This article was first published in the May 2016 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
How will we teach and learn in the future? Technology is giving us new ways to study human learning, which could ultimately transform education, says John Gabrieli, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Integrated Learning Initiative (MITili), a centre for cognitive psychologists, neuroscientists and others to investigate this question. "We're excited by transformative technology," Gabrieli says. "It's making us rethink education at all levels." For instance, neuroscientists at MITili are using magnetic resonance imaging to reveal early signs of dyslexia in children's brains, so they can receive tailored teaching from an early age.
Other researchers are using wireless transmitting electro-encephalogram sensors to record students' brain activity as they're taught. "This gives us a chance to ask questions such as: 'When does attention wane?'" Gabrieli says. The results could show which teaching methods do and do not engage students. These findings may feed into research in areas including education policy and school design.
They will also provide a detailed picture of how humans learn, across all ages and subjects. As new technologies emerge, the research will constantly evolve, says Gabrieli. "This will be an ongoing challenge."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
