Neuroscience and Simulation: An Evolving Theory of Brain-Based Education

Nurse leaders have called for reform in nursing education. A volume of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching's Preparation for the Professions series analyzed nurses' teaching methodology and advocated changes in what and how nurses teach. One method gaining acceptance is technological innovations: simulators, virtual worlds, and video/computer games. Neuroscientists are beginning to understand the bridge between technology and the body's biological, chemical, and physiological dynamics. This article presents a perspective on emerging neurobiology theory and the potential application to technology education. For nursing faculty, awareness of interconnections between brain circuitry and how biochemical reactions affect cognition and learning can foster development of simulated patient care scenarios that enhance learning dynamics.