Neuroeducational Planning Matrix: Interdisciplinarity and Active Methodologies in the 9th Grade

Ana Paula Pinheiro Medeiros; Alaina Alves

DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-202602647

Article derived from a Course Conclusion Work (TCC), with content based on the student’s original work and adapted to the editorial format of the E&S Magazine with the support of the ResumeAI tool, an artificial intelligence solution developed by Instituto Pecege for textual synthesis and organization.

Summary

The Neuroeducational Planning Matrix (MPN) was proposed and systematized for the 9th year of Elementary School, articulating principles of Learning Neuroscience, active methodologies, interdisciplinarity, and skills from the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC). The study aimed to develop and analyze the MPN as an instrument applicable to teacher planning, integrating cognitive-affective axes with curricular prescriptions. It was characterized as applied research, with a qualitative approach and bibliographic nature, culminating in the development of an educational product. The procedures involved theoretical review, mapping of BNCC skills, and the elaboration of the MPN, which included neuroeducational fields such as working memory, emotional engagement, and learning consolidation. The functionality of the matrix was exemplified through an interdisciplinary didactic sequence based on the work Persepolis, for Portuguese Language and Geography. However, the application of the MPN did not include empirical data collection with students, being analyzed as a theoretical-practical proposal. The results indicated that the MPN organized the planning into cognitive-affective axes, favoring curricular integration, pedagogical intentionality, and the approximation between theoretical foundation and teaching practice. It was concluded that the MPN constituted a structured, replicable, and potentially effective tool for qualifying pedagogical planning, and its empirical validation in real contexts is recommended.

Keywords: Meaningful learning; Integrated curriculum; School engagement; Executive functions; Teacher planning.

1. Introduction

The Neuroscience of Learning has been consolidated as a fundamental field for understanding the cognitive, emotional, and motivational processes that support knowledge construction. This area offers explanatory bases on how the brain learns, maintains attention, processes emotions, and consolidates information in memory. Unlike exclusively pedagogical or psychological approaches, neuroscience contributes by evidencing that learning and affect constitute inseparable processes, mediated by neural networks that strengthen when the educational experience is significant, emotionally relevant, and cognitively challenging.

In this context, the choice of the work Persepolis as an initial empirical reference is based on its multimodal character, its autobiographical narrative power, and the articulation between historical, geographical, and identity contexts. These characteristics are recognized by the neuroscience of learning as factors that favor attentional engagement, emotional activation, and long-term memory consolidation. As Cosenza and Guerra (2011) point out, educational experiences that mobilize emotion, personal meaning, and multiple areas of knowledge contribute to the formation of more stable and integrated neural networks, justifying their adoption as the structuring axis of the proposal presented in this study.

The motivation for the development of this study emerged from the daily challenges experienced in teaching Portuguese Language in the ninth year of Elementary School, specifically regarding the mediation of extensive and multimodal readings. In the exercise of teaching, the difficulty of engaging students and promoting attentive retention of complex concepts is frequently observed. This practical concern drove the search for subsidies in the Neuroscience of Learning, aiming to respond to the real demands of the school environment and overcome the gap between scientific foundation and daily pedagogical action.

Despite theoretical advances in the neuroscientific field, a persistent gap is observed between academic production and daily pedagogical practice. This gap is especially evident regarding the challenge of supporting teachers in developing lesson plans that explicitly and intentionally consider the neurocognitive and socioemotional mechanisms involved in learning, without losing adherence to the competencies and skills foreseen in the National Common Curricular Base (BRASIL, 2018).

The relevance of this work therefore lies in the need to equip teaching with tools that translate scientific evidence into concrete and applicable classroom strategies. In this sense, the creation of the Neuroeducational Planning Matrix (MPN) is justified by offering a theoretical-practical model that systematizes principles of the neuroscience of learning, such as attention, active engagement, feedback, and consolidation, into a replicable planning instrument. By “encapsulating” such principles, the MPN ensures that student protagonism and the cognitive, emotional, and metacognitive dimensions of teaching are intentional and structured, rather than occasional.

