COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND EDUCATION FORUM
Notes from the third meeting 27 March, 2002, UPL
Attendance
John Geake (Ed OB), David Whitebread (Ed Cam), Rachel Wilson (OUDES), Silke Gobel
(Psych Ox), Ann Dowker (Psych Ox), Marina Rose (UPL), Michal Lavidor (UPL), Terry
Sharp (OUDES), Roger Lindsay (Psych OB), Jan Atkinson (UCL), Oliver Braddock (Psych
Ox), Paul Cooper (Ed Lei), Rosemary Sage (Ed Lei)
Main discussion
The central discussion of previous meetings was continued. The problem is how can
laboratory studies preserve the ecological validity of the complex social environment that
education operates within. Two non-exclusive approaches were suggested: 1. that some
methodological convergence might be found via quasi-experimentation; 2. that a series of
multi-step bridges might be built whereby experimental results from cognitive neuroscience
inform our understanding of components of human cognition, which in turn informs
pedagogy.
To this end, OB reported work in the Dept. Exp. Psych. which might have implications for
education. This work included studies on:
 learning mechanisms, with implications for memory, spatial learning and learning
deficits;
 attention and task selection, with implications for frontal function, ADHD, goal
selection;
 development, with implications for developmental milestones, perceptual deficits,
language impairment;
 mathematical cognition and learning, with implications for educational interventions.
As an example of the multiple-bridges approach, an infant suffering from visual impairment
might consequently exhibit cognitive delay. Understanding the integration of visual and
cognitive development might lead to more effective early interventions.
AD offered to report to the next meeting on how critical aspects of mathematical development
might be informed by extant research in cognitive neuroscience and experimental psychology.
Moreover, that there were parallels in the area of language development.
MR pointed out that the large population variance in cognitive attributes pose another
difficulty for differentiating potential problems. By way of example, PC suggested that
ADHD could be conceptualised as an extreme cognitive style. As such, could cognitive
neuroscience elucidate which developmental pathways were relatively amplified/suppressed
in ADHD children? And could such information inform educational responses to pupils with
ADHD, eg, when such differences might be quite OK?
RS raised the issue of the importance of language ability as a measure of development. The
problem for experimental design is that an extremes vs normals paradigm may not
differentiate between bimodal or one-dimensional distributions. Moreover, given the iterative
interrelationship between social and biological influences, one cannot infer backwardscausality from such experiments.
Further to this line of argument, RL drew attention to experiments in psychology on reversal
of line-centring and reading Hebrew which suggest that social biases affect lateral
development. RL pointed to other experiments in implicit learning which might have
implications for fostering implicit learning in the classroom, eg, in learning a second
language. However, the convergence in recent years of cognitive neuroscience and
experimental psychology has not been replicated with education, where there is still a wide
gap. This could possibly be reduced through studies comparing cognitive behaviours of
syndrome sufferers with those of normal younger children.
By way of advancing ideas for possible scientific studies, RW suggested that classroom-based
implicit learning tasks might make suitable criterion tasks in experimental cognitive
neuroscience.
Other topics discussed
RW pointed out that the British Research Funding Councils are promoting interdisciplinary
research proposals through their inter-council funding network. Also, the ESRC has funding
priority networks, currently seeking bids for projects which grow out of currently funded
research. A proposal from the Forum could be submitted under the theme of “Knowledge,
communication and learning”, the extension being interdisciplinary experimental psychology
and cognitive neuroscience with an education rationale.
It was decided to consider proposals for ESRC funding at the next meeting.
It was decided to apply to the British Education Research Association (BERA) Annual
Conference at the University of Exeter, September, to hold a Symposium on Brain Research
and Education, JG to co-ordinate and chair, with paper presentations from JG, PC, RS, DW,
RL.
Next meeting to be held before the end of this term, preferably in June.
John Geake
25 June 2002