Edublox is an educational training facility with headquarters in Pretoria, with branches nationally and their programme marketing internationally. Their latest development was the Edublox Online Tutor (EOT) programme that claims to enhance cognitive functioning in children. This retrospective study thus seeks to establish whether exposure to the EOT programme has an impact on the cognitive functioning (specifically working memory - comprising of visual working memory, auditory memory, and logical reasoning) of primary school children. The conceptual structure for this study was formed using The Cognitive Information Processing Theory and Vygotsky’s Social Cognitive Theory. A convenience sampling method was chosen and comprised of grade 2 children (n=64) who formed 3 groups; 2 experimental groups (EOT and educational computer games) and a control group (usual schooling). A quantitative, experimental research design was adopted throughout the study and included pre-and post-assessments of cognitive performances. Varying data analysis techniques, such as mean plots, paired samples t-tests, and one-way repeated measures ANOVA tests were utilised. Overall, analyses revealed that exposure to the EOT programme significantly improved children's conceptual skills in one out of the 4 variables tested in cognitive performance. Other findings revealed that while there were overall improvements in mean post-test scores, there were no significant differences in mean post-test scores between the experimental groups and the control group. The differences in strength of changes between the pre-and post-test scores were influenced by the length of exposure, the type of intervention, the delivery environment, and the sample size, among other factors. It was recommended that the treatment period is lengthened, a multimodal approach is adopted, and the treatment environment is varied to investigate effect sizes and enhance the validity and comparability of this study. / Dissertation (MA (Research Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Psychology / MA (Research Psychology) / Unrestricted

M.Tech. (Chiropractic) / Brain hibernation or cerebral dysfunction theory is the diminishing of brain function due to poor blood flow as a result of compression of the vertebral, basilar, internal carotid and subclavian arteries (Buchanan, 2004). Compression is usually due to skeletal malalignment, ligamentous or muscular in origin and correction of this by cervical spine manipulation suggests that the above difficulties may be improved with manipulative and manual techniques (Buchanan, 2005). Thomas and Wood (1992), suggest that there is a correlation between upper cervical adjustments and improved mental function. This has been shown by Shambaugh, Pearlman and Hauck (1991), who showed that after an adjustment, there was an improved brain stem evoked response which indicated that neural messages were travelling through the brain stem quicker or with less delay. Terrett (1993), has proposed that cervical manipulative therapy results in augmented cerebral blood flow, which culminates in hibernating areas of the brain becoming functional again. The higher cognitive skills tend to be affected by the decrease in blood flow. Cognitive skills are vital to the process of learning, spelling and reading. Edublox is a company that has special training programmes to develop these skills to maximise a childs potential. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of cervical manipulations combined with Edublox training versus Edublox training alone on visual spatial memory. The focus of the study would be to determine whether chiropractic cervical manipulation has a significant effect on mental function and visual memory when combined with Edublox training. The study will include a total of 34 participants split into two groups, one receiving Edublox training and the other receiving Edublox training combined with cervical spine manipulations. Participants approximately between the ages of ten and thirteen years of age will be included in this study. The manipulation group will receive spinal manipulative therapy followed by both groups receiving the same Edublox training session to limit variation. The participants shall receive an intense program of Edublox training, every day for the duration of five days and the combined group will receive adjustment every other day. The research will be conducted at the premises of Confidence College. Subjective and objective measurements will be taken at the beginning and at the end of the five days. The subjective measurement will include an Observer Memory Questionnaire – Parent Form that will be completed by the parent of the child based on their view of their child’s memory. The objective measurement will include two sub-tests from the Visual Perceptual Skills Test 3, namely the visual memory (VM) and visual sequential memory (VSM) components.