מדעי המוח וחינוך: אקו-נוירוביולוגיה והתפתחות מוחית

Educational Neuroscience (Eco-neurobiology) and brain development

About the project

The field of eco-neurobiology focuses on understanding how environmental factors interact with genetic expression to shape brain development, cognition, and learning in pupils, while enhancing brain connectivity, namely, physical and functional connections between different regions of the brain. In the human brain, 86 billion neurons communicate with each other through special structures called synapses. The way these neurons are connected to each other determines the functional organization of the brain’s architecture and its ability to process and integrate information. There are six major key factors that contribute to the eco-neurobiology of brain development: Nurturing environment, sleep, nutrition, exercise, music, and effective teaching, goaled to optimize brain connectivity by applying learning strategies both in school and in the community (Mualem et al. 2018, 2022, 2023a, b). These factors can significantly affect concentration, social interaction, emotional regulation, and behaviour. While brain development is most critical in the first three years of life, elementary school education plays a crucial role in determining adult health, employment, and overall well-being.

Our research group seeks to optimize childhood education by examining the unique interaction of educational, environmental, and neurocognitive factors that determine effective learning, social well-being, and public health outcomes. By better understanding how these factors impact brain development and learning outcomes, we hope to identify ways to improve educational practices and policies that promote healthy brain development and long-term success for individuals and society as a whole.

Aims

1 - to promote academic knowledge of factors involved in brain development

2 - to investigate the effect of nurturing environment, sleep, nutrition, exercise, music, effective teaching [to optimize brain connectivity], and learning strategies among K-12 pupils

3 - to develop research at a national and international level to promote the new concept of eco-neurobiology

4 - to organize national and international level conferences on the subject of eco-neurobiology and development of learning among students

Links to professional networks

https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/50123/education-and-health-as-social-determinants-the-econeurobiology-of-brain-development

צוות המחקר

Dr. Raed Mualem

raed.mualem@oranim.ac.il

Dr Raed Mualem is an educational administrator. Dr Mualem completed his undergraduate studies in biology (B.Sc.) and law (LLB). He also holds master's degrees in science (M.Sc.), Educational leadership and management (M.A), and Health administration (M.H.A), along with a doctoral degree in life sciences - all awarded by Tel Aviv University. He completed post-doctoral work in biochemistry at CNRS in France and has been teaching courses such as human biology and animal physiology at Oranim Academic College. He served as vice president of Mar Elias Educational Institutions from 2002-2009, directing a dynamic K-12 school system. During his tenure as vice president, Dr Mualem also established the Institute for Brain and Rehabilitation Sciences. Dr Mualem participated in the U.S. State Department's International Leadership Program in 2004. In September 2019, he was appointed Head of the Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences for Elementary Schools at Oranim Academic College.

Latest publications:

Mualem, R., Machado, C., Morales-Quezada, L., Shance, S., eds. (2024). Education and health as social determinants: the econeurobiology of brain development. Lausanne: Frontiers Media SA. doi: 10.3389/978-2-8325-5722-8. link

Farraj, R, Haddad,S., Cohen,C., Mualem, R. (2024). Impact of sleep duration on cognitive performance and emotional state changes in high school students. J. Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery. link

Mualem, R., Morales-Quezada, L., Hussein Farraj, R., Shance, S., Hodaya Bernshtein, D., Cohen, S., Mualem,L., Salem,N., Yehuda, R., Zbedat,Y., Waksman,I., Biswas, S.(2024 ). Econeurobiology and brain development in children: key factors affecting development, behavioral outcomes, and school interventions. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1376075.link

Mualem, R., Morales-Quezada, L., Shance, S., & Machado, C.(2024) Education and Health as Social Determinants: The Econeurobiology of Brain Development. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1488824.‏

Hussein Farraj, R., Mualem, R., Leisman, G., Rustom, S., Ganem, S., Shance, S., Rosner, M., Cohen, S., Zbedat, Y., Waksman, I., Biswas, S. (2024), Evaluation of Educational Attainment among School Children from Vulnerable Communities after Interventions of Effortless Walking Versus Strenuous Sporting Activity, J. Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery, 14(1)pp 1-7.link

