Gaming is related to enhanced working memory performance and task-related cortical activity.

Gaming experience has been suggested to lead to performance enhancements in a wide variety of working memory tasks. Previous studies have, however, mostly focused on adult expert gamers and have not included measurements of both behavioral performance and brain activity. In the current study, 167 adolescents and young adults (aged 13-24 years) with different amounts of gaming experience performed an n-back working memory task with vowels, with the sensory modality of the vowel stream switching between audition and vision at random intervals. We studied the relationship between self-reported daily gaming activity, working memory (n-back) task performance and related brain activity measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The results revealed that the extent of daily gaming activity was related to enhancements in both performance accuracy and speed during the most demanding (2-back) level of the working memory task. This improved working memory performance was accompanied by enhanced recruitment of a fronto-parietal cortical network, especially the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In contrast, during the less demanding (1-back) level of the task, gaming was associated with decreased activity in the same cortical regions. Our results suggest that a greater degree of daily gaming experience is associated with better working memory functioning and task difficulty-dependent modulation in fronto-parietal brain activity already in adolescence and even when non-expert gamers are studied. The direction of causality within this association cannot be inferred with certainty due to the correlational nature of the current study.

Media multitasking is associated with distractibility and increased prefrontal activity in adolescents and young adults.

The current generation of young people indulges in more media multitasking behavior (e.g., instant messaging while watching videos) in their everyday lives than older generations. Concerns have been raised about how this might affect their attentional functioning, as previous studies have indicated that extensive media multitasking in everyday life may be associated with decreased attentional control. In the current study, 149 adolescents and young adults (aged 13-24years) performed speech-listening and reading tasks that required maintaining attention in the presence of distractor stimuli in the other modality or dividing attention between two concurrent tasks. Brain activity during task performance was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We studied the relationship between self-reported daily media multitasking (MMT), task performance and brain activity during task performance. The results showed that in the presence of distractor stimuli, a higher MMT score was associated with worse performance and increased brain activity in right prefrontal regions. The level of performance during divided attention did not depend on MMT. This suggests that daily media multitasking is associated with behavioral distractibility and increased recruitment of brain areas involved in attentional and inhibitory control, and that media multitasking in everyday life does not translate to performance benefits in multitasking in laboratory settings.

Effects on readiness to change of an educational intervention on depressive disorders for general physicians in primary care based on a modified Prochaska model--a randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: The Prochaska model of readiness to change has been proposed to be used in educational interventions to improve medical care. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact on readiness to change of an educational intervention on management of depressive disorders based on a modified version of the Prochaska model in comparison with a standard programme of continuing medical education (CME). METHODS: This is a randomized controlled trial within primary care practices in southern Tehran, Iran. The participants included 192 general physicians working in primary care (GPs) were recruited after random selection and randomized to intervention (96) and control (96). Intervention consisted of interactive, learner-centred educational methods in large and small group settings depending on the GPs' stages of readiness to change. Change in stage of readiness to change measured by the modified version of the Prochaska questionnaire was the RESULTS: The final number of participants was 78 (81%) in the intervention arm and 81 (84%) in the control arm. Significantly (P < 0.01), more GPs (57/96 = 59% versus 12/96 = 12%) in the intervention group changed to higher stages of readiness to change. The intervention effect was 46% points (P < 0.001) and 50% points (P < 0.001) in the large and small group setting, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Educational formats that suit different stages of learning can support primary care doctors to reach higher stages of behavioural change in the topic of depressive disorders. Our findings have practical implications for conducting CME programmes in Iran and are possibly also applicable in other parts of the world.

Information technology in medical education: a nationwide project on the opportunities of the new technology.

CONTEXT: The aim of the national "IT Culture in Medical Education" project in Finland is to enhance the opportunities new technology may provide for medical education. The project focuses on attitudes towards information technology (IT) and on its current use among teachers and students. METHOD: This survey was part of a Finnish nationwide project in medical education. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire designed to gather information about IT use in medical education, sent to teachers and students. The questions were 5-point Likert-type. The participants were medical teachers (n=196) and medical students (n=392) at two medical schools. RESULTS: In both universities, it appeared that medical teachers and students had a very positive attitude toward the advances in modern technology. In addition to the favourable attitudes, computer-related technology was also widely applied. Teachers, however, used information technology more in their research work than in teaching. CONCLUSIONS: The results pose challenges to medical education and underline the importance of educational and psychological knowledge in combination with new technical skills.

Students' perceptions of assessment practices in a traditional medical curriculum.

This study examines advanced medical students' perceptions of assessment practices and their ways of studying for examinations as related to their approaches to learning. This study further validates a cluster model obtained in a previous study through medical students' interviews. In this cluster model students were divided into four groups on the basis of their approaches to learning. The subjects (N = 35) were advanced medical students who volunteered to be interviewed. The interviews focused on learning strategies, study behaviour and perceptions of the learning environment. The results indicated that there were no differences in students' perceptions of the examination procedures. Students in all four groups criticised quite similarly the examination practices. However, the results showed that students in the four groups reported different ways of preparing for examinations and, furthermore, had different views of the most functional ways to study for them. This study brought into light problems that arise in a traditional medical curriculum, particularly concerning traditional assessment practices.

Portfolios as a learning tool in obstetrics and gynaecology undergraduate training.

CONTEXT: We developed a structured portfolio for medical students to use during their obstetrics and gynaecology undergraduate training. The main objective was to support the learning process of the students. We also wanted feedback information to enhance teaching. METHODS: The study population consisted of 91 medical students who completed the portfolio during their training course. The portfolio consisted of a 28-page A5-size booklet. The students entered all the clinical procedures they had performed and all the deliveries they had attended. After each group session, they answered questions about what they had learned and evaluated the performance of the teacher. They also indicated their general evaluation of the course and the portfolio itself. The teachers listed the 13 most important skills to be learned during the course. The students were asked to evaluate their own development on a scale of 0-5 before and after the course. A content analysis was performed on all the texts the students produced, and all quantitative variables were coded. RESULTS: The amount of text written in the portfolio correlated (P < 0.001, F-value 4.2) with success in the final exam. In addition to acting as a logbook, use of the portfolio enhanced the learning process during the course. Students' attitudes towards the portfolio were mainly positive. Students appreciated the departmental interest in their learning process. CONCLUSION: Portfolios support the personal and professional development of medical students. A portfolio clarifies the learning goals and helps students to monitor how these goals are achieved. A portfolio encourages constant self-reflection.

Review and Process Effects of Spontaneous Note-Taking on Text Comprehension.

This study examines how quantitative and qualitative differences in spontaneously taken notes are related to text comprehension in combination with reviewing or not reviewing previously made notes. High school graduates (N = 226) were allowed to take notes in any way they desired while reading a philosophical text. Approximately half the participants were told that they could review their notes during writing tasks designed to measure the ability to define, compare, and evaluate text content. The other half of the participants answered the subsequent questions without their notes. The process of taking notes was rated on the basis of note quality and quantity. The results revealed significant review and process effects in spontaneous note-taking. Reviewing the notes during essay-writing generally resulted in good performance in an exam calling for deep-level text comprehension. However, this review effect was mainly limited to detailed learning instead of making one's own inferences. Results pertaining to note quality indicated that the participants who summarized the content of the text resulted in better performance in all tasks in comparison with those who produced notes following the text order or verbatim notes. The amount of note-taking was also positively related to text comprehension. The discussion focuses upon the situational appropriateness of note-taking effects that pose challenges to educators. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.