About the Book

This book is concerned with philosophical and physiological aspects of educational activities in the times of a global crisis that has three aspects:
(1) a civilisation crisis caused by accelerated technological development,
(2) a biosphere-ecological crisis, and
(3) the crisis of anthropocentric world view.
The authors believe that to meet the educational challenges of the future it is necessary to take a systematic and scientifically grounded approach to teaching. In our book we present neurological and physiological findings that are relevant to understanding the process of learning, its limitations, and the contexts in which learning proceeds quickly, or grinds to a halt. Various types of learning and the associated physiological responses are presented, and the consequences for the design of learning programs and environments are discussed.

About the Author

Prof. Dr Svetlana Nikolaevna Kolupaeva, born 2 May 1958, is full professor at the Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building. She graduated from Tomsk State University, faculty of applied mathematics (1980). From 2006 to 2013, she worked as Vice-rector of the Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building. Currently she is heading the Department of Applied Mathematics. Prof. Dr Mikhail lvanovich Slobodskoi, born 12 October 1947, graduated from the mechanical - mathematical faculty of the Tomsk State University (1971). He is a professor of the Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building. From 2005 to 2012 he was rector of the Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building. He is an Honored Worker of Higher School of the Russian Federation (2004). Prof. Dr Leonid Evgenievich Popov, born 29 May 1925, is a full professor at the Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building, and an Honored Scientist of Russia. Since 1984 his research shifted towards the mechanisms of emotional activation of the thinking process, immediately before and after flashes of insight. He is the author of papers and monographs on the topics of teaching, synthesis of basic and applied knowledge, and organizer of a seminar, “Mechanisms and patterns of the creative phase of thinking”. Dr Sergey N. Postnikov, was born in 1964. In 1989 he graduated from the Tomsk State University and worked at the Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics. Since 1993, he works at the Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building. S. Postnikov defended his PhD thesis in 1996. He is currently Head of the Educational Department at Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building.

Table of Contents:
Foreword of the editor of the English edition I. Introduction II. Three great recognitions of the 20th century: Global crisis of civilization • Biosphere-ecological crisis • The crisis of anthropocentric world view III. “Dimensions” of vital activity space: The triad of existence and cognition: reality, consciousness, superconciousness IV. The functional organization of the neocortex V. The phenomena of superconsciousness, consciousness and subconsciousness: Superconsciousness • Consciousness • Subconsciousness VI. A graphical representation of some forms of cognition and human activity in the three-dimensional space: The trajectory of cognitive activity of a researcher • Trajectory of cognitive activity of a researcher: a physicalist • Trajectory of cognitive activity of a researcher: a naturalist VII. Three space dimensions of the human mind according to N.G. Zagoruiko: wisdom, reason, will VIII. The structure of a single elementary event of cognition within natural educational technology IX. Natural resources for the intensification of human cognitive activity and natural educational technologies: Three components of the functional unit of cognitive activity • Neurophysiological mechanisms associated with newness • Educational-cognitive activity and adaptation reponses • a. Activation response • b. Training response • c. Stress • External, behavioural and subjective manifestations of adaptive responses X. Resources of individual References