Reflections on Neuroscience in Teacher Education

ABSTRACT

The majority of teacher preparation programs do not address neuroscience in their curricula. This is curious, as learning occurs in the brain in context and teachers fundamentally foster and facilitate learning. On the one hand, merging neuroscience knowledge into teacher training programs is fraught with challenges, such as reconciling how scientific evidence is viewed and used in education, overcoming neuromyths, acknowledging the lack of direct connection between laboratory findings and classroom practices, and coordinating across different levels of analysis in neuroscience and educational practice. On the other hand, there are marked benefits to such a merger, such as deepening pedagogical content knowledge from multiple perspectives; understanding neuroplasticity and its educational implications; recognizing the power of the environment to affect neurobiology, learning, and development; and contributing to engaged, reflective practice and informed inquiry in teaching. Particularly in terms of learning equity for students and the development of a learning education culture in teacher education programs, the benefits of including neuroscience knowledge in teacher training would seem to outweigh the challenges.

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to Michele Tine for comments on a previous draft and countless inspirational conversations. In the interest of full disclosure: The Dartmouth College administration closed the Dartmouth Teacher Education Program during the publication process for this manuscript.