Alessandra Sperduti|Federica Crivellaro|Paola Francesca Rossi|Luca Bondioli
“Do Octopuses Have a Brain?” Knowledge, Perceptions and Attitudes towards Neuroscience at School
Pigorini National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography|Pigorini National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography|Pigorini National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography|Pigorini National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography
present study contributes question school literacy brain original survey conducted italian students 3rd 10th grades n 508 main goal test students knowledge attitudes interests neuroscience assess needs prospects difficulties teaching brain elementary high school written questionnaire maintaining anonymity asked 12 closeended multiple choice questions topics related human animal brains plus one facultative openended question interests curiosities brain topics results show respondents fragmentary level basic knowledge brain aspects related brain functions consciousness challenging expected degrees performance improve school level elementary school students answered correctly average number 53 questions middle school 65 high school 74 overall students show great interest brain shown large number questions gathered openended question n 384 topics addressed mostly related brain structurefunctions role brain everyday life survey indicates need thorough school programs subject reinforced interdisciplinary teaching comparative anatomy evolutionary aspects brain development covered