Responsible Innovation of Neuroadaptive Learning Technology through Early Stakeholder Input

• In Event: Reflecting on Reflexivity in Practice: Responsible Innovation, Engagement, and Governance - III

Abstract

Developments in brain imaging and machine learning have led to an interest in developing neuroadaptive technology. Neuroadaptive educational technology has garnered increased interest, with researchers aiming to assess the cognitive state of a learner (e.g. frustrated, inattentive, etc.) and adapt digital learning systems to the user’s state. Specifically, our research addresses a cross-university, NSF-funded project that combines behavioral data from digital learning tools with non-invasive brain sensors from functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy in order to capture a learner’s cognitive state and adjust the learning experience appropriately. This project and neuroadaptive learning technologies are relatively new, however, and their place within current STEAM pedagogies is somewhat unclear.

The novelty of neuroadaptive learning technology requires new methods to involve end users in the technology’s development. Our research uses semi-structured interviews with 15-20 STEM educators in the Philadelphia area to understand typical teaching concerns and use of technology. Thematic findings from these interviews will be discussed in a workshop with the neuroadaptive learning team to inform the research direction of the project described above.

This project extends a Responsible Research and Innovation framework to the field of neurotechnology, providing insights on the framework’s functionality in a novel context. Through inclusion of educators as project collaborators, this project works towards creating a trading zone between grade-school educators and cognitive scientists, and hopes to reveal how pedagogies evolve with the incorporation of learning technologies into STEAM curriculums. Finally, we hope to demonstrate an interdisciplinary methodology for including stakeholders as research collaborators in STEM research.

Authors

• Leah Friedman, Drexel University

• Alison Kenner, Drexel University