The Influence of Prior Knowledge, Peer Review, Age, and Gender in Online Philosophy Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuddy, Lucas Stebbins

2016-01-01

Using a primarily experimental design, this study investigated whether discussion boards in online community college philosophy classes can be designed in the Blackboard course management system to lead to higher order thinking. Discussions were designed using one of two teaching techniques: the activation of prior knowledge or the use of peer…

Investigating the Mechanisms of Learning from a Constrained Preparation for Future Learning Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siler, Stephanie A.; Klahr, David; Price, Norman

2013-01-01

Many studies have shown benefits associated with engaging students in problem-solving activities prior to administering lessons. These problem-solving activities are assumed to activate relevant knowledge and allow students to develop some initial knowledge structures, which support understanding of the lesson. In this paper we report the results…

The effects of prior knowledge on study-time allocation and free recall: investigating the discrepancy reduction model.

PubMed

Verkoeijen, Peter P J L; Rikers, Remy M J P; Schmidt, Henk G

2005-01-01

In this study, the authors examined the influence of prior knowledge activation on information processing by means of a prior knowledge activation procedure adopted from the read-generate paradigm. On the basis of cue-target pairs, participants in the experimental groups generated two different sets of items before studying a relevant list. Subsequently, participants were informed that they had to study the items in the list and that they should try to remember as many items as possible. The authors assessed the processing time allocated to the items in the list and free recall of those items. The results revealed that the experimental groups spent less time on items that had already been activated. In addition, the experimental groups outperformed the control group in overall free recall and in free recall of the activated items. Between-group comparisons did not demonstrate significant effects with respect to the processing time and free recall of nonactivated items. The authors interpreted these results in terms of the discrepancy reduction model of regulating the amount of processing time allocated to different parts of the list.

The Extension-Reduction Strategy: Activating Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sloyer, Cliff W.

2004-01-01

A mathematical problem is solved using the extension-reduction or build it up-tear it down tactic. This technique is implemented in reviving students' earlier knowledge to enable them to apply this knowledge to solving new problems.

Temporal dynamics of the knowledge-mediated visual disambiguation process in humans: a magnetoencephalography study.

PubMed

Urakawa, Tomokazu; Ogata, Katsuya; Kimura, Takahiro; Kume, Yuko; Tobimatsu, Shozo

2015-01-01

Disambiguation of a noisy visual scene with prior knowledge is an indispensable task of the visual system. To adequately adapt to a dynamically changing visual environment full of noisy visual scenes, the implementation of knowledge-mediated disambiguation in the brain is imperative and essential for proceeding as fast as possible under the limited capacity of visual image processing. However, the temporal profile of the disambiguation process has not yet been fully elucidated in the brain. The present study attempted to determine how quickly knowledge-mediated disambiguation began to proceed along visual areas after the onset of a two-tone ambiguous image using magnetoencephalography with high temporal resolution. Using the predictive coding framework, we focused on activity reduction for the two-tone ambiguous image as an index of the implementation of disambiguation. Source analysis revealed that a significant activity reduction was observed in the lateral occipital area at approximately 120 ms after the onset of the ambiguous image, but not in preceding activity (about 115 ms) in the cuneus when participants perceptually disambiguated the ambiguous image with prior knowledge. These results suggested that knowledge-mediated disambiguation may be implemented as early as approximately 120 ms following an ambiguous visual scene, at least in the lateral occipital area, and provided an insight into the temporal profile of the disambiguation process of a noisy visual scene with prior knowledge. © 2014 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Early Years: Mixing Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashbrook, Peggy

2017-01-01

Engaging children's interest, inspiring active exploration of materials, and fostering cooperation between children and adults is the best way to promote the construction of knowledge. Some popular early childhood activities can be expanded to provide experiences and time for children to build on their prior knowledge. This column discusses…

Perceptual learning of degraded speech by minimizing prediction error.

PubMed

Sohoglu, Ediz; Davis, Matthew H

2016-03-22

Human perception is shaped by past experience on multiple timescales. Sudden and dramatic changes in perception occur when prior knowledge or expectations match stimulus content. These immediate effects contrast with the longer-term, more gradual improvements that are characteristic of perceptual learning. Despite extensive investigation of these two experience-dependent phenomena, there is considerable debate about whether they result from common or dissociable neural mechanisms. Here we test single- and dual-mechanism accounts of experience-dependent changes in perception using concurrent magnetoencephalographic and EEG recordings of neural responses evoked by degraded speech. When speech clarity was enhanced by prior knowledge obtained from matching text, we observed reduced neural activity in a peri-auditory region of the superior temporal gyrus (STG). Critically, longer-term improvements in the accuracy of speech recognition following perceptual learning resulted in reduced activity in a nearly identical STG region. Moreover, short-term neural changes caused by prior knowledge and longer-term neural changes arising from perceptual learning were correlated across subjects with the magnitude of learning-induced changes in recognition accuracy. These experience-dependent effects on neural processing could be dissociated from the neural effect of hearing physically clearer speech, which similarly enhanced perception but increased rather than decreased STG responses. Hence, the observed neural effects of prior knowledge and perceptual learning cannot be attributed to epiphenomenal changes in listening effort that accompany enhanced perception. Instead, our results support a predictive coding account of speech perception; computational simulations show how a single mechanism, minimization of prediction error, can drive immediate perceptual effects of prior knowledge and longer-term perceptual learning of degraded speech.

Perceptual learning of degraded speech by minimizing prediction error

PubMed Central

Sohoglu, Ediz

2016-01-01

Human perception is shaped by past experience on multiple timescales. Sudden and dramatic changes in perception occur when prior knowledge or expectations match stimulus content. These immediate effects contrast with the longer-term, more gradual improvements that are characteristic of perceptual learning. Despite extensive investigation of these two experience-dependent phenomena, there is considerable debate about whether they result from common or dissociable neural mechanisms. Here we test single- and dual-mechanism accounts of experience-dependent changes in perception using concurrent magnetoencephalographic and EEG recordings of neural responses evoked by degraded speech. When speech clarity was enhanced by prior knowledge obtained from matching text, we observed reduced neural activity in a peri-auditory region of the superior temporal gyrus (STG). Critically, longer-term improvements in the accuracy of speech recognition following perceptual learning resulted in reduced activity in a nearly identical STG region. Moreover, short-term neural changes caused by prior knowledge and longer-term neural changes arising from perceptual learning were correlated across subjects with the magnitude of learning-induced changes in recognition accuracy. These experience-dependent effects on neural processing could be dissociated from the neural effect of hearing physically clearer speech, which similarly enhanced perception but increased rather than decreased STG responses. Hence, the observed neural effects of prior knowledge and perceptual learning cannot be attributed to epiphenomenal changes in listening effort that accompany enhanced perception. Instead, our results support a predictive coding account of speech perception; computational simulations show how a single mechanism, minimization of prediction error, can drive immediate perceptual effects of prior knowledge and longer-term perceptual learning of degraded speech. PMID:26957596

The Effects of Feedback during Exploratory Mathematics Problem Solving: Prior Knowledge Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fyfe, Emily R.; Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; DeCaro, Marci S.

2012-01-01

Providing exploratory activities prior to explicit instruction can facilitate learning. However, the level of guidance provided during the exploration has largely gone unstudied. In this study, we examined the effects of 1 form of guidance, feedback, during exploratory mathematics problem solving for children with varying levels of prior domain…

They're Lovin' It: How Preschool Children Mediated Their Funds of Knowledge into Dramatic Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karabon, Anne

2017-01-01

The funds of knowledge framework promotes connecting community contexts with curriculum aimed to activate children's prior knowledge. Typically, teachers determine what knowledge sources harmonise best with their existing programming, potentially omitting particular resources that may not align. Young children, on the other hand, can act as agents…

Effects of prior information on decoding degraded speech: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Clos, Mareike; Langner, Robert; Meyer, Martin; Oechslin, Mathias S; Zilles, Karl; Eickhoff, Simon B

2014-01-01

Expectations and prior knowledge are thought to support the perceptual analysis of incoming sensory stimuli, as proposed by the predictive-coding framework. The current fMRI study investigated the effect of prior information on brain activity during the decoding of degraded speech stimuli. When prior information enabled the comprehension of the degraded sentences, the left middle temporal gyrus and the left angular gyrus were activated, highlighting a role of these areas in meaning extraction. In contrast, the activation of the left inferior frontal gyrus (area 44/45) appeared to reflect the search for meaningful information in degraded speech material that could not be decoded because of mismatches with the prior information. Our results show that degraded sentences evoke instantaneously different percepts and activation patterns depending on the type of prior information, in line with prediction-based accounts of perception. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Conditional Reasoning in Autism: Activation and Integration of Knowledge and Belief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Rebecca; Evans, Jonathan St. B. T.; Handley, Simon J.

2010-01-01

Everyday conditional reasoning is typically influenced by prior knowledge and belief in the form of specific exceptions known as counterexamples. This study explored whether adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; N = 26) were less influenced by background knowledge than typically developing adolescents (N = 38) when engaged in conditional…

The Effects of Prior Knowledge and Instruction on Understanding Image Formation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galili, Igal; And Others

1993-01-01

Reports a study (n=27) concerning the knowledge about image formation exhibited by students following instruction in geometrical optics in an activity-based college physics course for prospective elementary teachers. Student diagrams and verbal comments indicate their knowledge can be described as an intermediate state: a hybridization of…

Automatic Detection of Student Mental Models Based on Natural Language Student Input during Metacognitive Skill Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lintean, Mihai; Rus, Vasile; Azevedo, Roger

2012-01-01

This article describes the problem of detecting the student mental models, i.e. students' knowledge states, during the self-regulatory activity of prior knowledge activation in MetaTutor, an intelligent tutoring system that teaches students self-regulation skills while learning complex science topics. The article presents several approaches to…

Prior Knowledge Facilitates Mutual Gaze Convergence and Head Nodding Synchrony in Face-to-face Communication

PubMed Central

Thepsoonthorn, C.; Yokozuka, T.; Miura, S.; Ogawa, K.; Miyake, Y.

2016-01-01

As prior knowledge is claimed to be an essential key to achieve effective education, we are interested in exploring whether prior knowledge enhances communication effectiveness. To demonstrate the effects of prior knowledge, mutual gaze convergence and head nodding synchrony are observed as indicators of communication effectiveness. We conducted an experiment on lecture task between lecturer and student under 2 conditions: prior knowledge and non-prior knowledge. The students in prior knowledge condition were provided the basic information about the lecture content and were assessed their understanding by the experimenter before starting the lecture while the students in non-prior knowledge had none. The result shows that the interaction in prior knowledge condition establishes significantly higher mutual gaze convergence (t(15.03) = 6.72, p < 0.0001; α = 0.05, n = 20) and head nodding synchrony (t(16.67) = 1.83, p = 0.04; α = 0.05, n = 19) compared to non-prior knowledge condition. This study reveals that prior knowledge facilitates mutual gaze convergence and head nodding synchrony. Furthermore, the interaction with and without prior knowledge can be evaluated by measuring or observing mutual gaze convergence and head nodding synchrony. PMID:27910902

Prior Knowledge Facilitates Mutual Gaze Convergence and Head Nodding Synchrony in Face-to-face Communication.

PubMed

Thepsoonthorn, C; Yokozuka, T; Miura, S; Ogawa, K; Miyake, Y

2016-12-02

As prior knowledge is claimed to be an essential key to achieve effective education, we are interested in exploring whether prior knowledge enhances communication effectiveness. To demonstrate the effects of prior knowledge, mutual gaze convergence and head nodding synchrony are observed as indicators of communication effectiveness. We conducted an experiment on lecture task between lecturer and student under 2 conditions: prior knowledge and non-prior knowledge. The students in prior knowledge condition were provided the basic information about the lecture content and were assessed their understanding by the experimenter before starting the lecture while the students in non-prior knowledge had none. The result shows that the interaction in prior knowledge condition establishes significantly higher mutual gaze convergence (t(15.03) = 6.72, p < 0.0001; α = 0.05, n = 20) and head nodding synchrony (t(16.67) = 1.83, p = 0.04; α = 0.05, n = 19) compared to non-prior knowledge condition. This study reveals that prior knowledge facilitates mutual gaze convergence and head nodding synchrony. Furthermore, the interaction with and without prior knowledge can be evaluated by measuring or observing mutual gaze convergence and head nodding synchrony.

Improving Reading Comprehension Strategies Using Student Produced CD's Combined with More Traditional Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goss, Gail

Readers possess vast amounts of knowledge gained from their prior experiences and exposures. The more they are helped to use that knowledge for connecting new ideas to known subjects as they read, the better their comprehension will be. Discussions before reading have been a traditional way to activate students' schema for stories, but a new…

Prepping the Brain: Easy and Effective Ways to Get Students Ready for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crystal Springs Books, 2008

2008-01-01

Teachers do not have to be neuroscientists to design brain-friendly lessons for their students- and they do not have to change their curriculum either. This resource is packed with strategies and activities that teachers will refer to often as they help their students: (1) build background knowledge; (2) Activate prior knowledge; (3) process and…

Using Students' Prior Knowledge to Teach Social Penetration Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chornet-Roses, Daniel

2010-01-01

Bransford, Brown, and Cocking argue that acknowledging students' prior ideas and beliefs about a subject and incorporating them into the classroom enhances student learning. This article presents an activity which serves to hone three student learning outcomes: analysis of communication, inductive reasoning, and self-reflection. The goal of this…

How Students Combine Resources to Make Conceptual Breakthroughs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richards, A. J.; Jones, Darrick C.; Etkina, Eugenia

2018-04-01

We use the framework of cognitive resources to investigate how students construct understanding of a complex physics topic, namely, a photovoltaic cell. By observing students as they learn about how a solar cell functions, we identified over 60 distinct resources that learners may activate while thinking about photovoltaic cells. We classify these resources into three main types: phenomenological primitives, conceptual resources, and epistemological resources. Furthermore, we found a pattern that suggests that when students make conceptual breakthroughs they may be more likely to activate combinations of resources of different types in concert, especially if a resource from each of the three categories is used. This pattern suggests that physics instructors should encourage students to activate multiple types of prior knowledge during the learning process. This can result from instructors deliberately and explicitly connecting new knowledge to students' prior experience both in and outside the formal physics classroom, as well as allowing students to reflect metacognitively on how the new knowledge fits into their existing understanding of the natural world.

Orthonormal filters for identification in active control systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayer, Dirk

2015-12-01

Many active noise and vibration control systems require models of the control paths. When the controlled system changes slightly over time, adaptive digital filters for the identification of the models are useful. This paper aims at the investigation of a special class of adaptive digital filters: orthonormal filter banks possess the robust and simple adaptation of the widely applied finite impulse response (FIR) filters, but at a lower model order, which is important when considering implementation on embedded systems. However, the filter banks require prior knowledge about the resonance frequencies and damping of the structure. This knowledge can be supposed to be of limited precision, since in many practical systems, uncertainties in the structural parameters exist. In this work, a procedure using a number of training systems to find the fixed parameters for the filter banks is applied. The effect of uncertainties in the prior knowledge on the model error is examined both with a basic example and in an experiment. Furthermore, the possibilities to compensate for the imprecise prior knowledge by a higher filter order are investigated. Also comparisons with FIR filters are implemented in order to assess the possible advantages of the orthonormal filter banks. Numerical and experimental investigations show that significantly lower computational effort can be reached by the filter banks under certain conditions.

Automatic Detection of Student Mental Models during Prior Knowledge Activation in MetaTutor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rus, Vasile; Lintean, Mihai; Azevedo, Roger

2009-01-01

This paper presents several methods to automatically detecting students' mental models in MetaTutor, an intelligent tutoring system that teaches students self-regulatory processes during learning of complex science topics. In particular, we focus on detecting students' mental models based on student-generated paragraphs during prior knowledge…

Displaying Knowledge through Interrogatives in Student-Initiated Sequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solem, Marit Skarbø

2016-01-01

This article presents an analysis of student initiatives in whole-class interactions. While prior research on question-answer sequences in classroom interactions has shown students to be rather passive recipients of knowledge, this article focuses on aspects of classroom interaction where students take a more active role. Following a conversation…

Spanish Primary School Students' Knowledge of Invasion Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreno, David Sanchez-Mora; Lopez, Luis Miguel Garcia; Diaz, Maria Sagrario Del Valle; Martinez, Inmaculada Solera

2011-01-01

Background: Games represent a very important part of the physical education curriculum and the process by which they are learnt is very complex. Constructive teaching theories highlight the existence of knowledge prior to instruction that the pupil actively transforms through verbalisation and interaction with classmates. The results of research…

The critical success factors and impact of prior knowledge to nursing students when transferring nursing knowledge during nursing clinical practise.

PubMed

Tsai, Ming-Tien; Tsai, Ling-Long

2005-11-01

Nursing practise plays an important role in transferring nursing knowledge to nursing students. From the related literature review, prior knowledge will affect how learners gain new knowledge. There has been no direct examination of the prior knowledge interaction effect on students' performance and its influence on nursing students when evaluating the knowledge transfer success factors. This study explores (1) the critical success factors in transferring nursing knowledge, (2) the impact of prior knowledge when evaluating the success factors for transferring nursing knowledge. This research utilizes in-depth interviews to probe the initial success factor phase. A total of 422 valid questionnaires were conducted by the authors. The data were analysed by comparing the mean score and t-test between two groups. Seventeen critical success factors were identified by the two groups of students. Twelve items were selected to examine the diversity in the two groups. Students with prior knowledge were more independent than the other group. They also preferred self-directed learning over students without prior knowledge. Students who did not have prior knowledge were eager to take every opportunity to gain experience and more readily adopted new knowledge.

Effects of Prior Knowledge on Memory: Implications for Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shing, Yee Lee; Brod, Garvin

2016-01-01

The encoding, consolidation, and retrieval of events and facts form the basis for acquiring new skills and knowledge. Prior knowledge can enhance those memory processes considerably and thus foster knowledge acquisition. But prior knowledge can also hinder knowledge acquisition, in particular when the to-be-learned information is inconsistent with…

The influence of stimulus format on drawing—a functional imaging study of decision making in portrait drawing

PubMed Central

Miall, R.C.; Nam, Se-Ho; Tchalenko, J.

2014-01-01

To copy a natural visual image as a line drawing, visual identification and extraction of features in the image must be guided by top-down decisions, and is usually influenced by prior knowledge. In parallel with other behavioral studies testing the relationship between eye and hand movements when drawing, we report here a functional brain imaging study in which we compared drawing of faces and abstract objects: the former can be strongly guided by prior knowledge, the latter less so. To manipulate the difficulty in extracting features to be drawn, each original image was presented in four formats including high contrast line drawings and silhouettes, and as high and low contrast photographic images. We confirmed the detailed eye–hand interaction measures reported in our other behavioral studies by using in-scanner eye-tracking and recording of pen movements with a touch screen. We also show that the brain activation pattern reflects the changes in presentation formats. In particular, by identifying the ventral and lateral occipital areas that were more highly activated during drawing of faces than abstract objects, we found a systematic increase in differential activation for the face-drawing condition, as the presentation format made the decisions more challenging. This study therefore supports theoretical models of how prior knowledge may influence perception in untrained participants, and lead to experience-driven perceptual modulation by trained artists. PMID:25128710

Epistemic Metacognition in Context: Evaluating and Learning Online Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Lucia; Boldrin, Angela; Ariasi, Nicola

2010-01-01

This study examined epistemic metacognition as a reflective activity about knowledge and knowing in the context of online information searching on the Web, and whether it was related to prior knowledge on the topic, study approach, and domain-specific beliefs about science. In addition, we investigated whether Internet-based learning was…

An Operational Approach for Building Learning Environments Supporting Cognitive Flexibility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chieu, Vu Minh

2007-01-01

Constructivism is a learning theory that states that people learn by actively constructing their own knowledge, based on prior knowledge. A significant number of ICT-based constructivist learning systems have been proposed in recent years. According to our analysis, those systems exhibit only a few constructivist principles, and a critical problem…

Do Runner Beans Really Make You Run Fast? Young Children Learning About Science-Related Food Concepts in Informal Settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cumming, Jenny

2003-08-01

Early years practitioners acknowledge that much learning takes place in a family context. Science educators, in particular, recognise the importance of children's prior knowledge, both as a foundation on which to build and as a possible source of misconceptions. However, little work has been done to discover what young children learn outside school. This study utilised parent diaries and questionnaires to elucidate the experiences of children aged four to seven which might contribute to their knowledge about the origin of food and its destiny after being eaten. The findings indicate that children learn more scientifically correct information with friends and family than teachers might realise. Awareness of children's informal knowledge can assist teachers when planning activities. As well as this, children's prior knowledge can be utilised in classroom discourse to promote understanding.

Deepening Understanding of Prior Knowledge: What Diverse First-Generation College Students in the U.S. Can Teach Us

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castillo-Montoya, Milagros

2017-01-01

Educational research indicates that teachers revealing and utilizing students' prior knowledge supports students' academic learning. Yet, the variation in students' prior knowledge is not fully known. To better understand students' prior knowledge, I drew on sociocultural learning theories to examine racially and ethnically diverse college…

Noticing relevant problem features: activating prior knowledge affects problem solving by guiding encoding

PubMed Central

Crooks, Noelle M.; Alibali, Martha W.

2013-01-01

This study investigated whether activating elements of prior knowledge can influence how problem solvers encode and solve simple mathematical equivalence problems (e.g., 3 + 4 + 5 = 3 + __). Past work has shown that such problems are difficult for elementary school students (McNeil and Alibali, 2000). One possible reason is that children's experiences in math classes may encourage them to think about equations in ways that are ultimately detrimental. Specifically, children learn a set of patterns that are potentially problematic (McNeil and Alibali, 2005a): the perceptual pattern that all equations follow an “operations = answer” format, the conceptual pattern that the equal sign means “calculate the total”, and the procedural pattern that the correct way to solve an equation is to perform all of the given operations on all of the given numbers. Upon viewing an equivalence problem, knowledge of these patterns may be reactivated, leading to incorrect problem solving. We hypothesized that these patterns may negatively affect problem solving by influencing what people encode about a problem. To test this hypothesis in children would require strengthening their misconceptions, and this could be detrimental to their mathematical development. Therefore, we tested this hypothesis in undergraduate participants. Participants completed either control tasks or tasks that activated their knowledge of the three patterns, and were then asked to reconstruct and solve a set of equivalence problems. Participants in the knowledge activation condition encoded the problems less well than control participants. They also made more errors in solving the problems, and their errors resembled the errors children make when solving equivalence problems. Moreover, encoding performance mediated the effect of knowledge activation on equivalence problem solving. Thus, one way in which experience may affect equivalence problem solving is by influencing what students encode about the equations. PMID:24324454

Novice and expert teachers' conceptions of learners' prior knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Helen

2004-11-01

This study presents comparative case studies of preservice and first-year teachers' and expert teachers' conceptions of the concept of prior knowledge. Kelly's (The Psychology of Personal Construct, New York: W.W. Norton, 1955) theory of personal constructs as discussed by Akerson, Flick, and Lederman (Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 2000, 37, 363-385) in relationship to prior knowledge underpins the study. Six teachers were selected to participate in the case studies based upon their level experience teaching science and their willingness to take part. The comparative case studies of the novice and expert teachers provide insights into (a) how novice and expert teachers understand the concept of prior knowledge and (b) how they use this knowledge to make instructional decisions. Data collection consisted of interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Findings suggest that novice teachers hold insufficient conceptions of prior knowledge and its role in instruction to effectively implement constructivist teaching practices. While expert teachers hold a complex conception of prior knowledge and make use of their students' prior knowledge in significant ways during instruction. A second finding was an apparent mismatch between the novice teachers' beliefs about their urban students' life experiences and prior knowledge and the wealth of knowledge the expert teachers found to draw upon.

Use of Elaborative Interrogation to Help Students Acquire Information Consistent with Prior Knowledge and Information Inconsistent with Prior Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woloshyn, Vera E.; And Others

1994-01-01

Thirty-two factual statements, half consistent and half not consistent with subjects' prior knowledge, were processed by 140 sixth and seventh graders. Half were directed to use elaborative interrogation (using prior knowledge) to answer why each statement was true. Across all memory measures, elaborative interrogation subjects performed better…

Brief Report: Teachers' Awareness of the Relationship between Prior Knowledge and New Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 2016

2016-01-01

The author examined the degree to which experienced teachers are aware of the relationship between prior knowledge and new learning. Interviews with teachers revealed that they were explicitly aware of when students made connections between prior knowledge and new learning, when they applied their prior knowledge to new contexts, and when they…

"Dare I Ask?": Eliciting Prior Knowledge and Its Implications for Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dávila, Liv Thorstensson

2015-01-01

This article examines high school teachers' engagement of newcomer English learner students' prior knowledge. Three central research questions guided this study: 1) To what extent do teachers function as mediators of their students' prior knowledge? 2) What goes into teachers' thinking about how and when to elicit prior knowledge? and 3) How do…

Specific previous experience affects perception of harmony and meter.

PubMed

Creel, Sarah C

2011-10-01

Prior knowledge shapes our experiences, but which prior knowledge shapes which experiences? This question is addressed in the domain of music perception. Three experiments were used to determine whether listeners activate specific musical memories during music listening. Each experiment provided listeners with one of two musical contexts that was presented simultaneously with a melody. After a listener was familiarized with melodies embedded in contexts, the listener heard melodies in isolation and judged the fit of a final harmonic or metrical probe event. The probe event matched either the familiar (but absent) context or an unfamiliar context. For both harmonic (Experiments 1 and 3) and metrical (Experiment 2) information, exposure to context shifted listeners' preferences toward a probe matching the context that they had been familiarized with. This suggests that listeners rapidly form specific musical memories without explicit instruction, which are then activated during music listening. These data pose an interesting challenge for models of music perception which implicitly assume that the listener's knowledge base is predominantly schematic or abstract.

Classroom Environment and Student Outcomes Associated with Using Anthropometry Activities in High School Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lightburn, Millard E.; Fraser, Barry J.

The study involved implementing and evaluating activities that actively engage students in the process of gathering, processing and analyzing data derived from human body measurements, with students using their prior knowledge acquired in science, mathematics, and computer classes to interpret this information. In the classroom activities…

Increasing Children's Positive Connection to, Orientation toward, and Knowledge of Nature through Nature Camp Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Jose, Alyssa L.; Nelson, Keith E.

2017-01-01

What do children actually carry away from participating in planned activities in natural areas such as those in outdoor camps and schools? Prior research has seldom been rigorous in establishing participants' connection to, knowledge of, and orientation toward nature before intervention, followed by a clear specification of what range of…

Studying Computer Science in a Multidisciplinary Degree Programme: Freshman Students' Orientation, Knowledge, and Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kautz, Karlheinz; Kofoed, Uffe

2004-01-01

Teachers at universities are facing an increasing disparity in students' prior IT knowledge and, at the same time, experience a growing disengagement of the students with regard to involvement in study activities. As computer science teachers in a joint programme in computer science and business administration, we made a number of similar…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mendell, Mark J.

This report briefly summarizes, based on recent review articles and selected more recent research reports, current scientific knowledge on two topics: assessing unhealthy levels of indoor D/M in homes and remediating home dampness-related problems to protect health. Based on a comparison of current scientific knowledge to that required to support effective, evidence-based, health-protective policies on home D/M, gaps in knowledge are highlighted, prior questions and research questions specified, and necessary research activities and approaches recommended.

Relations among conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and procedural flexibility in two samples differing in prior knowledge.

PubMed

Schneider, Michael; Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Star, Jon R

2011-11-01

Competence in many domains rests on children developing conceptual and procedural knowledge, as well as procedural flexibility. However, research on the developmental relations between these different types of knowledge has yielded unclear results, in part because little attention has been paid to the validity of the measures or to the effects of prior knowledge on the relations. To overcome these problems, we modeled the three constructs in the domain of equation solving as latent factors and tested (a) whether the predictive relations between conceptual and procedural knowledge were bidirectional, (b) whether these interrelations were moderated by prior knowledge, and (c) how both constructs contributed to procedural flexibility. We analyzed data from 2 measurement points each from two samples (Ns = 228 and 304) of middle school students who differed in prior knowledge. Conceptual and procedural knowledge had stable bidirectional relations that were not moderated by prior knowledge. Both kinds of knowledge contributed independently to procedural flexibility. The results demonstrate how changes in complex knowledge structures contribute to competence development.

Implicit Learning in Science: Activating and Suppressing Scientific Intuitions to Enhance Conceptual Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jeremy Yi-Ming

This dissertation examines the thesis that implicit learning plays a role in learning about scientific phenomena, and subsequently, in conceptual change. Decades of research in learning science demonstrate that a primary challenge of science education is overcoming prior, naive knowledge of natural phenomena in order to gain scientific understanding. Until recently, a key assumption of this research has been that to develop scientific understanding, learners must abandon their prior scientific intuitions and replace them with scientific concepts. However, a growing body of research shows that scientific intuitions persist, even among science experts. This suggests that naive intuitions are suppressed, not supplanted, as learners gain scientific understanding. The current study examines two potential roles of implicit learning processes in the development of scientific knowledge. First, implicit learning is a source of cognitive structures that impede science learning. Second, tasks that engage implicit learning processes can be employed to activate and suppress prior intuitions, enhancing the likelihood that scientific concepts are adopted and applied. This second proposal is tested in two experiments that measure training-induced changes in intuitive and conceptual knowledge related to sinking and floating objects in water. In Experiment 1, an implicit learning task was developed to examine whether implicit learning can induce changes in performance on near and far transfer tasks. The results of this experiment provide evidence that implicit learning tasks activate and suppress scientific intuitions. Experiment 2 examined the effects of combining implicit learning with traditional, direct instruction to enhance explicit learning of science concepts. This experiment demonstrates that sequencing implicit learning task before and after direct instruction has different effects on intuitive and conceptual knowledge. Together, these results suggest a novel approach for enhancing learning for conceptual change in science education.

The Influence of Prior Knowledge on Memory: A Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective

PubMed Central

Brod, Garvin; Werkle-Bergner, Markus; Shing, Yee Lee

2013-01-01

Across ontogenetic development, individuals gather manifold experiences during which they detect regularities in their environment and thereby accumulate knowledge. This knowledge is used to guide behavior, make predictions, and acquire further new knowledge. In this review, we discuss the influence of prior knowledge on memory from both the psychology and the emerging cognitive neuroscience literature and provide a developmental perspective on this topic. Recent neuroscience findings point to a prominent role of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and of the hippocampus (HC) in the emergence of prior knowledge and in its application during the processes of successful memory encoding, consolidation, and retrieval. We take the lateral PFC into consideration as well and discuss changes in both medial and lateral PFC and HC across development and postulate how these may be related to the development of the use of prior knowledge for remembering. For future direction, we argue that, to measure age differential effects of prior knowledge on memory, it is necessary to distinguish the availability of prior knowledge from its accessibility and use. PMID:24115923

When generating answers benefits arithmetic skill: the importance of prior knowledge.

PubMed

Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Kmicikewycz, Alexander Oleksij

2008-09-01

People remember information better if they generate the information while studying rather than read the information. However, prior research has not investigated whether this generation effect extends to related but unstudied items and has not been conducted in classroom settings. We compared third graders' success on studied and unstudied multiplication problems after they spent a class period generating answers to problems or reading the answers from a calculator. The effect of condition interacted with prior knowledge. Students with low prior knowledge had higher accuracy in the generate condition, but as prior knowledge increased, the advantage of generating answers decreased. The benefits of generating answers may extend to unstudied items and to classroom settings, but only for learners with low prior knowledge.

The influence of stimulus format on drawing--a functional imaging study of decision making in portrait drawing.

PubMed

Miall, R C; Nam, Se-Ho; Tchalenko, J

2014-11-15

To copy a natural visual image as a line drawing, visual identification and extraction of features in the image must be guided by top-down decisions, and is usually influenced by prior knowledge. In parallel with other behavioral studies testing the relationship between eye and hand movements when drawing, we report here a functional brain imaging study in which we compared drawing of faces and abstract objects: the former can be strongly guided by prior knowledge, the latter less so. To manipulate the difficulty in extracting features to be drawn, each original image was presented in four formats including high contrast line drawings and silhouettes, and as high and low contrast photographic images. We confirmed the detailed eye-hand interaction measures reported in our other behavioral studies by using in-scanner eye-tracking and recording of pen movements with a touch screen. We also show that the brain activation pattern reflects the changes in presentation formats. In particular, by identifying the ventral and lateral occipital areas that were more highly activated during drawing of faces than abstract objects, we found a systematic increase in differential activation for the face-drawing condition, as the presentation format made the decisions more challenging. This study therefore supports theoretical models of how prior knowledge may influence perception in untrained participants, and lead to experience-driven perceptual modulation by trained artists. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Effects of the Timing of Isolated FFI on the Explicit Knowledge and Written Accuracy of Learners with Different Prior Knowledge of the Linguistic Target

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shintani, Natsuko

2017-01-01

This study examines the effects of the timing of explicit instruction (EI) on grammatical accuracy. A total of 123 learners were divided into two groups: those with some productive knowledge of past-counterfactual conditionals (+Prior Knowledge) and those without such knowledge (-Prior Knowledge). Each group was divided into four conditions. Two…

Social Behaviors and Gender Differences among Preschoolers: Implications for Science Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desouza, Josephine M. Shireen; Czerniak, Charlene M.

2002-01-01

A 2-year ethnographic study focused on social behaviors and gender differences among preschoolers engaging in science activities. Findings indicated that boys exhibited curiosity, spontaneity, extensive prior knowledge about nature, and tended toward aggressive, competitive, and sometimes violent behavior. Girls displayed a submissive countenance,…

The Impact of Concept Mapping on the Process of Problem-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zwaal, Wichard; Otting, Hans

2012-01-01

A concept map is a graphical tool to activate and elaborate on prior knowledge, to support problem solving, promote conceptual thinking and understanding, and to organize and memorize knowledge. The aim of this study is to determine if the use of concept mapping (CM) in a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum enhances the PBL process. The paper…

Knowledge Structures of Entering Computer Networking Students and Their Instructors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiCerbo, Kristen E.

2007-01-01

Students bring prior knowledge to their learning experiences. This prior knowledge is known to affect how students encode and later retrieve new information learned. Teachers and content developers can use information about students' prior knowledge to create more effective lessons and materials. In many content areas, particularly the sciences,…

Nudging toward Inquiry: Awakening and Building upon Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontichiaro, Kristin, Comp.

2010-01-01

"Prior knowledge" (sometimes called schema or background knowledge) is information one already knows that helps him/her make sense of new information. New learning builds on existing prior knowledge. In traditional reporting-style research projects, students bypass this crucial step and plow right into answer-finding. It's no wonder that many…

Sleep Spindle Density Predicts the Effect of Prior Knowledge on Memory Consolidation

PubMed Central

Lambon Ralph, Matthew A.; Kempkes, Marleen; Cousins, James N.; Lewis, Penelope A.

2016-01-01

Information that relates to a prior knowledge schema is remembered better and consolidates more rapidly than information that does not. Another factor that influences memory consolidation is sleep and growing evidence suggests that sleep-related processing is important for integration with existing knowledge. Here, we perform an examination of how sleep-related mechanisms interact with schema-dependent memory advantage. Participants first established a schema over 2 weeks. Next, they encoded new facts, which were either related to the schema or completely unrelated. After a 24 h retention interval, including a night of sleep, which we monitored with polysomnography, participants encoded a second set of facts. Finally, memory for all facts was tested in a functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Behaviorally, sleep spindle density predicted an increase of the schema benefit to memory across the retention interval. Higher spindle densities were associated with reduced decay of schema-related memories. Functionally, spindle density predicted increased disengagement of the hippocampus across 24 h for schema-related memories only. Together, these results suggest that sleep spindle activity is associated with the effect of prior knowledge on memory consolidation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Episodic memories are gradually assimilated into long-term memory and this process is strongly influenced by sleep. The consolidation of new information is also influenced by its relationship to existing knowledge structures, or schemas, but the role of sleep in such schema-related consolidation is unknown. We show that sleep spindle density predicts the extent to which schemas influence the consolidation of related facts. This is the first evidence that sleep is associated with the interaction between prior knowledge and long-term memory formation. PMID:27030764

Mind wandering during film comprehension: The role of prior knowledge and situational interest.

PubMed

Kopp, Kristopher; Mills, Caitlin; D'Mello, Sidney

2016-06-01

This study assessed the occurrence and factors that influence mind wandering (MW) in the domain of film comprehension. The cascading model of inattention assumes that a stronger mental representation (i.e., a situation model) during comprehension results in less MW. Accordingly, a suppression hypothesis suggests that MW would decrease as a function of having the knowledge of the plot of a film prior to viewing, because the prior-knowledge would help to strengthen the situation model during comprehension. Furthermore, an interest-moderation hypothesis would predict that the suppression effect of prior-knowledge would only emerge when there was interest in viewing the film. In the current experiment, 108 participants either read a short story that depicted the plot (i.e., prior-knowledge condition) or read an unrelated story of equal length (control condition) prior to viewing the short film (32.5 minutes) entitled The Red Balloon. Participants self-reported their interest in viewing the film immediately before the film was presented. MW was tracked using a self-report method targeting instances of MW with metacognitive awareness. Participants in the prior-knowledge condition reported less MW compared with the control condition, thereby supporting the suppression hypothesis. MW also decreased over the duration of the film, but only for those with prior-knowledge of the film. Finally, prior-knowledge effects on MW were only observed when interest was average or high, but not when interest was low.

Did she jump because she was the big sister or because the trampoline was safe? Causal inference and the development of social attribution.

PubMed

Seiver, Elizabeth; Gopnik, Alison; Goodman, Noah D

2013-01-01

Children rely on both evidence and prior knowledge to make physical causal inferences; this study explores whether they make attributions about others' behavior in the same manner. A total of one hundred and fifty-nine 4- and 6-year-olds saw 2 dolls interacting with 2 activities, and explained the dolls' actions. In the person condition, each doll acted consistently across activities, but differently from each other. In the situation condition, the two dolls acted differently for each activity, but both performed the same actions. Both age groups provided more "person" explanations (citing features of the doll) in the person condition than in the situation condition. In addition, 6-year-olds showed an overall bias toward "person" explanations. As in physical causal inference, social causal inference combines covariational evidence and prior knowledge. © 2012 The Authors. Child Development © 2012 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Assessing the Previous Economic Knowledge of Beginning Students in Germany: Implications for Teaching Economics in Basic Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Happ, Roland; Förster, Manuel; Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, Olga; Carstensen, Vivian

2016-01-01

Study-related prior knowledge plays a decisive role in business and economics degree courses. Prior knowledge has a significant influence on knowledge acquisition in higher education, and teachers need information on it to plan their introductory courses accordingly. Very few studies have been conducted of first-year students' prior economic…

42 CFR 21.34 - Certification by candidate; requirement of new physical examination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... from the date on which it is contemplated that he will be appointed or called to active duty, he shall, prior to being appointed or called to active duty, certify that to the best of his knowledge and belief... one year from the date on which it is contemplated that he will be appointed or called to active duty...

Use of the Flipped Classroom Instructional Model in Higher Education: Instructors' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Taotao; Cummins, John; Waugh, Michael

2017-01-01

The flipped classroom model is an instructional model in which students learn basic subject matter knowledge prior to in-class meetings, then come to the classroom for active learning experiences. Previous research has shown that the flipped classroom model can motivate students towards active learning, can improve their higher-order thinking…

Gradient-based reliability maps for ACM-based segmentation of hippocampus.

PubMed

Zarpalas, Dimitrios; Gkontra, Polyxeni; Daras, Petros; Maglaveras, Nicos

2014-04-01

Automatic segmentation of deep brain structures, such as the hippocampus (HC), in MR images has attracted considerable scientific attention due to the widespread use of MRI and to the principal role of some structures in various mental disorders. In this literature, there exists a substantial amount of work relying on deformable models incorporating prior knowledge about structures' anatomy and shape information. However, shape priors capture global shape characteristics and thus fail to model boundaries of varying properties; HC boundaries present rich, poor, and missing gradient regions. On top of that, shape prior knowledge is blended with image information in the evolution process, through global weighting of the two terms, again neglecting the spatially varying boundary properties, causing segmentation faults. An innovative method is hereby presented that aims to achieve highly accurate HC segmentation in MR images, based on the modeling of boundary properties at each anatomical location and the inclusion of appropriate image information for each of those, within an active contour model framework. Hence, blending of image information and prior knowledge is based on a local weighting map, which mixes gradient information, regional and whole brain statistical information with a multi-atlas-based spatial distribution map of the structure's labels. Experimental results on three different datasets demonstrate the efficacy and accuracy of the proposed method.

The Effects of Prior-knowledge and Online Learning Approaches on Students' Inquiry and Argumentation Abilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Wen-Tsung; Lin, Yu-Ren; She, Hsiao-Ching; Huang, Kai-Yi

2015-07-01

This study investigated the effects of students' prior science knowledge and online learning approaches (social and individual) on their learning with regard to three topics: science concepts, inquiry, and argumentation. Two science teachers and 118 students from 4 eighth-grade science classes were invited to participate in this research. Students in each class were divided into three groups according to their level of prior science knowledge; they then took either our social- or individual-based online science learning program. The results show that students in the social online argumentation group performed better in argumentation and online argumentation learning. Qualitative analysis indicated that the students' social interactions benefited the co-construction of sound arguments and the accurate understanding of science concepts. In constructing arguments, students in the individual online argumentation group were limited to knowledge recall and self-reflection. High prior-knowledge students significantly outperformed low prior-knowledge students in all three aspects of science learning. However, the difference in inquiry and argumentation performance between low and high prior-knowledge students decreased with the progression of online learning topics.

Translating three states of knowledge--discovery, invention, and innovation

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Knowledge Translation (KT) has historically focused on the proper use of knowledge in healthcare delivery. A knowledge base has been created through empirical research and resides in scholarly literature. Some knowledge is amenable to direct application by stakeholders who are engaged during or after the research process, as shown by the Knowledge to Action (KTA) model. Other knowledge requires multiple transformations before achieving utility for end users. For example, conceptual knowledge generated through science or engineering may become embodied as a technology-based invention through development methods. The invention may then be integrated within an innovative device or service through production methods. To what extent is KT relevant to these transformations? How might the KTA model accommodate these additional development and production activities while preserving the KT concepts? Discussion Stakeholders adopt and use knowledge that has perceived utility, such as a solution to a problem. Achieving a technology-based solution involves three methods that generate knowledge in three states, analogous to the three classic states of matter. Research activity generates discoveries that are intangible and highly malleable like a gas; development activity transforms discoveries into inventions that are moderately tangible yet still malleable like a liquid; and production activity transforms inventions into innovations that are tangible and immutable like a solid. The paper demonstrates how the KTA model can accommodate all three types of activity and address all three states of knowledge. Linking the three activities in one model also illustrates the importance of engaging the relevant stakeholders prior to initiating any knowledge-related activities. Summary Science and engineering focused on technology-based devices or services change the state of knowledge through three successive activities. Achieving knowledge implementation requires methods that accommodate these three activities and knowledge states. Accomplishing beneficial societal impacts from technology-based knowledge involves the successful progression through all three activities, and the effective communication of each successive knowledge state to the relevant stakeholders. The KTA model appears suitable for structuring and linking these processes. PMID:20205873

Explanation and Prior Knowledge Interact to Guide Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Joseph J.; Lombrozo, Tania

2013-01-01

How do explaining and prior knowledge contribute to learning? Four experiments explored the relationship between explanation and prior knowledge in category learning. The experiments independently manipulated whether participants were prompted to explain the category membership of study observations and whether category labels were informative in…

Intrinsic Bayesian Active Contours for Extraction of Object Boundaries in Images

PubMed Central

Srivastava, Anuj

2010-01-01

We present a framework for incorporating prior information about high-probability shapes in the process of contour extraction and object recognition in images. Here one studies shapes as elements of an infinite-dimensional, non-linear quotient space, and statistics of shapes are defined and computed intrinsically using differential geometry of this shape space. Prior models on shapes are constructed using probability distributions on tangent bundles of shape spaces. Similar to the past work on active contours, where curves are driven by vector fields based on image gradients and roughness penalties, we incorporate the prior shape knowledge in the form of vector fields on curves. Through experimental results, we demonstrate the use of prior shape models in the estimation of object boundaries, and their success in handling partial obscuration and missing data. Furthermore, we describe the use of this framework in shape-based object recognition or classification. PMID:21076692

Fostering Upper Secondary Students' Ability to Engage in Practices of Scientific Investigation: a Comparative Analysis of an Explicit and an Implicit Instructional Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vorholzer, Andreas; von Aufschnaiter, Claudia; Boone, William J.

