IN-PERSON Prague Research & Teaching Conference

Abstract

It took the human brain millions of years to evolve (and it is still evolving) from simply surviving to flourishing with emotions as part of advanced learning, supplying valuable data for the brain to assimilate how the external world affects human survival (Damasio, 1994). The five senses evolved as stop-or-go signals for the brain, helping generate emotions, which in turn work as gatekeepers to alert the brain if external events are safe for human survival. The brain is curious and wants to make predictions, which means the brain is programmed to learn. With this understanding of human evolutionary history, instruction is best designed to promote curiosity and the ability for students to predict new learning from prior knowledge. Education institutions are tasked with understanding the importance of emotions in learning and creating an emotionally safe environment for students to facilitate learning.