Improving classroom practices using our knowledge of how the brain works

During the last decade of the 20th century (the decade of the brain) large sums of money
were spent in researching how the brain works in relation to our day-to-day activities. As a
result, we now know to a much greater extent the roles played by various regions of the
brain when we are carrying out various activities including learning. We also know that different
types of rewards and instruments can stimulate specific parts of the brain which enable
individuals to carry out their daily chores efficiently. These findings when applied to a
classroom learning situation, which is a step forward from theory to practice, might make it
possible for us to improve learning for all learners. Thus, in this presentation we plan to
combine our knowledge of how the brain functions with those of the other scientific disciplines
to provide teachers with the tools they may need to be more effective and efficient
teachers. More specifically, this paper aims to lay a foundation for an interfaculty collaboration
in UBD towards helping teachers improve their thinking skills which in our opinion
are of great importance to fostering their classroom practices.