Neuroimaging and personalized learning: Value reflection with societal stakeholders

Abstract

The emerging technology of neuroimaging may contribute to personalized learning, the adaptation of teaching methods to individual learning needs. In order to proceed with this application in a socially responsible way, it is necessary to carefully consider the practice of education during the innovation process. In this chapter we discuss the results of focus groups in which we reflected on the opportunities and concerns regarding this application with a selection of societal stakeholders: Three focus groups with randomly selected parents of one or more children attending secondary school, three focus groups with randomly selected secondary school teachers and four focus groups with secondary school children attending one particular school. Our analysis shows that a different framing of ‘the learning child’ and ‘neuroimaging’ can lead to a different attitude towards the application of neuroimaging for personalized learning. It is important to anticipate these different framings in subsequent structuring of science-society dialogue.