Multi-Brain Scanning Techniques: Concurrent vs. Sequential Approaches in Educational Research

Multi-brain scans can be categorized into concurrent and sequential scans, based on the type of scanning employed (Cheng et al., 2021). Concurrent scanning, also known as hyperscanning, is characterized by the simultaneous recording of several brain data points. This method is favored by a wide spectrum of researchers and is frequently used to investigate various interaction scenarios due to its high ecological validity. To determine the level of interaction between participants, researchers often employ data metrics such as Interpersonal Neural Synchronization (INS), Interpersonal Brain Synchronization (IBS), or Interpersonal Brain-to-Brain Coupling. On the other hand, the sequential scanning paradigm involves continuously scanning the brain data of multiple individuals, while recording the brain activity of only one person at a time. This approach has been used by researchers to examine the patterns of group processing of information and how information is transferred by analyzing the Inter-subject Correlation (ISC) of brain activity (Schippers et al., 2010).

Numerous studies have shown that interpersonal neural correlates can be used to evaluate factors that affect teaching and learning processes (Nozawa et al., 2019; Pan et al., 2020; Pan et al., 2021; Zheng et al., 2018). Additionally, meta-analyses have suggested that interpersonal brain synchronization may be a reliable neural marker for predicting learning outcomes (Zhang et al., 2022).