Theories

Education has been in a perpetual state of reform seeking "far reaching changes in weary practices, outmoded assumptions, and long-assumed constraints. " This approach must be examined to keep the same old problems from resurfacing and making reform efforts ineffective. Common suggestions for educational reform involve stricter standards, procedures, or accountability measures. But it is questionable that these measures are effective. Even changes in teacher training, experiences, personality, or attitude have been found to have a negligible effect on student learning. Education reform must follow the example of medical science and recognize that at the core of knowledge is an understanding of how biological systems function. Recent research on how the brain functions suggests that such knowledge would be helpful in sorting out relevant and irrelevant educational reform efforts. Two promisin