Abstracts
Abstract
Although a number of papers have already discussed the relevance of brain research for education, the fundamental concepts and discoveries connecting education and the brain have not been systematically reviewed yet. In this paper, four of these concepts are presented and evidence concerning each one is reviewed. First, the concept of neuroplasticity is proposed as a sine qua non for linking education and the brain. Then, the concepts of neuronal recycling and inhibition are presented as two fundamental mechanisms of school learning that emphasize the importance of knowing the initial brain structure of learners and, finally, the concept of attention is discussed as a central concept for linking teaching and the brain.
Résumé
Bien qu’un certain nombre d’articles aient déjà discuté de la pertinence des recherches sur le cerveau pour le domaine de l’éducation, les découvertes et les concepts fondamentaux reliant l’éducation et le cerveau n’ont jamais fait l’objet d’une analyse systématique. Dans cet article, quatre de ces concepts sont présentés et, pour chacun de ces concepts, une brève synthèse de la littérature est proposée. Premièrement, le concept de neuroplasticité est proposé comme une condition sine qua non pour établir des liens entre l’éducation et le cerveau. Ensuite, les concepts de recyclage neuronal et d’inhibition sont présentés comme deux mécanismes fondamentaux liés aux apprentissages scolaires qui mettent l’accent sur l’importance de connaître la structure initiale du cerveau des apprenants et, enfin, le concept d’attention est présenté comme un concept central pour établir des liens entre l’enseignement et le cerveau.
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Appendices
Biographical notes
STEVE MASSON is a professor at the Faculty of Education at the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM), and director of the Laboratory for Research in Neuroeducation (LRN). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, he studies the brain mechanisms related to school learning and teaching.
LORIE-MARLENE BRAULT FOISY is a PhD student in education at University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) supervised by Steve Masson. Her PhD project aims to a better understanding of the neuronal recycling mechanism in learning and more specifically in learning to read.
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Appendices
Notes biographiques
STEVE MASSON est professeur à la Faculté des sciences de l’éducation de l’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) et directeur du Laboratoire de recherche en neuroéducation (LRN). À l’aide de l’imagerie par résonance magnétique fonctionnelle, il étudie les mécanismes cérébraux liés aux apprentissages scolaires et à l’enseignement.
LORIE-MARLENE BRAULT FOISY est étudiante au doctorat en éducation à l’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) sous la direction de Steve Masson. Son projet doctoral vise à mieux comprendre le rôle du mécanisme cérébral du recyclage neuronal dans l’apprentissage en général et, plus spécifiquement, dans l’apprentissage de la lecture.