Involving Young Learners in Mind, Brain and Education Research

Abstract

For two decades, the field of Mind, Brain and Education (MBE) has shed light on learning mechanisms. However, the direct involvement of young learners in the design and creation of research projects, while steadily emerging, is still rare. More researchers are beginning to see the benefits of co‐construction of not only research questions but also experimental design and analysis based on young learners' ideas. Recognizing that learning is inseparable from social relationships and well‐being, the papers in this special issue respond to two main questions: (1) Why co‐production? (2) How is co‐production achieved? We hope that this special issue will invite discussions about the different domains within MBE research in which learners' input and collaboration can be valuable. We invite readers to take into consideration the diversity of methods which are represented in this special issue to engage young learners and collect their perspectives.