Engaging learners with games-Insights from functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

The use of game elements in learning tasks is thought to facilitate emotional and behavioral responses as well as learner engagement. So far, however, little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms of game-based learning. In the current study, we added game elements to a number line estimation task assessing fraction understanding and compared brain activation patterns to a non-game-based task version.

Different aspects of fraction understanding are associated selectively with performance on a fraction learning game.

Fraction understanding seems a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it is an important predictor of later mathematical achievement. On the other hand, it is also one of the topics students struggle most in secondary math education.

Gamification of an n-back working memory task - Is it worth the effort? An EEG and eye-tracking study.

Gamification of cognitive tasks might positively affect emotional-motivational factors (emotional design perspective) or negatively affect cognitive factors like working memory load (minimalistic design perspective). The current study examined the effects of gamification in a spatial n-back working memory task on task performance, task load (i.e.

Closing the loop - The human role in artificial intelligence for education.

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence make its use in education more likely. In fact, existing learning systems already utilize it for supporting students' learning or teachers' judgments. In this perspective article, we want to elaborate on the role of humans in making decisions in the design and implementation process of artificial intelligence in education.

Triathletes are experts in self-regulating physical activity - But what about self-regulating neural activity?

Regular exercise improves cognitive control abilities and successful self-regulation of physical activity. However, it is not clear whether exercising also improves the ability to self-regulate one's own brain activity. We investigated this in 26 triathletes and 25 control participants who did not exercise regularly.

Self-efficacy matters: Influence of students' perceived self-efficacy on statistics anxiety.

Statistical knowledge is a key competency for psychologists in order to correctly interpret assessment outcomes. Importantly, when learning statistics (and its mathematical foundations), self-efficacy (defined as an individual's belief to successfully accomplish specific performance attainments) is a central predictor of students' motivation to learn, learning engagement, and actual achievement. Therefore, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of students' self-efficacy for statistics and its interrelations with statistics anxiety and students' belief in the relevance of statistics.

Does Playing Apart Really Bring Us Together? Investigating the Link Between Perceived Loneliness and the Use of Video Games During a Period of Social Distancing.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries implemented social distancing measures to contain virus transmission. However, these vital safety measures have the potential to impair mental health or wellbeing, for instance, from increased perceived loneliness. Playing social video games may offer a way to continue to socialize while adhering to social distancing measures.

Measuring Cognitive Load Using In-Game Metrics of a Serious Simulation Game.

Serious games have become an important tool to train individuals in a range of different skills. Importantly, serious games or gamified scenarios allow for simulating realistic time-critical situations to train and also assess individual performance. In this context, determining the user's cognitive load during (game-based) training seems crucial for predicting performance and potential adaptation of the training environment to improve training effectiveness.

Preserved Inhibitory Control Deficits of Overweight Participants in a Gamified Stop-Signal Task: Experimental Study of Validity.

Background: Gamification in mental health could increase training adherence, motivation, and transfer effects, but the external validity of gamified tasks is unclear. This study documents that gamified task variants can show preserved associations between markers of behavioral deficits and health-related variables. We draw on the inhibitory control deficit in overweight populations to investigate effects of gamification on performance measures in a web-based experimental task.

Neurofunctional plasticity in fraction learning: An fMRI training study.

Background: Fractions are known to be difficult for children and adults. Behavioral studies suggest that magnitude processing of fractions can be improved via number line estimation (NLE) trainings, but little is known about the neural correlates of fraction learning.

Method: To examine the neuro-cognitive foundations of fraction learning, behavioral performance and neural correlates were measured before and after a five-day NLE training.

Game-based learning environments affect frontal brain activity.

Inclusion of game elements in learning environments to increase motivation and learning outcome is becoming increasingly popular. However, underlying mechanisms of game-based learning have not been studied sufficiently yet. In the present study, we investigated effects of game-based learning environments on a neurofunctional level.

Cognitive Mechanisms Underlying Directional and Non-directional Spatial-Numerical Associations across the Lifespan.

