Research Information System
24. Internationale Frühjahrsschule der Fachsektion Didaktik der Biologie, Frankfurt, Germany, 20 - 23 March 2023, pp.40-41
Although there are many different theories and definitions of learning, learning is ultimately
a set of changes that occur in the brain (HEBB, 1949; ÇEPNI & KELEŞ, 2006). Explaining the
processes occurring in the brain, neural networks in the brain, neurophysiological changes,
and biological factors such as attention, stress, and anxiety that affect learning together with
the reasons for its formation in the brain will not only bring a broader definition to learning,
but will also open new doors for learning to become more permanent (CAMPBELL, 2011).
Based on all these, educational neuroscience, which is quite new in development, tries to
explain learning and the factors affecting learning by presenting the data it receives from
cognitive neuroscience to educational environments (KOYUNCU, 2017). With the development
of the mind, brain, and education, the brain paradigms that started to progress in
educational environments began to provide important perspectives to educational processes
and paved the way for studies to be carried out on the transfer of neuroscience data to
education (FERRARI & MCBRIDE, 2011). These subjects are referred to by different researchers
as mind, brain, education, educational neuroscience, or neuro-education (ANSARI, DE SMEDT &
GRABNER, 2011; SOUSA, 2011). This study aimed to determine the neuromyths of prospective
biology teachers and examine their views on their existing neuromyths. The study is in the
case study pattern, one of the qualitative research methods (YILDIRIM & ŞIMŞEK,2018), and was
conducted with 15 prospective biology teachers studying at a state university in Ankara and
selected by purposive sampling. The data collected by the semi-structured interview
technique were presented by considering the questions in the interview. The data were
subjected to descriptive and content analysis; analyzed by two researchers to minimize bias.
According to the results, it was seen that most of the prospective biology teachers had not
received any training in educational neuroscience before and they had neuromyths. The
effects of neuromyths on educational processes and learning styles have a negative effect on
learning outcomes as well. These results can be evaluated to provide more effective
education to teacher candidates on the subject to eliminate existing neuromyths and to
provide effective education in the context of educational neuroscience in schools.