Since WW2, degradation of our global natural systems has been on the increase. Much of this degradation has been communicated to the general public via mainstream media and yet human behaviours do not seem to have changed significantly as a result. It is argued in this paper that the manner in which our brains and minds work, in particular in regard to the ‘neuroplasticity’ of the brain’s pathways, may contribute to this lack of changed behaviour. Current research on neuroplasticity and more generally neuroconstructivism is examined. It is then postulated that we can take advantage of what might appear to be a limitation of neurobiology by a/ helping the developing mind create meta-values such as ‘having a positive regard towards natural systems’ that would then be defended by the adult brain and b/ applying the concept of embodiment during instruction. This paper will provide a growth sequence for lifelong ecological consciousness that incorporates the manifestations of neurobiology as well as current research involving nature-embedded, embodied experience. This growth sequence will provide educators at all levels (i.e. lifelong) with an enriched framework that will assist the learner at various stages of life in becoming a more ecologically discerning global citizen. The implication for educators is that we need to understand how each stage of life (i.e. early childhood to adult) is interdependent on preceding stages and interconnected with all stages as opposed to focussing only on individual stages of cognitive development.

Although the use of brain imaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is increasingly common in educational research, only a few studies regarding science learning have so far taken advantage of this technology. This paper aims to facilitate the design and implementation of brain imaging studies relating to science learning by presenting the epistemological and methodological framework of an ongoing fMRI study trying to identify brain mechanisms related to conceptual change in electrical concepts. To achieve this goal, we propose a review of literature, in the first part of this paper, to explain why we choose to study conceptual change using fMRI. In the second part, we present the methodology of an ongoing study to show how brain imaging can be applied in science education research.

Research design and methods in educational neuroscience involve using neuroscientific tools such as brain image technologies to investigate cognitive functions and inform educational practices. The ethical challenges raised by research in social neuroscience have become the focus of neuroethics, a sub-discipline of bioethics. More specifically here, we give an overview of neuroethical issues arising from brain imaging studies and neuropharmacology in education, from neuromyths to potential stigmatization of learners, and discuss the relevance of establishing the field of educational neuroethics. We argue that by integrating ethical positions to research design and methods in educational neuroscience, it would become possible to contextualize results and the diffusion of results, which in turn insure better credibility among the wide variety of stakeholders to new knowledge emerging from educational neuroscience.

The purpose of this study was to find out if 3D stereoscopic presentation of information in a movie format changes a viewer's experience of the movie content. Four possible pathways from 3D presentation to memory and learning were considered: a direct connection based on cognitive neuroscience research; a connection through "immersion" in that 3D presentations could provide additional sensorial cues (e.g.,  depth cues) that lead to a higher sense of being surrounded by the stimulus; a connection through general interest such that 3D presentation increases a viewer’s interest that leads to greater attention paid to the stimulus (e.g., "involvement"); and a connection through discomfort, with the 3D goggles causing discomfort that interferes with involvement and thus with memory. The memories of 396 participants who viewed two-dimensional (2D) or 3D movies at movie theaters in Southern California were tested. Within three days of viewing a movie, participants filled out an online anonymous questionnaire that queried them about their movie content memories, subjective movie-going experiences (including emotional reactions and "presence") and demographic backgrounds. The responses to the questionnaire were subjected to path analyses in which several different links between 3D presentation to memory (and other variables) were explored. The results showed there were no effects of 3D presentation, either directly or indirectly, upon memory. However, the largest effects of 3D presentation were on emotions and immersion, with 3D presentation leading to reduced positive emotions, increased negative emotions and lowered immersion, compared to 2D presentations.

During the last decade of the 20th century (the decade of the brain) large sums of money were spent in researching how the brain works in relation to our day-to-day activities. As a result, we now know to a much greater extent the roles played by various regions of the brain when we are carrying out various activities including learning. We also know that different types of rewards and instruments can stimulate specific parts of the brain which enable individuals to carry out their daily chores efficiently. These findings when applied to a classroom learning situation, which is a step forward from theory to practice, might make it possible for us to improve learning for all learners. Thus, in this presentation we plan to combine our knowledge of how the brain functions with those of the other scientific disciplines to provide teachers with the tools they may need to be more effective and efficient teachers. More specifically, this paper aims to lay a foundation for an interfaculty collaboration in UBD towards helping teachers improve their thinking skills which in our opinion are of great importance to fostering their classroom practices.

Where do scientists’ superior abilities originate from when generating a creative idea? What different brain functions are activated between scientists and i) general academic high school students and ii) science high school students when generating a biological hypothesis? To reveal brain level explanations for these questions, this paper investigated neural connectivity differences between general and science high school students and biologists during hypothesis-generating and hypothesis-understanding using fMRI. Researchers designed two sets of task paradigm on biological phenomena, one for hypothesis-generating and the other for hypothesis-understanding. Thirty-six healthy participants (twelve participants per group) were given hypothesis generating and understanding tasks. Results showed strong interconnections of functional connectivity in the biologist group, which is acknowledged as possessing superior hypothesis generation skills. The group was also found to have significant functional connectivity between the frontal cortex and the mesolimbic system, which has been documented as the fronto-striatal pathway. Moreover, the biologist group recorded higher interconnections in other functional connectivities known to be associated with hypothesis-generating. Taken together, it can be concluded that the hypothesisgenerating skill gap between groups resulted from activation of particular regions as well as interconnections of functional connectivity related to network fluidity. Specially, the biologists’ hypothesis-generating superior skill resulted from highly strengthened interconnections of functional connectivity.

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Brain Based Teaching Approach in enhancing students’ scientific understanding of Newtonian Physics in the context of Form Four Physics instruction. The technique was implemented based on the Brain Based Learning Principles developed by Caine & Caine (1991, 2003). This brain compatible strategy involves specific attention and consideration towards seven main steps; (i) Activation, (ii) Clarify the outcome and paint big picture of the lesson, (iii) Making connection, (iv) Doing the learning activity, (v) Demonstrate student understanding, (vi) Review for student recall and retention and (vii) Preview the new topic. The effectiveness of the teaching approach within the targeted context would then be assessed in a quasi experimental research approach involving 100 students from two Secondary Schools in the northern peninsular Malaysia. Data collected from the Questionnaire of Subjective Items of Newtonian Physics were analyzed qualitatively to investigate the patterns formed. The findings of the research showed that the teaching approach was effective in enhancing students’ scientific understanding of Newtonian Physics. It was found that a majority of students from the group that followed the Brain Based Teaching Approach possessed a better scientific understanding of Newtonian Physics compared to the group that received conventional teaching method.  

This paper reports data, part of a cross-sectional study about the use of pupil´s drawings as a means of probing the development of 195 Brazilian  pre-school children (4 to 6 yearolds) and 681 primary school pupils 1st Grade through 4th Grade (7 to 10 years of age) conceptions of the human brain. The aims of the present study is to analyze how the conception of the brain develops, how they represent their brains, and whether it is based on historical models or current scientific knowledge, in their interaction with school and society at large. The methodology involved the presentation of a contour of the head and neck drawn on the blackboard in the classroom, and children were asked to draw what they think they have inside their heads. After the drawings were collected some pupils were interviewed to explain their drawings. Classification of the collected drawings were interpreted on the perspective of historical models of the brain and scored following a 6 level rating scale depicting degrees of neuroanatomical resemblance. Gender and age were taken into consideration. The results show that younger pupils are adepts of mental ideas in their representations of the brain, i. e. what the brain does, but progressively as they get older, start to develop a more morphological representation of the brain. Knowledge obstacles for learning about the nervous system and elementary neuroscience implications are discussed.