EEG in the classroom: Synchronised neural recordings during video presentation

Sci Rep. 2017 Mar 7:7:43916. doi: 10.1038/srep43916.

Abstract

We performed simultaneous recordings of electroencephalography (EEG) from multiple students in a classroom, and measured the inter-subject correlation (ISC) of activity evoked by a common video stimulus. The neural reliability, as quantified by ISC, has been linked to engagement and attentional modulation in earlier studies that used high-grade equipment in laboratory settings. Here we reproduce many of the results from these studies using portable low-cost equipment, focusing on the robustness of using ISC for subjects experiencing naturalistic stimuli. The present data shows that stimulus-evoked neural responses, known to be modulated by attention, can be tracked for groups of students with synchronized EEG acquisition. This is a step towards real-time inference of engagement in the classroom.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attention*
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Brain Mapping
  • Electroencephalography*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Photic Stimulation*
  • Students*
  • Visual Perception*
  • Young Adult