It is a well-known fact that there is an increase in neuropsychiatric disorder diagnoses, mental health issues and school refusals among children and young people, and that there may be challenges within the pedagogical structures affecting students' health, self-esteem and levels of knowledge.
Most of us agree on that there is a need to change the current educational structure in order to include more children. However, transforming profound structures takes time, and the educational change we wish to see also lacks sufficiently evidence.
Our ambition is to develop a model school in collaboration with research institutes and demonstrate which environments, methods, structures, work approaches and attitudes that would actually benefit and work for ALL students?
How might a well-functional and inclusive school look like in practise, if we based it on the latest scientific discoveries and knowledge about organization, leadership, pedagogy, children and learning, not to mention how the human brain function?
What educational structure would promote mental health, motivation, and knowledge development?
Demonstrating an evidence-based, resource-effective and inclusive school where learning is accessible to all students could guide us and facilitate shaping the school of the future.
Project ad astra is a non-profit organization with the purpose of conducting a research and science-based development project in school organization, neuropedagogy, and evidence-based learning.
Articles and board members (in swedish).
The aim of the project is to develop methods and conditions for inclusion, well-being, learning, and development for children and young people, and to counteract mental health issues and exclusion in learning and school environments. The aim is also to create favorable conditions for knowledge acquisition, motivation, and optimism about the future.
Furthermore, the purpose of project ad astra is to disseminate knowledge about neuropedagogy and other scientific research related to children, learning, and development.
The long-term goal of the project is to develop and establish a primary school, Österlenskolan, based on a holistic and neuropedagogical approach and evidence-based learning, with a specific aim to improve the school situation, opportunities, and rights of neurodivergent children. To follow our reasoning, gain inspiration, and deepen your understanding, we recomend this literature.
For researchers and research institutes
Recently, several scientific disciplines have begun to refer to research in neuropsychology and neurobiology. Even pedagogues have started to take an interest in the potential of using this knowledge to improve educational systems and promote learning and development. Concepts such as "neuropedagogy," "neuroeducation," "neurodidactics," and "brain-friendly education" are beginning to appear in scientific publications. Although neuropedagogy is a growing research area and there are interesting findings, it is still a relatively new field, and more research is needed to establish the effectiveness of various educational interventions based on neuroscientific principles.
Dr. Malgorzata Chojak at Maria Curie-Sklodowska University has published articles on how to organize the new terminology and what scientific approach, definition of research object, and methodological framework one can use for neuropedagogical research. Chojak's concept could perhaps provide the basis for designing research methods and procedures that enable research in neuropedagogy.
Please read her publications:
Neuropedagogy as a scientific subdiscipline – possibilities and limitations (2020)
Also see Amy Shelton, Professor of Education; Associate Dean of Research, School of Education; Director of Research, Center for Talented Youth, Johns Hopkins University:
Lecture on Neuro-Education, Educational Neuroscience, and the Research-Practice Gap (2018)
For information and news about the project: