Neuroeducation and translational education

                   
NeuroEducation and Translational Education


 
    Neuroscience has increasingly expanded its horizons seeking the neural basis of the most diverse human behaviors. Thus, we can see the term “neuro” being incorporated into different areas of research, creating ever stronger relations with areas that until then seemed distant.

   Interest in uniting education and neuroscience gained momentum in 1999, prompting researchers from different countries to discuss the potential of neuroscience to assist in educational practices. From this began the concept of neuroeducation, which is an interdisciplinary field that combines neuroscience, psychology, and education to decipher cognitive and emotional processes that lead to better teaching methods and curricula.
 
    Soon, numerous works were proposed and resulted in the publication of articles and even books on the subject. In addition to the researchers' initiative, the advancement of noninvasive brain activity monitoring techniques such as fMRI, EEG and NIRS were instrumental in consolidating this new area of research. Being able to get images of the neural effects of learning in our brains helped to better understand brain development and the limits of the plasticity of our neuronal circuits. For example, work with students analyzed two distinct pedagogical activities (written and virtual) of the same educational content in pre-experimental quantitative procedures, using EEG signals in activities with and without sensory stimuli, and in nature field research procedures qualitative. The results showed the influence of the type of pedagogical activities on brain activity, where students exposed to more playful activities, such as virtual ones, presented a higher brain activation when compared to students exposed to a reading activity (Image below), which may contribute to the process, facilitating learning through translational education.
                 

Translational Education

      As we saw in our blog "Understanding neuroeducation better", with the help of cognitive neuroscience, many studies aim to better understand learning deviations and delimit its neural origin. Thus, it is possible to propose appropriate educational strategies that optimize learning according to each limitation. Frequently, there are 3 main academic skills that permeate studies in neuroeducation: reading, mathematical calculus and memory. The advances in noninvasive imaging and monitoring techniques, researchers have increasingly understood the process of learning and its implications for the development of the nervous system and the social development of each person.

    Advances in neuroeducation research are remarkable, but as in any area, challenges remain to be overcome. There is still a need for greater integration between pedagogy, psychology and neuroscience so that educational strategies are increasingly able to understand human cognitive plasticity. Neuroscience and technological advances are extremely promising for building an increasingly democratic and effective education.

                   

EEG Impedance Check

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