EDUC 211 Supplementary Course Information
Introduction to Educational Neuroscience
CRN 35043, Trimester 3, 2025
Teaching Format
Lectures
This course consists of 15 x 110-minute lectures that involve class discussion.
Lectures will provide students with opportunities to:
• Develop a deeper understanding of lecture and reading material.
• Hear and contribute to class discussion (develop communication skills).
Attendance at lectures is not compulsory, but is strongly recommended.
• Students should arrive on time and show respect to others in the class at all times.
• Lectures will be recorded and made available to view on Nuku (Canvas).
• Lectures will be continuously recorded from the start to the end of class times.
Tutorials
There are no tutorials for this course, however class participation is highly encouraged.
Students should complete the required readings prior to lecture. Students are expected to have access to a copy of the following book:
Educational Neuroscience: Development Across the Life Span. (Frontiers of Developmental Science) 1st Edition. Michael S. C. Thomas, Denis Mareschal, and Iroise Dumontheil. Published April 15, 2020. ISBN 9781138240353
Book options:
• There are several copies available for purchase in Campus Books located at the Kelburn Campus. https://www.campusbooks.nz/
• There is a copy of the e-text in the university central library, but they can be in heavy demand at crucial times during the course. There are limited licences to view at any one time and you can only print or download 40 pages per day. It is available at this link: https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.helicon.vuw.ac.nz/lib/VUW/detail.action?docID=6151599
You are also expected and encouraged to find your own research and resources to complete your assignments as part of your own self-directed learning.
Expected Workload
Students will be expected to spend around 200 hours or 40 hours per week working on the class material.
Example of expected workload:
• 6 hours per week attending and participating in lectures.
• 15 hours per week reading course texts and material for lectures.
• 10-15 hours per week learning material covered in lectures.
• 10-15 hours per week preparing/taking quizzes and essay.
Mandatory Course Requirements
There are no mandatory course requirements for this course.
Course Improvement based on Summary of Student Feedback
This is 4th time that Educational Neuroscience has been offered. Therefore, your feedback will be essential for the development and improvement of the course.
Course Content
The following timetable is a guide to lecture content due dates, and readings.
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Date
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L
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Content
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Readings
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Due Dates
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1
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Nov 17
|
1
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An Overview of Educational Neuroscience
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Chapter 1
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|
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1
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Nov 19
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2
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An Introduction to the Brain and Cognition
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Chapter 2
(p 23 – 31)
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|
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1
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Nov 20
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3
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An Overview of Neuroimaging and Brain Development
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Chapter 2
(p 32 -41)
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Quiz 1 Closes Sunday Nov 23 at 11:59pm
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2
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Nov 24
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4
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Genetic Influences on Educational Abilities & Achievement
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Chapter 3
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|
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2
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Nov 26
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5
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Environmental Influences on Educational Abilities & Achievement
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Chapter 4
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|
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2
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Nov 27
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6
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The Development of Executive Functions in Childhood and Adolescence and Their Relation to School
Performance
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Chapter 9
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Quiz 2 Closes Sunday Nov 30 at 11:59pm
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3
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Dec 1
|
7
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Understanding Emotional Thought Can Transform Educators’ Understanding of How Students Learn
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Chapter 10
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|
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3
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Dec 3
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8
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Neuroscience in Reading and Reading Difficulties
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Chapter 5
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|
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3
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Dec 4
|
9
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Neuroscience in Reading and Reading Difficulties Part 2
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Chapter 5
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Quiz 3 Closes Sunday Dec 7 at 11:59pm
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|
|
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|
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Written Assignment 1 due Dec 5 at 11:59pm
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4
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Dec 8
|
10
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Sources of Variability in Mathematical Development
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Chapter 7
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4
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Dec 10
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11
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Sources of Variability in Mathematical Development Part 2
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Chapter 7
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4
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Dec 11
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12
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Lifespan Conceptual Development in Science
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Chapter 8
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Quiz 4 Closes Sunday Dec 14 at 11:59pm
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5
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Dec 15
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13
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Neurodiversity in the Classroom
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Articles on Nuku
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|
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5
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Dec 17
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14
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Towards a Science of Teaching and Learning for Teacher Education / Essay help session
|
Chapter 17
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|
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5
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Dec 18
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15
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Educational Neuroscience: So What Does it Mean in the Classroom? / Essay help session
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Chapter 19
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Written Assignment 2 due Dec 19 at
11:59pm
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Assessment Requirements
EDUC 211 is 100% internally assessed. Nuku (Canvas) will be used to submit assignments and take the quizzes.
