Neuroeducation: Learning, Arts, and the Brain

NEUROEDUCATION: LEARNING, ARTS, AND

THE BRAIN

Findings and Challenges for Educators and Researchers from the 2009 Johns Hopkins University Summit

About The Johns Hopkins University School of Education Department of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education Neuro-Education Initiative

Bringing Together Researchers, Educators, and Stakeholders

Located at The Johns Hopkins University School of Education, the Neuro-Education Initiative (NEI) bridges the gap between the brain sciences and education by bringing together an interdisciplinary group of researchers, educators, and stakeholders to explore the intersection and application of brain research in education and to support potential areas of translational research.

Supported by the Johns Hopkins University's Brain Science Institute, the Neuro-Education Initiative spearheads collaborative projects among research and educational faculty from across the University and beyond to advance the science of learning. Such projects include national summits and conferences on topics relevant to education, graduate programs, and research initiatives to bring new knowledge to inform educational practices and policies.

In partnership with The Dana Foundation and as a follow-up to the Dana Arts and Cognition Consortium, NEI hosted its inaugural national summit in May 2009 on the topic of Learning, Arts, and the Brain. This publication captures the spirit of collaboration among summit participants who represented a wide array of disciplines among the research, academic, arts and educational practitioner communities. Future summits will build on this spirit of discovery and communication to bring the practical needs of educators and stakeholders to the research community and the exciting discoveries of the brain sciences to those who teach and nurture children.

For more information and future events visit education.jhu.edu/nei; or contact the NeuroEducation Initiative Co-Directors Mariale Hardiman at mmhardiman@jhu.edu or Susan Magsamen at smagsam1@jhu.edu.

About Dana

The Dana Foundation is a private philanthropic organization with particular interests in brain science, immunology, and education.

In 2004, Dana funded the Dana Arts and Cognition Consortium bringing together scientists from seven research institutions to study how arts training in children might affect other learning domains. The results of the study were published in 2008 and became the focus for an all-day summit focused on neuroeducation, hosted by the Johns Hopkins Neuro-Education Initiative, in cooperation with Dana. This publication is an outcome of that summit meeting.

In the science and health fields, Dana grants support research in neuroscience and immunology. As part of its outreach to the public, Dana produces books and periodicals from the Dana Press, coordinates the international Brain Awareness week campaign; and supports the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, a nonprofit organization of more than 250 neuroscientists, including ten Nobel laureates, committed to advancing public awareness of the progress of brain research. The Dana Web site is at .

Neuroeducation: Learning, Arts, and the Brain

Findings and Challenges for Educators and Researchers from the 2009 Johns Hopkins University Summit

By Mariale Hardiman, Ed.D., Susan Magsamen, Guy McKhann, M.D., and Janet Eilber

Barbara Rich, Ed.D., Editor Johanna Goldberg, Associate Editor

New York/Washington, D.C.

Copyright 2009 by Dana Press, all rights reserved Published by Dana Press New York/Washington, D.C.

The Dana Foundation 745 Fifth Avenue, Suite 900 New York, NY 10151 900 15th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20005 DANA is a federally registered trademark. ISBN: 978-1-932594-52-2 Art direction and cover design by Kenneth Krattenmaker. Layout by William Stilwell. Cover illustrations: Art from students at Roland Park Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore

Dedication

William Safire 1929?2009

William Safire died while this publication was in production. But, in true Safire-style, he met the deadline for his prolegomenon just a week or so before his death. "Deadline, deadline, deadline" was his mantra and he kept to it.

Safire, always the first to realize what would be significant and push for it, believed in the importance of arts education, brain research, and neuroeducation. In 2004, with the approval of the Dana Board of Directors, the Foundation established the Dana Arts and Cognition Consortium. The Consortium, researchers at seven major institutions, was charged with studying the effects of arts training on other learning domains. The results of that study, which showed strong correlative links, but not causal ones, were released in a report in 2008.

Earlier this year, Safire gave his approval for the Foundation to support The Johns Hopkins NeuroEducation Initiative, which planned to hold a summit for scientists, educators, and policy makers on the results of that study and subsequent research. Safire was convinced that this emerging field of neuroeducation, with its strong ties to cognitive research, would ultimately make a difference in teaching and would emphasize the importance of bringing arts back into the classroom.

Safire decided that the Foundation, working with the Neuro-Education Initiative, would publish a book of the highlights of the summit meeting. He told me to "get on it," and get this book out. The time frame was never stated, but certainly implied. Safire hated old news. Enough said.

So, despite the sadness following his death we "got on it." I asked, "What would Bill say?" And I knew the answer would be, "Keep the faith, kiddo." And we will, Bill.

This one's for you.

Barbara Rich, Ed.D. Editor

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