Neuroscience and Technology Based Approaches for Education

Dear Colleagues,

Our teaching and learning environments need urgent change. Despite their merits in terms of reading, language, maths skills, etc., they fail to address essential skills, and more importantly, they do not take into account individual learning. The relevant issue of adapting the teaching environment (curriculum, learning techniques, teaching methods, learning technologies, etc.) to the neurobiology of the individual is of importance concerning factors such as the increased use of remote learning and exposure to unpredictable learning environments and conditions, which challenge not only our capacity to learn effectively but also mental health and well-being.

The debate around whether neuroscience can contribute and translate to the successes of education has been ongoing, but fruitful exchange between neuroscience and education is slow, despite examples in the literature which demonstrate that the use of neuroscience for education has been and can be further developed at different levels, such as direct application by explicitly targeting brain function (i.e., effects of learning mediated by the process of neural plasticity) and indirect application by insight improvement. Recent studies have emphasized the importance of offering teachers and educators neuroscience-based knowledge which is relevant to teaching and learning, as well as the positive impact of such knowledge in improving the success and well-being of students. Going into potential pathology, trauma-informed education approaches are promoted by several authors, and unorthodox learning environments without teachers but based on peer group learning are discussed.

The application of modern technologies, including, for instance, virtual and augmented reality, human–computer interaction, neurofeedback, neuromodulation, and artificial intelligence, in combination with education, didactics, medicine, psychology, and neuroscience principles, offers the possibility to improve learning strategies while also providing new ways to monitor and assess their effects in a customized fashion. The role of “traditional” pedagogy is justified but currently questioned by some authors, and defended by others.

We invite researchers from different fields to submit their original work, reviews, perspectives, and hypotheses to this Special Issue. In particular, we encourage an open discussion and debate concerning all points of view pertaining to the emerging field of neuroscience in education. All approaches and methodologies aiming to improve education and learning are welcome.

Dr. Carlos Trenado
Dr. Diane Ruge
Guest Editors

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• mental health
• education
• neuroscience