This book provides tools for thinking about how professional and pre-professional educators and policymakers might use research findings to improve learning and teaching in the classroom. It discusses prerequisites such as adopting an empirical perspective, building a knowledge base for evidence-informed models, strengthening scientific literacy (for example, understanding research designs, the nature of control groups, and statistical and practical significance), and developing neuroscientific literacy (for example, understanding methodologies and levels of analysis, and whether and how neuroscience evidence can be integrated with other knowledge sources). It advocates for educator models of learning, development, and teaching informed by a deeper understanding of using research evidence in critical, principled ways, supported through teacher training programs and education policies that value the use of scientific evidence. Accessibly summarizing foundational concepts, this book is a resource for student teachers, teacher developers, and policymakers.
Donna Coch, Ed.D., works at the intersection of development, mind, brain, and educational practice. Her lab uses neural and behavioral measures to explore the development of the reading brain from an interdisciplinary perspective. Donna facilitates teacher workshops and teaches courses on the development of reading, atypical developmental pathways, and using research evidence in education.
David B. Daniel, Ph.D., works at the intersection of science and educational practice, as well as policy. He served as the founding managing editor of the interdisciplinary journal Mind, Brain, and Education for over a decade. David has been internationally recognized throughout his career for his work translating scientific findings to educational practice, and vice versa.
âThis brief, highly readable volume fills a critical gap in efforts to make scientific insights both accessible and meaningful for educators and policymakers. Coch and Daniel donât just bridge the gap between neuroscience and education; they show us how to cross it responsibly. This is essential reading for anyone who is serious about using research to improve teaching and learning.â
âDaniel T. Willingham, Professor of Cognitive Psychology, University of Virginia, United States
âEducation is among societyâs most important endeavors, and teachers face the enormous challenge of managing their work amid changing social contexts and ever-evolving cognitive and learning science that may or may not apply to the classroom. In this concise volume, Coch and Daniel provide a powerful framework that focuses on how to think rather than what to think about scientific studies of learning and the brain. They equip educators to critically evaluate research to determine its classroom relevance. I recommend this insightful and practical guide for all educators, current and future.â
âMary Helen Immordino-Yang, Professor of Education, Psychology, and Neuroscience, Brain and Creativity Institute and Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California, United States
UNESCO IBE Science of Learning and Teaching Series
Overview: Using Scientific Evidence in Education
â1 What Is Scientific Literacy?
â2 Why Is (Neuro)scientific Literacy Important in Education?
1 Using Research Evidence: Concepts Relevant to Educators
â1 Introduction
â2 Types of Research Studies
â3 Other Factors to Consider in Research Design
â4 Types of Publications and Sources of Information
2 Using Neuroscience Research Evidence: Concepts Relevant to Educators
â1 Neurons
â2 Levels of Analysis Issues
â3 Select Human Developmental Neuroscience Methods: How They Work
â4 Proof or Persuasion? The Power of Brain Images
â5 Ecological Validity
3 Using Neuroscience Research in Education: The Fundamental Issue of âTranslationâ
â1 Engaging in Research: From Neuroscience Research to Teaching Practice
â2 Engaging with Research: From Neuroscience Research to Knowledge Base on Learning and Development
4 Conclusion
References
List of Figures
About the Authors
Index
Teachers, policy makers, teacher trainers, and practitioners.