Cognitive Neuroscientist to Share Views on Education
Contact: Contact: Kay Hyatt at (207) 581-2761
ORONO, Maine — Cognitive neuroscientist and clinical psychologist Herbert J. Weingartner will present a free, public lecture on Tuesday, Jan. 24. His topic will be “Cognitive Neuroscience and Education: Establishing a Dialogue.” Weingartner’s talk, which will explore existing themes, emerging research and implications for teaching and learning, takes place at 4 p.m. in Minsky Recital Hall, Maine Center for the Arts.
An acclaimed researcher in cognitive science and its relevance for education and effective learning environments, Weingartner has held top cognitive neuroscience leadership positions at the National Institutes of Health and served on the faculty of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Weingartner is the College of Education and Human Development’s 2005-06 Distinguished Visiting Shibles Professor. During his appointment, Weingartner is working with UMaine faculty to build an interdisciplinary approach to investigating the various psychological and neuroscience bases of human intelligence.
“There’s a great divide between cognitive neuroscience and the practical problems of how we educate not just our youth but throughout the lifespan,” says Weingartner. “While we know a great deal about detail at a molecular level, we still have much to learn when it comes to understanding complex cognitive functioning relevant to education and creating effective learning environments.” And, he says, cognitive neuroscientists and educators have much to learn from one another.
Weingartner will point out some of the premises, as well as possible pitfalls, in translating and applying cognitive neuroscience to education. He will also discuss the “knowledge-centered” classroom environment where attention is given to what is taught, why it is taught, and what competence or mastery looks like. This environment, he says, must include formative and ongoing assessments designed to make student thinking visible to both teachers and learners. Such determining assessments are essential, he says, if the teacher is to grasp students’ preconceptions, understand where they are in the developmental corridor from informal to formal thinking, and design instruction accordingly.
The audience will have the opportunity to submit questions during the lecture.