Transfer from spatial education to verbal reasoning and prediction of transfer from learning-related neural change

Current debate surrounds the promise of neuroscience for education, including whether learning-related neural changes can predict learning transfer better than traditional performance-based learning assessments. Long-standing debate in philosophy and psychology concerns the proposition that spatial processes underlie seemingly nonspatial/verbal reasoning (mental model theory). If so, education that fosters spatial cognition might improve verbal reasoning. Here, in a quasi-experimental design in real-world STEM classrooms, a curriculum devised to foster spatial cognition yielded transfer to improved verbal reasoning. Further indicating a spatial basis for verbal transfer, students' spatial cognition gains predicted and mediated their reasoning improvement. Longitudinal fMRI detected learning-related changes in neural activity, connectivity, and representational similarity in spatial cognition-implicated regions. Neural changes predicted and mediated learning transfer. Ensemble modeling demonstrated better prediction of transfer from neural change than from traditional measures (tests and grades). Results support in-school spatial education and suggest that neural change can inform future development of transferable curricula.

Automated summary

The current debate focuses on the potential of neuroscience in education, particularly whether neural changes related to learning can predict learning transfer more effectively than traditional performance-based assessments. A study conducted in STEM classrooms found that a curriculum designed to enhance spatial cognition led to improved verbal reasoning skills. The results also suggested that the gains in spatial cognition predicted and mediated the improvements in reasoning abilities. Longitudinal fMRI analyses revealed learning-related changes in neural activity, connectivity, and representational similarity in regions associated with spatial cognition. These neural changes were found to predict and mediate learning transfer. Ensemble modeling demonstrated better predictive power of transfer based on neural changes compared to traditional measures such as tests and grades. The findings support the inclusion of spatial education in schools and indicate that neural changes can inform the development of transferable curricula in the future.