Identifying the prevalence of neuromyths among teacher-students of Frahangian University of Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Head of productivity group, Deputy of research and HRM, Tavanit Holding Co. Tejran, Iran

2 Department of Educational Studies, School of Literature and Humanities, Malayer University, Malayer, Iran

3 Department of Education, Farhangian University

Abstract

Along with the tremendous advances that have been made in recent years in the exploration of the neural mechanisms underlying learning, memory, reasoning, emotion, and other cognitive processes, there has been a strong desire to apply this knowledge to improve educational policies and practices. While there is seen such a growing desire by educators, teachers, policymakers and other educational agents, some neuromyths have become common. The present study aims to identify the prevalent neuromyths among teacher-students of Farhangian University. For this purpose, a survey research methodology has been used. The population was included all teacher-students of the six centers located in Tehran(4785 people) and the sampling method was proportional stratified sampling method. A total of 449 valid questionnaires were completed voluntarily and applied in the final analysis. A questionnaire including 59 true and false claims about the neuromyths has been used. The validity of the instrument was confirmed by experts and its reliability was higher than 0.88 by calculating the Kuder-Richardson 21 formula. The results showed that 8 of neuromyths are the most prevalent among teacher- students. These misunderstandings included: to differentiate curriculum and instruction according to the preferred sensory learning style of individuals; to improve literacy skills through exercises that rehearse co-ordination of motor perception skills; to differentiate curriculum and instruction based on hemisphere dominance(left brain, right brain); to improving attention through the brain gym; to learn the second language after learning the native language; to assimilate human memory with computer; to enhance the mental capacity of children using omega-3 supplements; to improve academic performance through fatty acid supplements(omega 3 and 6). Overall, the results of this study indicate the widespread prevalence of neuromyths among teacher-students, and it is suggested that appropriate policies be taken to promote teacher-student's literacy about the valid educational applications of brain research.