2018-02-01

Inquiry-based teaching is considered as contributing to content-related, procedural, and epistemic learning goals of science education. In this study, a quasi-experimental research design was utilized to investigate to what extent embedding inquiry activities in an explicit and an implicit instructional approach fosters students' ability to engage in three practices of scientific investigation (POSI): (1) formulating questions and hypotheses, (2) planning investigations, (3) analyzing and interpreting data. Both approaches were implemented in a classroom-based intervention conducted in a German upper secondary school (N = 222). Students' procedural knowledge of the three POSI was assessed with a paper-pencil test prior and post to the intervention, their content knowledge and dispositional factors (e.g., cognitive abilities) were gathered once. Results show that not only explicit but also implicit instruction fosters students' knowledge of POSI. While overall explicit instruction was found to be more effective, the findings indicate that the effectiveness depends considerably on the practice addressed. Moreover, findings suggest that both approaches were equally beneficial for all students regardless of their prior content knowledge and their prior procedural knowledge of POSI. Potential conditions for the success of explicit and implicit approaches as well as implications for instruction on POSI in science classrooms and for future research are discussed.

Probabilistic models for neural populations that naturally capture global coupling and criticality

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Advances in multi-unit recordings pave the way for statistical modeling of activity patterns in large neural populations. Recent studies have shown that the summed activity of all neurons strongly shapes the population response. A separate recent finding has been that neural populations also exhibit criticality, an anomalously large dynamic range for the probabilities of different population activity patterns. Motivated by these two observations, we introduce a class of probabilistic models which takes into account the prior knowledge that the neural population could be globally coupled and close to critical. These models consist of an energy function which parametrizes interactions between small groups of neurons, and an arbitrary positive, strictly increasing, and twice differentiable function which maps the energy of a population pattern to its probability. We show that: 1) augmenting a pairwise Ising model with a nonlinearity yields an accurate description of the activity of retinal ganglion cells which outperforms previous models based on the summed activity of neurons; 2) prior knowledge that the population is critical translates to prior expectations about the shape of the nonlinearity; 3) the nonlinearity admits an interpretation in terms of a continuous latent variable globally coupling the system whose distribution we can infer from data. Our method is independent of the underlying system’s state space; hence, it can be applied to other systems such as natural scenes or amino acid sequences of proteins which are also known to exhibit criticality. PMID:28926564

The Importance of Prior Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cleary, Linda Miller

1989-01-01

Recounts a college English teacher's experience of reading and rereading Noam Chomsky, building up a greater store of prior knowledge. Argues that Frank Smith provides a theory for the importance of prior knowledge and Chomsky's work provided a personal example with which to interpret and integrate that theory. (RS)

Exploring expectation effects in EMDR: does prior treatment knowledge affect the degrading effects of eye movements on memories?

PubMed Central

Littel, Marianne; van Schie, Kevin; van den Hout, Marcel A.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective psychological treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. Recalling a memory while simultaneously making eye movements (EM) decreases a memory’s vividness and/or emotionality. It has been argued that non-specific factors, such as treatment expectancy and experimental demand, may contribute to the EMDR’s effectiveness. Objective: The present study was designed to test whether expectations about the working mechanism of EMDR would alter the memory attenuating effects of EM. Two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, we examined the effects of pre-existing (non-manipulated) knowledge of EMDR in participants with and without prior knowledge. In Experiment 2, we experimentally manipulated prior knowledge by providing participants without prior knowledge with correct or incorrect information about EMDR’s working mechanism. Method: Participants in both experiments recalled two aversive, autobiographical memories during brief sets of EM (Recall+EM) or keeping eyes stationary (Recall Only). Before and after the intervention, participants scored their memories on vividness and emotionality. A Bayesian approach was used to compare two competing hypotheses on the effects of (existing/given) prior knowledge: (1) Prior (correct) knowledge increases the effects of Recall+EM vs. Recall Only, vs. (2) prior knowledge does not affect the effects of Recall+EM. Results: Recall+EM caused greater reductions in memory vividness and emotionality than Recall Only in all groups, including the incorrect information group. In Experiment 1, both hypotheses were supported by the data: prior knowledge boosted the effects of EM, but only modestly. In Experiment 2, the second hypothesis was clearly supported over the first: providing knowledge of the underlying mechanism of EMDR did not alter the effects of EM. Conclusions: Recall+EM appears to be quite robust against the effects of prior expectations. As Recall+EM is the core component of EMDR, expectancy effects probably contribute little to the effectiveness of EMDR treatment. PMID:29038685

A New Look at an Old Activity: Resonance Tubes Used to Teach Resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Jim; Nelson, Jane

2017-12-01

There are several variations of resonance laboratory activities used to determine the speed of sound. This is not one of them. This activity uses the resonance tube idea to teach resonance, not to verify the speed of sound. Prior to this activity, the speed of sound has already been measured using computer sound-sensors and timing echoes produced in long tubes like carpet tubes. There are other methods to determine the speed of sound. Some methods are referenced at the end of this article. The students already know the speed of sound when they are confronted with data that contradict their prior knowledge. Here, the mystery is something the students solve with the help of a series of demonstrations by the instructor.

Calculus Instructors' Responses to Prior Knowledge Errors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talley, Jana Renee

2009-01-01

This study investigates the responses to prior knowledge errors that Calculus I instructors make when assessing students. Prior knowledge is operationalized as any skill or understanding that a student needs to successfully navigate through a Calculus I course. A two part qualitative study consisting of student exams and instructor interviews was…

Signaling Text-Picture Relations in Multimedia Learning: The Influence of Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richter, Juliane; Scheiter, Katharina; Eitel, Alexander

2018-01-01

Multimedia integration signals highlight correspondences between text and pictures with the aim of supporting learning from multimedia. A recent meta-analysis revealed that only learners with low domain-specific prior knowledge benefit from multimedia integration signals. To more thoroughly investigate the influence of prior knowledge on the…

Menarche: Prior Knowledge and Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skandhan, K. P.; And Others

1988-01-01

Recorded menstruation information among 305 young women in India, assessing the differences between those who did and did not have knowledge of menstruation prior to menarche. Those with prior knowledge considered menarche to be a normal physiological function and had a higher rate of regularity, lower rate of dysmenorrhea, and earlier onset of…

Preparing learners with partly incorrect intuitive prior knowledge for learning

PubMed Central

Ohst, Andrea; Fondu, Béatrice M. E.; Glogger, Inga; Nückles, Matthias; Renkl, Alexander

2014-01-01

Learners sometimes have incoherent and fragmented intuitive prior knowledge that is (partly) “incompatible” with the to-be-learned contents. Such knowledge in pieces can cause conceptual disorientation and cognitive overload while learning. We hypothesized that a pre-training intervention providing a generalized schema as a structuring framework for such knowledge in pieces would support (re)organizing-processes of prior knowledge and thus reduce unnecessary cognitive load during subsequent learning. Fifty-six student teachers participated in the experiment. A framework group underwent a pre-training intervention providing a generalized, categorical schema for categorizing primary learning strategies and related but different strategies as a cognitive framework for (re-)organizing their prior knowledge. Our control group received comparable factual information but no framework. Afterwards, all participants learned about primary learning strategies. The framework group claimed to possess higher levels of interest and self-efficacy, achieved higher learning outcomes, and learned more efficiently. Hence, providing a categorical framework can help overcome the barrier of incorrect prior knowledge in pieces. PMID:25071638

Lack of knowledge of physical activity guidelines: can physical activity promotion campaigns do better?

PubMed

Knox, Emily C L; Esliger, Dale W; Biddle, Stuart J H; Sherar, Lauren B

2013-12-05

To identify the prevalence of knowledge of the current UK physical activity guidelines which were introduced in 2011 and prior physical activity guidelines (30 min on 5 days each week) within two large samples of UK adult's. To investigate whether knowledge of physical activity guidelines differs according to demographics such as ethnicity, age, education and employment status. Descriptive cross-sectional study comparing two distinctive adult samples. National survey and online-administered survey conducted in England. The 2007 Health Survey for England provides data on knowledge of physical activity guidelines from 2860 UK adults (56% women, 89% white, 63% under 45 years old). In 2013, an online survey was disseminated and data were collected from 1797 UK adults on knowledge of the most recent physical activity guidelines. The 2013 sample was 70% women, 92% white and 57% under 45 years old. All adults in both samples were >18 years old and without illnesses/disorders likely to restrict physical activity. Knowledge of physical activity guidelines in 2007 and 2013. Demographic correlates of knowledge of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity guidelines. 18% of the 2013 sample accurately recalled the current physical activity guidelines compared with 11% of the 2007 sample who accurately recalled the previous guidelines. The differences in knowledge of physical activity guidelines existed for marital status, gender, age, education and employment status within both 2007 and 2013 samples (p<0.05). Men with lower education and employment status (unemployed including student and retired) and older adults were less likely to know physical activity guidelines (p<0.05). Knowledge of physical activity guidelines remained higher in the 2013 sample after controlling for demographic differences (p<0.05). Disadvantaged population groups are less knowledgeable about physical activity guidelines. Although knowledge of physical activity guidelines appears to have increased in recent years demographic disparities are still evident. Efforts are needed to promote health information among these groups.

Learners' strategies for reconstructing cognitive frameworks and navigating conceptual change from prior conception to consensual genetics knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parrott, Annette M.

Problem. Science teachers are charged with preparing students to become scientifically literate individuals. Teachers are given curriculum that specifies the knowledge that students should come away with; however, they are not necessarily aware of the knowledge with which the student arrives or how best to help them navigate between the two knowledge states. Educators must be aware, not only of where their students are conceptually, but how their students move from their prior knowledge and naive theories, to scientifically acceptable theories. The understanding of how students navigate this course has the potential to revolutionize educational practices. Methods. This study explored how five 9th grade biology students reconstructed their cognitive frameworks and navigated conceptual change from prior conception to consensual genetics knowledge. The research questions investigated were: (1) how do students in the process of changing their naive science theories to accepted science theories describe their journey from prior knowledge to current conception, and (2) what are the methods that students utilize to bridge the gap between alternate and consensual science conceptions to effect conceptual change. Qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to gather and analyze the data. In depth, semi-structured interviews formed the primary data for probing the context and details of students' conceptual change experience. Primary interview data was coded by thematic analysis. Results and discussion. This study revealed information about students' perceived roles in learning, the role of articulation in the conceptual change process, and ways in which a community of learners aids conceptual change. It was ascertained that students see their role in learning primarily as repeating information until they could add that information to their knowledge. Students are more likely to consider challenges to their conceptual frameworks and be more motivated to become active participants in constructing their knowledge when they are working collaboratively with peers instead of receiving instruction from their teacher. Articulation was found to be instrumental in aiding learners in identifying their alternate conceptions as well as in revisiting, investigating and reconstructing their conceptual frameworks. Based on the assumptions generated, suggestions were offered to inform pedagogical practice in support of the conceptual change process.

The Influence of Activation Level on Belief Bias in Relational Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banks, Adrian P.

2013-01-01

A novel explanation of belief bias in relational reasoning is presented based on the role of working memory and retrieval in deductive reasoning, and the influence of prior knowledge on this process. It is proposed that belief bias is caused by the believability of a conclusion in working memory which influences its activation level, determining…

Curriculum Weaving: Developing Creative Curricular Opportunities for Pre-Service Teachers and Elementary Students through Project-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuBois, Alison Lynn; Keller, Tina Marie

2016-01-01

Curriculum Weaving uses multi-layered goal planning designed to activate the students' prior knowledge, connect the student to student competencies and encourage them to engage in professionally-based, project management activities that will cultivate effective professional in the field classroom teacher. The focus of weaving these elements…

Using Hypermedia: Effects of Prior Knowledge and Goal Strength.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Last, David A.; O'Donnell, Angela M.; Kelly, Anthony E.

The influences of a student's prior knowledge and desired goal on the difficulties and benefits associated with using hypertext were examined in this study. Participants, 12 students from an undergraduate course in educational psychology, were assigned to either the low or high prior knowledge category. Within these two groups, subjects were…

The Role of Prior Knowledge in Learning from Analogies in Science Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braasch, Jason L. G.; Goldman, Susan R.

2010-01-01

Two experiments examined whether inconsistent effects of analogies in promoting new content learning from text are related to prior knowledge of the analogy "per se." In Experiment 1, college students who demonstrated little understanding of weather systems and different levels of prior knowledge (more vs. less) of an analogous everyday…

Neural Mechanisms for Integrating Prior Knowledge and Likelihood in Value-Based Probabilistic Inference

PubMed Central

Ting, Chih-Chung; Yu, Chia-Chen; Maloney, Laurence T.

2015-01-01

In Bayesian decision theory, knowledge about the probabilities of possible outcomes is captured by a prior distribution and a likelihood function. The prior reflects past knowledge and the likelihood summarizes current sensory information. The two combined (integrated) form a posterior distribution that allows estimation of the probability of different possible outcomes. In this study, we investigated the neural mechanisms underlying Bayesian integration using a novel lottery decision task in which both prior knowledge and likelihood information about reward probability were systematically manipulated on a trial-by-trial basis. Consistent with Bayesian integration, as sample size increased, subjects tended to weigh likelihood information more compared with prior information. Using fMRI in humans, we found that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) correlated with the mean of the posterior distribution, a statistic that reflects the integration of prior knowledge and likelihood of reward probability. Subsequent analysis revealed that both prior and likelihood information were represented in mPFC and that the neural representations of prior and likelihood in mPFC reflected changes in the behaviorally estimated weights assigned to these different sources of information in response to changes in the environment. Together, these results establish the role of mPFC in prior-likelihood integration and highlight its involvement in representing and integrating these distinct sources of information. PMID:25632152

Incorporating prior knowledge induced from stochastic differential equations in the classification of stochastic observations.

PubMed

Zollanvari, Amin; Dougherty, Edward R

2016-12-01

In classification, prior knowledge is incorporated in a Bayesian framework by assuming that the feature-label distribution belongs to an uncertainty class of feature-label distributions governed by a prior distribution. A posterior distribution is then derived from the prior and the sample data. An optimal Bayesian classifier (OBC) minimizes the expected misclassification error relative to the posterior distribution. From an application perspective, prior construction is critical. The prior distribution is formed by mapping a set of mathematical relations among the features and labels, the prior knowledge, into a distribution governing the probability mass across the uncertainty class. In this paper, we consider prior knowledge in the form of stochastic differential equations (SDEs). We consider a vector SDE in integral form involving a drift vector and dispersion matrix. Having constructed the prior, we develop the optimal Bayesian classifier between two models and examine, via synthetic experiments, the effects of uncertainty in the drift vector and dispersion matrix. We apply the theory to a set of SDEs for the purpose of differentiating the evolutionary history between two species.

A Research Agenda on Assessing and Remediating Home Dampness and Mold to Reduce Dampness-Related Health Effects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mendell, Mark J.

2015-06-01

This report briefly summarizes, based on recent review articles and selected more recent research reports, current scientific knowledge on two topics: assessing unhealthy levels of indoor D/M in homes and remediating home dampness-related problems to protect health. Based on a comparison of current scientific knowledge to that required to support effective, evidence-based, health-protective policies on home D/M, gaps in knowledge are highlighted, prior questions and research questions specified, and necessary research activities and approaches recommended.

Does physics instruction foster university students' cognitive processes?: A descriptive study of teacher activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson-Hessler, Monica G. M.; de Jong, Ton

This study aims at giving a systematic description of the cognitive activities involved in teaching physics. Such a description of instruction in physics requires a basis in two models, that is, the cognitive activities involved in learning physics and the knowledge base that is the foundation of expertise in that subject. These models have been provided by earlier research. The model of instruction distinguishes three main categories of instruction process: presenting new information, integrating (i.e., bringing structure into) new knowledge, and connecting elements of new knowledge to prior knowledge. Each of the main categories has been divided into a number of specific instruction processes. Hereby any limited and specific cognitive teacher activity can be described along the two dimensions of process and type of knowledge. The model was validated by application to lectures and problem-solving classes of first year university courses. These were recorded and analyzed as to instruction process and type of knowledge. Results indicate that teachers are indeed involved in the various types of instruction processes defined. The importance of this study lies in the creation of a terminology that makes it possible to discuss instruction in an explicit and specific way.

The effect of directive tutor guidance on students' conceptual understanding of statistics in problem-based learning.

PubMed

Budé, Luc; van de Wiel, Margaretha W J; Imbos, Tjaart; Berger, Martijn P F

2011-06-01

Education is aimed at students reaching conceptual understanding of the subject matter, because this leads to better performance and application of knowledge. Conceptual understanding depends on coherent and error-free knowledge structures. The construction of such knowledge structures can only be accomplished through active learning and when new knowledge can be integrated into prior knowledge. The intervention in this study was directed at both the activation of students as well as the integration of knowledge. Undergraduate university students from an introductory statistics course, in an authentic problem-based learning (PBL) environment, were randomly assigned to conditions and measurement time points. In the PBL tutorial meetings, half of the tutors guided the discussions of the students in a traditional way. The other half guided the discussions more actively by asking directive and activating questions. To gauge conceptual understanding, the students answered open-ended questions asking them to explain and relate important statistical concepts. Results of the quantitative analysis show that providing directive tutor guidance improved understanding. Qualitative data of students' misconceptions seem to support this finding. Long-term retention of the subject matter seemed to be inadequate. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Understanding the Role of Prior Knowledge in a Multimedia Learning Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rias, Riaza Mohd; Zaman, Halimah Badioze

2013-01-01

This study looked at the effects that individual differences in prior knowledge have on student understanding in learning with multimedia in a computer science subject. Students were identified as having either low or high prior knowledge from a series of questions asked in a survey conducted at the Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences at…

A Fuzzy-Based Prior Knowledge Diagnostic Model with Multiple Attribute Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Yi-Chun; Huang, Yueh-Min

2013-01-01

Prior knowledge is a very important part of teaching and learning, as it affects how instructors and students interact with the learning materials. In general, tests are used to assess students' prior knowledge. Nevertheless, conventional testing approaches usually assign only an overall score to each student, and this may mean that students are…

32 CFR 203.12 - Technical assistance for public participation provider qualifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... in a relevant discipline (e.g., biochemistry, toxicology, environmental sciences, engineering). (3...) IN DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION ACTIVITIES § 203.12 Technical assistance for public... such criteria could include prior work in the area, knowledge of local environmental conditions or laws...

32 CFR 203.12 - Technical assistance for public participation provider qualifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... in a relevant discipline (e.g., biochemistry, toxicology, environmental sciences, engineering). (3...) IN DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION ACTIVITIES § 203.12 Technical assistance for public... such criteria could include prior work in the area, knowledge of local environmental conditions or laws...

32 CFR 203.12 - Technical assistance for public participation provider qualifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... in a relevant discipline (e.g., biochemistry, toxicology, environmental sciences, engineering). (3...) IN DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION ACTIVITIES § 203.12 Technical assistance for public... such criteria could include prior work in the area, knowledge of local environmental conditions or laws...

32 CFR 203.12 - Technical assistance for public participation provider qualifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... in a relevant discipline (e.g., biochemistry, toxicology, environmental sciences, engineering). (3...) IN DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION ACTIVITIES § 203.12 Technical assistance for public... such criteria could include prior work in the area, knowledge of local environmental conditions or laws...

Stress affects the neural ensemble for integrating new information and prior knowledge.

PubMed

Vogel, Susanne; Kluen, Lisa Marieke; Fernández, Guillén; Schwabe, Lars

2018-06-01

Prior knowledge, represented as a schema, facilitates memory encoding. This schema-related learning is assumed to rely on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) that rapidly integrates new information into the schema, whereas schema-incongruent or novel information is encoded by the hippocampus. Stress is a powerful modulator of prefrontal and hippocampal functioning and first studies suggest a stress-induced deficit of schema-related learning. However, the underlying neural mechanism is currently unknown. To investigate the neural basis of a stress-induced schema-related learning impairment, participants first acquired a schema. One day later, they underwent a stress induction or a control procedure before learning schema-related and novel information in the MRI scanner. In line with previous studies, learning schema-related compared to novel information activated the mPFC, angular gyrus, and precuneus. Stress, however, affected the neural ensemble activated during learning. Whereas the control group distinguished between sets of brain regions for related and novel information, stressed individuals engaged the hippocampus even when a relevant schema was present. Additionally, stressed participants displayed aberrant functional connectivity between brain regions involved in schema processing when encoding novel information. The failure to segregate functional connectivity patterns depending on the presence of prior knowledge was linked to impaired performance after stress. Our results show that stress affects the neural ensemble underlying the efficient use of schemas during learning. These findings may have relevant implications for clinical and educational settings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of false correction strategy on science reading comprehension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghent, Cynthia Anne

False-correction reading strategy theoretically prompted college students to activate their prior knowledge when provided false statements linked to a portion of their biology textbook. This strategy is based in elaborative interrogation theory, which suggests that prompting readers to answer interrogatives about text students are reading increases their comprehension of that text. These interrogatives always asked "why" statements pulled from a text, one sentence in length, were "true." True statements in this study based on a text were converted by the experimenter into false statements, one sentence in length. Students were requested to rewrite each statement (n=12) on average every 200 words in a text as they were reading, converting each false statement into a true statement. These students outperformed other students requested to reread the same biology text twice (an established placebo-control strategy). These students, in turn, outperformed still other students reading an unrelated control text taken from the same textbook used only to establish a prior knowledge baseline for all students included in this study. Students participating in this study were enrolled students in an undergraduate introductory general biology course designed for non-majors. A three-group, posttest-only, randomized experimental control-group design was used to prevent pretest activation of students' prior knowledge thus increasing chances of producing evidence of false-correction effectiveness and to begin augmenting potential generalizability to science classrooms. Students' (n=357) general biology knowledge, verbal ability, and attempts to use the false correction strategy were collected and analyzed. Eight of the participants were interviewed by the researcher in a first attempt in this domain to collect data on participants' points of view about the strategy. The results of this study are not yet recommended for use in authentic school settings as further research is indicated.

The influence of activation level on belief bias in relational reasoning.

PubMed

Banks, Adrian P

2013-04-01

A novel explanation of belief bias in relational reasoning is presented based on the role of working memory and retrieval in deductive reasoning, and the influence of prior knowledge on this process. It is proposed that belief bias is caused by the believability of a conclusion in working memory which influences its activation level, determining its likelihood of retrieval and therefore its effect on the reasoning process. This theory explores two main influences of belief on the activation levels of these conclusions. First, believable conclusions have higher activation levels and so are more likely to be recalled during the evaluation of reasoning problems than unbelievable conclusions, and therefore, they have a greater influence on the reasoning process. Secondly, prior beliefs about the conclusion have a base level of activation and may be retrieved when logically irrelevant, influencing the evaluation of the problem. The theory of activation and memory is derived from the Atomic Components of Thought-Rational (ACT-R) cognitive architecture and so this account is formalized in an ACT-R cognitive model. Two experiments were conducted to test predictions of this model. Experiment 1 tested strength of belief and Experiment 2 tested the impact of a concurrent working memory load. Both of these manipulations increased the main effect of belief overall and in particular raised belief-based responding in indeterminately invalid problems. These effects support the idea that the activation level of conclusions formed during reasoning influences belief bias. This theory adds to current explanations of belief bias by providing a detailed specification of the role of working memory and how it is influenced by prior knowledge. Copyright © 2012 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Conceptual change strategies in teaching genetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batzli, Laura Elizabeth

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of utilizing conceptual change strategies when teaching high school genetics. The study examined the effects of structuring instruction to provide students with cognitive situations which promote conceptual change, specifically instruction was structured to elicit students' prior knowledge. The goal of the study was that the students would not only be able to solve genetics problems and define basic terminology but they would also have constructed more scientific schemas of the actual processes involved in inheritance. This study is based on the constructivist theory of learning and conceptual change research which suggest that students are actively involved in the process of relating new information to prior knowledge as they construct new knowledge. Two sections of biology II classes received inquiry based instruction and participated in structured cooperative learning groups. However, the unique difference in the treatment group's instruction was the use of structured thought time and the resulting social interaction between the students. The treatment group students' instructional design allowed students to socially construct their cognitive knowledge after elicitation of their prior knowledge. In contrast, the instructional design for the control group students allowed them to socially construct their cognitive knowledge of genetics without the individually structured thought time. The results indicated that the conceptual change strategies with individually structured thought time improved the students' scientific mastery of genetics concepts and they maintained fewer post instructional alternative conceptions. Although all students gained the ability to correctly solve genetics problems, the treatment group students were able to explain the processes involved in terms of meiosis. The treatment group students were also able to better apply their knowledge to novel genetic situations. The implications for genetics instruction from these results were discussed.

When does prior knowledge disproportionately benefit older adults’ memory?

PubMed Central

Badham, Stephen P.; Hay, Mhairi; Foxon, Natasha; Kaur, Kiran; Maylor, Elizabeth A.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Material consistent with knowledge/experience is generally more memorable than material inconsistent with knowledge/experience – an effect that can be more extreme in older adults. Four experiments investigated knowledge effects on memory with young and older adults. Memory for familiar and unfamiliar proverbs (Experiment 1) and for common and uncommon scenes (Experiment 2) showed similar knowledge effects across age groups. Memory for person-consistent and person-neutral actions (Experiment 3) showed a greater benefit of prior knowledge in older adults. For cued recall of related and unrelated word pairs (Experiment 4), older adults benefited more from prior knowledge only when it provided uniquely useful additional information beyond the episodic association itself. The current data and literature suggest that prior knowledge has the age-dissociable mnemonic properties of (1) improving memory for the episodes themselves (age invariant), and (2) providing conceptual information about the tasks/stimuli extrinsically to the actual episodic memory (particularly aiding older adults). PMID:26473767

Is an Illustration Always Worth Ten Thousand Words? Effects of Prior Knowledge, Learning Style and Multimedia Illustrations on Text Comprehension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ollerenshaw, Alison; Aidman, Eugene; Kidd, Garry

1997-01-01

This study examined comprehension in four groups of undergraduates under text only, multimedia, and two diagram conditions of text supplementation. Results indicated that effects of text supplementation are mediated by prior knowledge and learning style: multimedia appears more beneficial to surface learners with little prior knowledge and makes…

Effects of Prior Knowledge in Mathematics on Learner-Interface Interactions in a Learning-by-Teaching Intelligent Tutoring System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bringula, Rex P.; Basa, Roselle S.; Dela Cruz, Cecilio; Rodrigo, Ma. Mercedes T.

2016-01-01

This study attempted to determine the influence of prior knowledge in mathematics of students on learner-interface interactions in a learning-by-teaching intelligent tutoring system. One hundred thirty-nine high school students answered a pretest (i.e., the prior knowledge in mathematics) and a posttest. In between the pretest and posttest, they…

The Effect of the States of Prior Knowledge on Question Answering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Betty C.

A study was conducted to gain insight into the question answering abilities of good and poor readers by comparing how well they answered questions when their prior knowledge was at two different levels (high, low) and in four different states. These states of prior knowledge consisted of the ways in which answers to the questions were stored in…

Learning from Instructional Animations: How Does Prior Knowledge Mediate the Effect of Visual Cues?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arslan-Ari, I.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cueing and prior knowledge on learning and mental effort of students studying an animation with narration. This study employed a 2 (no cueing vs. visual cueing) × 2 (low vs. high prior knowledge) between-subjects factorial design. The results revealed a significant interaction effect…

Military Healthcare Providers' Knowledge and Comfort Regarding the Medical Care of Active Duty Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Patients.

PubMed

Rerucha, Caitlyn M; Runser, Lloyd A; Ee, Juliana S; Hersey, Elizabeth G

2018-01-01

This study assessed military healthcare providers' knowledge, clinical practice, and comfort in caring for active duty (AD) lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) patients. Primary care providers at Fort Bragg, North Carolina were surveyed anonymously. The response rate was 28% (n = 40). Almost two-thirds of the respondents felt comfortable discussing sexual health with AD patients, but only 5% inquired about same-sex sexual activity. Slightly less than one-third reported prior training in LGB healthcare topics and nearly four-fifths desired clear guidance from the Department of Defense regarding the process for screening and documentation of AD same-sex sexual activity. The findings highlight providers' need and desire for training in LGB patient care.

Predicting fifth-grade students' understanding of ecological science concepts with motivational and cognitive variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alao, Solomon

The need to identify factors that contribute to students' understanding of ecological concepts has been widely expressed in recent literature. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between fifth grade students' prior knowledge, learning strategies, interest, and learning goals and their conceptual understanding of ecological science concepts. Subject were 72 students from three fifth grade classrooms located in a metropolitan area of the eastern United States. Students completed the goal commitment, interest, and strategy use questionnaire (GISQ), and a knowledge test designed to assess their prior knowledge and conceptual understanding of ecological science concepts. The learning goals scale assessed intentions to try to learn and understand ecological concepts. The interest scale assessed the feeling and value-related valences that students ascribed to science and ecological science concepts. The strategy use scale assessed the use of two cognitive strategies (monitoring and elaboration). The knowledge test assessed students' understanding of ecological concepts (the relationship between living organisms and their environment). Scores on all measures were examined for gender differences; no significant gender differences were observed. The motivational and cognitive variables contributed to students' understanding of ecological concepts. After accounting for interest, learning goals, and strategy use, prior knowledge accounted for 28% of the total variance in conceptual understanding. After accounting for prior knowledge, interest, learning goals, and strategy use explained 7%, 6%, and 4% of the total variance in conceptual understanding, respectively. More importantly, these variables were interrelated to each other and to conceptual understanding. After controlling for prior knowledge, learning goals, and strategy use, interest did not predict the variance in conceptual understanding. After controlling for prior knowledge, interest, and strategy use, learning goals did not predict the variance in conceptual understanding. And, after controlling for prior knowledge, interest, and learning goals, strategy use did not predict the variance in conceptual understanding. Results of this study indicated that prior knowledge, interest, learning goals, and strategy use should be included in theoretical models design to explain and to predict fifth grade students' understanding of ecological concepts. Results of this study further suggested that curriculum developers and science teachers need to take fifth grade students' prior knowledge of ecological concepts, interest in science and ecological concepts; intentions to learn and understand ecological concepts, and use of cognitive strategies into account when designing instructional contexts to support these students' understanding of ecological concepts.

The relation between prior knowledge and students' collaborative discovery learning processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gijlers, Hannie; de Jong, Ton

2005-03-01

In this study we investigate how prior knowledge influences knowledge development during collaborative discovery learning. Fifteen dyads of students (pre-university education, 15-16 years old) worked on a discovery learning task in the physics field of kinematics. The (face-to-face) communication between students was recorded and the interaction with the environment was logged. Based on students' individual judgments of the truth-value and testability of a series of domain-specific propositions, a detailed description of the knowledge configuration for each dyad was created before they entered the learning environment. Qualitative analyses of two dialogues illustrated that prior knowledge influences the discovery learning processes, and knowledge development in a pair of students. Assessments of student and dyad definitional (domain-specific) knowledge, generic (mathematical and graph) knowledge, and generic (discovery) skills were related to the students' dialogue in different discovery learning processes. Results show that a high level of definitional prior knowledge is positively related to the proportion of communication regarding the interpretation of results. Heterogeneity with respect to generic prior knowledge was positively related to the number of utterances made in the discovery process categories hypotheses generation and experimentation. Results of the qualitative analyses indicated that collaboration between extremely heterogeneous dyads is difficult when the high achiever is not willing to scaffold information and work in the low achiever's zone of proximal development.

Conditional reasoning in autism: activation and integration of knowledge and belief.

PubMed

McKenzie, Rebecca; Evans, Jonathan St B T; Handley, Simon J

2010-03-01

Everyday conditional reasoning is typically influenced by prior knowledge and belief in the form of specific exceptions known as counterexamples. This study explored whether adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; N = 26) were less influenced by background knowledge than typically developing adolescents (N = 38) when engaged in conditional reasoning. Participants were presented with pretested valid and invalid conditional inferences with varying available counterexamples. The group with ASD showed significantly less influence of prior knowledge on valid inferences (p = .01) and invalid inferences (p = .01) compared with the typical group. In a secondary probability judgment task, no significant group differences were found in probabilistic judgments of the believability of the premises. Further experiments found that results could not be explained by differences between the groups in the ability to generate counterexamples or any tendency among adolescents with ASD to exhibit a "yes" response pattern. It was concluded that adolescents with ASD tend not to spontaneously contextualize presented material when engaged in everyday reasoning. These findings are discussed with reference to weak central coherence theory and the conditional reasoning literature.

The Influence of Self-Regulated Learning and Prior Knowledge on Knowledge Acquisition in Computer-Based Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernacki, Matthew

2010-01-01

This study examined how learners construct textbase and situation model knowledge in hypertext computer-based learning environments (CBLEs) and documented the influence of specific self-regulated learning (SRL) tactics, prior knowledge, and characteristics of the learner on posttest knowledge scores from exposure to a hypertext. A sample of 160…

Uncertainty Quantification Techniques for Population Density Estimates Derived from Sparse Open Source Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stewart, Robert N; White, Devin A; Urban, Marie L

2013-01-01

The Population Density Tables (PDT) project at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (www.ornl.gov) is developing population density estimates for specific human activities under normal patterns of life based largely on information available in open source. Currently, activity based density estimates are based on simple summary data statistics such as range and mean. Researchers are interested in improving activity estimation and uncertainty quantification by adopting a Bayesian framework that considers both data and sociocultural knowledge. Under a Bayesian approach knowledge about population density may be encoded through the process of expert elicitation. Due to the scale of the PDT effort whichmore » considers over 250 countries, spans 40 human activity categories, and includes numerous contributors, an elicitation tool is required that can be operationalized within an enterprise data collection and reporting system. Such a method would ideally require that the contributor have minimal statistical knowledge, require minimal input by a statistician or facilitator, consider human difficulties in expressing qualitative knowledge in a quantitative setting, and provide methods by which the contributor can appraise whether their understanding and associated uncertainty was well captured. This paper introduces an algorithm that transforms answers to simple, non-statistical questions into a bivariate Gaussian distribution as the prior for the Beta distribution. Based on geometric properties of the Beta distribution parameter feasibility space and the bivariate Gaussian distribution, an automated method for encoding is developed that responds to these challenging enterprise requirements. Though created within the context of population density, this approach may be applicable to a wide array of problem domains requiring informative priors for the Beta distribution.« less

Sensor fusion II: Human and machine strategies; Proceedings of the Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, Nov. 6-9, 1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schenker, Paul S. (Editor)

1990-01-01

Various papers on human and machine strategies in sensor fusion are presented. The general topics addressed include: active vision, measurement and analysis of visual motion, decision models for sensor fusion, implementation of sensor fusion algorithms, applying sensor fusion to image analysis, perceptual modules and their fusion, perceptual organization and object recognition, planning and the integration of high-level knowledge with perception, using prior knowledge and context in sensor fusion.

Proteus: A Lecturer-Friendly Adaptive Tutoring System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sessink, Olivier D. T.; Beeftink, Hendrik H.; Tramper, Johannes; Hartog, Rob J. M.

2007-01-01

Effectively targeting a heterogeneous student population is a common challenge in academic courses. Most traditional learning material targets the "average student," and is suboptimal for students who lack certain prior knowledge, or students who have already attained some of the course objectives. Student-activating learning material supports…

"We Know but We Don't Really Know": Diet, Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Knowledge and Beliefs Among Underserved Pregnant Women.

PubMed

Beckham, A Jenna; Urrutia, Rachel Peragallo; Sahadeo, Latoya; Corbie-Smith, Giselle; Nicholson, Wanda

2015-08-01

To describe the knowledge of underserved pregnant women related to diet, physical activity, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Underserved pregnant women from the University of North Carolina and Pitt County, North Carolina participated in 9 focus group interviews. Focus group questions focused on knowledge of CVD risk factors, lifestyle prevention strategies such as diet and physical activity, and the sources of such knowledge. Data were analyzed with the constant comparative method. Prior to the focus group, each woman was invited to complete a telephone survey to collect demographic information and responses to a 13-item CVD knowledge questionnaire. Means and frequency procedures were used to analyze demographic information. Fifty women participated in nine focus group interviews. Participants possessed basic knowledge of CVD risk factors and preventive strategies, such as basic guidelines and recommendations for healthy diet and physical activity in pregnancy. However, women often receive incomplete guidance from obstetric providers, and women, therefore, desired more information on these topics. Some gaps were filled by nurses and nutritionists. Women also sought information from female friends and relatives. Incorrect knowledge was demonstrated in all groups and led to less healthful behaviors in some cases. Underserved pregnant women have basic knowledge about healthy lifestyle and CVD prevention behaviors; however important gaps and misinformation exist.

Does prior domain-specific content knowledge influence students' recall of arguments surrounding interdisciplinary topics?

PubMed

Schmidt, Hiemke K; Rothgangel, Martin; Grube, Dietmar

2017-12-01

Awareness of various arguments can help interactants present opinions, stress points, and build counterarguments during discussions. At school, some topics are taught in a way that students learn to accumulate knowledge and gather arguments, and later employ them during debates. Prior knowledge may facilitate recalling information on well structured, fact-based topics, but does it facilitate recalling arguments during discussions on complex, interdisciplinary topics? We assessed the prior knowledge in domains related to a bioethical topic of 277 students from Germany (approximately 15 years old), their interest in the topic, and their general knowledge. The students read a text with arguments for and against prenatal diagnostics and tried to recall the arguments one week later and again six weeks later. Prior knowledge in various domains related to the topic individually and separately helped students recall the arguments. These relationships were independent of students' interest in the topic and their general knowledge. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An active-learning laboratory on immunizations.

PubMed

Donohoe, Krista L; Mawyer, Tonya M; Stevens, J Tyler; Morgan, Laura A; Harpe, Spencer E

2012-12-12

To implement and evaluate an active-learning laboratory activity to teach pharmacy students about influenza, pneumococcal, and shingles vaccines. The laboratory session was divided into 6 immunization stations: 3 stations on influenza including a pediatrics station, and 1 station each for pneumococcal, shingles, and anaphylaxis. Although 118 of 123 (95.9%) students had completed an immunization training certificate prior to attending the laboratory, the average score on a pre-assessment to measure immunization knowledge and confidence was 56%. The post-assessment score was 87.4%. Students' confidence improved by 18.7% to 51.2% in each of the 5 areas assessed. Most respondents rated the activity overall as good or excellent on a post-activity evaluation. An active-learning approach to teaching immunizations allowed students to gain knowledge in simulated real-world experiences and reinforced key concepts on influenza, pneumococcal, and shingles vaccines.

Prior Knowledge Guides Speech Segregation in Human Auditory Cortex.

PubMed

Wang, Yuanye; Zhang, Jianfeng; Zou, Jiajie; Luo, Huan; Ding, Nai

2018-05-18

Segregating concurrent sound streams is a computationally challenging task that requires integrating bottom-up acoustic cues (e.g. pitch) and top-down prior knowledge about sound streams. In a multi-talker environment, the brain can segregate different speakers in about 100 ms in auditory cortex. Here, we used magnetoencephalographic (MEG) recordings to investigate the temporal and spatial signature of how the brain utilizes prior knowledge to segregate 2 speech streams from the same speaker, which can hardly be separated based on bottom-up acoustic cues. In a primed condition, the participants know the target speech stream in advance while in an unprimed condition no such prior knowledge is available. Neural encoding of each speech stream is characterized by the MEG responses tracking the speech envelope. We demonstrate that an effect in bilateral superior temporal gyrus and superior temporal sulcus is much stronger in the primed condition than in the unprimed condition. Priming effects are observed at about 100 ms latency and last more than 600 ms. Interestingly, prior knowledge about the target stream facilitates speech segregation by mainly suppressing the neural tracking of the non-target speech stream. In sum, prior knowledge leads to reliable speech segregation in auditory cortex, even in the absence of reliable bottom-up speech segregation cue.

Gaming industry employees' responses to responsible gambling training: a public health imperative.

PubMed

LaPlante, Debi A; Gray, Heather M; LaBrie, Richard A; Kleschinsky, John H; Shaffer, Howard J

2012-06-01

Gaming industry employees work in settings that create personal health risks. They also have direct contact with customers who might engage in multiple risky activities (e.g., drinking, smoking, and gambling) and might need to facilitate help-seeking by patrons or co-workers who experience problems. Consequently, the empirical examination of the processes and procedures designed to prepare employees for such complex situations is a public health imperative. In the current study we describe an evaluation of the Casino, Inc. Play Responsibly responsible gaming program. We surveyed 217 employees prior to and 1 month after (n = 116) they completed a multimedia driven responsible gambling training program. We observed that employees improved their knowledge of responsible gambling concepts from baseline to follow-up. The Play Responsibly program was more successful in providing new knowledge than it was in correcting mistaken beliefs that existed prior to training. We conclude, generally, that Play Responsibly is associated with increases in employees' responsible gambling knowledge.

Contribution of prior semantic knowledge to new episodic learning in amnesia.

PubMed

Kan, Irene P; Alexander, Michael P; Verfaellie, Mieke

2009-05-01

We evaluated whether prior semantic knowledge would enhance episodic learning in amnesia. Subjects studied prices that are either congruent or incongruent with prior price knowledge for grocery and household items and then performed a forced-choice recognition test for the studied prices. Consistent with a previous report, healthy controls' performance was enhanced by price knowledge congruency; however, only a subset of amnesic patients experienced the same benefit. Whereas patients with relatively intact semantic systems, as measured by an anatomical measure (i.e., lesion involvement of anterior and lateral temporal lobes), experienced a significant congruency benefit, patients with compromised semantic systems did not experience a congruency benefit. Our findings suggest that when prior knowledge structures are intact, they can support acquisition of new episodic information by providing frameworks into which such information can be incorporated.

Using comprehension strategies with authentic text in a college chemistry course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cain, Stephen Daniel

College science students learn important topics by reading textbooks, which contain dense technical prose. Comprehension strategies are known to increase learning from reading. One class of comprehension strategies, called elaboration strategies, is intended to link new information with prior knowledge. Elaboration strategies have an appeal in science courses where new information frequently depends on previously learned information. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of an elaboration strategy in an authentic college environment. General chemistry students read text about Lewis structures, figures drawn by chemists to depict molecules, while assigned to use either an elaboration strategy, namely elaborative interrogation, or another strategy, rereading, which served as a placebo control. Two texts of equal length were employed in this pretest-posttest experimental design. One was composed by the researcher. The other was an excerpt from a college textbook and contained a procedure for constructing Lewis structures. Students (N = 252) attending a large community college were randomly assigned to one of the two texts and assigned one of the two strategies. The elaborative interrogation strategy was implemented with instructions to answer why-questions posed throughout the reading. Answering why-questions has been hypothesized to activate prior knowledge of a topic, and thus to aid in cognitively connecting new material with prior knowledge. The rereading strategy was implemented with instructions to read text twice. The use of authentic text was one of only a few instances of applying elaborative interrogation with a textbook. In addition, previous studies have generally focused on the learning of facts contained in prose. The application of elaborative interrogation to procedural text has not been previously reported. Results indicated that the more effective strategy was undetermined when reading authentic text in this setting. However, prior knowledge level was identified as a statistically significant factor for learning from authentic text. That is, students with high prior knowledge learned more, regardless of assigned strategy. Another descriptive study was conducted with a separate student sample (N = 34). Previously reported Lewis structure research was replicated. The trend of difficulty for 50 structures in the earlier work was supported.

The Effective Teacher. Position Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teacher Education Conference Board, Albany, NY.

Effective teachers not only remain abreast of new developments in their fields, but strive toward increased mastery of teaching skills by continually extending and refining the specialized knowledge acquired prior to entering the profession. Teachers are expected to lead active intellectual lives and to evince a breadth of erudition that will…

78 FR 9391 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-08

... extend the existing PRA clearance for the information collection requirements associated with the... burden of the FCLCA and Rule based on its knowledge of, and information from, the eye care industry... party prescriber. No substantive provisions in the Rule have been amended or changed since staff's prior...

What Brain Research Suggests for Teaching Reading Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Judy

2009-01-01

How the brain learns to read has been the subject of much neuroscience educational research. Evidence is mounting for identifiable networks of connected neurons that are particularly active during reading processes such as response to visual and auditory stimuli, relating new information to prior knowledge, long-term memory storage, comprehension,…

A LEARNER'S SYNOPSIS OF SWAHILI STRUCTURE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foreign Service (Dept. of State), Washington, DC. Foreign Service Inst.

WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY TO HELP STUDENTS LEARN TO READ SWAHILI NEWSPAPERS, THIS BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THAT LANGUAGE EMPHASIZES VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR PATTERNS MOST COMMONLY FOUND IN EAST AFRICAN NEWSWRITING. IT ASSUMES NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF SWAHILI AND IS DESIGNED TO BE USED WITH LESSONS 1-25 OF "AN ACTIVE INTRODUCTION TO NEWSPAPER…

Nudging toward Inquiry: Strategies for Searching for and Finding Great Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontichiaro, Kristin, Comp.

2010-01-01

Inquiry does not replace information literacy; rather, it encompasses it. Inquiry-based learning invites school librarians to step into all aspects of instructional planning, from activating prior knowledge straight through to reflection. Libraries pursuing inquiry-based instruction are building on the bedrock of information literacy, not starting…

Nudging toward Inquiry: Developing Questions and a Sense of Wonder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontichiaro, Kristin, Comp.

