Psychology and Neuroscience in Education
Research Interests and Projects
Research relating to the group's cognitive and neuroscience strand is conducted within the Centre for Neuroscience in Education, established in 2005. The Centre forms part of the Cambridge Neuroscience Initiative, benefiting from the University's status as world leader in this field. Cambridge is the first Education Faculty in the world to have on-site (EEG) neuroimaging facilities dedicated to educational research. Recent or ongoing projects focus upon literacy and dyslexia across languages, mathematical cognition and dyscalculia, executive function and reasoning by analogy.
The complementary cognitive and socio-cultural strand addresses the interplay between individual knowledge and social interaction in classroom learning. Research considers how learning is influenced by communication within and beyond the classroom, and how the influence of communication is mediated through cognitive and socio-cognitive processes. Recent and current projects address dialogic teaching in classrooms, children's talk in group activities, contradiction and co-construction in knowledge acquisition, conceptual growth in mathematics and science, creativity in design and technology, and interactive whiteboards as pedagogic tools. Additionally, some members of this group are part of the Primary Review - an independent review of primary education.
The group has a lively programme of activities, including reading groups, internal discussion groups, and public seminars with outside speakers. Post-doctoral fellows and postgraduate students participate fully. The group attracts visiting scholars from around the world, and engages in many international research collaborations. Research-based consultancies are carried out for government departments, research councils, professional associations, and within the local community.