Dynamic reconfiguration of brain coactivation states associated with active and lecture-based learning of university physics
Abstract Academic institutions are increasingly adopting active learning methods to enhance educational outcomes. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we investigated neurobiological differences between active learning and traditional lecture-based approaches in university physics edu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | npj Science of Learning |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-025-00348-9 |
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| author | Donisha D. Smith Jessica E. Bartley Julio A. Peraza Katherine L. Bottenhorn Jason S. Nomi Lucina Q. Uddin Michael C. Riedel Taylor Salo Robert W. Laird Shannon M. Pruden Matthew T. Sutherland Eric Brewe Angela R. Laird |
| author_facet | Donisha D. Smith Jessica E. Bartley Julio A. Peraza Katherine L. Bottenhorn Jason S. Nomi Lucina Q. Uddin Michael C. Riedel Taylor Salo Robert W. Laird Shannon M. Pruden Matthew T. Sutherland Eric Brewe Angela R. Laird |
| author_sort | Donisha D. Smith |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Academic institutions are increasingly adopting active learning methods to enhance educational outcomes. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we investigated neurobiological differences between active learning and traditional lecture-based approaches in university physics education. Undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory physics course underwent an fMRI session before and after a 15-week semester. Coactivation pattern (CAP) analysis was used to examine the temporal dynamics of brain states across different cognitive contexts, including physics conceptual reasoning, physics knowledge retrieval, and rest. CAP results identified seven distinct brain states, with contributions from frontoparietal, somatomotor, and visuospatial networks. Among active learning students, physics learning was associated with increased engagement of a somatomotor network, supporting an embodied cognition framework, while lecture-based students demonstrated stronger engagement of a visuospatial network, consistent with observational learning. These findings suggest significant neural restructuring over a semester of physics learning, with different instructional approaches preferentially modulating distinct patterns of brain dynamics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-08df1722cd4d4ea0a3e6135fadeb3b55 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2056-7936 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Science of Learning |
| spelling | doaj-art-08df1722cd4d4ea0a3e6135fadeb3b552025-08-20T03:07:24ZengNature Portfolionpj Science of Learning2056-79362025-08-0110111810.1038/s41539-025-00348-9Dynamic reconfiguration of brain coactivation states associated with active and lecture-based learning of university physicsDonisha D. Smith0Jessica E. Bartley1Julio A. Peraza2Katherine L. Bottenhorn3Jason S. Nomi4Lucina Q. Uddin5Michael C. Riedel6Taylor Salo7Robert W. Laird8Shannon M. Pruden9Matthew T. Sutherland10Eric Brewe11Angela R. Laird12Department of Psychology, Florida International UniversityDepartment of Physics, Florida International UniversityDepartment of Physics, Florida International UniversityDepartment of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern CaliforniaDepartment of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los AngelesDepartment of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los AngelesDepartment of Physics, Florida International UniversityDepartment of Medicine, Perlman Center of Advanced Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaDepartment of Physics, Florida International UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Florida International UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Florida International UniversityDepartment of Physics, Drexel UniversityDepartment of Physics, Florida International UniversityAbstract Academic institutions are increasingly adopting active learning methods to enhance educational outcomes. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we investigated neurobiological differences between active learning and traditional lecture-based approaches in university physics education. Undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory physics course underwent an fMRI session before and after a 15-week semester. Coactivation pattern (CAP) analysis was used to examine the temporal dynamics of brain states across different cognitive contexts, including physics conceptual reasoning, physics knowledge retrieval, and rest. CAP results identified seven distinct brain states, with contributions from frontoparietal, somatomotor, and visuospatial networks. Among active learning students, physics learning was associated with increased engagement of a somatomotor network, supporting an embodied cognition framework, while lecture-based students demonstrated stronger engagement of a visuospatial network, consistent with observational learning. These findings suggest significant neural restructuring over a semester of physics learning, with different instructional approaches preferentially modulating distinct patterns of brain dynamics.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-025-00348-9 |
| spellingShingle | Donisha D. Smith Jessica E. Bartley Julio A. Peraza Katherine L. Bottenhorn Jason S. Nomi Lucina Q. Uddin Michael C. Riedel Taylor Salo Robert W. Laird Shannon M. Pruden Matthew T. Sutherland Eric Brewe Angela R. Laird Dynamic reconfiguration of brain coactivation states associated with active and lecture-based learning of university physics npj Science of Learning |
| title | Dynamic reconfiguration of brain coactivation states associated with active and lecture-based learning of university physics |
| title_full | Dynamic reconfiguration of brain coactivation states associated with active and lecture-based learning of university physics |
| title_fullStr | Dynamic reconfiguration of brain coactivation states associated with active and lecture-based learning of university physics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dynamic reconfiguration of brain coactivation states associated with active and lecture-based learning of university physics |
| title_short | Dynamic reconfiguration of brain coactivation states associated with active and lecture-based learning of university physics |
| title_sort | dynamic reconfiguration of brain coactivation states associated with active and lecture based learning of university physics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-025-00348-9 |
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