Project FLUX
What is the project FLUX?
The project FLUX (Assessment of Cognitive Performance FLUctuations in the School ConteXt) studies daily fluctuations in children’s cognitive performance in the school context. This project aims at describing fluctuations in children’s cognitive resources and their role for fluid intelligence and school achievement at the group and at the individual level by applying ambulatory assessment techniques.
Background
Cognitive resources are central for learning and school achievement. Among cognitive resources, working memory capacity has been shown to be a central determinant of fluid intelligence and school achievement. Working memory capacity is responsible for simultaneously maintaining and processing information in a controlled manner. Recently, studies on adult cognitive development have demonstrated that cognitive resources such as working memory capacity fluctuate substantially over weeks, days, and task trials. Fluctuations in cognitive performance are a phenomenon that is well known by teachers and parents although most of them might not call it like this. It seems to be widely accepted that children as well as adults have their good and bad days of cognitive performance and in consequence have more or less difficulties in being attentive and performing well on cognitive tasks, standardized tests, or exams. However, few studies have systematically studied daily fluctuations in children’s performance and their relationship to school achievement, and their antecedents or covariates are unknown.
Research aims
The project FLUX aims at investigating daily fluctuations in children’s cognitive performance in the school context by applying ambulatory assessment techniques. After establishing tasks with satisfactory psychometric properties for this purpose, daily fluctuations in cognitive resources will be described and their role for fluid intelligence and school achievement will be investigated at the group and at the individual level applying multilevel as well as time series analyses.
Research design
Using mobile phone technology, primary school children’s cognitive resources will be assessed daily for several weeks at two representative time periods within the school year. About 120 children in 3rd and 4th grade from primary schools in the larger Frankfurt area will be recruited for participation. On a daily basis children will complete cognitive tasks including working memory, processing speed and updating and answer short questions about their mood, motivational aspects and situational issues. In pre- and post-tests school achievement, fluid intelligence and background variables will be assessed.
Current status
The project FLUX started in October 2010 and is currently in a pilot phase. Cognitive tasks for use on mobile phones are under development. In collaboration with TBA tasks are implemented in a mobile phone setting and the technological environment for data collection is established. A first pilot study is planned for 2011.
Scientific coordinator
Prof. Dr. Florian Schmiedek
Dr. Judith Dirk
Contact
Collaborators
Verena Diel, Dipl.-Psych.
Tanja Könen, Dipl.-Psych.
Jan Kühnhausen, M.Sc.
Anja Leonhardt, Dipl.-Psych.
Cooperation partners
Prof. Martin Sliwinski (Penn State University, USA)
Prof. Nilam Ram (PennState University, USA)
Prof. Bernhard Schmitz (TU Darmstadt)
Dr. Heiko Rölke and colleagues (Technology Based Assessment, DIPF)
