Hippocampal functional connectivity changes associated with active and lecture-based physics learning

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Physics Education

Background:

• Introductory physics courses struggle to reconcile new concepts with students' misconceptions.
• Active learning strategies are effective for complex physics, but their neurobiological basis is unclear.
• The hippocampus is crucial for learning and memory, making it a key area to study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neurobiological underpinnings of active versus lecture-based learning in university physics.
• To examine changes in hippocampal whole-brain connectivity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
• To understand how different pedagogical approaches impact learning-related brain connectivity.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess brain connectivity.
• Students in active learning and lecture-based physics courses were scanned before and after a 15-week semester.
• Changes in hippocampal whole-brain connectivity were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Hippocampal connectivity with frontal and parietal lobes decreased over time in both groups.
• Active learning students showed increased hippocampal connectivity with parietal, cerebellar, and frontal regions.
• Lecture-based students exhibited increased hippocampal connectivity with the fusiform gyrus, linked to passive observation.

Conclusions:

• While some hippocampal connectivity may naturally decrease, active learning preferentially enhances connectivity related to constructivist principles.
• Passive learning correlates with increased connectivity in brain regions associated with visual observation.
• Findings highlight distinct neurobiological effects of active versus passive learning on the hippocampus during physics education.