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Neuroscience at the
school gates:Are we ready?
Paul Howard-JonesUniversity of Exeter 18th November
NEnet Neuro-Educational Research Network,University of Bristol
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Collaborative Frameworks:The 2005-2006 ESRC-TLRP seminar series
On Neuroscience and Education
400 teachers, neuroscientists,psychologists & policy-makers
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2007: The issues andopportunities
www.tlrp.org
110,000 downloadsin 6 months
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Areas of 1st contact
Developmental disorders (dyslexia,dyscalculia, autism, ADHD, etc)
Sleep and nutritionAdolescent behaviour and learning
Creativity
Motivation and engagementChallenge neuromyths(VAK,BrainGym,water)
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Developmental disorders:ADHD
The neuroscience of ADHD is still not clear
sufferers exhibit neural differences in areas such asthe anterior cingulate and prefrontal cortex
treatment has increasingly involved thepsychoactive drug methylphenidate (e.g. Ritalin).1991: 2000 prescriptions, 2005: 359,000
The idea of ADHD ..... identifies an important way in which
children differ. Some are much more impulsive, restless anddisorganised than others; and the strongest influences onthis variation are genes that affect brain chemistry andneuropsychological functioning. (Eric Taylor)
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Developmental Disorders:Dyslexia
Attitudes & approaches:Biology is not destiny
Brain areas involved and changes in activity due to
remediation
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Dyscalculia
Understanding as
brain-baseddisorder
Interventionsbased on a newunderstanding ofmathematics
Developmental Disorders :Dyscalculia
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Adolescent behaviour & learning
Frontal and parietal cortices: synaptic pruning beginsafter puberty
Myelination (insulation of axons) continues in these brainregions during puberty
These brain changes have implications for directing attention planning future tasks inhibiting inappropriate behaviour Multitasking variety of socially-orientated skills Teens even show a pubertal dip in some areas: matching faces
to names of expressions and perspective-taking A plateau has also been found for prospective memory (e.g.
remembering appointments)
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More futuristic 1st contact but here
Neurofeedback
Cognitive enhancers (smart pills)
Training of executive function (beyondNintendo Brain Training) and intelligence
Pre-literacy screening for risk of dyslexia
Genetic profiling
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And also here...the need forscrutiny...
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How would you like your
Neuroscience and Education?
Neuroscience and education
What is it?! What might it be?
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Menu
Neuroscience
Approved!
Neuroscience
Free!
Neuroscience
Included
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Education draws on multipleperspectives
SOCIAL BIOLOGICAL
EXPERIENTIAL
Understanding
Learning
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Neuro-educational research: the
developing and learning brain
Howard-Jones, 2007And not forgetting experiential/insider!!
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Example 1:
Fostering creativityNEnet
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Fostering creativity
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Questions from dialogue withpractitioners:
do random strategies foster creativity?
Make a up a story using 3 words:
shine brush teeth
zip cow star
"This cow got so fed up with people doubting that cows could
jump over the moon that it decided to jump over a star. To do
this, it wore a special rocket suit. The cow zipped up the space
suit, lit the blue touch paper and flew up over the star"
"The children were told that they must brush their teeth when
they are young in order to make them shine and that they
wouldn't have any friends if their teeth weren't shiny. So every
single night, the children brushed their teeth to make them shine."
Howard-Jones et al. (2005)
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Randomness fosters extra
generation and analysis of ideas
-produce creative stories and uncreative stories
-include word sets that were related &unrelated
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Correlates of creative storygeneration
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Where creative activityincreased when using random
words
frontal medial areas
- higher level control
Strategy increases intensity of creativity processing, more
novel possibilities but more analysis to filter them?
Howard-Jones et al. (2005)
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Broader research cycle
Fostering creativity
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Experiential (performanceethnography)
Participants: 3 professionalactors, a professionaltheatrical director, a dramaconsultant and theresearcher (PHJ) who also
participated actively in the 2-day workshop.
e.g. what do strategies feel like?
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Q: How do we minimise creativity (e.g. in thebe uncreative condition)?
A: Tendency to visually fixate on a single
unchanging and stereotypical scene and todescribe it (see PVC activation in fMRI study)
Q: What are the issues of control whenusing strategies based on randomness?
A: Small elements of randomnessassimilated almost spontaneously, butparticipants emphasised value of more timeto filter the many possibilities when greater
degrees of freedom possible
Example findings...
(+ film clips linking research and practice)
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Broader research cycle
Fostering creativity
T i T h t k hi f
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Trainee Teachers take ownership offindings: Action Research cycle
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Summary of co-construction processHoward-Jones, Winfield and Crimmins (2008)
1. an initial high degree of enthusiasm2. a flourishing of initial of somewhat behavioural
but conveniently prescriptive neuromyths3. a daunting realization that things were more
complex and required attention to cognition4. greater focus on cognition, with neuroscience
helping to biologise, concretise and deepenconcepts
5. emergence of concepts, language and reflectivecapability that allows deeper reflection, sensitivityand insights around personal practice in specificcontexts.
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1. Creative cognition as 2 modes: generative and analytical2. Creativity not entirely spontaneous teacher can identify
when students thinking must be more generative/analytical,enabling transition through environmental change or strategy
3. No creative brain area, Left-/right-brain theory unhelpful
4. Fixation & potential for metacognitive intervention5. Decisions to influence creative processes must consider
learner(s), their progress & wider context6. Extent of cortical activation suggests visualisation maybe an
under-utilized tool, e.g. visualising contextual changes
7. Strategies that require the making of unusual connectionsencourage rehearsal of creative thinking processes andactivation of associated brain regions. I.e. not just cognitiveshort-cuts and they have educational value. Imaging data +reported experience suggests such strategies are challengingand will require extra time for quality outcomes.
