Of course: The brain plays the main role in learning. From the question of how our brain works in this context, the science of neurodidactics has developed. In this article, we will discuss how you can utilize the insights of neurodidactics when creating smart online courses.
Something Completely New
Neurodidactics is a relatively young field of research located at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and pedagogy. Its goal is to shape learning processes in such a way that they optimally correspond to the natural functions of our brain. This is a great thing because if you, as a course creator or author, are familiar with these processes, you can apply them in designing your courses and learning materials, thereby sustainably increasing the learning success of your participants.
This is How Learning Works in the Brain
Learning is a highly complex process that is deeply rooted in the structures of our brain. Naturally, this whole thing is terribly complicated, and you surely don't have the time to study neurology for five years, but it is very helpful to understand the basic biochemical processes in the brain because they determine how we take in, process, store, and retrieve information. Let’s go through this quickly:
The Neural Basis of Learning: Synapses and Neuroplasticity
At the center of learning are the neurons, which are the nerve cells of the brain. The human brain consists of about 86 billion neurons that are interconnected by a dense network of synapses. Synapses are the contact points between neurons where information is transmitted in the form of electrical signals and chemical messengers (neurotransmitters). “The synapses fire” - you’ve probably heard this formulation before.
Neuroplasticity describes the brain's ability to change its structure and function over the course of life. When we learn something new, new synaptic connections are formed or existing connections are strengthened. Repeated practice or intensive learning leads to certain synaptic connections becoming stronger and more stable, which makes retrieving the information easier.
Taking learning a musical instrument as an example: At first, it is difficult to hit the right keys on a piano, but over time and with regular practice, playing becomes smoother. This is simply because the corresponding neural connections in the brain have been strengthened through constant repetition.
Storing Information: Short-Term and Long-Term Memory
The storage of information in the brain occurs in different phases that can broadly be divided into short-term memory and long-term memory:
Information that we have just received is first stored in short-term memory. However, this memory is limited, both in its capacity and in the duration for which information can be retained there (typically a few seconds to minutes). Without repetition or deeper processing, this information is quickly forgotten.
To retain information permanently, it must be transferred to long-term memory. This occurs through consolidation, where the neural connections associated with a specific piece of information are strengthened and stabilized. Consolidation primarily takes place during sleep, which is why sufficient sleep is essential for effective learning.
The 4 Neurodidactic Principles in the Learning Process
1. Attention: The Doorman in Learning
Attention plays a central role in the learning process. The brain is constantly confronted with a flood of information that is taken in through the senses. To avoid being overwhelmed, the prefrontal cortex of our brain filters this information and decides which of it is important enough to be consciously perceived and processed. What remains relevant and interesting in the filter takes precedence over unnecessary information and is forwarded for processing to other parts of the brain.
Attention is limited: Distractions, stress, or fatigue impair our attention and make learning difficult. Therefore, for example, online courses should be designed in such a way as to deliberately guide learners' attention and avoid distractions.
2. Emotions: The Influence of Our Mood
Emotions, or our emotional state while learning, play an active role in how well and how long information is stored in memory. Two parts of our brain cooperate in this process, one (the limbic cortex) is responsible for the emotional processing of what is learned, and the other (the hippocampus) regulates whether what is learned ends up in long-term memory:
Positive emotions, such as joy or interest, have a beneficial effect on learning. They ensure that information is processed more deeply and anchored better in memory. This explains why we remember particularly well experiences associated with strong positive emotions, such as the first day of school or the completion of an important exam.
Negative emotions, such as stress or fear, can block the learning process. In stressful situations, the body releases the hormone cortisol, which complicates the formation of long-term memories.
The processes in our brain clearly show: Learning works best in a positively emotional environment that fosters motivation and interest.
3. Memory: Being Able to Retrieve What You’ve Learned
Memory, or the retrieval of information, is the process by which stored information is brought back into consciousness. The strength and number of neural connections linked to the information are crucial here: The more often a piece of information is repeated or applied, the easier and faster it can be retrieved.
