Sustainability and neuroscience: gaming weak and strong sustainability in dyads
Chercheur principal : Albert Lejeune
The overall goal of this research is to contribute to develop autonomous and resilient learners, citizens in Canada and worldwide, in the Education for sustainable development field through emancipatory experimenting and gaming in an organizational context. More specifically, we want: 1. To train young students in Education for sustainable development approaches, particularly in strong sustainability and 2. To examine in detail and in real time the neurological measures linked to the task, in particular cooperation.
News on environmental threats on planet Earth are exploding in the media. This summer 2021, the Intergovernmental panel on climate change is warning the public, policy makers and the business community of the harmful effects of mankind on climate change through pollution, including accelerating loss of biodiversity and even the prospect of extinction of homo sapiens. Some experts in sustainability are taking stock of the failure of the concept of sustainable development becoming essentially mitigations of unsustainability. Despite the urgency to think and act differently, the teaching of sustainable development or sustainability in universities, particularly in management schools, is most often absent in general courses or limited to develop 'weak sustainability' skills and competencies.
In fact, weak sustainability implies cognition mainly as computation although strong sustainability implies situated cognition, an evolution of cognitive science seeing not only the mind but the body and the environment as integral constituents of human cognition. This project hypothesizes that students trained in an emancipatory mode will acquire the needed competences of change agents. In fact, researchers in Education for sustainable development make clear the opposition between knowledge-and rules-based Education for sustainable development vs and Education for sustainable development centered on the learner and seeking to develop her reflexive competence in a situated cognition mode toward strong sustainability and a flourishing future.
This research will thus examine the cognition and sustainability link during a board game associating dyads cooperating in the solution of a complex environmental situations, one player in a context of computation and the other in a context of situated cognition. Each player completes a pre-test and a post-test on their knowledge of the physical environment, particularly climate change. During the game, each player has a dedicated screen with resources relevant to the computation (eg: historical data series; calculable models) while the other has a screen giving access to narratives and videos.
Neurological measurements are carried out in the NeuroLab with the necessary infrastructures. Following from our review of the literature and on the basis of our recent examination of (a) the intra-individual relationships between affect and cognition, (b) the inter-individual affect-affect, cognition-cognition and affect-cognition relationships, we observe and analyse (1) how are the previous processes related to cognition and education to sustainability , and (2) among the previous processes and considering agency, how are co-regulated shifts in agency (player, bystander) related to cognition and education to sustainability?
The potential benefits of this project are as follows:1. Better understanding of the role of the brain in solving complex environmental problems. 2. New courses and programs at the three cycles in the Faculties of Education and Business Schools. 3. Clarify the cognitive processes of decision-makers who seek to avoid greenwashing and tackle complex situations head-on.
Dynamics of affect and cognition in cooperative learning
Chercheur principal : Julien Mercier
This project is about conducting the second study in pioneering a new branch of educational neuroscience concerned with the study of social modes of learning. The proposed study addresses three related problems. Firstly, little is known about the dynamic relationships between affect and cognition in learning. Secondly, although scaffolding and feedback are reputedly the best way to foster learning, research and applications have mainly focused on the cognitive facet of learning, despite growing realization that affect is equally or even more crucial to learning. Finally, cooperative modes of learning are not always producing anticipated learning gains, and these shortcomings could be lessened by a better understanding of inter-individual affective and cognitive processes and how they relate to learning. This study extends the first one we conducted in two important ways: this time, members of a dyad will interact, and the within-individual shifts in agency created by this new context will enable 1) within-subject comparisons of the effect of agency and examine a new question regarding the impact of interaction on learning: 2) comparisons between this sample and the sample of the first study by contrasting the absence of interaction with the presence of interaction. The aim of this study is twofold: (1) to examine how collaborative co-regulation influence intra-individual and inter-individual affective and cognitive processes and their relation with learning in dyads of undergraduate learners as they solve problems in physics; (2) to examine the impact of shifts in agency (active player, bystander) on dyads' functioning and learning. Using a computer-based serious game, 40 dyads (with no prior domain knowledge) will solve challenging Physics problems on topics that can be learned reasonably well in a maximum of two hours. Performance data as well as psychophysiological data will be collected to provide a continuous record of affect and cognition with one data point per second.
