Brain-Based Education - Research Proposal Example

Brain-based Education Number: CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 Introduction Brain-based education refers to the decisive engagement of techniques or strategies that apply exactly to how human brain works in the education framework (Call & Featherstone, 2010). Application of brain based teaching and learning strategies is one of the trends in the modern world education systems, which has gained much popularity in the past few years (Tokuhama-Espinosa & Willis, 2011). However, many institutions of learning were ignoring the possible benefits that brain based education can lead to in both to the students and the teachers. Of late many institutions have started embracing the ideology as a result of realizing its benefits with the course being lately introduced to many universities among them Harvard University that is offering both masters and doctoral degrees in this discipline under the title ‘Mind, Brain and Education ‘ program (Jensen & Jensen, 2008). In addition, there has been introduction of numerous journals on brain based education in the past few years that are publishing features like research proposal, reviews, debates, conceptual papers, and dialogues.   However, in order for brain-based education (teaching and learning) to be effective, the most appropriate strategies should be used that involve understanding of the brains before a teacher, tutor as well as the students embark on this system of education (Jensen, 2008). Some scientists claim that these strategies can be subdivided into two namely the macro and micro strategies (Greenleaf & Greenleaf and Papanek Publications, 2005). This research will investigate in details the concept of brain-based education, discuss the most effective strategies that can be applied to make it a success, review available evidences of the effectiveness of this education system as well as outline benefits accrued from applying this ingenious method of teaching and learning. 1.2 Research Objectives The aim of this research proposal is to meet the following research objectives 1. To analyze the concept of brain-based education 2. To establish the most effective strategies that can be applied to make brain-based education a success 3. To evaluate the benefits accrued from using brain-based education rather than the tradition education system 4. To analyze the effectiveness of brain-based education while drawing solid evidence to support the argument 1.3 Research questions 1. What is the concept of brain-based education?  2. What are the most effective strategies that can be applied to make brain-based education a success? 3. What benefits are accrued as a result of using brain-based education rather than the tradition education system/curriculum? 4. How effective has brain-based education been and is there any solid evidence to support the claims? CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Literature Review There has not been many research studies that have been conducted on this topic since it appears as if is a new concept (Politano & Paquin, 2000). Nonetheless, the few studies that have been conducted have revealed that brain-based education is a comprehensive approach of teaching and learning depending on the how human brains seems to behave according to neuroscience studies (Taylor & MacKenney, 2008). It has been revealed that brain-based education focuses on how human brains learn naturally according to the way they were created according to scientists’ argument about the structure and how human brains function (Church, 2002). This element has led to the introduction of friendly teaching and learning strategies that are responsive to the brains by providing a biologically driven framework that creates effective instructions (Turnbull, 2009). It is also believed that brain based education helps educators as well as scientists in understanding the most effective and reoccurring behaviors of learning (Sprenger, 2010). As a result of these studies, many scientists and scholars have ended up stressing the need for tutors to apply teaching strategies that allow connection between emotional experiences and the actual learning as well as considering the history of the students and how it is likely to affect their learning (Crawford, 2007). Some scientists have introduced various strategies that they claim to be the most effective. However, they seem to conflict on the total number of those strategies as well as the strategies that are most effective (Jensen, 2000). Some of the strategies that most scientists and teachers are suggesting to be effective include the element of considering students’ environment that must be safe, improving student’s emotions as well as considering sensory practices (Jensen, 2008). These features are closely related to the ones suggested in the Montessori Education learning approach that also insists on elements such as independence, respect for students’ psychological, social and development as well as freedom with limits in making learning more efficient for students. Moreover, according to many studies, there exist a close relationship between brain-based education theory and the theory of multiple intelligence that was introduced by Howard Gardener in 1983 (Gardner, 2006). Howard was emphasizing on seven behaviors that he was associating with the intelligence of a student in this theory. They included the presence of major operations, prevention of brain damage, susceptibility to encoding by the student’s brains, unique developmental progression as well as the existence of savants just to mention a few (Gardner, 2006). However, brain-based education is claimed to have numerous benefits that make learning easy for students and makes tutors’ (educators) work easily and effectively (Davis, 2004). Therefore, this is an area that requires more research in order to establish the effectiveness of this education system, which is currently a theory, but sounds like it is the solution to the difficulties that students and educators face, while learning and teaching respectively. This research study is going to dig out all the possible facts that people need to know about the brain-based education theory and make relevant recommendations. CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research Design This research will be conducted using both qualitative and quantitative research methods, meaning that the researcher will combine both qualitative and quantitative research approaches (Berthold & Hand, 2007). The researcher will apply quantitative tactics in