Researchers have found that offline consolidation of a motor task was enhanced by praise delivered by robots, whether they were presented on a screen or were physically present. Further, simultaneous praise from two agents had a stronger effect than praise from just one, regardless of whether the agents were physically present or virtual. Such effects…

Researchers have developed unique, interactive, 3D narrated diagrams to help students learn about the structure and function of perceptual systems in the human brain. A new study exploring how students responded to these lessons on desktop PCs and in virtual reality (VR) offers new insights into the benefits of VR as an educational tool. Led…

Research has shown empathy gives healthcare workers the ability to provide appropriate supports and make fewer mistakes. This helps increase patient satisfaction and enhance patient outcomes, resulting in better overall care. Informally, empathy is often described as the capacity to put oneself in the shoes of another. Empathy is essential to patient-centered care and crucial…

Students who attend the Georgia Prekindergarten Program are more likely to achieve in mathematics than those who do not attend pre-K, according to a new study. «Students who participated in the study were twice as likely to meet the state standards in their mathematics achievement,» said Neuharth-Pritchett. «School becomes more challenging as one progresses through…

Spatial reasoning ability in small children reflects how well they will perform in mathematics later. Researchers recently came to this conclusion, making the case for better cultivation of spatial reasoning. Good math skills open career doors in the natural sciences as well as technical and engineering fields. However, a nationwide study on basic skills conducted…

Adolescents who stopped studying math showed a reduction in a critical brain chemical for brain development. This reduction in brain chemical was found in a key brain area that supports math, memory, learning, reasoning and problem solving. 133 students between the ages of 14-18 took part in an experiment run by researchers from the Department…

Young children who practice visual working memory and reasoning tasks improve their math skills more than children who focus on spatial rotation exercises, according to a large study. The findings support the notion that training spatial cognition can enhance academic performance and that when it comes to math, the type of training matters. «In this…

Though legislative reform is necessary to combat the growing burden of student loan debt in the U.S. on a grand scale, individual borrowers can take steps to repay their loans with as low long-term costs as possible. A new mathematical model develops a strategy for minimizing the overall cost of repaying student loans. In a…

New study with 756 1st through 5th graders demonstrates that a six-week mashup of hoops and math has a positive effect on their desire to learn more, provides them with an experience of increased self-determination and grows math confidence among youth. Over the past decades, there has been a considerable amount of attention paid to…

School-based interventions that target students with, or at risk of, academic difficulties in kindergarten to grade 6 have positive effects on reading and mathematics, according to a new article. The review analyzed evidence from 205 studies, 186 of which were randomized controlled trials, to examine the effects of targeted school-based interventions on students’ performance on…