In Hack in the Brain – education, we explored how currently available, neuroscientific knowledge and neurotechnologies can be applied to improve learning and the learning environment both now and in the foreseeable future. We did this in workshops with pupils of the Hyperion Lyceum, a public evening and a three-day hackathon at the Waag. Neuroscientists, developers, education experts and others interested gathered to perform experiments in the field of neuroscience and education.
Such exploration is important because brainhacking could eventually cause a revolution in education. We are, however, not at all prepared for such an event. In this phase of exploration and innovation, we are bringing relevant parties together on this topic, which will provide fertile ground for inspiration, new ideas, and critical reflection.
This decade is marked by a revolution in our understanding of the brain. Thanks to new technologies and easy obtainable software and hardware, neuroscience—and our knowledge about the brain—is becoming increasingly accessible. Not only could academic or commercial breakthroughs occur, but brain revolutions could also happen on a more personal level. 'Do-it-yourself' brain hacking is no longer science fiction, but reality. In this project, we explore the consequences of developments for education.
Reports: a publication and video
The two founding partners of Hack the Brain each produced part of the report. We created a publication that can be downloaded as a pdf file, while Total Active Media made a video of the activities. In the publication (pdf) several participants have their say and you can also find obvervations made by other partners in the project, like the Radboud University of Nijmegen.
Hack the Brain 2015 from Waag on Vimeo.
