The npj Science of Learning Community presents research focussing on the mind, brain and education space. In June, our authors discussed why connecting students with nature is strategic to their productivity and happiness, and how talent alone is never enough to be an accomplished writer.

Cultivating and sustaining a child’s curiosity can make a difference to their academic performance and health. Richard Louv helped pioneer the movement to transform schools into natural learning environments and says ‘greening schools may be one of the most cost-effective ways to raise student test scores’. In Back to the school of the future Louv highlights the positive effects natural school design is having on both students and teachers: stimulating students’ imaginations, nurturing creativity and improving mental wellbeing.

Have you ever wanted to be a writer but never believed you had the talent? Well think again. Jovi Nazareno deconstructs the myths surrounding the art of writing, especially claims that people with ‘natural talent’ are more successful than those who make an effort. ‘The question is not whether nature or nurture wins out but how our innate abilities, circumstances and choices interact,’ she says. Learn more in To Find Writers, Look Beyond Talent.

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