Education: Overview
Emotions play a critical role in learning and test performance. Many individuals utilize the emWave® system to help manage their anxiety and improve academic focus and memory recall. Because the emWave system provides students of all ages with real time feedback on their internal experience, it becomes an engaging and compelling way to self-regulate their emotions.
Educators and parents also use this technology to help their students or children address behavior management issues. At schools, universities, clinics, and homes, students are learning to harness the power of positive emotions through the emWave experience to:
- increase their academic focus
- make better decisions
- reduce impulsivity
- manage anger
- get along better with their peers
As individuals practice the Quick Coherence® technique with the emWave systems, they are able to see and experience the changes in their heart rhythm patterns. The patterns become smoother and more wave-like as a person feels appreciation and other positive attitudes and emotions. This process reinforces an association in the brain between heart coherence (when the physiology is in sync) and positive feelings.
Who can benefit from the emWave system:
- Students needing greater management of stress, anxiety, and anger
- Students experiencing performance anxiety in test taking, sports, and public presentations
- Administrators who are fatigued or stressed
- Teachers who are fatigued or stressed
- Teachers teaching key concepts in health, physiology and biology classes
Different Learning and Testing Environments that Use the emWave system:
- Regular classrooms
- Special Education classrooms
- Adult Education classrooms
- After school programs
- Learning and Tutoring Centers
- SAT test prep courses
- Counseling offices
- Therapeutic offices
- Clinics that treat ADD/ADHD/ED/Autism/Panic Disorders
- Computer labs
- Research projects
- Administrative offices
- University lecture halls
- Advisory programs
- Sports Training Camps
- Juvenile Correction Facilities
emWave Pro Labs and Site Licenses
emWave® Technology labs and site licenses are available for use in educational organizations anywhere in the world. They provide a cost effective method of giving large numbers of students the opportunity to more effectively build emotional resilience and focus, leading to improved attitudes, behaviors and academic performance.
How to Use the emWave system in the Classroom
- Introduce the emWave system by doing a classroom demonstration. Explain what the emWave system is, how people benefit, and then ask for a volunteer to demonstrate the technology.
- Practice the Quick Coherence technique. Before having the rest of the class use the emWave system, guide the class through the Quick Coherence technique several times. Practicing this technique helps students perform better on the emWave system.
- Have students identify a goal. State that the goal of the emWave system is to transfer the skills students learn with this technology to real-life situations where there is stress and conflict, or a need to perform better in some area of life.
- Begin Use of the emWave system. Instruct the entire class to first use the Heart Rhythm Display section. Their initial sessions should be short (two to three minutes at the most). Have them record their results on a scoring sheet or on the computer.
- Move onto the Software Games. When students have improved to where the coherence score is 50% or less in the red bar (low coherence), then they are ready to begin playing the software games.
- Check regularly with students on their progress. Frequently monitor students’ use of the emWave system, checking on their individual scores and how they are applying what they learn at school, home, or in relationships. Students should use the emWave system a minimum of 6 to 10 times to best internalize the skill sets learned from this technology.
How to Use the emWave system with Individuals
- Introduce the emWave system. Explain what the emWave system is, how people benefit, and then ask the individual being counseled to try the technology.
- Practice the Quick Coherence technique. Guide the individual through The Quick Coherence technique several times. Practicing this technique will help those being counseled to perform better on the emWave system.
- Have the individual identify a goal. State that the goal of the emWave system is to transfer the skills an individual learns with this technology to real-life situations where there is stress and conflict, or a need to perform better in some area of life.
- Begin Use of the emWave. Instruct the individual to first use the Heart Rhythm Display section. His or her initial session should be short (two minutes at the most). Have the individual record the results on a scoring sheet or on the computer.
- Move onto the Software Games. When an individual has improved to where the coherence score is 50% or less in the red bar (low coherence), that person is ready to begin playing the software games.
- Check regularly on his or her progress. Frequently monitor how the individual is doing with the emWave system, checking on scores and applications at school, home, and in relationships. Individuals should use the emWave system a minimum of 6 to 10 times to best internalize the skill sets learned from this technology.
Tips and Traps:
- Students perform better on the emWave system if they are given time beforehand to practice the steps of the Quick Coherence technique. This includes practicing rhythmic heart breathing and clearly identifying an image (a person, place, or strong memory) that evokes a positive emotion.
- Request that students avoid excessive movement, otherwise the emWave system will show red lines or artifacts on the computer screen that indicate no pulse connection.
- Some students will need extra reinforcement to breathe rhythmically and choose an image that evokes a positive emotion in order to move out of the low or red coherence level.
- Begin using the emWave system in short time frames to maintain interest and challenge.
- Discourage score comparisons among classmates. Tell students that scores will vary sometimes depending on different factors, including individual moods, ear or hand temperature, diet, or what events preceded their current session. Generally speaking, if students show sustained focus, they will make progress.
- Don’t let students use the emWave system for long periods of time while using the heart rhythm display. Some will get bored or lose interest without a goal, structure, or incentive.
For additional support, please see the HeartMath Knowledge Base at:
Support: http://support.heartmath.com
Or, send your question in email to Technical Support Send Mail