As busy as educators are these days, it’s almost impossible to find the time to stay current on research related to teaching. And yet the importance of incorporating brain-based learning with students is critical. Let’s discuss why research on the brain matters so much and then look at ways to save time with knowing the best ways to teach.
What Is Brain-Based Learning?
Brain-based learning refers to educational approaches and strategies informed by research in key disciplines such as:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Technology
These methods are designed to align with how the brain naturally processes and retains information. Rather than being tied to a single, unified theory, brain-based learning encompasses a wide range of concepts and practices. While this broad scope may initially seem overwhelming, it also presents an opportunity: any effort to integrate insights from educational science into your teaching practices contributes to brain-based learning.
Brain-based learning tries to answer questions such as:
- What happens in the learning process?
- Why do some students thrive at school and learn more than others?
- How should specific content and skills be introduced and reinforced?
- What instructional strategies work best for different learning?
Recent research highlights significant benefits for educators who adopt brain-based learning strategies. These teachers often observe improvements in both student knowledge retention and academic performance. That means that students not only achieve higher test scores but also develop lasting skills that they can apply in real-world contexts beyond the classroom.
Keeping Up with the Latest Research
In the past decade, brain research has more than doubled and converged in a growing science of learning and development with many important implications for instructional practices, school climate, and district policy. So how can busy teachers and administrators stay current with the latest research on the best ways to help students learn? Here are a few ways.
Stick with TCEA
TCEA’s professional development team spends a lot of time examining the latest research so that you don’t have to. They share what they discover in our blogs, our weekly Lunch and Learn webinars, and at presentations around the country. There’s also a microcredential in Research and Best Practices being offered at the 2025 TCEA Convention & Exposition. In addition, we have created an online, self-paced course that sums all of the best research up and shares exactly how you can implement it. So, stick with us and we’ll make sure you’re in the know!
Perplexity Chatbot
While there are lots of good AI chatbots out there, Perplexity is currently the best one for research. Try using the prompt below for the most useful results, along with citations about each study mentioned:
“Provide a summary of the latest validated research on how the brain learns, focusing on implications for teaching and learning in K-16 education. Please include:
- Key findings or principles from each study
- How these findings can be applied in educational settings
- A brief, reliable citation for each study, including publication year and journal (e.g., Journal of Educational Psychology, 2024). Aim for studies published within the last 1-2 years, focusing on reliable sources and peer-reviewed journals.”
You can customize the prompt by specifying a grade level or content area, as well as identify a unique audience, such as special needs or ESL students. And since the prompt provides application ideas, you can put what you learn into effect immediately.
Science Daily
The Science Daily website is a wonderful, free resource. It provides links to the latest studies on a wide range of topics, from health and medicine to technology, environmental science to business and industry. This link, though, will take you to the Education and Learning News section of the site where you can focus on brain research. Click on one of the links that piques your interest and you’ll be taken to an overview of what the research found, as well as details and references about the study.
Knowing what really works and, more importantly, what doesn’t work in the classroom today is critical for all of us. These three resources will make sure that you’re using the best instructional strategies.
