Pm newton salt presentation july 2012

Streamlined factual learning through application of the principles of ‘stimulus

equivalence’

Phil NewtonSALT Conference

July 2012

Why are we here?

Jargon

Substantia nigraAmygdalaHippocampusTemporal CortexVagus NerveMedullaParietal CortexPonsTrigeminal NerveOccipital CortexCerebellumSubstantia gelatinosaCorpus callosumVentricles (1-4)Globus pallidus

Vestibulocochlear NerveBroca’s areaDorsal hornGlossopharyngeal NerveDorsolateral Prefrontal CortexLissauers TractBasal gangliaDorsal Root GangliaCorticospinal tractVentral rootAccessory NerveHypoglossal NerveMamillary bodiesWernickes areaLateral sulcus

Abducens NerveOptic NerveSpinothalamic tractDorsal columnOculomotor NerveFacial NerveTrochlear NerveFrontal CortexPrefrontal CortexOlfactory NerveMidbrainCingulate gyrusThalamusHypothalamusOptic chiasm

Jargon

‘Use Stimulus Equivalence!’

Simon Dymond, Psychology@zorroesque

Stimulus equivalencewhat is it and how does it work?

Substantia nigra

Dopamine Parkinson’s

Stimulus equivalencewhat is it and how does it work?

Substantia nigra

Dopamine

Parkinson’s Disease

Project Plan

• Build a pilot learning resource• Test it to see if it works– Do students learn– Do they like it?

• Refine design• Build lots more resources

‘I can do that!’

Dr James GrevillePsychology + Medicine

Resource design

Cortical Region

(picture)

Function

Pathology

Anatomical text

Revision material

What does it look like?

Pilot Resource design

• ~25 minutes• 1. Baseline knowledge

– Derived relations only

• 2. Learning – Direct relations only– Have to get 12 right in a row

• 3. New knowledge– Derived relations only

“OUTRAGEOUSLY GOOD”

• Would you like more of these?

• Rate the usefulness of this resource on a scale 1-5– 5 most useful

90% yes

3.83

0

1

2

3

4

5

Ho

w u

sefu

l?

Student feedback

14

2

4

Student Feedback

• Repetition• Frustrating• Visual learners only

• Repetition• Quick

• Too easy• Include a summary• More detailed feedback

Did they Iearn?

• Yes– Mean went from 77% to 94%– Ceiling effect

Pre Post0

20

40

60

80

100

Acc

urac

y (%

)

Pre Post0

20

40

60

80

100 *

Acc

urac

y (%

)

Now what?

• Make more• Make them more challenging

– Non-revision material?– Add more relations– But give corrective feedback

• Stability– Retest after 1 month

• Generalization• Make them prettier

– Web-based• Compare to other methods?

Questions?

p.newton@swansea.ac.uk

@newtonsneurosci

http://newtonsneuroscience.blogspot.com/