Invited Talks

Invited Talk and Conference Keynote presentations by INSTRUCT researchers (academic/researcher audiences)

Ellefson, M. R. (2024, September 4). Cognitive skills for learning [Invited talk]. Cambridge Access to Mental Health and Psychology (CAMP), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. R. (2024, April 9). Executive functions in school: Spurious correlations or essential to learning? [Invited talk]. Centre for Brain and Child Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. R. (2023, November 2). Researching higher cognitive skills in academic context [Invited keynote]. Science of Learning in Education (SoLEC) Symposium 2023, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Ögel-Balaban, H. (2023, November 2). The development of theory of mind and narrative competence [Invited talk]. Science of Learning in Education (SoLEC) Symposium 2023Symposium, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Ögel-Balaban, H. (2023, October 31). The link between comprehension of time metaphors and cognitive flexibility [Invited talk]. Science of Learning in Education Seminar Series, Science of Learning in Education Centre, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Tsigaridis, K. G. (2023, June). Cognitive skills impact on science and maths learning [Invited talk]. Postgraduate Programme of Education, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

Ellefson, M. (2023, April). Fidelity in classroom interventions (and laboratory experiments): Modelling the impact of protocol deviations on effect size [Invited talk]. Science of Learning in Education Seminar Series, National Institute of Education and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. https://osf.io/vy72q

Wang, R. (2023, April). Investigating the relative contributions of science education, executive functions and general cognitive ability to the suppression of naive thinking [Invited talk]. Department of Psychology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, United States.

Ellefson, M. (2023, March). How to learn [Invited talk]. Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, United Kingdom. https://osf.io/b4e2s

Ellefson, M. (2023, March). INSTRUCT Lab: Implementing new student resources using cognitive theory [Invited talk]. Faculty of Education Research Day, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Yang, Y. (2023, March). When our confidence betrays us: Investigation on calibration bias across arrange of task [Invited talk]. Gonville & Caius College Research Day, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2023, February). Fidelity & replication: Modelling the impact of protocol deviations on effect size [Invited talk]. Cambridge Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Seminars, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. https://osf.io/csrj2 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQw_vY_v2po

Tsapali, M. (2022, May). Reproducibility in developmental psychology research: Practices, challenges and future planning [Invited talk]. Developing a Developmental Psychology Research Culture: Identity, Collaboration & Practice Project Workshop, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.

Tsapali, M. (2022, May). Embracing open science: What, why, how [Invited talk]. Research Development Session, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.

Tsigaridis, K. G. (2022, March). Executive functions and mathematical skills impact on high school physics achievement [Invited talk]. Postgraduate Programme of Education, University of Athens, Greece.

Tsapali, M. (2021, November). Reproducibility in quantitative and qualitative research [Invited talk]. Cambridge Conference Series, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2021, September). The cognition behind cognitive bias [Invited talk]. Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, United Kingdom. https://osf.io/k243s

Apedoe, X., & Ellefson, M. R. (2021, July). Does creating stuff help science learning? Results from a design-based learning intervention in chemistry [Invited talk]. Cambridge China Education Forum (CCEF) 2021, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2021, June). The cognition behind cognitive bias [Invited talk]. Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, United Kingdom. https://osf.io/tngf5

Ellefson, M. R. (2020, June). Does socioeconomic status influence executive function skills in children? [Invited talk]. Centre for Educational Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom. Video: https://birkbeck.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=85d1c019-a9b9-40f4-ae8f-abde015a4c41

Ellefson, M. (2020, March). Using measurement invariance to compare cognitive psychology results across cultures [Invited talk]. Gonville & Caius Science Network, Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge United Kingdom. https://osf.io/6bnz7

Paes, T. (2020, March). The efficacy of a pretend play intervention on the self-regulation and language skills of young children with English as an additional language [Invited talk]. Bachelor of Health Sciences Honours Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. 

Ellefson, M. R. (2019, October). Does family socioeconomic status influence executive function skills in children? [Invited talk]. Department of Psychology, Queen’s University, Belfast, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2019, October). Open science workflows for psychology research with children in educational settings [Invited talk]. ReproducibiliTea, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. https://osf.io/yw2t9

Tsapali, M., & Salem, H. (2018, November). Juggling fieldwork and ethical challenges in an international context [Invited workshop]. Masters Programme Lecture Series on “International Perspectives in Education”, University of Northampton School of Education, Northampton, United Kingdom.

