Creencias versus conocimiento en futuro profesorado. Un estudio comparado sobre neuromitos a nivel internacional

Abstract

Neuromyths are mistaken beliefs about the brain and its functioning and are based on pseudoscientific arguments or misinterpretations of certain findings. These erroneous ideas may stem from erroneous or poorly explained information from mass communication, ignorance of technical language in neuroscience, or limited access to primary sources. In assessing the level of neuromyths awareness in a Spanish-speaking sample of future teachers, and in seeking to replicate previous research on in-service teachers, this study applied a Spanish-translated version of the questionnaire created by Dekker et al. (2012). An instrument of 32 statements on the brain and learning, 12 of which were neuromyths, was applied to a sample of 99 early childhood education students from Chile and Spain. The results showed high neuromyth adhesion in both groups. Despite increasing evidence refuting some of these erroneous conceptions, these results conclusively showed a persisting neuroscientific knowledge gap in future educators. The consequences of such incomprehension or distortions of valid scientific knowledge in educational praxis impel us to insist on evidence-based education. Indeed, beyond simple reading, the careful selection and inclusion of scientific sources in the initial teacher training are essential for training teachers to read critically and reflectively; they will be able to make educational decisions based on available scientific evidence.