Faculty and Higher Ed Professional Development Online Course
Learning theories from the field of neuroscience have been shown to be more effective than traditional teaching methods. Once you start incorporating learning theories based on brain research into your higher educational courses, you can start feeling confident that your college students are learning and you are making a difference in the lives of your students because you are equipping them with the knowledge needed for their career and lives.
Higher Education Faculty & Professors
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A common discussion amongst faculty and professors is if you are doing enough to provide students with a “real” education. If you ask colleagues, I bet you would get the typical answer – that students possess skill needed to enter the workforce. Although that is a right answer, we have to stop and ask what those skills look like. For many higher educational institutions, it means that students can effectively communicate, think critically, problem solve, and are able to work collaboratively with a group.
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE, 2018), 21,000 college and university students of which 4,213 were graduating seniors from the class of 2017, self-reported having a much higher perception of their skills and abilities than employers did. The employers in the study rated the skills of students in domains including professionalism, oral and written communication, and critical thinking and problem solving as needing substantial improvements. On all accounts, the employers rated the students lower than the students self-reported.
There are a number of reasons why graduating students are not prepared for the workforce. That the field of education has not caught up with the field of neuroscience may be one.
Today’s teaching methods are rightfully concerned with new technological advancements and trends, but without a solid curriculum development established, what is popular does not equate to best teaching methods.
What Can be Learned From Neuroscience
The brain is spectacular. Researchers have come far in understanding the brain, and yet there is still much more ahead of us to learn about how it functions. Some professionals have been critical of mixing science, particularly neuroscience, and education (Jensen, 2008). Regardless, discoveries about the brain have inspired new medical advancements, such as the discovery of neurogenesis and plasticity that shows that the brain can and does change due to changes in the environment. In 2018, Professor George Paxinos, of Neuroscience Research Australia, discovered a new part of the brain that is yet understood. It is called the endorestiform nucleus and is in the inferior cerebellar peduncle – at the junction between the brain and spinal cord and is a group of neurons.
Although many leaders in education rightfully hang onto theories from the field of cognition and psychology from influencers such as Jean Piaget (1896-1980) and Lev Vygosky (1896-1934), quantitative studies confirm that brain-based education based on neuroscience is effective for academic progress and achievement. In a meta-analysis study by Gozuysil and Dikici (2014), the researchers showed a strong positive effect size for student academic achievement when based on brain-based education compared to traditional teaching methods. Neuroscience has a lot of offer the field of education – from teaching strategies and creating an engaging, learning environment.
What This 19-Lesson Course has to Offer
- This course is packed with information about neuroscience and how the field can teach us methods that increase student knowledge.
- What we can learn from the field neuroscience and apply to the classroom is multifaceted and evolving. With little effort, educators can apply strategies and techniques to help their students perform better.
- In a few short weeks, this training course will show you how the brain learns and how to apply neuroscience to your andragogy. Whether you are new to the industry or wanting to “upgrade” your teaching methods, the field of neuroscience can help you improve your students’ learning or use the course as professional development hours.
- You will receive a certificate upon completion.
Benefits for Your Career
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GÖzÜyesil, E., & Dikici, A. (2014). The effect of brain-based learning on academic achievement: A meta-analytical study. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 14(2), 642-648. https://doi.org/10.12738/estp.2014.2.2103
NACE. (2018, February 19th). Are college graduates ready? https://www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/competencies/are-college-graduates-career-ready/book cover