Fraser Coast teachers will be urged to consider the brain of a teenager as a “work in progress” at a special professional development seminar run by the University of the Sunshine Coast next week.
 
USC Associate Professor of Education Michael Nagel will unpack the science of the developing brain from conception to adolescence at a thought-provoking and practical seminar at USC’s Fraser Coast campus on Wednesday 18 May.

“The most important thing I hope teachers and education students understand is that the students that they have in their classrooms are changing,” Dr Nagel said. “Young children’s brains are rapidly changing and will go through a major restructuring program during the teenage years.

“Having some understanding of how the brain matures and why children do some of the things they do can provide teachers with greater insights in understanding behaviour and engaging learning.”

The free, two-hour twilight seminar, ‘A user’s guide to the brain: linking neuroscience to learning and teaching’, is provided for educators across the region who have partnered with USC to provide supervised classroom placements for the University’s pre-service teachers.

Dr Nagel is renowned for his workshops and books on how the brains of girls and boys develop in early childhood and adolescence. He said the seminar also would provide a foundation for looking at learning in a rapidly changing techno-charged world.

“Technology is changing the way the brains of students work so we will look at how students engage with technology, the pros of technology, and what some of the potential negatives might be,” he said.

As part of discussion, Dr Nagel will explore the different ways boys and girls use technology and the implications for classroom behaviour.

— Clare McKay