Needle in the Neural Haystack: Electroencephalograph Signatures of Concept Learning While Viewing Naturalistic Educational Materials

• In Event: 16.044 - Contemporary Examples in Educational Neuroscience

Abstract

The goal of this study is to take major steps toward bridging the gap between research and practice by more directly exploring the relationship between instruction and learning. we have piloted an experiment where college-age participants view pre-recorded human anatomy lectures during wireless electroencephalograph recording (EEG) and concurrent eye tracking.
Analysis of EEG data showed robust evidence of theta-phase/gamma-amplitude cross-frequency coupling. We also found that average modulation indexes for theta/gamma cross-frequency coupling at frontal electrode sites were significantly different between epochs for 'learned' and 'unlearned' material. The current results provide an important proof of concept that neurophysiological correlates of learning can be measured while students view naturalistic educational materials.

Authors

• Josh de Leeuw, Indiana University - Bloomington

• Ben Motz, Indiana University - Bloomington

• Jennifer Lynne Eastwood, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

• Adam V. Maltese, Indiana University

• Robert Goldstone, Indiana University

• Joshua Adam Danish, Indiana University