![]() ![]() The organization raised concerns with regards to the rapid proliferation of so-called “neuromyths”. In 2002, the Brain and Learning project of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) drew international attention to this phenomenon. This gap between neuroscience and education has enabled many misconceptions about scientific findings to occur ( Goswami, 2006). Yet, the field of neuroscience is complex and the accurate transfer of research findings to the classroom is often difficult ( Jolles et al., 2005 Devonshire and Dommett, 2010 Ansari et al., 2011). Neuroscientific research has received a lot of attention since 1990–2000, which was declared the “Decade of the Brain” in the United States. There is widespread interest among teachers in the application of neuroscientific research findings in educational practice. This demonstrates the need for enhanced interdisciplinary communication to reduce such misunderstandings in the future and establish a successful collaboration between neuroscience and education. Possessing greater general knowledge about the brain does not appear to protect teachers from believing in neuromyths. ![]() These findings suggest that teachers who are enthusiastic about the possible application of neuroscience findings in the classroom find it difficult to distinguish pseudoscience from scientific facts. More general knowledge also predicted an increased belief in neuromyths. Teachers who read popular science magazines achieved higher scores on general knowledge questions. Around 70% of the general knowledge statements were answered correctly. Results showed that on average, teachers believed 49% of the neuromyths, particularly myths related to commercialized educational programs. Additional data was collected regarding background variables (e.g., age, sex, school type). Participants completed an online survey containing 32 statements about the brain and its influence on learning, of which 15 were neuromyths. It would be of concern if neuromyths were found in this sample, as these teachers may want to use these incorrect interpretations of neuroscience findings in their teaching practice. The sample comprised 242 primary and secondary school teachers who were interested in the neuroscience of learning. A large observational survey design was used to assess general knowledge of the brain and neuromyths. The present study investigated the prevalence and predictors of neuromyths among teachers in selected regions in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Though these so-called “neuromyths” are loosely based on scientific facts, they may have adverse effects on educational practice. The OECD’s Brain and Learning project (2002) emphasized that many misconceptions about the brain exist among professionals in the field of education. 2Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.1Department of Educational Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Education, LEARN! Institute, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands. ![]()
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