Learning to see: How do social scientists learn to interpret fMRI?

The aim of the project is to learn how a range of social scientist, from novice through to experts level, interpret fMRI images. To gain deeper understanding of how people learn to master the skills required to read these complex visuals, the research will include analysis of the texts used in teaching neuroscience modules in Higher Education institutes; interviews with students and lecturers who are working with modules which include fMRI teaching and learning; and online experiments including eye tracking and protocol analysis with experts in the field as they interpret FMRI.
The findings from this research will be used to inform the development of a suite of new tools for teaching on fMRI interpretation, as well as making recommendations for best practice for teaching in this area.
The project is supervised by Shaaron Ainsworth in the Learning Sciences Research Institute, Peter Chapman in Psychology and is in collaboration with industry sponsor Ilixa Ltd.