Is Cognitive Science Relevant to Teaching?

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the application of cognitive science to the problems of pedagogy. My discussion bears on teaching generally but I give some emphasis to the case of science education as illustrative. A voluminous literature professes to explain "How Cognitive Science Can Contribute to Education" (Bruer 1995). My concern is not to directly deny such claims or to impugn work that might warrant them. However, I survey a sample of cognitive science writing that is demonstrably without any such value. Since the cases are chosen for their shortcomings, there is no suggestion that the work discussed is representative, but only widespread. The exercise is important because, if warranted, the critique reveals a malaise in the field where spurious claims for the educational value of cognitive science including neuroscience are so widespread.