Engaging with research and debunking myths

Engaging with educational research, alongside gaining practical experience in the classroom, is fundamental to developing the knowledge and understanding you need to teach effectively. Critiquing research evidence will continue to be important throughout your career, helping you to make informed judgements about ‘what works’ in education and to challenge the kinds of myths around teaching and learning that can take hold when research evidence is not considered. This article aims to give an overview of some aspects that come into play when talking about the creation of myths in education, with particular emphasis on neuromyths – common misconceptions about the brain. I will describe some of the mechanisms behind the formation of myths, briefly look at the role of social media and will finish by giving some pointers that might help prevent myths taking hold in education. The nature of myths In the last five years, numerous studies have looked at the prevalence of myths in educati