Working memory training - GL Education

The majority of training studies have been conducted using Cogmed working memory training software. This involves several verbal and visuo-spatial memory span ... Home KnowledgeBase Assessments LucidRecallSupport Helpingchildrenwithapoorworkingmemory Workingmemorytraining BacktoHelpingchildrenwithapoorworkingmemory LucidRecallSupportHome Introduction Testadministration Understandingresults Helpingchildrenwithapoorworkingmemory Poorworkingmemoryintheclassroom Teachingstrategies Workingmemorytraining Casestudies References SoftwareGuide-Welcome InstallationGuides UsingLucidRecall AccessingtheAssessments FurtherHelp TechnicalSQLTroubleshootingGuide Downloads Workingmemorytraining Thesecondapproachtoalleviatingthedifficultiesthatarisefromapoorworkingmemoryistoimproveworkingmemorydirectly.Interventionshaveincludedapproachesasdiverseasmindfulnessormeditationtraining(e.g.Zeidan,Johnson,Diamond,David&Goolkasian,2010),neurofeedback(e.g.Cannon,Lubar,Gerke&Thorntonetal.,2006),physicalexercise(e.g.Lachman,Neupert,Bertrand&Jette,2006),andlong-termtrainingonmusicalinstruments(e.g.Jones,2007).However,oneapproachrapidlygainingprominencewithinthepsychologicalliteratureiscognitivetraining.Manycommercialproductshavebecomeavailable,arepromotedasbeingbackedbyscientificresearch,andmakepromisessuchasimprovedgradesinschool,bettercontrolofattentionandincreasedIQ. ThemajorityoftrainingstudieshavebeenconductedusingCogmedworkingmemorytrainingsoftware.Thisinvolvesseveralverbalandvisuo-spatialmemoryspantasksthathavebeenembeddedwithinvideogames.Itisanadaptiveprogram,inthattrial-by-trialperformancedetermineshowmuchinformationaparticipantisrequiredtoremember.Participantsareexpectedtoengageinintensivetraining,completingsessionsonadailybasis.Severalstudieshavefoundimprovementsinworkingmemoryasaresultoftrainingusingthisprogram.Forexample,Kingberg,Fernell,OlesenandJohnsonetal.(2005)foundsignificanteffectsinchildrenwithattention-deficithyperactivity-disorder(seealsoHolmes,Gathercole&Dunning,2009;Klingberg,Forssberg&Westerberg,2002).Thorell,Lindquist,BergmanandBohlinetal.(2009)alsofoundimprovementsinnormallydevelopingpreschoolchildren.Thereis,however,mixedevidenceregardingtheeffectsoftransfer.Thatistheextenttowhichtrainingalsoimprovesperformanceonothercognitivetasks.Klingbergetal.(2002)andKlingbergetal.(2005)reportedimprovementsontheRaven’sprogressivematrices.However,Holmesetal.(2009;seealsoHolmes,Gathercole,Place&Dunningetal.,2010)failedtofindanyimprovementsonmeasuresofreasoning.Dahlin(2011)reportedimprovementsononemeasureofcomprehension,butnotonanothertwo,andHolmesetal.(2009)didnotfindimprovementsonmeasuresofreadingormathematics.  Analternativeapproachtoworkingmemorytraininginvolvesteachingchildrenhowtousememorystrategies.Forexample,StClair-Thompson,Stevens,Hunt,andBolder(2010)askedchildrentouseMemoryBooster(Leedale,Singleton&Thomas,2004),anenjoyableadventuregameforchildrenthatteachesandencouragestheuseofrehearsal,visualimagery,creatingstories,andgrouping.Rehearsalisthesimplerepetitionofverbalinformation.Visualimageryinvolvescreatingpicturesinthemindtorepresentinformationthathastoberemembered.Creatingstoriesreferstogeneratinganarrativethatlinkstogetherinformationintheformofastory.Finally,groupinginvolvesusinghigher-orderconceptualcategoriessuchas‘livingthings’togroupitems.StClair-Thompsonetal.(2010)foundsignificantimprovementsinchildren’sworkingmemoryafterusingMemoryBoosterforaperiodof6-8weeks.Childrenalsoshowedsignificantimprovementsontasksofmentalarithmeticandtheabilitytofollowinstructionsintheschoolclassroom.However,evidencesuggeststhatmemorystrategiesareoftencontextspecificandthusthattransfermaybesomewhatlimited(seealsoShipstead,Redick,&Engle,2012). Itisalsoimportanttonotethatdespitesomeencouragingfindingsfromexperimentalstudies,theextenttowhichtrainingcanhelpchildrenwithworkingmemoryandassociatedlearningdifficultiestoprogresseducationallyisstillunclear.Inparticular,wedonotknowthelong-termeffectsandextentoftransferoftraining.Manystudiesintoworkingmemorytraininghavealsobeencriticisedfornotplacingenoughemphasisonexploringrelevantconfounds,fornotemployingappropriatecontrolgroups,andforneglectingtheimportanceofunderstandingthemechanismsunderlyingtrainingbasedimprovements(e.g.forareviewseeShipstead,etal.,2012).However,thefirststeptowardsprovidingappropriateinterventionsisofcoursetoidentifyworkingmemoryproblems,somethingwhichisnowsubstantiallyeasierduetoLucidRecall. Previous:Poorworkingmemoryintheclassroom Searchforanotherknowledgetopic