by Patricia Thornton

Created on: June 13, 2009   Last Updated: June 14, 2009

HA! That is hilarious. Not many educators, unless at an Ivy League school or at least a highly ranked school, would go through the trouble of retrieving scientific information to learn about the brain in order to connect with their students better. Even if an educator was to retrieve scientific evidence, would a professor be qualified to analyze this information and apply it to instructing students? Yes, most of these educators will have masters degrees and PhDs. However, think of all of the degrees that an educator can obtain that have nothing to do with science, thus not giving the professor the ability to analyze the scientific information; English, Exercise Science, Criminal Justice, International Relations, Math, Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, Accounting, and International Business are but a few examples of masters degrees or PhDs one can obtain and still not have the adequate knowledge to analyze scientific information about the brain (one of the most complicated parts of our anatomy) and apply it to instructing.

There seems to be this mysticism attached to obtaining a graduate degree. There is this idea that those who obtain these degrees are knowledgeable about anything and everything. Take it from me, I have a graduate degree in Political Science and a Law Degree, I would never be able to analyze scientific information about the brain and apply it to instructing.

This doesn't mean that an educator would not use scientific evidence. However, to be so specific as to read reports on the brain. I don't think so. Behavioral science, maybe. Articles from a scientific perspective that discuss learning and communicating with students, more likely. Studies of the brain and all of its complex functions, that's a little extreme to say the least.

Long story short, most educators are so busy with their own research that they would not spend an inordinate amount of time reading the research of others on a subject as elementary as communicating with students. In college, true learning comes from reading the text. Anyone who has graduated will tell you that. Professors merely serve as someone you can ask questions when you are confused and also someone who can give you a challenging test. Maybe I just had a bad experience; however, when talking to my colleagues the preceding argument seems to be the consensus. If you ever meet a professor who actually would attempt to retrieve this kind of information, you should shake his hand and appreciate his efforts. Sadly, today, most professors simply do not care enough to engage in that kind of work.

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