Abstract
Paralleling two decades of growth in the emergent field known as educational neuroscience is an increasing concern that educational practices and programs should be evidence-based, however, the idea that neuroscience could potentially influence education is controversial. One of the criticisms, regarding applications of the findings produced in this discipline, concerns the artificiality of neuroscientific experiments and the oversimplified nature of the tests used to investigate cognitive processes in educational contexts. The simulations may not account for all of the variables present in real classroom activities. In this study, we aim to get a step closer to the formation of data-supported classroom methodologies by employing functional near-infrared spectroscopy in various experimental paradigms. First, we present two hyperscanning scenarios designed to explore realistic interdisciplinary contexts, i.e., the classroom. In a third paradigm, we present a case study of a single student evaluated with functional near-infrared spectroscopy and mobile eye-tracking glasses. These three experiments are performed to provide proofs of concept for the application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy in scenarios that more closely resemble authentic classroom routines and daily activities. The goal of our study is to explore the potential of this technique in hopes that it offers insights in experimental design to investigate teaching-learning processes during teacher-student interactions.
Highlights
Since the proposal by Stokes (1997) that initiatives in science should be taken when inspired by a medical issue so that both their theoretical and applied returns are maximized, health indicators have significantly improved throughout the world (World Health Organization, 2015)
Translational research inspired by educational themes could, be of high social benefit and, it is emerging as a growing field worldwide, known as educational neuroscience (Meltzoff et al, 2009; Sigman et al, 2014; Master et al, 2016)
Educational neuroscience is expected to provide elementary findings regarding brain-functioning during the teaching and learning process with the goal of creating innovative and technological approaches that improve educational practices (Goswami, 2004; Szucs and Goswami, 2007; Colvin, 2016)
Summary
Since the proposal by Stokes (1997) that initiatives in science should be taken when inspired by a medical issue so that both their theoretical and applied returns are maximized, health indicators have significantly improved throughout the world (World Health Organization, 2015). To illustrate potential fNIRS applications in educational contexts, we report three case studies based on different experimental setups: two hyperscanning studies designed to provide data on neural mechanisms underlying cognitive processes in realistic teacher-student interactions in a school environment across subjects, and a third one utilizing fNIRS with mobile eye tracking on a single student. The experiment lasted 15 min during which the data acquisition was carried out using a continuous-wave fNIRS system (NIRSport8x8, NIRx Medical Technologies, Glen Head, NY, USA) with eight LED sources (760 and 850 nm) and eight detectors with resulting sampling rate of 7.91 Hz. The eye-tracker equipment was a monocular Mobile Eye-5 (ASL, Bedford, MA, USA) with a sampling rate of 30 Hz. Results made possible a dynamic, descriptive account of concurrent hemodynamic, pupillometric and gaze signals during a realistic learning situation in late childhood. Supplementary Video 3 highlights the importance of eye contact between student and teacher, even when the delivery of pedagogical information was written on a whiteboard
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
