Distance Learning for Secondary Education Students. The Role of Educational Neuroscience

Abstract

Distance education has been an alternative to traditional education for several decades. However, during the pandemic, distance education was the only solution that could be applied, in order to continue the educational process and at the same time to protect the health of students and their families. This form is described as Emergency Remote Teaching, because although it is based on online teaching practices, it does not fully use the principles of distance education and does not include educational design and operation models developed in the context of distance education. Despite the limited integration of the principles of distance education, efforts are made to enhance learning, develop knowledge and skills, and modify students’ attitudes through the educational process. In this context, the role of educational neuroscience is important and the use of the results of relevant research is crucial in order to enhance learning. After a brief description of the framework of implementation of Emergency Remote Teaching, this article presents difficulties that arise from this implementation and describes ways in which these difficulties can be reduced, according to findings in the field of educational neuroscience research.