2010-01-01

Inquiry does not replace information literacy; it encompasses it. It encourages librarians to consider instructional design beyond information search, retrieval, citation, and use. Inquiry-based learning invites school librarians to step into all aspects of instructional planning, from activating prior knowledge straight through to reflection.…

Enzyme Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rushton, Gregory T.; Dias, Michael; McDurmon, Grant

2008-01-01

In this article, the authors describe a two-phase inquiry lesson in which students explore the catalytic activity of amylase on starch (Rungruangsa and Panijpan 1979). In the first phase, students' prior knowledge about the reaction is assessed through a set of directed prompts and small-group discussion, then challenged or reinforced as students…

How to achieve synergy between medical education and cognitive neuroscience? An exercise on prior knowledge in understanding.

PubMed

Ruiter, Dirk J; van Kesteren, Marlieke T R; Fernandez, Guillen

2012-05-01

A major challenge in contemporary research is how to connect medical education and cognitive neuroscience and achieve synergy between these domains. Based on this starting point we discuss how this may result in a common language about learning, more educationally focused scientific inquiry, and multidisciplinary research projects. As the topic of prior knowledge in understanding plays a strategic role in both medical education and cognitive neuroscience it is used as a central element in our discussion. A critical condition for the acquisition of new knowledge is the existence of prior knowledge, which can be built in a mental model or schema. Formation of schemas is a central event in student-centered active learning, by which mental models are constructed and reconstructed. These theoretical considerations from cognitive psychology foster scientific discussions that may lead to salient issues and questions for research with cognitive neuroscience. Cognitive neuroscience attempts to understand how knowledge, insight and experience are established in the brain and to clarify their neural correlates. Recently, evidence has been obtained that new information processed by the hippocampus can be consolidated into a stable, neocortical network more rapidly if this new information fits readily into a schema. Opportunities for medical education and medical education research can be created in a fruitful dialogue within an educational multidisciplinary platform. In this synergetic setting many questions can be raised by educational scholars interested in evidence-based education that may be highly relevant for integrative research and the further development of medical education.

Activating lay health influencers to promote tobacco cessation.

PubMed

Muramoto, Myra L; Hall, John R; Nichter, Mark; Nichter, Mimi; Aickin, Mikel; Connolly, Tim; Matthews, Eva; Campbell, Jean Z; Lando, Harry A

2014-05-01

To evaluate the effect of tobacco cessation brief-intervention (BI) training for lay "health influencers," on knowledge, self-efficacy and the proportion of participants reporting BI delivery post-training. Randomized, community-based study comparing In-person or Web-based training, with mailed materials. In-person and Web-training groups had significant post-training cessation knowledge and self-efficacy gains. All groups increased the proportion of individuals reporting BIs at follow-up, with no significant between-group differences. Irrespective of participants' prior intervention experience, 80%-86% reported BIs within the past 90 days; 71%-79% reported >1 in the past 30. Web and In-person training significantly increase health influencer cessation knowledge and self-efficacy. With minimal prompting and materials, even persons without BI experience can be activated to encourage tobacco cessation.

Assessment of knowledge transfer in the context of biomechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchison, Randolph E.

The dynamic act of knowledge transfer, or the connection of a student's prior knowledge to features of a new problem, could be considered one of the primary goals of education. Yet studies highlight more instances of failure than success. This dissertation focuses on how knowledge transfer takes place during individual problem solving, in classroom settings and during group work. Through the lens of dynamic transfer, or how students connect prior knowledge to problem features, this qualitative study focuses on a methodology to assess transfer in the context of biomechanics. The first phase of this work investigates how a pedagogical technique based on situated cognition theory affects students' ability to transfer knowledge gained in a biomechanics class to later experiences both in and out of the classroom. A post-class focus group examined events the students remembered from the class, what they learned from them, and how they connected them to later relevant experiences inside and outside the classroom. These results were triangulated with conceptual gains evaluated through concept inventories and pre- and post- content tests. Based on these results, the next two phases of the project take a more in-depth look at dynamic knowledge transfer during independent problem-solving and group project interactions, respectively. By categorizing prior knowledge (Source Tools), problem features (Target Tools) and the connections between them, results from the second phase of this study showed that within individual problem solving, source tools were almost exclusively derived from "propagated sources," i.e. those based on an authoritative source. This differs from findings in the third phase of the project, in which a mixture of "propagated" sources and "fabricated" sources, i.e. those based on student experiences, were identified within the group project work. This methodology is effective at assessing knowledge transfer in the context of biomechanics through evidence of the ability to identify differing patterns of how different students apply prior knowledge and make new connections between prior knowledge and current problem features in different learning situations. Implications for the use of this methodology include providing insight into not only students' prior knowledge, but also how they connect this prior knowledge to problem features (i.e. dynamic knowledge transfer). It also allows the identification of instances in which external input from other students or the instructor prompted knowledge transfer to take place. The use of this dynamic knowledge transfer lens allows the addressing of gaps in student understanding, and permits further investigations of techniques that increase instances of successful knowledge transfer.

Scalable Learning for Geostatistics and Speaker Recognition

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

of prior knowledge of the model or due to improved robustness requirements). Both these methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. The use...application. If the data is well-correlated and low-dimensional, any prior knowledge available on the data can be used to build a parametric model. In the...absence of prior knowledge , non-parametric methods can be used. If the data is high-dimensional, PCA based dimensionality reduction is often the first

SU-E-J-71: Spatially Preserving Prior Knowledge-Based Treatment Planning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, H; Xing, L

2015-06-15

Purpose: Prior knowledge-based treatment planning is impeded by the use of a single dose volume histogram (DVH) curve. Critical spatial information is lost from collapsing the dose distribution into a histogram. Even similar patients possess geometric variations that becomes inaccessible in the form of a single DVH. We propose a simple prior knowledge-based planning scheme that extracts features from prior dose distribution while still preserving the spatial information. Methods: A prior patient plan is not used as a mere starting point for a new patient but rather stopping criteria are constructed. Each structure from the prior patient is partitioned intomore » multiple shells. For instance, the PTV is partitioned into an inner, middle, and outer shell. Prior dose statistics are then extracted for each shell and translated into the appropriate Dmin and Dmax parameters for the new patient. Results: The partitioned dose information from a prior case has been applied onto 14 2-D prostate cases. Using prior case yielded final DVHs that was comparable to manual planning, even though the DVH for the prior case was different from the DVH for the 14 cases. Solely using a single DVH for the entire organ was also performed for comparison but showed a much poorer performance. Different ways of translating the prior dose statistics into parameters for the new patient was also tested. Conclusion: Prior knowledge-based treatment planning need to salvage the spatial information without transforming the patients on a voxel to voxel basis. An efficient balance between the anatomy and dose domain is gained through partitioning the organs into multiple shells. The use of prior knowledge not only serves as a starting point for a new case but the information extracted from the partitioned shells are also translated into stopping criteria for the optimization problem at hand.« less

Top-down (Prior Knowledge) and Bottom-up (Perceptual Modality) Influences on Spontaneous Interpersonal Synchronization.

PubMed

Gipson, Christina L; Gorman, Jamie C; Hessler, Eric E

2016-04-01

Coordination with others is such a fundamental part of human activity that it can happen unintentionally. This unintentional coordination can manifest as synchronization and is observed in physical and human systems alike. We investigated the role of top-down influences (prior knowledge of the perceptual modality their partner is using) and bottom-up factors (perceptual modality combination) on spontaneous interpersonal synchronization. We examine this phenomena with respect to two different theoretical perspectives that differently emphasize top-down and bottom-up factors in interpersonal synchronization: joint-action/shared cognition theories and ecological-interactive theories. In an empirical study twelve dyads performed a finger oscillation task while attending to each other's movements through either visual, auditory, or visual and auditory perceptual modalities. Half of the participants were given prior knowledge of their partner's perceptual capabilities for coordinating across these different perceptual modality combinations. We found that the effect of top-down influence depends on the perceptual modality combination between two individuals. When people used the same perceptual modalities, top-down influence resulted in less synchronization and when people used different perceptual modalities, top-down influence resulted in more synchronization. Furthermore, persistence in the change in behavior as a result of having perceptual information about each other ('social memory') was stronger when this top-down influence was present.

Sexual activity during pregnancy.

PubMed

Staruch, Monika; Kucharczyk, Aleksandra; Zawadzka, Katarzyna; Wielgos, Miroslaw; Szymusik, Iwona

2016-01-01

Pregnancy is usually associated with significant regression in genito-genital intercourse frequency, sexual desire and satisfaction. The aim of the study was to determine women's sexual habits during the third trimester of gestation and to compare their sexual activity before the current pregnancy and during previous pregnancies in case of multiparas. The study material consisted of women in the third trimester of pregnancy, recruited from the Outpatient Clinic of the 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw between January 2013 and February 2014, who filled out a self-prepared questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three parts: demographic data, sexual activity prior to current pregnancy and during gestation, including sexual positions and sources of knowledge regarding the subject. The survey involved 25 questions and was distributed among 220 patients, out of which 165 were returned and 149 properly filled out and analyzed. The average age of the respondents was 29.6 ± 4.85 years; the majority (78.8%) were in an uncomplicated pregnancy. The decrease in sexual activity was evident in all age groups--the majority usually had sex 1 to 3 times a month in contrast to 1-2 times a week prior to conceiving. Sexual activity decreased significantly with increasing age. The main reasons for abandoning sexual activity included: decreased libido (35.5%), the doctor's suggestion (29%) and fears concerning child's health (29%). During pregnancy the frequency of vaginal intercourse significantly decreased (100% prior to vs. 86.6% during pregnancy; p < 0.001); as did oral sex (44.3% vs. 29.5%; p = 0.043) and anal sex (12% vs. 5.4%; p = 0.02). 54% of the respondents declared reduced satisfaction with sexual life during pregnancy in comparison with the previous period; almost half (43.5%) felt less attractive while pregnant. The same claim was related to libido--it decreased in 58.8% of respondents. Multiparas tended to have sexual intercourses less often in consecutive pregnancies (41.2%) or with an equal frequency (35.3%). The main source of knowledge about sexual life during pregnancy listed by women included internet and other media (63.5%), while medical staff was mentioned by 30%. Sexual activity decreases during gestation, however, it often result from an increased fear for the child and lack of possibilities to confront and broaden the knowledge on this subject. The role of medical staff in consulting sexual activity problems is insufficient.

Comfort and experience with online learning: trends over nine years and associations with knowledge.

PubMed

Cook, David A; Thompson, Warren G

2014-07-01

Some evidence suggests that attitude toward computer-based instruction is an important determinant of success in online learning. We sought to determine how comfort using computers and perceptions of prior online learning experiences have changed over the past decade, and how these associate with learning outcomes. Each year from 2003-2011 we conducted a prospective trial of online learning. As part of each year's study, we asked medicine residents about their comfort using computers and if their previous experiences with online learning were favorable. We assessed knowledge using a multiple-choice test. We used regression to analyze associations and changes over time. 371 internal medicine and family medicine residents participated. Neither comfort with computers nor perceptions of prior online learning experiences showed a significant change across years (p > 0.61), with mean comfort rating 3.96 (maximum 5 = very comfortable) and mean experience rating 4.42 (maximum 6 = strongly agree [favorable]). Comfort showed no significant association with knowledge scores (p = 0.39) but perceptions of prior experiences did, with a 1.56% rise in knowledge score for a 1-point rise in experience score (p = 0.02). Correlations among comfort, perceptions of prior experiences, and number of prior experiences were all small and not statistically significant. Comfort with computers and perceptions of prior experience with online learning remained stable over nine years. Prior good experiences (but not comfort with computers) demonstrated a modest association with knowledge outcomes, suggesting that prior course satisfaction may influence subsequent learning.

7 CFR 275.2 - State agency responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...: (i) Data collection through management evaluation (ME) reviews and quality control (QC) reviews; (ii... knowledge of either the household or the decision under review. Where there is prior knowledge, the reviewer must disqualify her/himself. Prior knowledge is defined as having: (1) Taken any part in the decision...

7 CFR 275.2 - State agency responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...: (i) Data collection through management evaluation (ME) reviews and quality control (QC) reviews; (ii... knowledge of either the household or the decision under review. Where there is prior knowledge, the reviewer must disqualify her/himself. Prior knowledge is defined as having: (1) Taken any part in the decision...

7 CFR 275.2 - State agency responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...: (i) Data collection through management evaluation (ME) reviews and quality control (QC) reviews; (ii... knowledge of either the household or the decision under review. Where there is prior knowledge, the reviewer must disqualify her/himself. Prior knowledge is defined as having: (1) Taken any part in the decision...

7 CFR 275.2 - State agency responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...: (i) Data collection through management evaluation (ME) reviews and quality control (QC) reviews; (ii... knowledge of either the household or the decision under review. Where there is prior knowledge, the reviewer must disqualify her/himself. Prior knowledge is defined as having: (1) Taken any part in the decision...

7 CFR 275.2 - State agency responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...: (i) Data collection through management evaluation (ME) reviews and quality control (QC) reviews; (ii... knowledge of either the household or the decision under review. Where there is prior knowledge, the reviewer must disqualify her/himself. Prior knowledge is defined as having: (1) Taken any part in the decision...

Level of Skill Argued Students on Physics Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viyanti, V.; Cari, C.; Sunarno, W.; Prasetyo, Z. K.

2017-09-01

This study aims to analyze the prior knowledge of students to map the level of skills to argue floating and sinking material. Prior knowledge is the process of concept formation in cognitive processes spontaneously or based on student experience. The study population is high school students of class XI. The sample selection using cluster random sampling, obtained the number of sampel as many as 50 student. The research used descriptive survey method. The data were obtained through a multiple choice test both grounded and interviewed. The data analyzed refers to: alignment the concept and the activity of developing the skill of the argument. The result obtained by the average level of skill argue in terms of the prior knowladge of on “Level 2”. The data show that students have difficulty expressing simple arguments consisting of only one statement. This indicates a lack of student experience in cultivating argumentative skills in their learning. The skill level mapping argued in this study to be a reference for researchers to provide feedback measures to obtain positive change in cognitive conflict argued.

Self-Explanation in the Domain of Statistics: An Expertise Reversal Effect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leppink, Jimmie; Broers, Nick J.; Imbos, Tjaart; van der Vleuten, Cees P. M.; Berger, Martijn P. F.

2012-01-01

This study investigated the effects of four instructional methods on cognitive load, propositional knowledge, and conceptual understanding of statistics, for low prior knowledge students and for high prior knowledge students. The instructional methods were (1) a reading-only control condition, (2) answering open-ended questions, (3) answering…

Executive Functions in the Context of Complex Learning: Malleable Moderators?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwaighofer, Matthias; Bühner, Markus; Fischer, Frank

2017-01-01

Executive functions are crucial for complex learning in addition to prior knowledge. In this article, we argue that executive functions can moderate the effectiveness of instructional approaches that vary with respect to the demand on these functions. In addition, we suggest that engagement in complex activity contexts rather than specific…

Approaches for Motivating and Enabling Eighth Graders To Comprehend History Textbooks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byer, John L.

This paper suggests a three-step approach for motivating and enabling eighth graders to authentically attempt to comprehend assigned passages from their U.S. history textbooks. The steps are the following: (1) attempt to activate prior knowledge and interest in textual readings by using relevant materials and varied literary sources to motivate…

The Periodic Table as a Tool for Teaching the Nature of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Erin E.; Sterling, Donna R.

2008-01-01

Teaching the connectedness of relationships among elements in the Periodic Table is often an overwhelming task, and can result in shallow student understanding. This article contains a series of activities that evoke student prior knowledge about classification, leads them to discover periodicity and other relationships among the characteristics…

An Experiment in Teaching Invention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Andre

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that invention can be taught to business students who do not have the prior technical knowledge that is assumed to be a requirement for this kind of activity. Design/methodology/approach: This paper contains reflections on the results of introducing a specific course in inventing based on the…

Explicit Constructivism: A Missing Link in Ineffective Lectures?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prakash, E. S.

2010-01-01

This study tested the possibility that interactive lectures explicitly based on activating learners' prior knowledge and driven by a series of logical questions might enhance the effectiveness of lectures. A class of 54 students doing the respiratory system course in the second year of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery program in my…

Experimentation with Computer-Assisted Instruction in Technical Education. Semi-Annual Progress Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitzel, Harold E.; Brandon, George L.

A series of five reports is presented which describes the activities carried out by the Pennsylvania State University group engaged in research in computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in vocational-technical education. The reports cover the period January 1968-June 1968 and deal with: 1) prior knowledge and individualized instruction; 2) numerical…

Fostering Active Processing of Instructional Explanations of Learners with High and Low Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acuna, Santiago R.; Garcia Rodicio, Hector; Sanchez, Emilio

2011-01-01

Despite the potential advantages of instructional explanations, evidence indicates that they are usually ineffective. Subsequent work has shown that in order to make instructional explanations effective indeed, one successful strategy is to combine them with indications of the limitations in learners' understanding that they are intended to…

Generating Hierarchical Document Indices from Common Denominators in Large Document Collections.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Kane, Kevin C.

1996-01-01

Describes an algorithm for computer generation of hierarchical indexes for document collections. The resulting index, when presented with a graphical interface, provides users with a view of a document collection that permits general browsing and informal search activities via an access method that requires no keyboard entry or prior knowledge of…

Participation in Government NR. A Guide for Teachers, Grade 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Addario, Alice

The "Participation in Government" course is intended to be a culminating activity for social studies students in New York State high schools. Designed to have students apply prior knowledge in the determination of positions regarding vital public issues, the course is particularly crucial for non-regents students, for it will, in many…

D'oh! Using "The Simpsons" to Improve Student Response to Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eikmeier, Ginger M.

2008-01-01

Students in Ginger M. Eikmeier's high school classes link themes and terms from their readings to episodes of "The Simpsons." Because students are already familiar with "The Simpsons," Eikmeier believes that using the show supports students' comprehension and retention by activating prior knowledge. Additionally, it shows students that she cares…

Knowledge, Practices, and Attitudes of Emergency Contraception among Female University Students in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Hoque, Muhammad Ehsanul; Ghuman, Shanaz

2012-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study is to investigate the knowledge, practices, and attitudes among female university students in South Africa regarding emergency contraceptives (EC). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 582 female university students who were selected using multi-stage sampling techniques. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to find significant predictors for EC awareness. Results The average age of the female students was 20.9 years (SD = 3.0) and 57.2% were presently sexually active. Overall, 49.8% of the participants reported having heard about EC prior to the study. Regarding sexual activities among the female students, 53.2% reported to have sex, and 21.2% of the sexually experienced students used EC prior to the study. Regarding the effectiveness of EC, 29.5% students said it could be used up to 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse, and 8% said it could be used just before sex. About two-thirds (61.8%) would recommend the use of EC and 63.2% would use it if they needed. The multivariate analysis indicated that students who were older (>20 years), presently sexually active, and living with their parents were more likely to be aware of EC (p<0.05). Conclusion The students’ knowledge and utilization of EC were low. Health education and promotion should be targeted towards these students, and the EC services should be offered on campus. PMID:23050018

Activating Lay Health Influencers to Promote Tobacco Cessation

PubMed Central

Muramoto, Myra L.; Hall, John R.; Nichter, Mark; Nichter, Mimi; Aickin, Mikel; Connolly, Tim; Matthews, Eva; Campbell, Jean Z.; Lando, Harry A.

2014-01-01

Objective Evaluate the effect of tobacco cessation brief-intervention (BI) training for lay “health influencers,” on knowledge, self-efficacy and the proportion of participants reporting BI delivery post-training. Methods Randomized, community-based study comparing In-person or Web-based training, with mailed materials. Results In-person and Web-training groups had significant post-training cessation knowledge and self-efficacy gains. All groups increased the proportion of individuals reporting BIs at follow-up, with no significant between-group differences. Irrespective of participants’ prior intervention experience, 80–86% reported BIs within the past 90 days; 71–79% reported ≥1 in the past 30. Conclusions Web and In-person training significantly increase health influencer cessation knowledge and self-efficacy. With minimal prompting and materials, even persons without BI experience can be activated to encourage tobacco cessation. PMID:24636035

Reading Time as Evidence for Mental Models in Understanding Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brookes, David T.; Mestre, José; Stine-Morrow, Elizabeth A. L.

2007-11-01

We present results of a reading study that show the usefulness of probing physics students' cognitive processing by measuring reading time. According to contemporary discourse theory, when people read a text, a network of associated inferences is activated to create a mental model. If the reader encounters an idea in the text that conflicts with existing knowledge, the construction of a coherent mental model is disrupted and reading times are prolonged, as measured using a simple self-paced reading paradigm. We used this effect to study how "non-Newtonian" and "Newtonian" students create mental models of conceptual systems in physics as they read texts related to the ideas of Newton's third law, energy, and momentum. We found significant effects of prior knowledge state on patterns of reading time, suggesting that students attempt to actively integrate physics texts with their existing knowledge.

Active-learning instruction on emergency contraception counseling.

PubMed

Young, Shardae; Griffin, Brooke; Vest, Kathleen

2013-06-12

To increase pharmacy students' knowledge of and confidence in counseling patients regarding emergency contraception and to identify any barriers to counseling patients about emergency contraception. Approximately 200 third-year pharmacy students participated in the Women's Health Therapeutics workshop at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy. Students observed a 5-minute skit of a counseling session on emergency contraception and then were asked to pair up with a classmate and practice counseling each other regarding the use of emergency contraception following a checklist of key points. One hundred eighty-nine students completed pre- and post-workshop survey instruments. Students' knowledge scores increased from 86% to 93% (p<0.001). Approximately 25% of the students stated they were confident in counseling patients on emergency contraception before completing the active-learning exercise compared to 58.5% after (p<0.001). The most common barrier to counseling that students identified on the pre- and post-workshop survey was lack of knowledge. Participation in an active-learning exercise significantly increased pharmacy students' knowledge of and confidence in counseling patients regarding emergency contraception and significantly reduced several barriers to counseling identified prior to participation.

Comfort and experience with online learning: trends over nine years and associations with knowledge

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Some evidence suggests that attitude toward computer-based instruction is an important determinant of success in online learning. We sought to determine how comfort using computers and perceptions of prior online learning experiences have changed over the past decade, and how these associate with learning outcomes. Methods Each year from 2003–2011 we conducted a prospective trial of online learning. As part of each year’s study, we asked medicine residents about their comfort using computers and if their previous experiences with online learning were favorable. We assessed knowledge using a multiple-choice test. We used regression to analyze associations and changes over time. Results 371 internal medicine and family medicine residents participated. Neither comfort with computers nor perceptions of prior online learning experiences showed a significant change across years (p > 0.61), with mean comfort rating 3.96 (maximum 5 = very comfortable) and mean experience rating 4.42 (maximum 6 = strongly agree [favorable]). Comfort showed no significant association with knowledge scores (p = 0.39) but perceptions of prior experiences did, with a 1.56% rise in knowledge score for a 1-point rise in experience score (p = 0.02). Correlations among comfort, perceptions of prior experiences, and number of prior experiences were all small and not statistically significant. Conclusions Comfort with computers and perceptions of prior experience with online learning remained stable over nine years. Prior good experiences (but not comfort with computers) demonstrated a modest association with knowledge outcomes, suggesting that prior course satisfaction may influence subsequent learning. PMID:24985690

Middle school students' knowledge of autism.

PubMed

Campbell, Jonathan M; Barger, Brian D

2011-06-01

Authors examined 1,015 middle school students' knowledge of autism using a single item of prior awareness and a 10-item Knowledge of Autism (KOA) scale. The KOA scale was designed to assess students' knowledge of the course, etiology, and symptoms associated with autism. Less than half of students (46.1%) reported having heard of autism; however, most students correctly responded that autism was a chronic condition that was not communicable. Students reporting prior awareness of autism scored higher on 9 of 10 KOA scale items when compared to their naïve counterparts. Prior awareness of autism and KOA scores also differed across schools. A more detailed understanding of developmental changes in students' knowledge of autism should improve peer educational interventions.

Relationship of prior knowledge and working engineers' learning preferences: implications for designing effective instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baukal, Charles E.; Ausburn, Lynna J.

2017-05-01

Continuing engineering education (CEE) is important to ensure engineers maintain proficiency over the life of their careers. However, relatively few studies have examined designing effective training for working engineers. Research has indicated that both learner instructional preferences and prior knowledge can impact the learning process, but it has not established if these factors are interrelated. The study reported here considered relationships of prior knowledge and three aspects of learning preferences of working engineers at a manufacturing company: learning strategy choices, verbal-visual cognitive styles, and multimedia preferences. Prior knowledge was not found to be significantly related to engineers' learning preferences, indicating independence of effects of these variables on learning. The study also examined relationships of this finding to the Multimedia Cone of Abstraction and implications for its use as an instructional design tool for CEE.

Exploring the Impact of Prior Knowledge and Appropriate Feedback on Students' Perceived Cognitive Load and Learning Outcomes: Animation-based earthquakes instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Ting-Kuang; Tseng, Kuan-Yun; Cho, Chung-Wen; Barufaldi, James P.; Lin, Mei-Shin; Chang, Chun-Yen

2012-07-01

The aim of this study was to develop an animation-based curriculum and to evaluate the effectiveness of animation-based instruction; the report involved the assessment of prior knowledge and the appropriate feedback approach, for the purpose of reducing perceived cognitive load and improving learning. The curriculum was comprised of five subunits designed to teach the 'Principles of Earthquakes.' Each subunit consisted of three modules: evaluation of prior knowledge with/without in-time feedback; animation-based instruction; and evaluation of learning outcomes with feedback. The 153 participants consisted of 10th grade high-school students. Seventy-eight students participated in the animation-based instruction, involving assessment of prior knowledge and appropriate feedback mechanism (APA group). A total of 75 students participated in animation-based learning that did not take into account their prior knowledge (ANPA group). The effectiveness of the instruction was then evaluated by using a Science Conception Test (SCT), a self-rating cognitive load questionnaire (CLQ), as well as a structured interview. The results indicated that: (1) Students' perceived cognitive load was reduced effectively through improving their prior knowledge by providing appropriate feedback. (2) When students perceived lower levels of cognitive load, they showed better learning outcome. The result of this study revealed that students of the APA group showed better performance than those of the ANPA group in an open-ended question. Furthermore, students' perceived cognitive load was negatively associated with their learning outcomes.

Small Stories for Learning: A Sociocultural Analysis of Children's Participation in Informal Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desjardins, Elia Nelson

2011-12-01

This dissertation examines the ways children use language to construct scientific knowledge in designed informal learning environments such as museums, aquariums, and zoos, with particular attention to autobiographical storytelling. This study takes as its foundation cultural-historical activity theory, defining learning as increased participation in meaningful, knowledge-based activity. It aims to improve experience design in informal learning environments by facilitating and building upon language interactions that are already in use by learners in these contexts. Fieldwork consists of audio recordings of individual children aged 4--12 as they explored a museum of science and technology with their families. Recordings were transcribed and coded according to the activity (task) and context (artifact/exhibit) in which the child was participating during each sequence of utterances. Additional evidence is provided by supplemental interviews with museum educators. Analysis suggests that short autobiographical stories can provide opportunities for learners to access metacognitive knowledge, for educators to assess learners' prior experience and knowledge, and for designers to engage affective pathways in order to increase participation that is both active and contemplative. Design implications are discussed and a design proposal for a distributed informal learning environment is presented.

Investigating the Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Instruction on Students with Different Prior Knowledge and Reading Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jing-Ru; Wang, Yuh-Chao; Tai, Hsin-Jung; Chen, Wen-Ju

2010-01-01

This study examined the differential impacts of an inquiry-based instruction on conceptual changes across levels of prior knowledge and reading ability. The instrument emphasized four simultaneously important components: conceptual knowledge, reading ability, attitude toward science, and learning environment. Although the learning patterns and…

The Relation between Prior Knowledge and Students' Collaborative Discovery Learning Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gijlers, Hannie; de Jong, Ton

2005-01-01

In this study we investigate how prior knowledge influences knowledge development during collaborative discovery learning. Fifteen dyads of students (pre-university education, 15-16 years old) worked on a discovery learning task in the physics field of kinematics. The (face-to-face) communication between students was recorded and the interaction…

Prior Knowledge and Story Processing: Integration, Selection, and Variation. Technical Report No. 138.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spiro, Rand J.

Psychological research concerning several aspects of the relationship between existing knowledge schemata and the processing of text is summarized in this report. The first section is concerned with dynamic processes of story understanding, with emphasis on the integration of information. The role of prior knowledge in accommodating parts of…

Preparation for College General Chemistry: More than Just a Matter of Content Knowledge Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cracolice, Mark S.; Busby, Brittany D.

2015-01-01

This study investigates the potential of five factors that may be predictive of success in college general chemistry courses: prior knowledge of common alternate conceptions, intelligence, scientific reasoning ability, proportional reasoning ability, and attitude toward chemistry. We found that both prior knowledge and scientific reasoning ability…

Mathematics understanding and anxiety in collaborative teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ansari, B. I.; Wahyu, N.

2017-12-01

This study aims to examine students’ mathematical understanding and anxiety using collaborative teaching. The sample consists of 51 students in the 7th-grade of MTs N Jeureula, one of the Islamic public junior high schools in Jeureula, Aceh, Indonesia. A test of mathematics understanding was administered to the students twice during the period of two months. The result suggests that there is a significant increase in mathematical understanding in the pre-test and post-test. We categorized the students into the high, intermediate, and low level of prior mathematics knowledge. In the high-level prior knowledge, there is no difference of mathematical understanding between the experiment and control group. Meanwhile, in the intermediate and low level of prior knowledge, there is a significant difference of mathematical understanding between the experiment and control group. The mathematics anxiety is at an intermediate level in the experiment class and at a high level in the control group. There is no interaction between the learning model and the students’ prior knowledge towards the mathematical understanding, but there are interactions towards the mathematics anxiety. It indicates that the collaborative teaching model and the students’ prior knowledge do not simultaneously impacts on the mathematics understanding but the mathematics anxiety.

Developmental Change in the Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Domain-Specific Knowledge on Mathematics Achievement: An Eight-Year Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Geary, David C.; Nicholas, Alan; Li, Yaoran; Sun, Jianguo

2016-01-01

The contributions of domain-general abilities and domain-specific knowledge to subsequent mathematics achievement were longitudinally assessed (n = 167) through 8th grade. First grade intelligence and working memory and prior grade reading achievement indexed domain-general effects and domain-specific effects were indexed by prior grade mathematics achievement and mathematical cognition measures of prior grade number knowledge, addition skills, and fraction knowledge. Use of functional data analysis enabled grade-by-grade estimation of overall domain-general and domain-specific effects on subsequent mathematics achievement, the relative importance of individual domain-general and domain-specific variables on this achievement, and linear and non-linear across-grade estimates of these effects. The overall importance of domain-general abilities for subsequent achievement was stable across grades, with working memory emerging as the most important domain-general ability in later grades. The importance of prior mathematical competencies on subsequent mathematics achievement increased across grades, with number knowledge and arithmetic skills critical in all grades and fraction knowledge in later grades. Overall, domain-general abilities were more important than domain-specific knowledge for mathematics learning in early grades but general abilities and domain-specific knowledge were equally important in later grades. PMID:28781382

Prior schemata transfer as an account for assessing the intuitive use of new technology.

PubMed

Fischer, Sandrine; Itoh, Makoto; Inagaki, Toshiyuki

2015-01-01

New devices are considered intuitive when they allow users to transfer prior knowledge. Drawing upon fundamental psychology experiments that distinguish prior knowledge transfer from new schema induction, a procedure was specified for assessing intuitive use. This procedure was tested with 31 participants who, prior to using an on-board computer prototype, studied its screenshots in reading vs. schema induction conditions. Distinct patterns of transfer or induction resulted for features of the prototype whose functions were familiar or unfamiliar, respectively. Though moderated by participants' cognitive style, these findings demonstrated a means for quantitatively assessing transfer of prior knowledge as the operation that underlies intuitive use. Implications for interface evaluation and design, as well as potential improvements to the procedure, are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Designing worked examples for learning tangent lines to circles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Retnowati, E.; Marissa

2018-03-01

Geometry is a branch of mathematics that deals with shape and space, including the circle. A difficult topic in the circle may be the tangent line to circle. This is considered a complex material since students have to simultaneously apply several principles to solve the problems, these are the property of circle, definition of the tangent, measurement and Pythagorean theorem. This paper discusses designs of worked examples for learning tangent line to circles and how to apply this design to an effective and efficient instructional activity. When students do not have sufficient prior knowledge, solving tangent problems might be clumsy, and as a consequence, the problem-solving activity hinders learning. According to a Cognitive Load Theory, learning occurs when students can construct new knowledge based on the relevant knowledge previously learned. When the relevant knowledge is unavailable, providing students with the worked example is suggested. Worked example may reduce unproductive process during learning that causes extraneous cognitive load. Nevertheless, worked examples must be created in such a way facilitate learning.

How Prior Knowledge and Colour Contrast Interfere Visual Search Processes in Novice Learners: An Eye Tracking Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonmez, Duygu; Altun, Arif; Mazman, Sacide Guzin

2012-01-01

This study investigates how prior content knowledge and prior exposure to microscope slides on the phases of mitosis effect students' visual search strategies and their ability to differentiate cells that are going through any phases of mitosis. Two different sets of microscope slide views were used for this purpose; with high and low colour…

Abilities of 4-7 Years Old Children to Provide Independent Explanations and Generalisations of Causality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daugirdiene, Ausra; Petrulyte, Aiste; Brandisauskiene, Agne

2018-01-01

The understanding and generalisation of causality are important thinking abilities, as they form the basis for a person's activity. Researchers exploring these abilities do not have a unified opinion regarding the age of children when they develop causative understanding and its determinant factors (e.g. age, prior knowledge, the content of a…

Student Connections with Academic Texts: A Phenomenographic Study of Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacMillan, Margy

2014-01-01

Concerns about the ability of post-secondary students to read scholarly materials are well documented in the literature. A key aspect of reading at the deeper level expected of these students is connecting new information to prior knowledge. This study is based on an activity where students were explicitly required to make such connections as part…

Identification of Boolean Network Models From Time Series Data Incorporating Prior Knowledge.

PubMed

Leifeld, Thomas; Zhang, Zhihua; Zhang, Ping

2018-01-01

Motivation: Mathematical models take an important place in science and engineering. A model can help scientists to explain dynamic behavior of a system and to understand the functionality of system components. Since length of a time series and number of replicates is limited by the cost of experiments, Boolean networks as a structurally simple and parameter-free logical model for gene regulatory networks have attracted interests of many scientists. In order to fit into the biological contexts and to lower the data requirements, biological prior knowledge is taken into consideration during the inference procedure. In the literature, the existing identification approaches can only deal with a subset of possible types of prior knowledge. Results: We propose a new approach to identify Boolean networks from time series data incorporating prior knowledge, such as partial network structure, canalizing property, positive and negative unateness. Using vector form of Boolean variables and applying a generalized matrix multiplication called the semi-tensor product (STP), each Boolean function can be equivalently converted into a matrix expression. Based on this, the identification problem is reformulated as an integer linear programming problem to reveal the system matrix of Boolean model in a computationally efficient way, whose dynamics are consistent with the important dynamics captured in the data. By using prior knowledge the number of candidate functions can be reduced during the inference. Hence, identification incorporating prior knowledge is especially suitable for the case of small size time series data and data without sufficient stimuli. The proposed approach is illustrated with the help of a biological model of the network of oxidative stress response. Conclusions: The combination of efficient reformulation of the identification problem with the possibility to incorporate various types of prior knowledge enables the application of computational model inference to systems with limited amount of time series data. The general applicability of this methodological approach makes it suitable for a variety of biological systems and of general interest for biological and medical research.

Exploring hurdles to transfer : student experiences of applying knowledge across disciplines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lappalainen, Jouni; Rosqvist, Juho

2015-04-01

This paper explores the ways students perceive the transfer of learned knowledge to new situations - often a surprisingly difficult prospect. The novel aspect compared to the traditional transfer studies is that the learning phase is not a part of the experiment itself. The intention was only to activate acquired knowledge relevant to the transfer target using a short primer immediately prior to the situation where the knowledge was to be applied. Eight volunteer students from either mathematics or computer science curricula were given a task of designing an adder circuit using logic gates: a new context in which to apply knowledge of binary arithmetic and Boolean algebra. The results of a phenomenographic classification of the views presented by the students in their post-experiment interviews are reported. The degree to which the students were conscious of the acquired knowledge they employed and how they applied it in a new context emerged as the differentiating factors.

Executive Functions as Moderators of the Worked Example Effect: When Shifting Is More Important than Working Memory Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwaighofer, Matthias; Bühner, Markus; Fischer, Frank

2016-01-01

Worked examples have proven to be effective for knowledge acquisition compared with problem solving, particularly when prior knowledge is low (e.g., Kalyuga, 2007). However, in addition to prior knowledge, executive functions and fluid intelligence might be potential moderators of the effectiveness of worked examples. The present study examines…

Can Prior Knowledge Hurt Text Comprehension? An Answer Borrowed from Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Lawrence B.

Taking a philosophical approach based on what Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes said about knowledge, this paper addresses some of the murkiness in the conceptual space surrounding the issue of whether prior knowledge does or does not facilitate text comprehension. Specifically, the paper first develops a non-exhaustive typology of cases in which…

Does Teaching Experience Matter? Examining Biology Teachers' Prior Knowledge for Teaching in an Alternative Certification Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedrichsen, Patricia J.; Abell, Sandra K.; Pareja, Enrique M.; Brown, Patrick L.; Lankford, Deanna M.; Volkmann, Mark J.

2009-01-01

Alternative certification programs (ACPs) have been proposed as a viable way to address teacher shortages, yet we know little about how teacher knowledge develops within such programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate prior knowledge for teaching among students entering an ACP, comparing individuals with teaching experience to those…

The Importance of Prior Knowledge when Comparing Examples: Influences on Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge of Equation Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Star, Jon R.; Durkin, Kelley

2009-01-01

Comparing multiple examples typically supports learning and transfer in laboratory studies and is considered a key feature of high-quality mathematics instruction. This experimental study investigated the importance of prior knowledge in learning from comparison. Seventh- and 8th-grade students (N = 236) learned to solve equations by comparing…

Enhancement of knowledge construction activities utilizing 21st century learning design rubric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedoche, Margarette Anne U.; Taladua, Janica Mae M.; Panal, Geicky Pearl C.; Magsayo, Joy R.; Guarin, Rica Mae B.; Myrna, H. Lahoylahoy

2018-01-01

The main objective of the study was to enhance knowledge construction activities on its design particularly the objectives, support materials, student activities and assessment tools. Activities from the 2nd Quarter of Science Learners Material were the basis in the adaptation of activities. The adapted activities were evaluated by the In-service Science teachers and undergone modification by the researchers based on the teacher's comments and suggestions. It was then evaluated, revised, and validated, tried-out using the 21st CLD Rubric. Subjects of the study were 110 students from Grade 7-B, Grade 7-D, Grade 7-F in Geronima Cabrera National High School, Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte during the academic year 2016-2017, the study to determine their learning capabilities investigated by the use of Knowledge Construction Activities in the 21st Century Classroom, to investigate how the lessons were understood and appreciated by students, to stimulate interpretation, analysis, synthesizing, or evaluating ideas and develop critical thinking. Both quantitative and qualitative data were obtained from the students' scores in three activities. Results showed that there was a significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores of students. Mean scores between the pretest and posttest showed a mean difference of 3.35, thus the null hypothesis was rejected. It could be concluded with sufficient evidence to show that the students had basically low prior knowledge about the topic ecosystem. A significant difference was seen in the pretest and posttest, scores of the activities and Ecosystem model results after the implementation phase that a knowledge construction type of activity was better than the traditional one for it promoted meaningful learning and active engagement of students. Based on the results, it was clear that the use of knowledge construction activities had an effect on student's achievement in comparison to traditional teaching method. Thus, it was recommended for teachers to design more activities to enhance and develop students' knowledge construction and for teachers to start using knowledge construction in the classroom to further improve students' performance.

Stress leads to aberrant hippocampal involvement when processing schema-related information.

PubMed

Vogel, Susanne; Kluen, Lisa Marieke; Fernández, Guillén; Schwabe, Lars

2018-01-01

Prior knowledge, represented as a mental schema, has critical impact on how we organize, interpret, and process incoming information. Recent findings indicate that the use of an existing schema is coordinated by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), communicating with parietal areas. The hippocampus, however, is crucial for encoding schema-unrelated information but not for schema-related information. A recent study indicated that stress mediators may affect schema-related memory, but the underlying neural mechanisms are currently unknown. Here, we thus tested the impact of acute stress on neural processing of schema-related information. We exposed healthy participants to a stress or control manipulation before they processed, in the MRI scanner, words related or unrelated to a preexisting schema activated by a specific cue. Participants' memory for the presented material was tested 3-5 d after encoding. Overall, the processing of schema-related information activated the mPFC, the precuneus, and the angular gyrus. Stress resulted in aberrant hippocampal activity and connectivity while participants processed schema-related information. This aberrant engagement of the hippocampus was linked to altered subsequent memory. These findings suggest that stress may interfere with the efficient use of prior knowledge during encoding and may have important practical implications, in particular for educational settings. © 2018 Vogel et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Elementary school children's science learning from school field trips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glick, Marilyn Petty

This research examines the impact of classroom anchoring activities on elementary school students' science learning from a school field trip. Although there is prior research demonstrating that students can learn science from school field trips, most of this research is descriptive in nature and does not examine the conditions that enhance or facilitate such learning. The current study draws upon research in psychology and education to create an intervention that is designed to enhance what students learn from school science field trips. The intervention comprises of a set of "anchoring" activities that include: (1) Orientation to context, (2) Discussion to activate prior knowledge and generate questions, (3) Use of field notebooks during the field trip to record observations and answer questions generated prior to field trip, (4) Post-visit discussion of what was learned. The effects of the intervention are examined by comparing two groups of students: an intervention group which receives anchoring classroom activities related to their field trip and an equivalent control group which visits the same field trip site for the same duration but does not receive any anchoring classroom activities. Learning of target concepts in both groups was compared using objective pre and posttests. Additionally, a subset of students in each group were interviewed to obtain more detailed descriptive data on what children learned through their field trip.

What You Know Can Hurt You: Effects of Age and Prior Knowledge on the Accuracy of Judgments of Learning

PubMed Central

Toth, Jeffrey P.; Daniels, Karen A.; Solinger, Lisa A.

2011-01-01

How do aging and prior knowledge affect memory and metamemory? We explored this question in the context of a dual-process approach to Judgments of Learning (JOLs) which require people to predict their ability to remember information at a later time. Young and older adults (n's = 36, mean ages = 20.2 & 73.1) studied the names of actors that were famous in the 1950s or 1990s, providing a JOL for each. Recognition memory for studied and unstudied actors was then assessed using a Recollect/Know/No-Memory (R/K/N) judgment task. Results showed that prior knowledge increased recollection in both age groups such that older adults recollected significantly more 1950s actors than younger adults. Also, for both age groups and both decades, actors judged R at test garnered significantly higher JOLs at study than actors judged K or N. However, while the young showed benefits of prior knowledge on relative JOL accuracy, older adults did not, showing lower levels of JOL accuracy for 1950s actors despite having higher recollection for, and knowledge about, those actors. Overall, the data suggest that prior knowledge can be a double-edged sword, increasing the availability of details that can support later recollection, but also increasing non-diagnostic feelings of familiarity that can reduce the accuracy of memory predictions. PMID:21480715

Effects of Teacher Use of Analogies on Achievement of High School Biology Students with Varying Levels of Cognitive Ability and Prior Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Joseph C.; Okey, James R.

This study investigated the effects of analogy-based and conventional lecture-based instructional strategies on the achievement of four classes of high school biology students (N=123). Prior to treatment, students were assessed for cognitive ability and prior knowledge of the analogy vehicle. The analogy-based treatment consisted of teacher…

The impact of curiosity on learning during a school field trip to the zoo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlin, Kerry Ann

1999-11-01

This study was designed to examine (a) differences in cognitive learning as a result of a zoo field trip, (b) if the trip to the zoo had an impact on epistemic curiosity, (c) the role epistemic curiosity plays in learning, (d) the effect of gender, race, prior knowledge and prior visitation to the zoo on learning and epistemic curiosity, (e) participants' affect for the zoo animals, and (f) if prior visitation to the zoo contributes to prior knowledge. Ninety-six fourth and fifth grade children completed curiosity, cognitive, and affective written tests before and after a field trip to the Lowery Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida. The data showed that students were very curious about zoo animals. Dependent T-tests indicated no significant difference between pretest and posttest curiosity levels. The trip did not influence participants' curiosity levels. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the dependent variable, curiosity, and the independent variables, gender, race, prior knowledge, and prior visitation. No significant differences were found. Dependent T-tests indicated no significant difference between pretest and posttest cognitive scores. The field trip to the zoo did not cause an increase in participants' knowledge. However, participants did learn on the trip. After the field trip, participants identified more animals displayed by the zoo than they did before. Also, more animals were identified by species and genus names after the trip than before. These differences were significant (alpha = .05). Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the dependent variable, posttest cognitive performance, and the independent variables, curiosity, gender, race, prior knowledge, and prior visitation. A significant difference was found for prior knowledge (alpha = .05). No significant differences were found for the other independent variables. Chi-square tests of significance indicated significant differences (alpha = .05) in preferences for types of animals and preference for animals by gender. Significant differences (alpha = .05) were also found between the reasons why animals were preferred. Differences occurred between animals that were liked and disliked, between genders, and between the pretest and the posttest.