To support this proposal, the study is anchored in three fundamental theoretical axes: the Neuroscience of Learning, based on the four pillars proposed by Dehaene (2021); Interdisciplinarity, from the perspective of Fazenda (2008) and Morin (2000), understood as a promoter of more robust conceptual and neural connections; and Active Methodologies, based on Moran (2018), in dialogue with the understanding-based design by Wiggins and McTighe (2019).

The main contribution of this study to the field of neuroscience and education lies in the systematization and operationalization of neuroscientific principles into a concrete pedagogical planning tool. Thus, the objective of this work was to develop and analyze the Neuroeducational Planning Matrix (MPN) as an instrument applicable to the ninth year of Elementary School, integrating cognitive-affective axes to the curricular prescriptions of the BNCC.

2. Material and Methods

This study was characterized as an applied research, with a qualitative approach, focusing on the development of an educational product. The applied nature sought to solve a practical problem in the context of teaching Portuguese Language in the ninth year of Elementary School, specifically in the mediation of extensive and multimodal readings. The qualitative approach allowed for a deeper understanding of the pedagogical and neurocognitive processes involved in learning.

The central empirical object of the research was the Neuroeducational Planning Matrix (MPN), an authorial educational product conceived and developed by the researcher herself. The construction of the MPN emerged from the author’s professional experience as a teacher in Ensino Fundamental II, motivated by the need to structure an interdisciplinary reading project of the supplementary work Persépolis, by Marjane Satrapi, for classroom application.

The MPN was developed in dialogue with assumptions from the Neuroscience of Learning, with emphasis on attention, active engagement, emotion, and learning consolidation (DEHAENE, 2018; COSENZA; GUERRA, 2011). Additionally, principles from active methodologies (MORAN, 2018) and the guidelines of the National Common Curricular Base (BRASIL, 2018) were incorporated. This foundation aimed to create an instrument that would explicitly state the cognitive, emotional, and metacognitive intentions of teaching.

The methodological path began with a theoretical survey and deepening on the fundamentals of Neuroscience of Learning. This stage focused on the processes of attention, active engagement, emotion, executive functions, and memory consolidation, based on the four pillars of learning proposed by Dehaene (2018). The objective was to understand how pedagogical planning can consider cognitive and affective conditions for more effective learning.

In a subsequent stage, the documentary analysis of the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) was carried out. The focus was on the general competencies and skills provided for the ninth year of Elementary School, specifically in the curricular components of Portuguese Language and Geography. This analysis sought to ensure coherence between scientific evidence on learning and official curricular prescriptions.

From this theoretical and curricular framework, the Neuro-educational Planning Matrix (MPN) was constructed. Conceived as the main methodological instrument of the study, its elaboration aimed to operationalize the principles of learning neuroscience in teaching planning. The MPN sought to make explicit the cognitive, emotional, and metacognitive activations at each stage of teaching, differentiating itself from traditional lesson plan models.

The MPN structure is organized into fields that include class identification, selection of BNCC skills, and definition of learning objectives. Mandatory neuroeducational activations, learning experiences, assessment procedures, and guidelines for inclusion and ethical mediation were also included. The conceptual core of the matrix focuses on neuroeducational activations, organized into working memory, emotional engagement, and learning consolidation.

In order to analyze the operationalization of the matrix as a methodological procedure, an exemplary interdisciplinary planning was developed. This planning involved the curricular components of Portuguese Language and Geography, using the work Persepolis as a thematic axis. The example served as empirical-analytical material to examine how the fields of MPN guide pedagogical decisions and ensure methodological coherence.

To verify the internal consistency of the proposal, the methodological path included the organization of correlation tables. These tables related the BNCC skills and general competencies to the neuroeducational axes of the matrix. This procedure was used as an instrument for internal validation of the planning, ensuring methodological consistency between the curricular objectives and the cognitive and socio-emotional activations mobilized.

It is noteworthy that the study did not include the effective application of the MPN in the classroom, nor the collection of empirical data with students. The matrix was analyzed as a theoretical-practical proposal, without empirical validation of its impact on student performance. During the elaboration of the work, Artificial Intelligence resources were used as a tool to support the organization of writing, textual revision, and methodological structuring, maintaining the intellectual authorship of the researcher.

