Neuromyths and Their Origin Among Teachers in Quebec

Previous studies have revealed that “neuromyths,” which are misconceptions about the brain, show a high prevalence among teachers in different countries. However, little is known about the origin of these ideas; that is to say, the sources that may influence their presence among teachers. This research aims to identify the prevalence of five frequent neuromyths among teachers in Quebec (belief in neuromyths and reported practices) and the reported sources of these beliefs (e.g., reading popular science texts). A total of 972 teachers from Quebec responded to an online questionnaire. Results show a lower prevalence than previous studies (although it remains high), and that the main sources cited by participants are related to cognitive biases and university training. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report data supporting the idea that cognitive biases are related to the prevalence of neuromyths.     

Educational Neuromyths Among Teachers in Latin America

Neuroscientific knowledge has undeniably gained interest among educators worldwide. However, not all “brain facts” believed by teachers are supported by science. This study sought to evaluate the belief in these so‐called neuromyths among 3,451 Latin American teachers. We found that, consistent with prior research among teachers in other geographic areas, teachers in Latin America hold major misconceptions about neuroscience, especially as it relates to factual information about its structure and functioning. Differences across South American nations were observed with moderate and slight effect sizes for general knowledge of the brain and neuromyths, respectively. Teachers working in higher education had slightly superior performance. Teachers at all levels who reported knowing more about the brain, however, were more likely to believe invalid assertions known as neuromyths. These results shed light on trends in the field of education, hoping to encourage the development of strategies aimed at correcting the use of science as it relates to education. The implications regarding teaching practice, policy, and teacher training are discussed.     

A New Method for Evaluating Knowledge,Beliefs, and Neuromyths About the Mind and Brain Among Italian Teachers

Teachers often face situations that require them to apply knowledge about the mind and brain to education. Past studies have indicated that even if teachers show interest in cognitive neuroscience, they show high rates of adhesion to neuromyths. In the most commonly used questionnaire, however, respondents do not compare neuromyths and correct information based on neuroscience. The present study proposes a multiple‐choice questionnaire that presents scenarios occurring in school. The most commonly used and the new questionnaire were administered to 174 Italian teachers. In the most commonly used questionnaire, teachers generally had the same likelihood of accepting neuromyths as the literature reports. In the new questionnaire, the levels of both general knowledge and beliefs about neuromyths were significantly lower. Moreover, it suggests that teachers' adhesion to neuromyths in realistic situations does not match their explicit beliefs. Thus, the present research proposes that the use of questions based on feasible scenarios is a useful method to assess neuromyths.     

Misconceptions Regarding the Brain: The Neuromyths of Preservice Teachers

Understanding preservice teachers' misconceptions regarding the brain and neuroscience (neuromyths) can provide information that helps teachers to apply neuroscience knowledge in an educational context. The objective of this study was to investigate these misconceptions. Following preliminary research, a questionnaire comprising 59 challenging assertions in two categories (education and neuromyths) was developed as a data collection tool. The findings identify preservice teachers' neuromyths, which were found to vary by teaching area.     

Adapting Curriculum to Student Diversity: Patterns of Perceptions Among Alternate-Route and College-Based Teachers

This study examined the perceptions of alternate-route and college-prepared teachers about the adaptation of mathematics and writing curriculum to student diversity. Findings from analyses of survey and interview data suggest that while at any given time a majority of teachers from both groups favored curriculum adaptation in mathematics and writing, commitment to these beliefs among individual teachers was inconsistent over time, with a pattern of deflected responsibility emerging. With the exception of two specific teachers, when discussing the value of adapting writing curriculum to students' cultural values, neither group of teachers went much beyond a general rhetorical discussion. With regard to mathematics, both groups of teachers only infrequently discussed the value of adapting mathematics to students' cultural values.     

Promoting the Understanding of Photosynthesis Among Elementary School Student Teachers Through Text Design

The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary school pre-service teachers’ understanding of photosynthesis and to examine if a refutational text can support understanding of photosynthesis better than a non-refutational text. A total of 91 elementary school pre-service teachers read either a refutational or a non-refutational text concerning photosynthesis and then answered open-ended questions. Our results indicate that there are critical problems associated with student teachers learning about the process of photosynthesis, even after it has been systematically taught in teacher education. However, the results positively indicate that refutational science texts seem to foster effective conceptual change among student teachers. The results interestingly showed that students who read a refutational text improved their systemic and factual understanding of photosynthesis more than did those who read a non-refutational text. Especially students who had naïve prior understanding regarding photosynthesis benefitted more from a refutational text. Thus, a refutational text may act as an effective facilitator of conceptual change. These results have implications for teacher education, where conceptual mastery of the most important science phenomena, such as photosynthesis, should be achieved. A refutational text is an easy and effective way to support conceptual change in higher education. Thus, this study highlights the importance of domain-specific science education in teacher programmes.     

Student Teachers Speak

The school itself should serve as a laboratory for the study of social science concepts and generalizations, maintains Dr. Schlechty.     

Teachers Conceptualizing Student Achievement

Although teachers vary widely in their perceptions of education, student achievement, and methods of assessment, more than psychometricians and other people they concentrate on student performance of tasks. To the teacher, grades are an indication of successful acquisition of particular knowledge and an increase in skill. Achievement is not thought of so much as enhancing a trait or increasing an ability, but as successfully completing the task. They visualize the experience, more so than the competence. When emphasis is given to standardizing curricula and testing, even though goals and standards can be expressed as task performance, the technology of testing and school reform devises indicators of success in terms of human ability. Ability is generalized; task performance is particularized, contextualized. When the success of teaching or schooling is interpreted in terms of test scores, the teacher is pressed to reconceptualize teaching and, directly or indirectly, to teach for the test.     

Student Teachers Meet Ethnic Families

Sixty preservice teachers participated in a program which allowed them to research one ethnic culture, to spend one day as a participant observer in the life of an ethnic family, and to explore the similarities and differences between cultures and within cultures based on their own experience and the feedback of experts. Students self‐reported quantitative gains in empathy, self‐development, understanding of the relevance of multiculturalism in education and confidence to teach the culturally different. Qualitative change in attitudes indicated a decrease in stereotypic thinking, greater understanding of ethnic parents and children and a willingness to make further contact with people from diverse cultures. Benefits to participating hosts are also discussed.     

关于师德师风建设问题的思考

学校是进行系统道德教育的重要阵地，师德师风建设是教师队伍建设的核心，加强师德师风建设必须以科学理论为指导。以教育法规为基本原则，以《公司道德建设实施纲要》为依据，以敬业乐业，勤力精业，教书育人为基本内容，一手抓教育，一手抓管理，全面提高教师的综合素质。     

Email Reducing Stress for Student Teachers

This paper reports on one aspect of a study which investigated the use of email between student teachers and university lecturers during the final practicum experience in a four year Bachelor of Education pre-service primary teaching course. The paper explores how the nature of electronic communication, together with the students' perceptions of university supervision and their place in the school setting, affected the level of stress experienced by the student teachers in their placements. Student teacher stress has been reported in the literature as one factor which impedes student teacher learning during the practicum (Zeichner, 1980). We argue that ICT has the potential to maximise student teachers' learning outcomes in the practicum by giving them more control over the learning process, reducing their stress, and enabling them to manage their practicum experience more effectively.