Tuesday, December 28, 2010

The Limits of Neuroscience

In 3 Brain Facts Every Educator Should Know, psychologist Daniel Willingham writes about the limits of neuroscience. In particular, he shows that neuroscience can't yet be useful for teaching. Willingham says:

Most of what you see advertised as educational advice rooted in neuroscience is bunkum.

He quotes a researcher, David Daniel:

“If you see the words 'brain-based,' run.”

Are you listening, Chris Biffle? Consider his claim:

All of Whole Brain Teaching’s instructional techniques (see the “First Steps” menu) are validated by contemporary brain research.

3 comments:

  1. Biffle knows he's making stuff up. The question is, why don't all school administrators?

    Diane Senechal pointed out "Whole Brain Teachers" and their flimflam in comments on the Daniel Willingham article, "How to guarantee active learning? (Or, manipulatives vs. PowerPoint)" from Washington Post, The Answer Sheet.

    Senechal wrote, "...
    People are shameless in their claims that "research has shown" this or that. The "Whole Brain Teaching" website states, "Twenty years of education research tells us that the most effective learning takes place when a student engages the brain's primary cortices- visual, auditory, language production and motor-at the same time." Really? What is that "research?"

    I went to their research page, and they cite only one specific study, which turns out to be a paper for an education course. The teacher used Whole Brain Teaching for one week and reported a 50 percent decrease in "negative behaviors."

    I still haven't found any research supporting the idea that "the most effective learning takes place when a student engages the brain's primary cortices-visual, auditory, language production and motor-at the same time." Nor does such an assertion make sense. It might be true for certain situations, but there are plenty of others where a certain stillness is much more conducive to learning....
    "

    Posted by: DianaSenechal | September 7, 2010 9:36 AM"

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  2. “If you see the words 'brain-based,' run.”

    I love this quote. "Brain-based" pseudo-science is used to justify single-sex schooling as well. I know that a lot of people are in favour of the non-coed model, but I wish they wouldn't attempt to use "brain-science" to justify their preferences. People who do that—indeed all of us—should read the book Pink Brain, Blue Brain by Lise Eliot.

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