Easily digestible tech news... http://www.techdirt.com/ en-us http://www.techdirt.com/images/td-88x31.gifhttp://www.techdirt.com/ Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:00:00 PST Michael Ho http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110216/23143913140/dailydirt-real-brains.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110216/23143913140/dailydirt-real-brains.shtml

More studies show that a person's IQ doesn't remain constant throughout life. It seems strange to think that IQ couldn't change a bit with age (or with training exercises), and measuring "intelligence" in the first place isn't exactly an easy task to do. [url]

A behavior therapist describes her experience training autistic kids to improve their cognitive abilities. Improve your fluid intelligence in just five easy steps! [url]

Being able to distinguish various states of consciousness could be helpful to determine if/when patients with serious brain injuries might recover. A quantitative test to complement the Coma Recovery Scale measures brain activity via EEG signals, but it needs to be used on many more subjects before it can be considered a reliable diagnostic tool. [url]

To discover more interesting articles on the human mind, check out what's currently floating around the StumbleUpon universe. [url]  

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]]> urls-we-dig-up http://www.techdirt.com/comment_rss.php?sid=20110216/23143913140 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:00:00 PDT Michael Ho http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101209/09013412206/dailydirt-you-must-un-learn-what-you-have-learned-really.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101209/09013412206/dailydirt-you-must-un-learn-what-you-have-learned-really.shtml improve the institutions of education in various ways. Creating an education system in the US seemingly costs a lot, and the results aren't as tangible (or as favorable) as everyone would like it to be. But in order to improve, perhaps we need a closer look at what actually needs to improve. Here are just a few links on how we learn.

• Using an EEG to study how people's brains react to making mistakes could help how to teach kids better or to identify why some kids are having a harder time. Giving an "A for effort" looks like it's a lot more effective than telling students they're smart. [url]
• The literacy program, Helping Early Literacy with Practice Strategies (HELPS), is freely available from a non-profit organization to help improve reading skills for elementary school students. If it doesn't actually work, at least it's cost effective.... [url]
• Psychologists are studying whether or not some students are visual learners or auditory learners. So far, there's no evidence to suggest that there are significantly different learning styles, but that mixing things up does keep student attention better. [url]
• To discover more interesting education-related content, check out what's currently floating around the StumbleUpon universe. [url]  

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]]> urls-we-dig-up http://www.techdirt.com/comment_rss.php?sid=20101209/09013412206 Tue, 9 Aug 2011 17:00:00 PDT Michael Ho http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100418/2324339056/dailydirt-braiiins.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100418/2324339056/dailydirt-braiiins.shtml

UCSD researchers have studied the Uncanny Valley to find that human brains like it when their expectations are met -- human-like movements should be accompanied by humans. Conversely, brains don't like to be fooled. [url]

Using electroencephalography (EEG), there might be a way to predict the development of autism before the age of three. Earlier diagnoses could then lead to more effective treatments... [url]

To learn about consciousness, it might be helpful to figure out how the brain goes into un-consciousness. Just stick about 32 electrodes on a bunch of people's heads, give them all some anesthetics, and watch their brain activity for patterns. Lather. Repeat. [url]

An fMRI brain scanner that can read people's intentions sounds like an awesome tool. Rock Paper Scissors will never be the same. [url]

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