An investigation of multitasking information behavior and the influence of working memory and flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexopoulou, Peggy; Hepworth, Mark; Morris, Anne

2015-02-01

This study explored the multitasking information behaviour of Web users and how this is influenced by working memory, flow and Personal, Artefact and Task characteristics, as described in the PAT model. The research was exploratory using a pragmatic, mixed method approach. Thirty University students participated; 10 psychologists, 10 accountants and 10 mechanical engineers. The data collection tools used were: pre and post questionnaires, a working memory test, a flow state scale test, audio-visual data, web search logs, think aloud data, observation, and the critical decision method. All participants searched information on the Web for four topics: two for which they had prior knowledge and two more without prior knowledge. Perception of task complexity was found to be related to working memory. People with low working memory reported a significant increase in task complexity after they had completed information searching tasks for which they had no prior knowledge, this was not the case for tasks with prior knowledge. Regarding flow and task complexity, the results confirmed the suggestion of the PAT model (Finneran and Zhang, 2003), which proposed that a complex task can lead to anxiety and low flow levels as well as to perceived challenge and high flow levels. However, the results did not confirm the suggestion of the PAT model regarding the characteristics of web search systems and especially perceived vividness. All participants experienced high vividness. According to the PAT model, however, only people with high flow should experience high levels of vividness. Flow affected the degree of change of knowledge of the participants. People with high flow gained more knowledge for tasks without prior knowledge rather than people with low flow. Furthermore, accountants felt that tasks without prior knowledge were less complex at the end of the web seeking procedure than psychologists and mechanical engineers. Finally, the three disciplines appeared to differ regarding the multitasking information behaviour characteristics such as queries, web search sessions and opened tabs/windows.

The Effect of Tenebrio obscurus on Elementary Preservice Teachers' Content Knowledge, Attitudes, and Self-efficacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinburgh, Molly

2007-12-01

This study explores the extent to which an activity used in an elementary science methods course affected the preservice teachers’ content knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy. The participants were 172 students enrolled in five sections of elementary science methods. Students participated in a 9-week investigation on life cycles using mealworms ( Tenebrio obscurus). Multiple data sources indicate that most of the students had limited prior content knowledge about mealworms, expressed neutral attitudes toward mealworms upon first exposure to them, and were uncomfortable with the idea of having to teach with and about them. At the end of 9 weeks, content knowledge on mealworms had greatly improved. The preservice teachers’ attitudes about mealworms and their self-efficacy about using mealworms with children had also improved.

A computational modeling of semantic knowledge in reading comprehension: Integrating the landscape model with latent semantic analysis.

PubMed

Yeari, Menahem; van den Broek, Paul

2016-09-01

It is a well-accepted view that the prior semantic (general) knowledge that readers possess plays a central role in reading comprehension. Nevertheless, computational models of reading comprehension have not integrated the simulation of semantic knowledge and online comprehension processes under a unified mathematical algorithm. The present article introduces a computational model that integrates the landscape model of comprehension processes with latent semantic analysis representation of semantic knowledge. In three sets of simulations of previous behavioral findings, the integrated model successfully simulated the activation and attenuation of predictive and bridging inferences during reading, as well as centrality estimations and recall of textual information after reading. Analyses of the computational results revealed new theoretical insights regarding the underlying mechanisms of the various comprehension phenomena.

Powerful Learning Tools for ELLs: Using Native Language, Familiar Examples, and Concept Mapping to Teach English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dong, Yu Ren

2013-01-01

This article highlights how English language learners' (ELLs) prior knowledge can be used to help learn science vocabulary. The article explains that the concept of prior knowledge needs to encompass the ELL student's native language, previous science learning, native literacy skills, and native cultural knowledge and life experiences.…

Teachers' Beliefs about the Role of Prior Language Knowledge in Learning and How These Influence Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Angelis, Gessica

2011-01-01

The present study was developed to assess teachers' beliefs on (1) the role of prior language knowledge in language learning; (2) the perceived usefulness of language knowledge in modern society; and (3) the teaching practices to be used with multilingual students. Subjects were 176 secondary schoolteachers working in Italy (N = 103), Austria (N =…

Knowledge Modeling in Prior Art Search

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graf, Erik; Frommholz, Ingo; Lalmas, Mounia; van Rijsbergen, Keith

This study explores the benefits of integrating knowledge representations in prior art patent retrieval. Key to the introduced approach is the utilization of human judgment available in the form of classifications assigned to patent documents. The paper first outlines in detail how a methodology for the extraction of knowledge from such an hierarchical classification system can be established. Further potential ways of integrating this knowledge with existing Information Retrieval paradigms in a scalable and flexible manner are investigated. Finally based on these integration strategies the effectiveness in terms of recall and precision is evaluated in the context of a prior art search task for European patents. As a result of this evaluation it can be established that in general the proposed knowledge expansion techniques are particularly beneficial to recall and, with respect to optimizing field retrieval settings, further result in significant precision gains.

Pre-test data and lessons learned from a group research project examining changes in physical activity behavior following construction of a rails-to-trails facility.

PubMed

Chatfield, Sheryl L; Mumaw, Elizabeth; Davis, T; Hallam, Jeffrey S

2014-04-01

Built environments in rural settings may provide greater challenges than those in urban settings due to physical characteristics inherent to low-density population areas. Multiuse recreational trails, such as those that repurpose abandoned railroad lines, may provide a physical activity resource that is well suited to rural areas. However, the direct impact of trail availability on physical activity behavior is not generally known because it is unclear whether activity reported in most trail research represents increases in physical activity or displacement of activity in individuals who previously exercised in other locations. This research, initiated by a group of students in a graduate seminar, represents to our knowledge, the first instance in which PA was assessed prior to the availability of an entirely new rails-to-trails facility. The research was implemented using a nonequivalent dependent variable design to counter the lack of a control group; the nonequivalent dependent variable chosen was weekly servings of fruit and vegetables. Participants responding to intercept interviews classified days of activity during the prior week as mild, moderate or vigorous. Baseline results for 244 participants suggested generally low levels of activity prior to trail availability; number of reported days of activity decreased with described intensity. We also discuss several issues encountered in planning and implementing this group project including those related to data collection, variable levels of commitment among student members, and inconsistent project management, and offer potential solutions to these concerns.

Prediction Errors but Not Sharpened Signals Simulate Multivoxel fMRI Patterns during Speech Perception

PubMed Central

Davis, Matthew H.

2016-01-01

Successful perception depends on combining sensory input with prior knowledge. However, the underlying mechanism by which these two sources of information are combined is unknown. In speech perception, as in other domains, two functionally distinct coding schemes have been proposed for how expectations influence representation of sensory evidence. Traditional models suggest that expected features of the speech input are enhanced or sharpened via interactive activation (Sharpened Signals). Conversely, Predictive Coding suggests that expected features are suppressed so that unexpected features of the speech input (Prediction Errors) are processed further. The present work is aimed at distinguishing between these two accounts of how prior knowledge influences speech perception. By combining behavioural, univariate, and multivariate fMRI measures of how sensory detail and prior expectations influence speech perception with computational modelling, we provide evidence in favour of Prediction Error computations. Increased sensory detail and informative expectations have additive behavioural and univariate neural effects because they both improve the accuracy of word report and reduce the BOLD signal in lateral temporal lobe regions. However, sensory detail and informative expectations have interacting effects on speech representations shown by multivariate fMRI in the posterior superior temporal sulcus. When prior knowledge was absent, increased sensory detail enhanced the amount of speech information measured in superior temporal multivoxel patterns, but with informative expectations, increased sensory detail reduced the amount of measured information. Computational simulations of Sharpened Signals and Prediction Errors during speech perception could both explain these behavioural and univariate fMRI observations. However, the multivariate fMRI observations were uniquely simulated by a Prediction Error and not a Sharpened Signal model. The interaction between prior expectation and sensory detail provides evidence for a Predictive Coding account of speech perception. Our work establishes methods that can be used to distinguish representations of Prediction Error and Sharpened Signals in other perceptual domains. PMID:27846209

Flipped classroom or an active lecture?

PubMed

Pickering, James D; Roberts, David J H

2018-01-01

Recent changes in anatomy education have seen the introduction of flipped classrooms as a replacement to the traditional didactic lecture. This approach utilizes the increasing availability of digital technology to create learning resources that can be accessed prior to attending class, with face-to-face sessions then becoming more student-centered via discussion, collaborative learning, and problem-solving activities. Although this approach may appear intuitive, this viewpoint commentary presents a counter opinion and highlights a simple alternative that utilizes evidence-based active learning approaches as part of the traditional lecture. The active lecture takes the traditional lecture, and (1) ensures the lecture content is relevant and has clear objectives, (2) contains lecture material that is designed according to the latest evidence-base, (3) complements it with additional supplementary material, (4) creates space to check prior understanding and knowledge levels, and (5) utilizes suitable technology to facilitate continual engagement and interaction. Clin. Anat. 31:118-121, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of Prior Economic Education, Native Language, and Gender on Economic Knowledge of First-Year Students in Higher Education. A Comparative Study between Germany and the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brückner, Sebastian; Förster, Manuel; Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, Olga; Walstad, William B.

2015-01-01

The assessment of university students' economic knowledge has become an increasingly important research area within and across countries. Particularly, the different influences of prior education, native language, and gender as some of the main prerequisites on students' economic knowledge have been highlighted since long. However, the findings…

Active-Learning Instruction on Emergency Contraception Counseling

PubMed Central

Young, Shardae; Vest, Kathleen

2013-01-01

Objective. To increase pharmacy students’ knowledge of and confidence in counseling patients regarding emergency contraception and to identify any barriers to counseling patients about emergency contraception. Design. Approximately 200 third-year pharmacy students participated in the Women’s Health Therapeutics workshop at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy. Students observed a 5-minute skit of a counseling session on emergency contraception and then were asked to pair up with a classmate and practice counseling each other regarding the use of emergency contraception following a checklist of key points. Assessment. One hundred eighty-nine students completed pre- and post-workshop survey instruments. Students’ knowledge scores increased from 86% to 93% (p<0.001). Approximately 25% of the students stated they were confident in counseling patients on emergency contraception before completing the active-learning exercise compared to 58.5% after (p<0.001). The most common barrier to counseling that students identified on the pre- and post-workshop survey was lack of knowledge. Conclusion. Participation in an active-learning exercise significantly increased pharmacy students’ knowledge of and confidence in counseling patients regarding emergency contraception and significantly reduced several barriers to counseling identified prior to participation. PMID:23788815

Fuzzy-based propagation of prior knowledge to improve large-scale image analysis pipelines

PubMed Central

Mikut, Ralf

2017-01-01

Many automatically analyzable scientific questions are well-posed and a variety of information about expected outcomes is available a priori. Although often neglected, this prior knowledge can be systematically exploited to make automated analysis operations sensitive to a desired phenomenon or to evaluate extracted content with respect to this prior knowledge. For instance, the performance of processing operators can be greatly enhanced by a more focused detection strategy and by direct information about the ambiguity inherent in the extracted data. We present a new concept that increases the result quality awareness of image analysis operators by estimating and distributing the degree of uncertainty involved in their output based on prior knowledge. This allows the use of simple processing operators that are suitable for analyzing large-scale spatiotemporal (3D+t) microscopy images without compromising result quality. On the foundation of fuzzy set theory, we transform available prior knowledge into a mathematical representation and extensively use it to enhance the result quality of various processing operators. These concepts are illustrated on a typical bioimage analysis pipeline comprised of seed point detection, segmentation, multiview fusion and tracking. The functionality of the proposed approach is further validated on a comprehensive simulated 3D+t benchmark data set that mimics embryonic development and on large-scale light-sheet microscopy data of a zebrafish embryo. The general concept introduced in this contribution represents a new approach to efficiently exploit prior knowledge to improve the result quality of image analysis pipelines. The generality of the concept makes it applicable to practically any field with processing strategies that are arranged as linear pipelines. The automated analysis of terabyte-scale microscopy data will especially benefit from sophisticated and efficient algorithms that enable a quantitative and fast readout. PMID:29095927

Language knowledge and event knowledge in language use.

PubMed

Willits, Jon A; Amato, Michael S; MacDonald, Maryellen C

2015-05-01

This paper examines how semantic knowledge is used in language comprehension and in making judgments about events in the world. We contrast knowledge gleaned from prior language experience ("language knowledge") and knowledge coming from prior experience with the world ("world knowledge"). In two corpus analyses, we show that previous research linking verb aspect and event representations have confounded language and world knowledge. Then, using carefully chosen stimuli that remove this confound, we performed four experiments that manipulated the degree to which language knowledge or world knowledge should be salient and relevant to performing a task, finding in each case that participants use the type of knowledge most appropriate to the task. These results provide evidence for a highly context-sensitive and interactionist perspective on how semantic knowledge is represented and used during language processing. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Incorporating linguistic knowledge for learning distributed word representations.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Liu, Zhiyuan; Sun, Maosong

2015-01-01

Combined with neural language models, distributed word representations achieve significant advantages in computational linguistics and text mining. Most existing models estimate distributed word vectors from large-scale data in an unsupervised fashion, which, however, do not take rich linguistic knowledge into consideration. Linguistic knowledge can be represented as either link-based knowledge or preference-based knowledge, and we propose knowledge regularized word representation models (KRWR) to incorporate these prior knowledge for learning distributed word representations. Experiment results demonstrate that our estimated word representation achieves better performance in task of semantic relatedness ranking. This indicates that our methods can efficiently encode both prior knowledge from knowledge bases and statistical knowledge from large-scale text corpora into a unified word representation model, which will benefit many tasks in text mining.

Incorporating Linguistic Knowledge for Learning Distributed Word Representations

PubMed Central

Wang, Yan; Liu, Zhiyuan; Sun, Maosong

2015-01-01

Combined with neural language models, distributed word representations achieve significant advantages in computational linguistics and text mining. Most existing models estimate distributed word vectors from large-scale data in an unsupervised fashion, which, however, do not take rich linguistic knowledge into consideration. Linguistic knowledge can be represented as either link-based knowledge or preference-based knowledge, and we propose knowledge regularized word representation models (KRWR) to incorporate these prior knowledge for learning distributed word representations. Experiment results demonstrate that our estimated word representation achieves better performance in task of semantic relatedness ranking. This indicates that our methods can efficiently encode both prior knowledge from knowledge bases and statistical knowledge from large-scale text corpora into a unified word representation model, which will benefit many tasks in text mining. PMID:25874581

The prior conceptions about force and motion held by grade 8 students in educational opportunity expansion schools of Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buaraphan, Khajornsak

2018-01-01

According to the constructivist theory, students' prior conceptions play an important role in their process of knowledge construction and teachers must take those prior conceptions into account when designing learning activities. The interpretive study was conducted to explore grade 8 students' conceptions about force and motion. The research participants were 42 students (21 male, 21 female) from seven Educational Opportunity Expansion Schools in Nakhon Pathom province located at the central region of Thailand. In each school, two low, two medium and two high achievers were selected. The Interview-About-Instance (IAI) technique was used to collect data. All interviews were audio recorded and subsequently transcribed verbatim. The students' conceptions were interpreted into scientific conception (SC), partial scientific conception (PC) and alternative conception (AC). The frequency of each category was counted and calculated for percentage. The results revealed that the students held a variety of prior conceptions about force and motion ranged from SC, PC to AC. Each students, including the high achievers, held mixed conceptions of force and motion. Interesting, the two dominant ACs held by the students were: a) force-implies-motion or motion-implies-force, and b) force coming only from an active agent. The science teachers need to take these ACs into account when designing the learning activities to cope with them. The implications regarding teaching and learning about force and motion are also discussed.

Engaging Physician Learners Through a Web-Based Platform: Individualized End-of-Life Education.

PubMed

Bergman, Jonathan; Ballon-Landa, Eric; Lerman, Steven E; Kwan, Lorna; Bennett, Carol J; Litwin, Mark S

2016-09-01

Web-based modules provide a convenient and low-cost education platform, yet should be carefully designed to ensure that learners are actively engaged. In order to improve attitudes and knowledge in end-of-life (EOL) care, we developed a web-based educational module that employed hyperlinks to allow users access to auxiliary resources: clinical guidelines and seminal research papers. Participants took pre-test evaluations of attitudes and knowledge regarding EOL care prior to accessing the educational module, and a post-test evaluation following the module intervention. We recorded the type of hyperlinks (guideline or paper) accessed by learners, and stratified participants into groups based on link type accessed (none, either, or both). We used demographic and educational data to develop a multivariate mixed-effects regression analysis to develop adjusted predictions of attitudes and knowledge. 114 individuals participated. The majority had some professional exposure to EOL care (prior instruction 62%; EOL referral 53%; EOL discussion 56%), though most had no family (68%) or personal experience (51%). On bivariate analysis, non-partnered (p = .04), medical student training level (p = .03), prior palliative care referral (p = .02), having a family member (p = .02) and personal experience of EOL care (p < .01) were all associated with linking to auxiliary resources via hyperlinks. When adjusting for confounders, β coefficient estimates and least squares estimation demonstrated that participants clicking on both hyperlink types were more likely to score higher on all knowledge and attitude items, and demonstrate increased score improvements. Auxiliary resources accessible by hyperlink are an effective adjunct to web-based learning in end-of-life care. © The Author(s) 2015.

Estimating the effect of lay knowledge and prior contact with pulmonary TB patients, on health-belief model in a high-risk pulmonary TB transmission population.

PubMed

Zein, Rizqy Amelia; Suhariadi, Fendy; Hendriani, Wiwin

2017-01-01

The research aimed to investigate the effect of lay knowledge of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and prior contact with pulmonary TB patients on a health-belief model (HBM) as well as to identify the social determinants that affect lay knowledge. Survey research design was conducted, where participants were required to fill in a questionnaire, which measured HBM and lay knowledge of pulmonary TB. Research participants were 500 residents of Semampir, Asemrowo, Bubutan, Pabean Cantian, and Simokerto districts, where the risk of pulmonary TB transmission is higher than other districts in Surabaya. Being a female, older in age, and having prior contact with pulmonary TB patients significantly increase the likelihood of having a higher level of lay knowledge. Lay knowledge is a substantial determinant to estimate belief in the effectiveness of health behavior and personal health threat. Prior contact with pulmonary TB patients is able to explain the belief in the effectiveness of a health behavior, yet fails to estimate participants' belief in the personal health threat. Health authorities should prioritize males and young people as their main target groups in a pulmonary TB awareness campaign. The campaign should be able to reconstruct people's misconception about pulmonary TB, thereby bringing around the health-risk perception so that it is not solely focused on improving lay knowledge.

The positive and negative consequences of multiple-choice testing.

PubMed

Roediger, Henry L; Marsh, Elizabeth J

2005-09-01

Multiple-choice tests are commonly used in educational settings but with unknown effects on students' knowledge. The authors examined the consequences of taking a multiple-choice test on a later general knowledge test in which students were warned not to guess. A large positive testing effect was obtained: Prior testing of facts aided final cued-recall performance. However, prior testing also had negative consequences. Prior reading of a greater number of multiple-choice lures decreased the positive testing effect and increased production of multiple-choice lures as incorrect answers on the final test. Multiple-choice testing may inadvertently lead to the creation of false knowledge.

Sexual Health Knowledge, Self-Efficacy and Behavioral Intentions Following a Health Fair for Adolescents.

PubMed

Kulik, Noel L; McNeill, Cynthera; Murphy, Angela R; Iovan, Samantha

2016-01-01

High rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exist among urban African American youth. There is a need to provide HIV information to youth prior to the onset of sexual activity. The Stomping Out HIV intervention combines a health fair and step show to increase awareness and healthy behaviors among this population. Questionnaires were administered to youth and parents before and after Stomping Out, and focused on health knowledge, satisfaction with Stomping Out, intended behavior changes and self-efficacy to make healthier choices related to HIV and STI prevention. Youth and adults reported increased knowledge and self-efficacy after Stomping Out. These findings suggest that health initiatives focusing on sociocultural issues can greatly impact adults and youth.

Processing and memory of information presented in narrative or expository texts.

PubMed

Wolfe, Michael B W; Woodwyk, Joshua M

2010-09-01

Previous research suggests that narrative and expository texts differ in the extent to which they prompt students to integrate to-be-learned content with relevant prior knowledge during comprehension. We expand on previous research by examining on-line processing and representation in memory of to-be-learned content that is embedded in narrative or expository texts. We are particularly interested in how differences in the use of relevant prior knowledge leads to differences in terms of levels of discourse representation (textbase vs. situation model). A total of 61 university undergraduates in Expt 1, and 160 in Expt 2. In Expt 1, subjects thought out loud while comprehending circulatory system content embedded in a narrative or expository text, followed by free recall of text content. In Expt 2, subjects read silently and completed a sentence recognition task to assess memory. In Expt 1, subjects made more associations to prior knowledge while reading the expository text, and recalled more content. Content recall was also correlated with amount of relevant prior knowledge for subjects who read the expository text but not the narrative text. In Expt 2, subjects reading the expository text (compared to the narrative text) had a weaker textbase representation of the to-be-learned content, but a marginally stronger situation model. Results suggest that in terms of to-be-learned content, expository texts trigger students to utilize relevant prior knowledge more than narrative texts.

Language knowledge and event knowledge in language use

PubMed Central

Willits, Jon A.; Amato, Michael S.; MacDonald, Maryellen C.

2018-01-01

This paper examines how semantic knowledge is used in language comprehension and in making judgments about events in the world. We contrast knowledge gleaned from prior language experience (“language knowledge”) and knowledge coming from prior experience with the world (“world knowledge”). In two corpus analyses, we show that previous research linking verb aspect and event representations have confounded language and world knowledge. Then, using carefully chosen stimuli that remove this confound, we performed four experiments that manipulated the degree to which language knowledge or world knowledge should be salient and relevant to performing a task, finding in each case that participants use the type of knowledge most appropriate to the task. These results provide evidence for a highly context-sensitive and interactionist perspective on how semantic knowledge is represented and used during language processing. PMID:25791750

An empirical Bayes approach to network recovery using external knowledge.

PubMed

Kpogbezan, Gino B; van der Vaart, Aad W; van Wieringen, Wessel N; Leday, Gwenaël G R; van de Wiel, Mark A

2017-09-01

Reconstruction of a high-dimensional network may benefit substantially from the inclusion of prior knowledge on the network topology. In the case of gene interaction networks such knowledge may come for instance from pathway repositories like KEGG, or be inferred from data of a pilot study. The Bayesian framework provides a natural means of including such prior knowledge. Based on a Bayesian Simultaneous Equation Model, we develop an appealing Empirical Bayes (EB) procedure that automatically assesses the agreement of the used prior knowledge with the data at hand. We use variational Bayes method for posterior densities approximation and compare its accuracy with that of Gibbs sampling strategy. Our method is computationally fast, and can outperform known competitors. In a simulation study, we show that accurate prior data can greatly improve the reconstruction of the network, but need not harm the reconstruction if wrong. We demonstrate the benefits of the method in an analysis of gene expression data from GEO. In particular, the edges of the recovered network have superior reproducibility (compared to that of competitors) over resampled versions of the data. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mephedrone interactions with cocaine: prior exposure to the 'bath salt' constituent enhances cocaine-induced locomotor activation in rats.

PubMed

Gregg, Ryan A; Tallarida, Christopher S; Reitz, Allen B; Rawls, Scott M

2013-12-01

Concurrent use of mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone; MEPH) and established drugs of abuse is now commonplace, but knowledge about interactions between these drugs is sparse. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that prior MEPH exposure enhances the locomotor-stimulant effects of cocaine and methamphetamine (METH). For cocaine experiments, rats pretreated with saline, cocaine (15 mg/kg), or MEPH (15 mg/kg) for 5 days were injected with cocaine after 10 days of drug absence. For METH experiments, rats pretreated with saline, METH (2 mg/kg), or MEPH (15 mg/kg) were injected with METH after 10 days of drug absence. Cocaine challenge produced greater locomotor activity after pretreatment with cocaine or MEPH than after pretreatment with saline. METH challenge produced greater locomotor activity after METH pretreatment than after saline pretreatment; however, locomotor activity in rats pretreated with MEPH or saline and then challenged with METH was not significantly different. The locomotor response to MEPH (15 mg/kg) was not significantly affected by pretreatment with cocaine (15 mg/kg) or METH (0.5, 2 mg/kg). The present demonstration that cocaine-induced locomotor activation is enhanced by prior MEPH exposure suggests that MEPH cross-sensitizes to cocaine and increases cocaine efficacy. Interestingly, MEPH cross-sensitization was not bidirectional and did not extend to METH, suggesting that the phenomenon is sensitive to specific psychostimulants.

Concept Mapping to Assess Learning and Understanding of Complexity in Courses on Global Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebich-Hespanha, S.; Gautier, C.

2010-12-01

The complex nature of climate change science poses special challenges for educators wishing to broaden and deepen student understanding of the climate system and its sensitivity to and impacts upon human activity. Learners have prior knowledge that may limit their perception and processing of the multiple relationships between processes (e.g., feedbacks) that arise in global change science, and these existing mental models serve as the scaffold for all future learning. Because adoption of complex scientific concepts is not likely if instruction includes presentation of information or concepts that are not compatible with the learners’ prior knowledge, providing effective instruction on this complex topic requires learning opportunities that are anchored upon an evaluation of the limitations and inaccuracies of the learners’ existing understandings of the climate system. The formative evaluation that serves as the basis for planning such instruction can also be useful as a baseline against which to evaluate subsequent learning. We will present concept-mapping activities that we have used to assess students’ knowledge and understanding about global climate change in courses that utilized multiple assessment methods including presentations, writings, discussions, and concept maps. The courses in which these activities were completed use a variety of instructional approaches (including standard lectures and lab assignments and a mock summit) to help students understand the inherently interdisciplinary topic of global climate change, its interwoven human and natural causes, and the connections it has with society through a complex range of political, social, technological and economic factors. Two instances of concept map assessment will be presented: one focused on evaluating student understanding of the major components of the climate system and their interconnections, and the other focused on student understanding of the connections between climate change and the global food system. We will discuss how concept mapping can be used to demonstrate evidence of learning and conceptual change, and also how it can be used to provide information about gaps in knowledge and misconceptions students have about the topic.

Use of a web site to increase knowledge and awareness of hunger-related issues.

PubMed Central

Jennings, Sharla; Cotugna, Nancy; Vickery, Connie E.

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the current level of knowledge and awareness of hunger-related issues among a convenience sample of Delawareans. We also assessed whether raising knowledge and awareness of the hunger problem through the FBD's newly designed web site would encourage participation in antihunger activities. Via e-mail, 1,719 individuals were invited to participate in a three-phase, online survey, and 392 agreed. Phase-I questions were answered prior to viewing the web site, phase II (n=217) immediately afterward, and phase III (n=61) six weeks later. Responses indicated a high level of awareness about general hunger issues but specific knowledge proved to be at a lower level. No statistically significant differences were noted when data were collapsed across gender, age, educational level, or work setting. In a six-week post-survey, 41% of subjects were motivated by the web site to engage in an antihunger activity; 34% had told others about the web site and indicated it may be a useful tool in antihunger outreach efforts for the FBD. PMID:14651376

Learning about Bones at a Science Museum: Examining the Alternate Hypotheses of Ceiling Effect and Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Judson, Eugene

2012-01-01

Groups of children at a science museum were pre- and post-assessed with a type of concept map, known as personal meaning maps, to determine what new understandings, if any, they were gaining from participation in a series of structured hands-on activities about bones and the process of bones healing. Close examination was made regarding whether…

Cross Curriculum: Awakening and Building Prior Knowledge with Primary Sources: See, Think, Wonder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontichiaro, Kristin

2010-01-01

The basics of this lesson can be used with students at different levels, helping them to identify what they already know and to build interest in and curiosity for the inquiry work to come. It also guides them to develop questions about things they are curious about and want to know before they begin the research process. In this activity, the…

When Seeing Depends on Knowing: Adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions Show Diminished Top-Down Processes in the Visual Perception of Degraded Faces but Not Degraded Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loth, Eva; Gomez, Juan Carlos; Happe, Francesca

2010-01-01

Behavioural, neuroimaging and neurophysiological approaches emphasise the active and constructive nature of visual perception, determined not solely by the environmental input, but modulated top-down by prior knowledge. For example, degraded images, which at first appear as meaningless "blobs", can easily be recognized as, say, a face, after…

Differential Neural Activity during Search of Specific and General Autobiographical Memories elicited by Musical Cues

PubMed Central

Ford, Jaclyn Hennessey; Addis, Donna Rose; Giovanello, Kelly S.

2011-01-01

Previous neuroimaging studies that have examined autobiographical memory specificity have utilized retrieval cues associated with prior searches of the event, potentially changing the retrieval processes being investigated. In the current study, musical cues were used to naturally elicit memories from multiple levels of specificity (i.e., lifetime period, general event, and event-specific). Sixteen young adults participated in a neuroimaging study in which they retrieved autobiographical memories associated with musical cues. These musical cues led to the retrieval of highly emotional memories that had low levels of prior retrieval. Retrieval of all autobiographical memory levels was associated with activity in regions in the autobiographical memory network, specifically the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate, and right medial temporal lobe. Owing to the use of music, memories from varying levels of specificity were retrieved, allowing for comparison of event memory and abstract personal knowledge, as well as comparison of specific and general event memory. Dorsolateral and dorsomedial prefrontal regions were engaged during event retrieval relative to personal knowledge retrieval, and retrieval of specific event memories was associated with increased activity in the bilateral medial temporal lobe and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex relative to retrieval of general event memories. These results suggest that the initial search processes for memories of different specificity levels preferentially engage different components of the autobiographical memory network. The potential underlying causes of these neural differences are discussed. PMID:21600227

78 FR 29071 - Assessment of Mediation and Arbitration Procedures

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-17

... proceeding. Program participants in the new arbitration program will have prior knowledge of the issues to be... final rules, all parties opting into the arbitration program will have full prior knowledge that these... including discovery, the submission of evidence, and the treatment of confidential information, and the...

Teaching Practice: A Perspective on Inter-Text and Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costley, Kevin C.; West, Howard G.

2012-01-01

The use of teaching practices that involve intertextual relationship discovery in today's elementary classrooms is increasingly essential to the success of young learners of reading. Teachers must constantly strive to expand their perspective of how to incorporate the dialogue included in prior knowledge assessment. Teachers must also consider how…

Elaborative-Interrogation and Prior-Knowledge Effects on Learning of Facts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woloshyn, Vera E.; And Others

1992-01-01

The differences among elaborative-interrogation, reading-to-understand, and no-exposure control conditions with familiar domain material in contrast to unfamiliar domain material were studied for 50 Canadian and 50 west German undergraduates. Results provide evidence of effects of both elaborative interrogation and prior knowledge on learning.…

Effects of Example Variability and Prior Knowledge in How Students Learn to Solve Equations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Jian-Peng; Yang, Ling-Yan; Ding, Yi

2014-01-01

Researchers have consistently demonstrated that multiple examples are better than one example in facilitating learning because the comparison evoked by multiple examples supports learning and transfer. However, research outcomes are unclear regarding the effects of example variability and prior knowledge on learning from comparing multiple…

Relationship of Students' Prior Knowledge and Order of Questions on Tests to Students' Test Scores.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papp, Klara K.; And Others

1987-01-01

A study examined whether students beginning a cell biology course with prior knowledge of its three areas (genetics, histology, and biochemistry) would retain that advantage throughout the course and whether achievement was influenced by the order of questions in a test. (MSE)

The Impact of Prior Programming Knowledge on Lecture Attendance and Final Exam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veerasamy, Ashok Kumar; D'Souza, Daryl; Lindén, Rolf; Laakso, Mikko-Jussi

2018-01-01

In this article, we report the results of the impact of prior programming knowledge (PPK) on lecture attendance (LA) and on subsequent final programming exam performance in a university level introductory programming course. This study used Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, multiple regression, Kruskal-Wallis, and Bonferroni correction…

Composing Knowledge: Writing, Rhetoric, and Reflection in Prior Learning Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leaker, Cathy; Ostman, Heather

2010-01-01

In this article, we argue that prior learning assessment (PLA) essays manifest a series of issues central to composition research and practice: they foreground the "contact zone" between the unauthorized writer, institutional power, and the articulation of knowledge claims; they reinforce the central role of a multifaceted approach to…

Using Analogies to Facilitate Conceptual Change in Mathematics Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vamvakoussi, Xenia

2017-01-01

The problem of adverse effects of prior knowledge in mathematics learning has been amply documented and theorized by mathematics educators as well as cognitive/developmental psychologists. This problem emerges when students' prior knowledge about a mathematical notion comes in contrast with new information coming from instruction, giving rise to…

Pre-Test Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Thomas

2008-01-01

Pre-tests are a non-graded assessment tool used to determine pre-existing subject knowledge. Typically pre-tests are administered prior to a course to determine knowledge baseline, but here they are used to test students prior to topical material coverage throughout the course. While counterintuitive, the pre-tests cover material the student is…

The Interpretation of a Knowledge Claim in the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and the Impact of This on RPL Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Graaff, Frederika

2014-01-01

The question addressed in this paper is: what does a knowledge claim consist of in the context of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)? The research comprises a case study of RPL applicants' entry into a postgraduate diploma (a fourth-year programme) in project management. The focus is on the knowledge claims made as part of the RPL application…

Creating illusions of knowledge: learning errors that contradict prior knowledge.

PubMed

Fazio, Lisa K; Barber, Sarah J; Rajaram, Suparna; Ornstein, Peter A; Marsh, Elizabeth J

2013-02-01

Most people know that the Pacific is the largest ocean on Earth and that Edison invented the light bulb. Our question is whether this knowledge is stable, or if people will incorporate errors into their knowledge bases, even if they have the correct knowledge stored in memory. To test this, we asked participants general-knowledge questions 2 weeks before they read stories that contained errors (e.g., "Franklin invented the light bulb"). On a later general-knowledge test, participants reproduced story errors despite previously answering the questions correctly. This misinformation effect was found even for questions that were answered correctly on the initial test with the highest level of confidence. Furthermore, prior knowledge offered no protection against errors entering the knowledge base; the misinformation effect was equivalent for previously known and unknown facts. Errors can enter the knowledge base even when learners have the knowledge necessary to catch the errors. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Age differences in suggestibility to contradictions of demonstrated knowledge: the influence of prior knowledge.

PubMed

Umanath, Sharda

2016-11-01

People maintain intact general knowledge into very old age and use it to support remembering. Interestingly, when older and younger adults encounter errors that contradict general knowledge, older adults suffer fewer memorial consequences: Older adults use fewer recently-encountered errors as answers for later knowledge questions. Why do older adults show this reduced suggestibility, and what role does their intact knowledge play? In three experiments, I examined suggestibility following exposure to errors in fictional stories that contradict general knowledge. Older adults consistently demonstrated more prior knowledge than younger adults but also gained access to even more across time. Additionally, they did not show a reduction in new learning from the stories, indicating lesser involvement of episodic memory failures. Critically, when knowledge was stably accessible, older adults relied more heavily on that knowledge compared to younger adults, resulting in reduced suggestibility. Implications for the broader role of knowledge in aging are discussed.

MRAC Control with Prior Model Knowledge for Asymmetric Damaged Aircraft

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jing

2015-01-01

This paper develops a novel state-tracking multivariable model reference adaptive control (MRAC) technique utilizing prior knowledge of plant models to recover control performance of an asymmetric structural damaged aircraft. A modification of linear model representation is given. With prior knowledge on structural damage, a polytope linear parameter varying (LPV) model is derived to cover all concerned damage conditions. An MRAC method is developed for the polytope model, of which the stability and asymptotic error convergence are theoretically proved. The proposed technique reduces the number of parameters to be adapted and thus decreases computational cost and requires less input information. The method is validated by simulations on NASA generic transport model (GTM) with damage. PMID:26180839

Potentiation in young infants: The origin of the prior knowledge effect?

PubMed Central

Barr, Rachel; Rovee-Collier, Carolyn; Learmonth, Amy

2011-01-01

In two experiments with 6-month-old infants, we found that prior learning of an operant task (remembered for 2 weeks) mediated new learning of a modeling event (remembered for only 1 day) and increased its recall. Infants first learned to associate lever pressing with moving a toy train housed in a large box. One or 2 weeks later, three target actions were modeled on a hand puppet while the train box (a retrieval cue) was in view. Merely retrieving the train memory strengthened it, and simultaneously pairing its retrieved memory with the modeled actions potentiated their learning and recall. When paired 1 week later, deferred imitation increased from 1 day to 4 weeks; when paired 2 weeks later, it increased from 1 day to 6 weeks. The striking parallels between potentiated learning in infants and the prior knowledge effect in adults suggests that the prior knowledge effect originates in early infancy. PMID:21264602

Enrichment assessment of multiple virtual screening strategies for Toll-like receptor 8 agonists based on a maximal unbiased benchmarking data set.

PubMed

Pei, Fen; Jin, Hongwei; Zhou, Xin; Xia, Jie; Sun, Lidan; Liu, Zhenming; Zhang, Liangren

2015-11-01

Toll-like receptor 8 agonists, which activate adaptive immune responses by inducing robust production of T-helper 1-polarizing cytokines, are promising candidates for vaccine adjuvants. As the binding site of toll-like receptor 8 is large and highly flexible, virtual screening by individual method has inevitable limitations; thus, a comprehensive comparison of different methods may provide insights into seeking effective strategy for the discovery of novel toll-like receptor 8 agonists. In this study, the performance of knowledge-based pharmacophore, shape-based 3D screening, and combined strategies was assessed against a maximum unbiased benchmarking data set containing 13 actives and 1302 decoys specialized for toll-like receptor 8 agonists. Prior structure-activity relationship knowledge was involved in knowledge-based pharmacophore generation, and a set of antagonists was innovatively used to verify the selectivity of the selected knowledge-based pharmacophore. The benchmarking data set was generated from our recently developed 'mubd-decoymaker' protocol. The enrichment assessment demonstrated a considerable performance through our selected three-layer virtual screening strategy: knowledge-based pharmacophore (Phar1) screening, shape-based 3D similarity search (Q4_combo), and then a Gold docking screening. This virtual screening strategy could be further employed to perform large-scale database screening and to discover novel toll-like receptor 8 agonists. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

When Relationships Depicted Diagrammatically Conflict with Prior Knowledge: An Investigation of Students' Interpretations of Evolutionary Trees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novick, Laura R.; Catley, Kefyn M.

2014-01-01

Science is an important domain for investigating students' responses to information that contradicts their prior knowledge. In previous studies of this topic, this information was communicated verbally. The present research used diagrams, specifically trees (cladograms) depicting evolutionary relationships among taxa. Effects of college…

Building Knowledge through Portfolio Learning in Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrad, Dianne

2008-01-01

It is important for academic credibility that the process of prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) keeps learning and knowledge as its foundational tenets. Doing so ensures PLAR's recognition as a fertile ground for learners' cognitive and personal growth. In many postsecondary venues, PLAR is often misunderstood and confused with…

Temporal Learning in 4 1/2- and 6-Year-Old Children: Role of Instructions and Prior Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Droit, Sylvie; And Others

1990-01-01

Examined the role of prior temporal knowledge of 4 1/2- and 6-year-olds through the use of high-rate, interval, and minimal instructions in a fixed-interval training schedule. Determined that the subjects' learning depended on their verbal self-control skills. (BC)

Understanding the Complexities of Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soiferman, L. Karen

2014-01-01

The purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of the kinds of prior knowledge students bring with them from high school as it relates to the conventions of writing that they are expected to follow in ARTS 1110 Introduction to University. The research questions were "Can first-year students taking the Arts 1110 Introduction to…

An Effectiveness Index and Profile for Instructional Media.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bond, Jack H.

A scale was developed for judging the relative value of various media in teaching children. Posttest scores were partitioned into several components: error, prior knowledge, guessing, and gain from the learning exercise. By estimating the amounts of prior knowledge, guessing, and error, and then subtracting these from the total score, an index of…

An Investigation of the Relationships between Prior Knowledge and Vocabulary Development with Culturally Diverse Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karbon, Jacqueline C.

Using a semantic mapping technique for vocabulary instruction, a study explored how children of diverse groups bring different cultural backgrounds and prior knowledge to tasks involved in learning new words. The study was conducted in three sixth-grade classrooms--one containing rural Native American (especially Menominee) children, another…

The Influence of Prior Knowledge on Perception and Action: Relationships to Autistic Traits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckingham, Gavin; Michelakakis, Elizabeth Evgenia; Rajendran, Gnanathusharan

2016-01-01

Autism is characterised by a range of perceptual and sensorimotor deficits, which might be related to abnormalities in how autistic individuals use prior knowledge. We investigated this proposition in a large non-clinical population in the context of the size-weight illusion, where individual's expectations about object weight influence their…

Interplay of Prior Knowledge, Self-Regulation and Motivation in Complex Multimedia Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, H. S.; Kalet, A. L.; Plass, J. L.

2016-01-01

This study examined the direct and indirect effects of medical clerkship students' prior knowledge, self-regulation and motivation on learning performance in complex multimedia learning environments. The data from 386 medical clerkship students from six medical schools were analysed using structural equation modeling. The structural model revealed…

Effects of Students' Prior Knowledge on Scientific Reasoning in Density.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Il-Ho; Kwon, Yong-Ju; Kim, Young-Shin; Jang, Myoung-Duk; Jeong, Jin-Woo; Park, Kuk-Tae

2002-01-01

Investigates the effects of students' prior knowledge on the scientific reasoning processes of performing the task of controlling variables with computer simulation and identifies a number of problems that students encounter in scientific discovery. Involves (n=27) 5th grade students and (n=33) 7th grade students. Indicates that students' prior…

Relationship of Prior Knowledge and Working Engineers' Learning Preferences: Implications for Designing Effective Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baukal, Charles E.; Ausburn, Lynna J.

2017-01-01

Continuing engineering education (CEE) is important to ensure engineers maintain proficiency over the life of their careers. However, relatively few studies have examined designing effective training for working engineers. Research has indicated that both learner instructional preferences and prior knowledge can impact the learning process, but it…

The Influence of Prior Knowledge and Viewing Repertoire on Learning from Video

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Boer, Jelle; Kommers, Piet A. M.; de Brock, Bert; Tolboom, Jos

2016-01-01

Video is increasingly used as an instructional tool. It is therefore becoming more important to improve learning of students from video. We investigated whether student learning effects are influenced through an instruction about other viewing behaviours, and whether these learning effects depend on their prior knowledge. In a controlled…

Prior Knowledge and Online Inquiry-Based Science Reading: Evidence from Eye Tracking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Hsin Ning Jessie; Tsai, Meng-Jung; Wang, Ching-Yeh; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2014-01-01

This study employed eye-tracking technology to examine how students with different levels of prior knowledge process text and data diagrams when reading a web-based scientific report. Students' visual behaviors were tracked and recorded when they read a report demonstrating the relationship between the greenhouse effect and global climate…

Students' Achievement in Relation to Reasoning Ability, Prior Knowledge and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yenilmez, Ayse; Sungur, Semra; Tekkaya, Ceren

2006-01-01

This study investigated students' achievement regarding photosynthesis and respiration in plants in relation to reasoning ability, prior knowledge and gender. A total of 117 eighth-grade students participated in the study. Test of logical thinking and the two-tier multiple choice tests were administered to determine students' reasoning ability and…

The Effectiveness of Using Incorrect Examples to Support Learning about Decimal Magnitude

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durkin, Kelley; Rittle-Johnson, Bethany

2012-01-01

Comparing common mathematical errors to correct examples may facilitate learning, even for students with limited prior domain knowledge. We examined whether studying incorrect and correct examples was more effective than studying two correct examples across prior knowledge levels. Fourth- and fifth-grade students (N = 74) learned about decimal…

Students' inductive reasoning skills and the relevance of prior knowledge: an exploratory study with a computer-based training course on the topic of acne vulgaris.

