On November 14th I made a presentation to SFU’s Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology. The subject was Educational Neuroscience and the need to forge a stronger relationship with SFU’s Faculty of Education, something I’ve been advocating for a considerable time.

Here is a link to my presentation, Educational Neuroscience: Bridging gaps to improve student learning.

I have been tracking Educational Neuroscience since I was a newly-minted educator in the late 1980s, and I’ve been leading courses and workshops in this subject since about 2008. Since 2021 I have taught Neurobiology and Learning (SSC 5091) in Antioch University’s Individualized Masters (IMA) program (online).

The main premise of my presentation reflects a sentiment that has guided my journey as an educator (and student), namely that every learning gesture is correlated to our neurobiology. This might be an isolated act of learning, stressing, presenting, visualizing, listening, etc. just as it might be various acts occurring simultaneously.

As I mentioned in my presentation and also my PhD dissertation, I trace the current framing of Educational Neuroscience to two important events: the publication of Dr. Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (mid-1980s) and the release of Understanding a brain-based approach to understanding teaching and learning, a paper by Caine and Caine, published in 1990. These two events helped set the stage for subsequent developments that have rippled through educational landscapes and other domains: Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), Emotional intelligence, Neurodiversity and special needs education, Holistic Learning, First Nations educational initiatives, and more. Taken collectively, they have helped shaped propel many recent DEI and mental health initiatives, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic.

In conclusion, I advocated for strengthening links between the Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology and SFU’s Faculty of Education to improve educator knowledge of important neuroscience issues relating to education and, ultimately, better support student learning.

I’m happy to offer this presentation (30 mins) to anyone or any group that may be interested; please contact me: michaelrmaser @ gmail.com or mmaser @ sfu.ca. Cheers.