Mieux comprendre les mécanismes cérébraux d’apprentissage pour faciliter la mise en application des connaissances issues de la recherche et favoriser la réussite scolaire des élèves

Abstract

Often referred to as the "decade of the brain," the decade of the 1990s was marked by the growth of neuroscience knowledge and the advent of new brain imaging technologies. These advances in neuroscience gradually led the research community to question the potential impact of neuroscientific knowledge on the field of education. A new interdisciplinary research approach has thus emerged: neuroeducation. This approach focuses on problems specific to the field of education using a level of analysis that is that of brain function. Neuroeducation therefore seeks to establish a bridge between brain functioning, the mechanisms related to learning and teaching. In the opinion of several researchers and international organizations, a better understanding of the brain could indeed provide interesting avenues to better understand what characterizes different learning processes at the brain level and, ultimately, guide the choice of pedagogical approaches that are better adapted to the organization and functioning of the students' brain. On the one hand, neuroeducation allows for a more fundamental understanding of various school learning processes by focusing on the changes that occur during learning through brain plasticity. On the other hand, several studies have shown that neuroplasticity is not infinite and has certain limits. It would indeed be influenced by different constraints, in particular by the initial structure and organization of the brain, i.e. the cerebral architecture prior to learning. In line with research in cognitive psychology, neuroeducational research findings already provide valuable insights to orient the choice of teaching strategies. Nevertheless, the application of research findings to the classroom presents a considerable challenge. In this respect, the present article aims to discuss the idea that a better understanding of the brain mechanisms of learning could facilitate the application of research findings and thus promote the academic success of students.