PubMed

Horn-Ritzinger, Sabine; Bernhardt, Johannes; Horn, Michael; Smolle, Josef

2011-04-01

The importance of inductive instruction in medical education is increasingly growing. Little is known about the relevance of prior knowledge regarding students' inductive reasoning abilities. The purpose is to evaluate this inductive teaching method as a means of fostering higher levels of learning and to explore how individual differences in prior knowledge (high [HPK] vs. low [LPK]) contribute to students' inductive reasoning skills. Twenty-six LPK and 18 HPK students could train twice with an interactive computer-based training object to discover the underlying concept before doing the final comprehension check. Students had a median of 76.9% of correct answers in the first, 90.9% in the second training, and answered 92% of the final assessment questions correctly. More important, 86% of all students succeeded with inductive learning, among them 83% of the HPK students and 89% of the LPK students. Prior knowledge did not predict performance on overall comprehension. This inductive instructional strategy fostered students' deep approaches to learning in a time-effective way.

Evaluation of agile designs in first-in-human (FIH) trials--a simulation study.

PubMed

Perlstein, Itay; Bolognese, James A; Krishna, Rajesh; Wagner, John A

2009-12-01

The aim of the investigation was to evaluate alternatives to standard first-in-human (FIH) designs in order to optimize the information gained from such studies by employing novel agile trial designs. Agile designs combine adaptive and flexible elements to enable optimized use of prior information either before and/or during conduct of the study to seamlessly update the study design. A comparison of the traditional 6 + 2 (active + placebo) subjects per cohort design with alternative, reduced sample size, agile designs was performed by using discrete event simulation. Agile designs were evaluated for specific adverse event models and rates as well as dose-proportional, saturated, and steep-accumulation pharmacokinetic profiles. Alternative, reduced sample size (hereafter referred to as agile) designs are proposed for cases where prior knowledge about pharmacokinetics and/or adverse event relationships are available or appropriately assumed. Additionally, preferred alternatives are proposed for a general case when prior knowledge is limited or unavailable. Within the tested conditions and stated assumptions, some agile designs were found to be as efficient as traditional designs. Thus, simulations demonstrated that the agile design is a robust and feasible approach to FIH clinical trials, with no meaningful loss of relevant information, as it relates to PK and AE assumptions. In some circumstances, applying agile designs may decrease the duration and resources required for Phase I studies, increasing the efficiency of early clinical development. We highlight the value and importance of useful prior information when specifying key assumptions related to safety, tolerability, and PK.

Evaluation of the Environmentalist Dimension of Ecotourism at the Dadia Forest Reserve (Greece)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hovardas, Tasos; Poirazidis, Kostas

2006-11-01

Environmental education and financial support of nature conservation are considered among the primary components of the environmentalist dimension of ecotourism. The potential of environmental education calls for enhancing visitor environmental knowledge and prompting change of visitor behavior. The present study addressed the evaluation of the environmentalist dimension of ecotourism in the Dadia Forest Reserve. The first objective of the research was to study the influence of variables determined prior to the visit, namely, visitor and visit characteristics, visitor environmental information sources, visitor pro-environmental behavior, and visitation goals, on variables determined during the visit, that is, visitor participation in and satisfaction from ecotourism activities. The second objective was to study the effect of selected variables on visitor knowledge and behavior intentions. Visitor participation in and satisfaction from ecotourism activities were primarily controlled by visit characteristics. Levels of visitor knowledge were quite satisfactory; however, coherence among knowledge items was rather loose. On the other hand, behavior intention items revealed the highest possible degree of coherence, which should be attributed to the pervasive influence of visitor satisfaction from watching birds at the Bird Observatory within the Dadia Forest Reserve. Ecotourism activities, during which the main part of environmental knowledge was offered, exerted no effect on visitor knowledge; all the same, they significantly influenced visitor behavior intentions. Overall, visitor behavior intentions revealed a considerable potential of financing environmental protection and providing voluntary work in the frame of the environmental management of the Dadia Forest Reserve.

Evaluation of the environmentalist dimension of ecotourism at the Dadia Forest Reserve (Greece).

PubMed

Hovardas, Tasos; Poirazidis, Kostas

2006-11-01

Environmental education and financial support of nature conservation are considered among the primary components of the environmentalist dimension of ecotourism. The potential of environmental education calls for enhancing visitor environmental knowledge and prompting change of visitor behavior. The present study addressed the evaluation of the environmentalist dimension of ecotourism in the Dadia Forest Reserve. The first objective of the research was to study the influence of variables determined prior to the visit, namely, visitor and visit characteristics, visitor environmental information sources, visitor pro-environmental behavior, and visitation goals, on variables determined during the visit, that is, visitor participation in and satisfaction from ecotourism activities. The second objective was to study the effect of selected variables on visitor knowledge and behavior intentions. Visitor participation in and satisfaction from ecotourism activities were primarily controlled by visit characteristics. Levels of visitor knowledge were quite satisfactory; however, coherence among knowledge items was rather loose. On the other hand, behavior intention items revealed the highest possible degree of coherence, which should be attributed to the pervasive influence of visitor satisfaction from watching birds at the Bird Observatory within the Dadia Forest Reserve. Ecotourism activities, during which the main part of environmental knowledge was offered, exerted no effect on visitor knowledge; all the same, they significantly influenced visitor behavior intentions. Overall, visitor behavior intentions revealed a considerable potential of financing environmental protection and providing voluntary work in the frame of the environmental management of the Dadia Forest Reserve.

The effectiveness of graded activity for low back pain in occupational healthcare.

PubMed

Steenstra, I A; Anema, J R; Bongers, P M; de Vet, H C W; Knol, D L; van Mechelen, W

2006-11-01

Low back pain is a common medical and social problem associated with disability and absence from work. Knowledge on effective return to work (RTW) interventions is scarce. To determine the effectiveness of graded activity as part of a multistage RTW programme. Randomised controlled trial. Occupational healthcare. 112 workers absent from work for more than eight weeks due to low back pain were randomised to either graded activity (n = 55) or usual care (n = 57). Graded activity, a physical exercise programme aimed at RTW based on operant-conditioning behavioural principles. The number of days off work until first RTW for more then 28 days, total number of days on sick leave during follow up, functional status, and severity of pain. Follow up was 26 weeks. Graded activity prolonged RTW. Median time until RTW was equal to the total number of days on sick leave and was 139 (IQR = 69) days in the graded activity group and 111 (IQR = 76) days in the usual care group (hazard ratio = 0.52, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.86). An interaction between a prior workplace intervention and graded activity, together with a delay in the start of the graded activity intervention, explained most of the delay in RTW (hazard ratio = 0.86, 95% CI 0.40 to 1.84 without prior intervention and 0.39, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.81 with prior intervention). Graded activity did not improve pain or functional status clinically significantly. Graded activity was not effective for any of the outcome measures. Different interventions combined can lead to a delay in RTW. Delay in referral to graded activity delays RTW. In implementing graded activity special attention should be paid to the structure and process of care.

Relationship of resident characteristics, attitudes, prior training and clinical knowledge to communication skills performance.

PubMed

Laidlaw, Toni Suzuki; Kaufman, David M; MacLeod, Heather; van Zanten, Sander; Simpson, David; Wrixon, William

2006-01-01

A substantial body of literature demonstrates that communication skills in medicine can be taught and retained through teaching and practice. Considerable evidence also reveals that characteristics such as gender, age, language and attitudes affect communication skills performance. Our study examined the characteristics, attitudes and prior communication skills training of residents to determine the relationship of each to patient-doctor communication. The relationship between communication skills proficiency and clinical knowledge application (biomedical and ethical) was also examined through the use of doctor-developed clinical content checklists, as very little research has been conducted in this area. A total of 78 first- and second-year residents across all departments at Dalhousie Medical School participated in a videotaped 4-station objective structured clinical examination presenting a range of communication and clinical knowledge challenges. A variety of instruments were used to gather information and assess performance. Two expert raters evaluated the videotapes. Significant relationships were observed between resident characteristics, prior communication skills training, clinical knowledge and communication skills performance. Females, younger residents and residents with English as first language scored significantly higher, as did residents with prior communication skills training. A significant positive relationship was found between the clinical content checklist and communication performance. Gender was the only characteristic related significantly to attitudes. Gender, age, language and prior communication skills training are related to communication skills performance and have implications for resident education. The positive relationship between communication skills proficiency and clinical knowledge application is important and should be explored further.

Examining the Use of First Principles of Instruction by Instructional Designers in a Short-Term, High Volume, Rapid Production of Online K-12 Teacher Professional Development Modules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendenhall, Anne M.

2012-01-01

Merrill (2002a) created a set of fundamental principles of instruction that can lead to effective, efficient, and engaging (e[superscript 3]) instruction. The First Principles of Instruction (Merrill, 2002a) are a prescriptive set of interrelated instructional design practices that consist of activating prior knowledge, using specific portrayals…

Cortical Measures of Phoneme-Level Speech Encoding Correlate with the Perceived Clarity of Natural Speech

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Abstract In real-world environments, humans comprehend speech by actively integrating prior knowledge (P) and expectations with sensory input. Recent studies have revealed effects of prior information in temporal and frontal cortical areas and have suggested that these effects are underpinned by enhanced encoding of speech-specific features, rather than a broad enhancement or suppression of cortical activity. However, in terms of the specific hierarchical stages of processing involved in speech comprehension, the effects of integrating bottom-up sensory responses and top-down predictions are still unclear. In addition, it is unclear whether the predictability that comes with prior information may differentially affect speech encoding relative to the perceptual enhancement that comes with that prediction. One way to investigate these issues is through examining the impact of P on indices of cortical tracking of continuous speech features. Here, we did this by presenting participants with degraded speech sentences that either were or were not preceded by a clear recording of the same sentences while recording non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG). We assessed the impact of prior information on an isolated index of cortical tracking that reflected phoneme-level processing. Our findings suggest the possibility that prior information affects the early encoding of natural speech in a dual manner. Firstly, the availability of prior information, as hypothesized, enhanced the perceived clarity of degraded speech, which was positively correlated with changes in phoneme-level encoding across subjects. In addition, P induced an overall reduction of this cortical measure, which we interpret as resulting from the increase in predictability. PMID:29662947

Concept Development and Meaningful Learning among Electrical Engineering Students Engaged in a Problem-Based Laboratory Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bledsoe, Karen E.; Flick, Lawrence

2012-01-01

This phenomenographic study documented changes in student-held electrical concepts the development of meaningful learning among students with both low and high prior knowledge within a problem-based learning (PBL) undergraduate electrical engineering course. This paper reports on four subjects: two with high prior knowledge and two with low prior…

Formative Assessment Pre-Test to Identify College Students' Prior Knowledge, Misconceptions and Learning Difficulties in Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazarowitz, Reuven; Lieb, Carl

2006-01-01

A formative assessment pretest was administered to undergraduate students at the beginning of a science course in order to find out their prior knowledge, misconceptions and learning difficulties on the topic of the human respiratory system and energy issues. Those findings could provide their instructors with the valuable information required in…

Thai University Students' Prior Knowledge about P-Waves Generated during Particle Motion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rakkapao, Suttida; Arayathanikul, Kwan; Pananont, Passakorn

2009-01-01

The goal of this study is to identify Thai students' prior knowledge about particle motion when P-waves arrive. This existing idea significantly influences what and how students learn in the classroom. The data were collected via conceptual open-ended questions designed by the researchers and through explanatory follow-up interviews. Participants…

The Interpretation of Cellular Transport Graphics by Students with Low and High Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Michelle; Carter, Glenda; Wiebe, Eric N.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how prior knowledge of cellular transport influenced how high school students in the USA viewed and interpreted graphic representations of this topic. The participants were Advanced Placement Biology students (n = 65); each participant had previously taken a biology course in high school. After assessing…

The Effects of Prior-Knowledge and Online Learning Approaches on Students' Inquiry and Argumentation Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Wen-Tsung; Lin, Yu-Ren; She, Hsiao-Ching; Huang, Kai-Yi

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effects of students' prior science knowledge and online learning approaches (social and individual) on their learning with regard to three topics: science concepts, inquiry, and argumentation. Two science teachers and 118 students from 4 eighth-grade science classes were invited to participate in this research. Students…

Python Environment for Bayesian Learning: Inferring the Structure of Bayesian Networks from Knowledge and Data

PubMed Central

Shah, Abhik; Woolf, Peter

2009-01-01

Summary In this paper, we introduce pebl, a Python library and application for learning Bayesian network structure from data and prior knowledge that provides features unmatched by alternative software packages: the ability to use interventional data, flexible specification of structural priors, modeling with hidden variables and exploitation of parallel processing. PMID:20161541

The Instructional Effectiveness of Animated Signaling among Learners with High and Low Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Shanshan

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the instructional effectiveness of animated signals among learners with high and low prior knowledge. Each of the two treatments was presented with animated instruction either with signals or without signals on the content of how an airplane achieves lift. Subjects were eighty-seven undergraduate…

A Fair and Balanced Look at the News: What Affects Memory for Controversial Arguments?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiley, J.

2005-01-01

This research demonstrates how prior knowledge may allow for qualitative differences in representation of texts about controversial issues. People often experience a memory bias in favor of information with which they agree. In several experiments it was found that individuals with high prior knowledge about the topic were better able to recall…

Prior Knowledge Influence on Self-Explanation Effectiveness when Solving Problems: An Exploratory Study in Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ionas, Ioan Gelu; Cernusca, Dan; Collier, Harvest L.

2012-01-01

This exploratory study presents the outcomes of using self-explanation to improve learners' performance in solving basic chemistry problems. The results of the randomized experiment show the existence of a moderation effect between prior knowledge and the level of support self-explanation provides to learners, suggestive of a synergistic effect…

The Impact of Learner's Prior Knowledge on Their Use of Chemistry Computer Simulations: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Han-Chin; Andre, Thomas; Greenbowe, Thomas

2008-01-01

It is complicated to design a computer simulation that adapts to students with different characteristics. This study documented cases that show how college students' prior chemistry knowledge level affected their interaction with peers and their approach to solving problems with the use of computer simulations that were designed to learn…

Feedback Both Helps and Hinders Learning: The Causal Role of Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fyfe, Emily R.; Rittle-Johnson, Bethany

2016-01-01

Feedback can be a powerful learning tool, but its effects vary widely. Research has suggested that learners' prior knowledge may moderate the effects of feedback; however, no causal link has been established. In Experiment 1, we randomly assigned elementary school children (N = 108) to a condition based on a crossing of 2 factors: induced strategy…

The Effect of Prior Knowledge and Feedback Type Design on Student Achievement and Satisfaction in Introductory Accounting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Donald P.

2013-01-01

This study investigated the effect of student prior knowledge and feedback type on student achievement and satisfaction in an introductory managerial accounting course using computer-based formative assessment tools. The study involved a redesign of the existing Job Order Costing unit using the ADDIE model of instructional design. The…

Mechanisms underlying comprehension of health information in adulthood: the roles of prior knowledge and working memory capacity.

PubMed

Soederberg Miller, Lisa M; Gibson, Tanja N; Applegate, Elizabeth A; de Dios, Jeannette

2011-07-01

Prior knowledge, working memory capacity (WMC), and conceptual integration (attention allocated to integrating concepts in text) are critical within many contexts; however, their impact on the acquisition of health information (i.e. learning) is relatively unexplored.We examined how these factors impact learning about nutrition within a cross-sectional study of adults ages 18 to 81. Results showed that conceptual integration mediated the effects of knowledge and WMC on learning, confirming that attention to concepts while reading is important for learning about health. We also found that when knowledge was controlled, age declines in learning increased, suggesting that knowledge mitigates the effects of age on learning about nutrition.

A Chemical Route to Activation of Open Metal Sites in the Copper-Based Metal-Organic Framework Materials HKUST-1 and Cu-MOF-2.

PubMed

Kim, Hong Ki; Yun, Won Seok; Kim, Min-Bum; Kim, Jeung Yoon; Bae, Youn-Sang; Lee, JaeDong; Jeong, Nak Cheon

2015-08-12

Open coordination sites (OCSs) in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) often function as key factors in the potential applications of MOFs, such as gas separation, gas sorption, and catalysis. For these applications, the activation process to remove the solvent molecules coordinated at the OCSs is an essential step that must be performed prior to use of the MOFs. To date, the thermal method performed by applying heat and vacuum has been the only method for such activation. In this report, we demonstrate that methylene chloride (MC) itself can perform the activation role: this process can serve as an alternative "chemical route" for the activation that does not require applying heat. To the best of our knowledge, no previous study has demonstrated this function of MC, although MC has been popularly used in the pretreatment step prior to the thermal activation process. On the basis of a Raman study, we propose a plausible mechanism for the chemical activation, in which the function of MC is possibly due to its coordination with the Cu(2+) center and subsequent spontaneous decoordination. Using HKUST-1 film, we further demonstrate that this chemical activation route is highly suitable for activating large-area MOF films.

Sports activity after total joint arthroplasty: recommendations for the counseling physician.

PubMed

Buza, John A; Fink, Leslie A; Levine, William N

2013-02-01

Sports activity after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) has become an increasingly important topic, as many younger patients seeking TJA have higher postoperative expectations with regard to return to athletic activity. Our current knowledge of this area is largely based on retrospective clinical studies and surveys of surgeon recommendations. The decision to participate in sports after TJA depends on the patient's general health, prior athletic experience, type of TJA, and desired sporting activity. Ultimately, patients should discuss these factors with their physician in order to make an educated decision regarding sports activity after TJA. This article summarizes the best available evidence to help guide physicians in their conversation with patients regarding safe and appropriate sports activity after TJA.

Do accurate HIV and antiretroviral therapy knowledge, and previous testing experiences increase the uptake of HIV voluntary counselling and testing? Results from a cohort study in rural Tanzania.

PubMed

South, Annabelle; Wringe, Alison; Kumogola, Yusufu; Isingo, Raphael; Manyalla, Rose; Cawley, Caoimhe; Zaba, Basia; Todd, Jim; Urassa, Mark

2013-09-04

Despite the introduction of free antiretroviral therapy (ART), the use of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services remains persistently low in many African countries. This study investigates how prior experience of HIV and VCT, and knowledge about HIV and ART influence VCT use in rural Tanzania. In 2006-7, VCT was offered to study participants during the fifth survey round of an HIV community cohort study that includes HIV testing for research purposes without results disclosure, and a questionnaire covering knowledge, attitudes and practices around HIV infection and HIV services. Categorical variables were created for HIV knowledge and ART knowledge, with "good" HIV and ART knowledge defined as correctly answering at least 4/6 and 5/7 questions about HIV and ART respectively. Experience of HIV was defined as knowing people living with HIV, or having died from AIDS. Logistic regression methods were used to assess how HIV and ART knowledge, and prior experiences of HIV and VCT were associated with VCT uptake, with adjustment for HIV status and socio-demographic confounders. 2,695/3,886 (69%) men and 2,708/5,575 women (49%) had "good" HIV knowledge, while 613/3,886 (16%) men and 585/5575 (10%) women had "good" ART knowledge. Misconceptions about HIV transmission were common, including through kissing (55% of women, 43% of men), or mosquito bites (42% of women, 34% of men).19% of men and 16% of women used VCT during the survey. After controlling for HIV status and socio-demographic factors, the odds of VCT use were lower among those with poor HIV knowledge (aOR = 0.5; p = 0.01 for men and aOR = 0.6; p < 0.01 for women) and poor ART knowledge (aOR = 0.8; p = 0.06 for men, aOR = 0.8; p < 0.01 for women), and higher among those with HIV experience (aOR = 1.3 for men and aOR = 1.6 for women, p < 0.01) and positive prior VCT experience (aOR = 2.0 for all men and aOR = 2.0 for HIV-negative women only, p < 0.001). Two years after the introduction of free ART in this setting, misconceptions regarding HIV transmission remain rife and knowledge regarding treatment is worryingly poor, especially among women and HIV-positive people. Further HIV-related information, education and communication activities are urgently needed to improve VCT uptake in rural Tanzania.

A schema theory analysis of students' think aloud protocols in an STS biology context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quinlan, Catherine Louise

This dissertation study is a conglomerate of the fields of Science Education and Applied Cognitive Psychology. The goal of this study is to determine what organizational features and knowledge representation patterns high school students exhibit over time for issues pertinent to science and society. Participants are thirteen tenth grade students in a diverse suburban-urban classroom in a northeastern state. Students' think alouds are recorded, pre-, post-, and late-post treatment. Treatment consists of instruction in three Science, Technology, and Society (STS) biology issues, namely the human genome project, nutrition and health, and stem cell research. Coding and analyses are performed using Marshall's knowledge representations---identification knowledge, elaboration knowledge, planning knowledge, and execution knowledge, as well as qualitative research analysis methods. Schema theory, information processing theory, and other applied cognitive theory provide a framework in which to understand and explain students' schema descriptions and progressions over time. The results show that students display five organizational features in their identification and elaboration knowledge. Students also fall into one of four categories according to if they display prior schema or no prior schema, and their orientation "for" or "against," some of the issues. Students with prior schema and orientation "against" display the most robust schema descriptions and schema progressions. Those with no prior schemas and orientation "against" show very modest schema progressions best characterized by their keyword searches. This study shows the importance in considering not only students' integrated schemas but also their individual schemes. A role for the use of a more schema-based instruction that scaffolds student learning is implicated.

Correlation set analysis: detecting active regulators in disease populations using prior causal knowledge

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Identification of active causal regulators is a crucial problem in understanding mechanism of diseases or finding drug targets. Methods that infer causal regulators directly from primary data have been proposed and successfully validated in some cases. These methods necessarily require very large sample sizes or a mix of different data types. Recent studies have shown that prior biological knowledge can successfully boost a method's ability to find regulators. Results We present a simple data-driven method, Correlation Set Analysis (CSA), for comprehensively detecting active regulators in disease populations by integrating co-expression analysis and a specific type of literature-derived causal relationships. Instead of investigating the co-expression level between regulators and their regulatees, we focus on coherence of regulatees of a regulator. Using simulated datasets we show that our method performs very well at recovering even weak regulatory relationships with a low false discovery rate. Using three separate real biological datasets we were able to recover well known and as yet undescribed, active regulators for each disease population. The results are represented as a rank-ordered list of regulators, and reveals both single and higher-order regulatory relationships. Conclusions CSA is an intuitive data-driven way of selecting directed perturbation experiments that are relevant to a disease population of interest and represent a starting point for further investigation. Our findings demonstrate that combining co-expression analysis on regulatee sets with a literature-derived network can successfully identify causal regulators and help develop possible hypothesis to explain disease progression. PMID:22443377

Training Signaling Pathway Maps to Biochemical Data with Constrained Fuzzy Logic: Quantitative Analysis of Liver Cell Responses to Inflammatory Stimuli

PubMed Central

Morris, Melody K.; Saez-Rodriguez, Julio; Clarke, David C.; Sorger, Peter K.; Lauffenburger, Douglas A.

2011-01-01

Predictive understanding of cell signaling network operation based on general prior knowledge but consistent with empirical data in a specific environmental context is a current challenge in computational biology. Recent work has demonstrated that Boolean logic can be used to create context-specific network models by training proteomic pathway maps to dedicated biochemical data; however, the Boolean formalism is restricted to characterizing protein species as either fully active or inactive. To advance beyond this limitation, we propose a novel form of fuzzy logic sufficiently flexible to model quantitative data but also sufficiently simple to efficiently construct models by training pathway maps on dedicated experimental measurements. Our new approach, termed constrained fuzzy logic (cFL), converts a prior knowledge network (obtained from literature or interactome databases) into a computable model that describes graded values of protein activation across multiple pathways. We train a cFL-converted network to experimental data describing hepatocytic protein activation by inflammatory cytokines and demonstrate the application of the resultant trained models for three important purposes: (a) generating experimentally testable biological hypotheses concerning pathway crosstalk, (b) establishing capability for quantitative prediction of protein activity, and (c) prediction and understanding of the cytokine release phenotypic response. Our methodology systematically and quantitatively trains a protein pathway map summarizing curated literature to context-specific biochemical data. This process generates a computable model yielding successful prediction of new test data and offering biological insight into complex datasets that are difficult to fully analyze by intuition alone. PMID:21408212

Constructivist learning at the science-policy interface: tsunami science informing disaster policy in West Sumatra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCaughey, J.; Dewi, P. R.; Natawidjaja, D. H.; Sieh, K. E.

2012-12-01

Science communication often falls short when it is based on the blank-slate assumption that if we can just get the message right, then the information will be received and understood as intended. In contrast, constructivist learning theory and practice suggest that we all actively construct our knowledge from a variety of information sources and through particular, novel associations with our prior knowledge. This constructed knowledge can be quite different from any of its original sources, such as a particular science communication. Successful communication requires carefully examining how people construct their knowledge of the topic of interest. Examples from our outreach work to connect hazard-science research with disaster-risk reduction practice in West Sumatra illustrate the mismatch between expert and stakeholder/public mental models of the characteristics of tsunamigenic earthquakes. There are incorrect conceptions that seawater always withdraws before a tsunami, and that a tsunami can be produced by an earthquake only if the epicenter is located at the ocean trench. These incorrect conceptions arise from generalizations based on recent, local earthquake experiences, as well as from unintended consequences of science outreach, science education, and, in one case, the way that tsunami modelling is graphically presented in scientific journals. We directly address these incorrect conceptions in our discussions with government officials and others; as a result, the local disaster-management agency has changed its policies to reflect an increased understanding of the hazard. This outreach success would not have been possible without eliciting the prior knowledge of our audiences through dialogue.

Influence of prior knowledge of exercise duration on pacing strategies during game-based activities.

PubMed

Gabbett, Tim J; Walker, Ben; Walker, Shane

2015-04-01

To investigate the influence of prior knowledge of exercise duration on the pacing strategies employed during game-based activities. Twelve semiprofessional team-sport athletes (mean ± SD age 22.8 ± 2.1 y) participated in this study. Players performed 3 small-sided games in random order. In one condition (Control), players were informed that they would play the small-sided game for 12 min and then completed the 12-min game. In a 2nd condition (Deception), players were told that they would play the small-sided game for 6 minutes, but after completing the 6-min game, they were asked to complete another 6 min. In a 3rd condition (Unknown), players were not told how long they would be required to play the small-sided game, but the activity was terminated after 12 min. Movement was recorded using a GPS unit sampling at 10 Hz. Post hoc inspection of video footage was undertaken to count the number of possessions and the number and quality of disposals. Higher initial intensities were observed in the Deception (130.6 ± 3.3 m/min) and Unknown (129.3 ± 2.4 m/min) conditions than the Control condition (123.3 ± 3.4 m/min). Greater amounts of high-speed running occurred during the initial phases of the Deception condition, and more low-speed activity occurred during the Unknown condition. A moderately greater number of total skill involvements occurred in the Unknown condition than the Control condition. These findings suggest that during game-based activities, players alter their pacing strategy based on the anticipated endpoint of the exercise bout.

Effects of Prior Knowledge of Topics and the Instructional Objectives on Students' Achievement in Literature-in-English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mbah, Blessing Akaraka

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effects of prior knowledge of topics with their instructional objectives on senior secondary school class two (SS II) students. The study was carried out in Abakaliki Education Zone of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The design of the study is quasi experimental of pretest-posttest of non-equivalent control group. Two research…

Polite Web-Based Intelligent Tutors: Can They Improve Learning in Classrooms?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaren, Bruce M.; DeLeeuw, Krista E.; Mayer, Richard E.

2011-01-01

Should an intelligent software tutor be polite, in an effort to motivate and cajole students to learn, or should it use more direct language? If it should be polite, under what conditions? In a series of studies in different contexts (e.g., lab versus classroom) with a variety of students (e.g., low prior knowledge versus high prior knowledge),…

"She Has to Drink Blood of the Snake": Culture and Prior Knowledge in Science|Health Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bricker, Leah A.; Reeve, Suzanne; Bell, Philip

2014-01-01

In this analysis, we argue that science education should attend more deeply to youths' cultural resources and practices (e.g. material, social, and intellectual). Inherent in our argument is a call for revisiting conceptions of "prior knowledge" to theorize how people make sense of the complex ecologies of experience, ideas, and cultural…

Effects of Different Types of True-False Questions on Memory Awareness and Long-Term Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaap, Lydia; Verkoeijen, Peter; Schmidt, Henk

2014-01-01

This study investigated the effects of two different true-false questions on memory awareness and long-term retention of knowledge. Participants took four subsequent knowledge tests on curriculum learning material that they studied at different retention intervals prior to the start of this study (i.e. prior to the first test). At the first and…

Effects of Prior Knowledge and Concept-Map Structure on Disorientation, Cognitive Load, and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amadieu, Franck; van Gog, Tamara; Paas, Fred; Tricot, Andre; Marine, Claudette

2009-01-01

This study explored the effects of prior knowledge (high vs. low; HPK and LPK) and concept-map structure (hierarchical vs. network; HS and NS) on disorientation, cognitive load, and learning from non-linear documents on "the infection process of a retrograde virus (HIV)". Participants in the study were 24 adults. Overall subjective ratings of…

Relevant Prior Knowledge Moderates the Effect of Elaboration during Small Group Discussion on Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Blankenstein, Floris M.; Dolmans, Diana H. J. M.; Van der Vleuten, Cees P. M.; Schmidt, Henk G.

2013-01-01

This study set out to test whether relevant prior knowledge would moderate a positive effect on academic achievement of elaboration during small-group discussion. In a 2 × 2 experimental design, 66 undergraduate students observed a video showing a small-group problem-based discussion about thunder and lightning. In the video, a teacher asked…

The Mediation Effect of In-Game Performance between Prior Knowledge and Posttest Score. CRESST Report 819

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerr, Deirdre; Chung, Gregory K. W. K.

2012-01-01

Though video games are commonly considered to hold great potential as learning environments, their effectiveness as a teaching tool has yet to be determined. One reason for this is that researchers often run into the problem of multicollinearity between prior knowledge, in-game performance, and posttest scores, thereby making the determination of…

Developmental Change in the Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Domain-Specific Knowledge on Mathematics Achievement: An Eight-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geary, David C.; Nicholas, Alan; Li, Yaoran; Sun, Jianguo

2017-01-01

The contributions of domain-general abilities and domain-specific knowledge to subsequent mathematics achievement were longitudinally assessed (n = 167) through 8th grade. First grade intelligence and working memory and prior grade reading achievement indexed domain-general effects, and domain-specific effects were indexed by prior grade…

Blended Learning Based on Schoology: Effort of Improvement Learning Outcome and Practicum Chance in Vocational High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irawan, Vincentius Tjandra; Sutadji, Eddy; Widiyanti

2017-01-01

The aims of this study were to determine: (1) the differences in learning outcome between Blended Learning based on Schoology and Problem-Based Learning, (2) the differences in learning outcome between students with prior knowledge of high, medium, and low, and (3) the interaction between Blended Learning based on Schoology and prior knowledge to…

Why is a Pomegranate an Apple? The Role of Shape, Taxonomic Relatedness, and Prior Lexical Knowledge in Children's Overextensions of "Apple" and "Dog."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gelman, Susan A.; Croft, William; Fu, Panfang; Clausner, Timothy; Gottfried, Gail

1998-01-01

Examined how object shape, taxonomic relatedness, and prior lexical knowledge influenced children's overextensions (e.g., referring to pomegranates as apples). Researchers presented items that disentangled the three factors and used a novel comprehension task where children could indicate negative exemplars. Error patterns differed by task and by…

Building dynamical models from data and prior knowledge: the case of the first period-doubling bifurcation.

PubMed

Aguirre, Luis Antonio; Furtado, Edgar Campos

2007-10-01

This paper reviews some aspects of nonlinear model building from data with (gray box) and without (black box) prior knowledge. The model class is very important because it determines two aspects of the final model, namely (i) the type of nonlinearity that can be accurately approximated and (ii) the type of prior knowledge that can be taken into account. Such features are usually in conflict when it comes to choosing the model class. The problem of model structure selection is also reviewed. It is argued that such a problem is philosophically different depending on the model class and it is suggested that the choice of model class should be performed based on the type of a priori available. A procedure is proposed to build polynomial models from data on a Poincaré section and prior knowledge about the first period-doubling bifurcation, for which the normal form is also polynomial. The final models approximate dynamical data in a least-squares sense and, by design, present the first period-doubling bifurcation at a specified value of parameters. The procedure is illustrated by means of simulated examples.

Mixture class recovery in GMM under varying degrees of class separation: frequentist versus Bayesian estimation.

PubMed

Depaoli, Sarah

2013-06-01

Growth mixture modeling (GMM) represents a technique that is designed to capture change over time for unobserved subgroups (or latent classes) that exhibit qualitatively different patterns of growth. The aim of the current article was to explore the impact of latent class separation (i.e., how similar growth trajectories are across latent classes) on GMM performance. Several estimation conditions were compared: maximum likelihood via the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm and the Bayesian framework implementing diffuse priors, "accurate" informative priors, weakly informative priors, data-driven informative priors, priors reflecting partial-knowledge of parameters, and "inaccurate" (but informative) priors. The main goal was to provide insight about the optimal estimation condition under different degrees of latent class separation for GMM. Results indicated that optimal parameter recovery was obtained though the Bayesian approach using "accurate" informative priors, and partial-knowledge priors showed promise for the recovery of the growth trajectory parameters. Maximum likelihood and the remaining Bayesian estimation conditions yielded poor parameter recovery for the latent class proportions and the growth trajectories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Did She Jump Because She Was the Big Sister or Because the Trampoline Was Safe? Causal Inference and the Development of Social Attribution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seiver, Elizabeth; Gopnik, Alison; Goodman, Noah D.

2013-01-01

Children rely on both evidence and prior knowledge to make physical causal inferences; this study explores whether they make attributions about others' behavior in the same manner. A total of one hundred and fifty-nine 4- and 6-year-olds saw 2 dolls interacting with 2 activities, and explained the dolls' actions. In the person condition, each doll…

Using Genetic Programming with Prior Formula Knowledge to Solve Symbolic Regression Problem.

PubMed

Lu, Qiang; Ren, Jun; Wang, Zhiguang

2016-01-01

A researcher can infer mathematical expressions of functions quickly by using his professional knowledge (called Prior Knowledge). But the results he finds may be biased and restricted to his research field due to limitation of his knowledge. In contrast, Genetic Programming method can discover fitted mathematical expressions from the huge search space through running evolutionary algorithms. And its results can be generalized to accommodate different fields of knowledge. However, since GP has to search a huge space, its speed of finding the results is rather slow. Therefore, in this paper, a framework of connection between Prior Formula Knowledge and GP (PFK-GP) is proposed to reduce the space of GP searching. The PFK is built based on the Deep Belief Network (DBN) which can identify candidate formulas that are consistent with the features of experimental data. By using these candidate formulas as the seed of a randomly generated population, PFK-GP finds the right formulas quickly by exploring the search space of data features. We have compared PFK-GP with Pareto GP on regression of eight benchmark problems. The experimental results confirm that the PFK-GP can reduce the search space and obtain the significant improvement in the quality of SR.

Acceptability of an Online Health Videogame to Improve Diet and Physical Activity in Elementary School Students: "Fitter Critters"

PubMed

Schneider, Kristin L; Ferrara, John; Lance, Bri; Karetas, Andrew; Druker, Susan; Panza, Emily; Olendzki, Barbara; Andersen, Victoria; Pbert, Lori

2012-08-01

Interest in health videogames to stimulate health behavior change is increasing, yet little research exists on their use. This study tested the acceptability of an online health videogame called "Fitter Critters™" (Megazoid Games, Collegeville, PA) for improving healthy diet and activity in elementary school students. In October and November 2011, fifth grade students ( n =97) from a school in central Massachusetts played the game for 1 week during their health class. Measures of nutrition and activity knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy were completed prior to playing the game and again on the final day along with a videogame acceptability questionnaire. The videogame was highly acceptable to participants as measured by the acceptability questionnaire mean rating of 4.52 (SD=0.60), where 1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree; 73% of students played the game at least once outside of class. Significant increases in positive attitudes toward healthy eating ( P <0.001) and healthy eating self-efficacy ( P =0.02) and marginally significant increases in nutrition knowledge ( P =0.08) were observed. The "Fitter Critters" health videogame engages students in learning about healthy eating and activity. Further research should assess whether the positive changes observed in knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy translate into behavior change.

PRIOR-WK&E: Social Software for Policy Making in the Knowledge Society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turón, Alberto; Aguarón, Juan; Escobar, María Teresa; Gallardo, Carolina; Moreno-Jiménez, José María; Salazar, José Luis

This paper presents a social software application denominated as PRIOR-WK&E. It has been developed by the Zaragoza Multicriteria Decision Making Group (GDMZ) with the aim of responding to the challenges of policy making in the Knowledge Society. Three specific modules have been added to PRIOR, the collaborative tool used by the research group (GDMZ) for considering the multicriteria selection of a discrete set of alternatives. The first module (W), that deals with multiactor decision making through the Web, and the second (K), that concerns the extraction and diffusion of knowledge related to the scientific resolution of the problem, were explained in [1]. The new application strengthens securitization and includes a third module (E) that evaluates the effectiveness of public administrations policy making.

The Influence of Age-Related Differences in Prior Knowledge and Attentional Refreshing Opportunities on Episodic Memory.

PubMed

Loaiza, Vanessa M; Rhodes, Matthew G; Anglin, Julia

2015-09-01

The assumption that working memory (WM) is embedded within long-term memory suggests that the effectiveness of switching information between activated states in WM (i.e., attentional refreshing) may depend on whether that information is semantically relevant. Given that older adults often have greater general knowledge than younger adults, age-related deficits in episodic memory (EM) could be ameliorated by studying information that has existing semantic representations compared with unknown information. Younger and older adults completed a modified operation span task that varied the number of refreshing opportunities. The memoranda used were equally known to younger and older adults (neutral words; e.g., father), better known to older adults than younger adults (dated words; e.g., mirth), or unknown to both groups (unknown words; e.g., cobot). Results for immediate and delayed recall indicated an age-related improvement for dated memoranda and no age difference for unknown memoranda. Furthermore, refreshing opportunities predicted delayed recall of neutral memoranda more strongly for younger adults than older adults, whereas older adults' recall advantage for dated memoranda was explained by their prior knowledge and not refreshing opportunities. The results suggest that older adults' EM deficits could potentially be ameliorated by incorporating their superior knowledge to supplement relatively ineffective attentional refreshing in WM. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Learning stoichiometry: A comparison of text and multimedia instructional formats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Karen L.

Even after multiple instructional opportunities, first year college chemistry students are often unable to apply stoichiometry knowledge in equilibrium and acid-base chemistry problem solving. Cognitive research findings suggest that for learning to be meaningful, learners need to actively construct their own knowledge by integrating new information into, and reorganizing, their prior understandings. Scaffolded inquiry in which facts, procedures, and principles are introduced as needed within the context of authentic problem solving may provide the practice and encoding opportunities necessary for construction of a memorable and usable knowledge base. The dynamic and interactive capabilities of online technology may facilitate stoichiometry instruction that promotes this meaningful learning. Entering college freshmen were randomly assigned to either a technology-rich or text-only set of cognitively informed stoichiometry review materials. Analysis of posttest scores revealed a significant but small difference in the performance of the two treatment groups, with the technology-rich group having the advantage. Both SAT and gender, however, explained more of the variability in the scores. Analysis of the posttest scores from the technology-rich treatment group revealed that the degree of interaction with the Virtual Lab simulation was significantly related to posttest performance and subsumed any effect of prior knowledge as measured by SAT scores. Future users of the online course should be encouraged to engage with the problem-solving opportunities provided by the Virtual Lab simulation through either explicit instruction and/or implementation of some level of program control within the course's navigational features.

Women with epilepsy in childbearing age: Pregnancy-related knowledge, information sources, and antiepileptic drugs.

PubMed

Friedrich, Latica; Sruk, Ana; Bielen, Ivan

2018-03-01

Pregnancy-related issues in epilepsy (PRIE) are essential for management of epilepsy in women. We conducted a study among women with epilepsy (WWE) aged 15-45years about their knowledge, sources, and needs for information regarding PRIE, which included their current antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) usage. Women with epilepsy, visitors of Croatian Association for Epilepsy webpage, were offered an online questionnaire, and 200 responses were analyzed. The mean number of correct answers about PRIE was 3.5 out of 5. Main predictors of knowledge on PRIE were a prior consultation with a neurologist and higher usage of books/brochures. A prior neurologist consultation on PRIE was stated by 45% of subjects. As the preferred future mode of being informed on PRIE, majority of women (61%) chooses their neurologist, 22% written materials distributed by a neurologist, and only 13% Internet. Levetiracetam was the most commonly used AED (34.5%). Valproate was used by 26%, and of those 59% stated no previous consultation on PRIE with their neurologist. In summary, we believe our study shows that knowledge of PRIE among WWE in their childbearing age is unsatisfactory, as are the neurologist consultation rates about PRIE. Our results demonstrate that, despite modern technologies, educational activities should be based on neurologist consultations and providing the patients with appropriate written materials. This is especially true for the relatively large proportion of women still taking valproate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Memory integration in amnesia: prior knowledge supports verbal short-term memory.

PubMed

Race, Elizabeth; Palombo, Daniela J; Cadden, Margaret; Burke, Keely; Verfaellie, Mieke

2015-04-01

Short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) have traditionally been considered cognitively distinct. However, it is known that STM can improve when to-be-remembered information appears in contexts that make contact with prior knowledge, suggesting a more interactive relationship between STM and LTM. The current study investigated whether the ability to leverage LTM in support of STM critically depends on the integrity of the hippocampus. Specifically, we investigated whether the hippocampus differentially supports between-domain versus within-domain STM-LTM integration given prior evidence that the representational domain of the elements being integrated in memory is a critical determinant of whether memory performance depends on the hippocampus. In Experiment 1, we investigated hippocampal contributions to within-domain STM-LTM integration by testing whether immediate verbal recall of words improves in MTL amnesic patients when words are presented in familiar verbal contexts (meaningful sentences) compared to unfamiliar verbal contexts (random word lists). Patients demonstrated a robust sentence superiority effect, whereby verbal STM performance improved in familiar compared to unfamiliar verbal contexts, and the magnitude of this effect did not differ from that in controls. In Experiment 2, we investigated hippocampal contributions to between-domain STM-LTM integration by testing whether immediate verbal recall of digits improves in MTL amnesic patients when digits are presented in a familiar visuospatial context (a typical keypad layout) compared to an unfamiliar visuospatial context (a random keypad layout). Immediate verbal recall improved in both patients and controls when digits were presented in the familiar compared to the unfamiliar keypad array, indicating a preserved ability to integrate activated verbal information with stored visuospatial knowledge. Together, these results demonstrate that immediate verbal recall in amnesia can benefit from two distinct types of semantic support, verbal and visuospatial, and that the hippocampus is not critical for leveraging stored semantic knowledge to improve memory performance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Memory integration in amnesia: Prior knowledge supports verbal short-term memory

PubMed Central

Race, Elizabeth; Palombo, Daniela J.; Cadden, Margaret; Burke, Keely; Verfaellie, Mieke

2015-01-01

Short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) have traditionally been considered cognitively distinct. However, it is known that STM can improve when to-be-remembered information appears in contexts that make contact with prior knowledge, suggesting a more interactive relationship between STM and LTM. The current study investigated whether the ability to leverage LTM in support of STM critically depends on the integrity of the hippocampus. Specifically, we investigated whether the hippocampus differentially supports between-domain versus within-domain STM–LTM integration given prior evidence that the representational domain of the elements being integrated in memory is a critical determinant of whether memory performance depends on the hippocampus. In Experiment 1, we investigated hippocampal contributions to within-domain STM–LTM integration by testing whether immediate verbal recall of words improves in MTL amnesic patients when words are presented in familiar verbal contexts (meaningful sentences) compared to unfamiliar verbal contexts (random word lists). Patients demonstrated a robust sentence superiority effect, whereby verbal STM performance improved in familiar compared to unfamiliar verbal contexts, and the magnitude of this effect did not differ from that in controls. In Experiment 2, we investigated hippocampal contributions to between-domain STM–LTM integration by testing whether immediate verbal recall of digits improves in MTL amnesic patients when digits are presented in a familiar visuospatial context (a typical keypad layout) compared to an unfamiliar visuospatial context (a random keypad layout). Immediate verbal recall improved in both patients and controls when digits were presented in the familiar compared to the unfamiliar keypad array, indicating a preserved ability to integrate activated verbal information with stored visuospatial knowledge. Together, these results demonstrate that immediate verbal recall in amnesia can benefit from two distinct types of semantic support, verbal and visuospatial, and that the hippocampus is not critical for leveraging stored semantic knowledge to improve memory performance. PMID:25752585

Measuring Knowledge Elaboration Based on a Computer-Assisted Knowledge Map Analytical Approach to Collaborative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Lanqin; Huang, Ronghuai; Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Yang, Kaicheng

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to quantitatively measure the level of knowledge elaboration and explore the relationships between prior knowledge of a group, group performance, and knowledge elaboration in collaborative learning. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the level of knowledge elaboration. The collaborative learning objective in…

Earth System Science for Elementary Teachers: An Innovative Approach to Teacher Professional Development.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purkiss, C.

