The NeuroCompass: Guiding Learning, Leadership, and Love

This session will be led by Dr Maureen Ruby (Sacred Heart University). In our rapidly evolving global educational landscape, one thing remains constant: the brain is our common ground. This presentation will explore how a foundational understanding of educational neuroscience can transform not what and how we design curriculum, teach, assess, lead, and parent. Two graduate-level courses were redesigned to place educational neuroscience at the core. In the first, future school leaders examined how brain development and neuroplasticity inform strategic decisions about curriculum, instruction, and assessment. In the second—a doctoral course on SEL pedagogy and practice—students extended their basic understanding of brain science from their SEL Foundations course to design socially and emotionally rich learning environments grounded in compassion and evidence. Complementing these academic shifts, a seminar series designed for parents provided immersive experiences in “Compassionate Parenting,” guiding caregivers to see behavior as communication and emotions as teachable moments. Participants’ response to neuroscience content was unexpected. The impact was transformative: deeper understanding, stronger relationships, and greater empathy. This session highlights how bridging neuroscience with practical pedagogy leads to profound shifts in perspectives, systems, and relationships.

This talk is part of a webinar series from the Centre for Educational Neuroscience at UCL, Birkbeck University and the UCL IoE. You can register here to receive weekly updates about the seminar series.