Weekly Quizzes (40%)
• Online assessments (4 quizzes x 10% each)
o 10 questions (multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and matching) designed to assess the understanding of key concepts in educational neuroscience.
• Questions will be based on the content covered during the week.
• The quizzes are available from Thursday afternoon to Sunday night, but you will only have one chance to start the quiz and 30 minutes to complete it.
Written Assignment 1 (25%)
• The purpose of this exercise is to apply concepts from educational neuroscience to real-world educational contexts. In this assignment, you will write a letter to a teacher (early childhood, primary, or secondary), offering two practical recommendations to enhance their students’ learning that are grounded in
neuroscience research. Note: the assignment will not actually be sent to teachers.
• Word count: 1000 words excluding references
• Detailed rubric and assignment guidelines are available on Nuku (Canvas)
• This assignment should be submitted to via Nuku (Canvas) by Friday Dec. 5 at 11:59 PM
Written Assignment 2 / Essay (35%)
• The purpose of this exercise is to translate educational neuroscience research into education policy
recommendations. In this essay, you will write a letter to the Minister for Education advocating for one change in policy, practice, or allocation of resources to improve education in New Zealand based on
educational neuroscience research. Note: the assignment will not actually be sent to the minister.
• Word count: 2000 words excluding references. Detailed rubric and assignment guidelines are available on Nuku (Canvas)
• This assignment should be submitted to via Nuku (Canvas) by Friday December 19 at 11:59 PM
Marking Criteria
Detailed marking criteria for the assignments will be available on Nuku (Canvas).
Assignment Submission
Students must not email assignments to their lecturer.
The asssignments must be submitted 11:59 PM on the due date on Nuku (Canvas) via the assignment link.
Formatting Guideline
All Assignments submitted for marking must use the following protocols:
• Your name and ID should be on each page in a header or footer;
• Word processed in a universal format such as Microsoft Word;
o Google or OneDrive links should not be submitted for written assignments; you can download a copy of your writing to submit either via a word document or PDF version.
• Times New Roman 12 pt., 2.5 cm margins; 1.5-line spacing.
Returning Marked Assignments
Returned assignments will be marked on Turnitin through Nuku (Canvas).
Penalties
The following will apply for assignments that are submitted late (after the due date).
• If submitted within five working days of the due date, it will still be graded (late penalties may be applied)
• A 5% penalty may be deducted for each late day (up to a maximum of 25%)
• Essay plans and essays submitted more than 5 days after the due date will not be graded.
Extensions
• Students may request an extension for late submission of the essay plan or essay.
• If requesting an extension, students should discuss their situations with the Lecturer as soon as possible and PRIOR to the due date.
• Students should apply for an extension by email or make an appointment with the Lecturer.
Communication of Additional Information
It is the student’s responsibility to check their email and Nuku (Canvas) regularly. Weekly announcements will be made via Nuku (Canvas). The following will also be posted on Nuku (Canvas):
• Copies of lecture presentations
• Information and announcements about lectures
• Additional references and useful links to course readings, student learning resources.
• Copies of marking criteria and other related material
• Grades and announcements regarding the availability of marked assignments
•
Further information will be given out in lectures and general information relating to the course will be posted on Nuku (Canvas) .