Neuroeducation: A Change In Traditional Educational Models

Don’t know what neuroeducation is? Read the rest of this article to find out.

Children who are bored, children with dyslexia, dyscalculia or with an attention deficit disorder… The educational needs of the students are immense. However, the response provided in the centers is often as limited as it is homogeneous. It is crucial to take a new step. A step that would see neuroeducation facilitate this approach. And this psychobiological context. Both if necessary in these cases.

No study is necessary to make us aware of a fact. The term “neuro” already appears very frequently in any context. Neuromarketing, neuro-happiness, neuro-creativity and neuroeducation place us on a scene that is as innovative as it is interesting. It’s time to get to know the human being in depth. Now is the perfect time to understand how we think, learn, feel and make decisions.

This knowledge transcends many current patterns. It means immersing yourself in this synaptic tissue and orchestrated by a series of brain processes to understand, for example, that not all children learn at the same rate. That it takes time. That some structures can mature a little later. This is why many students experience difficulties when it comes to learning or strengthening their skills.

We cannot pressure a child to learn something if they are not yet prepared to do so. This pressure, on the other hand, generates frustration, fear and avoidance. This is the complete opposite of what learning should be: a process based on joy, curiosity and motivation.

Neuroeducation, a new educational model

Science is discovering exceptional aspects of learning and memory, aspects that have not yet been incorporated into school curricula. There is a gap between what neuroscience tells us about children’s brain development and what we see in everyday classrooms. We continue to treat children the same so that they dominate certain skills. We follow the same traditional methodologies. We notice the errors, point the finger at the student who steals away from the path, the one who does not succeed, the one who does not succeed in maths, the one who sees the letters dancing when he tries to understand a text …

Not all human faculties, including those relating to learning, respond to a mere whim. It is not a question of attitude: it is the result of our brain activity. Therefore, if we were able to understand how our brains work, we would be more proficient when it comes to organizing a class. We would know how to prepare the students, we would know how to create an educational project.

What is the purpose of neuroeducation?

Traditional education has multiple limitations. We have good teachers and excellent teachers, but something is wrong. Education needs a better scientific basis to understand in depth the keys to cognitive development. The goal of neuroeducation, therefore, is to establish a real scientific basis in teaching and learning.

This involves integrating the latest findings from neuroscience, psychology and cognitive science into our educational models. Only in this way will we be able to see a more sensitive, inclusive and valid education flourish. But, for that, we have to put aside some very classic myths. Like those who tell us that we only use 10% of our brain or that we have an artistic hemisphere and another mathematical one.

How can we apply neuroeducation in classrooms?

While it is true that we still have a long way to go in the field of neuroeducation, it should still be noted that we have made some progress. Education policies change gradually and they will do so more and more over time. Progress in special education is more and more visible, and the horizon that is emerging is quite promising. However, we need a greater involvement of social agents and, above all, of educational policies.

Now let’s see how neuroeducation should be applied in the classroom.

Better identification of individual needs

Children with learning problems, students suffering from dyslexia or having immense intellectual capacities… This early identification will allow us to apply more tailored strategies in order to optimize the learning of the students.

Positive and stimulating places of learning

Learning should be positive and take place in a fun and stimulating environment. We must therefore create new environments, with teachers involved and skilled when it comes to bringing new challenges to children, without the academic rigor disappearing.

Learning groups

Children retain information better if they work in small groups. These groups created by different students make their learning more dynamic. Everything they discover becomes more meaningful. In addition, cooperation is stimulated, as is respect.

The transmission of neuroeducation discoveries to children

Students must also understand their way of learning. What’s more, neurologists say teaching them “executive functions” would be ideal. It would be a question of giving them models so that they know, for example, how attention works, how to recognize their emotions, how to know when they are angry, tired, sad …

Teaching them how to regulate these emotions so that they control themselves and connect more to the proposed tasks should be an essential point.

Individual and cognitive instruction

This aspect is surely one of the most complicated to set up. We would need qualified teachers in this field. People able to guess, for example, which learning channel corresponds to each child: coenesthetic, auditory, visual …

It is also essential to know how the pupil progresses in the level of attention, inference of information, problem solving, motivation, creativity … It is only in this way that we can create better strategies so that every child is able to reach their maximum potential.

A change of schedules

According to neuroeducation, it would be essential to make a change in school hours. Studies show, for example, that it would be appropriate to reduce the length of summer holidays. School should last all year round but with more frequent vacations (a week off every three weeks, for example).

A change would be necessary in middle and high schools. Ideally, classes should start between 10:30 am and 11:00 am. According to neuroscience, adolescents need to sleep longer and their brains are not receptive during the first hours of the morning.

In conclusion, as our understanding of the brain and learning improves, it is essential that all of these advances apply in the field of education. We cannot stay behind. We cannot continue to set up obsolete mechanisms that do not motivate children, frustrate them and also worry their parents.

We must dare to innovate and, above all, be in tune with children’s brain development. By doing this, we will allow them to give the best of themselves. Students will then be truly involved in their learning.