Unit information: Cognitive Neuroscience and Classroom Practice in 2022/23

Unit name	Cognitive Neuroscience and Classroom Practice
Unit code	EDUCM0078
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Carolina Gordillo Bravo
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	None
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	None
Units you may not take alongside this one
School/department	School of Education
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Unit Information

With the advent of new technologies such as neuroimaging, science has been revolutionising our understanding of how, when and why learning occurs. This unit equips students with the ability to take a critical approach to informing educational practice with recent insights from the natural sciences. It is informed by cutting edge research carried out at the University of Bristol in this area, and suitable for those concerned with learning across the full range of ability and across the lifespan.

The unit supports students in developing the skills required for generating and implementing a scheme of work informed by the science of learning, and to critique their plans in terms of their educational appropriateness and the scientific validity of the rationale. In this way, the unit provides opportunities for students to consider their own professional practice as educators, in relation to current understanding of the learning brain.

The aims of the unit are to

1. provide a deep and critical understanding of past efforts to apply concepts from cognitive neuroscience in the classroom, including common misconceptions about the brain in relation to learning, and how these arise.
2. develop students’ critical understanding of the mind-brain relationship, and the interrelation of concepts from cognitive neuroscience with those of other learning theories commonly encountered in education.
3. provide a deep and critical understanding of the potential contribution that cognitive neuroscience can make to educational theory and practice.
4. provide students with the conceptual frameworks for critically and systematically reviewing their own professional practice in relation to current understanding of the learning brain.

Your learning on this unit

By the end of this unit students should be able to:

1. critically review past efforts to apply concepts from cognitive neuroscience in the classroom, including common misconceptions about the brain in relation to learning, and demonstrate awareness of how these arise.
2. demonstrate a critical understanding of the mind-brain relationship, and the interrelation of concepts from cognitive neuroscience with those from learning theories commonly encountered in education
3. critically review the potential contribution that cognitive neuroscience can make to educational theory and practice
4. deeply and systematically reflect on their own professional practice in relation to current understanding of the learning brain, demonstrating a critical understanding of the concepts and their interrelation.

How you will learn

This unit will be taught using a blended online approach consisting of a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous activities including seminars, lectures, reading and discussions.

How you will be assessed

Formative assessment will arise from group discussions and presentations of initial ideas for the assignment, in terms of the unit of work identified, the proposed pedagogical approach and its underlying scientific basis.

The summative assessment will comprise two parts:

i) Students will be required to provide a poster presentation outlining the scheme and pedagogical approach for a unit of work, with a rationale for its design that is informed by an up-to-date and critical understanding of how the brain learns (1000 words equivalent, 25%, Learning Outcome 4)

ii) Students must provide an essay that sets out their chosen pedagogical approach and critically reviews the scientific validity of its theoretical basis, its alignment with educational understanding and research, and any practical issues involved with its implementation. This review should i) consider the educational relevance of the scientific concepts and suitable limitations on their interpretation, ii) indicate where common misconceptions associated with the scientific concepts may arise and address these, iii) consider critically the extent to which the scientific concepts are aligned with educational research and theories regarding the proposed pedagogical approach and iv) critically consider the educational value provided by the scientific understanding. (3000 words, 75%, Learning Outcomes 1,2,3,4)

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EDUCM0078).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.