2015-12-01

In many professional development programs, teachers attend workshops to learn new knowledge and skills and then are expected to go back to their classrooms and implement what they learned. Often skills or an activity is learned but does not necessarily get practiced in the classroom. Very few professional development programs add direct, immediate practice with children where teachers can try out immediately the new activities or the knowledge they have just learned. In this case, the program directors wanted to see that, by having children to practice with in a non-threatening, low stakes environment, if participants would incorporate the activities and knowledge learned during the workshop into their classrooms in a more immediate way. Would immediate practice help participants internalize the new knowledge and skills and thus create a fund of knowledge that they would use immediately on their return to the classroom. As part of a grant for professional development for underserved elementary teachers on climate literacy, an innovative children's camp was added to a summer intensive workshop. Prior to the summer workshop, participants completed an eight-week online graduate level course on the basics of inquiry-based science. Participants then attended the intensive three-week workshop to gain knowledge in weather and climate and how to teach these concepts in their classrooms. The workshop was rich in materials and resources for participants. During the third week of the workshop, teachers were camp leaders to 100 elementary students in grades 3 through 5 who were participating in "Climate Camp". Various evaluation and assessments were completed during the program on all participants. Through various evaluation methods, it was found that there was a positive transfer of knowledge to the classroom.

Prior Acute Mental Exertion in Exercise and Sport

PubMed Central

Silva-Júnior, Fernando Lopes e; Emanuel, Patrick; Sousa, Jordan; Silva, Matheus; Teixeira, Silmar; Pires, Flávio Oliveira; Machado, Sérgio; Arias-Carrion, Oscar

2016-01-01

Introduction: Mental exertion is a psychophysiological state caused by sustained and prolonged cognitive activity. The understanding of the possible effects of acute mental exertion on physical performance, and their physiological and psychological responses are of great importance for the performance of different occupations, such as military, construction workers, athletes (professional or recreational) or simply practicing regular exercise, since these occupations often combine physical and mental tasks while performing their activities. However, the effects of implementation of a cognitive task on responses to aerobic exercise and sports are poorly understood. Our narrative review aims to provide information on the current research related to the effects of prior acute mental fatigue on physical performance and their physiological and psychological responses associated with exercise and sports. Methods: The literature search was conducted using the databases PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge and PsycInfo using the following terms and their combinations: “mental exertion”, “mental fatigue”, “mental fatigue and performance”, “mental exertion and sports” “mental exertion and exercise”. Results: We concluded that prior acute mental exertion affects effectively the physiological and psychophysiological responses during the cognitive task, and performance in exercise. Conclusion: Additional studies involving prior acute mental exertion, exercise/sports and physical performance still need to be carried out in order to analyze the physiological, psychophysiological and neurophysiological responses subsequently to acute mental exertion in order to identify cardiovascular factors, psychological, neuropsychological associates. PMID:27867415

Superposing pure quantum states with partial prior information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogra, Shruti; Thomas, George; Ghosh, Sibasish; Suter, Dieter

2018-05-01

The principle of superposition is an intriguing feature of quantum mechanics, which is regularly exploited in many different circumstances. A recent work [M. Oszmaniec et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 110403 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.110403] shows that the fundamentals of quantum mechanics restrict the process of superimposing two unknown pure states, even though it is possible to superimpose two quantum states with partial prior knowledge. The prior knowledge imposes geometrical constraints on the choice of input states. We discuss an experimentally feasible protocol to superimpose multiple pure states of a d -dimensional quantum system and carry out an explicit experimental realization for two single-qubit pure states with partial prior information on a two-qubit NMR quantum information processor.

The Impacts of Virtual Manipulatives and Prior Knowledge on Geometry Learning Performance in Junior High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chun-Yi; Chen, Ming-Jang

2014-01-01

Previous studies on the effects of virtual and physical manipulatives have failed to consider the impact of prior knowledge on the efficacy of manipulatives. This study focuses on the learning of plane geometry in junior high schools, including the sum of interior angles in polygons, the sum of exterior angles in polygons, and the properties of…

Exploring the Impact of Prior Knowledge and Appropriate Feedback on Students' Perceived Cognitive Load and Learning Outcomes: Animation-Based Earthquakes Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeh, Ting-Kuang; Tseng, Kuan-Yun; Cho, Chung-Wen; Barufaldi, James P.; Lin, Mei-Shin; Chang, Chun-Yen

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop an animation-based curriculum and to evaluate the effectiveness of animation-based instruction; the report involved the assessment of prior knowledge and the appropriate feedback approach, for the purpose of reducing perceived cognitive load and improving learning. The curriculum was comprised of five subunits…

How Word Decoding, Vocabulary and Prior Topic Knowledge Predict Reading Comprehension. A Study of Language-Minority Students in Norwegian Fifth Grade Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rydland, Veslemoy; Aukrust, Vibeke Grover; Fulland, Helene

2012-01-01

This study examined the contribution of word decoding, first-language (L1) and second-language (L2) vocabulary and prior topic knowledge to L2 reading comprehension. For measuring reading comprehension we employed two different reading tasks: Woodcock Passage Comprehension and a researcher-developed content-area reading assignment (the Global…

The Effectiveness of Worked Examples Associated with Presentation Format and Prior Knowledge: A Web-Based Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiao, E-Ling

2010-01-01

The aim of this study is to explore whether presentation format and prior knowledge affect the effectiveness of worked examples. The experiment was conducted through a specially designed online instrument. A 2X2X3 factorial before-and-after design was conducted. Three-way ANOVA was employed for data analysis. The result showed first, that prior…

Case-based reasoning for space applications: Utilization of prior experience in knowledge-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, James A.

1987-01-01

The goal is to explain Case-Based Reasoning as a vehicle to establish knowledge-based systems based on experimental reasoning for possible space applications. This goal will be accomplished through an examination of reasoning based on prior experience in a sample domain, and also through a presentation of proposed space applications which could utilize Case-Based Reasoning techniques.

Effects of Reading Ability, Prior Knowledge, Topic Interest, and Locus of Control on At-Risk College Students' Use of Graphic Organizers and Summarizing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balajthy, Ernest; Weisberg, Renee

A study investigated the influence of key factors (general comprehension ability, prior knowledge of passage topic, interest in passage topic, and locus of control) on training at-risk college students in the use of graphic organizers as a cognitive learning strategy. Subjects, 60 college freshmen required to take a developmental reading/study…

Self-Monitoring and Knowledge-Building in Learning by Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roscoe, Rod D.

2014-01-01

Prior research has established that learning by teaching depends upon peer tutors' engagement in knowledge-building, in which tutors integrate their knowledge and generate new knowledge through reasoning. However, many tutors adopt a "knowledge-telling bias" defined by shallow summarizing of source materials and didactic lectures.…

Lending a Helping Hand: Voluntary Engagement in Knowledge Sharing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mergel, Ines; Lazer, David; Binz-Scharf, Maria Christina

2008-01-01

Knowledge is essential for the functioning of every social system, especially for professionals in knowledge-intensive organisations. Since individuals do not possess all the work-related knowledge that they require, they turn to others in search for that knowledge. While prior research has mainly focused on antecedents and consequences of…

Student Perceptions of a Flipped Pharmacotherapy Course

PubMed Central

Khanova, Julia; McLaughlin, Jacqueline E.; Rhoney, Denise H.; Roth, Mary T.

2015-01-01

Objective. To evaluate student perception of the flipped classroom redesign of a required pharmacotherapy course. Design. Key foundational content was packaged into interactive, text-based online modules for self-paced learning prior to class. Class time was used for active and applied—but primarily case-based—learning. Assessment. For students with a strong preference for traditional lecture learning, the perception of the learning experience was negatively affected by the flipped course design. Module length and time required to complete preclass preparation were the most frequently cited impediments to learning. Students desired instructor-directed reinforcement of independently acquired knowledge to connect foundational knowledge and its application. Conclusion. This study illustrates the challenges and highlights the importance of designing courses to effectively balance time requirements and connect preclass and in-class learning activities. It underscores the crucial role of the instructor in bridging the gap between material learned as independent study and its application. PMID:26839429

What's in a name? Young adolescents' implicit conceptions of invention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plucker, Jonathan A.

2002-03-01

The past few years have seen an increase in the amount of attention focused on invention and design education at the college and K-12 levels. Given these efforts, the dearth of research on students' preexisting conceptions of invention is surprising. Knowledge of invention beliefs and attitudes will inform educational efforts by allowing educators to target the curriculum and accompanying activities more effectively than is possible without this knowledge. In this study, 55 sixth-grade students completed open-ended survey questions related to their conceptions of invention. Results suggest that students have few or simplistic conceptions of the invention and patent processes. Prior exposure to invention instruction or previous experience with inventing did not appear to have an impact on students' conceptions of invention. In order to dispel these superficial implicit theories, educators involved with invention programs should consider the use of active, situated teaching techniques such as project- and problem-based learning.

Science Literacy and Prior Knowledge of Astronomy MOOC Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Impey, Chris David; Buxner, Sanlyn; Wenger, Matthew; Formanek, Martin

2018-01-01

Many of science classes offered on Coursera fall into fall into the category of general education or general interest classes for lifelong learners, including our own, Astronomy: Exploring Time and Space. Very little is known about the backgrounds and prior knowledge of these students. In this talk we present the results of a survey of our Astronomy MOOC students. We also compare these results to our previous work on undergraduate students in introductory astronomy courses. Survey questions examined student demographics and motivations as well as their science and information literacy (including basic science knowledge, interest, attitudes and beliefs, and where they get their information about science). We found that our MOOC students are different than the undergraduate students in more ways than demographics. Many MOOC students demonstrated high levels of science and information literacy. With a more comprehensive understanding of our students’ motivations and prior knowledge about science and how they get their information about science, we will be able to develop more tailored learning experiences for these lifelong learners.

Using the Biodatamation(TM) strategy to learn introductory college biology: Value-added effects on selected students' conceptual understanding and conceptual integration of the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reuter, Jewel Jurovich

The purpose of this exploratory research was to study how students learn photosynthesis and cellular respiration and to determine the value added to the student's learning by each of the three technology-scaffolded learning strategy components (animated concept presentations and WebQuest-style activities, data collection, and student-constructed animations) of the BioDatamation(TM) (BDM) Program. BDM learning strategies utilized the Theory of Interacting Visual Fields(TM) (TIVF) (Reuter & Wandersee, 2002a, 2002b; 2003a, 2003b) which holds that meaningful knowledge is hierarchically constructed using the past, present, and future visual fields, with visual metacognitive components that are derived from the principles of Visual Behavior (Jones, 1995), Human Constructivist Theory (Mintzes & Wandersee, 1998a), and Visual Information Design Theory (Tufte, 1990, 1997, 2001). Student alternative conceptions of photosynthesis and cellular respiration were determined by the item analysis of 263,267 Biology Advanced Placement Examinations and were used to develop the BDM instructional strategy and interview questions. The subjects were 24 undergraduate students of high and low biology prior knowledge enrolled in an introductory-level General Biology course at a major research university in the Deep South. Fifteen participants received BDM instruction which included original and innovative learning materials and laboratories in 6 phases; 8 of the 15 participants were the subject of in depth, extended individual analysis. The other 9 participants received traditional, non-BDM instruction. Interviews which included participants' creation of concept maps and visual field diagrams were conducted after each phase. Various content analyses, including Chi's Verbal Analysis and quantitizing/qualitizing were used for data analysis. The total value added to integrative knowledge during BDM instruction with the three visual fields was an average increase of 56% for cellular respiration and 62% increase for photosynthesis knowledge, improved long-term memory of concepts, and enhanced biological literacy to the multidimensional level, as determined by the BSCS literacy model. WebQuest-style activities and data collection provided for animated prior knowledge in the past visual field, and detailed content knowledge construction in the present visual field. During student construction of animated presentations, layering required participants to think by rearranging words and images for improved hierarchical organization of knowledge with real-life applications.

fMRI evidence of equivalent neural suppression by repetition and prior knowledge.

PubMed

Poppenk, J; McIntosh, A R; Moscovitch, M

2016-09-01

Stimulus repetition speeds behavioral responding (behavioral priming) and is accompanied by suppressed neural responses (repetition suppression; RS) that have been observed up to three days after initial exposure. While some proposals have suggested the two phenomena are linked, behavioral priming has been observed many years after initial exposure, whereas RS is widely considered a transitory phenomenon. This raises the question: what is the true upper limit of RS persistence? To answer this question, we scanned healthy, English-native adults with fMRI as they viewed novel (Asian) proverbs, recently repeated (Asian) proverbs, and previously known (English) proverbs that were matched on various dimensions. We then estimated RS by comparing repeated or previously known proverbs against novel ones. Multivariate analyses linked previously known and repeated proverbs with statistically indistinguishable RS in a broad visual-linguistic network. In each suppressed region, prior knowledge and repetition also induced a common shift in functional connectivity, further underscoring the similarity of the RS phenomenon induced by these conditions. By contrast, activated regions readily distinguished prior knowledge and repetition conditions in a manner consistent with engagement of semantic and episodic memory systems, respectively. Our results illustrate that regardless of whether RS is understood in terms of its magnitude, spatial extent or functional connectivity profile, typical RS effects can be elicited even under conditions where recently triggered biological processes or episodic memory are unlikely to play a prominent role. These results provide important new evidence that RS (of the kind observed after an interval of at least several minutes) reflects the facilitation of perceptual and comprehension processes by any type of information retrieved from long-term memory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of schools in children's physical activity participation: staff perceptions.

PubMed

Huberty, J; Dinkel, D; Coleman, J; Beighle, A; Apenteng, B

2012-12-01

The school setting provides a promising environment to increase children's physical activity (PA), however, staff often impact the success of PA within schools. The purpose of this article was to describe the knowledge of elementary school staff related to PA and their perception of the importance of the school environment being conducive to PA prior to the implementation of a recess intervention. Qualitative focus groups were conducted in 12 elementary schools in the Midwest. Grounded theory was used to explore participants' knowledge and perceptions. Participants felt PA was important but believed several factors impacted children's ability to be more active: (i) lack of time due to increasing academic demands, (ii) peer pressure (especially in girls) not to be active and (iii) lack of space and equipment. When discussing recess, staff felt that their encouragement of or active participation in PA with children resulted in more activity. Furthermore, even though participants were aware of PA benefits, they noticed eliminating recess was often used as a punishment for misbehavior. School-based PA promotion and PA opportunities hold great promise for increasing PA in children. However, to maximize these efforts school polices related to training staff about PA are needed.

Atypical combinations and scientific impact.

PubMed

Uzzi, Brian; Mukherjee, Satyam; Stringer, Michael; Jones, Ben

2013-10-25

Novelty is an essential feature of creative ideas, yet the building blocks of new ideas are often embodied in existing knowledge. From this perspective, balancing atypical knowledge with conventional knowledge may be critical to the link between innovativeness and impact. Our analysis of 17.9 million papers spanning all scientific fields suggests that science follows a nearly universal pattern: The highest-impact science is primarily grounded in exceptionally conventional combinations of prior work yet simultaneously features an intrusion of unusual combinations. Papers of this type were twice as likely to be highly cited works. Novel combinations of prior work are rare, yet teams are 37.7% more likely than solo authors to insert novel combinations into familiar knowledge domains.

Automatized spleen segmentation in non-contrast-enhanced MR volume data using subject-specific shape priors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gloger, Oliver; Tönnies, Klaus; Bülow, Robin; Völzke, Henry

2017-07-01

To develop the first fully automated 3D spleen segmentation framework derived from T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging data and to verify its performance for spleen delineation and volumetry. This approach considers the issue of low contrast between spleen and adjacent tissue in non-contrast-enhanced MR images. Native T1-weighted MR volume data was performed on a 1.5 T MR system in an epidemiological study. We analyzed random subsamples of MR examinations without pathologies to develop and verify the spleen segmentation framework. The framework is modularized to include different kinds of prior knowledge into the segmentation pipeline. Classification by support vector machines differentiates between five different shape types in computed foreground probability maps and recognizes characteristic spleen regions in axial slices of MR volume data. A spleen-shape space generated by training produces subject-specific prior shape knowledge that is then incorporated into a final 3D level set segmentation method. Individually adapted shape-driven forces as well as image-driven forces resulting from refined foreground probability maps steer the level set successfully to the segment the spleen. The framework achieves promising segmentation results with mean Dice coefficients of nearly 0.91 and low volumetric mean errors of 6.3%. The presented spleen segmentation approach can delineate spleen tissue in native MR volume data. Several kinds of prior shape knowledge including subject-specific 3D prior shape knowledge can be used to guide segmentation processes achieving promising results.

The Role of "Creative Transfer" in Professional Transitions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Triantafyllaki, Angeliki

2016-01-01

This paper discusses the concept of "knowledge transfer" in terms of expansion of prior knowledge, creativity and approaches to generating new knowledge. It explores professional transitions in which knowledge restructuring and identity reformation are pathways into greater work flexibility and adjustment. Two studies, exploring…

Effects of Process-Oriented and Product-Oriented Worked Examples and Prior Knowledge on Learner Problem Solving and Attitude: A Study in the Domain of Microeconomics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Christopher Darren

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of process-oriented and product-oriented worked example strategies and the mediating effect of prior knowledge (high versus low) on problem solving and learner attitude in the domain of microeconomics. In addition, the effect of these variables on learning efficiency as well as the…

Influence of Prior Knowledge and Interest on Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Passage Comprehension on the Qualitative Reading Inventory-4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Mary Kristen; Kamhi, Alan G.

2014-01-01

Purpose: In 2 experiments, we examined the influence of prior knowledge and interest on 4th- and 5th-grade students' passage comprehension scores on the Qualitative Reading Inventory-4 (QRI-4) and 2 experimenter constructed passages. Method: In Experiment 1, 4th- and 5th-grade students were administered 4 Level 4 passages or 4 Level 5…

Effects of Type of Exploratory Strategy and Prior Knowledge on Middle School Students' Learning of Chemical Formulas from a 3D Role-Playing Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ming-Puu; Wong, Yu-Ting; Wang, Li-Chun

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the type of exploratory strategy and level of prior knowledge on middle school students' performance and motivation in learning chemical formulas via a 3D role-playing game (RPG). Two types of exploratory strategies-RPG exploratory with worked-example and RPG exploratory without…

Counting-On, Trading and Partitioning: Effects of Training and Prior Knowledge on Performance on Base-10 Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saxton, Matthew; Cakir, Kadir

2006-01-01

Factors affecting performance on base-10 tasks were investigated in a series of four studies with a total of 453 children aged 5-7 years. Training in counting-on was found to enhance child performance on base-10 tasks (Studies 2, 3, and 4), while prior knowledge of counting-on (Study 1), trading (Studies 1 and 3), and partitioning (Studies 1 and…

Track Everything: Limiting Prior Knowledge in Online Multi-Object Recognition.

PubMed

Wong, Sebastien C; Stamatescu, Victor; Gatt, Adam; Kearney, David; Lee, Ivan; McDonnell, Mark D

2017-10-01

This paper addresses the problem of online tracking and classification of multiple objects in an image sequence. Our proposed solution is to first track all objects in the scene without relying on object-specific prior knowledge, which in other systems can take the form of hand-crafted features or user-based track initialization. We then classify the tracked objects with a fast-learning image classifier, that is based on a shallow convolutional neural network architecture and demonstrate that object recognition improves when this is combined with object state information from the tracking algorithm. We argue that by transferring the use of prior knowledge from the detection and tracking stages to the classification stage, we can design a robust, general purpose object recognition system with the ability to detect and track a variety of object types. We describe our biologically inspired implementation, which adaptively learns the shape and motion of tracked objects, and apply it to the Neovision2 Tower benchmark data set, which contains multiple object types. An experimental evaluation demonstrates that our approach is competitive with the state-of-the-art video object recognition systems that do make use of object-specific prior knowledge in detection and tracking, while providing additional practical advantages by virtue of its generality.

Object segmentation and recovery via neural oscillators implementing the similarity and prior knowledge gestalt rules.

PubMed

Ursino, Mauro; Magosso, Elisa; La Cara, Giuseppe-Emiliano; Cuppini, Cristiano

2006-09-01

Object recognition requires the solution of the binding and segmentation problems, i.e., grouping different features to achieve a coherent representation. Synchronization of neural activity in the gamma-band, associated with gestalt perception, has often been proposed as a putative mechanism to solve these problems, not only as to low-level processing, but also in higher cortical functions. In the present work, a network of Wilson-Cowan oscillators is used to segment simultaneous objects, and recover an object from partial or corrupted information, by implementing two gestalt rules: similarity and prior knowledge. The network consists of H different areas, each devoted to representation of a particular feature of the object, according to a topological organization. The similarity law is realized via lateral intra-area connections, arranged as a "Mexican-hat". Prior knowledge is realized via inter-area connections, which link properties belonging to a previously memorized object. A global inhibitor allows segmentation of several objects avoiding interference. Simulation results, performed using three simultaneous input objects, show that the network is able to detect an object even in difficult conditions (i.e., when some features are absent or shifted with respect to the original one). Moreover, the trade-off between sensitivity (capacity to detect true positives) and specificity (capacity to reject false positives) can be controlled acting on the extension of lateral synapses (i.e., on the level of accepted similarity). Finally, the network can also deal with correlated objects, i.e., objects which have some common features. Simulations performed using a different number of objects (2, 3, 4 or 5) suggest that the network is able to segment and recall up to four objects, but the oscillation frequency must increase, the lower the number of objects simultaneously present. The model, although quite simpler compared with neurophysiology, may represent a theoretical framework for the analysis of the relationships between object representation, memory, learning, and gamma-band activity. In particular, it extends previous studies on autoassociative memory since it exploits not only oscillatory dynamics, but also a topological organization of features.

Interactive web-based learning modules prior to general medicine advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

PubMed

Isaacs, Alex N; Walton, Alison M; Nisly, Sarah A

2015-04-25

To implement and evaluate interactive web-based learning modules prior to advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) on inpatient general medicine. Three clinical web-based learning modules were developed for use prior to APPEs in 4 health care systems. The aim of the interactive modules was to strengthen baseline clinical knowledge before the APPE to enable the application of learned material through the delivery of patient care. For the primary endpoint, postassessment scores increased overall and for each individual module compared to preassessment scores. Postassessment scores were similar among the health care systems. The survey demonstrated positive student perceptions of this learning experience. Prior to inpatient general medicine APPEs, web-based learning enabled the standardization and assessment of baseline student knowledge across 4 health care systems.

Kinematics Card Sort Activity: Insight into Students' Thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berryhill, Erin; Herrington, Deborah; Oliver, Keith

2016-12-01

Kinematics is a topic students are unknowingly aware of well before entering the physics classroom. Students observe motion on a daily basis. They are constantly interpreting and making sense of their observations, unintentionally building their own understanding of kinematics before receiving any formal instruction. Unfortunately, when students take their prior conceptions to understand a new situation, they often do so in a way that inaccurately connects their learning. We were motivated to identify strategies to help our students make accurate connections to their prior knowledge and understand kinematics at a deeper level. To do this, we integrated a formative assessment card sort into a kinematic graphing unit within an introductory high school physics course. Throughout the activities, we required students to document and reflect upon their thinking. This allowed their learning to build upon their own previously held conceptual understanding, which provided an avenue for cognitive growth. By taking a more direct approach to eliciting student reasoning, we hoped to improve student learning and guide our assessment of their learning.

Interplay between Content Knowledge and Scientific Argumentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakyolu, Hanife; Ogan-Bekiroglu, Feral

2016-01-01

This research study aimed to analyze the relationship between content knowledge and argumentation by examining students' prior subject matter knowledge and their production of arguments as well as by comparing students' arguments with their knowledge-in-use during scientific argumentation sessions. A correlational research design was carried out…

Constructivist Learning Theory and Climate Science Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somerville, R. C.

2012-12-01

Communicating climate science is a form of education. A scientist giving a television interview or testifying before Congress is engaged in an educational activity, though one not identical to teaching graduate students. Knowledge, including knowledge about climate science, should never be communicated as a mere catalogue of facts. Science is a process, a way of regarding the natural world, and a fascinating human activity. A great deal is already known about how to do a better job of science communication, but implementing change is not easy. I am confident that improving climate science communication will involve the paradigm of constructivist learning theory, which traces its roots to the 20th-century Swiss epistemologist Jean Piaget, among others. This theory emphasizes the role of the teacher as supportive facilitator rather than didactic lecturer, "a guide on the side, not a sage on the stage." It also stresses the importance of the teacher making a serious effort to understand and appreciate the prior knowledge and viewpoint of the student, recognizing that students' minds are not empty vessels to be filled or blank slates to be written on. Instead, students come to class with a background of life experiences and a body of existing knowledge, of varying degrees of correctness or accuracy, about almost any topic. Effective communication is also usually a conversation rather than a monologue. We know too that for many audiences, the most trusted messengers are those who share the worldview and cultural values of those with whom they are communicating. Constructivist teaching methods stress making use of the parallels between learning and scientific research, such as the analogies between assessing prior knowledge of the audience and surveying scientific literature for a research project. Meanwhile, a well-funded and effective professional disinformation campaign has been successful in sowing confusion, and as a result, many people mistakenly think climate change science is unreliable or is controversial within the expert community. Thus, an urgent task for climate scientists may be to give the public useful guidelines for recognizing and rejecting junk science and disinformation.

Spontaneous activity in default-mode network predicts ascription of self-relatedness to stimuli.

PubMed

Qin, Pengmin; Grimm, Simone; Duncan, Niall W; Fan, Yan; Huang, Zirui; Lane, Timothy; Weng, Xuchu; Bajbouj, Malek; Northoff, Georg

2016-04-01

Spontaneous activity levels prior to stimulus presentation can determine how that stimulus will be perceived. It has also been proposed that such spontaneous activity, particularly in the default-mode network (DMN), is involved in self-related processing. We therefore hypothesised that pre-stimulus activity levels in the DMN predict whether a stimulus is judged as self-related or not. Participants were presented in the MRI scanner with a white noise stimulus that they were instructed contained their name or another. They then had to respond with which name they thought they heard. Regions where there was an activity level difference between self and other response trials 2 s prior to the stimulus being presented were identified. Pre-stimulus activity levels were higher in the right temporoparietal junction, the right temporal pole and the left superior temporal gyrus in trials where the participant responded that they heard their own name than trials where they responded that they heard another. Pre-stimulus spontaneous activity levels in particular brain regions, largely overlapping with the DMN, predict the subsequent judgement of stimuli as self-related. This extends our current knowledge of self-related processing and its apparent relationship with intrinsic brain activity in what can be termed a rest-self overlap. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Creating Illusions of Knowledge: Learning Errors that Contradict Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fazio, Lisa K.; Barber, Sarah J.; Rajaram, Suparna; Ornstein, Peter A.; Marsh, Elizabeth J.

2013-01-01

Most people know that the Pacific is the largest ocean on Earth and that Edison invented the light bulb. Our question is whether this knowledge is stable, or if people will incorporate errors into their knowledge bases, even if they have the correct knowledge stored in memory. To test this, we asked participants general-knowledge questions 2 weeks…

A Study on Nursing Students' Knowledge, Attitude, and Educational Needs for Brain-Death Organ Transplantation and Donation and Intent to Donate Organs.

PubMed

Ju, M K; Sim, M K; Son, S Y

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the knowledge, attitude, educational needs, and will of nursing students on organ donation from brain-dead donors. Data were collected by using a 40-item questionnaire to measure knowledge, attitude, educational needs, and will for organ donation of 215 nursing college students in one university in Dangjin city from May 11 to May 31, 2017. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22 program (Data Solution Inc, Seoul). In the general characteristics, 85.1% of the subjects did not receive education on donation, and 99.5% of the subjects responded that education is needed. The desired methods of education were special lecture in school (55.3%), "webtoons" on the Internet (19.5%), formal curriculum (15.8%). Points to improve to increase brain-death organ transplantation and donation included "active publicity through pan-national campaign activities" (56.3%), "respecting prior consent from brain-dead donors" (21.9%), and "encouragement and increased support for organ donors" (12.1%). There was a significant difference in knowledge according to will for organ donation (t = 3.29, P = .001) and consent to brain-death organ donation in family members (t = 3.29, P = .001). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between attitude and knowledge of the subjects regarding brain-death organ donation. The knowledge, attitude, educational need, and will for organ donation of nursing students revealed in this study will be used as basic data to provide systematic transplant education including contents about organ transplantation in the regular nursing curriculum in the future. It will contribute to the activation of organ donation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Profiles of Inconsistent Knowledge in Children's Pathways of Conceptual Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Michael; Hardy, Ilonca

2013-01-01

Conceptual change requires learners to restructure parts of their conceptual knowledge base. Prior research has identified the fragmentation and the integration of knowledge as 2 important component processes of knowledge restructuring but remains unclear as to their relative importance and the time of their occurrence during development. Previous…

49 CFR 240.209 - Procedures for making the determination on knowledge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... knowledge. 240.209 Section 240.209 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued... determination on knowledge. (a) Each railroad, prior to initially certifying or recertifying any person as an... with the requirements of § 240.125 of this part, demonstrated sufficient knowledge of the railroad's...

Building on prior knowledge without building it in.

PubMed

Hansen, Steven S; Lampinen, Andrew K; Suri, Gaurav; McClelland, James L

2017-01-01

Lake et al. propose that people rely on "start-up software," "causal models," and "intuitive theories" built using compositional representations to learn new tasks more efficiently than some deep neural network models. We highlight the many drawbacks of a commitment to compositional representations and describe our continuing effort to explore how the ability to build on prior knowledge and to learn new tasks efficiently could arise through learning in deep neural networks.

Smoothing Spline ANOVA Decomposition of Arbitrary Splines: An Application to Eye Movements in Reading

PubMed Central

Matuschek, Hannes; Kliegl, Reinhold; Holschneider, Matthias

2015-01-01

The Smoothing Spline ANOVA (SS-ANOVA) requires a specialized construction of basis and penalty terms in order to incorporate prior knowledge about the data to be fitted. Typically, one resorts to the most general approach using tensor product splines. This implies severe constraints on the correlation structure, i.e. the assumption of isotropy of smoothness can not be incorporated in general. This may increase the variance of the spline fit, especially if only a relatively small set of observations are given. In this article, we propose an alternative method that allows to incorporate prior knowledge without the need to construct specialized bases and penalties, allowing the researcher to choose the spline basis and penalty according to the prior knowledge of the observations rather than choosing them according to the analysis to be done. The two approaches are compared with an artificial example and with analyses of fixation durations during reading. PMID:25816246

Use of prior knowledge for the analysis of high-throughput transcriptomics and metabolomics data

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background High-throughput omics technologies have enabled the measurement of many genes or metabolites simultaneously. The resulting high dimensional experimental data poses significant challenges to transcriptomics and metabolomics data analysis methods, which may lead to spurious instead of biologically relevant results. One strategy to improve the results is the incorporation of prior biological knowledge in the analysis. This strategy is used to reduce the solution space and/or to focus the analysis on biological meaningful regions. In this article, we review a selection of these methods used in transcriptomics and metabolomics. We combine the reviewed methods in three groups based on the underlying mathematical model: exploratory methods, supervised methods and estimation of the covariance matrix. We discuss which prior knowledge has been used, how it is incorporated and how it modifies the mathematical properties of the underlying methods. PMID:25033193

Visual representations in science education: The influence of prior knowledge and cognitive load theory on instructional design principles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, Michelle Patrick

2006-11-01

Visual representations are essential for communicating ideas in the science classroom; however, the design of such representations is not always beneficial for learners. This paper presents instructional design considerations providing empirical evidence and integrating theoretical concepts related to cognitive load. Learners have a limited working memory, and instructional representations should be designed with the goal of reducing unnecessary cognitive load. However, cognitive architecture alone is not the only factor to be considered; individual differences, especially prior knowledge, are critical in determining what impact a visual representation will have on learners' cognitive structures and processes. Prior knowledge can determine the ease with which learners can perceive and interpret visual representations in working memory. Although a long tradition of research has compared experts and novices, more research is necessary to fully explore the expert-novice continuum and maximize the potential of visual representations.

Just-in-Time Teaching Exercises to Engage Students in an Introductory-Level Dinosaur Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guertin, Laura A.; Zappe, Sarah E.; Kim, Heeyoung

2007-12-01

The Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) technique allows students to be engaged in course material outside of the classroom by answering web-based questions. The responses are summarized and presented to students in class with a follow-up active learning exercise. College students enrolled in an introductory-level general education geoscience course were surveyed over a two-semester period on their engagement level during lecture and perceived learning of course content. Data show that students are able to reflect on their prior knowledge and construct new knowledge with weekly graded JiTT exercises. Despite increasing and competing pressures outside of the classroom, students reported increased learning and engagement in a course with required weekly assignments.

Integrating chronic care with primary care activities: enriching healthcare staff knowledge and skills and improving glycemic control of a cohort of people with diabetes through the First Line Diabetes Care Project in the Philippines

PubMed Central

Ku, Grace Marie V.; Kegels, Guy

2014-01-01

Background This study investigated the effects of integrating primary chronic care with current healthcare activities in two local government health units (LGHU) of the Philippines on knowledge and skills of the LGHU staff and clinical outcomes for people with diabetes. Design Integration was accomplished through health service reorganization, (re)distribution of chronic care tasks, and training of LGHU staff. Levels of the staff's pre- and post-training diabetes knowledge and of their self-assessment of diabetes care-related skills were measured. Primary diabetes care with emphasis on self-care development was provided to a cohort of people with diabetes. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and obesity measures were collected prior to and one year after full project implementation. Results The training workshop improved diabetes knowledge (p<0.001) and self-assessed skills (p<0.001) of the LGHU staff. Significant reductions in HbA1c (p<0.001), waist–hip ratio (p<0.001) and waist circumference (p=0.011) of the cohort were noted. Although the reduction in HbA1c was somewhat greater among those whose community-based care providers showed improvement in knowledge and self-assessed skills, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions Primary care for chronic conditions such as diabetes may be integrated with other healthcare activities in health services of low-to-middle-income countries such as the Philippines, utilizing pre-existing human resources for health, and may improve clinical endpoints. PMID:25361726

Sexual behaviors and awareness of sexually transmitted infections among Chinese university students.

PubMed

Zhang, Dangui; Pan, Hui; Cui, Binglin; Law, Frieda; Farrar, Jeremy; Ba-Thein, William

2013-12-15

This study investigated the current state of attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge concerning sex and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among Chinese university students. A cross-sectional anonymous university intranet-based survey was given to students attending the Shantou University, Guangdong, China using a 28-item questionnaire. Of 3425 website visitors, 1030 university students completed the survey, of which 80% were between 20 and 25 years of age, 76% considered pre-marital sex acceptable, 21% had had sexual intercourse, and 45% of sexually active students had engaged in oral sex, anal intercourse, or sex with strangers. Students had limited knowledge and awareness about common STIs, symptoms, and complications. Three percent of the sexually active students reported having had STIs and another 8% were not sure whether they had or not. Most students had misconceptions about transmission and prevention of STIs. The internet was the main information resource for 76% of students. Despite having more open attitudes and behaviors towards sex, students' STI knowledge and awareness of STI risks was considerably limited, raising concerns about a likely rise in STI incidence. Prior knowledge of STIs had no significant influence. Targeted educational measures such as online education and counseling via Chinese websites and social media, and the provision of safer sex and STI-related information by health experts to university students are suggested.

Acceptability of an Online Health Videogame to Improve Diet and Physical Activity in Elementary School Students: “Fitter Critters”

PubMed Central

Ferrara, John; Lance, Bri; Karetas, Andrew; Druker, Susan; Panza, Emily; Olendzki, Barbara; Andersen, Victoria; Pbert, Lori

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective Interest in health videogames to stimulate health behavior change is increasing, yet little research exists on their use. This study tested the acceptability of an online health videogame called “Fitter Critters™” (Megazoid Games, Collegeville, PA) for improving healthy diet and activity in elementary school students. Subjects and Methods In October and November 2011, fifth grade students (n=97) from a school in central Massachusetts played the game for 1 week during their health class. Measures of nutrition and activity knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy were completed prior to playing the game and again on the final day along with a videogame acceptability questionnaire. Results The videogame was highly acceptable to participants as measured by the acceptability questionnaire mean rating of 4.52 (SD=0.60), where 1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree; 73% of students played the game at least once outside of class. Significant increases in positive attitudes toward healthy eating (P<0.001) and healthy eating self-efficacy (P=0.02) and marginally significant increases in nutrition knowledge (P=0.08) were observed. Conclusions The “Fitter Critters” health videogame engages students in learning about healthy eating and activity. Further research should assess whether the positive changes observed in knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy translate into behavior change. PMID:24761317

45 CFR 1616.3 - Qualifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) Academic training and performance; (b) The nature and extent of prior legal experience; (c) Knowledge and understanding of the legal problems and needs of the poor; (d) Prior working experience in the client community...

Features of Knowledge Building in Biology: Understanding Undergraduate Students’ Ideas about Molecular Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Southard, Katelyn; Wince, Tyler; Meddleton, Shanice; Bolger, Molly S.

2016-01-01

Research has suggested that teaching and learning in molecular and cellular biology (MCB) is difficult. We used a new lens to understand undergraduate reasoning about molecular mechanisms: the knowledge-integration approach to conceptual change. Knowledge integration is the dynamic process by which learners acquire new ideas, develop connections between ideas, and reorganize and restructure prior knowledge. Semistructured, clinical think-aloud interviews were conducted with introductory and upper-division MCB students. Interviews included a written conceptual assessment, a concept-mapping activity, and an opportunity to explain the biomechanisms of DNA replication, transcription, and translation. Student reasoning patterns were explored through mixed-method analyses. Results suggested that students must sort mechanistic entities into appropriate mental categories that reflect the nature of MCB mechanisms and that conflation between these categories is common. We also showed how connections between molecular mechanisms and their biological roles are part of building an integrated knowledge network as students develop expertise. We observed differences in the nature of connections between ideas related to different forms of reasoning. Finally, we provide a tentative model for MCB knowledge integration and suggest its implications for undergraduate learning. PMID:26931398

Effect of Physics Problem Solving on Structures Schemes and Knowledge Associations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setyowidodo, I.; Jatmiko, B.; Susantini, E.; Widodo, S.; Shofwan, A.

2017-09-01

This study aims to develop learners’ thinking structures through associations, case based, and schematic method so that different knowledge structures have a role in influencing the structure of creative thinking. The learners have low mastery of physics materials since they are not given sufficient opportunity to build their own knowledge. They should be directed to approach each new problem or task with their prior knowledge, assimilate new information, and construct their own understanding. The design of this research was a quasi-experiment using purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using variance analysis. The design of this research was a quasi-experiment using purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using variance analysis. The learning process of problemsolving consists of: 1) identifying problems, 2) planning projects, 3) creating projects, 4) presenting projects, and 5) evaluating projects. From the results of this research, it can be concluded that problem-solving method can provide strong supports in developing the learners’ creative thinking skills as they can share their knowledge and interact with their friends and the environment. This learning activity also constitutes an appropriate technique to help the learners to develop problem solving knowledge and skills.

An investigation of the impact of selected prereading activities on student content learning through laboratory activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kass, Jesse (Shaya)

This study investigated whether two prereading activities impacted student learning from hands-on science activities. The study was based on constructivist learning theory. Based on the work of Piaget, it was hypothesized that students who activated prior knowledge would learn more from the activities. Based on the work of Vygotsky it was hypothesized that students who talk more and write more would learn more from the activity. The K-W-L chart and anticipation guide strategies were used with eighth grade students at Graves Middle School in Whittier, California before learning about levers and convection currents. D. M. Ogle (1986) created the three-column K-W-L chart to have students activate prior knowledge. In the first column, the students write what they already know about a subject, in the second column, the students write what they want to know about the subject, and the students complete the third column after learning about a subject by writing answers to the questions that they asked in the second column. Duffelmeyer (1994) created the anticipation guide based on Herber's (1978) reasoning guide. In the anticipation guide, the teacher creates three or four sentences that convey the major ideas of the topic and the students either agree or disagree with the statements. After learning about the topic, students revisit their answers and decide if they were correct or incorrect and they must defend their choices. This research used the Solomon (1947) four-square design and compared both the experimental groups to a control group that simply discussed the concepts before completing the activity. The research showed no significant difference between the control group and either of the treatment groups. The reasons for the lack of significant differences are considered. It was hypothesized that since the students were unfamiliar with the prereading activities and did not have much experience with using either writing-to-learn or talking-to-learn strategies, the short-term intervention was not effective. Directions for future study are considered.

A Novel Teaching Tool Combined With Active-Learning to Teach Antimicrobial Spectrum Activity.

PubMed

MacDougall, Conan

2017-03-25

Objective. To design instructional methods that would promote long-term retention of knowledge of antimicrobial pharmacology, particularly the spectrum of activity for antimicrobial agents, in pharmacy students. Design. An active-learning approach was used to teach selected sessions in a required antimicrobial pharmacology course. Students were expected to review key concepts from the course reader prior to the in-class sessions. During class, brief concept reviews were followed by active-learning exercises, including a novel schematic method for learning antimicrobial spectrum of activity ("flower diagrams"). Assessment. At the beginning of the next quarter (approximately 10 weeks after the in-class sessions), 360 students (three yearly cohorts) completed a low-stakes multiple-choice examination on the concepts in antimicrobial spectrum of activity. When data for students was pooled across years, the mean number of correct items was 75.3% for the items that tested content delivered with the active-learning method vs 70.4% for items that tested content delivered via traditional lecture (mean difference 4.9%). Instructor ratings on student evaluations of the active-learning approach were high (mean scores 4.5-4.8 on a 5-point scale) and student comments were positive about the active-learning approach and flower diagrams. Conclusion. An active-learning approach led to modestly higher scores in a test of long-term retention of pharmacology knowledge and was well-received by students.

A Novel Teaching Tool Combined With Active-Learning to Teach Antimicrobial Spectrum Activity

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Objective. To design instructional methods that would promote long-term retention of knowledge of antimicrobial pharmacology, particularly the spectrum of activity for antimicrobial agents, in pharmacy students. Design. An active-learning approach was used to teach selected sessions in a required antimicrobial pharmacology course. Students were expected to review key concepts from the course reader prior to the in-class sessions. During class, brief concept reviews were followed by active-learning exercises, including a novel schematic method for learning antimicrobial spectrum of activity (“flower diagrams”). Assessment. At the beginning of the next quarter (approximately 10 weeks after the in-class sessions), 360 students (three yearly cohorts) completed a low-stakes multiple-choice examination on the concepts in antimicrobial spectrum of activity. When data for students was pooled across years, the mean number of correct items was 75.3% for the items that tested content delivered with the active-learning method vs 70.4% for items that tested content delivered via traditional lecture (mean difference 4.9%). Instructor ratings on student evaluations of the active-learning approach were high (mean scores 4.5-4.8 on a 5-point scale) and student comments were positive about the active-learning approach and flower diagrams. Conclusion. An active-learning approach led to modestly higher scores in a test of long-term retention of pharmacology knowledge and was well-received by students. PMID:28381885

A Study about Placement Support Using Semantic Similarity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Marco; van Bruggen, Jan; Giesbers, Bas; Waterink, Wim; Eshuis, Jannes; Koper, Rob

2014-01-01

This paper discusses Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) as a method for the assessment of prior learning. The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is a procedure to offer learners an individualized curriculum based on their prior experiences and knowledge. The placement decisions in this process are based on the analysis of student material by domain…

Mitigating Information Overload: The Impact of Context-Based Approach to the Design of Tools for Intelligence Analysts

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

amount of arriving data, extract actionable information, and integrate it with prior knowledge. Add to that the pressures of today’s fusion center...information, and integrate it with prior knowledge. Add to that the pressures of today’s fusion center climate and it becomes clear that analysts, police... fusion centers, including specifics about how these problems manifest at the Illinois State Police (ISP) Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center

The dynamics of fidelity over the time course of long-term memory.

PubMed

Persaud, Kimele; Hemmer, Pernille

2016-08-01

Bayesian models of cognition assume that prior knowledge about the world influences judgments. Recent approaches have suggested that the loss of fidelity from working to long-term (LT) memory is simply due to an increased rate of guessing (e.g. Brady, Konkle, Gill, Oliva, & Alvarez, 2013). That is, recall is the result of either remembering (with some noise) or guessing. This stands in contrast to Bayesian models of cognition while assume that prior knowledge about the world influences judgments, and that recall is a combination of expectations learned from the environment and noisy memory representations. Here, we evaluate the time course of fidelity in LT episodic memory, and the relative contribution of prior category knowledge and guessing, using a continuous recall paradigm. At an aggregate level, performance reflects a high rate of guessing. However, when aggregate data is partitioned by lag (i.e., the number of presentations from study to test), or is un-aggregated, performance appears to be more complex than just remembering with some noise and guessing. We implemented three models: the standard remember-guess model, a three-component remember-guess model, and a Bayesian mixture model and evaluated these models against the data. The results emphasize the importance of taking into account the influence of prior category knowledge on memory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Knowledge Transfer in the Context of Biomechanics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchison, Randolph E.

