Dubai professor to advise UK TV on educational programming

Dubai, UAE, August 24, 2016:  Dubai-based professor, Dr. Efthymios Papatzikis, has been called upon to provide specialist guidance in early years education programming for the UK’s national television broadcasting organization, the BBC. 

An expert in Educational Neuroscience based at Canadian University Dubai (CUD), Dr. Papatzikis is one of only a handful of academics in the international research community with expertise in the role of music and sound in infants’ learning and brain development. His collaboration with the BBC’s pre-school channel, Cbeebies, focusses on fostering activities that can support early years education. 

Dr. Papatzikis explained, “Cbeebies aims to boost and enrich toddlers’ exposure and understanding of music and sound from an early stage in life, which requires a valid and verified approach based on music and brain research. This is where I come in, helping them to connect theory to practice in a dynamic yet pedagogical way, always keeping in mind the specific audience’s age range, limitations, and developmental needs.”

He continued, “For example, it is one thing to say that music and sound activate the brain holistically, thus promoting brain development, but another thing to present pictures and specific sounds through a game-based approach that implicitly connects between brain development, music and sound. All this needs academic specialization to organize and implement effectively.”       

Dr. Papatzikis’ unique research is now attracting growing interest and recognition around the globe.  Most recently, the professor’s findings on how music interaction can help in a child’s intellectual and emotional development were citied in a journal article published by Music Australia, the organization that represents all aspects of the country’s music industry.

Locally in the UAE, students from Dubai English Speaking College and the American School of Dubai have been learning about Dr. Papatzikis’ distinct area of research through a week-long program of seminars on brain activity in relation to education, music and sound. 

Throughout the seminar week, participating high school students heard from Dr. Papatzikis about brain function and structure, and the research surrounding brain and music interfaces. The unique academic activity week covered a variety of subjects ranging from basic neuroscience topics to specific research areas such as Multiple Sclerosis and music.

Moving forward with his pioneering research agenda, Dr. Papatzikis’ latest paper, ‘Discussing Musical Creativity in Learning: Psychological Perceptions and Brain Research’ was published in the June 2016 edition of the International Educational Scientific Research Journal. Building upon this, Dr. Papatzikis is now working on a new project in collaboration with Neuroscience student, Dania Chatila, of McGill University, Canada, to explore emotional stimuli in music.