Mualem, R., Jadon, N., Shance, S., Hussein Farraj, R., Mansour, R., & Cohen, S. (2023). The effect of dietary preferences on academic performance among kindergarten-aged children. J Neurosci Neurol Surg, 13, 277.‏ link

Mualem, R. Belal Badarne, B, Biswas, S, Hnout, M, Ganem, S, Zbedat, Y, Shehadeh, E, Waksman,I., Leisman, G, Machado, C. (2021). Improvements in cognition and educational attainment as a result of integrating music into science teaching in elementary school. Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery, 8(5) 1-8; link

Melillo, R. J., Leisman, G., Mualem, R., & Ornai, A. (2020). Persistent childhood primitive reflex reduction effects on cognitive, sensorimotor and academic performance in ADHD. Frontiers in Public Health, 8, 684.‏ link

Mualem, R., Leisman, G., Zbedat, Y., Ganem, S., Mualem, O., Amaria, M., Kozle,A., Khayat-Moughrabi,S., Ornai, A. (2018). The effect of movement on cognitive performance. Frontiers in Public Health, 1- 6, 100. link

Leisman, G., Mualem, R., & Mughrabi, S. K. (2015). The neurological development of the child with the educational enrichment in mind. Psicología Educativa, 21(2), 79-96.‏ link

Leisman, G., Mualem, R. & Machado, C. (2013). The integration of the neurosciences, child public health, and education practice: Hemisphere-specific remediation strategies as a discipline partnered rehabilitation tool in ADD/ADHD. Frontiers in Public Health, 1-7, 22. link

Leisman, G, Machado, C., Melillo, R., Mualem, R (2012). Intentionality and 'Free-Will' from a neurodevelopmental perspective. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 6, 1-12. link

Dr. Rania Hussein-Farraj

Dr Hussein-Farraj is the Head of the education training program for secondary schools at Oranim Academic College of Education, in charge of approximately 50 staff and faculty members (lecturers and pedagogical instructors), and 800 undergraduate and graduate students enlisted in various programs.

Dr Hussein-Farraj received her three academic degrees from the department of education in science and technology at the Technion, Haifa. Her B.Sc. was in teaching biology; for her M.Sc. she examined the integration of computerized molecular modeling for enhancing students’ ‎understanding of proteins' structure and function‎. Her PhD thesis was on distance learning among science and engineering students. She was an academic advisor for students studying for their B.Sc. in teaching chemistry and a teaching assistant for science teaching courses at the Technion. In recent years, she has been lecturing on science education at various education colleges as well as in the Teach First Israel program for retraining academics. Dr Hussein–Faraj volunteered as a member of the advisory committee to the Weizmann Institute for the promotion of excellence in the sciences in the Arab sector. She is a member of Al-Maram – a non-profit organization for promoting excellence in the sciences in the Arab sector. She has presented at local and international conferences and published articles in Israeli and international journals. As a post-doctoral student, Dr. Hussein–Faraj completed her post doctorate at the University of Haifa in the Faculty of Education in the Center for Learning Technology in the field of citizen science.

Latest publications:

Mualem, R. Morales-Quezada, L., Hussein Farraj, R., Shance, S., Bernshtien,D., Cohen, S, Mualem,L., Salem, N., Yehuda, R., Zbedat, Y., Machado, C., Waksman, I & Biswas, S. [Submitted March 2023]. Econeurobiology and brain development in children: Key factors that affect the development of brain architecture in children. Frontiers in Public Health.

Barak, M., Hussein-Farraj, R., & Dori, Y.J. (2016). On-campus or online: Examining self-regulation and cognitive transfer skills in different learning settings. The International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 13(1),1-18.

