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Brain Imaging and Education John Gabrieli Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences & Martinos Imaging Center at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT
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High-Stakes Statewide Standardized Tests Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System MCAS – Math & ELA
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Cognitive Skills Crystallized Skills acquired knowledge (vocabulary & arithmetic) focus of schools & state testing Fluid Skills speed of processing working memory abstract reasoning
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Processing Speed
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Working Memory count span (Conway, Bunting, Hambrick, Wilhelm & Engle, 2005) Your job is to count the BLUE CIRCLES in each display. Ignore red circles and blue triangles. From each of 3 successive displays, remember the number of BLUE CIRCLES in each display, and report those 3 numbers after the third display. For example, display 1 = 1 BLUE CIRCLE (keep “1” in mind) display 2 = 2 BLUE CIRCLES (keep “1” and “2” in mind) display 3 = 3 BLUE CIRCLES (keep “1” and “2” and “3” in mind report, “1, 2, 3”
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Working Memory
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Answer?
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Working Memory Answer? 674
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Fluid Reasoning 1 2 3 4 5 6
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Research Study 1,367 8 th graders - 47% male, 77% free-lunch eligible - 41% African- American, 36% Hispanic, 12% White 32 middle schools - traditional, exam, 5 oversubscribed charter (of 8) MCAS scores (Math & ELA), fluid cognitive measures Finn et al., Psychological Science, 2014
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Higher Fluid Skills Are Associated With Higher MCAS Scores Fluid SkillMCAS MathMCAS ELA Processing Speed.46.38 Working Memory.27.18 Fluid Reasoning.53.40 all p <.001
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Higher Fluid Skills Are Associated With Higher Gains in MCAS Scores Fluid SkillMCAS MathMCAS ELA Processing Speed.29.21 Working Memory.12.04 Fluid Reasoning.32.19 4 th -8 th grade gains p <.001 except Working Memory and MCAS ELA
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MCAS Test Scores Finn et al., Psychological Science, 2014
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Schools Vary In Raising Test Scores student growth percentile
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Finn et al., Psychological Science, 2014 Schools Influence Test Gains, But Not Fluid Cognitive Skills
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From Correlation to Causation: Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) lottery for 5 oversubscribed charter schools 143 winners, 53 losers (quasi-experimental analysis)
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Schools Influence Test Gains, But Not Fluid Cognitive Skills Finn et al., Psychological Science, 2014
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Working Memory, Brain, & MCAS diverse sample of 53 8 th graders N-Back test of working memory capacity
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N-Back Performance
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Greater Activation in Prefrontal & Parietal Neocortices with Greater Working Memory Demand left hemisphereright hemisphere
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Greater Working Memory Activation Associated With Higher MCAS Math Test Scores left hemisphereright hemisphere
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Cortical Thickness Analysis
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Cortical Thickness Correlates with Standardized Test Scores
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Schools, Test Scores, & Fluid Cognitive Skills some schools can raise test scores gains in crystallized cognitive skills such test scores correlate with future gains on SAT, AP, and life outcomes like educational attainment & income (Angrist et al., 2013; Ritchie & Bates, 2013) gains achieved without commensurate gains in fluid cognitive skills (does that matter?)
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Decline of Fluid Skills and Preservation of Crystallized Skills across the Life Span FLUID CRYSTALLIZED Park et al., 2002, Psychology and Aging
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College Persistence 1,589 12 th graders in PA and MA –51% male –56% free-lunch eligible –34% African- American, 13% Hispanic, 31% White
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College Persistence Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP charter schools; www.kipp.org
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College Persistence (non-cognitive) cognitive
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Collaborators & Support Schools & Cognitive Skills Amy Finn Chris Gabrieli Martin West Mathew Kraft Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
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