The process-oriented methodology involves the joint collection of psychophysiological and behavioral data in real time using NeuroLab, a major state-of-the-art CFI research facility. The gain
in this approach is the possibility to establish causal relationships between learners' activity and the dynamic context of the learning activity along with causal links between current events and past events. The importance of these new possibilities lies in the capacity to pinpoint which events or sequence of events (for example, learner's actions, contextual events) caused a given productive or deleterious reaction on the part of the learners, and when. This approach can also be transferred to many other fields of human performance. The overarching outcome of this research is the empowerment of undergraduate learners and instructors by providing them with better characterizations of affective and cognitive dispositions conducive to better performance and learning to augment the possibility to foster and maintain such dispositions by self-regulation.
Our conceptual and methodological advances are highly transferable. Computer engineers, business analysts, hoteliers and flight engineers from the private sector help develop and transfer the findings and potential for innovation of our program of research across disciplines and industries, while gaining unique interdisciplinary expertise and employment/advancement opportunities. Our work will also continue to orient international educational policy through our contribution to UNESCO International Science and Evidence based Education (ISEE) Assessment.
Projet Oudjat -- Regards croisés entre Égypte ancienne et Occident moderne
Chercheur principal : Valérie Angenot
Le présent projet est interdisciplinaire et se déploie en deux axes principaux interconnectés : (1) un pan "muséologie" axé sur la préservation de patrimoines matériels et immatériels, l'éducation et la diffusion des connaissances auprès du public ; et (2) un pan "recherche scientifique" où s'amorcera la toute première recherche expérimentale en sémiotique de la réception des images égyptiennes.
(1) La partie préservation de l'héritage culturel consiste à enregistrer, étudier et reproduire en fac-similé la fameuse tombe thébaine de Nakht (TT 52), astronome d'Amon, qui vécut à la 18e dynastie, sous les règnes de Thoutmosis IV-Amenhotep III. Cette tombe en grand péril est un joyau de la peinture égyptienne. Les travaux d'enregistrement et de reproduction de la tombe seront effectués par la Fondation Factum Arte, en collaboration avec des étudiant·e·s attachés au projet, dans le cadre de la "Theban Necropolis Preservation Initiative", qui a déjà permis de reconstituer les tombes de Toutankhamon et de Sethi Ier dans la Vallée des Rois. Le fac-similé de tombe sera intégré à la nouvelle section des "Arts du Tout-Monde" du Musée des Beaux-arts de Montréal (MBAM) et mis en lien avec la collection égyptologique permanente du musée. Des expositions interactives pour le grand public sont prévues autour de la question de la préservation et du programme scientifique inhérent au projet. (2) Le fac-similé servira de laboratoire expérimental à une étude scientifique pluridisciplinaire menée par l'Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), recourant à des expertises en égyptologie, anthropologie visuelle, sémiotique visuelle, oculométrie et psychologie cognitive.
Le projet de recherche vise à étudier la façon dont les images pariétales égyptiennes sont reçues et visualisées dans la pratique. Il s'agira, en un premier temps, d'étudier les modalités sémiotiques mises en place par les artistes égyptiens pour induire le sens de lecture des parois. Une fois les modèles théoriques de lecture établis, les décors de la tombe de Nakht seront soumis à une expérience polysensorielle de réception des images.
Les paramètres physiologiques constitutifs de l'acte de lecture des parois seront captés, enregistrés et mesurés à l'aide d'un oculomètre portatif par le NeuroLab de l'UQAM. Les données oculométriques seront récoltées sur deux groupes distincts : l'un aguerri et formé à la lecture des images égyptiennes, l'autre profane. Des spécialistes en psycho-cognition de la lecture analyseront les différences entre les deux groupes, de manière à écarter les variantes individuelles en ciblant le lieu des modèles mentaux où se logent les différences entre experts et profanes.
La théorie psycho-cognitive des modèles mentaux postule que ceux-ci sont très sensibles à la fois à l'acquisition des connaissances préalables et à l'activation intentionnelle d'habiletés cognitives durant l'examen, la lecture et l'interprétation d'images. Nous pourrons ainsi évaluer l'efficacité des stratégies sémiotiques mises en place par les anciens égyptiens à l'aune du degré d'expertise des lecteurs. Nous espérons aussi ---par le recoupement des résultats oculométriques, sémiotiques et anthropologiques--- effectuer un premier pas fondateur dans l'approche et la compréhension des modèles mentaux égyptiens.
Outre la préservation de l'héritage matériel de la tombe, le projet de recherche constitue donc également une démarche pionnière dans la préservation des héritages immatériels, en l'espèce à la fois de la reconstitution des modèles théoriques de lecture des peintures égyptiennes et de l'acte pratique de déchiffrement de ces images.
