Training for Educators
Implications and Applications
of Educational Neuroscience
for School Supervision and Curriculum
By Professor John Geake, Oxford Brookes University, UK
One-Day Interactive Lecture
on Monday, 21 July 08
9.00am to 5.00pm
Specially for School teachers (primary and secondary), school principals, school inspectors
The Programme:
All sessions will be presented in interactive lecture mode. Audience suggestions,
recommendations and questions about the implications of educational neuroscience for
educational practice will be supplemented by similar contributions from meetings of the
Oxford Cognitive Neuroscience Education Forum.
Session 1: Educational Neuroscience: How the Brain Learns
What has cognitive neuroscientific research discovered about how our brains learn,
remember, think intelligently, and think creatively? This first session will overview our
current understanding of how our brains function: through the selectively coordinated
interconnectivity of a myriad of specialist functional modules and information processing
systems. Our brains did not evolve to do schoolwork. We manage it by utilising this
fundamental brain characteristic of interconnectivity.
Session 2: Educational Neuroscience: How the Brain Does Not Learn
Despite several decades of insightful neuroscientific research, some enthusiasts for brain
science, by unwittingly misinterpreting the scientific data, and overlooking the many caveats
and limitations of neuroscience, have perpetuated some laughable, possibly dangerous,
neuromythologies. You’re sure to have heard the ones about only using 10% of your brain,
or that there are left- and right-brained people. Curiously, these and other neuromyths such
as VAK learning styles, and brain gym, enjoy widespread currency in education. The
associated concern is that many of our children might be being mis-taught as a result. This
second session will focus on busting these neuromyths.
Session 3: Applications of Educational Neuroscience Research to Teaching
Curriculum in the Classroom
Educational neuroscience research has mainly focussed on literacy and numeracy as areas
of curriculum, although how our brains enable us to play music and create visual arts have
also been investigated. Session 3 will present neuroimaging studies of how the brain
enables children to read, do mathematics, and play music, together with investigations into
the brain-basis of solving problems with insight, and thinking creatively.
Session 4: An Educational Neuroscience-Based School of the Future?
As professionals, teachers have become increasingly interested in what implications the
findings of neuroscience research might hold for the future of education – from policy
revision to school management to classroom application. This final session will consider
likely future educational issues including neurofeedback, cognitive enhancing drugs, flexible
timetabling, and decoupling stage from age.
John Geake
A former secondary school science and music teacher, and primary school
head teacher in Australia, Dr John Geake is Professor of Education,
Westminster Institute, Oxford Brookes University, where his research
interests focus on gifted education and educational neuroscience. He is
also a member of the Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of
Oxford, where he conducts neuroimaging studies into creative intelligence.
In 2001 Professor Geake co-founded the Oxford Cognitive Neuroscience
Education Forum. Currently he is an advisor to the House of Lords All Party
Parliamentary Group on Science Research in Learning and Education, and
a consultant on educational neuroscience to the United States National
Science Foundation Science of Learning Centres Program. Professor
Geake was a Lead Speaker at the opening day of the international conference of the World Council
for Gifted and Talented Children, University of Warwick, August 2007, and will be presenting a
keynote address to the 10th Asia-Pacific Conference of Gifted Education, Singapore, 14-18th July,
2008.
VENUE:
The Grassroots Club
190 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8
Singapore 568046
WORKSHOP FEES:
Fee Per Participant
Membership Status
ASCD Singapore Life or Ordinary Member
ASCD Singapore Institute Member (Groups of 3 participants)
Non-Member
(Fee includes ASCD Ordinary Membership until 31 Dec 09)
S$185 each
S$525 for group of 3
S$235 each
Limited to 50 participants
Participants will receive training materials. Morning and Afternoon Tea and Lunch refreshments will
be provided.
CLOSING DATE FOR REGISTRATION
Closing date for all registrations is 11 July 2008 or as soon as the workshop is full. Call 96816704 for
any enquiries.