Vi har gjort en interventionsstudie med arbetsminnesträning i syfte att undersöka vilken påverkan en insats med minnesträning har på elevers skolprestationer. Träningsperioden bestod av 25 tillfällen fördelade under fem veckor. För att motivera eleverna och utgå från deras behov och erfarenhet, användes lärplattor. Dessa valdes också utifrån den aspekten att det fanns många fler lärplattor tillgängliga i jämförelse med datorer. I interventionen användes minnestränings-programmet Cogmed under fem veckor. Resultaten av insatsen jämfördes med en jämförelsegrupp för att se minnesträningens betydelse när det gäller ordavkodnings-förmågan och läsförståelsen samt automatiserad huvudräkning. I interventionen gjordes förtest och eftertest för att stödja insatsernas reliabilitet och valditet (Tufte, 2013).  De test som användes var Ord och Bild och Ag 1. Resultatet visar att båda grupperna fick ett förbättrat resultat på samtliga test efter interventionen men försöksgruppen visade betydligt bättre resultat än jämförelsegruppen på ordavkodningstestet. Däremot visade denna studie inte några skillnader, till följd av minnesträning, vad beträffar matematiska räkneoperationer mellan försöksgruppen och jämförelsegruppen. Resultatet skulle kunna tolkas som att strukturerad minnesträning är gynnsam för elevernas läsutveckling.

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Abstract South Africa has one of the largest population of adults living with HIV. About 30 to 60% of people living with HIV have been found to have HAND which can affect treatment with HAART which requires 95% compliance rate in order to be effective. Interventions that seek to alleviate the cognitive deterioration that is associated with HIV can include Internet based rehabilitation programmes. However, internet based interventions are plagued by poor adherence and attrition rates. The aim of the study was to describe the challenges and facilitating factors in the process of implementing the CogMed™ Working Memory Training Programme at a public HIV clinic for adults living with HIV. The study used a qualitative method with an ethnographic approach. Data was collected through CogMed™ administrator console, observations, interactions with gatekeepers, interactions and interviews with participants and interviews healthcare workers. The factors involved in the implementation process were categorised into the four “Stages of Use”. In the Recruitment/Consideration Stage perception of need, identifying and defining an ideal user were the main themes. Factors affecting the Initiation of Use Stage were sense of obligation, time to commit and access to suitable training environment. Utilisation of Service was influenced by ease of drop out, ease of use, perceived cost versus the perceived benefits of participating. Predisposing, enabling, and needs factors that affected adherence and participation were explored. Finally the Outcomes Stage covered the experiences and perceptions of using the rehabilitation tool. Limitations of the study were also discussed. Keywords: CogMed, Working Memory, HIV, HAND, Internet based interventions, Stages of Use

The literature suggests working memory can have a significant effect on children's academic success. A number of working memory training programmes have been developed as tools for helping children to boost their working memory and learning ability. The reliability and validity of this body of evidence has been challenged recently with questions raised as to whether such programmes actually do boost working memory or show any subsequent impact upon learning. The thesis contains an evaluative systematic review examining eight studies from the last decade that explore the effects of working memory training on working memory, literacy and numeracy. The review found significant near and far transfer effects for improvements to working memory with differences in the pattern of these improvements. The assertion that working memory training leads to improvements in other areas such as literacy and numeracy is also challenged. The thesis also contains an examination of the efficacy of a paired whole class working memory intervention in delivering improvements in the working memory, literacy and numeracy skills of primary aged school children. The pre-experimental design tested the impact of the intervention on the working memory, literacy and numeracy of a sample of forty-one Year 4 children. The data demonstrated a significant positive immediate effect of the programme on verbal working memory recall and processing and visual-spatial working memory processing and recall. No significant immediate effects of the programme were found on numeracy or literacy. Finally a critical appraisal of concepts of evidence based practice and a review of the literature regarding the dissemination of research and notions of research impact is presented. The implications of the current research for professional practice is explored in terms of the care that must be taken by educational professionals in offering up working memory training programmes as solutions to academic underachievement in children.

This thesis evaluates the effectiveness of study components in order to aid in design refinements for a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 38 post-secondary students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were randomized into a waitlist control group, or standard-length (45 minute) or shortened-length (15 minute) WM training group. Criterion measures included the WAIS-IV Digit Span (auditory-verbal WM), CANTAB Spatial Span (visual-spatial WM) and WRAML Finger Windows (visual-spatial WM). Transfer-of-training effects were assessed using indices of everyday cognitive functioning. Participants in the standard- and shortened-length groups showed greater improvements at post-test on auditory-verbal WM and reported fewer cognitive failures in everyday life than waitlist controls. Participants in the standard-length group showed greater improvements in visual-spatial WM at post-test than participants in the other two groups. Preliminary findings suggest that shorter training may have similar beneficial outcomes as documented for the standard-length training, indicating that a larger-scale RCT is warranted.

This thesis evaluates the effectiveness of study components in order to aid in design refinements for a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 38 post-secondary students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were randomized into a waitlist control group, or standard-length (45 minute) or shortened-length (15 minute) WM training group. Criterion measures included the WAIS-IV Digit Span (auditory-verbal WM), CANTAB Spatial Span (visual-spatial WM) and WRAML Finger Windows (visual-spatial WM). Transfer-of-training effects were assessed using indices of everyday cognitive functioning. Participants in the standard- and shortened-length groups showed greater improvements at post-test on auditory-verbal WM and reported fewer cognitive failures in everyday life than waitlist controls. Participants in the standard-length group showed greater improvements in visual-spatial WM at post-test than participants in the other two groups. Preliminary findings suggest that shorter training may have similar beneficial outcomes as documented for the standard-length training, indicating that a larger-scale RCT is warranted.

No description available.