Educational Neuroscience

Michael S. C. Thomas obtained his PhD from the University of Oxford and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the UCL Institute of Child Health. His research in developmental cognitive neuroscience focuses on the origins of cognitive variability, including developmental disorders. He is Director of the University of London Centre for Educational Neuroscience, UK. Denis Mareschal is Director of the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, University of London, UK. He has published extensively on all aspects of learning and development across infancy and childhood and is a recipient of the Marr Prize (Cognitive Science Society, USA), the Young Researcher Award (International Society on Infant Studies, USA), and the Margaret Donaldson Prize (British Psychological Society, UK). Iroise Dumontheil obtained a PhD from the University of Paris VI and then was a postdoctoral fellow in labs in London, Cambridge and Stockholm. She is a recipient of the Spearman Medal (British Psychological Society) and the Elizabeth Warrington Prize (British Neuropsychological Society). Her research focuses on the typical development of the brain, cognition and behaviour during adolescence, and on the implication of these findings for education.

Introduction






Why is neuroscience relevant to education?



An introduction to brain and cognitive development – the key concepts you need to know
Development and variation: Nature vs. Nature




What has behavioral genetic research told us about the origins of individual differences in educational abilities and achievements?



Socioeconomic disparities in achievement: Insights on neurocognitive development and educational interventions
Discipline-specific abilities: literacy, numeracy, and science




Neuroscience in reading and reading difficulties



Reading acquisition and developmental dyslexia: Educational neuroscience and phonological skills



Sources of variability in mathematical development



Lifespan conceptual development in science: brain and behaviour
Discipline-general abilities: executive functions, social and affective development






The development of executive functions in childhood and adolescence and their relation to school performance



Understanding emotional thought can transform educators’ understanding of how students learn
Leading methods for cognitive enhancement




Action video games: from effects on cognition and the brain to potential educational applications



Mindfulness and executive function: Implications for learning and early childhood education



The neuroscience of sleep and its relation to educational outcomes



The effectiveness of aerobic exercise for improving educational outcomes



The cognitive benefits and disadvantages of bilingualism across the lifespan and implications for education



Music training, individual differences, and plasticity
Into the classroom




Towards a science of teaching and learning for teacher education



Educational neuroscience: ethical perspectives



Educational neuroscience: so what does it mean in the classroom?
Conclusion




Key challenges in advancing educational neuroscience