Keywords

References

باترو، آنتونیو. ام؛ فیشر، کورت دبلیو؛ و لنا، پیر. جی (1392). مغز تربیت یافته: مباحث اساسی مطالعات عصبی ـ تربیتی، (م. تلخابی و ع. نوری، ترجمه)، انتشارات کورش چاپ و موسسه علوم شناختی. (چاپ اصلی 2008).
بلیک­مور، ساراجین؛ و فریث، یوتا (1388). مغز یادگیرنده: درس‌هایی برای آموزش و پرورش. (س.ک. خرازی، ترجمه)، انتشارات سمت. (چاپ اصلی 2005).
پاتن، کاترین ای؛ و کمپل، استیفان آر (1393). مقدمه‌ای بر علوم ‌اعصاب تربیتی. (ع. نوری، ترجمه)، انتشارات دانشگاه ملایر. (چاپ اصلی 2011).
سرمد، زهره؛ بازرگان، عباس؛ و حجازی، الهه (1385). روش­های تحقیق در علوم رفتاری، چاپ سیزدهم، انتشارات آگه.
گال، م؛ بورگ؛ و گال، ج (1389). روش‌های تحقیق کمی و کیفی در علوم تربیتی و روان‌شناسی(جلد اول). (ا.ر. نصر و همکاران، ترجمه)، انتشارات سمت و دانشگاه شهید بهشتی. (چاپ اصلی 1996).
نوری، علی؛ و مهرمحمدی، محمود (1389). تبیین انتقادی جایگاه علوم اعصاب، در قلمرو دانش و عمل تربیت. فصلنامه تازه‌های علوم‌شناختی، 12(2)، 100-83.
نوری، علی (1393). مبانی و اصول عصب‌شناختی یادگیری و تربیت. انتشارات سمت.
هوارد ـ جونز، پاول (1390). علوم اعصاب، علوم تربیتی و مغز: معرفی تحقیقات عصبی ـ تربیتی(س.ک. خرازی، ترجمه)، انتشارات سمت. (چاپ اصلی 2010).
Agrawal, D., Mohanty, B. B., Kumar, S., & Chinara, P. K. (2014). Split brain syndrome: One brain but two conscious minds? Journal of Health Research and Reviews, 1(2), 27-33.
Ansari D., & Coch D. (2006). Bridges over troubled waters: Education and Cognitive Neuroscience, Trends in Cognitive Science, 10(4), 146-151.
Canbulat, T., & Kiriktas, H. (2017). Assessment of educational neuromyths among teachers and teacher candidates. Journal of Education and Learning, 6(2), 326-333.
De Bruyckere, P., Kirschner, P. A., & Hulshof, C. D. (2015). Urban myths about learning and education. Academic Press.
Dekker, S., Lee, N. C., Howard-Jones, P., & Jolles, J. (2012). Neuromyths in education: Prevalence and predictors of misconceptions among teachers. Frontiers in psychology, 3, 429.
Deligiannidi, K., & Howard-Jones, P.A. (2015). The neuroscience literacy of teachers in Greece. Procedia- Social and Behavioral Science, 174, 3909-3915.
Dündar, S., & Gündüz, N. (2016). Misconceptions regarding the brain: The neuromyths of preservice teachers. Mind, Brain, and Education, 10(4), 212-232.
Duvel, N., Wolf, A., & Kopiez, R. (2017). Neuromyths in music education: Prevalence and predictors of misconceptions among teachers and students. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 629.
Ferrero, M., Garaizar, P., & Vadillo, M. A. (2016). Neuromyths in education: Prevalence among Spanish teachers and an exploration of cross-cultural variation. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 10, 496.
Frey, N., & Fisher, D. (2013). Reading and the young brain. In Early Childhood and Neuroscience-Links to Development and Learning (pp. 43-54). Springer, Dordrecht.
Geake J. (2008). Neuromythologies in education. Educational Research, 50(2), 123-133.
Geake, J., & Cooper, P.W. (2003). Cognitive neuroscience: Implications for education? Westminister Studies in Education, 26(1), 7-13.
Gleichgerrcht, E., Luttges B. L., Salvarezza, F., & Campos A. L. (2015). Educational neuromyths among teachers in Latin America. Mind, Brain, and Education, 9(3), 170-178.
Goswami, U. (2004). Neuroscience and education, British Journal of Educational Psychology, 74, 1–14.
Goswami, U. (2006). Neuroscience and education: from research to practice? Nat. Rev. Neurosci.7, 406–413.
Goswami, U. (2008), Principles of learning, implications for teaching: A cognitive neuroscience perspective. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 42(3-4), 381-399.
Grospietsch, F., & Mayer, J. (2019). Pre-service science teachers’ neuroscience literacy: Neuromyths and a professional understanding of learning and memory. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 13, 20.
Herculano-Houzel, S. (2002). Do you know your brain? A survey on public neuroscience literacy at the closing of the decade of the brain. The Neuroscientist, 8(2), 98-110.
Howard-Jones, P. A., Franey, L., Mashmoushi, R., & Liao, Y. C. (2009, September). The neuroscience literacy of trainee teachers. In British Educational Research Association Annual Conference (pp. 1-39). N.
Howard-Jones, P. A. (2014). Neuroscience and Education: Myths and Messages. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(12), 817-824.
Janati Idrissi, A., Alami, M., Abdelaziz, L., & Zouhayr, S. (2020). Brain Knowledge and Predictors of Neuromyths Among Teachers in Morocco. Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 20: 100135.
