Report on a Seminar which took place at the University of Glasgow (2008).
Education continues to be a top priority for governments both at the national and the international level through UNESCO and OECD. But in reality, not that much is being achieved. What are the main challenges ahead?
Learning is the mother of education, but still our knowledge about the processes of learning is rudimentary, despite a century of pedagogical research. Recently, neuroscience and brain research have been identified as a promising way forward. Is understanding the brain the birth of a new learning science? Is it hope or reality?
The former Chief Counsellor for Education at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, Professor Jarl Bengtsson, is an expert on education and its links to the economy and society. Under his leadership, the OECD's Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) carried out wide-ranging research on lifelong learning, the school-to-work transition, the links between education and economic development, and sustainable development.
Professor Jarl Bengtsson led the group in the analysis of education statistics and indicators, particularly as they relate to the analysis of human and social capital. He also led CERI's “Brain and Learning” project with the objective of moving towards a better understanding of the learning processes of an individual’s lifecycle. This has led to two OECD publications, “Understanding the Brain: Towards a New Learning Science” and “Understanding the Brain: The Birth of a Learning Science”.
Prior to joining OECD, he was Professor of Education at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and advisor to the Swedish Minister of Education. He is now a Professor at the Danish School of Education and is Chair of the PASCAL Observatory Advisory Board.
Professor Jarl Bengtsson led the group in the analysis of education statistics and indicators, particularly as they relate to the analysis of human and social capital. He also led CERI's “Brain and Learning” project with the objective of moving towards a better understanding of the learning processes of an individual’s lifecycle. This has led to two OECD publications, “Understanding the Brain: Towards a New Learning Science” and “Understanding the Brain: The Birth of a Learning Science”.
Prior to joining OECD, he was Professor of Education at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and advisor to the Swedish Minister of Education. He is now a Professor at the Danish School of Education and is Chair of the PASCAL Observatory Advisory Board.
The seminar was chaired by Professor Mike Osborne, Director of CRADALL, Co-Director of the PASCAL Observatory and Professor of Adult Education at the Department of Adult and Continuing Education (DACE), Faculty of Education, University of Glasgow.
Featured below is the seminar description, Professor Bengtsson's presentation and the audio recordings of the event:
Featured below is the seminar description, Professor Bengtsson's presentation and the audio recordings of the event:
Audio file:
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Education & Brain Research (Presentation) [1] | 79.5 KB |
| Introduction (Audio) [2] | 3.43 MB |
| Questions & Answers (Audio) [3] | 38.94 MB |