Brain Imaging and Education

John Gabrieli Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences &

Martinos Imaging Center at theMcGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT

High-Stakes Statewide Standardized Tests

Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment SystemMCAS – Math & ELA

Cognitive Skills

• Crystallized Skills

acquired knowledge (vocabulary & arithmetic)

focus of schools & state testing

• Fluid Skills

speed of processing

working memory

abstract reasoning

Processing Speed

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 mindreport, “1, 2, 3”

Working Memory

Working Memory

Working Memory

Working MemoryAnswer?

Working MemoryAnswer?

6 7 4

Fluid Reasoning

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 2 3 4 5 6

Research Study

• 1,367 8th 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

Higher Fluid Skills Are Associated With Higher MCAS Scores

Fluid Skill MCAS Math MCAS ELA Processing Speed .46 .38

Working Memory .27 .18

Fluid Reasoning .53 .40

all p < .001

Higher Fluid Skills Are Associated With Higher Gains in MCAS Scores

Fluid Skill MCAS Math MCAS ELA Processing Speed .29 .21

Working Memory .12 .04

Fluid Reasoning .32 .19

4th-8th grade gains

p < .001 except Working Memory and MCAS ELA

MCAS Test Scores

Finn et al., Psychological Science, 2014

Schools Vary In Raising Test Scores • student growth percentile

Finn et al., Psychological Science, 2014

Schools Influence Test Gains, But Not Fluid Cognitive Skills

From Correlation to Causation:Randomized Controlled Trial

(RCT) • lottery for 5 oversubscribed charter schools

• 143 winners, 53 losers (quasi-experimental analysis)

Schools Influence Test Gains, But Not Fluid Cognitive Skills

Finn et al., Psychological Science, 2014

Working Memory, Brain, & MCAS

• diverse sample of 53 8th graders

• N-Back test of working memory capacity

N-Back Performance

Greater Activation in Prefrontal & Parietal Neocortices with Greater

Working Memory Demand

left hemisphere right hemisphere

Greater Working Memory Activation Associated With

Higher MCAS Math Test Scores

left hemisphere right hemisphere

Cortical Thickness Analysis

Cortical Thickness Correlates with Standardized Test Scores

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?)

Decline of Fluid Skills and Preservation of Crystallized Skills across the Life Span

FLUID

CRYSTALLIZED

Park et al., 2002, Psychology and Aging

College Persistence

• 1,589 12th graders in PA and MA– 51% male– 56% free-lunch eligible– 34% African- American, 13% Hispanic,

31% White

College Persistence

Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP charter schools; www.kipp.org

College Persistence

(non-cognitive)cognitive

Collaborators & Support• Schools & Cognitive Skills

Amy FinnChris GabrieliMartin WestMathew KraftBill & Melinda Gates Foundation