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 functioning 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. The 'good' is nearly always sound cognitive research that has clear implications for educational practice. The 'bad' is the use of neuroscience jargon to lure the unwary and to give an apparent scientific aura to flawed educational programs with no evidence base and which no reputable neuroscientist would endorse. The 'ugly' is simplistic interpretation and misapplication of cognitive theories leading to errors in their application. More and better could be done if neuroscientists and educationalists acknowledge the limits of their disciplines and start listening to each other. Neuroscience in Education brings together an international group of leading psychologists, neuroscientists, educationalists 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 teachers, psychologists, neuroscientists, and policy makers as well as interested parents.