Effects of reading contextualized physics problems among men and women: A psychophysiological approach.

To counteract declining interest in science, contextualizing course material has been suggested, despite little evidence supporting this strategy. We assessed how reading physics problems in different contexts-none, technical, or humanistic-impacted performance and implicit cognitive and affective situational interest (SI) among undergraduate men and women (n = 60). We hypothesized that contextualized problems would increase cognitive SI, boosting performance. We also investigated existing hypotheses that this influence would be stronger when contexts matched stereotypical gender interests. Pupillometric and electroencephalographic data served to indicate cognitive SI, while electrodermal activity (EDA) and valence were measures of affective SI. Significantly higher valence was observed in decontextualized than humanistic problems (p = 0.003) specifically among men (p < 0.001). Greater EDA (p = 0.019) and decontextualized problems (p < 0.001) yielded greater performance than contextualized problems for all participants. Results emphasize the importance of affective SI and of avoiding gender biases in curricular development. This study encourages caution if implementing contextualization.

Gender Differences in Self-efficacy for Programming Narrowed After a 2-h Science Museum Workshop.

Many girls believe they have little natural ability in computer science and girls' perception of self-efficacy beliefs for programming is generally low. Offering engaging hands-on programming activities could be a beneficial strategy to increase girls' self-efficacy beliefs for programming since it has the potential to offer them exposure to mastery experiences. However, a programming workshop in a museum might not offer ideal settings to promote girls' mastery experiences in programming because of its short duration and how gender stereotypes may impact the participation in hands-on activities. In the research presented here, we explore how a science museum's introductory programming workshop focused on robotics can impact pupils' self-efficacy beliefs for programming related to mastery experiences, with a specific focus on girls. H1-Prior to the programming workshop, it is expected that girls' self-efficacy beliefs will be lower than boys'. H2-Boys generally have more positive experiences with STEM activities than girls, irrespective of experimental condition. Thus, following the workshop, we predict that girls' and boys' self-efficacy for programming will have increased, but that boy's self-efficacy beliefs will remain higher than girls'. In total, 172 pupils (94 girls) aged 10-14 years completed a Mastery Experiences in Programming questionnaire before and after taking part in a programming workshop. Our results show that after a 2-h programming workshop in a science museum, gender differences in self-efficacy for programming initially observed narrowed and even disappeared.

De nombreuses filles estiment posséder peu d'aptitudes naturelles en informatique et leur sentiment d'efficacité personnelle en ce qui a trait à la programmation demeure généralement faible. Le fait de proposer des activités de programmation captivantes et pratiques peut s'avérer une stratégie efficace pour augmenter le sentiment d'efficacité personnelle des filles quant à la programmation parce que ces activités possèdent le potentiel de leur procurer de précieuses expériences de réussite. Cependant, les ateliers de programmation organisés dans les musées n'offrent pas nécessairement les meilleures conditions pour favoriser les expériences de réussite en programmation pour les filles, en raison de leur courte durée et parce que les stéréotypes liés au genre peuvent avoir des effets sur la participation aux activités pratiques. Dans cette étude, nous explorons comment un atelier d'initiation à la programmation axée sur la robotique, offert dans un musée de sciences, peut modifier le sentiment d'efficacité personnelle des élèves à l'égard de la programmation en ce qui a trait aux expériences de réussite, et ce particulièrement chez les filles. H1­ Avant la tenue de l'atelier de programmation, il est attendu que le sentiment d'efficacité personnelle des filles sera plus faible que celui des garçons. H2­Ces derniers vivent généralement plus d'expériences positives dans les STIM que les filles, peu importe la condition expérimentale en cause. Ainsi, nous prédisons qu'après la tenue de l'atelier, le niveau d'efficacité personnelle à l'égard de la programmation des filles et des garçons aura augmenté, mais que celui des garçons demeurera plus élevé que celui des filles. Le nombre d'élèves âgés de 10 à 14 ans qui ont rempli un questionnaire portant sur les expériences de réussite en programmation avant et après la tenue de l'atelier est de 172, dont 94 sont des filles. Les résultats indiquent qu'après un atelier de programmation d'une durée de deux heures, tenu dans un musée de sciences, les différences entre les genres initialement observées quant à l'efficacité personnelle à l'égard de la programmation se sont amenuisées et ont même disparu.

An fMRI study of scientists with a Ph.D. in physics confronted with naive ideas in science.

