Effect of short-term intensive design-based STEM learning on executive function: an fNIRS study of the left-behind children.

Design-based STEM learning is believed to be an effective cross-disciplinary strategy for promoting children's cognitive development. Yet, its impact on executive functions, particularly for disadvantaged children, still need to be explored. This study investigated the effects of short-term intensive design-based STEM learning on executive function among left-behind children. Sixty-one Grade 4 students from a school dedicated to the left-behind children in China were sampled and randomly assigned to an experimental group (10.70 ± 0.47 years old, n = 30) or a control group (10.77 ± 0.43 years old, n = 31). The experimental group underwent a two-week design-based STEM training program, while the control group participated in a 2-week STEM-related reading program. Both groups were assessed with the brain activation from 4 brain regions of interest using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and behavioral measures during a Stroop task before and after the training. Analysis disclosed: (i) a significant within-group time effect in the experimental group, with posttest brain activation in Brodmann Area 10 and 46 being notably lower during neutral and word conditions; (ii) a significant between-group difference at posttest, with the experimental group showing considerably lower brain activation in Brodmann Area 10 and Brodmann Area 46 than the control group; and (iii) a significant task effect in brain activity among the three conditions of the Stroop task. These findings indicated that this STEM learning effectively enhanced executive function in left-behind children. The discrepancy between the non-significant differences in behavioral performance and the significant ones in brain activation implies a compensatory mechanism in brain activation. This study enriches current theories about the impact of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning on children's executive function development, providing biological evidence and valuable insights for educational curriculum design and assessment.

The Effects of Digital Addiction on Brain Function and Structure of Children and Adolescents: A Scoping Review.

The escalating prevalence of studies investigating digital addiction (DA) and its detrimental impact on the human brain's structure and functionality has been noticeable in recent years. Yet, an overwhelming majority of these reviews have been predominantly geared towards samples comprising college students or adults and have only inspected a single variant of DA, such as internet gaming disorder, internet addiction disorder, problematic smartphone use, tablet overuse, and so forth. Reviews focusing on young children and adolescents (ages 0-18), or those which amalgamate various types of DA, are decidedly scarce. Given this context, summarizing the effects of DA on brain structure and functionality during the vital developmental stage (0-18 years) is of immense significance. A scoping review, complying with the PRISMA extension for such reviews, was conducted to amalgamate findings from 28 studies spanning a decade (2013-2023) and to examine the influence of assorted forms of DA on the brains of children and adolescents (0-18 years). The synthesized evidence indicated two primary results: (1) DA exerts harmful effects on the structure and functionality of the brains of children and adolescents, and (2) the prefrontal lobe is the region most consistently reported as impacted across all research. Furthermore, this review discerned a notable void of studies investigating the neural indices of digital addiction, along with a shortage of studies focusing on young children (0-6 years old) and longitudinal evidence. This research could provide the necessary theoretical basis for the thwarting and intervention of digital addiction, a measure indispensable for ensuring healthy brain development in children and adolescents.