
neuroscience approach is very instrumental in
developing the brain's ability to perform several
actions or efforts to improve memory, awareness and
sensitivity. Neuroscience concept is the study of the
nervous system in the human brain that relates to the
brain's sensitivity in terms of perception, memory,
biological aspects (Resti, VDA., 2013). The main task
of neuroscience is to pay attention to the balance of
right-brain and left-brain activities that affect human
behavior.
Neuroscience is the study of biophysical
components related to cognition, affection, and
society using an interdisciplinary approach between
cognitive psychology, neuroscience, artificial
intelligence, and biology. In short, it’s the study of the
nervous system of living things, especially the
intricacies of the human brain. The brain is an organ
that plays an important role in regulating human
consciousness as the main element that forms human
identity. More than 100 billion nerve cells in the brain
influence various aspects of decision-making,
memory, perception, movement and more.
The neuroscience approach to learning is designed
by prioritizing the ability between neurons or nerves
that are interconnected centered on the brain as a
coordination of cognitive and affective thinking.
Learning is focused on the ability to coordinate
between cognitive, psychomotor abilities combined
into affective abilities in the form of spirituality that
coordinate with each other so as to produce abilities
that complement each other in balance. In this case,
learning is expected to produce students as quality
human resources, able to compete and have character
in line with the challenges of 21st century education
(Saputro, S.D., 2017), namely students are expected to
survive by using skills to live and develop learning
skills, innovate, technology and information media.
They are also expected to master and apply higher
order thinking skills (Suyadi, 2012) through the 4Cs
(communication skills, collaboration in groups, critical
thinking, creativity and innovation) (Wathon, A.,
2016).
As a real form of learning practice in the
classroom, this neuroscience approach needs to be
supported by relevant learning models, including the
Design Thinking model. Design thinking emerged in
the early 1960s (Diamond, M., Hopson, J. 1998),
which is a methodology or mindset that brings out the
creative potential of students through the Trial and
Error process by prioritizing process over results. The
purpose of design thinking is to plan, implement, and
evaluate the extent to which the experience is learner-
centered, so the design is user-centered. Design
thinking according to Roterberg (Brown, T., 2009) is
an integrative approach to problem solving that is
user-oriented and emphasizes empathy. Design
thinking consists of iterative cycles, requires a
diversity of participants, creates a collaborative and
creative workspace, and combines analysis and
synthesis.
The development of the approach is offered as an
alternative to solving social studies learning problems
at school. This is based on the findings of interviews
with teachers at the preliminary stage as listed in table
1 below.
Table 1: Social Studies Learning Issues.
Students often lack concentration and low
interest in learning, even though teachers
have implemented a variety of different
learning methods.
Some students show less social sensitivity in
cooperating with friends, even though they
have good academic abilities.
The development of technology makes
students adapt quickly, but critical thinking
skills are still weak and there is a lack of
awareness to empathize.
As a response to social studies learning
problems, the author presents a design thinking that
can be implemented as a solution. Design thinking
has five main phases, namely empathize, define,
ideate, prototype, and test/evaluate (Dadana, et, al.,
2013). Teachers must build empathy, formulating
learning objectives based on the current curriculum,
creating solutions, developing prototypes, and testing
prototypes. Based on these stages, as a design thinker,
teachers who develop design thinking models must
pay attention to several conditions including having
high empathy, integrative thinking, optimistic,
experimentalist, collaborative, and joyful. In this
case, it is certainly very relevant to the neuroscience
approach that seeks a balance between brain power
and empathy. Both are very relevant to be developed
in social studies learning as a subject that prepares
students to take the knowledge, attitudes and ability
to be ready in society.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
An in-depth understanding of the development of the
neuroscience approach through Design Thinking
must be understood through the supporting concepts
and theories of neuroscience, the syntax of design
thinking, and its implementation. It is described more
fully in this section.
Development of Neuroscience Approach Through Design Thinking Model in Social Studies Learning
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