How To Improve Education Thanks To Neuroscience

Thanks to technological advances and neuroimaging techniques, including functional magnetic resonance imaging – which allows us to observe the brain while we learn, speak, read or think – neuroscience, and more specifically cognitive neuroscience, has made it possible to revolutionize the understanding of different processes in the brain such as attention, memory, social cognition and learning in general.

These discoveries, which are fundamental for education, will be explained and debated at the congress organized by the Institute for Professional Development of the University of Barcelona (IDP-UB). The event brings together the best international specialists in neuroeducation, who will present their latest research and experiences in each of their fields.

Know the brain to teach well

Mara Dierssen, neurobiologist, university professor and one of the greatest researchers in Down syndrome, will be one of the great presences of this congress. He will be in charge of the BrainTalk “The neurobiology of executive functions”.

Charo Rueda, professor of Experimental Psychology at the University of Granada and researcher of the brain bases of the development of attention, will talk about “Educating attention with the brain”, where she will address constitutional factors -temperament and genes- and educational factors. -educational experience and socio-economic nurturing environment- that influence the development of care and self-regulation during childhood.

Mariano Sigman will explain how “Learning by teaching”. With a degree in Physics and a doctorate in Neuroscience and a post-doctorate in Cognitive Sciences, Sigman is the founder and director of the Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience at the University of Buenos Aires. In addition, he directs the “Decision-making” program in the Human Brain Project, which brings together the leading neuroscience researchers in Europe. This project aims to understand the human brain.

Along with them will also be important specialists in neuroeducation of our country such as Jesús C. Guillén, Anna Forés, Marta Ligioiz, Rosa Casafont and David Bueno.

What are executive functions”?

But what are executive functions? According to the definition of the American neuroscientist Adele Diamond, “executive functions (EF) make it possible to mentally play with ideas; take time to think before acting; face new and unforeseen challenges; resist temptations; and stay focused. “

The main EFs are inhibition (self-control and resistance to acting impulsively) and interference control (selective attention and cognitive inhibition), working memory, and cognitive flexibility (including “outside the box” creative thinking, seeing things from different perspectives, quickly and flexibly, adapting to changing circumstances) ”.

According to Friedman and Miyake, “Executive functions (EF) are high-level cognitive processes, often associated with the frontal lobes, that control lower-level processes in the service of goal-directed behavior. They include skills such as response inhibition, interference control, updating working memory, and changing mental settings.

Voluntary behavior management

Thus, as the professor in Experimental Psychology Charo Rueda affirms, knowing the functioning of executive functions is fundamental for education: “voluntary behavior management is fundamental in education. Education would not exist if human beings had not previously developed the skills to manage attention and voluntary behavior (and not behavior based on automatic reactions) based on present and future objectives “.

“Knowing what are the cognitive skills that allow us to do this and how to promote them is fundamental for education. And, in my opinion, the impact of implementing the changes derived from the discoveries in Neuroscience in educational systems can be important. I am also convinced that many teachers already apply educational strategies that are stupendous and that neuroeducation will only certify their effectiveness and provide direct data on brain plasticity “, he adds.

In addition, cognitive neuroscience can help to understand certain disorders that have a direct impact on children’s ability to learn and relate, such as dyslexia, hyperactivity, behavior problems, or autism. Cognitive neuroscience is providing very valuable information on the ways in which educational strategies can be adapted to children with different behavioral profiles or with different capacities, according to Charo Rueda.

Disassembling “neuromyths”

Advances in neuroscience have already debunked many false beliefs or myths surrounding the brain. Now we know that it is not true that we use only 10% of our brain, but that we use all neurons at one time or another, activated in different networks.

Imagination has also been proven to be a powerful tool for mobilizing the brain and physical exercise is key to enhancing learning processes. In fact the best ideas do not come while we are still, but when we move.

In the same way, it has been shown that self – concept –the perception that a person has of themselves– is fundamental in learning processes.

This II International Congress of Neuroeducation will serve to advance little by little, but in a revolutionary way in the introduction of changes that help us better understand how we learn to carry out the process more effectively.