Executive Functions in the Learning of University Students

Abstract

The article addresses the topic of executive functions and learning in university students. Itis considered relevant at the present time, due to the diverse affectations that are perceived in the academic performance after the pandemic, problems to regulate their learning, the little capacity to look for relevant information and difficulties to abstract significant aspects of the data of interest are more and more evident. From here, the relevance of better understanding the role of executive functions in learning is raised, for which, we begin with several definitions that coincidein characterizing them as those that regulate, control, mediate the higher and more complexactivities performed by the brain; they are located in the frontal cortex and have different ratesof development throughout the life cycle, from childhood to young adulthood when they reach their full development. In addition to this, the components of executive functions are described, since they are varied depending on the authors and their relationship with learning. The approach is eminently neuropsychological, but there is a brief dialogue with the philosophy of Heidegger,Hume, and Locke. It concludes with several suggestions of possible activities that can be carried out to develop these functions in students.