A central challenge in developing conceptual understanding in science is overcoming naive ideas that contradict the content of science curricula. Neuroimaging studies reveal that high school and university students activate frontal brain areas associated with inhibitory control to overcome naive ideas in science, probably because they persist despite scientific training. However, no neuroimaging study has yet explored how persistent naive ideas in science are. Here, we report brain activations of 25 scientists with a Ph.D. in physics assessing the scientific value of naive ideas in science. Results show that scientists are slower and have lower accuracy when judging the scientific value of naive ideas compared to matched control ideas. fMRI data reveals that a network of frontal brain regions is more activated when judging naive ideas. Results suggest that naive ideas are likely to persist, even after completing a Ph.D. Advanced experts may still rely on high order executive functions like inhibitory control to overcome naive ideas when the context requires it.

Individual differences in science competence among students are associated with ventrolateral prefrontal cortex activation.

Functional neuroimaging studies have revealed that, compared with novices, science experts show increased activation in dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal brain areas associated with inhibitory control mechanisms when providing scientifically valid responses in tasks related to electricity and mechanics. However, no study thus far has explored the relationship between activation of the key brain regions involved in inhibitory control mechanisms, namely the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPC), and individual differences in conceptual science competence, while controlling for scientific training. In the present study, 24 secondary school students (11 female participants, 13 male participants) were selected from a larger pool based on their performance on a conceptual science questionnaire and were divided into groups with low and high conceptual science competence. In an fMRI block design, participants had to verify the correctness (true or false) of congruent and incongruent statements. In congruent statements, both spontaneous and scientific conceptions about given natural phenomena lead to a scientifically appropriate judgment. However, in incongruent statements, commonly held spontaneous conceptions about natural phenomena lead to a scientifically inappropriate judgment. The interaction effect reveals that students with higher conceptual science competence display stronger activation of the left VLPC and DLPC in incongruent trials than in congruent trials. These findings show that activation of the VLPC and DLPC when reasoning in incongruent situations underlies individual differences in conceptual science competence, and suggests stronger recruitment of inhibitory control mechanisms in more competent individuals.

Brain activations associated with scientific reasoning: a literature review.

Scientifically literate individuals are defined as individuals who are able to apply scientific knowledge and use scientific reasoning skills to solve problems. In recent years, cognitive neuroscience has turned its attention to understanding the brain activation patterns associated with scientific reasoning skills, but this work has not been systematically reviewed for more than a decade. The present study reviews neuroimaging studies related to three types of scientific reasoning tasks: overcoming misconceptions, causal reasoning, and hypothesis generation. These studies indicate converging evidence for the involvement of (1) lateral prefrontal areas, reinforcing the idea of an association between scientific reasoning and executive functions, and (2) middle temporal areas, suggesting an association between scientific reasoning and declarative memory. Potential educational implications and leads for future research are discussed.

Interventions aimed at overcoming intuitive interference: insights from brain-imaging and behavioral studies.

Students experience difficulties in comparison tasks that may stem from interference of the tasks' salient irrelevant variables. Here, we focus on the comparison of perimeters task, in which the area is the irrelevant salient variable. Studies have shown that in congruent trials (when there is no interference), accuracy is higher and reaction time is shorter than in incongruent trials (when the area variable interferes). Brain-imaging and behavioral studies suggested that interventions of either activating inhibitory control mechanisms or increasing the level of salience of the relevant perimeter variable could improve students' success. In this review, we discuss several studies that empirically explored these possibilities and their findings show that both types of interventions improved students' performance. Theoretical considerations and practical educational implications are discussed.

Sulcal Polymorphisms of the IFC and ACC Contribute to Inhibitory Control Variability in Children and Adults.

Inhibitory control (IC) is a core executive function that enables humans to resist habits, temptations, or distractions. IC efficiency in childhood is a strong predictor of academic and professional success later in life. Based on analysis of the sulcal pattern, a qualitative feature of cortex anatomy determined during fetal life and stable during development, we searched for evidence that interindividual differences in IC partly trace back to prenatal processes. Using anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we analyzed the sulcal pattern of two key regions of the IC neural network, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the inferior frontal cortex (IFC), which limits the inferior frontal gyrus. We found that the sulcal pattern asymmetry of both the ACC and IFC contributes to IC (Stroop score) in children and adults: participants with asymmetrical ACC or IFC sulcal patterns had better IC efficiency than participants with symmetrical ACC or IFC sulcal patterns. Such additive effects of IFC and ACC sulcal patterns on IC efficiency suggest that distinct early neurodevelopmental mechanisms targeting different brain regions likely contribute to IC efficiency. This view shares some analogies with the "common variant-small effect" model in genetics, which states that frequent genetic polymorphisms have small effects but collectively account for a large portion of the variance. Similarly, each sulcal polymorphism has a small but additive effect: IFC and ACC sulcal patterns, respectively, explained 3% and 14% of the variance of the Stroop interference scores.