Page 165 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Training Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 165
neuroscientific findings concerning education ...
development and to include the latest neuroscientific findings on adoles-
cent brain development in their lessons (Jensen & Nutt, 2014).
Although neuro-education is developing very rapidly and we can see
its potential in aiding the development of teaching and learning processes,
its concrete implications remain limited. Therefore, the strategy presented
above is just one of the possibilities revealing how neuroscientific findings
can help in improving educational practices and prevent ESL.
Conclusions
Neuroscientific research of the brain’s development during adolescence
shows that, while the brain’s learning capability is at its peak in adoles-
cence, the continued structural changes in the brain negatively affect teen-
age cognitive and social-emotional functioning. The results of brain mat-
uration hold implications for functioning of the brain, showing as lower
attention, self-discipline, task completion, and lower emotion regulation.
Further, neuroscientific research methods, especially brain imaging, pro-
vide a deeper understanding of brain functioning in dyslexia, dyscalculia
and other learning difficulties.
Education researchers are very optimistic that neuroscience findings
can effectively contribute to improving educational practices. But the neu-
roscientific research itself does not introduce any new educational strat-
egies. This is still the domain of educators. Being familiar with the latest
neuroscientific findings on adolescents’ brain changes can assist teachers
in understanding adolescents’ behaviour and adapting their teaching strat-
egies to suit their students’ maturing brain functions.
Moreover, teachers can use the neuroscientific knowledge to devel-
op educational interventions for low achieving students, students at risk
for ESL and students with dyslexia or other learning difficulties. Becoming
familiar with the neuroscientific findings on adolescent brain maturation
and functioning might also be very interesting to students, especially those
struggling with learning and emotional difficulties. By knowing what is
happening in their brains, students might better accept the consequenc-
es they experience in everyday life and also be more willing to train their
brain with regard to the scope of its accelerated development.
This is even more important for students with learning difficulties and
others at greater risk of ESL. Neuroscientific findings on adolescent brain
changes can at least to some extent help students at risk for ESL appreciate
that some difficulties they are experiencing in their cognitive functioning
165
development and to include the latest neuroscientific findings on adoles-
cent brain development in their lessons (Jensen & Nutt, 2014).
Although neuro-education is developing very rapidly and we can see
its potential in aiding the development of teaching and learning processes,
its concrete implications remain limited. Therefore, the strategy presented
above is just one of the possibilities revealing how neuroscientific findings
can help in improving educational practices and prevent ESL.
Conclusions
Neuroscientific research of the brain’s development during adolescence
shows that, while the brain’s learning capability is at its peak in adoles-
cence, the continued structural changes in the brain negatively affect teen-
age cognitive and social-emotional functioning. The results of brain mat-
uration hold implications for functioning of the brain, showing as lower
attention, self-discipline, task completion, and lower emotion regulation.
Further, neuroscientific research methods, especially brain imaging, pro-
vide a deeper understanding of brain functioning in dyslexia, dyscalculia
and other learning difficulties.
Education researchers are very optimistic that neuroscience findings
can effectively contribute to improving educational practices. But the neu-
roscientific research itself does not introduce any new educational strat-
egies. This is still the domain of educators. Being familiar with the latest
neuroscientific findings on adolescents’ brain changes can assist teachers
in understanding adolescents’ behaviour and adapting their teaching strat-
egies to suit their students’ maturing brain functions.
Moreover, teachers can use the neuroscientific knowledge to devel-
op educational interventions for low achieving students, students at risk
for ESL and students with dyslexia or other learning difficulties. Becoming
familiar with the neuroscientific findings on adolescent brain maturation
and functioning might also be very interesting to students, especially those
struggling with learning and emotional difficulties. By knowing what is
happening in their brains, students might better accept the consequenc-
es they experience in everyday life and also be more willing to train their
brain with regard to the scope of its accelerated development.
This is even more important for students with learning difficulties and
others at greater risk of ESL. Neuroscientific findings on adolescent brain
changes can at least to some extent help students at risk for ESL appreciate
that some difficulties they are experiencing in their cognitive functioning
165
