Destined for Failure: Neuromyths

Growing up in a household consumed by pragmatic, logical thinkers, I was an anomaly, an “odd man out” for my love of theatre, writing, and all things arts. My evitable decision to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree was justified by my family as being a “right brain thinker”. This was a fate I was always destined to approach because of my high achieving grades in English and Social Sciences in comparison to the Sciences and Maths like the rest of my family.

In classroom environments, we can recall the notorious designation of being a “gifted” child, a “left brained” thinker that other children admired awed at. I was always in rival and encouraged to aspire to be “gifted” but this was unattainable as a “right brain” persona.

These notions that daunted by childhood are grounded in the work of psychologists like Robert Ornstein who hypothesized claims that Western cultures were dominated by left hemisphere individuals while Eastern cultures were right, a concept that in itself is underlying in a colonial fashion (OCED, 2021, para. 6). This would lead to the popular neuro-myth that left brained individuals have cognitive styles and personality types that are more analytical and logical while right brained creative and emotional (Center for Educational Neuroscience 2021, para 1). Later studies would show that hemisphere is does not excludeone side. While this neuromyth has major drawbacks and miscalculations, it created the fundamentals for holistic teaching we have today that has allowed for me to thrive, regardless of any neuromyth.

In the classroom environment by integrating more creative learning strategies that take a more holistic approach, Principles of Multimedia Learning highlights the impact of cognitive theory of multimedia learning that effective help effectively translate information to all students, either left-brained nor right-brained.

References

Left brain versus right brain thinkers. Centre for Educational Neuroscience. (2021). Retrieved 23 May 2021, from http://www.educationalneuroscience.org.uk/resources/neuromyth-or-neurofact/left-brain-versus-right-brain-thinkers/.

Neuromyth 6 – OECD. Oecd.org. (2021). Retrieved 23 May 2021, from https://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/neuromyth6.htm.

Principles of Multimedia Learning – Center for Teaching and Learning | Wiley Education Services. Center for Teaching and Learning | Wiley Education Services. (2021). Retrieved 24 May 2021, from https://ctl.wiley.com/principles-of-multimedia-learning/.

Very Well Mind. (2017). Left Brain vs. Right Brain Dominance Is the analytical-creative separation true or false? [Image]. Retrieved 24 May 2021, from https://www.verywellmind.com/left-brain-vs-right-brain-2795005.