Teaching – It’s a No Brainer, Right?: Using an Assessment Course to Bust Educators’ Neuromyths

Misinformation about the brain, known as neuromyths, is prevalent among educational practitioners and often inadvertently (mis)informs instructional strategies. In the current study, a mixed methods design was used to test how resources and instruction on neuromyths implemented within an assessment course impacted elementary education pre-service teachers’ (PSTs’) beliefs about the brain. Specifically, this study aims to address: (1) Where do PSTs learn neuromyths? (2) Does an explicit focus on “neuromyth-busting” in a required course shift PSTs’ understanding of neuroeducational science? (3) What are PSTs’ understanding of neuroeducational science and the impacts on their practice after this course? Results from a pre-/post-survey show that many of the PSTs’ neuromyth beliefs shifted by the end of the course. Through open-ended survey responses, PSTs reported that they learned neuromyths from a variety of resources and their thoughts about neuromyths are multifaceted and complex. By the end of the course, PSTs related what they learned about the brain to the importance of differentiating instruction. Findings indicate that using a mixed methods approach provides a well-rounded view of PSTs’ beliefs in neuromyths. Incorporating information about the brain in education courses may be an effective way to promote critical thought and dispel common neuromyths among PSTs.