Impact of a neuroscience intervention (NeuroStratE) on the school performance of high school students: Academic achievement, self-knowledge and autonomy through a metacognitive approach

Trends Neurosci Educ. 2020 Mar:18:100125. doi: 10.1016/j.tine.2020.100125. Epub 2020 Jan 9.

Abstract

Contributions from the cognitive neurosciences encourage the development of innovative tools in learning. Through an innovative intervention program called NeuroStratE, we conducted a study to analyze the impact of brain knowledge, with metacognitive approach, on the academic performance of students. This analysis concerns a cohort of 311 students aged 16. Students' school results were collected over one year and compared with those of a control group. These results are qualitatively refined with student feedback on the value of the intervention program, along with individual teacher interviews. This study showed no significant difference in school results between the two groups of students. However, the study shows the relevance of the program and students acquired knowledge about the brain's functioning. Moreover, this intervention highlights the evidence of the emergence in students of greater autonomy and better self-knowledge, both contributing to a feeling of self-efficacy, which is at the core of educational success.

Keywords: Autonomy; Brain knowledge; Innovation; Learning strategies; Metacognition; Self-knowledge.

MeSH terms

  • Academic Performance / statistics & numerical data
  • Academic Success
  • Adolescent
  • Education, Pharmacy / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Knowledge
  • Learning
  • Male
  • Metacognition
  • Neurosciences
  • Program Evaluation
  • Students / psychology