3. Results and Discussion

The results of this study highlight the systematization and applicability of the Neuroeducational Planning Matrix (MPN) as a pedagogical tool based on evidence from Neuroscience of Learning. The MPN was designed to support intentional, structured, and aligned teacher planning with the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC). Its main innovation lies in the explicit statement of the neuroeducational activations involved in each stage of the teaching and learning process, contributing to reduce the gap between neuroscientific theory and daily pedagogical practice, according to the central objective of the research.

The matrix structuring took as a central reference the four pillars of learning proposed by Dehaene (2021): attention, active engagement, feedback, and consolidation. These pillars were articulated with assumptions of interdisciplinarity, according to Fazenda (2008) and Morin (2000), and active methodologies, according to Moran (2018), in dialogue with the planning for understanding by Wiggins and McTighe (2019). The MPN was organized to include learning objectives aligned with the BNCC, learning experiences distributed in pedagogical stages (warm-up, central activity, and closing), and formative assessment criteria.

The matrix incorporates mandatory fields aimed at activating working memory, emotional engagement, and learning consolidation, reflecting an intentional methodological choice. This approach prompts the professor to plan not only the content but also how the student’s brain will be mobilized throughout the teaching-learning process. It should be emphasized that the incorporation of Learning Neuroscience does not reduce the student to biological mechanisms, but understands them as a holistic and biopsychosocial subject, where neurocognitive processes intertwine with cultural, socio-emotional, historical, and affective experiences.

To analyze the functionality of the MPN as a planning instrument, an example of interdisciplinary application was developed, involving the curricular components of Portuguese Language and Geography. The chosen thematic axis was the relationship between the West, the East, and cultural identity, based on the work *Persepolis*, by Marjane Satrapi. The choice of the work was based on its autobiographical, multimodal, and historical-cultural character, attributes recognized by the neuroscience of learning as facilitators of attentional engagement, emotional activation, and long-term memory consolidation (Cosenza and Guerra, 2011).

The presentation of this example is justified by its analytical and illustrative nature of the functioning of the Neuroeducational Planning Matrix as an educational product. Although the didactic sequence was applied by the researcher herself in her teaching practice, there was no systematic collection, recording, or analysis of student data. Thus, the example is not treated as a report of student learning outcomes, but as empirical-analytical material to discuss the functionality, consistency, and pedagogical potential of the matrix.

The integration between Portuguese Language and Geography, through the work *Persepolis*, was not conceived as a mere juxtaposition of contents. From the perspective of Learning Neuroscience, the articulation between different fields of knowledge stimulates associative neural networks, enhancing the construction of more complex concepts. The analysis of the narrative allowed linguistic-textual aspects to gain human and subjective contours, connecting directly to notions of space, territory, geopolitics, and borders, favoring the transposition of abstract learning to meaningful and contextualized mental schemas.

On the working memory axis, the MPN materialized in planning through the use of graphic organizers, such as the “fact-event-effect” chart and the progressive construction of the work’s timeline. These strategies aim to favor the external organization of information and the reduction of cognitive overload. As Cosenza and Guerra (2011) point out, such approaches expand processing capacity and contribute to the construction of more stable mental schemas, essential for retaining complex information.

The axis of emotional engagement was activated through activities that establish a connection between school content and universal human experiences. Examples include producing letters to the protagonist and regulated debates on belonging, cultural shock, and identity. These proposals align with the understanding that emotion and cognition are inseparable in the learning process, as one learns best what mobilizes personal meaning and affective involvement (Mora, 2017), in addition to promoting student protagonism, in line with active methodologies.

For the consolidation of learning, the matrix included active recall strategies, such as mini-quizzes and rubric-guided feedback. These actions enable planned content reviews and promote the stabilization of information in long-term memory, according to the consolidation pillar described by Dehaene (2018). Spaced practice and structured feedback are crucial for reinforcing neural connections and ensuring that knowledge is accessible and lasting.

