SL-CN: Group Brain Dynamics in Learning Network

SL-CN：学习网络中的群体大脑动力学

• 批准号: 1540943
• 负责人: John Iversen
• 金额: $ 74.99万
• 依托单位: University of California-San Diego
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-09-15 至 2021-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1540943&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SL; CN; Group; Brain; Dynamics

Electrophysiology has long played an important role in our understanding of brain dynamics in learning, but only at an individual level. With the advent of low-cost, easy to use electroencephalography (EEG) devices that can measure brain responses from an entire classroom at a time, it is now possible to study group brain dynamics during learning in a naturalist classroom setting. This is opportunity to gather data from thousands of students and schools will provide insights not available from earlier approaches. There is however, a critical need to rigorously define how this technology might play a role in improving learning. To address this need, the present project will form a research network of experts to develop and test new EEG methods to measure group brain dynamics. This network includes experts in child development, learning EEG technology, classroom teaching and outreach. Collaborative research will be conducted in three geographic areas reflecting diverse populations: San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Washington DC Area. The research will focus on assessing important foundational skills: using EEG to assess the quality of encoding of speech by the brain, using EEG to assess attention in real-time, and examining the role of temporal synchronization in promoting attentional behaviors. In addition to research the project features a strong commitment to building interdisciplinary connections within science, as well as vigorously engaging the study communities in the research to foster productive dialog among educators, students, and other researchers.EEG techniques have made important contributions to understanding dynamic processes in learning, attention, prospection, memory, and executive function. Newer measures, such as the complex Auditory Brainstem Response (cABR) reveal how the brain encodes sound, providing a powerful tool to link brain function to reading and language impairment. Traditional EEG methods are too cumbersome and intrusive for large- scale classroom use. Network researchers have developed a transformative low-cost, dry-electrode, high sampling rate EEG system that is ergonomic and suitable for children. Their software innovations, which enable the synchronization of large-group EEG recordings, will support data recording from twenty+ students simultaneously. These will contribute to at least two innovations in education-based research: 1) It will be possible for a large number of traditional, individual EEG tests to be conducted in parallel, vastly increasing study efficiency, yield and power, and 2) the more revolutionary step of assessing individual and group brain dynamics in ecological learning environments to obtain real-time insight into the dynamics of learning, speech comprehension, and attention. Four experimental goals have been proposed: 1) Identifying Individual Learning Differences with cABR, 2) Developing measures of nested hierarchical processing of speech, 3) Developing protocols for individual and group cognitive state (attention, alertness) assessment, and 4) examining how brain dynamics at a group level reflect speech comprehension in a classroom setting. In addition to its scientific goals, the network will foster scientific dialog by hosting a Workshop on "Brain Dynamics in Learning" to develop a roadmap for future research in the field.

长期以来，电生理学在我们理解学习中的大脑动力学方面发挥着重要作用，但仅限于个体层面。随着低成本、易于使用的脑电图 (EEG) 设备的出现，这些设备可以一次测量整个教室的大脑反应，现在可以在自然主义课堂环境中研究学习过程中的群体大脑动态。 这是从数千名学生收集数据的机会，学校将提供早期方法无法提供的见解。 然而，迫切需要严格定义这项技术如何在改善学习方面发挥作用。为了满足这一需求，本项目将组建一个专家研究网络，开发和测试新的脑电图方法来测量群体大脑动态。该网络包括儿童发展、学习脑电图技术、课堂教学和外展方面的专家。合作研究将在反映不同人口的三个地理区域进行：圣地亚哥、旧金山湾区和华盛顿特区。该研究将侧重于评估重要的基础技能：使用脑电图评估大脑语音编码的质量，使用脑电图实时评估注意力，并检查时间同步在促进注意力行为中的作用。除了研究之外，该项目还坚定地致力于在科学领域建立跨学科联系，并积极让研究社区参与研究，以促进教育工作者、学生和其他研究人员之间的富有成效的对话。脑电图技术为理解动态做出了重要贡献学习、注意力、展望、记忆和执行功能的过程。较新的测量方法，例如复杂的听觉脑干反应（cABR）揭示了大脑如何编码声音，提供了将大脑功能与阅读和语言障碍联系起来的强大工具。传统的脑电图方法对于大规模课堂使用来说过于麻烦和侵入性。网络研究人员开发了一种革命性的低成本、干电极、高采样率脑电图系统，该系统符合人体工程学且适合儿童。他们的软件创新能够同步大型脑电图记录，将支持同时记录 20 多名学生的数据。这些将有助于基于教育的研究中至少两项创新：1）并行进行大量传统的个人脑电图测试将成为可能，从而大大提高研究效率、产量和功率，2）这是评估生态学习环境中个人和群体大脑动态的革命性步骤，以获得对学习动态、言语理解和注意力的实时洞察。提出了四个实验目标：1）使用 cABR 识别个体学习差异，2）开发语音嵌套分层处理的测量方法，3）开发个人和群体认知状态（注意力、警觉性）评估的协议，以及 4）检查大脑如何小组层面的动态反映了课堂环境中的言语理解。除了其科学目标外，该网络还将通过举办“学习中的大脑动力学”研讨会来促进科学对话，为该领域的未来研究制定路线图。