Neuroscience literacy and evidence-based practices in pre-service teachers: A pilot study

Aim

K-12 educators are susceptible to “neuromyths” or misconceptions about the brain and learning, yet how these beliefs relate to practice is not yet understood. This exploratory pilot study investigated how knowledge and beliefs about the brain and learning relate to knowledge of evidence-based teaching and learning principles.

Methods

Preservice teachers (N = 29) completed an online survey that measured their knowledge and beliefs about the brain and learning, including belief in neuromyths, and their knowledge of evidence-based teaching and learning principles.

Results

Pre-service teachers commonly endorsed several neuromyths, consistent with prior research. There was a strong positive correlation between participants’ knowledge and beliefs about the brain and learning, and knowledge of evidence-based teaching and learning principles.

Discussion

Our findings suggest that new teachers with better knowledge of the brain and learning may also have more knowledge of evidence-based principles, though more research is needed to determine their impact on teaching.