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Inside the Learning Brain

Cognitive neuroscience will shape the future of corporate learning practices

· Organisational

Fascinating piece on the emerging field of cognitive neuroscience and 'neuro-education'.

Cognitive neuroscience is the study of mental brain processes and its underlying neural systems. This includes thinking and behavior and is underpinned by the learning brain. Therefore, cognitive neuroscience looks at how the brain learns, stores, and uses the information it acquires. It is through learning that the brain enables us to adapt to our ever-changing environment.

A decade numerous peer-reviewed publications have connected the fields of neuroscience with education and learning. The overlap with education investigates basic biological processes involved in becoming literate and numerate, and explores learning to learn, cognitive control, flexibility, and motivation, as well as social and emotional experiences.

How companies can use these findings:

- increase the knowledge of your people

- active engagement is essential for learning

- recognise that all learning has an emotional base

- focus attention is fundamental to acquiring new knowledge

- use short learning sessions to increase retention

- use learning techniques that enhance memory formation

- use it or lose it

- multi-tasking slows down learning