Neuroscience powered teaching

              Teachers are brain changers.   Dr Judy Willis (ca 2018), neurologist and teacher, states, 'The implicit goal of education is to change students' brains by improving both their knowledge base and their understanding of information acquired through the guidance of their educators.'

              Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to form new neural connections and change its structure and function based on experiences, learning, and development. It helps the brain adapt to changes, learn new information, and recover from injuries or trauma. Neuroplasticity has implications in neuroscience, education, psychology, and rehabilitation.

          The relationship between brain-friendly learning experiences created and maintained by an expert teacher with curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment is shown in Figure 1.

Memory: Brain Waves and Brain Shape

Professor Ken Purnell, 10 September 2023

           Recent studies by MIT and the University of Arizona in 2023 have shown how brain waves and memory are related. The brain’s electric fields guide neurons to make and store memories. These electric fields, made by neural activity, also affect neural activity. The electric fields carry the same information across different brain regions, forming a memory network. The role of individual neurons is to make these fields, which then control and influence neural activity. The University of Arizona’s research also shows the direct link between brain waves and memory, leading to better experiments and more understanding of how memory works in the brain.

          Dr. Judy Willis, a neurologist turned teacher, stresses the importance of activating students’ neural networks through learning experiences. Teachers change students’ brains through education. By increasing their knowledge and understanding, educators help students build memories and knowledge in neural networks.

          Neuroscience-based teaching involves making optimal learning environments that use the brain’s natural plasticity to enhance learning and wellness. Learning experiences form new brain circuits and prune existing ones, with cognition, behaviour, and emotions most compatible with the brain.

          Researchers from the University of Sydney and Monash University (2023) found that the external structure and form of the brain, such as its contours and curvature, have a more significant influence on brain functioning than the internal connections between brain cells.

Neuroplasticians

Professor Ken Purnell, 18 February 2023, updated 10 September 2023

                Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change and adapt throughout life, affecting learning, memory, behaviour, and recovery from brain injuries or conditions. A Neuroplastician is a researcher, clinician, or practitioner who studies or applies neuroplasticity to understand and enhance brain function.

          Neuroplasticians may work in neuroscience, psychology, neurorehabilitation, or education. They may do research to explore how neuroplasticity works, create interventions or therapies to boost brain plasticity and recovery or help individuals optimise their brain function and improve cognitive abilities.

          The work of a Neuroplastician may involve cognitive training, brain stimulation, sensory stimulation, physical exercise, and rehabilitation exercises. They may work with other professionals, educators, and researchers to develop new strategies and interventions to support brain health and maximise human potential.

          Neuroplasticians are experts who use neuroscientific knowledge and brain-friendly skills to improve the achievements and well-being of individuals and organisations. They use evidence-based strategies and know the importance of social connections, exercise, nutrition, and sleep for optimal brain function. Neuroplasticians also use the brain’s natural plasticity to enhance learning and memory through techniques such as spaced repetition and multisensory input. They work with individuals and organisations to make learning brain-friendly and maximise performance. See, for example, npnHub and the Institute of Organisational Neuroscience (ION).

Master of Educational Neuroscience 

Seven subjects (units)

Graduate Certificate of Educational Neuroscience

The first four subjects (units) of the MEdNeuroSc

Professor Ken Purnell is Head of Educational Neuroscience 

Hyperflexible delivery enables you to enrol, study, and complete assessments 24/7 and 365 days a year

FutureLearn free short courses

          Just over 52,000 students are doing free short courses of about 6 hours each,  drawn from the first 4 units (600 hours) of the Master of Educational Neuroscience. You may wish to do those or CQU's 20-hour free short course, The Social Brain.

Brief Bio

          Professor Ken Purnell is the Head of Educational Neuroscience at CQUniversity Australia. Throughout his three decades at CQU, he has held various roles, including Head of the School of Education and Associate Dean (Learning & Teaching). He has been actively involved with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) and its predecessors since 1992, serving on the Governing Board, the Moderation Committee, the K-12 Curriculum Committee, and other committees and activities. The QCAA oversees the 850,000 students and 60,000 teachers in the state.

          In 2014, Ken received the Outstanding Alumni Award from Western Michigan University and achieved the highest GPA in Geographical Education during his undergraduate studies at Sydney University. Ken obtained his PhD in cognitive neuroscience from UNSW in 1991.

          Ken's work at CQUniversity involves translating neuroscientific findings into flexible programs such as the Master of Educational Neuroscience and the Graduate Certificate of Educational Neuroscience. These programs aim to bridge the gap between neuroscience and education. Students study hyperflexibly, 365 days a year and 24/7 and study and submit assessments anytime. Ken's impact is global, with over 52,000 students enrolled in year-round short courses on Educational Neuroscience hosted on FutureLearn, which have received a rating of 4.8 out of 5.

         Currently, Ken supervises four PhD candidates. One recent graduate, Dr Judi Newman in Applied Neuroscience, received the University Prize for the best PhD of the University for 2022 - The Paul Anderson Prize for the Most Outstanding Thesis in an Academic Year (2022), as well as the Australian College of Educational Leadership (ACEL) New Voice in Educational Leadership Research Scholarship (2023).