Although research shows that ninety percent of brain development occurs before age five, public investment in the care and education of those children currently accounts for less than five percent of Minnesota's education funding. A disconnect exists between what science tells us about the developmental needs of children ages zero to five and what society does to support that development. The Science Museum of Minnesota, in partnership with the Center for Early Education and Development (CEED) at the University of Minnesota, and Public Agenda, a non partisan civic engagement organization, will incorporate recent findings from neurobiology, human development, and learning research to help the public better understand the role that policies can play in providing children with strong developmental foundations for a healthy and productive life. Brighter Futures uses research in neurobiology, human development, pediatric medicine, and economics to support (1) programming designed to engage audiences in substantive, ongoing conversations and public actions with regard to early childhood development; (2) an exhibition that bridges the gap between the public and current research on the science of early childhood development; and (3) research on designing exhibits for civic engagement and the policy impacts of catalyzing visitor conversation around the science of early childhood development.
Brighter Futures is funded by the National Science Foundation.
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