In the brain, this works like this: Every time we remember something, this information flows again through the neural network and strengthens the connections. You can think of this process like a footpath in the woods: The more often someone walks this way, the tougher, wider, and straighter it becomes (and one day it could become a road). Regular retrieval and repetition of information (or knowledge) lead to it being anchored long-term in memory.
4. Prior Knowledge: The Direct Connection for New Information
Our marvelous brain does not just store isolated pieces of information but organizes them into complex networks that are interconnected. These networks are based on prior knowledge, or the information and experiences we have already gathered and stored. New knowledge is often linked with this prior knowledge, which facilitates learning.
For example: If you already know how to conjugate a verb in English, it will be easier for you to learn new verbs because you can fit them into an already existing knowledge network. Without this prior knowledge, you start learning the verb from scratch, and it will likely take significantly longer for you to store it.
How to Apply the 4 Principles in Course Creation
1. Control Attention
Attention is crucial for successful learning and must especially be kept in check when a flood of distractions pours down on us in a digital environment. Therefore, the rule is: Design the learning content of your online courses to be clearly structured and visually appealing. By using short learning units, you help your participants filter out cognitive overload and maintain focus on the learning topic:
Multimedia elements such as videos and interactive tasks increase interest, but must be used thoughtfully to avoid overload.
Quizzes and knowledge checks at strategic points in the course encourage learners to stay actively involved.
Personalized content, tailored to the interests and knowledge level of the learners, increases the willingness to focus on the learning material.
Through these measures, attention is effectively directed toward the essential content, making learning more sustainable, and your participants remain engaged.
2. Foster Positive Emotions
Emotions play a central role in the learning process because they strongly influence motivation and memory. Good feelings such as joy and interest enhance the intake and retention of information. Utilize this by creating moments of comfort for your participants:
Incorporate engaging stories and real examples in your learning content that most people associate with positive emotions.
Address your participants personally, and refer to their background (as far as you know it).
Engage participants with quizzes and motivate them with rewards to keep going. By using appealing images or pleasant background music in your videos, you intensify the emotional experience.
Humor is always a good way to connect your learners positively to you as the instructor, to the course topic, and to the learning process itself. Joy and laughter keep attention!
Avoid stress-inducing elements in your learning content, as negative emotions, such as those caused by certain photos, can block the willingness to learn.
By deliberately addressing positive feelings, learning becomes not only more effective but also more enjoyable and sustainable.
3. Anchor What You've Learned in Memory
Repetition is essential for anchoring knowledge long-term. Regular repetition strengthens the neural connections in the brain and facilitates information retrieval:
Intentionally incorporate repetitions through quizzes, summaries, or practice tasks into your courses to consolidate what has been learned.
Spaced Repetition, meaning the timed staggering of content repetitions, has proven to be particularly effective. Content is repeated at increasingly larger intervals to anchor it in long-term memory.
Through these methods, not only is understanding fostered, but the long-term retention performance is also significantly improved.
4. Support the Linking with Prior Knowledge
Connecting to existing knowledge greatly facilitates learning because the brain stores new information better when it is linked to already known concepts:
Start your e-learning lessons with activation questions or introductory tasks that retrieve the prior knowledge of the learners and incorporate it into the new learning context.
Examples and scenarios that connect to your learners' real experiences make the new material more tangible.
By consciously supporting these connections, the learning material is not only understood more easily but also retained longer in memory.
A Young Science with Great Potential
Despite the promising approaches, neurodidactics faces several challenges: The individual differences in information processing among people are significant, and what works for one learner does not necessarily apply to another. Additionally, research in this area is still young, and many neurodidactic concepts are not sufficiently empirically supported.
Nevertheless, insights from neurodidactics offer enormous potential to make e-learnings more effective and engaging. Especially in a time when digital learning is gaining increasing importance, neurodidactic principles can help develop learning offerings that not only impart knowledge but also optimally support the brain.
Neurodidactics in e-learning teaches us how to design learning processes in a brain-friendly manner and thus more effectively. By deliberately guiding the attention of your participants, addressing them emotionally, enforcing repetitions, and linking your learning content with their prior knowledge, you significantly improve your digital learning offerings. Your learners actively participate in your courses and happily return.
We hope you enjoyed this article, and we wish you much success in creating neurodidactically well-crafted e-learnings!
