Educational Neurogaming: EEG-Controlled Videogames as Interactive Teaching Tools For Introductory Neuroscience

Abstract

In order to advance the field of neuroscience, we must continue motivating youth to pursue science education. In this report we tested the idea of combining neurogaming with education. We developed a pair of electroencephalography (EEG)-controlled neurogames using inexpensive and/or free tools to teach students about the fundamentals of neuroscience and brain machine interfaces (BMI) through a fun, interactive activity. We report on the particular concepts they allowed us to introduce, the techniques and methods we used, and the effect of the activities on stimulating students’ interest in neuroscience, and discuss how to optimize the learning experience. We conclude that educational neurogames could be a key tool for furthering and motivating neuroscience education.