Paes, T., & Ellefson, M. R. (2018, August). Pretend play and the development of children’s self-regulation, language, and pre-literacy skills [Invited talk]. University of Toronto. Toronto, ON, Canada. 

Paes, T., & Ellefson, M. R. (2018, May). Pretend play and children’s cognitive development: Are the results real of simply made-up? [Invited talk]. Newnham College. Cambridge, United Kingdom. 

Paes, T., & Ellefson, M. R. (2018, March). Pretend play and the development of children’s language skills [Invited talk]. Department of Education, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. 

Tsapali, M. (2018, February). Abstract / journal article review workshop [Invited talk]. Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Turner, G. (2018, February). Life-worthy learning skills: An intervention to promote the development of self-regulated learning skills [Invited talk]. Department of Geography, University of Buckingham, Buckingham, United Kingdom.

Dante, R. G., Ellefson, M. R., Parr, T., & Serpell, Z. (2017, December). What is the role of chess in developing metacognitive skills in older children? [Invited talk]. Chess and Education London Conference, London, United Kingdom. https://londonchessconference.com/2017-programme/

Tsapali, M. (2017, November). How should we teach science in schools? Current debates in science education research [Invited talk]. Gonville & Caius MCR-SCR talks series, Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Tsapali, M., & Salem, H. (2017, November). Juggling fieldwork challenges on an international context: Examples from Greece and Jordan [Invited workshop]. Master’s Programme Lecture Series on “International Perspectives in Education”, School of Education, University of Northampton, Northampton, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2017, May). An experimental psychologist’s accidental journal into international research [Invited talk]. Kaleidoscope 2017, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. https://osf.io/34bdp

Ellefson, M. R. (2017, March). Executive functions and academic skills in older children [Invited talk]. Neuroscience in the Classroom: Current Progress and Future Challenges, Centre for Educational Neuroscience and The Welcome Trust, London, United Kingdom. http://www.educationalneuroscience.org.uk/2017/04/06/neuroscience-in-the-classroom-current-progress-and-future-challenges

Ellefson, M. R., Ng, F., Wang, Q., & Hughes, C. (2016, December). East-West differences in executive function: A two-generation comparison of Hong Kong and the United Kingdom [Invited talk]. The International Symposium on Child Development and Mental Health, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

Ellefson, M. (2016, November). Is the East-West education stereotype true? An inter-generational study of cognitive skills in the UK and Hong Kong [Invited talk]. Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. https://osf.io/u7pqr

Tsapali, M. (2016, October). Evidence from a study into English primary school children's understandings of matter and mixing: Why does it matter? [Invited talk]. Developments in STEM Education: Research informing teaching and learning in STEM subjects seminar, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2016, July). Cross-cultural comparisons of older children’s inhibition skills [Invited keynote]. Driven to Distraction: A Research Symposium, Hosted by the Education and Cognitive Development Lab, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Ellefson, M. (2016, February). Doing cognitive psychology research in the real world: Issues for implementation, data collection and analysis [Invited talk]. Medical Research Council: Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. R. (2016, January). Chess as a cognitive intervention for older children attending schools in high poverty communities [Invited talk]. Cognitive Training in Children Seminar, Medical Research Council: Brain and Cognitive Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Aldercotte, A., Ellefson, M. R., Parr, T., & Serpell, Z. (2015, December). Thinking about chess as a mechanism for executive function development [Invited talk]. Chess and Education London Conference, London, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. R. (2015, December). Executive functions and chess [Invited talk]. Chess and Education London Conference Researchers Meeting, London, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. R. (2014, December). Executive functions and chess [Invited talk]. Chess and Education London Conference Researchers Meeting, London, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2014, November). Do domain general reasoning skills matter for chemistry learning? Lessons from doing cognitive science research about chemistry [Invited talk]. Psychology & Human Development Group, Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2014, May). What can cognitive science tell us about chemistry? [Invited talk]. Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. https://osf.io/yvgz6

Ellefson, M. R. (2013, December). Does chess make kids smart? Insights from Cognitive Science [Invited talk]. Chess and Education London Conference, London, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2013, June). Can psychologists do chemistry? [Invited talk]. Psychology & Education Symposium, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. R. (2012, July). Executive functions in early childhood [Invited keynote]. Shijiazhuang Preschool Education Forum, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.

