Exploring the Role of Strategies and Tools in Teacher Professional Development in Neuroscience Education: A Review

Neuroscience education is increasingly important in today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, as understanding the brain's functions and learning processes can significantly enhance teaching practices. Moreover, the rapid evolution of technological equipment in brain studies, combined with the abundance of digitally available data, enables more accurate brain-based analyses in education, offering better insights into optimizing learning outcomes and tailoring teaching methods. However, there remains a lack of clarity regarding which strategies and tools are most effective in supporting teacher Professional Development (PD) in this specialized field. This study is motivated by the need to explore and assess the current strategies, both pedagogical and technological, that shape PD programs for neuroscience educators. Through this review, we aim to map out existing strategies and tools, identify gaps in the literature, and provide insights that can guide the future design and implementation of teacher development programs. The main findings highlight the limited number of specific strategies informing teacher PD programs in neuroscience and the minimal inclusion of technology, particularly neurotechnologies, despite their promised benefits. The increasing accessibility of brain-based data, along with the potential outcomes in personalized education, underscores the necessity for developing more neuroscience-driven strategies in teaching practices.