Neuroscience in Education ─ The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

In the past ten years, there has been growing interest in applying our knowledge of the human brain to the field of education - including reading, learning, language, and mathematics. This has resulted in the development of a number of new practices in education - some good, some bad, and some just crazy. Hence we have had theories suggesting that listening to Mozart can boost intelligence, foot massages can help unruly pupils, fish oil can boost brain power, even the idea that breathing through your left nostril can enhance creativity! Sadly, there is a gap between what neuroscientists or cognitive psychologists know about brain/mind functions and the supposedly scientific theory underlying the practices used daily in our schools. So what has caused this wholescale embrace of neuroscience in the classroom- a well-intentioned, but naive misunderstanding of how science works, ideological reasons, or financial incentives?

Neuroscience in Education brings together an international group of leading psychologists, neuroscientists, and geneticists to critically review some of these new developments, examining the science behind these practices, the validity of the theories on which they are based, and whether they work. It will be fascinating reading for anyone involved in education, including psychologists, teachers, and policy makers.

Sergio Della Sala is a trained Clinical Neurologist, Professor of Human Cognitive Neuroscience in the Psychology Department at the University of Edinburgh, UK and is holding an adjunct chair at the Psychology Department of the University of Western Australia. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, of the Association for Psychological Science and of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and Editor of Cortex. His research focuses on memory and memory impairments and on the cognitive deficits associated with brain damage.

Mike Anderson is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Neurocognitive Development Unit in the School of Psychology at the University of Western Australia. His research is based around his theory of intelligence and development and focuses most recently on the influence of the developing brain on intellectual functions in children.