Neuroscience and education: how can we create high-impact training courses? Has Netflix understood everything?

By: Stéphane Ginocchio, teacher and lecturer in neuroscience at the Collège de Paris.

Video link : Live – Captivez votre public avec les neurosciences (1h06)

The brain, a factory of connections.

The human brain functions as a dynamic network of neuronal connections. When we learn, new connections are created. The more they are activated, the stronger they become: this is the principle of cerebral plasticity. Contrary to popular belief, this plasticity remains active throughout life, including adulthood. But for these connections to take long-term root, the brain needs to be stimulated at the right time and in the right way.

For example :

In continuing education, even HR managers from large groups can be involved in a fun and participative way, using tools such as the ‘sailing boat’, which combines reflection, experience and imagination.

 

Emotion as a memory catalyst.

What we experience emotionally leaves a much deeper imprint than what we learn purely factually. Neuroscience confirms that emotion acts as a memory amplifier: it reinforces the consolidation of long-term memories. In training, the challenge is therefore to create situations that arouse emotion, without lapsing into sensationalism. Laughter, surprise, empathy, a sense of belonging… All these emotions can create the conditions for deeper learning.

For example :

Proust’s madeleine illustrates how a simple smell can reawaken a distant memory.

 

Attention, a rare resource to be nurtured.

The brain can only concentrate for an average of 10 to 15 minutes. It therefore needs to be regularly ‘woken up’ by emotional, sensory or cognitive stimuli. The trainer’s role becomes central here: he or she must know how to revive attention, arouse interest, vary formats and stimulate the senses.

For example :

Use the Zeigarnik/Netflix effect: as in a TV series, ending a chapter of a course with a suspenseful ending makes you want to find out what happens next in the next lesson (‘We’ll see about that in the next episode…’).

 

Teaching isn’t just about passing on… it’s about bringing life to life.

It’s not just what you say that makes an impression, it’s how you say it and what you bring to life. Emotion is contagious: if a trainer is enthusiastic, the group will be even more so. The relationship with the teacher, confidence in the environment and the opportunity to ask questions without judgement play a decisive role. This is what we call psychological safety, an essential prerequisite for any lasting learning experience.

For example :

Getting up, moving around and breathing are simple gestures that increase oxygenation of the brain and help you to stay grounded. During a meeting, don’t hesitate to let your colleagues get up and walk around the back of the room.

 

And what about ‘serious’ subjects?

Even subjects with a reputation for being ‘hard’, such as mathematics, law or the physical sciences, can become captivating if you contextualise them, use metaphors and stimulate the imagination. These multisensory approaches help to anchor memory, because they simultaneously involve several areas of the brain.

For example :

In radiology, to explain how X-rays work, the trainer uses an eraser thrown at a door to simulate the impact of an electron on tungsten. Simple, visual, concrete and striking.

 

Neuroscience and adult education: a fertile alliance.

Adults learn differently, but just as effectively, if certain principles are adhered to: giving meaning to what is being learnt, using real-life experience as a starting point, and stimulating emotion and action. The trainer then becomes a revealer of potential, a facilitator of triggers, and not simply a transmitter of content.

 

Manipulation or positive influence?

Some may fear that playing on emotions is tantamount to manipulation. But it all depends on the pedagogical intention. The aim is not to deceive, but to support learning by creating a favourable environment.

For example :

The Pygmalion effect: telling a student that they are capable (even if they doubt it) can improve their results, without ever misleading them. The belief transmitted by the teacher is crucial (Rosenthal experiment).

 

And how do you measure the impact?

The effects of emotional teaching can be seen on several levels: better retention of knowledge over time, increased participation in training, positive feedback on the atmosphere and the trainer’s posture. But above all, neuroscience reminds us of an essential truth: we only teach well what we embody.

 

Conclusion: towards a more lively, more human approach to teaching.

Neuroscience does not dictate a new miracle method. They invite us to reconcile knowledge, emotions, the body and human relationships in our training. By drawing on the discoveries of the brain, we are not simplifying teaching: we are making it richer, more deeply rooted and more sustainable.