Karakus, O., Howard-Jones, P. A., & Jay, T. (2015). Primary and secondary school teachers’ knowledge and misconceptions about the brain in Turkey. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 1933-1940.
Kim, M., & Sankey, D. (2017). Philosophy, neuroscience and pre-service teachers’ beliefs in neuromyths: a call for remedial action. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 50(13), 1214-1227.
Kerammer, G., Vogel, S. E., Grabner, L. (2020). Believing in Neuromyths Makes Neither a Bad Nor Good Student-Teacher: The Relationship between Neuromyths and Academic Achievement in Teacher Education. Mind, Brain, and Education, 14(4).
Macdonald, K., Germine, L., Anderson, A., Christodoulou, J., & McGrath, L. M. (2017). Dispelling the myth: Training in education or neuroscience decreases but does not eliminate beliefs in neuromyths. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 1314.
McMoahon, k., Yeh, C.S., Etchells, P. (2019).The Impact of a Modified Initial Teacher Education on Challenging Trainees' Understanding of Neuromyths. Mind Brain and Education, 13(4), 288-297.
Nouri, A. (2015). Cognitive neuroscience of foreign language education: Myths and realities. Research in English language pedagogy, 3(1), 40-47.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2002). Understanding the brain: Towards a new learning science. Paris: OECD Publication.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2007). Understanding the brain: The birth of a learning science. Paris: OECD Publication.
Papadatou-Pastou, M., Haliou, E., & Vlachos, F. (2017). Brain knowledge and the prevalence of neuromyths among prospective teachers in Greece. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 804.
Pasquinelli, E. (2012). Neuromyths: Why do they exist and persist? Mind, Brain, and Education, 6(2), 89-96.
Pei, X., Howard-Jones, P. A., Zhang, S., Liu, X., & Jin, Y. (2015). Teachers’ understanding about the brain in East China. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 3681-3688.
Petitto, L. A. (2009). New discoveries from the bilingual brain and mind across the life span: Implications for education. Mind, Brain, and Education, 3(4), 185-197.
Pickering, S. J., & Howard‐Jones, P. (2007). Educators’ views on the role of neuroscience in education: Findings from a study of UK and international perspectives. Mind, Brain, and Education, 1(3), 109-113.
Rato, J. R., Abreu, A. M., & Castro-Caldas, A. (2011). Achieving a successful relationship between neuroscience and education: The views of Portuguese teachers. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 29, 879-884.
Rato, J. R., Abreu, A. M., & Castro-Caldas, A. (2013). Neuromyths in education: What is fact and what is fiction for Portuguese teachers? Educational Research, 55(4), 441-453.
Ruhaak, A. E., & Cook, B. G. (2018). The prevalence of educational neuromyths among pre‐service special education teachers. Mind, Brain, and Education, 12(3), 155-161.
Sarrasin, B.J., Riopel, M., & Masson, S. (2019) Neuromyths and their origin among teachers in Quebec. Mind, Brain, and Education, 13(2), 100-109.
Serpati, L. & Loughan, A.R. (2012). Teacher perceptions of Neuroeducation: A mixed methods survey of teachers in the United States. Mind, brain, and Education, 6(3), 174-176.
Tardif, E., Doudin, P. A., & Meylan, N. (2015). Neuromyths among teachers and student teachers. Mind, brain, and Education, 9(1), 50-59.
Tokuhama –Espinosa, T. (2014). Making Classrooms Better. 50 Practical Applications of Mind, Brain, and Education Science. W. W. Norton & Company.
Tokuhama-Espinosa, T. (2010). Mind, brain, and education science: A comprehensive guide to the new brain-based teaching. WW Norton & Company.
Tovazzi, A., Giovannini, S., & Basso, D. (2020). A new method for evaluating knowledge, beliefs, and Neuromyths about the Mind and Brain among Italian teachers. Mind, Brain, and Education, 14(2), 187-198.
Van Dijk, W., & Lane, H. B. (2018). The brain and the US education system: Perpetuation of neuromyths. Exceptionality, 28(1), 16-29.
Waterhouse, L. (2006). Multiple intelligences, the Mozart effect, and emotional intelligence: A critical review. Educational Psychologist, 41(4), 207-225.
Zhang, R., Jiang, Y., Dang, B., & Zhou, A. (2019). Neuromyths in Chinese classrooms: Evidence from headmasters in an underdeveloped region of China. Frontiers in Education.4, (8), 1-6.

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 23 November 2020
  • Revise Date: 21 March 2021
  • Accept Date: 30 January 2021

Share

How to cite

Statistics