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Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques

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Post-error slowing: Large scale study in an online learning environment for practising mathematics and language.

Susanne M M de Mooij¹, Iroise Dumontheil^1,2, Natasha Z Kirkham¹

¹Department of Psychological Sciences, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK.

Developmental Science

|August 28, 2021

Summary

Children’s adaptive behavior in online learning shows post-error slowing (PES). Greater PES correlates with better accuracy and varies by task difficulty and age, highlighting its role in cognitive control development.

Keywords:

adaptive behaviour educational games online learning environment post-error slowing

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Area of Science:

Cognitive psychology
Educational technology
Developmental neuroscience

Background:

Adaptive behavior and cognitive control are essential for learning.
Post-error slowing (PES) is a key indicator of error monitoring and adjustment.
Understanding error processing in children is critical for educational development.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate post-error slowing (PES) in an online adaptive learning environment for children.
To examine factors influencing PES, including task characteristics and individual differences.
To explore developmental trajectories of error processing in primary school students.

Main Methods:

Analysis of 8 million response patterns from 150,000 users (ages 5–13) across 23 learning activities.
Statistical examination of PES in relation to accuracy, task parameters, and individual student variables.
Longitudinal assessment of PES changes across a 6-month period.

Main Results:

Post-error slowing (PES) was observed across most learning activities, with higher PES linked to improved post-error accuracy.
PES was influenced by task difficulty, time pressure, error characteristics, and subject matter (math vs. language).
Individual factors like chosen difficulty and skill level correlated with PES magnitude, alongside non-linear developmental trends in PES from ages 6 to 13.

Conclusions:

Post-error slowing (PES) is a significant indicator of adaptive behavior in primary school students within educational settings.
PES is modulated by task demands and individual differences, reflecting sophisticated cognitive control mechanisms.
Error processing abilities, as measured by PES, exhibit distinct developmental patterns during childhood and early adolescence.