Interpersonal educational neuroscience: A scoping review of the literature

Educational neuroscience merges insights from education, psychology, and neuroscience to understand how the brain learns, processes information, and retains knowledge. While this field entails aspects like individual cognitive development and skill acquisition, it lacks clarity on the mechanisms for true social learning and teaching. To fill this gap, our article examines how the rapidly growing area of interpersonal educational neuroscience, which shifts the focus from single learners to learning interactions between individuals, is (and could be) contributing to a refined account for learning in social settings. We conducted a literature review of interpersonal neuroscience in relation to learning and instruction, through databases including Pubmed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. We found that interpersonal brain synchronization (IBS), within a widespread fronto-temporo-parietal network, between teachers and students and among students, can predict learning performance and is biased by characteristics of teaching. The functional implications of IBS, its challenges, and future opportunities for its applications to pedagogical practices are discussed. •This study examines how interpersonal educational neuroscience contributes to our understanding of learning and teaching.•IBS between teachers and students and among students could predict learning performance.•IBS was found in a widespread fronto-temporo-parietal network.•IBS was modulated by characteristics of teaching, such as instructional strategy and teaching style.