UAB and Carlos Alcaraz Garfia Foundation launch a project on motor skills and childhood learning

The initiative combines applied neuroscience and pedagogical innovation to demonstrate the transformative role of physical activity in academic success.

The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the Carlos Alcaraz Garfia Foundation have formalized a scientific and pedagogical collaboration agreement led by Dr. Marc Guillem Molins as principal investigator. This strategic partnership establishes bodily movement and embodiment as fundamental cornerstones within the classroom to optimize academic performance and cognitive development throughout primary education.

The project, titled MyA: Movement and Learning in Childhood (Movimiento y Aprendizaje en la infancia), investigates how integrated motor skills stimulate neurocognitive maturation and facilitate the acquisition of core foundational competencies. Scheduled from May 2026 to December 2027, the study rigorously assesses the direct impact of active classroom dynamics on literacy learning and mathematical reasoning.

The research also features the prominent participation of Dr. Marta Portero Tressera, an expert from the UAB Institute of Neuroscience. Empirical evidence is gathered through fieldwork conducted across schools affiliated with the Regional Ministry of Education of Murcia, an intervention that drives the creation of transferable didactic tools, awareness materials, and a framework for academic cooperation with national and international reach.