Neuromyths - classrooms, culture & climate change. with Paul Howard-Jones

Neuromyths - classrooms, culture & climate change

Recent breakthroughs in our understanding of the human brain offer an exciting prospect for education. The idea that we can draw on scientific insights to improve what happens in the classroom is an alluring one – but it is also a double-edged sword. While neuroscience can inform better teaching practices, its appeal has also given rise to a host of pervasive and persistent ‘neuromyths’ that can undermine learning.
Paul Howard-Jones will explore these compelling but misleading ideas about the brain. Where do neuromyths come from, and why do they proliferate? Paul will unpack the cultural forces and emotional biases that shape them, revealing the 'folk neuroscience’ embedded in our everyday language.

Far from being a harmless curiosity, these myths can have a serious impact. Paul will consider how common misunderstandings about the emotional brain may be jeopardising efforts to provide effective sustainability education – a key tool in addressing the global challenge of climate change. For anyone interested in education, psychology, and how we can empower young people to become active agents of change, this lecture is an essential guide to navigating the myths and opportunities of modern neuroscience for education

Paul Howard-Jones is Professor of Neuroscience and Education at the School of Education, University of Bristol, with degrees in engineering and psychology, and a PhD in medical physics. He was a teacher before becoming a trainer of primary and secondary school teachers and an inspector of schools. His research has focused on issues at the interface of cognitive neuroscience and educational theory, practice, and policy.
He is particularly interested in addressing neuromyths, understanding the creative brain and how games and learning games engage their players, and exploring how insights from the science of learning can inform climate change education.
He was a member of the Royal Society’s working group on Neuroscience and Education. His broadcasting work includes Channel 4’s BAFTA-nominated series The Secret Life of Four Year Olds, and the podcast Mind, Brain and Planet, which draws on psychology and neuroscience to understand our relationship with sustainability and the environment. He was the recipient of the Humanists UK Blackham Medal in 2025.

Everyone welcome. The event is FREE for Bristol Humanists members. Others we request a contribution of £5/£2