2011-01-01

The dynamic act of knowledge transfer, or the connection of a student's prior knowledge to features of a new problem, could be considered one of the primary goals of education. Yet studies highlight more instances of failure than success. This dissertation focuses on how knowledge transfer takes place during individual problem solving, in…

New Knowledge Derived from Learned Knowledge: Functional-Anatomic Correlates of Stimulus Equivalence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlund, Michael W.; Hoehn-Saric, Rudolf; Cataldo, Michael F.

2007-01-01

Forming new knowledge based on knowledge established through prior learning is a central feature of higher cognition that is captured in research on stimulus equivalence (SE). Numerous SE investigations show that reinforcing behavior under control of distinct sets of arbitrary conditional relations gives rise to stimulus control by new, "derived"…

Is knowledge important? Empirical research on nuclear risk communication in two countries.

PubMed

Perko, Tanja; Zeleznik, Nadja; Turcanu, Catrinel; Thijssen, Peter

2012-06-01

Increasing audience knowledge is often set as a primary objective of risk communication efforts. But is it worthwhile focusing risk communication strategies solely on enhancing specific knowledge? The main research questions tackled in this paper were: (1) if prior audience knowledge related to specific radiation risks is influential for the perception of these risks and the acceptance of communicated messages and (2) if gender, attitudes, risk perception of other radiation risks, confidence in authorities, and living in the vicinity of nuclear/radiological installations may also play an important role in this matter. The goal of this study was to test empirically the mentioned predictors in two independent case studies in different countries. The first case study was an information campaign for iodine pre-distribution in Belgium (N = 1035). The second was the information campaign on long-term radioactive waste disposal in Slovenia (N = 1,200). In both cases, recurrent and intensive communication campaigns were carried out by the authorities aiming, among other things, at increasing specific audience knowledge. Results show that higher prior audience knowledge leads to more willingness to accept communicated messages, but it does not affect people’s perception of the specific risk communicated. In addition, the influence of prior audience knowledge on the acceptance of communicated messages is shown to be no stronger than that of general radiation risk perception. The results in both case studies suggest that effective risk communication has to focus not only on knowledge but also on other more heuristic predictors, such as risk perception or attitudes toward communicated risks.

Relations among Conceptual Knowledge, Procedural Knowledge, and Procedural Flexibility in Two Samples Differing in Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Michael; Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Star, Jon R.

2011-01-01

Competence in many domains rests on children developing conceptual and procedural knowledge, as well as procedural flexibility. However, research on the developmental relations between these different types of knowledge has yielded unclear results, in part because little attention has been paid to the validity of the measures or to the effects of…

Order priors for Bayesian network discovery with an application to malware phylogeny

DOE PAGES

Oyen, Diane; Anderson, Blake; Sentz, Kari; ...

2017-09-15

Here, Bayesian networks have been used extensively to model and discover dependency relationships among sets of random variables. We learn Bayesian network structure with a combination of human knowledge about the partial ordering of variables and statistical inference of conditional dependencies from observed data. Our approach leverages complementary information from human knowledge and inference from observed data to produce networks that reflect human beliefs about the system as well as to fit the observed data. Applying prior beliefs about partial orderings of variables is an approach distinctly different from existing methods that incorporate prior beliefs about direct dependencies (or edges)more » in a Bayesian network. We provide an efficient implementation of the partial-order prior in a Bayesian structure discovery learning algorithm, as well as an edge prior, showing that both priors meet the local modularity requirement necessary for an efficient Bayesian discovery algorithm. In benchmark studies, the partial-order prior improves the accuracy of Bayesian network structure learning as well as the edge prior, even though order priors are more general. Our primary motivation is in characterizing the evolution of families of malware to aid cyber security analysts. For the problem of malware phylogeny discovery, we find that our algorithm, compared to existing malware phylogeny algorithms, more accurately discovers true dependencies that are missed by other algorithms.« less

Order priors for Bayesian network discovery with an application to malware phylogeny

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oyen, Diane; Anderson, Blake; Sentz, Kari

Here, Bayesian networks have been used extensively to model and discover dependency relationships among sets of random variables. We learn Bayesian network structure with a combination of human knowledge about the partial ordering of variables and statistical inference of conditional dependencies from observed data. Our approach leverages complementary information from human knowledge and inference from observed data to produce networks that reflect human beliefs about the system as well as to fit the observed data. Applying prior beliefs about partial orderings of variables is an approach distinctly different from existing methods that incorporate prior beliefs about direct dependencies (or edges)more » in a Bayesian network. We provide an efficient implementation of the partial-order prior in a Bayesian structure discovery learning algorithm, as well as an edge prior, showing that both priors meet the local modularity requirement necessary for an efficient Bayesian discovery algorithm. In benchmark studies, the partial-order prior improves the accuracy of Bayesian network structure learning as well as the edge prior, even though order priors are more general. Our primary motivation is in characterizing the evolution of families of malware to aid cyber security analysts. For the problem of malware phylogeny discovery, we find that our algorithm, compared to existing malware phylogeny algorithms, more accurately discovers true dependencies that are missed by other algorithms.« less

An investigation of prior knowledge in Automatic Music Transcription systems.

PubMed

Cazau, Dorian; Revillon, Guillaume; Krywyk, Julien; Adam, Olivier

2015-10-01

Automatic transcription of music is a long-studied research field with many operational systems available commercially. In this paper, a generic transcription system able to host various prior knowledge parameters has been developed, followed by an in-depth investigation of their impact on music transcription. Explicit links between musical knowledge and algorithmic formalism have been made. Musical knowledge covers classes of timbre, musicology, and playing style of an instrument repertoire. An evaluation sound corpus gathering musical pieces played by human performers from three different instrument repertoires, namely, classical piano, steel-string acoustic guitar, and the marovany zither from Madagascar, has been developed. The different components of musical knowledge have been successively incorporated in a complete transcription system, consisting mainly of a Probabilistic Latent Component Analysis algorithm post-processed with a Hidden Markov Model, and their impact on transcription results have been comparatively evaluated.

Epigenetic priors for identifying active transcription factor binding sites.

PubMed

Cuellar-Partida, Gabriel; Buske, Fabian A; McLeay, Robert C; Whitington, Tom; Noble, William Stafford; Bailey, Timothy L

2012-01-01

Accurate knowledge of the genome-wide binding of transcription factors in a particular cell type or under a particular condition is necessary for understanding transcriptional regulation. Using epigenetic data such as histone modification and DNase I, accessibility data has been shown to improve motif-based in silico methods for predicting such binding, but this approach has not yet been fully explored. We describe a probabilistic method for combining one or more tracks of epigenetic data with a standard DNA sequence motif model to improve our ability to identify active transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs). We convert each data type into a position-specific probabilistic prior and combine these priors with a traditional probabilistic motif model to compute a log-posterior odds score. Our experiments, using histone modifications H3K4me1, H3K4me3, H3K9ac and H3K27ac, as well as DNase I sensitivity, show conclusively that the log-posterior odds score consistently outperforms a simple binary filter based on the same data. We also show that our approach performs competitively with a more complex method, CENTIPEDE, and suggest that the relative simplicity of the log-posterior odds scoring method makes it an appealing and very general method for identifying functional TFBSs on the basis of DNA and epigenetic evidence. FIMO, part of the MEME Suite software toolkit, now supports log-posterior odds scoring using position-specific priors for motif search. A web server and source code are available at http://meme.nbcr.net. Utilities for creating priors are at http://research.imb.uq.edu.au/t.bailey/SD/Cuellar2011. t.bailey@uq.edu.au Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Prior knowledge-based approach for associating ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Evaluating the potential human health and/or ecological risks associated with exposures to complex chemical mixtures in the ambient environment is one of the central challenges of chemical safety assessment and environmental protection. There is a need for approaches that can help to integrate chemical monitoring and bio-effects data to evaluate risks associated with chemicals present in the environment. We used prior knowledge about chemical-gene interactions to develop a knowledge assembly model for detected chemicals at five locations near two wastewater treatment plants. The assembly model was used to generate hypotheses about the biological impacts of the chemicals at each location. The hypotheses were tested using empirical hepatic gene expression data from fathead minnows exposed for 12 d at each location. Empirical gene expression data was also mapped to the assembly models to statistically evaluate the likelihood of a chemical contributing to the observed biological responses. The prior knowledge approach was able reasonably hypothesize the biological impacts at one site but not the other. Chemicals most likely contributing to the observed biological responses were identified at each location. Despite limitations to the approach, knowledge assembly models have strong potential for associating chemical occurrence with potential biological effects and providing a foundation for hypothesis generation to guide research and/or monitoring efforts relat

Integrating biological knowledge into variable selection: an empirical Bayes approach with an application in cancer biology

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background An important question in the analysis of biochemical data is that of identifying subsets of molecular variables that may jointly influence a biological response. Statistical variable selection methods have been widely used for this purpose. In many settings, it may be important to incorporate ancillary biological information concerning the variables of interest. Pathway and network maps are one example of a source of such information. However, although ancillary information is increasingly available, it is not always clear how it should be used nor how it should be weighted in relation to primary data. Results We put forward an approach in which biological knowledge is incorporated using informative prior distributions over variable subsets, with prior information selected and weighted in an automated, objective manner using an empirical Bayes formulation. We employ continuous, linear models with interaction terms and exploit biochemically-motivated sparsity constraints to permit exact inference. We show an example of priors for pathway- and network-based information and illustrate our proposed method on both synthetic response data and by an application to cancer drug response data. Comparisons are also made to alternative Bayesian and frequentist penalised-likelihood methods for incorporating network-based information. Conclusions The empirical Bayes method proposed here can aid prior elicitation for Bayesian variable selection studies and help to guard against mis-specification of priors. Empirical Bayes, together with the proposed pathway-based priors, results in an approach with a competitive variable selection performance. In addition, the overall procedure is fast, deterministic, and has very few user-set parameters, yet is capable of capturing interplay between molecular players. The approach presented is general and readily applicable in any setting with multiple sources of biological prior knowledge. PMID:22578440

What are they up to? The role of sensory evidence and prior knowledge in action understanding.

PubMed

Chambon, Valerian; Domenech, Philippe; Pacherie, Elisabeth; Koechlin, Etienne; Baraduc, Pierre; Farrer, Chlöé

2011-02-18

Explaining or predicting the behaviour of our conspecifics requires the ability to infer the intentions that motivate it. Such inferences are assumed to rely on two types of information: (1) the sensory information conveyed by movement kinematics and (2) the observer's prior expectations--acquired from past experience or derived from prior knowledge. However, the respective contribution of these two sources of information is still controversial. This controversy stems in part from the fact that "intention" is an umbrella term that may embrace various sub-types each being assigned different scopes and targets. We hypothesized that variations in the scope and target of intentions may account for variations in the contribution of visual kinematics and prior knowledge to the intention inference process. To test this hypothesis, we conducted four behavioural experiments in which participants were instructed to identify different types of intention: basic intentions (i.e. simple goal of a motor act), superordinate intentions (i.e. general goal of a sequence of motor acts), or social intentions (i.e. intentions accomplished in a context of reciprocal interaction). For each of the above-mentioned intentions, we varied (1) the amount of visual information available from the action scene and (2) participant's prior expectations concerning the intention that was more likely to be accomplished. First, we showed that intentional judgments depend on a consistent interaction between visual information and participant's prior expectations. Moreover, we demonstrated that this interaction varied according to the type of intention to be inferred, with participant's priors rather than perceptual evidence exerting a greater effect on the inference of social and superordinate intentions. The results are discussed by appealing to the specific properties of each type of intention considered and further interpreted in the light of a hierarchical model of action representation.

Conceptualisation of knowledge construction in community service-learning programmes in nursing education.

PubMed

Mthembu, Sindi Z; Mtshali, Fikile G

2013-01-01

Practices in higher education have been criticised for not developing and preparing students for the expertise required in real environments. Literature reports that educational programmes tend to favour knowledge conformation rather than knowledge construction; however, community service learning (CSL) is a powerful pedagogical strategy that encourages students to make meaningful connections between the content in the classroom and real-life experiences as manifested by the communities. Through CSL, learning is achieved by the active construction of knowledge supported by multiple perspectives within meaningful real contexts, and the social interactions amongst students are seen to play a critical role in the processes of learning and cognition. This article reflects facilitators’ perspective of the knowledge construction process as used with students doing community service learning in basic nursing programmes. The aim of this article was to conceptualise the phenomenon of knowledge construction and thereby provide educators with a shared meaning and common understanding, and to analyse the interaction strategies utilised by nurse educators in the process of knowledge construction in community service-learning programmes in basic nursing education. A qualitative research approach based on a grounded theory research design was used in this article. Two nursing education institutions were purposively selected. Structured interviews were conducted with 16 participants. The results revealed that the knowledge construction in community service-learning programmes is conceptualised as having specific determinants, including the use of authentic health-related problems, academic coaching through scaffolding, academic discourse-dialogue, interactive learning in communities of learners, active learning, continuous reflection as well as collaborative and inquiry-based learning. Upon completion of an experience, students create and test generated knowledge in different contextual health settings. It was concluded that knowledge is constructed by students as a result of their interaction with the communities in their socio-cultural context and is mediated by their prior concrete experiences. The implication of this is that students construct knowledge that can be applied in their future work places.

Collaborative Knowledge Building with Wikis: The Impact of Redundancy and Polarity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moskaliuk, Johannes; Kimmerle, Joachim; Cress, Ulrike

2012-01-01

Wikis as shared digital artifacts may enable users to participate in processes of knowledge building. To what extent and with which quality knowledge building can take place is assumed to depend on the interrelation between people's prior knowledge and the information available in a wiki. In two experimental studies we examined the impact on…

The Effects of Prior Knowledge on Children's Memory and Suggestibility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elischberger, Holger B.

2005-01-01

In this study, 5- and 6-year-olds were read a story and asked to recall its details. Two independent factors-prestory knowledge and poststory suggestions-were crossed to examine the effects on children's story recall. The results indicated that prestory social knowledge about the story protagonist as well as academic knowledge relating to the…

Approaching Multidimensional Forms of Knowledge through Personal Meaning Mapping in Science Integrating Teaching outside the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartmeyer, Rikke; Bølling, Mads; Bentsen, Peter

2017-01-01

Current research points to Personal Meaning Mapping (PMM) as a method useful in investigating students' prior and current science knowledge. However, studies investigating PMM as a method for exploring specific knowledge dimensions are lacking. Ensuring that students are able to access specific knowledge dimensions is important, especially in…

Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TSPCK) in Redox and Electrochemistry of Experienced Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Stephanie

2017-01-01

Topic specific pedagogical content knowledge (TSPCK) is the basis by which knowledge of subject matter of a particular topic is conveyed to students. This includes students' prior knowledge, curricular saliency, what makes a topic easy or difficult to teach, representations, and teaching strategies. The goal of this study is to assess the…

Creating Connections: Using the Internet to Support Struggling Readers' Background Knowledge. Issues in Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karchmer, Rachel A.

2004-01-01

Background knowledge plays an important role in one?s ability to learn. We learn new knowledge by relating it to our prior knowledge, which in turn provides concrete understanding (Piaget, 1969). Rosenblatt (1996) explained, "The reader brings to the work personality traits, memories of past events, present needs and preoccupations, a…

Interplay of Secondary Pre-Service Teacher Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and Attitudes Regarding Scientific Inquiry Teaching within Teacher Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smit, Robbert; Weitzel, Holger; Blank, Robert; Rietz, Florian; Tardent, Josiane; Robin, Nicolas

2017-01-01

Background: Beginning teachers encounter several constraints with respect to scientific inquiry. Depending on their prior beliefs, knowledge and understanding, these constraints affect their teaching of inquiry. Purpose: To investigate quantitatively the longitudinal relationship between pre-service teachers' knowledge and attitudes on scientific…

Technology-Enhanced Learning in Science (TELS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linn, Marcia

2006-12-01

The overall research question addressed by the NSF-funded echnologyEnhanced Learning in Science (TELS) Center is whether interactive scientific visualizations embedded in high quality instructional units can be used to increase pre-college student learning in science. The research draws on the knowledge integration framework to guide the design of instructional modules, professional development activities, and assessment activities. This talk reports on results from the first year where 50 teachers taught one of the 12 TELS modules in over 200 classes in 16 diverse schools. Assessments scored with the knowledge integration rubric showed that students made progress in learning complex physics topics such as electricity, mechanics, and thermodynamics. Teachers encountered primarily technological obstacles that the research team was able to address prior to implementation. Powerful scientific visualizations required extensive instructional supports to communicate to students. Currently, TELS is refining the modules, professional development, and assessments based on evidence from the first year. Preliminary design principles intended to help research teams build on the findings will be presented for audience feedback and discussion.

Prior Conceptual Knowledge and Textbook Search.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrnes, James P.; Guthrie, John T.

1992-01-01

The role of a subject's conceptual knowledge in the procedural task of searching a text for information was studied for 51 college undergraduates in 2 experiments involving knowledge of anatomy. Students with more anatomical information were able to search a text more quickly. Educational implications are discussed. (SLD)

How Knowledge Powers Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemov, Doug

2017-01-01

Recent research shows that reading comprehension relies heavily on prior knowledge. Far more than generic "reading skills" like drawing inferences, making predictions, and knowing the function of subheads, how well students learn from a nonfiction text depends on their background knowledge of the text's subject matter. And in a cyclical…

Employees and Creativity: Social Ties and Access to Heterogeneous Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Chiung-En; Liu, Chih-Hsing Sam

2015-01-01

This study dealt with employee social ties, knowledge heterogeneity contacts, and the generation of creativity. Although prior studies demonstrated a relationship between network position and creativity, inadequate attention has been paid to network ties and heterogeneity knowledge contacts. This study considered the social interaction processes…

Computer Experiences, Self-Efficacy and Knowledge of Students Enrolled in Introductory University Agriculture Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Donald M.; Ferguson, James A.; Lester, Melissa L.

1999-01-01

Of 175 freshmen agriculture students, 74% had prior computer courses, 62% owned computers. The number of computer topics studied predicted both computer self-efficacy and computer knowledge. A substantial positive correlation was found between self-efficacy and computer knowledge. (SK)

Semantically-based priors and nuanced knowledge core for Big Data, Social AI, and language understanding.

PubMed

Olsher, Daniel

2014-10-01

Noise-resistant and nuanced, COGBASE makes 10 million pieces of commonsense data and a host of novel reasoning algorithms available via a family of semantically-driven prior probability distributions. Machine learning, Big Data, natural language understanding/processing, and social AI can draw on COGBASE to determine lexical semantics, infer goals and interests, simulate emotion and affect, calculate document gists and topic models, and link commonsense knowledge to domain models and social, spatial, cultural, and psychological data. COGBASE is especially ideal for social Big Data, which tends to involve highly implicit contexts, cognitive artifacts, difficult-to-parse texts, and deep domain knowledge dependencies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prediction of Slot Shape and Slot Size for Improving the Performance of Microstrip Antennas Using Knowledge-Based Neural Networks.

PubMed

Khan, Taimoor; De, Asok

2014-01-01

In the last decade, artificial neural networks have become very popular techniques for computing different performance parameters of microstrip antennas. The proposed work illustrates a knowledge-based neural networks model for predicting the appropriate shape and accurate size of the slot introduced on the radiating patch for achieving desired level of resonance, gain, directivity, antenna efficiency, and radiation efficiency for dual-frequency operation. By incorporating prior knowledge in neural model, the number of required training patterns is drastically reduced. Further, the neural model incorporated with prior knowledge can be used for predicting response in extrapolation region beyond the training patterns region. For validation, a prototype is also fabricated and its performance parameters are measured. A very good agreement is attained between measured, simulated, and predicted results.

Prediction of Slot Shape and Slot Size for Improving the Performance of Microstrip Antennas Using Knowledge-Based Neural Networks

PubMed Central

De, Asok

2014-01-01

In the last decade, artificial neural networks have become very popular techniques for computing different performance parameters of microstrip antennas. The proposed work illustrates a knowledge-based neural networks model for predicting the appropriate shape and accurate size of the slot introduced on the radiating patch for achieving desired level of resonance, gain, directivity, antenna efficiency, and radiation efficiency for dual-frequency operation. By incorporating prior knowledge in neural model, the number of required training patterns is drastically reduced. Further, the neural model incorporated with prior knowledge can be used for predicting response in extrapolation region beyond the training patterns region. For validation, a prototype is also fabricated and its performance parameters are measured. A very good agreement is attained between measured, simulated, and predicted results. PMID:27382616

Tacit knowledge.

PubMed

Walker, Alexander Muir

2017-04-01

Information that is not made explicit is nonetheless embedded in most of our standard procedures. In its simplest form, embedded information may take the form of prior knowledge held by the researcher and presumed to be agreed to by consumers of the research product. More interesting are the settings in which the prior information is held unconsciously by both researcher and reader, or when the very form of an "effective procedure" incorporates its creator's (unspoken) understanding of a problem. While it may not be productive to exhaustively detail the embedded or tacit knowledge that manifests itself in creative scientific work, at least at the beginning, we may want to routinize methods for extracting and documenting the ways of thinking that make "experts" expert. We should not back away from both expecting and respecting the tacit knowledge the pervades our work and the work of others.

Preservice Agricultural Education Teachers' Experiences in and Anticipation of Content Knowledge Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Amber H.; Kitchel, Tracy

2015-01-01

This study explored the experiences of preservice agriculture teachers in content knowledge preparation for pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) development. The researchers employed a phenomenological approach in which six preservice teachers were interviewed the semester prior to student teaching. The researchers found there was general…

Designing Knowledge Scaffolds to Support Mathematical Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Koedinger, Kenneth R.

2005-01-01

We present a methodology for designing better learning environments. In Phase 1, 6th-grade students' (n = 223) prior knowledge was assessed using a difficulty factors assessment (DFA). The assessment revealed that scaffolds designed to elicit contextual, conceptual, or procedural knowledge each improved students' ability to add and subtract…

Uncovering and Informing Preservice Teachers' Prior Knowledge about Poverty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mundy, Charlotte Anne; Leko, Melinda Marie

2015-01-01

This study explored 30 preservice teachers' knowledge on issues related to poverty. In an open-ended questionnaire, preservice teachers' perceptions of poverty and how teachers should respond to students from poverty were explored. Results indicated that preservice teachers' knowledge was nonspecific and lacked focus on the relationship among…

Understanding pictorial information in biology: students' cognitive activities and visual reading strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandstetter, Miriam; Sandmann, Angela; Florian, Christine

2017-06-01

In classroom, scientific contents are increasingly communicated through visual forms of representations. Students' learning outcomes rely on their ability to read and understand pictorial information. Understanding pictorial information in biology requires cognitive effort and can be challenging to students. Yet evidence-based knowledge about students' visual reading strategies during the process of understanding pictorial information is pending. Therefore, 42 students at the age of 14-15 were asked to think aloud while trying to understand visual representations of the blood circulatory system and the patellar reflex. A category system was developed differentiating 16 categories of cognitive activities. A Principal Component Analysis revealed two underlying patterns of activities that can be interpreted as visual reading strategies: 1. Inferences predominated by using a problem-solving schema; 2. Inferences predominated by recall of prior content knowledge. Each pattern consists of a specific set of cognitive activities that reflect selection, organisation and integration of pictorial information as well as different levels of expertise. The results give detailed insights into cognitive activities of students who were required to understand the pictorial information of complex organ systems. They provide an evidence-based foundation to derive instructional aids that can promote students pictorial-information-based learning on different levels of expertise.

Modeling Protein Expression and Protein Signaling Pathways

PubMed Central

Telesca, Donatello; Müller, Peter; Kornblau, Steven M.; Suchard, Marc A.; Ji, Yuan

2015-01-01

High-throughput functional proteomic technologies provide a way to quantify the expression of proteins of interest. Statistical inference centers on identifying the activation state of proteins and their patterns of molecular interaction formalized as dependence structure. Inference on dependence structure is particularly important when proteins are selected because they are part of a common molecular pathway. In that case, inference on dependence structure reveals properties of the underlying pathway. We propose a probability model that represents molecular interactions at the level of hidden binary latent variables that can be interpreted as indicators for active versus inactive states of the proteins. The proposed approach exploits available expert knowledge about the target pathway to define an informative prior on the hidden conditional dependence structure. An important feature of this prior is that it provides an instrument to explicitly anchor the model space to a set of interactions of interest, favoring a local search approach to model determination. We apply our model to reverse-phase protein array data from a study on acute myeloid leukemia. Our inference identifies relevant subpathways in relation to the unfolding of the biological process under study. PMID:26246646

Explicit Instructions Increase Cognitive Costs of Deception in Predictable Social Context

PubMed Central

Falkiewicz, Marcel; Sarzyńska, Justyna; Babula, Justyna; Szatkowska, Iwona; Grabowska, Anna; Nęcka, Edward

2015-01-01

Convincing participants to deceive remains one of the biggest and most important challenges of laboratory-based deception research. The simplest and most prevalent method involves explicitly instructing participants to lie or tell the truth before presenting each task item. The usual finding of such experiments is increased cognitive load associated with deceptive responses, explained by necessity to inhibit default and automatic honest responses. However, explicit instructions are usually coupled with the absence of social context in the experimental task. Context plays a key role in social cognition by activating prior knowledge, which facilitates behaviors consistent with the latter. We hypothesized that in the presence of social context, both honest and deceptive responses can be produced on the basis of prior knowledge, without reliance on truth and without additional cognitive load during deceptive responses. In order to test the hypothesis, we have developed Speed-Dating Task (SDT), which is based on a real-life social event. In SDT, participants respond both honestly and deceptively to questions in order to appear similar to each of the dates. The dates are predictable and represent well-known categories (i.e., atheist or conservative). In one condition participants rely on explicit instructions preceding each question (external cue). In the second condition no explicit instructions are present, so the participants need to adapt based on prior knowledge about the category the dates belong to (internal cue). With internal cues, reaction times (RTs) are similar for both honest and deceptive responses. However, in the presence of external cues (EC), RTs are longer for deceptive than honest responses, suggesting that deceptive responses are associated with increased cognitive load. Compared to internal cues, deception costs were higher when EC were present. However, the effect was limited to the first part of the experiment, only partially confirming our initial hypothesis. The results suggest that the presence of social context in deception tasks might have a significant influence on cognitive processes associated with deception. PMID:26696929

Ischemic Ventricular Tachycardia Presenting as a Narrow Complex Tachycardia

PubMed Central

Page, Stephen P; Watts, Troy; Yeo, Wee Tiong; Mehul, Dhinoja

2014-01-01

This report describes a patient presenting with a narrow complex tachycardia in the context of prior myocardial infarction and impaired ventricular function. Electrophysiological studies confirmed ventricular tachycardia and activation and entrainment mapping demonstrated a critical isthmus within an area of scar involving the His-Purkinje system accounting for the narrow QRS morphology. This very rare case shares some similarities with upper septal ventricular tachycardia seen in patients with structurally normal hearts, but to our knowledge has not been seen previously in patients with ischemic heart disease. PMID:25057222

Integrating clinicians, knowledge and data: expert-based cooperative analysis in healthcare decision support

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Decision support in health systems is a highly difficult task, due to the inherent complexity of the process and structures involved. Method This paper introduces a new hybrid methodology Expert-based Cooperative Analysis (EbCA), which incorporates explicit prior expert knowledge in data analysis methods, and elicits implicit or tacit expert knowledge (IK) to improve decision support in healthcare systems. EbCA has been applied to two different case studies, showing its usability and versatility: 1) Bench-marking of small mental health areas based on technical efficiency estimated by EbCA-Data Envelopment Analysis (EbCA-DEA), and 2) Case-mix of schizophrenia based on functional dependency using Clustering Based on Rules (ClBR). In both cases comparisons towards classical procedures using qualitative explicit prior knowledge were made. Bayesian predictive validity measures were used for comparison with expert panels results. Overall agreement was tested by Intraclass Correlation Coefficient in case "1" and kappa in both cases. Results EbCA is a new methodology composed by 6 steps:. 1) Data collection and data preparation; 2) acquisition of "Prior Expert Knowledge" (PEK) and design of the "Prior Knowledge Base" (PKB); 3) PKB-guided analysis; 4) support-interpretation tools to evaluate results and detect inconsistencies (here Implicit Knowledg -IK- might be elicited); 5) incorporation of elicited IK in PKB and repeat till a satisfactory solution; 6) post-processing results for decision support. EbCA has been useful for incorporating PEK in two different analysis methods (DEA and Clustering), applied respectively to assess technical efficiency of small mental health areas and for case-mix of schizophrenia based on functional dependency. Differences in results obtained with classical approaches were mainly related to the IK which could be elicited by using EbCA and had major implications for the decision making in both cases. Discussion This paper presents EbCA and shows the convenience of completing classical data analysis with PEK as a mean to extract relevant knowledge in complex health domains. One of the major benefits of EbCA is iterative elicitation of IK.. Both explicit and tacit or implicit expert knowledge are critical to guide the scientific analysis of very complex decisional problems as those found in health system research. PMID:20920289

Integrating clinicians, knowledge and data: expert-based cooperative analysis in healthcare decision support.

PubMed

Gibert, Karina; García-Alonso, Carlos; Salvador-Carulla, Luis

2010-09-30

Decision support in health systems is a highly difficult task, due to the inherent complexity of the process and structures involved. This paper introduces a new hybrid methodology Expert-based Cooperative Analysis (EbCA), which incorporates explicit prior expert knowledge in data analysis methods, and elicits implicit or tacit expert knowledge (IK) to improve decision support in healthcare systems. EbCA has been applied to two different case studies, showing its usability and versatility: 1) Bench-marking of small mental health areas based on technical efficiency estimated by EbCA-Data Envelopment Analysis (EbCA-DEA), and 2) Case-mix of schizophrenia based on functional dependency using Clustering Based on Rules (ClBR). In both cases comparisons towards classical procedures using qualitative explicit prior knowledge were made. Bayesian predictive validity measures were used for comparison with expert panels results. Overall agreement was tested by Intraclass Correlation Coefficient in case "1" and kappa in both cases. EbCA is a new methodology composed by 6 steps:. 1) Data collection and data preparation; 2) acquisition of "Prior Expert Knowledge" (PEK) and design of the "Prior Knowledge Base" (PKB); 3) PKB-guided analysis; 4) support-interpretation tools to evaluate results and detect inconsistencies (here Implicit Knowledg -IK- might be elicited); 5) incorporation of elicited IK in PKB and repeat till a satisfactory solution; 6) post-processing results for decision support. EbCA has been useful for incorporating PEK in two different analysis methods (DEA and Clustering), applied respectively to assess technical efficiency of small mental health areas and for case-mix of schizophrenia based on functional dependency. Differences in results obtained with classical approaches were mainly related to the IK which could be elicited by using EbCA and had major implications for the decision making in both cases. This paper presents EbCA and shows the convenience of completing classical data analysis with PEK as a mean to extract relevant knowledge in complex health domains. One of the major benefits of EbCA is iterative elicitation of IK.. Both explicit and tacit or implicit expert knowledge are critical to guide the scientific analysis of very complex decisional problems as those found in health system research.

Using expert knowledge for test linking.

PubMed

Bolsinova, Maria; Hoijtink, Herbert; Vermeulen, Jorine Adinda; Béguin, Anton

2017-12-01

Linking and equating procedures are used to make the results of different test forms comparable. In the cases where no assumption of random equivalent groups can be made some form of linking design is used. In practice the amount of data available to link the two tests is often very limited due to logistic and security reasons, which affects the precision of linking procedures. This study proposes to enhance the quality of linking procedures based on sparse data by using Bayesian methods which combine the information in the linking data with background information captured in informative prior distributions. We propose two methods for the elicitation of prior knowledge about the difference in difficulty of two tests from subject-matter experts and explain how these results can be used in the specification of priors. To illustrate the proposed methods and evaluate the quality of linking with and without informative priors, an empirical example of linking primary school mathematics tests is presented. The results suggest that informative priors can increase the precision of linking without decreasing the accuracy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Yitan; Xu, Yanxun; Helseth, Donald L.

Background: Genetic interactions play a critical role in cancer development. Existing knowledge about cancer genetic interactions is incomplete, especially lacking evidences derived from large-scale cancer genomics data. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) produces multimodal measurements across genomics and features of thousands of tumors, which provide an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the interplays of genes in cancer. Methods: We introduce Zodiac, a computational tool and resource to integrate existing knowledge about cancer genetic interactions with new information contained in TCGA data. It is an evolution of existing knowledge by treating it as a prior graph, integrating it with a likelihood modelmore » derived by Bayesian graphical model based on TCGA data, and producing a posterior graph as updated and data-enhanced knowledge. In short, Zodiac realizes “Prior interaction map + TCGA data → Posterior interaction map.” Results: Zodiac provides molecular interactions for about 200 million pairs of genes. All the results are generated from a big-data analysis and organized into a comprehensive database allowing customized search. In addition, Zodiac provides data processing and analysis tools that allow users to customize the prior networks and update the genetic pathways of their interest. Zodiac is publicly available at www.compgenome.org/ZODIAC. Conclusions: Zodiac recapitulates and extends existing knowledge of molecular interactions in cancer. It can be used to explore novel gene-gene interactions, transcriptional regulation, and other types of molecular interplays in cancer.« less

Knowledge-Based Parallel Performance Technology for Scientific Application Competitiveness Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malony, Allen D; Shende, Sameer

The primary goal of the University of Oregon's DOE "œcompetitiveness" project was to create performance technology that embodies and supports knowledge of performance data, analysis, and diagnosis in parallel performance problem solving. The target of our development activities was the TAU Performance System and the technology accomplishments reported in this and prior reports have all been incorporated in the TAU open software distribution. In addition, the project has been committed to maintaining strong interactions with the DOE SciDAC Performance Engineering Research Institute (PERI) and Center for Technology for Advanced Scientific Component Software (TASCS). This collaboration has proved valuable for translationmore » of our knowledge-based performance techniques to parallel application development and performance engineering practice. Our outreach has also extended to the DOE Advanced CompuTational Software (ACTS) collection and project. Throughout the project we have participated in the PERI and TASCS meetings, as well as the ACTS annual workshops.« less

Activists within the Academy: The Role of Prior Experience in Adult Learners' Acquisition of Postgraduate Literacies in a Postapartheid South African University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Linda

2011-01-01

The article takes as a case study a group of disability rights activists who were given access to a master's program via Recognition of Prior Learning. The question explored is "Can adult learners' prior experiential knowledge act as a resource for the successful acquisition of postgraduate academic literacy practices?" The analysis is…

Image segmentation with a novel regularized composite shape prior based on surrogate study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, Tingting, E-mail: tingtingzhao@mednet.ucla.edu; Ruan, Dan, E-mail: druan@mednet.ucla.edu

Purpose: Incorporating training into image segmentation is a good approach to achieve additional robustness. This work aims to develop an effective strategy to utilize shape prior knowledge, so that the segmentation label evolution can be driven toward the desired global optimum. Methods: In the variational image segmentation framework, a regularization for the composite shape prior is designed to incorporate the geometric relevance of individual training data to the target, which is inferred by an image-based surrogate relevance metric. Specifically, this regularization is imposed on the linear weights of composite shapes and serves as a hyperprior. The overall problem is formulatedmore » in a unified optimization setting and a variational block-descent algorithm is derived. Results: The performance of the proposed scheme is assessed in both corpus callosum segmentation from an MR image set and clavicle segmentation based on CT images. The resulted shape composition provides a proper preference for the geometrically relevant training data. A paired Wilcoxon signed rank test demonstrates statistically significant improvement of image segmentation accuracy, when compared to multiatlas label fusion method and three other benchmark active contour schemes. Conclusions: This work has developed a novel composite shape prior regularization, which achieves superior segmentation performance than typical benchmark schemes.« less

Pre-service teacher professional development on climate change: Assessment of workshop success and influence of prior knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veron, D. E.; Ad-Marbach, G.; Fox-Lykens, R.; Ozbay, G.; Sezen-Barrie, A.; Wolfson, J.

2017-12-01

As states move to adopt the next generation science standards, in-service teachers are being provided with professional development that introduces climate change content and best practices for teaching climate change in the classroom. However, research has shown that it is challenging to bring this information into the higher education curriculum in education courses for pre-service teachers due to curricular and programming constraints. Over two years, the Maryland and Delaware Climate Change Assessment and Research (MADE-CLEAR) project explored a professional development approach for pre-service teachers which employed paired workshops that resulted in participant-developed lesson plans based on climate change content. The workshops were designed to provide pre-service teachers with climate change content related to the carbon cycle and to model a variety of techniques and activities for presenting this information in the classroom. Lesson plans were developed between the first and second workshop, presented at the second workshop and discussed with peers and in-service teachers, and then revised in response to feedback from the second workshop. Participant climate change content knowledge was assessed before the first workshop, and after the final revision of the lesson plan was submitted to the MADE-CLEAR team. Climate content knowledge was also assessed using the same survey for additional pre-service teacher groups who did not participate in the professional development. Results show that while the paired workshop approach increased climate content knowledge, the amount of improvement varied depending on the participants' prior knowledge in climate change content. In addition, some alternate conceptions of climate change were not altered by participant involvement in the professional development approach. Revised lesson plans showed understanding of underlying climate change impacts and demonstrated awareness of appropriate techniques for introducing this complex topic. These findings will be useful to those planning pre-service teacher professional development on climate change in the future.

Pilot Study Evaluating a Practice-Based Learning and Improvement Curriculum Focusing on the Development of System-Level Quality Improvement Skills

PubMed Central

Tomolo, Anne M; Lawrence, Renée H; Watts, Brook; Augustine, Sarah; Aron, David C; Singh, Mamta K

2011-01-01

Background We developed a practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) curriculum to address important gaps in components of content and experiential learning activities through didactics and participation in systems-level quality improvement projects that focus on making changes in health care processes. Methods We evaluated the impact of our curriculum on resident PBLI knowledge, self-efficacy, and application skills. A quasi-experimental design assessed the impact of a curriculum (PBLI quality improvement systems compared with non-PBLI) on internal medicine residents' learning during a 4-week ambulatory block. We measured application skills, self-efficacy, and knowledge by using the Systems Quality Improvement Training and Assessment Tool. Exit evaluations assessed time invested and experiences related to the team projects and suggestions for improving the curriculum. Results The 2 groups showed differences in change scores. Relative to the comparison group, residents in the PBLI curriculum demonstrated a significant increase in the belief about their ability to implement a continuous quality improvement project (P  =  .020), comfort level in developing data collection plans (P  =  .010), and total knowledge scores (P < .001), after adjusting for prior PBLI experience. Participants in the PBLI curriculum also demonstrated significant improvement in providing a more complete aim statement for a proposed project after adjusting for prior PBLI experience (P  =  .001). Exit evaluations were completed by 96% of PBLI curriculum participants who reported high satisfaction with team performance. Conclusion Residents in our curriculum showed gains in areas fundamental for PBLI competency. The observed improvements were related to fundamental quality improvement knowledge, with limited gain in application skills. This suggests that while heading in the right direction, we need to conceptualize and structure PBLI training in a way that integrates it throughout the residency program and fosters the application of this knowledge and these skills. PMID:22379523

Pilot study evaluating a practice-based learning and improvement curriculum focusing on the development of system-level quality improvement skills.

PubMed

Tomolo, Anne M; Lawrence, Renée H; Watts, Brook; Augustine, Sarah; Aron, David C; Singh, Mamta K

2011-03-01

We developed a practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) curriculum to address important gaps in components of content and experiential learning activities through didactics and participation in systems-level quality improvement projects that focus on making changes in health care processes. We evaluated the impact of our curriculum on resident PBLI knowledge, self-efficacy, and application skills. A quasi-experimental design assessed the impact of a curriculum (PBLI quality improvement systems compared with non-PBLI) on internal medicine residents' learning during a 4-week ambulatory block. We measured application skills, self-efficacy, and knowledge by using the Systems Quality Improvement Training and Assessment Tool. Exit evaluations assessed time invested and experiences related to the team projects and suggestions for improving the curriculum. The 2 groups showed differences in change scores. Relative to the comparison group, residents in the PBLI curriculum demonstrated a significant increase in the belief about their ability to implement a continuous quality improvement project (P  =  .020), comfort level in developing data collection plans (P  =  .010), and total knowledge scores (P < .001), after adjusting for prior PBLI experience. Participants in the PBLI curriculum also demonstrated significant improvement in providing a more complete aim statement for a proposed project after adjusting for prior PBLI experience (P  =  .001). Exit evaluations were completed by 96% of PBLI curriculum participants who reported high satisfaction with team performance. Residents in our curriculum showed gains in areas fundamental for PBLI competency. The observed improvements were related to fundamental quality improvement knowledge, with limited gain in application skills. This suggests that while heading in the right direction, we need to conceptualize and structure PBLI training in a way that integrates it throughout the residency program and fosters the application of this knowledge and these skills.

An Optimization-Based Framework for the Transformation of Incomplete Biological Knowledge into a Probabilistic Structure and Its Application to the Utilization of Gene/Protein Signaling Pathways in Discrete Phenotype Classification.

PubMed

Esfahani, Mohammad Shahrokh; Dougherty, Edward R

2015-01-01

Phenotype classification via genomic data is hampered by small sample sizes that negatively impact classifier design. Utilization of prior biological knowledge in conjunction with training data can improve both classifier design and error estimation via the construction of the optimal Bayesian classifier. In the genomic setting, gene/protein signaling pathways provide a key source of biological knowledge. Although these pathways are neither complete, nor regulatory, with no timing associated with them, they are capable of constraining the set of possible models representing the underlying interaction between molecules. The aim of this paper is to provide a framework and the mathematical tools to transform signaling pathways to prior probabilities governing uncertainty classes of feature-label distributions used in classifier design. Structural motifs extracted from the signaling pathways are mapped to a set of constraints on a prior probability on a Multinomial distribution. Being the conjugate prior for the Multinomial distribution, we propose optimization paradigms to estimate the parameters of a Dirichlet distribution in the Bayesian setting. The performance of the proposed methods is tested on two widely studied pathways: mammalian cell cycle and a p53 pathway model.

Drawing on student knowledge in human anatomy and physiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slominski, Tara Nicole

Prior to instruction, students may have developed alternative conceptions about the mechanics behind human physiology. To help students re-shape these ideas into correct reasoning, the faulty characteristics reinforcing the alternative conceptions need to made explicit. This study used student-generated drawings to expose alternative conceptions Human Anatomy and Physiology students had prior to instruction on neuron physiology. Specifically, we investigated how students thought about neuron communication across a synapse (n=355) and how neuron activity can be modified (n=311). When asked to depict basic communication between two neurons, at least 80% of students demonstrated incorrect ideas about synaptic transmission. When targeting spatial and temporal summation, only eleven students (3.5%) were able to accurately depict at least one form of summation. In response to both drawing questions, student drawings revealed multiple alternative conceptions that resulted in a deeper analysis and characterization of the wide variation of student ideas.

A rare case of supraventricular tachycardia induced by Infliximab: a case report

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal immunoglobulin antibody to tumor necrosis factor-α, has been established as a safe and effective treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, active and fistulising crohn's disease. Infliximab is generally well tolerated drug. The commonly reported cardiac side effects of Infliximab include exacerbation of congestive heart failure, hypotension and syncope. Symptomatic disorders of cardiac rhythm have been reported only rarely in few case reports and to the best of our knowledge, no tachyarrhythmia has been reported in past. Case report We report the case of a supraventricular tachycardia that occurred within three hours of Infliximab infusion in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Conclusion It is interesting to note that prior infusions in this patient did not precipitate similar consequences, thus, emphasising the importance of careful monitoring of patients on Infliximab therapy for possible reactions, even if prior exposures have been uneventful. PMID:19946518

Engaging Nigerian community pharmacists in public health programs: assessment of their knowledge, attitude and practice in Enugu metropolis.

PubMed

Offu, Ogochukwu; Anetoh, Maureen; Okonta, Matthew; Ekwunife, Obinna

2015-01-01

The Nigerian health sector battles with control of infectious diseases and emerging non-communicable diseases. Number of healthcare personnel involved in public health programs need to be boosted to contain the health challenges of the country. Therefore, it is important to assess whether community pharmacists in Nigeria could be engaged in the promotion and delivery of various public health interventions. This study aimed to assess level of knowledge, attitude and practice of public health by community pharmacists. The cross sectional survey was carried out in Enugu metropolis. Questionnaire items were developed from expert literature. Percentage satisfactory knowledge and practice were obtained by determining the percentage of community pharmacists that were able to list more than 2 activities or that stated the correct answer. Attitude score represents the average score on the 5 point Likert scale for each item. Chi square and Fisher's exact test were used to test for statistically significant difference in knowledge, attitude and practice of public health between different groups of community pharmacists. Forty pharmacists participated in the survey. About one third of the participants had satisfactory knowledge of public health. With the exception of one item in attitude assessment, average item score ranged from 'agreed' to 'strongly agreed'. Study participants scored below satisfactory on practice of public health. Knowledge, attitude and practice of public health were not influenced by years of practice, qualification and prior public health experience. Reported barriers to the practice of public health include inadequate funds, lack of time, lack of space, cooperation of clients, inadequate staff, government regulation, insufficient knowledge, and remuneration. Level of knowledge and practice of public health by community pharmacists were not satisfactory although they had a positive attitude towards practice of public health. The findings highlight the importance of educational interventions targeted towards practicing community pharmacists to improve their knowledge level on public health issues. Providing incentives for public health services rendered could increase community pharmacists' engagement in public health activities.