The internal coherence of the proposal was verified through the analysis of the alignment between the BNCC skills and the neuroeducational fields of the MPN. It was observed that the curricular requirements are contemplated in an integrated manner with cognitive and socioemotional activations. For example, skill EF89LP33, which involves autonomous reading and comprehension of extensive works, requires the support of working memory for information maintenance throughout the text, being directly contemplated by the strategies proposed in the matrix.

Complementarily, skills EF89LP12, regarding participation in regulated debates, and EF09GE05, which deals with the discussion of geopolitical conflicts, primarily mobilize emotional engagement. This occurs because such skills require affective regulation, empathy, and alterity when faced with distinct worldviews, aspects that the MPN intentionally seeks to develop. This correlation demonstrates how the matrix translates curricular demands into specific neurocognitive activations, ensuring more conscious and effective planning.

The BNCC General Competencies were also analyzed in light of the neurocognitive activations predicted by the MPN. Competencies 1, 2, and 4, which emphasize knowledge and critical thinking, were associated with the working memory field, involving organization, reasoning, and language. Competencies 7, 8, and 9, focused on argumentation, self-knowledge, and empathy, were directly related to emotional engagement, promoting affective regulation and interactivity among students.

Competencies 5 and 10, which address digital culture and responsibility, were correlated with the consolidation of learning through practical application and iterative review. This alignment shows that the MPN favors the articulation between cognitive, socio-emotional, and ethical development, overcoming a fragmented view of the curriculum and reinforcing the relevance of the matrix as a planning tool based on scientific and normative evidence, integrating different dimensions of student training.

As a development of the application of the Neuroeducational Planning Matrix, a complete didactic sequence was structured for the 9th year of Elementary School, organized in progressive stages and consistent with neuroeducational principles. This sequence, applied by the researcher in her teaching practice, served as the main empirical-analytical material of the study, materializing the methodological and theoretical decisions discussed, and being analyzed from the perspective of planning and methodological coherence.

The interdisciplinary learning objectives of the didactic sequence included understanding the criteria for dividing the world between West and East, analyzing the identity construction of the protagonist of *Persepolis* and her relationship with culture, gender, religion, and politics. It also aimed to identify and analyze episodes of xenophobia and discrimination, developing empathy and an ethical stance, as well as relating the historical-political context of the Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War to the experiences narrated in the work.

The neuroeducational foundations that guided the didactic sequence were diverse, including attention and engagement, with activation of prior knowledge and triggering questions at the beginning of each week. Emotion and meaning were explored through discussions on identity, belonging, and injustice, aiming to foster meaningful learning and lasting memory. Memory and consolidation were worked on with weekly reviews, quizzes, and brief summaries, strengthening content retention.

Executive functions were stimulated by the planning of a timeline, organization of mind maps, and monitoring through self-assessment, supporting the prefrontal cortex. Multimodal encoding was promoted by the use of verbal and visual language from the graphic novel, in addition to audiovisual/illustrative production. Social learning was encouraged by group work with defined roles, negotiation, and respectful communication, while emotional safety was guaranteed by coexistence pacts to address sensitive topics, with support and teacher mediation.

The suggested routine per class, structured in warm-up, guided/shared reading, processing activity, and metacognitive closure, demonstrated how neuroeducational foundations guide practice. The warm-up, with trigger questions, aims to activate prior knowledge and increase focus. Guided reading focuses on key excerpts and visual elements, and the processing activity involves synthesis, discussion, and textual or graphic production, culminating in a metacognitive closure for reflection on learning.

The assessment was designed to be continuous and multimodal, encompassing processes and products, with explicit success criteria such as understanding the work and its historical-geographical context, critical analysis of viewpoints, and discussion of eurocentrism/xenophobia. Multimodality in the integration of text and image, research and use of reliable sources, group collaboration, and metacognition were also assessed, with recognition of progress and areas for improvement through consistent self-assessment.

The group’s final product, a multimodal e-book, was structured to consolidate learning, including a timeline, mind maps, critical reflection on the West and East, discussion on immigration and xenophobia, a letter to the protagonist, and the creation of a striking scene in stop motion or illustration. This structure reinforces the formative nature of the proposal, which aims not only for the acquisition of conceptual knowledge but also for the development of critical analysis, multimodal integration, and metacognition.

