Effects on brain activity after creative mathematical reasoning when considering individual differences in cognitive ability

Abstract

Many learning opportunities of mathematical reasoning in school encourage imitative learning procedures (algorithmic reasoning, AR) instead of engaging in more constructive reasoning processes (e.g., creative mathematical reasoning, CMR). Here, we employed a within-subject intervention in the classroom with pupils in upper secondary schools followed by a test situation during brain imaging with fMRI one week later. We hypothesized that learning with CMR compared to AR should lead to a CMR-effect, characterized by better performance and differential brain activity during test. We observed higher brain activity in key regions for mathematical cognition such as left angular gyrus and left inferior frontal gyrus on tasks previously learnt with CMR compared to AR. The effects remained when controlling for individual differences in cognitive abilities, as well as performance and response time differences between the two conditions. Encouraging pupils to engage in constructive processes when learning mathematical reasoning might thus have lasting beneficial effects.