Neuroscience for old pedagogy

In recent years there has been an increasing trend in education to seek answers for best pedagogical practice in cognitive neuroscience research. This paper reviews current cognitive neuroscience research findings and critically discusses what they can potentially add to educators' pedagogy. It argues that there is a need for the development of pre-service teacher modules on the application of cognitive neuroscience research to education so that teachers can meaningfully and accurately employ any implied pedagogy. Appropriate pre-service teacher modules need to be placed within the context of major focus areas in undergraduate teacher preparation degrees; for example within educational psychology, behaviour management, special education, literacy and numeracy teaching. This is vital for non-science secondary teachers as well as those who upon entering the profession are often too busy to engage critically with the latest neuroscience research or to evaluate the many emerging textbooks that are proclaiming to be based upon the latest cognitive neuroscience findings. In this way teachers will be able to guard against "neuromyths" and "brainbased" learning claims and pedagogy that might, ultimately, be detrimental to student learning and wellbeing