Brain Science and the Understanding of Religious Education in Daesoonjinrihoi

ABSTRACT

In the field of brain science, the 21st century is seen as the era of brain and the future of humanity is considered to be dependent on how they utilize the potential of human brain. To meet the recent rapid progress of brain science, many academic areas such as humanities, social science, and arts are trying to graft brain science onto their studies, and to re-examine everything related to human activities from the perspective of brain science. Based on these interdisciplinary researches, it is also expected for educational study to find solutions with new perspectives and methods for various problems produced in the fields of education. Compared to the conventional form of education, today’s education is changing in many aspects towards learner-centered education. With many systematic and scientific researches and the development of new education programs, the paradigm of education itself is changing into a new one. In the fields of brain science, which premises that all learning process is taking place in the brain, researchers try to find scientific and systematic approach for the process of human thinking and learning. Based on the scientific understanding of cognitive function and structure of the brain, this study tried to plan an appropriate learning environment where learners can use their brain more effectively. In this trend of the times, religious education of Daesoonjinrihoi must also adapt to the learning science based on the result of brain science researches. However, the current situation imposes difficulties in adapting the brain science to improve education environment and go further to use it for religious education. Until now, studies on this subject have been made only in very basic and fragmentary level. Therefore, in order to carry out more directive and practical research that can be applied in education fields, it is required to first study the brain, mind, and body from various interpretations, which can derive the agreement point between brain science and religious education in Daesoonjinrihoi. In addition, inferring from the speed of development of brain imaging technology and accumulation of these studies, there will be many researches made in various forms. They could be used for defining the cause of individual differences and for diagnosing and curing of learning disorders in various areas by watching the change occurring in the brain during the process of carrying out learning tasks. One way to apply brain science would be to measure the effect of mind training or spiritual cultivation that are practiced in Daesoonjinrihoi and use it in actual education. From these proactive researches, further discussions on the possibilities of linking brain science to learning and education system and making innovative education can be expected.