Tag Archives: neuromyths

outsmart

Outsmart Your Brain by Daniel Willingham

Aligning with my work in this area, Daniel Willingham’s influential insights have greatly contributed to the field of neuroscience and education. His critique of learning styles and debunking of common learning myths and neuromyths have been pivotal. His critique of



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Downside to Oxytocin

Warning: Misguided Neuroscience Ahead

I recently ran across a version* of this chart: As you can see, this chart lists several neurotransmitters and makes recommendations based on their purported roles. If you want to feel love, you should increase oxytocin. To do so, play



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Learning Styles Vector

The Unexpected Problem with Learning Styles Theory

I recently read a much-liked Twitter post that said (I’m paraphrasing here): If you try to debunk Learning Styles Theory and you face unexpected resistance, start looking for the profit motive. Hmmm. To be clear: learning styles theory just doesn’t



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A Little Help, Please…

I’ve got a problem, and I’m hoping you can help me. Here’s the situation… I work as a high school English teacher. And I’m also a consultant – presenting psychology and neuroscience research for teachers and students and parents. In



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Understanding (False) Learning Styles Beliefs

When people say they “believe in learning styles,” what exactly do they mean? Recent research helps answer that question…and thereby offers strategies for helping change their minds. Continue reading



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Why Do “Learning Styles” Theories Persist? [Updated 6-7-19]

We’re still trying to understand why learning styles theory — although widely debunked — still persists. Could it be because schools of education still support it? Continue reading



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Right Brained Language Learning (And Other Reasons to Ignore Brain Myths)

Recent research shows that right-hemisphere brain activity predicts successful language learning. For that reason (and many others), we shouldn’t think about “right-brain” or “left-brain” mental functions. Continue reading



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Fool Me Twice, Shame on Me

We often post about the unreliability of “brain training.” Heck, even though I live in Boston and am a Patriots fan, I made fun of Tom Brady’s website claiming to “increase brain speed” and other such nonsense. (I don’t even



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false learning categories

You Are a Learning Style of One

Many educational fads ask teachers to sort our students into false learning categories: by learning style, for example, or by gender. Instead, we should focus on cognitive processes — like memory and attention — that apply to all our students. As learners we can’t be categorized, but we’re more alike than different. Continue reading



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seductive allure of neuroscience

Can You Resist the Seductive Allure of Neuroscience?

The seductive allure of neuroscience often blinds us. In fact, the image on the right shows the part of the brain — the focal geniculative nucleus — that lights up when we’re taken in by false neuroscience information. Ok, no



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