IMPACT OF
NEUROSCIENCE IN EDUCATION
*Y. Elin
Shibi, Ph.D (P.T) Research Scholar, Meston College of Education
**Dr. S. Devasahayam
Selvakumar, Principal, Meston College of Education
Abstract
Education is always enhanced the learning process among the student,
whereas Neuroscience tells how the mental process is involved in the learning
for better understanding of the content matter. Both are interlinked with each
other. Education leads to the transformation of behavioural change. Neuroscience
placed a major role for this transformation i.e Biological factors play an
important role in accounting for differences in learning ability between
individuals. The entire educational psychologist explains the cognitive process
which is based on neuroscience. For example Stimulus-response, Insight
learning, trial and error etc., all these involves some kind of mental progress
for the development of cognitive domain. This is the impact of Neuroscience
more in the educational learning process.
Introduction
Education is about enhancing learning, and neuroscience is about
understanding the mental processes involved in learning. Neuroscience in
education suggests that learning outcomes are not solely determined by the
environment. Biological factors play an important role in accounting for
differences in learning ability between one individual to other. A major goal
of educational neuroscience is to bridge the gap between the two fields
(Education and Neuroscience) through a direct dialogue between neuroscientist
and educators.
Brain
Functioning
Brain functioning is more
important in the learning process. It is basic for the transformation of
behavioural change. Neuroscience is related with working memory and long-term
memory. Cognitive
abilities or skills are supported by specific neuronal networks. For instance
memory skills rely mainly on parts of the temporal lobes and parts of the
frontal lobes (behind the forehead). The six types of cognitive processes they
are attention, perception, memory, language, learning, and higher reasoning.
The processes are interdependent and occur simultaneously.
i)
Brainstem - The lower extension of the brain
where it connects to the spinal cord. Neurological functions located in the
brainstem include those necessary for survival (breathing, digestion, heart
rate, blood pressure) and for arousal (being awake and alert). Most of the
cranial nerves come from the brainstem. The brainstem is the pathway for all
fibre tracts passing up and down from peripheral nerves and spinal cord to the
highest parts of the brain.
ii)
Cerebellum - The portion of the brain
(located at the back) which helps coordinate movement (balance and muscle
coordination). Damage may result in ataxia which is a problem of muscle
coordination. This can interfere with a person's ability to walk, talk, eat,
and to perform other self care tasks.
Frontal Lobe - Front art
of the brain; involved in planning, organizing, problem solving, selective
attention, personality and a variety of "higher cognitive functions"
including behaviour and emotions. The anterior (front) portion of the frontal
lobe is called the prefrontal cortex. It is very important for the "higher
cognitive functions" and the determination of the personality. The
posterior (back) of the frontal lobe consists of the premotor and motor areas.
Nerve cells that produce movement are located in the motor areas. The premotor
areas serve to modify movements.
iii)
Occipital Lobe - Region in the back of the
brain which processes visual information. Not only is the occipital lobe mainly
responsible for visual reception, it also contains association areas that help
in the visual recognition of shapes and colors. Damage to this lobe can cause
visual deficits.
iv)
Parietal Lobe - The parietal lobes contain
the primary sensory cortex which controls sensation (touch, pressure). Behind
the primary sensory cortex is a large association area that controls fine
sensation (judgment of texture, weight, size, shape).
v)
Temporal Lobe - There are two temporal
lobes, one on each side of the brain located at about the level of the ears.
These lobes allow a person to tell one smell from another and one sound from
another. They also help in sorting new information and are believed to be
responsible for short-term memory.
The brain is plastic
This means the brain is not made of plastic.
But Neuroplasticity or brain plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change
that means the brain is constantly changing in nature. Plasticity is the
capacity of the brain to change with learning. Changes associated with learning
that occur mostly at the level of the connections between neurons. In the early
days scientific research showed that the brain development occurs during a
critical period in early childhood and then remains relatively static or unchanged.
But now a day the new research showed that many aspects of the brain can be
altered even in the adulthood. This is called as brain plasticity.
Student
Vs Neuroscience
Neuroscience education helps the
student to understand their physical, mental and emotional statues. Learning is an
important form of personal adaptation. With the help of neuroscience students
comes to know about their strengths and weakness that is leads to personal
adaptation. In the classroom environment good instructional practice can be
undermine by brain-based factors such as learning anxiety, attention deficits
and poor recognition of social cues. All of these factors disrupt an
individual’s capacity to learn, and also have an effect on other learners in
the same classroom. Neuroscience education gives knowledge to overcome
brain-based factors through knowing about the brain fuctions.
Educator/Teachers
Students perceive
information differently, so they may be divided into visual, audio or kinaesthetic
learners. Educators should consider this, and provide visual examples, audio
assistance or kinaesthetic assignments. Kinaesthetic activities are special
activities for learners who have a tactile way of knowledge consumption, so the
assignments are aimed at collaboration and interaction. Any student disorder
will not be a big hurdle while studying. Knowing the ways of dealing with them,
educators will enhance learners’ ability to explore new material. So the
knowledge about neuroscience helps the educators/teachers to handle the
students based on their learning abilities.
Educational
psychology link with neuroscience
In the early 90s
a movement began in education called “brain-based learning” that attempted to
link neuroscience and education. However many in both science and education
felt, it was untenable to make this leap. While early attempts to bridge the
fields sparked controversy, it can now be argued that neuroscience does have a
role to play in education reform. Its comes true that Educational Neuroscience
that could reform curriculum, and emerging ways the Educational Neuroscientist
can inform professional development of educators.
Educational
implication of Neuroscience
Ø Process
of thinking and learning that are invisible to classroom teachers.
Understanding these processes can help educators/teachers to explore
alternative strategies or techniques in the classroom teaching learning
processes.
Ø If
a student couldn’t do arithmetic, teachers might just “drill and kill”, hoping
that enough repetition and practice would break through the barrier and child
would finally “get it”. Teachers lament the student who can pronounce every
word, but fail to comprehend a paragraph. Recent brain imaging studies have
shown that several mental processes underline these tasks.
Ø Learning
styles theory drew a distinction between learning visually, auditorially, or
kinaesthetically, neuroscience research revealed the importance of vision in
learning. It guide educators to make lessons more visual while reminding them
that all components of a lesson use brain resources and increase cognitive
load, so the images must be meaningful and make a contribution.
Conclusion
This
article gives the idea about brain functioning, influences of brain functioning
in the Teaching Learning processes, and deals link between the Neuroscience and
Educational Psychology. Finally tells the implication of Neuroscience in
Education.
Reference
1.
Elsbeth
Sterm H. Roland, (2016). Neuroscience and Education. Zeitschrift fur Psychologi:.224(4.)
2. John T. Bruer, (2006). Points
of View: On the Implications of Neuroscience Research for Science Teaching and
Learning: Are There Any?. Life Science
Education, 5(2): 104-110.
3. Janet N. Zadina, (2015). The emerging role of
educational neuroscience in education reform. Science Direct, 21(2):71-77
No comments:
Post a Comment