Some co-constructed concepts
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http://www.bris.ac.uk/education/research/networks/nenet
http://www.bris.ac.uk/education/people/academicStaff/edpahj/publications/construct.pdf -
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Example 2:
Engagement, learning & gamesNEnet
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= Incentive motivation pathway
Mesolimbic Dopaminergic (DA) Pathway
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So: Wanting (dopaminergic reward system) is not always liking
Dopamine (DA) seems to play a role in the appetitivephase of motivation. DA deficient rats become lessinterested in searching out food, but they still like eating.
Opioids appear involved in the hedonicpleasures/consummatory of eatingthey dont influenceeffort to get food but they do reduce meal size
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Fiorillo et al. (2003)
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So 50:50 maximises dopaminerelease
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Supports animal learning(e.g. foraging)
Kalahari Bushman diggingfor roots
Outcomes at these oddsmay also produceconsiderable (further)emotional responsesubsequent to
success/failure and thatcan benefit more formallearning and memory i.e.of the educational type.
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Do humans prefer 50:50chances?
Yes, but not in school, where children prefer risks of~90%
Intellectual failure ->self and social esteem
Problem for emotional engagement: reduced signals
(linked to motivation) in the animal reward system andemotional response to unexpected success.
Suggests:
a learning games approach: Can gaming elementsincrease uncertainty but with less penalties for esteem?
DA in reward system is a ready to learn signal thatorientates interest/attention??
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NENet research on learning games(Howard-Jones and Demetriou, 2008)
Finding 1: Children enjoy gaminguncertainty in learning games especiallyboys
Task: Ask your maths question from
Mr Certain (Correct -> 1 point)
Mr Uncertain (Correct -> coin toss, 2 or 0 pts
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30
40
50
60
70
80
1 6 11 16 21 26
Question number
Perc
entageofquestionsrequested
fromMrUncertain
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Finding 2: Gaming uncertainty cansubvert discourse around learning inpositive ways
Task: Wipe Out try to beat thecomputer at a quiz (Ralph Allen
Comprehensive School, Bath Yr 9Science, lowest set)
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Claims of unfairness were about the computerknowing the answers and suspicions that itmight be getting all the easy questions:
M2L: this isnt really a fair gameM2R: yea its not because the computer knows the
answers
M2R: ..why is he, why is the computer getting all
the easy ones?
Not about losing all points due to dice throw!
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Gaming uncertainty as a source of hope:
M2L: I want the computer to get a wipe out
M2R: get a oneM2L: because then we can actually get
some points
F1R: Hahaha - double one - what a loser
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Misfortune was generally attributed to bad luck and talkedabout (as in success) in gaming terms:
M2L: agh - we got obliterated. Completely annoying, wehavent had any good rolls
M2R: no
But success was still celebrated vigorously, and often inwords that expressed a triumph of ability (and in the
case of pairs F1 and M1 with singing and dancing):
F1R: Were just too good - I cant believe were doing good
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And wanting/liking dissociation?
F1R: Shall we play again?F1L: So annoying.
F1R: Dont mind .shall we?
F1L: Yeah, roll the dice
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Just a spoonful of sugar?
Finding 3: The emotional response tooutcomes of learning is increased byan element of gaming uncertainty
Task: Adults play wipeout (with and
without game element) while skin
response is measured
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Ongoing research: Neurocomputing
and the ready to learn DA signal
Q: In activities that closely combine gaming andlearning elements, is it possible to computesomething like the DA signal (i.e. positiveprediction error) and use this to predict whenlearning will and will not occur?
A: Yes at least in adults (Howard-Jones at al.,2009 BPS Annual Conf)
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Task with learning andgaming
Ongoing research Ne rocomp ting
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Gaming BehaviouralData
Computer Model ofBehaviour
Prediction Error (DA)signal
Prediction of whenlearning will occur
Neural Correlates ofthis Prediction Error
(DA) signal
Gaming Image Data
Ongoing research: Neurocomputingand the ready to learn DA signal
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Computer modelling (using UoBs high
performance computing facility) can be used to
study the brains response in more complex(and relevant) gaming situations - e.g. when
observing a competitors behaviour
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Preliminary image analysis showingactivity correlated with players
Prediction Error of own choicesinDorsal Striatal areas
Wh t d thi f
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What does this mean forpedagogy?
Also underway: Classroom based studies (w/otechnology), to co-construct understanding withteachers about learning games
High levels of engagement!
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High levels of engagement!(especially boys)
Neuroscience at the School
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Neuroscience at the SchoolGates: Are we ready?
In the past, Neuroscience has entered educationalthinking in the past through entrepreneurs who haveavoided scrutiny
A dialogue has now begun between education and
neuroscience: OECD Brain and Learning Project (2000-2007) ESRC-TLRP Seminar Series Brain, Mind and Education Journal (Blackwells)
launched 07
BERA SIG from 07, Cambridge Neuro & Ed Centre,NEnet
In past 10 years, increasing examples of neuroscientistsproducing articles, books and even products foreducators. Neuro-educational research is becoming an
established venture
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Can/should neuroscience enter the school gates ONLY through
collaborative research and co-construction of concepts?
If so, there are significant challenges:For neuro-educational researchers:
Language and communication
Methodology (epistemology & philosophy) Ethics
For policy-makers:
Horizon scanning Research funding Imminent issues requiring consultation (e.g. cognitive
enhancers, brain reading/screening, genetic profiling)
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Thanks for listening..