Ellefson, M. R. (2012, July). Executive functions in school [Invited keynote]. Shijiazhuang Preschool Education Forum, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.

Ellefson, M. (2012, February). Bridging cognitive science and education [Invited talk]. Imperial College’s Faculty of Science for the Heads of Science Departments Away Day, London, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2012, February). Executive functions and school achievement [Invited keynote]. Brain and Development Lab Symposium, University of Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands.

Ellefson, M. (2011, November). Development of executive functions and task switching [Invited talk]. Department of Psychology, City – University of London, London, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2011, June). Developmental differences in executive functions and task switching [Invited talk]. Cognitive Developmental Research Group, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2011, June). Exploring developmental trajectories in executive functions and task switching [Invited talk]. School of Life and Health Sciences Neuroscience Colloquium, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. R., Blagrove, E., Molzhon, A., & Chater, N. (2011, July). Executive functions and school achievement. In R. Bull (chair), Executive functioning [Invited symposium]. The 5th International Conference on Memory, University of York, York, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2011, February). Exploring the role of executive functions in school achievement [Invited talk]. Department of Social and Developmental Psychology Seminar Series, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2010, November). Does causal reasoning matter in science learning? [Invited talk]. Brain and Cognitive Sciences Seminar, Department of Psychology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States.

Ellefson, M. (2010, April). Does causal reasoning matter in science learning? [Invited talk]. External Seminar Series, Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2009, November). Taking executive functions to school [Invited talk]. Psychology & Neuroscience in Education Seminar Series, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2009, January). Comparing GLM and traditional approaches to ANOVA [Invited talk]. Lecture Series, Center for the Advancement of Research Methods and Analysis (CARMA), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States.

Ellefson, M. (2008, September). Mind the gap! Leveraging cognitive science to improve educational practice [Invited talk]. Berglund Seminar Series, Honors Programme, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States.

Vousden, J., Ellefson, M., Chater, N., & Solity, J. S. (2008, March). Units of English spelling-to-sound mapping: Simplifying reading [Invited talk].Forum for Research in Language and Literacy, Institute of Education, London, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. R., Abrasheff, R.L., & Schunn, C. D. (2007, August). Children’s reasoning about complex causal interactions: The case of learning genes x environment. In A. Feeney & C. Wilburn (chairs), How inductive reasoning develops: From categories and category relations to scientific reasoning in the classroom [Invited symposium]. British Psychological Society Developmental Psychology Section Annual Conference, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2007, May). Learning to be flexible thinkers [Invited talk]. Department of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2007, February). Focused or interleaved: A cognitive developmental theory that informs educational practice [Invited talk]. Department of Human Development, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States.

Ellefson, M. (2006, December). Is random assignment incompatible with educational research? [Invited talk]. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.

Ellefson, M., & Goedert, K. M. (2006, September). The role of expertise in within-domain causal reasoning performance [Invited talk]. Department of Psychology, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, United States.

Ellefson, M. (2006, January). Causal reasoning and science education [Invited talk]. Interaction Analysis Group, Learning and Research Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.

Ellefson, M. (2005, June). Arithmetic achievement and executive control [Invited talk]. Supergroup, Learning and Research Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.

Ellefson, M. (2005, March). The influence of reading instruction on children’s spelling [Invited talk]. Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2005, February). Switch costs, executive functions and school achievement [Invited talk]. Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2004, December). Development or instruction? Educational effects on cognitive development [Invited talk]. Department of Psychology and Special Education, Texas A & M University, Commerce, TX, United States.

Ellefson, M. (2003, October). Is there a cost when switching between sums? [Invited talk]. Internal Seminar Series, Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.

Ellefson, M. (2002, January). Learning complex structures is hard: Assessing the difficulty of learning hierarchical information [Invited talk]. Center for Cognitive Science, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.

Go back to publications