Bringing brain imaging to the school to assess arithmetic problem solving: Chances and limitations in combining educational and neuroscientific research

Andreas Obersteiner, Thomas Dresler, Kristina Reiss, A. Carina M. Vogel, Reinhard Pekrun, Andreas J. Fallgatter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Scientific collaboration between neuroscience and mathematics education has mostly focused on brain imaging trying to inform education. This study aims at meeting expectations of both research fields, thus enhancing the ecological validity. We investigated the influence of age, mathematical competency, and task characteristics (format, complexity) on students' arithmetic performance. Based on behavioral data from a pilot study (n = 73), arithmetic tasks were chosen for a subsequent investigation (n = 90), in which parietal brain activation was measured with near-infrared spectroscopy. Substantial group differences in calculation time were observed. While task characteristics influenced arithmetic performance in both age groups, this influence was much smaller for grade 8 students. However, parietal brain activation during calculation was not affected by age, mathematical competency, or task characteristics. Limitations of the experimental design and general problems of applying imaging methods to the school context are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)541-554
Number of pages14
JournalZDM - Mathematics Education
Volume42
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010

Keywords

  • Arithmetic
  • Competency
  • NIRS
  • Neuroimaging
  • Neuroscience
  • Task characteristics

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