Mind, Brain and Education as a Framework for Curricular Reform

A growing collaboration between psychologists, neuroscientists, and educators has culminated in the emergence of a new academic discipline known as Mind, Brain and Education (MBE). MBE differs from previous efforts, such as educational neuroscience, in that it is focused on the problem of how we might bring findings from the learning sciences into the classroom. As such MBE is placed squarely in the classroom, and works through engaging teachers as primary participants. Hence, MBE must work through an awareness of the systems of education and within the current context of educational policy and practice if it is to find a firm grounding in educational reform. In many ways the goals of MBE are in alignment with the voices of educational leaders across the globe. Pedagogical approaches referred to as neuropedagogy or neuroeducation, emphasize the development of high level cognitive capacities, such as critical thinking and creativity and address the connection between motivation, emotions, sleep, stress, circadian rhythms and development in learning processes. The primary purpose of this study was to define the emerging field of MBE with respect to its goals, vision and potential to serve as a significant framework for education reform. Because the basic constructs of the field are still being developed, interviews with expert members of the MBE community, including academic researchers, consultants and other educational leaders were conducted using a grounded theory approach. The definition of MBE was highly complex, but contained central elements relevant to reform. Special attention to developing a curricular model of MBE resulted in a vision of a holistic approach centered on developmental and individual needs of the students. To further investigate the possible impact of neuroeducation on student outcomes, two existing curricular models—Waldorf and International Baccalaureate, were examined as examples of programs of neuropedagogy/neuroeducation. Findings indicated that examining curricular models currently in use holds promise for understanding the impact of the principles of neuroeducation on student outcomes and development and can serve as a first step towards developing a proof of concept for the field.