Attention in online education
What if we could track if students are paying attention during online lectures? This project places students at the center by uncovering the hidden cues that reveal when you’re fully engaged – and when attention begins to drift.
By tracking eye movements, facial expressions, heart rate, pupil dilation, and brain activity (EEG), we measure how synchronized students are with their peers, offering a real-time glimpse into collective attention. When neural, physiological, or behavioral signals align, it signals that students are tuned in and absorbing the material.
This technology not only predicts test performance but also reveals how students interact with online content, paving the way for smarter, more adaptive digital learning environments. By blending neuroscience and education, this project reshapes how we teach – ensuring that no student is left behind in the virtual classroom.
J. Madsen, S.U Julio, P. J. Gucik, R. Steinberg, L. C. Parra, “Synchronized eye movements predict test scores in online video education” in PNAS, 2021, Vol 118 No. 5. Publications
S. S. Cohen* and J. Madsen*, G. Touchan, D. Robles, S. F. A. Lima, S. Henin, L. C. Parra, “Neural engagement with online educational videos predicts learning performance for individual students” in Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 2019, Vol 155, pages 60-64. Publications
Engaging movies
Coming soon
Brain–Body Interaction
How we process the world around us is not only reflected in the brain but also in the body. My research explores how heart rate, breathing, and neural activity become synchronized across individuals during shared experiences, such as listening to stories.
These physiological connections reveal how deeply our cognition is tied to the body—and to each other—and provide novel ways to measure attention, engagement, and consciousness.
J. Madsen, & Parra, L.C. “Bidirectional brain–body interactions during natural story listening” in Cell Reports, 2024, Vol 43, Issue 4. Publications
J. Madsen, & Parra, L.C. “Cognitive processing of a common stimulus synchronizes brains, hearts, and eyes” in PNAS Nexus, 2022, Vol 1, Issue 1. Publications
Pérez, P., J. Madsen et al. “Conscious processing of narrative stimuli synchronizes heart rate between individuals” in Cell Reports, 2021, Vol 36, Issue 11. Publications