Teachers as Orchestrators of Neuronal Plasticity: Effects of Teaching Practices on the Brain

Students' behavioral outcomes are often used by both researchers and teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of pedagogical interventions. Extensive research using behavioral metrics has found that some interventions are more effective than others in certain contexts. However, there has been less focus on how different interventions impact the processing of academic skills at a neural level. To explore this question, we conducted a narrative review of literature examining two or more interventions related to the same subject of learning. We discuss five main themes that encompass different pedagogical practices: (1) orienting attention toward particular features; (2) teaching a particular strategy; (3) changing the level of cognitive engagement; (4) setting an educational context; and (5) interacting with the learner. We provide examples of how these pedagogical practices lead to changes in both brain and behavior. This review provides insights into how teachers orchestrate neural plasticity through different pedagogical choices.