Adolescence is a critical period for cultivating motivation that contributes to success and long-term well-being. However, the transition from primary to secondary education often leads to a sharp decline in school motivation, resulting in lower academic achievements and increased burnout symptoms. The new neurofeedback tool Explore Your Brain is showing promising results to counter this negative trend.
From a ‘fixed mindset’ to ‘growth mindset’
Explore Your Brain is not only a tool, but also a concise lesson plan that blends theoretical knowledge about brain plasticity with a hands-on experience of influencing one's own brain. VU researchers Nienke van Atteveldt and Tieme Janssen are advancing this innovation to help adolescents cultivate a 'growth mindset'—the belief that abilities can be developed, fostering the attitude: "I'm not getting it just yet." In contrast, those with a fixed mindset—thinking "I'll never get it"—limit their potential.
'Experiencing' your own brain: how the neurofeedback tool works
The key innovation of Explore Your Brain is its ability to make the intervention personally relevant. Nienke van Atteveldt and Tieme Janssen achieved this by using a state-of-the-art neurofeedback headband (electroencephalography or EEG) that adolescents wear. In three co-created games, participants see their brain activity in real time, experiencing firsthand their ability to influence it and, in turn, their learning processes. The software was uniquely designed for this purpose.
Further development: scaling up
The results of the educational neurofeedback tool are very promising, but the technology is not yet ready for large scale implementation. Tieme Janssen is currently taking part in the Impact programme by IXA, developing a business plan for financially and logistically feasible large-scale implementation of the innovation. IXA was also closely involved in securing an ERC Proof of Concept grant for further technological and business development of Explore Your Brain; which is a different type of grant than those for research funding.
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Published paper about Explore your Brain: https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjep.12572
https://bold.expert/what-happens-when-students-experience-the-power-of-their-brains/