Prospective Educational Applications of Mental Simulation: A Meta-review

Abstract

This paper focuses on the potential of Mental Simulation (mentally rehearsing an action to enhance performance) as a useful contemporary educational method. By means of a metareview, it is examined which conditions impede or facilitate the effectiveness of Mental Simulation (MS). A computer search was conducted using Ovid PsycINFO. Reviews, metareviews or meta-analyses published between 1806-2006 were included. The current paper presents the results of 10 publications in which about 630 studies on mental simulation or mental practice are reviewed. According to the analyses, conditions that influence the effect of MS are the type of skill practiced, personal factors, time per trial, amount of trials, and instructional procedures. Based on these insights, it is reflected upon in which areas MS would be functional with regard to contemporary educational demands, such as for emotional, behavioral and (other) complex cognitive tasks. An increasingly complex society --with high-speed, global, and multimedia information exchange possibilities --requires the mastery of more and more complex skills. This means that the learner must combine any blend of cognitive, motor, behavioral and/or emotional skills. Examples of such skills are improvisational, strategic or analytical skills as well as reasoning, problem solving and decision-making. Complex skills put a high cognitive strain on the learner and call for effective and personalized practice that is available at the exact time that the learner is ready for it (Kester, Kirschner, Van Merriënboer, & Baumer, 2001;Van Merriënboer, Clark, & de Croock, 2002). This indicates that contemporary education must focus on the individualized practice of complex cognitive skills, independent of time and place.To support these learners, a trend has developed towards highly advanced and multimedia supported learning. Technological solutions such as mobile learning, e-learning, and serious gaming are offered in order to achieve higher quality in terms of efficient and effective education (Billings, 2005;Buckley & Anderson, 2006;Gee, 2003;Keegan, 2002;Lieberman, 2006;Prensky, 2001;Ritterfeld & Weber, 2006;Rosenberg, 2000;Ting, 2005). Though the value of these high-tech solutions is acknowledged, simpler alternatives for effective learning should not be discarded as they may be equally sophisticated. What is more, some educational methods might not need much costly technology at all and instead rely on natural human abilities. One such method is 'Mental Simulation' (MS). MS (also known as 'Mental Practice' and sometimes referred to as 'Imaginary practice') is a technique by which the mind creates a mental representation of a preconceived idea or action with the intent to practice in order to enhance performance (Hinshaw, 1991;Landau, Leynes, & Libkuman, 2001). An example of MS is when a tennis player closes his eyes and visualizes himself as he prepares for a perfect serve. He imagines how his arm feels when he lifts it to throw the ball in the air. He sees the 2 Educational applic...

Adaptive constructive processes and the future of memory.

“…Implementation intentions benefit subsequent prospective memory performance by increasing the probability that when the future context is encountered, the intended action is triggered (e.g., Chasteen, Park, & Schwarz, 2001), and recent evidence indicates that mental simulations contribute significantly to the effectiveness of implementation intentions (Brewer & Marsh, 2010; Papies, Aarts, & De Vries, 2009). These findings documenting beneficial effects of simulations on prospective memory complement a large research literature demonstrating that imagining carrying out various kinds of skills – ranging from athletic acts to surgical procedures – can produce significant benefits on their later performance (e.g., Arora et al, 2011; Taylor et al, 1998; van Meer & Theunissen, 2009). …”

Adaptive Constructive Processes and the Future of Memory

“…Implementation intentions benefit subsequent prospective memory performance by increasing the probability that when the future context is encountered, the intended action is triggered (e.g., Chasteen, Park, & Schwarz, 2001), and recent evidence indicates that mental simulations contribute significantly to the effectiveness of implementation intentions (Brewer & Marsh, 2010;Papies, Aarts, & De Vries, 2009). These findings documenting beneficial effects of simulations on prospective memory complement a large research literature demonstrating that imagining carrying out various kinds of skills -ranging from athletic acts to surgical procedures -can produce significant benefits on their later performance (e.g., Arora et al, 2011;Taylor et al, 1998;van Meer & Theunissen, 2009). …”

Cognitive load theory, modality of presentation and the transient information effect

“…Mental rehearsal was used because previous studies have demonstrated it can facilitate learning (Cooper, Tindall-Ford, Chandler, & Sweller, 2001;Ginns, Chandler, & Sweller, 2003;Ginns, 2005b;Leahy & Sweller, 2004, 2008Renkl, Stark, Gruber, & Mandl, 1998;Tindall-Ford & Sweller, 2006;Van Meer & Theunissen, 2009). Mental rehearsal is particularly applicable to students who have a degree of prior knowledge in the content domain and so are capable of imagining concepts and procedures.…”