aejbowen.bsky.social

Super interesting new publication with systemic implications for early education.

Pinheiro and Bates 'Mixed-Effects Models in S and S-Plus', Springer, 2000. Yellow cover.

Ok so this Pinheiro and Bates book - physical copy on my shelf having survived multiple international moves and downsizings - has been my bible on mixed effects models. But it's 25 years old, is there a modern (#rstats) equivalent i should upgrade to?

This is an interesting conversation. I think that when knowledge is surface level it manifests as fad chasing. Knowledge without understanding. Science of learning needs to become properly embedded in the philosophy and support structures of teaching in the U.K. - it’s on its way but not there yet 🌅

Congratulations Claire!!

Two children and two educators sit at a table doing crafts. Mat Wright for UCL.

How can the government create better access to early education for disadvantaged children?

Remove barriers to take-up, including those related to the working families entitlement – writes Claire Crawford on the IOE Blog: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/cepeo/2025/0...

@cepeo-ucl.bsky.social

An older violinist stands in silhouette, while her younger self plays within, symbolizing how lifelong musical training preserves youth-like brain function. Just as melodies transcend time, playing music holds back age-related neural upregulation, supporting better speech perception in older musicians. Credit: Mohan Yuan (myuan@research.baycrest.org), CC-BY 4.0

Long-term #MusicalTraining can provide neural resources to help cope with effects of #aging, but how? @leicogsci.bsky.social &co show that cognitive reserve acquired via music training holds back age-related neural recruitment during speech-in-noise perception @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/44NIkxZ

🤣🤣🤣

I know what you mean, with such a small effect size you never know though. Let me know if you find an alternative interpretation, I’d love to hear if there’s another explanation :)

Bayesian basically asks “what is the likelihood of this result/model given the data”; if I were you I’d do a full power calculation (lack of alignment between the results suggests power is likely to be your issue using the traditional method) and then just report everything.

Precision Functional Mapping of the Individual Human Brain Near Birth Cortical areas are a fundamental organizational property of the brain, but their development in humans is not well understood. Key unanswered questions include whether cortical areas are fully establi...

Newborn brains already show individual patterns of functional organization. 🧠✨

Using #fMRI for precision mapping, researchers at @washumedicine.bsky.social found that each baby's brain has a unique layout—already present just after birth.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

#neuroskyence #MRI 🧪

A shot of my poster at #QMiP2025 last week - this paper on educational intervention company leaders’ use of research is currently under review. QMiP was such a great experience and left me feeling up-skilled, can’t wait for the next one #edusky #academicsky

Staring at a blank page? 🧠✍️
Freewriting might be the cure. No pressure, no editing—just a timer and your thoughts. This TCEA blog dives into how a few minutes of messy writing can unlock creativity, speed, and student voice. Bonus: It’s easy to start tomorrow. ⬇️

buff.ly/Z4BMtTZ
#edusky #writing

tell me how to make a kid hate reading without telling me how to make a kid hate reading....

The jury is out. Just because a model can predict or mimic human responses in psych experiments doesn't mean that the model explains how people think. Cognitive psychologists have been grappling with model mimicry - that qualitatively different models can predict the same human data - for decades.

I agree with you, this doesn’t seem right to me and the original sources should definitely be cited as in any summary of work done on a topic

Males and females show different patterns of risk for brain-based conditions. Ignoring these differences does us all a disservice. Although studying sex differences in the brain is complex, technically awkward and socioculturally loaded, it is absolutely essential.

Ignoring different patterns of risk for brain-based conditions among males and females does us all a disservice, writes @bogglerapture.bsky.social. Part of our series on sex differences in the brain.

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/sex-differen...

The brilliant @rastokke.bsky.social showing how shoddy evidence can spread like wildfire and how this has serious consequences #rEDTO25

"What psychology needs is methodological pluralism guided by theoretical sophistication."

Opportunity to do a PhD in developmental science alongside some absolutely fantastic scientists!! Share widely!

One final highlight from ENCoRE: Paul Howard-Jones on “the journey from neuroscience to education”, a fascinating commentary on the history and current state of efforts to bring education and the science of learning together. Thoroughly enjoyed. #edusky #edneurosky

Another highlight from ENCoRE: Gemma Goldenberg on the effects of learning outdoors on attention. Very striking findings - those students with the worst attentional difficulties and those who preferred working outdoors demonstrated greatest increases in on-task behaviour when working outside #edusky

Some highlights from the first ENCoRE conference in London - the first for me being my own lightning talk on challenges in evaluating educational interventions! It was super fun to deliver some key messages in 5 minutes and get people thinking about evaluation methods #edusky #edneurosky

Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

If you are working in early years provision, UCL IoE researchers want to hear from you about the types of resources used for early maths skills and what you would like from new resources - please fill out our survey and share widely! qualtrics.ucl.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_...

@eyalliance.bsky.social

Ready for an exciting couple of days at this packed ENCoRE conference hosted at Birkbeck UoL! #edusky #neuroskyence #edneurosky

Generalization and extinction of platform-mediated avoidance in male and female rats Scientific Reports - Generalization and extinction of platform-mediated avoidance in male and female rats

🚨Paper alert!!🚨

Excited to share out latest research where we investigated avoidance, fear generalization and extinction learning using a modified platform-mediated avoidance procedure in male and female rats.

rdcu.be/eesmc

What will schools look like in 2040? A European view Education is at a turning point, shaped by rapid technological advancement, climate change, demographic shifts and evolving labour market demands… (read more)

Standardisation or flexibility? Collaboration or competition?
"This study is not simply about predicting the future, it is about shaping it in ways that ensure education across Europe remains both innovative and equitable" - @drleatongray.bsky.social
blogs.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/2025/03/...

YouTube video by Centre for Educational Neuroscience Astrid Bowen, Birkbeck, University of London

The recording of my recent CEN seminar is now available! If you’re interested in evaluating educational practices and programmes, have a watch to learn about some of the research methods used and how methods could be improved. #edusky

Alice at the lectern during her Professorial Lecture.

Why do teachers do what they do, and what does it mean for children? 📚

Welcome to tonight's #IOELectures, with @alicebradbury.bsky.social speaking on the challenges facing early years and primary education.

This is such an important study, thank you so much!

Over and over again we find that changing the way college courses are organized (without changing the intellectual level of the material) can make them more equitable at the same time that we improve instruction generally.
#academia #HigherEd #EduSky #iTeachPhysics