Instructor presence enhanced learning and strengthened FPN-SN connectivity during online lecture.
Poster No:
586
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Guan-Ting Ye1, Nai-Feng Chen1, Ting-Ting Chang1,2
Institutions:
1Department of Psychology, National Chengchi University, Taipei City, Taiwan, 2Research Center for Mind, Brain, and Learning, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan
First Author:
Co-Author(s):
Ting-Ting Chang
Department of Psychology, National Chengchi University|Research Center for Mind, Brain, and Learning, National Chengchi University
Taipei City, Taiwan|Taipei, Taiwan
Department of Psychology, National Chengchi University|Research Center for Mind, Brain, and Learning, National Chengchi University
Taipei City, Taiwan|Taipei, Taiwan
Introduction:
With the growing importance of online learning, educators are increasingly adopting virtual approaches as alternatives to traditional in-person instruction. Among the most prominent models in online learning is the CASTLE model, which emphasizes that appropriate social cues can reduce learners' cognitive overload, enhance emotional motivation between instructors and students, and ultimately lead to improved learning outcomes. While instructor presence emerges as a key factor influencing learning outcomes (Schneider et al., 2022), the neural mechanisms supporting its effectiveness remain largely unexplored (Beege et al., 2023). We hypothesized that dynamic instructor presence would enhance learning through increased engagement of attention-related neural networks. This study leverages fMRI to investigate the cognitive and neural processes involved in online learning, specifically examining how instructor presence modulates attention, working memory, and neural connectivity to facilitate learning.
Methods:
Sixty-three healthy college students (34 females, mean age = 23.19, SD = 2.79), all non-specialists in natural science subjects, participated in two materials science lectures during fMRI scanning. One lecture featured a live instructor utilizing dynamic expressions and social cues, while the other included only a static instructor image. Learning assessments comprised pre-test, post-test, and follow-up evaluations to measure both immediate learning gains and retention. Task-state functional connectivity analyses focused on two key neural systems: the salience network (SN) and the frontoparietal network (FPN), identified using the AAL3 atlas. To explore the neural basis of the instructor presence effect, we: (1) computed connectivity differences between the live and static conditions, (2) conducted moderation analyses to investigate the relationship between neural connectivity strength and engagement levels, and (3) developed a machine learning model to predict learning outcomes based on neural connectivity patterns.
·Figure 1. Experimental procedure and task design.
Results:
Our analyses revealed three key findings. First, participants showed significantly enhanced learning outcomes in the live instructor condition compared to the static image condition (t (62) = 1.805, p = 0.038). Moreover, in terms of retention effects, the live instructor condition exhibited more consistent performance, while the static instructor condition showed greater variability (Fig 2A). Second the live instructor condition demonstrated stronger task-based functional connectivity between the FPN and SN (t (57) = 2.43, p = 0.009) (Fig 2B), suggesting enhanced cognitive processing between attention and cognitive control networks. Third, this FPN-SN connectivity moderated the relationship between attention and learning (Coef = 1.036, p = 0.038), with stronger connectivity predicting better learning outcomes (Fig 2C). Supporting these findings, our machine learning model successfully categorized students into high and low attention performance groups based on neural connectivity patterns (AUC = 0.82, p < 0.001) (Fig 2D, E).
·Figure2. (A) Learning performance (B) Neural connectivity strength (C) Moderation analysis (D) ROC curve (E) Permutation test
Conclusions:
This study provides the first neural evidence of how instructor presence enhances online learning, showing that dynamic teaching engages attention and cognitive control networks. These benefits are driven by strengthened connectivity between the frontoparietal and salience networks. Learners also benefit from the synchronization of the instructor's video and course materials, which supports cross-modal integration of lecture information and improves content retention. By demonstrating that enhanced neural coordination predicts learning success, our findings offer strategies to optimize online education. Future research should explore how these insights can guide the development of more engaging and effective virtual learning environments.
Education, History and Social Aspects of Brain Imaging:
Education, History and Social Aspects of Brain Imaging 1
Emotion, Motivation and Social Neuroscience:
Social Neuroscience Other
Higher Cognitive Functions:
Executive Function, Cognitive Control and Decision Making
Learning and Memory:
Working Memory
Modeling and Analysis Methods:
fMRI Connectivity and Network Modeling 2
Keywords:
FUNCTIONAL MRI
Machine Learning
Other - instructor presence, social cue, online learning, naturalistic experiment, task-state functional connectivity, frontoparietal network, salience network
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
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Please indicate below if your study was a "resting state" or "task-activation” study.
Healthy subjects only or patients (note that patient studies may also involve healthy subjects):
Was this research conducted in the United States?
Were any human subjects research approved by the relevant Institutional Review Board or ethics panel? NOTE: Any human subjects studies without IRB approval will be automatically rejected.
Were any animal research approved by the relevant IACUC or other animal research panel? NOTE: Any animal studies without IACUC approval will be automatically rejected.
Please indicate which methods were used in your research:
For human MRI, what field strength scanner do you use?
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Provide references using APA citation style.
moderators in instructional video: A series of meta-analyses. Educational Research Review, 100564.
Schneider, S., Beege, M., Nebel, S., Schnaubert, L., & Rey, G. D. (2022). The cognitive-affective-social theory of
learning in digital environments (CASTLE). Educational Psychology Review, 34(1), 1-38.