[W2] - L2 Flashcards
What is the aim of the transdisciplinary science of MBE and what is an example of this field in practice?
MBE is a transdisciplinary science as it integrates knowledge from pedagogy, psychology, and neuroscience (how the brain functions). Its three parent fields are education, psychology, neuroscience - more specifically - neuropsychology, educational psychology, and neuro-education.
It holds the aim of enhancing teaching and learning practices. MBE research is all about bringing theory into practice – which requires collaboration between theorists and practitioners/educators.
SlimStampen is an example of this field in practice: based on cognitive psychology principles of memory and learning (spreading – spreading what you need to learn across time [repeating the encoding process], testing – encouraging you to actively retrieve facts from memory [repeating the retrieval process - enabling rehearsal which is needed to form new memories]).
The value of multiple perspectives on a child’s difficulties
Alex’s grades drop in sixth class. Psychologists explanation (beginning puberty, parents divorcing), neuroscience explanation (undiagnosed ADHD/concentration issues), teacher explanation (change in teacher/new maths schedule – will improve independently overtime).
How do we integrate all of these aspects? – Several people of different backgrounds can work together to come up with a collective solution.
The Levels of Assessment Model
[Note: Levels can be skipped and you don’t need to progress step-by-step – for example, – a medical condition (TBI) would call for immediate referral to a neurological assessment to obtain specialized care]
Informal assessment: intervention by the classroom teacher
Formal interventions: progress monitoring by the student
assistance team
Psychoeducational assessment: IQ and achievement
assessment
Neuropsychological assessment: sensorimotor functions &
NP assessment
Neurological assessment: neurologist (e.g. brain imaging)
/psychiatrist
Response-To-Intervention Model
Tier I (general education initiatives)
Tier II (targeted interventions)
Tier III (comprehensive assessment and special education referral).
The dangers of miscommunication in the field of MBE
MBE is reliant on communication/transferrable terminology/language use.
Miscommunication between the disciplines can give way to neuromyths (and curricula or interventions can be developed that do not have a strong neuroscientific base). This can limit teacher’s teaching potential and student’s learning potential due to this mismatch – typically arising because of scientific facts that were misunderstood.
Types of Neuromyths: total nonsense (all experts agree it has no basis), lack of facts (experts in a given topic might endorse it), controversy (experts on the topic are in a hot debate about it)
Aside from miscommunication across disciplines how might neuromyths (false ideas about brain function) develop?
Scientific illiteracy:
taking correlation to mean causation, overgeneralization, lab findings failing to translate practically, confirmation bias, misinterpreting results etc.
Band-wagonitis: Adopting the ideas of friends/colleagues without question (“why do you think that?” - “because they said so”)
Humans want simplicity: We seek to understand things immediately without having to reflect, and create over-simplified versions of the facts that may not be true in themselves.
Commercial Benefits of the neuromyth.
What’s reported in the popular press.
Myth or Fact in OT - Flat heads in babies cause dyslexia.
Myth!
Some babies develop flattened heads simply from lying down for long periods of time on that part of a still soft and flexible skull. Physiotherapy can help with flat heads – headbands.
Myth or Fact in Education - Individuals learn better when presented with information in their preferred learning style (auditory, visual, etc.).
Myth!
Learners do show preferences for the method in which they prefer to receive information, but they don’t learn better.
A multisensory approach to learning is most effective, particularly for children with disorders!
Evidence for the value of a multisensory approach to learning
Research examining the differential effects of verbal only support, gesture only support, and verbal and gesture support/guidance/instruction found that - the speech and gesture condition was much more effective for children with ADHD (3 to 5x) - with speech only being the least effective.
This suggests gestures are also of great importance to this population!
Myth or Fact - Differences in hemispheric dominance can help to explain individual differences amongst learners [Left (fact focused, planning) vs. right (creative, emotional)]
Myth!
In reality, left and right hemisphere always work in tandem/collaborate; interconnected by the corpus callosum.
Notably though, some cognitive processes are lateralised to one hemisphere more notably than the other (e.g., left hemisphere most active during a language task (where is the metrical stress in a word? – APPle))
Myth or Fact - Short bouts of coordinated exercises can improve integrated left and right hemispheric brain function
AND
Exercises that rehearse co-ordination of motor-perception can improve literacy skills.
Both are Myths!
This is because of the idea of near/far transfer: far transfer of skills across domains is usually very low.
It is true that left/right always work together, and it is true that vigorous exercise can improve mental function. However, it cannot train a particular brain function.
The value of acute exercise for brain function [BDNF]
What is good for your heart is also good for your brain – physical warm-ups can double up as mental warm-ups!
They increase cerebral blood flow, as well as the availability of dopamine and noradrenaline (which are relevant to attention/executive function more generally). Greater activity also occurs in brain areas related to executive
functions and attention regulation.
BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) increases after acute exercise – which improves the growth of nerve cells in the brain and promotes neurogenesis!
Acute exercise supports learning and cognition.
Research Findings for Exercise and General Brain Function/Academic Achievement in Children
Children around 10 years old move twice as much than they do in their 20s. Children are eager for movement.
An RCT study found that, following a 20 minute treadmill walk, accuracy on a cognitive control task (flanker task), and reading comprehension were improved. Maths scores did not improve, however.
Fit en Vaardig – RCT here involving physically active math/spelling lessons. Sought to make certain tasks more automatized (e.g. multiplication, spelling). They dribbled, moved their bodies more generally etc. Four months learning gains (4 months ahead) compared to non-participating controls (for spelling, math speed, and math CAMS)! The effects start to become visible for Math CAMS first (1 year) – It could be argued that the amount of rehearsal being done by the experimental group was the key factor initiating a change.
Lit review on exercise’s influence on cognition and academic performance. No adverse effects were found, and half of the high-quality studies observed a significant effect. The strongest evidence was for maths (although the frequency of practice/intensity might be a confounding variable)
For Executive Functions: Researchers have argued that using physical/aerobic exercise to train executive functions is one of the least effective approaches on the market to improve EF.
What is the SANE effect? And why should we be cautious when generalizing neuroscientific findings?
SANE effect = seductive allure of neuroscience explanations - arguments/results featuring brain information (either neuroscientific words/imagery) are judged to be more credible.
In terms of generalization, effects found in the brain do not always translates into other domains; such as academic performance, cognition, behaviour etc.
Lab findings should be tested in real environments as well!
Research Findings for Exercise and in Children with ADHD
Research on physical exercise as an intervention for ADHD used not acute but chronic exercise programs. ADHD symptoms were reduced (as rated by parents/teachers) – and EF measures showed improvement. In one study, increased frontal brain activity was observed. Social and emotional functioning improved in some studies (not in all), and behaviour (not in all). Medication and exercise interventions were compatible.
Limitations to the studies included not all having random assignments, or blinded raters, or adequate control groups (parents drive/pay for activities so they might be eager to see improvement/not objective). It is difficult to have meticulous research designs in educational practice, though, as the environment is messy! Random assignment is hard for example: an incompatible group (no friends) may result in low motivation and child drop-out.
Open questions remaining on this topic include – Optimal exercise dosage? Optimal age for this effect? How does it compare to stimulant medication/behavioural therapy? Are the effects lasting?
