1998 Conference Attendees

Our initial research for Journey Into the Brain showed that children from grades 2 through 5 were more interested in their activities, were more interested in learning about the brain, and understood more information about the brain following a computer game experience than after a traditional lecture or no treatment at all. Boys and girls benefited equally from the computer experience.

Our current research also includes studying how children use "Journey into the Brain" at home over time. Our research tools include a program we’ve created that keeps track of the child’s game play, including the amount of time spent in each section of the program. At the end of the first 2 stages of the game the child is prompted by the game to respond to some questions about his or he interest in the game and in learning about the brain. We have also created a programming structure that can be used for other similar programs.

Need. It is important to teach young children about basic neuroscience for many reasons. By helping them understand how central this delicate organ is to their experience of life, we promote a positive attitude towards its proper care. Furthermore, introducing children to neuroscience when they are young encour-ages their natural curiosity and interest in science, increasing the likelihood that some will pursue a career in neuroscience and contribute to this fast growing body of knowledge. Despite the benefits of teaching basic neuroscience, it is conspicuously absent from elementary schools because it is often considered too abstract and specialized a science to be taught to young children. This program addresses the need to find new ways to present basic neuroscience information to young children.

In general, people remember visual information more easily than verbal information (Collins, 1991), and this is even more important in neuroscience education, which is inherently a visual science (Pechura, 1991). CD-ROM, with it’s use of graphics, sound, and text, provides new ways to present this abstract informa-tion in a concrete manner

Dr. Dominick Purpura, professor of neuroscience at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, compares the various disciplines involved in neuroscience to the colors of the rainbow, spread out by a prism, with neuroscience being the sum of these approaches, the white light that en-ables us to see and understand them (Ackerman, 1992). By fostering interdisciplinary scientific questioning at an early age, we contribute to the increased scientific literacy of our society, resulting in greater pub-lic awareness and appreciation for science and scientific research among the public (Ackerman, 1992).

The growing consensus is that schools are not adequately preparing students for the demands of life and work in the "information age". Schools are going through a restructur-ing that places an emphasis on higher-order critical and analytical thinking skills, creativity and adaptability, and proficiency in the art of learning that continues throughout life. The teachers' role is evolving from a lecturer in a passive class-room to a coach of the students’ learning exploration (Collins, 1991). The student changes from a passive observer to active participant, be-coming more independent and responsible for their own learning process. "The knowledge base acquired through education should not be inert, memorized for recall on tests, but active, conditionalized for application to appropriate contexts of use" (Pea, 1992 p.10). CD-ROM interactive multimedia tech-nology provides a powerful tool for implementing this new form of learning. Its multi-sensory approach provides children with access to many different learning modalities (i.e., linguistic-verbal, visual-spatial, and auditory-musical).

According to Dr. Roger Schank, an innovative leader in the field of artificial intelligence, learning is primarily story-based. BrainLink, currently the only set of materials produced to communicate neuroscience information to elementary age children, bases a large component of their materials on this principle of story-based learning. Adventures in Neuroscience is a series of six stories, centering around a group of children called the NeuroExplorers, designed to capture the child's imagination while introducing basic neuroscience information.

Journey into the Brain takes this idea of story-based learning one step further. Not only can children interact with the story in creative and highly individual ways, but they have the opportunity to retell it in their own way using a multimedia presentation component to the program; the creativity center. "Telling stories and, more important, creating stories to tell is an important part of the learning process and hence of the process of memory organization" (Schank, 1990, p.146).

According to Dr. Roy Pea, (1991, p.59), "Learners need to control computer-controlled multimedia to communicate their own understanding of information. Multimedia objects (text, pictures, video clips, and so forth) are important building blocks for developing and conveying a student’s understanding for several reasons: 1. Multimedia communication is similar to face-to-face communication. 2. Multimedia is less restricted than written text. Many people come to understand text better with broader media support for its interpretation. 3. Multimedia can place abstract concepts in a specific context. 4. Multimedia allows for individual differences in preferred sensory channels for learning. 5. Multimedia lets you coordinate diverse external representations (with distinctive strengths) for different perspectives."

Literature Cited .Collins, A. (1991). "The Role of Computer Technology in Restructuring Schools." Phi Delta Kappan, Sept. ‘91:28-36. Collins, W.A. (1983). Interpretation and inference in children’s television viewing (pp. 125-150). In J. Bryant & D.R. Anderson (Eds.). Children’s understanding of television: Research on attention and comprehension. New York: Academic. Pea, R. D. (1991). "Learning Through Multimedia." IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, July, ‘91:58-66. Pea, R. D., & Gomez, L. M. (1992). "Distributed Multimedia Learning Environments: Why and How?" Technical Report #25, National Science Foundation grant #MDR-88-55582. Pechura, C. M. & Martin, J. B. (1991). Mapping the Brain and its Functions: Integrating Enabling Technologies into Neuroscience Research. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Schank, R. (1990). Tell Me a Story. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons. , Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 55, Nos. 1-2. June 3.

Can young children learn abstract concepts about neuroscience when the information is presented in an interactive story/game?

Are children ages 7-11 more interested in learning about the brain, and do they understand more information about the brain following a computer game experience than after a non-interactive lecture about the brain using the computer games storyboards or no treatment at all.

Do boys and girls benefited equally from the computer game experience?

How do children use and learn from "Journey into the Brain" over time?

Our current research partner is Claremont College. We look for a group who can compliment Morphonix’ software development skills. Although our projects originate from Morphonix, my background is not in research so I look for a research partner who has the skills and objectivity to design an innovative study. As NIMH has rigorous research requirements, we have needed someone who understands statistics, sample sizes, ethnic and cultural diversity, quantitative and qualitative research, innovative ways to test children’s conceptualization rather than memorization; access to large groups of children for testing, a cooperative institution