The selection of chapters from the work *Persepolis* for the didactic sequence was intentional, considering the thematic progression, the complexity of the content, and the need for ethical mediation in approaching sensitive themes such as war, discrimination, identity, and repression. This pedagogical decision, which included the excerpting of passages and the organization of activities, aimed to ensure consistency with the students’ age group and with the principles of emotional safety and pedagogical mediation, highlighting the didactic decisions resulting from the application of the MPN.

The analysis of the results suggests that MPN is configured as a replicable and functional model, capable of conferring conceptual rigor to teaching planning without compromising the personal relevance of the content for 9th-grade students. The main contribution of the study lies in the systematization of principles of learning neuroscience into a concrete planning tool, making explicit the cognitive, emotional, and metacognitive intentions of teaching, as per the proposed objective.

However, a limitation of the study is recognized as the absence of empirical validation based on systematized student data, which made it impossible to analyze quantitative or qualitative indicators on the impact of the MPN on student performance. The research, therefore, restricts its inferences to the field of pedagogical planning design and the theoretical-methodological analysis of the educational product developed, without directly proving the effects of the matrix on learning in real contexts.

In summary, the Neuroeducational Planning Matrix (MPN) demonstrated its capacity to organize teaching planning along cognitive-affective axes, favoring curricular integration, pedagogical intentionality, and the approximation between theoretical foundation and teaching practice. The MPN constitutes a structured and replicable tool, with the potential to qualify pedagogical planning by explicating neuroeducational intentions, offering subsidies for teacher reflection and curricular innovation.

4. Conclusion

The present study aimed to develop and analyze the Neuroeducational Planning Matrix (MPN) as an instrument applicable to the ninth year of Elementary Education, integrating cognitive-affective axes to the curricular prescriptions of the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC). It was verified that the MPN, conceived from principles of Learning Neuroscience, active methodologies, and interdisciplinarity, organized teacher planning into axes such as working memory, emotional engagement, and learning consolidation. The functionality of the matrix was demonstrated through an interdisciplinary didactic sequence based on the work Persepolis, which articulated the curricular components of Portuguese Language and Geography. It was observed that the MPN favored curricular integration and pedagogical intentionality, bringing theoretical foundation closer to teaching practice. Thus, the MPN constituted a structured and replicable tool, with the potential to qualify pedagogical planning by making explicit the neuroeducational intentions of teaching.

However, the absence of empirical validation with systematized student data was recognized as a limitation of the study, which restricted inferences to the planning design and the theoretical-methodological analysis of the educational product. It is recommended that future research follow the application of the MPN in real school contexts, using observational instruments and validated protocols, in order to investigate its effects on student engagement, self-regulation, and meaningful learning. The MPN, therefore, represents a relevant contribution to the strengthening of pedagogical practices guided by scientific evidence, offering consistent subsidies for teacher reflection and curricular innovation in basic education.

Bibliographic References

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COSENZA, Ramon Moreira; GUERRA, Leonor Bezerra. Neurociência e Educação: Como o Cérebro Aprende. 1. ed. Porto Alegre, RS: Artmed, 2011

DEHAENE, Stanislas. É assim que aprendemos: por que o cérebro funciona melhor do que qualquer máquina (ainda…). São Paulo: Contexto, 2021.

FAZENDA, Ivani Catarina Arantes. Didática e interdisciplinaridade. Campinas: Papirus, 2008.

MORA, Francisco. Neuroeducación: solo se puede aprender aquello que se ama. Madrid: Alianza, 2017.

MORIN, Edgar. Os sete saberes necessários à educação do futuro. São Paulo: Cortez; Brasília, DF: UNESCO, 2000.

WIGGINS, Grant; McTIGHE, Jay. Planejamento para a compreensão: alinhando currículo, avaliação e ensino por meio do planejamento reverso. Porto Alegre: Penso, 2019.

Article originating from a Final Course Work on Inclusive Education and Diversity

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