Development of the Model for Measuring Scientific Processing Skills based on the Brain-Imaging-Technology: Focused on Experimental Design Process

Scientific inquiry process like experimental design is a result of neurological interaction happened in our brain in a very complex, highly difficult way. Since there was no proper way to see neurological works in human brain exactly, however, we have only measured scientific inquiry ability through test scores of behavioral results shown on the outside so far. In other words, the previous ways of measuring scientific inquiry ability were not systematic enough to suggest how exactly mental activities work in human brain and which part of brain is in charge. More fundamental neurophysiological analysis is necessary to analyze the results shown as actions as well as analyzing resultant actions. Recently, there have been many researches on developing the fMRI prediction model that helps predict resultant actions in terms of brain. For example, assuming that human intelligence could be related to the activation or activation connectivity strength in particular brain areas, many researchers researched on the relation between IQ(intelligence quotient), EQ(emotional quotient) score by paper and pencil test and brain activation. They did research on the correlations between IQ score and connectivity strength among many brain network regions. It was suggested that intelligence could be predicted by measuring the connectivity strength of brain activation network. In short, the results drawn by paper and pencil test show the difference at brain levels, and individual intelligence can be measured by analyzing the brain levels.The purpose of this study is to develop the model for measuring experimental design ability based on the fMRI in the biology inquiry. Prior to the model development, developed experimental design task for model. Using the experimental design task, measured paper and pencil experimental design ability and brain activation connectivity strength of subjects. Paper and pencil experimental design ability was measured using the quotient equation of experimental design ability(DQp), brain activation connectivity strength was measured using brain connectivity coefficient(CC) of experimental design inquiry process’s brain activation network. According to the fMRI results, there was a difference between the subjects in terms of brain connectivity coefficient level in experimental design task. Brain connectivity coefficient level and paper and pencil quotient of experimental design ability for each subject were analyzed. There was a statistically significant correlation between connectivity coefficient(CC) level among brain activation regions and paper and pencil quotient of experimental design ability(DQ_p). The following is the prediction model which takes connectivity coefficient(CC) of brain activation network as an independent variable: DQ_f = 1.357CC + 7.266. (DQ_f: predicted quotient of experimental design ability, DQ_p: paper and pencil quotient of experimental design ability, CC: brain connectivity coefficient). The prediction model for measuring experimental design ability could predict individual quotient of experimental design ability using brain connectivity coefficient. According to this result, the prediction model for measuring experimental design ability based on the fMRI invented in this study may be applied to a practical use of measuring students' ability of scientific experimental design. This study suggests neurophysiologic evidence that differences in scientific inquiry process in terms of ability like experimental design can be shown as difference in terms of brain level. The prediction model using fMRI results will contribute to an objective and quantitative way in terms of analyzing experimental design processing. It also can provide a possible system of the computerized instrument for measuring scientific processing skills, brain-based scientific explanations about neurological network model of ‘the scientific brain model’ and a broad application of the brain-imaging-technology to educational diagnosis, assessment, and learning in other subjects.Additionally, this model can provide fundamental information for neurological prediction to other scientific inquiry abilities such as observation, question-generating, classification, hypothesis-generating, hypothesis evaluation and experimental design processing. The previous instruments to analyze scientific inquiry ability were strongly influenced by the forms of the instruments or the intentions of students. Since the prediction model using fMRI results measures potential brain activation directly, however, it will open the possibility of measuring of potential scientific inquiry ability which cannot be measured with the traditional paper and pencil type test. And it will lead us to more exact diagnosis and solutions. Accumulating and standardizing more research work in scientific inquiry processes like experimental design process will lead us to quantification and computation of the instruments that can analyze the whole scientific inquiry ability.