RESEARCH

Research at LearningWorks for Kids

LearningWorks for Kids is currently conducting two pilot studies exploring the impact of popular video games on executive function skills in children ages 8 to 15. We anticipate beginning phase two of the pilot studies in November 2007. We are also exploring a school-based study using hand held video games with peer tutors to assist in training executive functions to their classmates. 

The first study, which we call the “Brain Training Study,” used two Nintendo DS games, Brain Age and Big Brain Academy, in conjunction with parent training about executive functions and reinforced with real-world application strategies for executive functions.Children were given a prescribed training program over the course of four weeks to play a series of specified mini-games on Big Brain Academy and Brain Age. The selected mini-games practiced executive function skills including planning, prioritization, working memory, and sustained attention. Pre- and post-tests were collected; these included a range of well-validated neuropsychological tests, real-world measures such as math minutes, writing speed samples and parent rating scales.. 

Prior to the initiation of the study, parents were given training about executive functions and in using a number of the LearningWorks for Kids coaching guides. Strategies were provided to help them assist children in applying game-based skills to real life and for generalization and maintenance of these skills in the child’s real world.

The second study involved the use of rigorous training using the game Guitar Hero to enhance processing speed in children. In previous psychological evaluations, the children selected for this study displayed significantly slow processing speed (often resulting in difficulty in completing homework or schoolwork in a timely fashion and a tendency to write very slowly). Guitar Hero requires sustained visual processing of information and becomes increasingly more demanding as the songs become harder, requiring quicker visual processing and hand movements. There are similarities between this type of task and tasks such as copying notes and other activities requiring efficiency in the classroom. Pre- and post-neuropsychological measures and real world, ecologically valid tools were also used within this study.

A third, proposed study involves the use of peer tutors to train their classmates in the use of executive functions through the use of hand-held video games. Peer tutors will be trained to identify their own use of executive skills in game playing  as part of the preparation to encourage fellow students to do the same. Classroom opportunities that embed executive fuctions into regular school-based tasks will be incorporated.

For the information regarding each of these studies will be available as phase one results are analyzed and we move into phase two of these studies.