Mindfulness and Other Simple Neuroscience-Based Proposals to Promote the Learning Performance and Mental Health of Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on education. The restrictions imposed have undoubtedly led to impairment of the psychological well-being of both teachers and students, and of the way they experience interpersonal relationships. As reported previously in the literature, adverse effects such as loneliness, anxiety, and stress have resulted in a decrease in the cognitive performance of school and higher education students. Therefore, the objective of this work is to present a general overview of the reported adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which may potentially influence the learning performance of students. Some neuroscientific findings related to memory and cognition, such as neuroplasticity and long-term potentiation, are also shown. We also discuss the positive effects of the practice of mindfulness, as well as other simple recommendations based on neuroscientific findings such as restful sleep, physical activity, and nutrition, which can act on memory and cognition. Finally, we propose some practical recommendations on how to achieve more effective student learning in the context of the pandemic. The aim of this review is to provide some assistance in this changing and uncertain situation in which we all find ourselves, and we hope that some of the information could serve as a starting point for hypotheses to be tested in educational research and their association with neuroscience.

Pupils’ Adaptability at School, a Balance Between Demands and Resources?

“…If so, what countermeasures should be considered? Studies confirm, for example, the value of developing lessons on the importance of taking care of one's diet, engaging in regular physical activity, having a satisfactory quality of sleep (e.g., Tortella et al, 2021). A means to highlight the dynamics of the processes involved in a pupil's quality of life-indicators of wellbeing, of coping skills or, inversely, indicators of suffering-would make it easier to identify the key moments at which it is important to be vigilant.…”

Features of Training Future Teachers of Natural Sciences in Modern Higher Education in the Context of Modern Neurosciences

“…Selected aspects of improving educational performance and mental health of children are covered by Tortella G. et al (2021). The author notes that the COVID-19 pandemic and the strengthening of quarantine restrictions have negatively affected education, because loneliness, anxiety and stress have led to a deterioration in the mental well-being of both teachers and students.…”

Computer Programming E-Learners’ Personality Traits, Self-Reported Cognitive Abilities, and Learning Motivating Factors

“…Educational organizations around the world encourage students to engage in programming learning [1], even though programming is acknowledged as one of the most difficult learning tasks [4], which relates to the high dropout rates and failures [5]. Research indicates that learning accomplishments might depend not only on numerous neurobiological factors, including genetic factors [9], cerebral metabolism [11,12], neurotrophic factors [14], neurotransmitters [13], hippocampal region [10], and the interactions between the distributed brain areas and neuronal networks [15][16][17][18][19][20]. Learning achievements might also depend on psychological factors, including learners' characteristics [6] and learning motivation [4,7,8].…”

“…Nevertheless, computer programing is one of the most challenging learning tasks [4], as the dropout rates or failures in programming language courses are very high [5]. Research indicates that the main reasons for this can be learners' characteristics [6] and learning motivation [4,7,8], not to mention the genetic factors [9], the links between learning and the hippocampal region, which has a key role in cognitive processes [10], the impact of cerebral metabolism [11,12], or neurotransmitters [13], neurotrophic factors [14], and the dynamic interactions between the distributed brain areas and neuronal networks [15][16][17][18][19][20].…”