003; Geake, 2004). Moreover, neuro-
scientific methods enable a better understanding of learning, the early di-
agnosis of learning disabilities and development of alternative methods for
children in need of special education (Markram & Markram, 2010).
Beyond specific neuroscientific domains, general knowledge about
how the brain develops might be very beneficial for all teachers. For ex-
ample, discoveries about structural and functional changes in the adoles-
cent brain (Gogtay et al., 2004) can deepen teachers’ understanding of ad-
olescent behaviour. Similarly, knowledge of the prolonged period in which
the neural systems implicated in cognitive control and attention develop
(Luna et al., 2001) can lead to the appreciation of what constrains learning,
158
