Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice in Neurofeedback Training for Attention

Abstract

Modernizing classroom pedagogical practice requires openness to revisiting previously held assumptions and theories about what constitutes authentic teaching/learning cycles. The ever-growing gap between the number of stimuli that students are exposed to and their available attentional resources indicates that sustained attention may have increasing value transitioning into 21st-century learning environments requiring self-reflection, collaborative learning, and self-directed decision-making. Neurofeedback has shown promise in laboratory and clinical settings as a tool for building sustained attention, but little in situ research has been completed in bringing the technology into the school for empirical testing. Furthermore, attentional research lacks connections between neural network modeling and observable neuromarkers for attention. This article aims to bridge these distinct concepts to support an understanding of the potential impacts of neurofeedback training (NT) and to provide a framework for other Mind, Brain, and Education researchers planning in situ NT studies.