Malden, M.A., February 11, 2008 – Wiley-Blackwell, the scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE: JWa), (NYSE: JWb), today announced that Mind, Brain, and Education (MBE) was named the 2007 Best New Journal-Social Sciences & Humanities by the Association of American Publishers’ Professional & Scholarly Publishing (PSP) Division. Each year, the PSP selects distinguished works in more than 30 disciplines in order to recognize publishers, editors, and authors who contribute pioneering works of research.
Published on behalf of the International Mind, Brain, and Education Society, MBE is a unique and innovative journal that provides a forum for basic and applied research that unites biology, cognitive science, and education.
“Recent growth in ‘brain-based’ educational practices and an increased emphasis on ‘research-based’ curricula have fostered a need for a dynamic peer-reviewed journal that presents educational research grounded in biology and cognitive science,” said Kurt Fischer, Editor of MBE and Director of the Mind, Brain, and Education Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. “Such research will help build a strong foundation for educational practice for all children worldwide.”
Articles in MBE explore how brain, genetic, and cognitive processes relate to learning and development; how research and practice can inform each other in biology, cognitive science, and education; how mind, brain, and education can be taught effectively; and how education can be firmly grounded in research.
“MBE catalyzes professional relationships that are essential to debunking questionable brain-based claims and improving research-based practice in education,” said Dr. Fischer. “This kind of research allows policy makers and practitioners to base their decisions about educational practices and institutions on empirical evidence rather than opinions, fashions, and ideologies.”
“Prior to the publication of MBE, there was no scholarly resource for this interdisciplinary work and little to no cross-citing of relevant neuroscience and education research,” said Eric A. Swanson, Senior Vice President, Wiley-Blackwell. “The launch of this journal allows us to explore a completely new and exciting field that will have a profound impact on improving education.”
“The response to MBE has been phenomenal. In addition to the PSP Award, the journal debut and a study demonstrating that ‘generalist’ genes are responsible for a wide range of learning disorders were reported by Newsweek, Chronicle of Higher Education, Medical News Today, and United Press International,” added Dr. Fischer. He also congratulated Wiley-Blackwell on the award, stating that “Wiley-Blackwell has been remarkably helpful in getting the society and the journal going, supporting us in ways that I did not know were possible, and it is greatly appreciated.”
Podcasts from the MBE launch party are available at http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/podcast/mbe.asp. Speeches from Dr. Fischer, prominent scholar Maryanne Wolf, and MBE contributors Howard Gardner and Stanislas Dehaene are featured.
About Wiley-Blackwell
Wiley-Blackwell was formed in February 2007 as a result of the acquisition of Blackwell Publishing Ltd. by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and its merger with Wiley’s Scientific, Technical, and Medical business. Together, the companies have created a global publishing business with deep strength in every major academic and professional field. Wiley-Blackwell publishes approximately 1,400 scholarly peer-reviewed journals and an extensive collection of books with global appeal. For more information on Wiley-Blackwell, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com or http://interscience.wiley.com.
About Wiley
Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has been a valued source of information and understanding for 200 years, helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their aspirations. Since 1901, Wiley and its acquired companies have published the works of more than 350 Nobel laureates in all categories: Literature, Economics, Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry and Peace.
Our core businesses publish scientific, technical, medical and scholarly journals, encyclopedias, books, and online products and services; professional/trade books, subscription products, training materials, and online applications and websites; and educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. Wiley's global headquarters are located in Hoboken, New Jersey, with operations in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Canada, and Australia. The Company's Web site can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols JWa and JWb.