Trends in Neuroscience and Education最新文献

Background

Congenital amusia is a rare neurogenetic and neuropsychological condition which hinders the ability to recognize variations in all aspects of a musical piece. Although previous studies have determined the prevalence of congenital amusia in the general population, few have studied its presence among university students. Findings regarding the association between this condition and academic performance are equivocal, although evidence suggests that musical training improves scholastic achievement.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study on a sample of 383 university students, all pursuing health-related degrees, comparing their class rank with their performance on the BRAMS Online Test for amusia.

Results

We found a prevalence of 0.52% for pitch-based amusia. When applying the Off-Scale test failure criterion for the definition of amusia in our sample, we found a prevalence of 4.4%. Logistic models showed an increase in risk of poor academic performance (lowest quartile) in subjects who failed the off-scale test (Odds Ratio: 7.14 95% CI 2.59–19.6) and who met any of the described definitions of amusia (Odds Ratio: 4.89 95% CI 2.24–10.7).

Conclusions

Both musical training and self-report of musical ability significantly affected test results. Although musical education shows some effect over academic performance, further studies are required to determine if this is due to differential effects in subjects with and without amusia.

Background

Functional MRI studies have suggested a ‘frontoparietal shift’ over the course of development, whereby children tend to engage prefrontal neural regions to a greater extent than adults when completing mathematics tasks. Although this literature hints that lateral prefrontal regions may be involved in acquiring mathematics knowledge, a key limitation of existing studies is that they have included mathematics content that children already are familiar with as opposed to examining the dynamic learning process. We aimed to address this gap by examining children's neural responses when exposed to a new, unfamiliar mathematics concept.

Method

Eighteen 8–11 year old children viewed blocked demonstrations of base-2/binary (unfamiliar) and base-10/decimal (familiar) number systems while undergoing functional MRI (fMRI). Children's behavioral understanding of binary numbers was measured between fMRI runs.

Results

Counter to hypotheses, there were no overall differences in prefrontal activity for binary relative to decimal blocks. However, children with higher levels of behavioral understanding of the novel, binary concept showed enhanced neural activity in the left rostral middle frontal gyrus specifically during binary concept exposure. They also showed enhanced connectivity between this region and pre-and post-central gyri and left parahippocampal regions.

Conclusions

Individual differences in children's behavioral grasp of a new mathematics concept correlate with prefrontal activity and functional connectivity during exposure to the concept, suggesting that rostral prefrontal cortex may play a role in mathematics learning.

The objective of this study was to evaluate brain knowledge and the prevalence of neuromyths among teachers in Morocco. We aimed also predicting factors that may improve teachers' brain knowledge and widespread of neuromyths. An online questionnaire was sent to a large population of Moroccan teachers. The questionnaire contains 32 questions, 20 of them are designed to assess teachers' knowledge about the brain and the remaining 12 questions are neuromyths. The mean score of brain knowledge was (64.34% (SD = 27.9%)) and the mean score of neuromyths was (66.56% (SD= 25.73%)). Besides, 50% of teachers were unable to correctly answer seven out of the 20 brain knowledge questions. Moreover, half of the teachers believed in 9 out of the 12 neuromyths. Knowledge about the brain was the foremost predictor of neuromyths. The study disclosed a real lack of brain knowledge with a widespread of neuromyths among teachers in Morocco.

Objectives

Many students have difficulties in retrieving multiplication facts from memory. The aim of the present study was to test the difficulty in retrieval of multiplication facts from the perspective of the reconsolidation of long-term memory phase, which has been found to be sensitive to interferences.

Methods

Students learned multiplication facts and then received a reminder, which led to reactivation and reconsolidation. After the reminder, additional multiplication facts (interference) were learned and memory was tested.

Results

Students who received both a reminder and interference during reconsolidation showed no significant improvement in retrieving multiplication facts from memory, whereas Students who received either a reminder or additional multiplication facts (interference) exhibited a better performance in retrieval.

Conclusions

These results indicate, for the first time, that the reconsolidation phase is sensitive to interferences in mathematical declarative memory content. The findings indicate additional possible causes for difficulties in retrieval of multiplication facts in class.

Background

The Cognitive Load Theory provides a well-established framework for investigating aspects of learning situations that demand learners’ working memory resources. However, the interplay of these aspects at the cognitive and neural level is still not fully understood.

Method

We developed four computational models in the cognitive architecture ACT-R to clarify underlying memory-related strategies and mechanisms. Our models account for human data of an experiment that required participants to perform a symbol sequence learning task with embedded interruptions. We explored the inclusion of subsymbolic mechanisms to explain these data and used our final model to generate fMRI predictions.

Results

The final model indicates a reasonable fit for reaction times and accuracy and links the fMRI predictions to the Cognitive Load Theory.

Conclusions

Our work emphasizes the influence of task characteristics and supports a process-related view on cognitive load in instructional scenarios. It further contributes to the discussion of underlying mechanisms at a neural level.

Face masks can prevent the spread of the virus SARS-CoV-2, in particular as this spread can occur from people with no symptoms. However, covering the lower half of the face reduces the ability to communicate, interpret, and mimic the expressions of those with whom we interact. Positive emotions become less recognizable, and negative emotions are amplified. Emotional mimicry, contagion, and emotionality in general are reduced and (thereby) bonding between teachers and learners, group cohesion, and learning – of which emotions are a major driver. The benefits and burdens of face masks in schools should be seriously considered and made obvious and clear to teachers and students. The school's specific situation must also inform any decision regarding face mask use.

Background

Educational products claiming to be “brain-based” are common. Due to neurophilia, including a brain in a product's marketing can enhance perceptions. However, schooling background may play a protective role.

Objective

As previous neuromarketing research has been conducted predominantly in English speakers, we examined whether the effects of neurophilia extend to a Portuguese-speaking Brazilian population.

Method

Teachers and students (N = 262) viewed one of four advertisements for a hypothetical product translating to ‘‘Right Brain’’ or ‘‘Right Start’’ Training; half the advertisements contained an MRI brain image. Participants rated their perceptions of interest, efficacy, and scientific rationale.

Results

The presence of a brain image or the word ‘brain’ did not influence responses. However, occupation had a significant effect: teachers’ ratings were higher than students’ ratings. Importantly, teachers were more susceptible to neurocontent, rating “Right Brain” training significantly higher than students.

Conclusion

These results thus highlight the need to improve teachers’ neuroscience literacy.

Analogical reasoning is a useful analytical tool for formulating a hypothesis from which to springboard rigorous methodological analysis. Paradoxically, the tool's utility lies in its capacity to conceptualize a viable avenue for further inquiry as much as in its capacity to expose flaws in the analogical concept hypothesized. While it should not be the exclusive means upon which to rely absent evidence-based data or other valid corroboration, analogies provide an important means of stimulating creative thought. An illustration is offered: analogizing synaptic plasticity in neurological deficits to the invocation of a contractual indemnification.