There is accumulating evidence suggesting an association of numbers with physical space. However, the origin of such spatial-numerical associations (SNAs) is still debated. In the present study we investigated the development of two SNAs in a cross-sectional study involving children, young and middle-aged adults as well as the elderly: (1) the SNARC (spatial-numerical association of response codes) effect, reflecting a directional SNA; and (2) the numerical bisection bias in a line bisection task with numerical flankers.

Functional brain networks during picture encoding and recognition in different odor contexts.

Contextual odors can serve as retrieval cues when applied during encoding and recall/recognition of information. To investigate the neuronal basis of these observations, we collected functional MRI data while participants (n=51) performed an encoding and recognition memory task during which odors (congruent: CO or incongruent: IO) were presented as contextual cues. Recognition performance was not influenced by odor, but there was increased activation in the piriform cortex during successful encoding in the CO group, possibly indicating enhanced retrieval of information previously integrated with an olfactory percept.

Ability to Gain Control Over One's Own Brain Activity and its Relation to Spiritual Practice: A Multimodal Imaging Study.

Spiritual practice, such as prayer or meditation, is associated with focusing attention on internal states and self-awareness processes. As these cognitive control mechanisms presumably are also important for neurofeedback (NF), we investigated whether people who pray frequently ( = 20) show a higher ability of self-control over their own brain activity compared to a control group of individuals who rarely pray ( = 20). All participants underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and one session of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR, 12-15 Hz) based NF training.

Neuronal Correlates of Cognitive Control during Gaming Revealed by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

In everyday life we quickly build and maintain associations between stimuli and behavioral responses. This is governed by rules of varying complexity and past studies have identified an underlying fronto-parietal network involved in cognitive control processes. However, there is only limited knowledge about the neuronal activations during more natural settings like game playing.

Brain volumetry and self-regulation of brain activity relevant for neurofeedback.

Neurofeedback is a technique to learn to control brain signals by means of real time feedback. In the present study, the individual ability to learn two EEG neurofeedback protocols - sensorimotor rhythm and gamma rhythm - was related to structural properties of the brain. The volumes in the anterior insula bilaterally, left thalamus, right frontal operculum, right putamen, right middle frontal gyrus, and right lingual gyrus predicted the outcomes of sensorimotor rhythm training.

Neural substrates of cognitive control under the belief of getting neurofeedback training.

Learning to modulate one's own brain activity is the fundament of neurofeedback (NF) applications. Besides the neural networks directly involved in the generation and modulation of the neurophysiological parameter being specifically trained, more general determinants of NF efficacy such as self-referential processes and cognitive control have been frequently disregarded. Nonetheless, deeper insight into these cognitive mechanisms and their neuronal underpinnings sheds light on various open NF related questions concerning individual differences, brain-computer interface (BCI) illiteracy as well as a more general model of NF learning.

Learning to modulate one's own brain activity: the effect of spontaneous mental strategies.

Using neurofeedback (NF), individuals can learn to modulate their own brain activity, in most cases electroencephalographic (EEG) rhythms. Although a large body of literature reports positive effects of NF training on behavior and cognitive functions, there are hardly any reports on how participants can successfully learn to gain control over their own brain activity. About one third of people fail to gain significant control over their brain signals even after repeated training sessions.

Control beliefs can predict the ability to up-regulate sensorimotor rhythm during neurofeedback training.

Technological progress in computer science and neuroimaging has resulted in many approaches that aim to detect brain states and translate them to an external output. Studies from the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCI) and neurofeedback (NF) have validated the coupling between brain signals and computer devices; however a cognitive model of the processes involved remains elusive. Psychological parameters usually play a moderate role in predicting the performance of BCI and NF users.

Individual differences in solving arithmetic word problems.

Background: With the present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study at 3 T, we investigated the neural correlates of visualization and verbalization during arithmetic word problem solving. In the domain of arithmetic, visualization might mean to visualize numbers and (intermediate) results while calculating, and verbalization might mean that numbers and (intermediate) results are verbally repeated during calculation. If the brain areas involved in number processing are domain-specific as assumed, that is, that the left angular gyrus (AG) shows an affinity to the verbal domain, and that the left and right intraparietal sulcus (IPS) shows an affinity to the visual domain, the activation of these areas should show a dependency on an individual's cognitive style.