ENG: The adolescent brain is a work in progress. On education and personal growth

By Jelle Jolles & Brigitte Bloem - Feb 20th, 2017

Context shapes the brain. That is the conviction of Jelle Jolles, professor of neuropsychology at the Free University of Amsterdam and director of the Brain & Learning Centre. "The environment stimulates the development of complex brain networks within the boundaries of certain genetic conditions" explains Jolles. "What a person can achieve is not predetermined at birth. Practice and life-experiences throughout childhood and adolescence, as well as a continuous sensory stimulation are essential to further talent-development. Educators, teachers and society together create the conditions for this development. This is accomplished by providing support, guidance and inspiration. So, they provide important knowledge and help the child or teenager to reflect on options and routes-to-travel. And new insights about the maturation of the adolescent and his or her brain have great potency for educational innovations”.

TEDxAmsterdamED 2016 – Overall impressions of an inspiring day

By Alvaro de Salvo - Apr 29th, 2016

What do 600 people in the audience, 75+ volunteers, twelve keynote speakers, several performing artists and workshop hosts have in common? They were all present at the fourth edition of the TEDxAmsterdamED event, with the unique opportunity to create a full day environment to rethink education. The main topic of this year’s edition was #BorntoLearn and lifelong learning.