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Research -- StepUp to Learn

How to Help Girls Stay Engaged with Science

How to Help Girls Stay Engaged with Science

This program was linked to higher average science grades and an increase in a measure of science knowledge for a group of fifth grade girls.
Posted in Attention, Education, Engagement, Motivation

How to Make Learning More Effective

How to Make Learning More Effective

Engaging students in these activities resulted in improved academic performance compared to traditional lectures, lessons or readings.
Posted in Attention, Education, Engagement, Motivation, Neuroscience, School Readiness, Technology

Motivation Depends on How the Brain Processes Fatigue

Motivation Depends on How the Brain Processes Fatigue

How do we decide whether or not an activity which requires work is ‘worth the effort’?
Posted in Attention, Engagement, Motivation, Neuroscience

Researchers Find What Motivates Young Children to Learn

Researchers Find What Motivates Young Children to Learn

The study focused on how children’s knowledge level influences what information they find interesting. The findings suggest that children are not simply attracted to information by its novelty.
Posted in Education, Engagement, Motivation, Neuroscience, School Readiness

Not All Recess is Created Equal

Not All Recess is Created Equal

With schools returning to full-time in-person classes this fall now is a good time to rethink, ‘How do we create schools that are more child-friendly?’ 
Posted in Engagement, Motivation, Movement & Exercise, Neuroscience

Youngest Children in Class Are More Likely to Be Diagnosed with a Learning Disability

Youngest Children in Class Are More Likely to Be Diagnosed with a Learning Disability

Children born in December are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with a learning disorder as those born in January. 
Posted in Attention, Engagement, Motivation, Neuroscience, School Readiness

New Experiences Enhance Learning by Resetting Key Brain Circuit

New Experiences Enhance Learning by Resetting Key Brain Circuit

A study of spatial learning in mice shows that exposure to new experiences dampens established representations in the brain’s hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, allowing the mice to learn new navigation strategies.

Posted in Engagement, Memory, Motivation, Neuroscience

Blink! The Link Between Aerobic Fitness and Cognition

Blink! The Link Between Aerobic Fitness and Cognition

Researchers have found evidence that spontaneous eye blink activity, which reflects activity in the dopaminergic system, explains the connection between fitness and cognitive function.

Posted in Education, Engagement, Language, Mathematics, Memory, Motivation, Movement & Exercise, Neuroscience

We Hear What We Want to Hear

We Hear What We Want to Hear

New findings on the importance of anticipation in brain organization, specifically in auditory processing.
Posted in Attention, Language, Memory, Motivation, Neuroscience, Speech & Language

Children With Dyslexia Show Stronger Emotional Responses

Children With Dyslexia Show Stronger Emotional Responses

Dyslexia is much more complex than just a weakness in reading skills.
Posted in Education, Motivation, Neuroscience, Reading Skills, Social Development

How Our Brains Know When Something's Different

How Our Brains Know When Something's Different

Scientists discovered how a set of high frequency brain waves may help us unconsciously know when something's different by comparing memories of the past with present experiences.
Posted in Attention, Engagement, Memory, Motivation, Neuroscience

Worth it? How the Brain Decides to Make an Effort

Worth it? How the Brain Decides to Make an Effort

A new understanding of motivation: How your brain weighs the costs versus the benefits of making a physical effort.
Posted in Engagement, Motivation, Movement & Exercise, Neuroscience, Technology