collecting data relating to effectiveness of brain-based education compared to the traditional curriculums or education systems. In this case, the researcher will distribute more than 500 copies of questionnaires in various institutions of education as well as in training centers. The researcher will employ qualitative methods in collecting data using data collection instruments such as interviews be it live, or phone call interviews. Application of an integration of those two research methods will significantly reduce the cost of data collection and analysis. In addition, application of that hybrid method of research design will ensure that the data collected is well detailed, reliable, and quantifiable so that a general conclusion can be drawn from the research. Application of a hybrid of these methods will also give the researcher an opportunity to interact with the respondents thus able to verify the data obtained easily. However, the main disadvantage of these methodologies is the fact that collecting and analyzing data is likely to be time consuming and tiresome. 3.4 Data collection a) Questionnaire Under this method of data collection, more than 500 questionnaire forms inclosing sets of questions relating to the effectiveness of brain-based education among other questions related to the above-mentioned objectives (Maree & Van, 2009). All the questions enclosed in the questionnaire forms will be open (respondents will be free express themselves without limitations). Moreover, the questionnaire forms will only be disbursed to relevant parties whose field is preparing curriculum, tutors, and teachers among other relevant respondents. The main advantage of using this method of data collection is that it provides reliable data even though this method is likely to be relatively expensive due to the high costs of printing questionnaires as well as other costs like delivery costs (Berthold & Hand, 2007). b) Personal Interview The researcher will also apply this mode of data collection in collecting data from the relevant respondents as mentioned in the subheading questionnaire. This will preferably involve live interviews, phone call interviews video calls interviews using Skype. The main advantage of this method is that the researcher will be able to get reliable information since direct interactions give room for verifying and checking the credibility of the respondent together with the information provided (Gatrell& Jensen, 2012). However, the method could be a bit expensive since it involves travelling a lot or making lengthy phone calls. Credibility and reliability of the given information can be determined checking the consistency of the given information relating to the same questions from different respondents. c) Secondary methods of data collection Secondary methods of data collection like researching in the internet, reading written books and journals, as well as going through previously carried out studies on this topic will also be applicable. The researcher will ensure that the collected data is from reliable and credible sources so that the conclusion of the research can be used for future reference or can be cited on matters relating to this topic. The cost incurred while using this method is likely to be relatively low though it is likely to be time consuming and exhaustive (Phillips & Stawarski, 2008). d) Observation The researcher is going to observe the behaviors of the students and the tutors who apply brain-based education in order to evaluate its effectiveness. However, this method of data collection cannot be used on its own, it will involve other methods like interviews since applying it alone could be time consuming. The main advantage of using this method is the fact that he or she will easily evaluate the credibility of the information collected using the other instruments since it provides first hand evidence (Axinn & Pearce, 2006). 3.5 Data analysis The collected data will then be edited in order to remove possible errors, check its consistency and completeness, code, cross it, and then tabulate any statistical figures for easy analysis (Pawar, 2004). The researcher will use descriptive statistics in order to identify and describe the level of effectiveness of brain-based education. Statistical figures like the number of students and tutors who have experienced an improvement after applying this mode of education will be analyzed using percentages and weighted mean. Coding of the data will involve labeling the collected grouping the related ones together in form of topics and paragraphs in order to easily catalogue major concepts while still maintaining the context within which the concepts transpire. (Lee & Wang, 2003) The coded data will then be analyzed using deductive approaches that involve use of a predetermined structure or framework while analyzing the data. Moreover, the obtained data will be analyzed by giving students a set of cumulative tests or assignments before and after they have been taken through brain-based education to evaluate whether there would be any notable difference. Alternatively, the researcher can compare two classes or different students in the same institutions whereby one of them is being taught while applying brain-based learning with the other being taught while applying the traditional techniques of teaching. References Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Axinn, W. G., & Pearce, L. D. (2006). Mixed method data collection strategies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Berthold, M., & Hand, D. J. (2007). Intelligent data analysis: An introduction. Berlin: Springer. Call, N., & Featherstone, S. (2010). The thinking child: Brain-based learning for the early years foundation stage. London: Continuum. Church, E. B. (2002). 50 fun & easy brain-based activities for young learners. New York: Scholastic Professional Books. Crawford, G. B. (2007). Brain-based teaching with adolescent learning in mind. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Davis, A. (2004). The credentials of brain‐based learning. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 38(1), 21-36. Gardner, H. (2006). The development and education of the mind: The selected works of Howard Gardner. London: Routledge. Gatrell, J. D., & Jensen, R. R. (2012). Research design and proposal writing in spatial science. Dordrecht: Springer Science+Business Media B.V. Greenleaf, R. K., & Greenleaf and Papanek Publications. (2005). Brain based teaching: Making connections for long-term memory & recall. 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