Bridging the gap between research on cognitive deficits, learning disabilities, and science education to improve the engagement and achievement of students with learning disabilities in science
Chercheur principal : Anila Asghar
The project seeks to bridge the gap between the fields of special and science education to develop a deeper understanding of the ways in which cognitive processing deficits may affect the engagement and academic achievement of students with learning disabilities in science and technology.
As such, this pilot project aims to: (a) identify specific learning disabilities that may impede students’ learning during engagement with problem-based tasks in science, (b) investigate the underlying cognitive processing issues, and (c) explore the ways in which emotional issues may impact special needs students’ cognitive processing and performance in science. This project brings together an interdisciplinary team of experts (academics and practitioners) in special education, cognitive development and emotional development, and science education to explore these critical questions.
Drawing on the findings and insights gained from this study, we plan to develop a set of specific recommendations to effectively support the inclusion and achievement of students with learning disabilities in science and technology. Despite at least average or above average intelligence of individuals with a learning disability, certain cognitive processing deficits might impede their learning and achievement in science. Unfortunately, research on cognitive processing issues in relation to understanding and engaging with scientific tasks is extremely sparse. The majority of the studies related to science education and learning disabilities have mainly investigated the impact of different pedagogical interventions on these students’ understanding of science. Furthermore, although research suggests a negative relationship between academic achievement and science anxiety, it is not clear how stress and anxiety might affect the cognitive processes involved in developing scientific knowledge and reasoning in special needs students.
This study draws on and integrates multiple methodological approaches, models and tools to explore the complex and dynamic relationships among cognitive processing, affect, and learning disabilities in authentic science learning contexts. These robust measures of cognition, emotion, and physiological responses will help in identifying science specific learning disabilities based on their underlying cognitive deficits that may impede secondary and postsecondary students’ engagement with and academic achievement in science.
This innovative project attempts to map the possible interconnections between science and special education to pave the way for subsequent experimental studies aiming at pedagogical prescriptions.
The goals of this project correspond to an Insight grant because they focus on a creative combination of two traditionally separated fields of research (science education and cognitive processing deficits) using a variety of cutting-edge cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and psychophysiological tools and methods (e.g., cognitive measures, affective questionnaires, qualitative interviews, electroencephalography, electrocardiography, eye-tracking devices, videos of facial expressions, etc.).
The interdisciplinary and interactive nature of STEM problems can potentially engage all students, if they are provided with appropriate supports and scaffolds. Indeed, research suggests that students with emotional issues and learning disabilities may participate actively in inquiry activities and show gains in achievement when they are provided with differentiated supports. Thus, supporting students who are diagnosed with specific learning disabilities and those who are at risk of falling behind academically due to various learning difficulties would enable them to develop a deeper conceptual understanding of science, critical scientific reasoning, and problem-solving skills to utilize their talents in STEM disciplines and careers. Therefore, a better understanding of the cognitive disorders and emotional issues that students with learning difficulties face in science and technology will enable researchers, educators, and school leaders to enact supportive and inclusive science learning environments to improve these students' academic success and retention in STEM fields.
Étude de la transférabilité des méthodologies développées en en neuroergonomie du travail à la recherche en éducation – le cas de l’effet de la contextualisation d’exercices de physique sur l’engagement des étudiants
Principal investigator : Patrick Charland
This research project aims to assess the validity, in educational sciences, of new methodologies developed in neuroergonomy to measure the engagement of workers in various tasks. Because these tasks (driving a car, a crane handling, etc.) are different in nature from a subject who learns, it is appropriate to conduct a study that will evaluate their transferability. As specific context of this study, the vast field of research motivation seems appropriate, especially that of intrinsic motivation that is less documented due to certain difficulties encountered by researchers using traditional methodologies. One way to study the intrinsic motivation of learners is to approach it from the angle of engagement, a corollary concept. However, researchers have just developed and validated new methods capable of quantifying the degree of engagement of individuals in a task. Thus, this pilot study aims to evaluate whether contextualized physical exercises influences the degree of student engagement and if different types of contextualization engage genders differently. In a sample of 24 subjects (12 female and 12 male) neurophysiological data will be collected from five different sources (electroencephalography (EEG), facial recognition of emotion (FER), followed by eye tracking (ET), electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate (EKG) through a data integration software. Various statistical analyzes will explore the link between the level of engagement, types of exercise (contextualized or not) and gender of the participants. This research project constitutes the first methodological foundations of a research program that will allow researchers to quantify the dynamic of interactions between dimensions of engagement.
