Neuroscience and pedagogy: strategies to enhance attention and motivation in the classroom

Abstract

This article constitutes the progress of a doctoral-level research affiliated with the UNEFM program, whose primary purpose is to analyze the convergences between cognitive neuroscience and contemporary pedagogy to optimize attention and motivation processes in the classroom. Under the "Knowledge Transformation" model by Scardamalia and Bereiter, it transcends mere bibliographic collection to propose a dialectical synthesis of pedagogical knowledge. Methodologically, a state-of-the-art documentary research is used, based on the critical review of indexed sources published between 2020 and 2025, integrating classic contributions from authors such as Damasio, Mora, and Posner. The theoretical scopes highlight the relevance of attentional networks and the Ascending Reticular Activating System (ARAS) as critical information filters, as well as the function of dopaminergic circuits and Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory in the consolidation of intrinsic motivation. It is concluded that the systemic integration of neuroplasticity and the growth mindset proposed by Dweck in the curriculum allows for an educational transformation centered on the student's biological potential, configuring a neurodidactics that responds to the demands for quality and resilience of the 21st century.