LearningRx

The LearningRx company logo

LearningRx is a franchise based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The company claims to improve cognitive abilities based on the principle of neuroplasticity.

History

The franchise was founded by Ken Gibson who started the first LearningRx in August 2002 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The first franchise had $250,000 in revenue in its initial four months.[1] Other LearningRx franchises were opened in 2003; 27 were started that year.[1] The company's teaching approach is based on Ken Gibson's research in visual processing and his brother Keith Gibson's work as a clinical psychologist. The two worked in their respective fields for 17 years before "adapting them for use in a commercial setting".[2] Their research showed demonstrate that brief, deep cognitive training allowed patients to be more focused on their tasks and have better memory and analytical skills. In 1985, they organized an academic conference sharing their conclusions to doctors and teachers.[3]

Functions

Most of the company's clients are children and adolescents who have trouble with reading, focusing, and working out puzzles. They typically have poor academic performance in schools. LearningRx evaluates the clients and pairs them with an instructor for coaching.[1] The objectives of the LearningRx program is to improve the academic performance of students through a series of cognitive exercises claimed to re-stimulate the brain and overcome learning disabilities such as dyslexia. These are done by a series of cognitive exercises claimed to strengthen brain reasoning and other learning capacities.[2]

The training is used by students with and without learning difficulties. The program aims to improve skills such as reading, attention, processing speed, logic and reasoning, visual processing, and long-term memory.[4]

Reception

Amongst the negative commentaries towards LearningRx programs from the academic community has been psychology professor Douglas K. Detterman of the Case Western Reserve University. According to Detterman, the programs exercises help improve skills in tests conducted by the institution itself and not improvement on skills in general. He further stated that the studies conducted by commercial services that support their claims of benefits are poorly done.[5]

Philip David Zelazo, a professor at the University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Development,[3] and advisor to a partnered organization,[6] spoke in support of the program. Zelazo said in a 2010 interview with the St. Paul Pioneer Press, "The logic behind a program like LearningRx seems sound. In general, scientists have come to the conclusion that the brain is much more plastic and modifiable than people have previously imagined."[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wilson, Sara (2005-09-01). "Making the Grade: Franchising can help entrepreneurs make a difference in people's lives". Entrepreneur. Archived from the original on 2015-05-25. Retrieved 2015-05-25.
  2. 1 2 Lima, Christina (2006-11-30). "LearningRx offers help to struggling students". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2014-12-31. Retrieved 2014-12-31.
  3. 1 2 3 Miranda, Maricella (2010-06-27). "New option for struggling students - Program uses drills instead of tutoring to 'train' the brain". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on 2014-12-31. Retrieved 2014-12-31.
  4. ↑ "Program designed to make learning easier". Daily Herald. Associated Press. 2009-02-21. Archived from the original on 2014-12-31. Retrieved 2014-12-31.
  5. ↑ Hurley, Dan (2012-11-04). "The Brain Trainers". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2014-12-31. Retrieved 2014-12-31.
  6. ↑ "Team Awear Technologies". Awear Technologies. 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-06-04. Retrieved 2015-06-04.

Further reading

External links

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