To my politically-minded science colleagues and friends. Please do read and consider the ideas 👇
Our new UK government is misappropriating the authority of cognitive science to advance a view of what education should be based on political ideas. It will continue to do so unless, in part, held to account by cognitive scientists. 1/
Their view of education emphasises building knowledge and deemphases critical thinking, creativity, and developing children’s autonomy in their own learning. A theory called Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) is being used to provide scientific authority to the argument. 2/
CLT is based on a flawed model of cognition. It states that high-level cognitive processes, such as problem-solving, planning and social cog., cannot be taught as they are innate processes that develop instinctively. Therefore, education should focus on developing knowledge. 3/
As I’m sure many of you would agree, CLT's strong nativist account of development and learning is at odds with contemporary cognitive and developmental theory. However, this is what is being used to shape education policy. 5/
The UK government are using Ofsted inspection frameworks and teacher training frameworks as top-down and bottom-up mechanisms to implement the ideas from this theory of learning in educational policy and practice. 6/
Inline with CLT, these frameworks emphasise learning as a change in long-term memory - building knowledge - and deemphasise critical thinking, creativity, and developing children’s autonomy in their own learning. Hardly any contemporary cog or dev science has been drawn upon. 7/
Of particular note (in the teacher training frameworks) is that there is zero reference to any developmental changes children go through even though these are meant for early years to A level teachers. 11/
How did these frameworks end up using a flawed model of cognition to guide some of their ideas whilst at the same time ignoring the rich body contemporary cognitive and developmental science? 12/
Ofsted and the DfE set up expert advisory groups to guide the development of these frameworks, although there were very few cognitive and developmental scientists in these groups, even though they were drawing on cog and dev science. Was that a mistake? 13/
In fact, for many of the groups, there wasn't even a formal recruitment process. schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-no-form… 14/
Many in education are deeply concerned about how a reductive view of cognitive science is being used in this way. A group of teacher training experts have recently written about some of these concerns in the Guardian theguardian.com/education/2019… 15/
... and the BERA blog bera.ac.uk/blog/total-rec… 16/
Part of the reason science has been able to be misappropriated in this way is because there are very few cognitive scientists critiquing the science that is being used. 17/
This has allowed persuasive voices to push the idea that critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity cannot be taught under the banner of “this is what the science says” with CLT providing the scientific authority. 18/
Not only is a rich body of relevent cognitive and developmental being ignored, but the authority of science is also being co-opted to advance through politics ideas. 19/
Politicians use science...
like a drunk uses a lamppost
20/
like a drunk uses a lamppost
20/
Maybe I am naive PhD student, but I firmly believe that science has a crucial role to play in holding the political use of science to account. Who else can? Currently, gov ed policy is not being held to account by cognitive science. 21/
Please do look through the links and consider the ideas and argument. Do you think it's right/wrong? Do you think scientists have a role to play in holding the political use of science to account? 22/
What other cogntive and developmental science could be included? Is it right that there is zero consideration of development? How could we support the integration of science into policy? 23/
If you have any ideas, please do comment, share with colleagues and make some noise.
We don't have to wait until the next election to make a change - education is important and science has a role to play!
Please RT
END/
We don't have to wait until the next election to make a change - education is important and science has a role to play!
Please RT
END/
If people would be interested in signing or contributing to a letter for politicians and the media, please do send me a quick email and I'll be in contact - msloco01@mail.bbk.ac.uk
Tx!
Tx!
Thank you for your support, Iris. Good to hear other cognitive scientist's views
Some research that could be useful for education