DOI: 10.1186/s41239-016-0035-9

Barak, M., & Hussein-Farraj, R. (2013). Integrating model-based learning and animations for enhancing students’ understanding of proteins' structure and function. Research in Science Education. 619-636, DOI 10.1007/s11165-012-9280-7

Hussein-Farraj, R., Barak, M., and Dori Y. J. (2012). Lifelong learning at the Technion: Graduate students’ perceptions of and experiences in distance learning. Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Learning and Learning Objects – IJELLO, 8, 115-135. http://www.ijello.org/Volume8/IJELLOv8p115-135Hussein0805.pdf

חסיסי סאבק, ר., חוסין-פראג׳, ר., לפידות לפלר ,נ. (2023). לחוד וביחד: הכשרה מכלילה של סטודנטים להוראה מהחברה הערבית במכללה בישראל. דברים, גיליון א תשפ״ג,.86-106 .

Shir Shance

Bachelor's student in Life Sciences with focus on biotechnology, at the Open University. With a significant background as a network security engineer, Ms. Shance has acquired extensive expertise in this field. Her early interest in research and life sciences, starting from her high school years, inspired her to pursue further education in biotechnology. Ms. Shance works as a coordinator with a team of researchers in the development of a research topic in Health Education and Health as Social Determinants: The Econeurobiology of Brain Development in the Journal of Frontiers in Public Health. Link to the research topic: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/50123

Latest publications:

Mualem, R. Morales-Quezada, L., Hussein Farraj, R., Shance, S., Bernshtien,D., Cohen, S., Mualem, L., Salem, N., Yehuda, R., Zbedat, Y., Machado, C., Waksman, I & Biswas, S. [Submitted March 2023]. Econeurobiology and brain development in children: Key factors that affect the development of brain architecture in children. Frontiers in Public Health.

Mualem, R., Nibal Jadon, N., Shance , S., Hussein-Farraj,R., Mansour, R., Machado, C (Accepted April 2023) The Effect Of Dietary Preferences On Academic Performance Among Kindergarten-Aged Children. 6th International Conference of Advanced Research in Education. Cambridge 2023. link

Sapir Cohen

Graduated with a bachelor's in natural science teaching and mathematics education for elementary students with high honours from Oranim College. Teacher and educator in an elementary school, focusing on teaching science. She is now finishing her master's with a thesis in neuroeducation at Bar Ilan University.

Latest publications:

Mualem, R. Morales-Quezada, L., Hussein Farraj, R., Shance, S., Bernshtien, D., Cohen, S., Mualem, L., Salem,N., Yehuda,R., Zbedat,Y., Machado, C., Waksman, I & Biswas, S. [Submitted March 2023]. Econeurobiology and brain development in children: Key factors that affect the development of brain architecture in children. Frontiers in Public Health.

Dima Bawardi

Dima Bawardi is an experienced Arabic language lecturer and educational content developer. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Arabic Language Education from The Arab Academic College of Education in Haifa, a Master’s degree in Language Teaching from Oranim College of Education (specializing in Arabic grammar), and is currently pursuing a PhD in Arabic Literature at Bar-Ilan University.

She is an Arabic teacher in high school, and an Arabic Language Coordinator. In addition, she works as a proofreader for research assignments at the 5-unit Bagrut level for 12th-grade students.

Beyond teaching, Dima has made significant contributions to educational development and digital learning materials. She has held key roles, including Head of a Development Team at CET – The Center for Education Technology and Educational Units Developer at LNET Institute, Mimshak, and Hakaveret, where she designed and developed digital learning resources under the Israeli Ministry of Education.

She is currently a member of the Eco-Neurobiology research group at Oranim Academic College, with research interests that extend beyond language education into the fields of education and cognitive sciences. Focusing on the field of: The Impact of Music on Cognitive Skills Among Ninth-Grade Students in Arabic Language Studies.

Latest Publication

Bawardi, D. (2025). The Implicit Place in the Poem "She Has Not Come" by Mahmoud Darwish. European Center for Research Training and Development – UK, 13(1), 1-26.

מדעי המוח וחינוך: אקו-נוירוביולוגיה והתפתחות מוחית