Innovative science educational neuroscience: Strategies for engaging brain waves in science education research

Abstract

Science educational neuroscience is a new discipline that integrates science education, psychology, and biological processes. The potential of science educational neuroscience is to bridge the gap of research trends, methodologies, and applications between science education and neuroscience, and to translate research challenges into opportunities. In this area, researchers combine science education and the fundamental techniques of cognitive neuroscience such as electroencephalograms (EEG), event-related potentials (ERPs) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to provide specific and objective suggestions to science learners, educators, and curriculum designers. In recent years, a lot of educational neuroscience researchers have focused on students’ cognitive abilities and emotions by analyzing neuroscience data. However, few studies have highlighted students’ science learning abilities and strategies by engaging neuroscience. Furthermore, the orientations of methodology, data analysis, and philosophy differ between science education and neuroscience. Although there are many research challenges to face, there are some studies that provide practical implications for engaging neuroscience in science education.