What if… we were able to say more about how the brain learns?

IOE Public Debates: The rise of neuroscience within education, as in other spheres, has been dramatic, so much so that accusations of ‘neuro mania’ and warnings about ‘neuro myths’ have become commonplace. Are we correct to pin our hopes on this field as a means of improving learning and attainment? In this debate we bring together leading neuroscientists and educationalists to reflect on the ‘state of the art’ in (educational) neuroscience, future prospects for the field in providing insights into the learning process and the likely timescales for that, the ethical questions we could be considering now, as well as how we can collectively avoid the worst excesses of ‘neuro-nonsense’. Speakers include: - Becky Allen, Director of the Centre for Education Improvement Science, UCL Institute of Education (IOE) - Steven Rose, Emeritus Professor of Neuroscience, the Open University - Catherine Sebastian, Reader in the Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London - Michael Thomas, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at Birkbeck, University of London - Chair: Becky Francis, Director, UCL Institute of Education #IOEDebates