Development of academic self-regulation to support information literacy : A longitudinal multi-method investigation of the use of software promoting inquiry skills in grades 5 to 8 classrooms
Principal investigator : Vivek Venkatesh
Too many middle-schoolers in Canada and other industrialized countries are unable to read and write at high levels. Furthermore, it is increasingly apparent that the nature of literacy is changing since the widespread scholastic use of the Internet. The proposed program of research investigates how late elementary and early secondary students' academic self-regulatory skills develop as they engage in the use of an interactive educational software tool, ISIS-21. ISIS-21 is a tool currently available to students and educators in Québec, without charge, to promote the teaching and learning of essential information literacy competencies.
To be effective citizens in a society rich in information, students need to learn skills which will allow them to locate and select appropriate information, to analyze that information critically, and to use it wisely. Skilled readers should not only have decoding and comprehension skills in familiar contexts but also the ability to interpret and to develop new understandings in far-ranging learning contexts and situations. With the demands growing from across society for information-literate and technologically competent citizens, there is a strong need for an educational program that emphasizes the information literacy skills so crucial to the processes of critical thinking, problem solving and academic self-regulation. Little is known however, on precisely how students use the cognitive and metacognitive skills associated with academic self-regulation to complete ill-structured academic tasks that include elements of information retrieval, problem-solving, and synthesis.
Our program of research will inform the design, development, and dissemination of ISIS-21 and other evidence-based educational software in Québec classrooms. It will help address the lack of evidence surrounding the components of self-regulation that young learners employ in the inquiry process as it relates to information literacy. Most importantly, the proposed action research will help strengthen existing partnerships with stakeholders within the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) and English Montreal School Board (EMSB) classrooms and co-develop instructional practices in Québec classrooms which incorporate cutting-edge, evidence-based software to improve students' information literacy. Our research is all the more relevant in an era of increased use of social media within the participatory Web culture. Since our research is conducted in situ to explore teaching practices within computer laboratory-based classrooms and self-regulatory processes while students learn with novel software, the results have important advantages in ecological validity: this study is not decontextualized from actual classroom learning. The action research employed will be the first of its kind to map the relationships between teaching practices, academic performance and motivation in the context of middle-school learners using digital tools to support the development of self-regulation and inquiry skills.
Dynamics of affect and cognition in learning
Principal investigator : Julien Mercier
The proposed study addresses three inter-related problems. Firstly, there is a paucity of research about the dynamic relationships between affect and cognition in learning (Immordino-Yang, 2011; Patten, 2011). Secondly, although scaffolding and feedback are reputedly the best way to foster learning (VanLehn, 2011), research and applications have mainly favored cognitive over affective components that might impact the learning process. Finally, cooperative modes of learning are not always producing anticipated learning gains, and these shortcomings could be lessened by a better understanding of inter-individual affective and cognitive processes and how they relate to learning (Stahl, 2013). In sum, attempts to self-regulate or to provide contingent help are beneficial, but nevertheless sub-optimal (Dunlosky & Rawson, 2012), because an integrated view of affect and cognition and how these processes determine learning is critically lacking at the moment (Patten, 2011).
To contribute solutions to these problems, the aim of this multi-method study is twofold: (1) to examine key affective and cognitive processes in dyads of undergraduate learners as they solve problems in physics and how they relate to the learning process and any gains in learning outcomes; and (2) to examine the impact of agency on dyads' functioning and learning. Using a computer-based serious game, Mecanika, dyads (of equivalent prior domain knowledge) will solve challenging physics problems on two topics that can be learned reasonably well in a maximum of two hours.
Engagement et conflit cognitif dans les processus de changements conceptuels en sciences
Principal investigator : Patrice Potvin
À venir
Presence and learning in virtual worlds
Principal investigator : Julien Mercier
This project is about instituting a novel program of research in educational neuroscience concerned with the study and improvement of social modes of learning in virtual environments. The advantage in this approach, which involves an innovative superimposition of psychophysiological and behavioral data, is the derivation of a rich recording of affective and cognitive processes involved in learning, with an enhanced temporal grainsize, which includes information that cannot be easily verbalized or which interrupts the natural unfolding of events if obtained otherwise (for example using self-report measures). The objectives of this study are (1) to examine intra-individual and inter-individual affective and cognitive processes and their relation with learning in dyads of undergraduate learners as they learn about Greek pottery in a virtual 3D environment; (2) to examine the impact of agency (active or bystander) on dyads’ functioning and learning.