Improving Learning Outcome Using Six Sigma Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tetteh, Godson A.

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this research paper is to apply the Six Sigma methodology to identify the attributes of a lecturer that will help improve a student's prior knowledge of a discipline from an initial "x" per cent knowledge to a higher "y" per cent of knowledge. Design/methodology/approach: The data collection method…

Reflective Assessment in Knowledge Building by Students with Low Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Yuqin; van Aalst, Jan; Chan, Carol K. K.; Tian, Wen

2016-01-01

This study investigated whether and how students with low prior achievement can carry out and benefit from reflective assessment supported by the Knowledge Connections Analyzer (KCA) to collaboratively improve their knowledge-building discourse. Participants were a class of 20 Grade 11 students with low achievement taking visual art from an…

Knowledge of Algebra for Teaching: A Framework of Knowledge and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCrory, Raven; Floden, Robert; Ferrini-Mundy, Joan; Reckase, Mark D.; Senk, Sharon L.

2012-01-01

Defining what teachers need to know to teach algebra successfully is important for informing teacher preparation and professional development efforts. Based on prior research, analysis of video, interviews with teachers, and analysis of textbooks, we define categories of knowledge and practices of teaching for understanding and assessing teachers'…

An Investigation of Preservice Teachers' Beliefs about the Certainty of Teaching Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Leila E.; Brownlee, Jo Lunn

2018-01-01

Beliefs about the certainty of teaching knowledge may influence how preservice teachers engage with and learn from knowledge sources in teacher education, and their subsequent practice. In light of inconsistencies in prior findings that mainly employ epistemic questionnaires, we extended research focusing on a contextual analysis. Sixty-six…

Prior Knowledge Assessment Guide

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

marksmanship, advanced rifle marksmanship, and even specialized shooting courses. A comparison of the means on the test for the two groups showed that the...hands- on evaluations of student knowledge and/or skills. Pretests however, determine how much knowledge a student currently possesses of the course...content; thus, questions on pretests assess knowledge about what is to be taught in the course. Also, most pretests will include test items

The Interaction of Knowledge and Text Structure on the Ability to Identify Main Ideas in Texts. Content Knowledge and Reading Comprehension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Jeanne D.; Engelhardt, Jean

Two studies examined how the factors of content-relevant knowledge and text organization influence students' abilities to study and to remember text information. The first experiment examined the effect of prior content knowledge on students' ability to identify important information in the text. Forty 7th- and forty 11th-grade students, experts…

Structuring and extracting knowledge for the support of hypothesis generation in molecular biology

PubMed Central

Roos, Marco; Marshall, M Scott; Gibson, Andrew P; Schuemie, Martijn; Meij, Edgar; Katrenko, Sophia; van Hage, Willem Robert; Krommydas, Konstantinos; Adriaans, Pieter W

2009-01-01

Background Hypothesis generation in molecular and cellular biology is an empirical process in which knowledge derived from prior experiments is distilled into a comprehensible model. The requirement of automated support is exemplified by the difficulty of considering all relevant facts that are contained in the millions of documents available from PubMed. Semantic Web provides tools for sharing prior knowledge, while information retrieval and information extraction techniques enable its extraction from literature. Their combination makes prior knowledge available for computational analysis and inference. While some tools provide complete solutions that limit the control over the modeling and extraction processes, we seek a methodology that supports control by the experimenter over these critical processes. Results We describe progress towards automated support for the generation of biomolecular hypotheses. Semantic Web technologies are used to structure and store knowledge, while a workflow extracts knowledge from text. We designed minimal proto-ontologies in OWL for capturing different aspects of a text mining experiment: the biological hypothesis, text and documents, text mining, and workflow provenance. The models fit a methodology that allows focus on the requirements of a single experiment while supporting reuse and posterior analysis of extracted knowledge from multiple experiments. Our workflow is composed of services from the 'Adaptive Information Disclosure Application' (AIDA) toolkit as well as a few others. The output is a semantic model with putative biological relations, with each relation linked to the corresponding evidence. Conclusion We demonstrated a 'do-it-yourself' approach for structuring and extracting knowledge in the context of experimental research on biomolecular mechanisms. The methodology can be used to bootstrap the construction of semantically rich biological models using the results of knowledge extraction processes. Models specific to particular experiments can be constructed that, in turn, link with other semantic models, creating a web of knowledge that spans experiments. Mapping mechanisms can link to other knowledge resources such as OBO ontologies or SKOS vocabularies. AIDA Web Services can be used to design personalized knowledge extraction procedures. In our example experiment, we found three proteins (NF-Kappa B, p21, and Bax) potentially playing a role in the interplay between nutrients and epigenetic gene regulation. PMID:19796406

Nutrition Knowledge of Teen-Agers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skinner, Jean D.; Woodburn, Margy J.

1984-01-01

Nutrition knowledge tests were administered to 1,193 adolescents in Oregon prior to instructional units on nutrition in health and home economics classes. Mean scores on the tests were low. Guidelines for nutrition educators of adolescents are presented. (Author/CJB)

Advances in Pediatric Cardiology Boot Camp: Boot Camp Training Promotes Fellowship Readiness and Enables Retention of Knowledge.

PubMed

Ceresnak, Scott R; Axelrod, David M; Sacks, Loren D; Motonaga, Kara S; Johnson, Emily R; Krawczeski, Catherine D

2017-03-01

We previously demonstrated that a pediatric cardiology boot camp can improve knowledge acquisition and decrease anxiety for trainees. We sought to determine if boot camp participants entered fellowship with a knowledge advantage over fellows who did not attend and if there was moderate-term retention of that knowledge. A 2-day training program was provided for incoming pediatric cardiology fellows from eight fellowship programs in April 2016. Hands-on, immersive experiences and simulations were provided in all major areas of pediatric cardiology. Knowledge-based examinations were completed by each participant prior to boot camp (PRE), immediately post-training (POST), and prior to the start of fellowship in June 2016 (F/U). A control group of fellows who did not attend boot camp also completed an examination prior to fellowship (CTRL). Comparisons of scores were made for individual participants and between participants and controls. A total of 16 participants and 16 control subjects were included. Baseline exam scores were similar between participants and controls (PRE 47 ± 11% vs. CTRL 52 ± 10%; p = 0.22). Participants' knowledge improved with boot camp training (PRE 47 ± 11% vs. POST 70 ± 8%; p < 0.001) and there was excellent moderate-term retention of the information taught at boot camp (PRE 47 ± 11% vs. F/U 71 ± 8%; p < 0.001). Testing done at the beginning of fellowship demonstrated significantly better scores in participants versus controls (F/U 71 ± 8% vs. CTRL 52 ± 10%; p < 0.001). Boot camp participants demonstrated a significant improvement in basic cardiology knowledge after the training program and had excellent moderate-term retention of that knowledge. Participants began fellowship with a larger fund of knowledge than those fellows who did not attend.

Elapsed decision time affects the weighting of prior probability in a perceptual decision task

PubMed Central

Hanks, Timothy D.; Mazurek, Mark E.; Kiani, Roozbeh; Hopp, Elizabeth; Shadlen, Michael N.

2012-01-01

Decisions are often based on a combination of new evidence with prior knowledge of the probable best choice. Optimal combination requires knowledge about the reliability of evidence, but in many realistic situations, this is unknown. Here we propose and test a novel theory: the brain exploits elapsed time during decision formation to combine sensory evidence with prior probability. Elapsed time is useful because (i) decisions that linger tend to arise from less reliable evidence, and (ii) the expected accuracy at a given decision time depends on the reliability of the evidence gathered up to that point. These regularities allow the brain to combine prior information with sensory evidence by weighting the latter in accordance with reliability. To test this theory, we manipulated the prior probability of the rewarded choice while subjects performed a reaction-time discrimination of motion direction using a range of stimulus reliabilities that varied from trial to trial. The theory explains the effect of prior probability on choice and reaction time over a wide range of stimulus strengths. We found that prior probability was incorporated into the decision process as a dynamic bias signal that increases as a function of decision time. This bias signal depends on the speed-accuracy setting of human subjects, and it is reflected in the firing rates of neurons in the lateral intraparietal cortex (LIP) of rhesus monkeys performing this task. PMID:21525274

Elapsed decision time affects the weighting of prior probability in a perceptual decision task.

PubMed

Hanks, Timothy D; Mazurek, Mark E; Kiani, Roozbeh; Hopp, Elisabeth; Shadlen, Michael N

2011-04-27

Decisions are often based on a combination of new evidence with prior knowledge of the probable best choice. Optimal combination requires knowledge about the reliability of evidence, but in many realistic situations, this is unknown. Here we propose and test a novel theory: the brain exploits elapsed time during decision formation to combine sensory evidence with prior probability. Elapsed time is useful because (1) decisions that linger tend to arise from less reliable evidence, and (2) the expected accuracy at a given decision time depends on the reliability of the evidence gathered up to that point. These regularities allow the brain to combine prior information with sensory evidence by weighting the latter in accordance with reliability. To test this theory, we manipulated the prior probability of the rewarded choice while subjects performed a reaction-time discrimination of motion direction using a range of stimulus reliabilities that varied from trial to trial. The theory explains the effect of prior probability on choice and reaction time over a wide range of stimulus strengths. We found that prior probability was incorporated into the decision process as a dynamic bias signal that increases as a function of decision time. This bias signal depends on the speed-accuracy setting of human subjects, and it is reflected in the firing rates of neurons in the lateral intraparietal area (LIP) of rhesus monkeys performing this task.

Levels of line graph question interpretation with intermediate elementary students of varying scientific and mathematical knowledge and ability: A think aloud study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, Stacy Kathryn

This study examined how intermediate elementary students' mathematics and science background knowledge affected their interpretation of line graphs and how their interpretations were affected by graph question levels. A purposive sample of 14 6th-grade students engaged in think aloud interviews (Ericsson & Simon, 1993) while completing an excerpted Test of Graphing in Science (TOGS) (McKenzie & Padilla, 1986). Hand gestures were video recorded. Student performance on the TOGS was assessed using an assessment rubric created from previously cited factors affecting students' graphing ability. Factors were categorized using Bertin's (1983) three graph question levels. The assessment rubric was validated by Padilla and a veteran mathematics and science teacher. Observational notes were also collected. Data were analyzed using Roth and Bowen's semiotic process of reading graphs (2001). Key findings from this analysis included differences in the use of heuristics, self-generated questions, science knowledge, and self-motivation. Students with higher prior achievement used a greater number and variety of heuristics and more often chose appropriate heuristics. They also monitored their understanding of the question and the adequacy of their strategy and answer by asking themselves questions. Most used their science knowledge spontaneously to check their understanding of the question and the adequacy of their answers. Students with lower and moderate prior achievement favored one heuristic even when it was not useful for answering the question and rarely asked their own questions. In some cases, if students with lower prior achievement had thought about their answers in the context of their science knowledge, they would have been able to recognize their errors. One student with lower prior achievement motivated herself when she thought the questions were too difficult. In addition, students answered the TOGS in one of three ways: as if they were mathematics word problems, science data to be analyzed, or they were confused and had to guess. A second set of findings corroborated how science background knowledge affected graph interpretation: correct science knowledge supported students' reasoning, but it was not necessary to answer any question correctly; correct science knowledge could not compensate for incomplete mathematics knowledge; and incorrect science knowledge often distracted students when they tried to use it while answering a question. Finally, using Roth and Bowen's (2001) two-stage semiotic model of reading graphs, representative vignettes showed emerging patterns from the study. This study added to our understanding of the role of science content knowledge during line graph interpretation, highlighted the importance of heuristics and mathematics procedural knowledge, and documented the importance of perception attentions, motivation, and students' self-generated questions. Recommendations were made for future research in line graph interpretation in mathematics and science education and for improving instruction in this area.

Knowledge-based nonuniform sampling in multidimensional NMR.

PubMed

Schuyler, Adam D; Maciejewski, Mark W; Arthanari, Haribabu; Hoch, Jeffrey C

2011-07-01

The full resolution afforded by high-field magnets is rarely realized in the indirect dimensions of multidimensional NMR experiments because of the time cost of uniformly sampling to long evolution times. Emerging methods utilizing nonuniform sampling (NUS) enable high resolution along indirect dimensions by sampling long evolution times without sampling at every multiple of the Nyquist sampling interval. While the earliest NUS approaches matched the decay of sampling density to the decay of the signal envelope, recent approaches based on coupled evolution times attempt to optimize sampling by choosing projection angles that increase the likelihood of resolving closely-spaced resonances. These approaches employ knowledge about chemical shifts to predict optimal projection angles, whereas prior applications of tailored sampling employed only knowledge of the decay rate. In this work we adapt the matched filter approach as a general strategy for knowledge-based nonuniform sampling that can exploit prior knowledge about chemical shifts and is not restricted to sampling projections. Based on several measures of performance, we find that exponentially weighted random sampling (envelope matched sampling) performs better than shift-based sampling (beat matched sampling). While shift-based sampling can yield small advantages in sensitivity, the gains are generally outweighed by diminished robustness. Our observation that more robust sampling schemes are only slightly less sensitive than schemes highly optimized using prior knowledge about chemical shifts has broad implications for any multidimensional NMR study employing NUS. The results derived from simulated data are demonstrated with a sample application to PfPMT, the phosphoethanolamine methyltransferase of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

The neural correlates of strategic reading comprehension: cognitive control and discourse comprehension.

PubMed

Moss, Jarrod; Schunn, Christian D; Schneider, Walter; McNamara, Danielle S; Vanlehn, Kurt

2011-09-15

Neuroimaging studies of text comprehension conducted thus far have shed little light on the brain mechanisms underlying strategic learning from text. Thus, the present study was designed to answer the question of what brain areas are active during performance of complex reading strategies. Reading comprehension strategies are designed to improve a reader's comprehension of a text. For example, self-explanation is a complex reading strategy that enhances existing comprehension processes. It was hypothesized that reading strategies would involve areas of the brain that are normally involved in reading comprehension along with areas that are involved in strategic control processes because the readers are intentionally using a complex reading strategy. Subjects were asked to reread, paraphrase, and self-explain three different texts in a block design fMRI study. Activation was found in both executive control and comprehension areas, and furthermore, learning from text was associated with activation in the anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC). The authors speculate that the aPFC may play a role in coordinating the internal and external modes of thought that are necessary for integrating new knowledge from texts with prior knowledge. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What Are They Up To? The Role of Sensory Evidence and Prior Knowledge in Action Understanding

PubMed Central

Chambon, Valerian; Domenech, Philippe; Pacherie, Elisabeth; Koechlin, Etienne; Baraduc, Pierre; Farrer, Chlöé

2011-01-01

Explaining or predicting the behaviour of our conspecifics requires the ability to infer the intentions that motivate it. Such inferences are assumed to rely on two types of information: (1) the sensory information conveyed by movement kinematics and (2) the observer's prior expectations – acquired from past experience or derived from prior knowledge. However, the respective contribution of these two sources of information is still controversial. This controversy stems in part from the fact that “intention” is an umbrella term that may embrace various sub-types each being assigned different scopes and targets. We hypothesized that variations in the scope and target of intentions may account for variations in the contribution of visual kinematics and prior knowledge to the intention inference process. To test this hypothesis, we conducted four behavioural experiments in which participants were instructed to identify different types of intention: basic intentions (i.e. simple goal of a motor act), superordinate intentions (i.e. general goal of a sequence of motor acts), or social intentions (i.e. intentions accomplished in a context of reciprocal interaction). For each of the above-mentioned intentions, we varied (1) the amount of visual information available from the action scene and (2) participant's prior expectations concerning the intention that was more likely to be accomplished. First, we showed that intentional judgments depend on a consistent interaction between visual information and participant's prior expectations. Moreover, we demonstrated that this interaction varied according to the type of intention to be inferred, with participant's priors rather than perceptual evidence exerting a greater effect on the inference of social and superordinate intentions. The results are discussed by appealing to the specific properties of each type of intention considered and further interpreted in the light of a hierarchical model of action representation. PMID:21364992

Schema-driven facilitation of new hierarchy learning in the transitive inference paradigm

PubMed Central

Kumaran, Dharshan

2013-01-01

Prior knowledge, in the form of a mental schema or framework, is viewed to facilitate the learning of new information in a range of experimental and everyday scenarios. Despite rising interest in the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying schema-driven facilitation of new learning, few paradigms have been developed to examine this issue in humans. Here we develop a multiphase experimental scenario aimed at characterizing schema-based effects in the context of a paradigm that has been very widely used across species, the transitive inference task. We show that an associative schema, comprised of prior knowledge of the rank positions of familiar items in the hierarchy, has a marked effect on transitivity performance and the development of relational knowledge of the hierarchy that cannot be accounted for by more general changes in task strategy. Further, we show that participants are capable of deploying prior knowledge to successful effect under surprising conditions (i.e., when corrective feedback is totally absent), but only when the associative schema is robust. Finally, our results provide insights into the cognitive mechanisms underlying such schema-driven effects, and suggest that new hierarchy learning in the transitive inference task can occur through a contextual transfer mechanism that exploits the structure of associative experiences. PMID:23782509

Schema-driven facilitation of new hierarchy learning in the transitive inference paradigm.

PubMed

Kumaran, Dharshan

2013-06-19

Prior knowledge, in the form of a mental schema or framework, is viewed to facilitate the learning of new information in a range of experimental and everyday scenarios. Despite rising interest in the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying schema-driven facilitation of new learning, few paradigms have been developed to examine this issue in humans. Here we develop a multiphase experimental scenario aimed at characterizing schema-based effects in the context of a paradigm that has been very widely used across species, the transitive inference task. We show that an associative schema, comprised of prior knowledge of the rank positions of familiar items in the hierarchy, has a marked effect on transitivity performance and the development of relational knowledge of the hierarchy that cannot be accounted for by more general changes in task strategy. Further, we show that participants are capable of deploying prior knowledge to successful effect under surprising conditions (i.e., when corrective feedback is totally absent), but only when the associative schema is robust. Finally, our results provide insights into the cognitive mechanisms underlying such schema-driven effects, and suggest that new hierarchy learning in the transitive inference task can occur through a contextual transfer mechanism that exploits the structure of associative experiences.

Positive relationship between odor identification and affective responses of negatively valenced odors

PubMed Central

Martinec Nováková, Lenka; Plotěná, Dagmar; Roberts, S. Craig; Havlíček, Jan

2015-01-01

Hedonic ratings of odors and olfactory preferences are influenced by a number of modulating factors, such as prior experience and knowledge about an odor’s identity. The present study addresses the relationship between knowledge about an odor’s identity due to prior experience, assessed by means of a test of cued odor identification, and odor pleasantness ratings in children who exhibit ongoing olfactory learning. Ninety-one children aged 8–11 years rated the pleasantness of odors in the Sniffin’ Sticks test and, subsequently, took the odor identification test. A positive association between odor identification and pleasantness was found for two unpleasant food odors (garlic and fish): higher pleasantness ratings were exhibited by those participants who correctly identified these odors compared to those who failed to correctly identify them. However, we did not find a similar effect for any of the more pleasant odors. The results of this study suggest that pleasantness ratings of some odors may be modulated by the knowledge of their identity due to prior experience and that this relationship might be more evident in unpleasant odors. PMID:26029143

A technology training protocol for meeting QSEN goals: Focusing on meaningful learning.

PubMed

Luo, Shuhong; Kalman, Melanie

2018-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss how we designed and developed a 12-step technology training protocol. The protocol is meant to improve meaningful learning in technology education so that nursing students are able to meet the informatics requirements of Quality and Safety Education in Nursing competencies. When designing and developing the training protocol, we used a simplified experiential learning model that addressed the core features of meaningful learning: to connect new knowledge with students' prior knowledge and real-world workflow. Before training, we identified students' prior knowledge and workflow tasks. During training, students learned by doing, reflected on their prior computer skills and workflow, designed individualized procedures for integration into their workflow, and practiced the self-designed procedures in real-world settings. The trainer was a facilitator who provided a meaningful learning environment, asked the right questions to guide reflective conversation, and offered scaffoldings at critical moments. This training protocol could significantly improve nurses' competencies in using technologies and increase their desire to adopt new technologies. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Topics in inference and decision-making with partial knowledge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Safavian, S. Rasoul; Landgrebe, David

1990-01-01

Two essential elements needed in the process of inference and decision-making are prior probabilities and likelihood functions. When both of these components are known accurately and precisely, the Bayesian approach provides a consistent and coherent solution to the problems of inference and decision-making. In many situations, however, either one or both of the above components may not be known, or at least may not be known precisely. This problem of partial knowledge about prior probabilities and likelihood functions is addressed. There are at least two ways to cope with this lack of precise knowledge: robust methods, and interval-valued methods. First, ways of modeling imprecision and indeterminacies in prior probabilities and likelihood functions are examined; then how imprecision in the above components carries over to the posterior probabilities is examined. Finally, the problem of decision making with imprecise posterior probabilities and the consequences of such actions are addressed. Application areas where the above problems may occur are in statistical pattern recognition problems, for example, the problem of classification of high-dimensional multispectral remote sensing image data.

Bayesian network prior: network analysis of biological data using external knowledge

PubMed Central

Isci, Senol; Dogan, Haluk; Ozturk, Cengizhan; Otu, Hasan H.

2014-01-01

Motivation: Reverse engineering GI networks from experimental data is a challenging task due to the complex nature of the networks and the noise inherent in the data. One way to overcome these hurdles would be incorporating the vast amounts of external biological knowledge when building interaction networks. We propose a framework where GI networks are learned from experimental data using Bayesian networks (BNs) and the incorporation of external knowledge is also done via a BN that we call Bayesian Network Prior (BNP). BNP depicts the relation between various evidence types that contribute to the event ‘gene interaction’ and is used to calculate the probability of a candidate graph (G) in the structure learning process. Results: Our simulation results on synthetic, simulated and real biological data show that the proposed approach can identify the underlying interaction network with high accuracy even when the prior information is distorted and outperforms existing methods. Availability: Accompanying BNP software package is freely available for academic use at http://bioe.bilgi.edu.tr/BNP. Contact: hasan.otu@bilgi.edu.tr Supplementary Information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:24215027

Overview of refinement procedures within REFMAC5: utilizing data from different sources.

PubMed

Kovalevskiy, Oleg; Nicholls, Robert A; Long, Fei; Carlon, Azzurra; Murshudov, Garib N

2018-03-01

Refinement is a process that involves bringing into agreement the structural model, available prior knowledge and experimental data. To achieve this, the refinement procedure optimizes a posterior conditional probability distribution of model parameters, including atomic coordinates, atomic displacement parameters (B factors), scale factors, parameters of the solvent model and twin fractions in the case of twinned crystals, given observed data such as observed amplitudes or intensities of structure factors. A library of chemical restraints is typically used to ensure consistency between the model and the prior knowledge of stereochemistry. If the observation-to-parameter ratio is small, for example when diffraction data only extend to low resolution, the Bayesian framework implemented in REFMAC5 uses external restraints to inject additional information extracted from structures of homologous proteins, prior knowledge about secondary-structure formation and even data obtained using different experimental methods, for example NMR. The refinement procedure also generates the `best' weighted electron-density maps, which are useful for further model (re)building. Here, the refinement of macromolecular structures using REFMAC5 and related tools distributed as part of the CCP4 suite is discussed.

Fault diagnosis of sensor networked structures with multiple faults using a virtual beam based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H.; Jing, X. J.

2017-07-01

This paper presents a virtual beam based approach suitable for conducting diagnosis of multiple faults in complex structures with limited prior knowledge of the faults involved. The "virtual beam", a recently-proposed concept for fault detection in complex structures, is applied, which consists of a chain of sensors representing a vibration energy transmission path embedded in the complex structure. Statistical tests and adaptive threshold are particularly adopted for fault detection due to limited prior knowledge of normal operational conditions and fault conditions. To isolate the multiple faults within a specific structure or substructure of a more complex one, a 'biased running' strategy is developed and embedded within the bacterial-based optimization method to construct effective virtual beams and thus to improve the accuracy of localization. The proposed method is easy and efficient to implement for multiple fault localization with limited prior knowledge of normal conditions and faults. With extensive experimental results, it is validated that the proposed method can localize both single fault and multiple faults more effectively than the classical trust index subtract on negative add on positive (TI-SNAP) method.

Differences in Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior towards HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections between Sexually Active Foreign and Chinese Medical Students.

PubMed

Kuete, Martin; Huang, Qiao; Rashid, Abid; Ma, Xiu Lan; Yuan, HongFang; Escalera Antezana, Juan Pablo; Yeltay, Rakhmanov; Rao, Meng; He, Qian; Xiong, ChengLiang; Zhang, HuiPing

2016-01-01

Although the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) decreased in the last decade worldwide, the number of deaths due to HIV/AIDS and communicable diseases including syphilis, hepatitis, and tuberculosis had dramatically increased in developing countries. Education and behavior are incredibly important factors to prevent these diseases' spread. This study highlights the range of differences in knowledge, attitude, and behavior of 434 sexually active medical students towards HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Because the surveyed population constitutes the forefront of healthcare providers and was originated from different area of the world, this is the first time a study sought to investigate the behavioral attitude of this group of population irrespective of the three levels of their academic and professional knowledge. Several factors including sociodemographic characteristics, sexual behavior, HIV/AIDS, and STIs related patterns play a key role in medical student attitude and behavior towards people infected with HIV/AIDS and STIs. Our findings add consistent value in prior studies which aimed to stop new infections and also imply further investigations on the management of the studied infections by medical students. The present study arouses much interest among participants and provides evidence of reinforcing medical students' education on HIV/AIDS and STIs.

Differences in Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior towards HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections between Sexually Active Foreign and Chinese Medical Students

PubMed Central

Kuete, Martin; Huang, Qiao; Rashid, Abid; Ma, Xiu Lan; Yuan, HongFang; Escalera Antezana, Juan Pablo; Yeltay, Rakhmanov; Rao, Meng; He, Qian; Xiong, ChengLiang; Zhang, HuiPing

2016-01-01

Although the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) decreased in the last decade worldwide, the number of deaths due to HIV/AIDS and communicable diseases including syphilis, hepatitis, and tuberculosis had dramatically increased in developing countries. Education and behavior are incredibly important factors to prevent these diseases' spread. This study highlights the range of differences in knowledge, attitude, and behavior of 434 sexually active medical students towards HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Because the surveyed population constitutes the forefront of healthcare providers and was originated from different area of the world, this is the first time a study sought to investigate the behavioral attitude of this group of population irrespective of the three levels of their academic and professional knowledge. Several factors including sociodemographic characteristics, sexual behavior, HIV/AIDS, and STIs related patterns play a key role in medical student attitude and behavior towards people infected with HIV/AIDS and STIs. Our findings add consistent value in prior studies which aimed to stop new infections and also imply further investigations on the management of the studied infections by medical students. The present study arouses much interest among participants and provides evidence of reinforcing medical students' education on HIV/AIDS and STIs. PMID:27195287

Student Blogging: Implications for Learning in a Virtual Text-Based Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deed, Craig; Edwards, Anthony

Realising the potential for web-based communication in learning and teaching is challenging for educators. The purpose of this paper is to report students' attitudes and perception of active learning when using an unrestricted blog in an academic context. It will examine if an unrestricted blog can be used to support reflective and critical discussion leading to the construction of knowledge whether. Unrestricted in this context refers to autonomous individual and group activity undertaken in an unstructured online environment. It will attempt provide an insight into what students make of working at the intersection between academic and online environments. Data was collected using an online survey with questions focused on student perceptions of the type, frequency and effectiveness of their strategy use. Analysis of the resulting material was conducted using Bloom's revised taxonomy to determine whether student strategy was useful in supporting the construction of knowledge. Our research indicates that students need to suitably prepare themselves or be prepared by others to make the most effective use of their prior familiarity with this form of communication technology (which is usually informal) in order to constructing knowledge in an academic context. Thus we conclude that effective learning will only emerge from considered pedagogical design, informed by the student experience and perspective.

Quantitative critical thinking: Student activities using Bayesian updating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warren, Aaron R.

2018-05-01

One of the central roles of physics education is the development of students' ability to evaluate proposed hypotheses and models. This ability is important not just for students' understanding of physics but also to prepare students for future learning beyond physics. In particular, it is often hoped that students will better understand the manner in which physicists leverage the availability of prior knowledge to guide and constrain the construction of new knowledge. Here, we discuss how the use of Bayes' Theorem to update the estimated likelihood of hypotheses and models can help achieve these educational goals through its integration with evaluative activities that use hypothetico-deductive reasoning. Several types of classroom and laboratory activities are presented that engage students in the practice of Bayesian likelihood updating on the basis of either consistency with experimental data or consistency with pre-established principles and models. This approach is sufficiently simple for introductory physics students while offering a robust mechanism to guide relatively sophisticated student reflection concerning models, hypotheses, and problem-solutions. A quasi-experimental study utilizing algebra-based introductory courses is presented to assess the impact of these activities on student epistemological development. The results indicate gains on the Epistemological Beliefs Assessment for Physical Science (EBAPS) at a minimal cost of class-time.

The Influence of the Knowledge Base on the Development of Mnemonic Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ornstein, Peter A.; Naus, Mary J.

A dominant theme in cognitive psychology is that prior knowledge in long-term memory has a strong influence on an individual's cognitive processing. Citing numerous memory studies with children, knowledge base effects are presented as part of a broader picture of memory development. Using the sort/recall procedure (asking subjects to group sets of…

The Roles of Ability, Personality, and Interests in Acquiring Current Events Knowledge: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hambrick, David Z.; Pink, Jeffrey E.; Meinz, Elizabeth J.; Pettibone, Jonathan C.; Oswald, Frederick L.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate sources of inter-individual differences in current events knowledge. The study occurred in two sessions. In the initial session, 579 participants completed tests to ability, personality, and interest factors, as well as prior knowledge of current events. Approximately 10 weeks later, participants…

Cognitive Demand Differences in Causal Inferences: Characters' Plans Are More Difficult to Comprehend than Physical Causation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shears, Connie; Miller, Vanessa; Ball, Megan; Hawkins, Amanda; Griggs, Janna; Varner, Andria

2007-01-01

Readers may draw knowledge-based inferences to connect sentences in text differently depending on the knowledge domain being accessed. Most prior research has focused on the direction of the causal explanation (predictive vs. backward) without regard to the knowledge domain drawn on to support comprehension. We suggest that less cognitive effort…

A Connective Ethnography of Peer Knowledge Sharing and Diffusion in a Tween Virtual World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fields, Deborah A.; Kafai, Yasmin B.

2009-01-01

Prior studies have shown how knowledge diffusion occurs in classrooms and structured small groups around assigned tasks yet have not begun to account for widespread knowledge sharing in more native, unstructured group settings found in online games and virtual worlds. In this paper, we describe and analyze how an insider gaming practice spread…

Examining the Acquisition of Vocabulary Knowledge Depth among Preschool Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadley, Elizabeth B.; Dickinson, David K.; Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick; Nesbitt, Kimberly T.

2016-01-01

Well-developed lexical representations are important for reading comprehension, but there have been no prior attempts to track growth in the depth of knowledge of particular words. This article examines increases in depth of vocabulary knowledge in 4-5-year-old preschool students (n = 240) who participated in a vocabulary intervention that taught…

High School Students' Meta-Modeling Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortus, David; Shwartz, Yael; Rosenfeld, Sherman

2016-01-01

Modeling is a core scientific practice. This study probed the meta-modeling knowledge (MMK) of high school students who study science but had not had any explicit prior exposure to modeling as part of their formal schooling. Our goals were to (A) evaluate the degree to which MMK is dependent on content knowledge and (B) assess whether the upper…

How to Write "How-to" Books with High School Ecology & Horticulture Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merritt, Maya; Shajira, Natasya; Daisey, Peggy

2003-01-01

It is essential for students to think clearly about fundamental biological concepts. One of the benefits of writing is that it promotes and enhances thinking. If students can write clearly, they are thinking clearly. Writing helps to connect new knowledge with prior knowledge and promotes the construction of knowledge. Writing-to-learn activities…

5 CFR 4701.102 - Prior approval for certain outside employment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION § 4701.102 Prior approval for... or consultation, which requires advanced knowledge in a field of science or learning customarily... obtain written approval from the Designated Agency Ethics Official before engaging in outside employment...

5 CFR 4701.102 - Prior approval for certain outside employment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION § 4701.102 Prior approval for... or consultation, which requires advanced knowledge in a field of science or learning customarily... obtain written approval from the Designated Agency Ethics Official before engaging in outside employment...

5 CFR 4701.102 - Prior approval for certain outside employment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION § 4701.102 Prior approval for... or consultation, which requires advanced knowledge in a field of science or learning customarily... obtain written approval from the Designated Agency Ethics Official before engaging in outside employment...

Conceptualising GP teachers' knowledge: a pedagogical content knowledge perspective.

PubMed

Cantillon, Peter; de Grave, Willem

2012-05-01

Most teacher development initiatives focus on enhancing knowledge of teaching (pedagogy), whilst largely ignoring other important features of teacher knowledge such as subject matter knowledge and awareness of the learning context. Furthermore, teachers' ability to learn from faculty development interventions is limited by their existing (often implicit) pedagogical knowledge and beliefs. Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) represents a model of teacher knowledge incorporating what they know about subject matter, pedagogy and context. PCK can be used to explore teachers' prior knowledge and to structure faculty development programmes so that they take account of a broader range of teachers' knowledge. We set out to examine the application of a PCK model in a general practice education setting. This study is part of a larger study that employed a mixed method approach (concept mapping, phenomenological interviews and video-stimulated recall) to explore features of GP teachers' subject matter knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and knowledge of the learning environment in the context of a general practice tutorial. This paper presents data on GP teachers' pedagogical and context knowledge. There was considerable overlap between different GP teachers' knowledge and beliefs about learners and the clinical learning environment (i.e. knowledge of context). The teachers' beliefs about learners were largely based on assumptions derived from their own student experiences. There were stark differences, however, between teachers in terms of pedagogical knowledge, particularly in terms of their teaching orientations (i.e. transmission or facilitation orientation) and this was manifest in their teaching behaviours. PCK represents a useful model for conceptualising clinical teacher prior knowledge in three domains, namely subject matter, learning context and pedagogy. It can and should be used as a simple guiding framework by faculty developers to inform the design and delivery of their faculty development programmes.

Imaging bacterial spores by soft-x-ray microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stead, A.D.; Ford, T.W.; Judge, J.

1997-04-01

Bacterial spores are able to survive dehydration, but neither the physiological nor structural basis of this have been fully elucidated. Furthermore, once hydrated, spores often require activation before they will germinate. Several treatments can be used to activate spores, but in the case of Bacillus subtlis the most effective is heat treatment. The physiological mechanism associated with activation is also not understood, but some workers suggest that the loss of calcium from the spores may be critical. However, just prior to germination, the spores change from being phase bright to phase dark when viewed by light microscopy. Imaging spores bymore » soft x-ray microscopy is possible without fixation. Thus, in contrast to electron microscopy, it is possible to compare the structure of dehydrated and hydrated spores in a manner not possible previously. A further advantage is that it is possible to monitor individual spores by phase contrast light microscopy immediately prior to imaging with soft x-rays; whereas, with both electron microscopy and biochemical studies, it is a population of spores being studied without knowledge of the phase characteristics of individual spores. This study has therefore tried to compare dehydrated and hydrated spores and to determine if there is a mass loss from individual spores as they pass the transition from being phase bright to phase dark.« less

Pilot Study: A Pediatric Pedestrian Safety Curriculum for Preschool Children.

PubMed

Bovis, Stephanie E; Harden, Taijha; Hotz, Gillian

2016-01-01

To evaluate and implement the WalkSafe Pre-Kindergarten Pedestrian Safety Curriculum. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design without a control group was used to measure children's pedestrian safety knowledge. Knowledge assessments consisting of multiple-choice and short-answer questions were administered pre- and post-curriculum implementation by classroom teachers. Knowledge assessments gauged prekindergarten students' knowledge of pedestrian safety activities prior to safety curriculum implementation and, again, after the students received the curriculum. A total of 605 children (aged 3- to 5-year) from 38 prekindergarten classrooms in 16 randomly selected elementary schools participated in the pedestrian safety education pilot program. Subjects were of multiethnic and diverse backgrounds from the Miami-Dade County Public School District. Of the 605 educated subjects, 454 children completed both pre- and posttests. A statistically significant difference was found between pretest knowledge (M = 5.49, SD = 1.54) and posttest knowledge (M = 6.64, SD = 1.35) assessment scores across all 454 subjects, t(452) = -16.22, p < .001, 95% CI [-1.29, -1.01]. Previous studies have shown that classroom-based training of children as young as 4 years old can yield significant improvements in traffic safety knowledge. The statistical findings of the WalkSafe Pre-Kindergarten Pedestrian Safety Curriculum revealed statistically significant improvements in pedestrian safety knowledge of these young children. Future research efforts will focus on longitudinal behavioral changes in these students and an increase in pedestrian safety behaviors (e.g., utilization of crosswalks or sidewalks).

Community Knowledge about Water: Who Has Better Knowledge and Is This Associated with Water-Related Behaviors and Support for Water-Related Policies?

PubMed Central

Fielding, Kelly S.; Newton, Fiona J.

2016-01-01

Sustainable approaches to water management require broad community acceptance of changes in policy, practice and technology, which in turn, requires an engaged community. A critical first step in building an engaged community is to identify community knowledge about water management, an issue rarely examined in research. To address this, we surveyed a representative sample of Australian adults (n = 5172). Knowledge was assessed using 15 questions about impact of household activities on waterways, the urban water cycle, and water management. This survey also examined demographics, psychosocial characteristics, exposure to water-related information, and water-related behaviors and policy support. Participants correctly answered a mean of 8.0 questions (Range 0–15). Most respondents knew that household actions can reduce water use and influence waterway health, whereas less than one third correctly identified that domestic wastewater is treated prior to entering waterways, urban stormwater is not treated, and that these are carried via different pipes. Higher water knowledge was associated with older age, higher education and living in non-urban areas. Poorer water knowledge was associated with speaking a language other than English in the home. Garden size, experience of water restrictions, satisfaction, waterway use for swimming, and certain information sources were also associated with knowledge. Greater water knowledge was associated with adoption of water-saving and pollution-reduction behaviors, and support for both alternative water sources and raingardens. These findings confirm the importance of community knowledge, and identify potential subgroups who may require additional targeting to build knowledge and support for water management initiatives. PMID:27428372

Community Knowledge about Water: Who Has Better Knowledge and Is This Associated with Water-Related Behaviors and Support for Water-Related Policies?

PubMed

Dean, Angela J; Fielding, Kelly S; Newton, Fiona J

2016-01-01

Sustainable approaches to water management require broad community acceptance of changes in policy, practice and technology, which in turn, requires an engaged community. A critical first step in building an engaged community is to identify community knowledge about water management, an issue rarely examined in research. To address this, we surveyed a representative sample of Australian adults (n = 5172). Knowledge was assessed using 15 questions about impact of household activities on waterways, the urban water cycle, and water management. This survey also examined demographics, psychosocial characteristics, exposure to water-related information, and water-related behaviors and policy support. Participants correctly answered a mean of 8.0 questions (Range 0-15). Most respondents knew that household actions can reduce water use and influence waterway health, whereas less than one third correctly identified that domestic wastewater is treated prior to entering waterways, urban stormwater is not treated, and that these are carried via different pipes. Higher water knowledge was associated with older age, higher education and living in non-urban areas. Poorer water knowledge was associated with speaking a language other than English in the home. Garden size, experience of water restrictions, satisfaction, waterway use for swimming, and certain information sources were also associated with knowledge. Greater water knowledge was associated with adoption of water-saving and pollution-reduction behaviors, and support for both alternative water sources and raingardens. These findings confirm the importance of community knowledge, and identify potential subgroups who may require additional targeting to build knowledge and support for water management initiatives.

Bias in the physical examination of patients with lumbar radiculopathy

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background No prior studies have examined systematic bias in the musculoskeletal physical examination. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of bias due to prior knowledge of lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging findings (MRI) on perceived diagnostic accuracy of the physical examination for lumbar radiculopathy. Methods This was a cross-sectional comparison of the performance characteristics of the physical examination with blinding to MRI results (the 'independent group') with performance in the situation where the physical examination was not blinded to MRI results (the 'non-independent group'). The reference standard was the final diagnostic impression of nerve root impingement by the examining physician. Subjects were recruited from a hospital-based outpatient specialty spine clinic. All adults age 18 and older presenting with lower extremity radiating pain of duration ≤ 12 weeks were evaluated for participation. 154 consecutively recruited subjects with lumbar disk herniation confirmed by lumbar spine MRI were included in this study. Sensitivities and specificities with 95% confidence intervals were calculated in the independent and non-independent groups for the four components of the radiculopathy examination: 1) provocative testing, 2) motor strength testing, 3) pinprick sensory testing, and 4) deep tendon reflex testing. Results The perceived sensitivity of sensory testing was higher with prior knowledge of MRI results (20% vs. 36%; p = 0.05). Sensitivities and specificities for exam components otherwise showed no statistically significant differences between groups. Conclusions Prior knowledge of lumbar MRI results may introduce bias into the pinprick sensory testing component of the physical examination for lumbar radiculopathy. No statistically significant effect of bias was seen for other components of the physical examination. The effect of bias due to prior knowledge of lumbar MRI results should be considered when an isolated sensory deficit on examination is used in medical decision-making. Further studies of bias should include surgical clinic populations and other common diagnoses including shoulder, knee and hip pathology. PMID:21118558

Bias in the physical examination of patients with lumbar radiculopathy.

PubMed

Suri, Pradeep; Hunter, David J; Katz, Jeffrey N; Li, Ling; Rainville, James

2010-11-30

No prior studies have examined systematic bias in the musculoskeletal physical examination. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of bias due to prior knowledge of lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging findings (MRI) on perceived diagnostic accuracy of the physical examination for lumbar radiculopathy. This was a cross-sectional comparison of the performance characteristics of the physical examination with blinding to MRI results (the 'independent group') with performance in the situation where the physical examination was not blinded to MRI results (the 'non-independent group'). The reference standard was the final diagnostic impression of nerve root impingement by the examining physician. Subjects were recruited from a hospital-based outpatient specialty spine clinic. All adults age 18 and older presenting with lower extremity radiating pain of duration ≤ 12 weeks were evaluated for participation. 154 consecutively recruited subjects with lumbar disk herniation confirmed by lumbar spine MRI were included in this study. Sensitivities and specificities with 95% confidence intervals were calculated in the independent and non-independent groups for the four components of the radiculopathy examination: 1) provocative testing, 2) motor strength testing, 3) pinprick sensory testing, and 4) deep tendon reflex testing. The perceived sensitivity of sensory testing was higher with prior knowledge of MRI results (20% vs. 36%; p = 0.05). Sensitivities and specificities for exam components otherwise showed no statistically significant differences between groups. Prior knowledge of lumbar MRI results may introduce bias into the pinprick sensory testing component of the physical examination for lumbar radiculopathy. No statistically significant effect of bias was seen for other components of the physical examination. The effect of bias due to prior knowledge of lumbar MRI results should be considered when an isolated sensory deficit on examination is used in medical decision-making. Further studies of bias should include surgical clinic populations and other common diagnoses including shoulder, knee and hip pathology.

Using conceptual maps to assess students' climate change understanding and misconceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gautier, C.

2011-12-01

The complex and interdisciplinary nature of climate change science poses special challenges for educators in helping students understand the climate system, and how it is evolving under natural and anthropogenic forcing. Students and citizens alike have existing mental models that may limit their perception and processing of the multiple relationships between processes (e.g., feedback) that arise in global change science, and prevent adoption of complex scientific concepts. Their prior knowledge base serves as the scaffold for all future learning and grasping its range and limitations serves as an important basis upon which to anchor instruction. Different instructional strategies can be adopted to help students understand the inherently interdisciplinary topic of global climate change, its interwoven human and natural causes, and the connections it has with society through a complex range of political, social, technological and economic factors. One assessment method for students' understanding of global climate change with its many uncertainties, whether associated with the workings of the climate system or with respect to social, cultural and economic processes that mediate human responses to changes within the system, is through the use of conceptual maps. When well designed, they offer a representation of students' mental model prior and post instruction. We will present two conceptual mapping activities used in the classroom to assess students' knowledge and understanding about global climate change and uncover misconceptions. For the first one, concept maps will be used to demonstrate evidence of learning and conceptual change, while for the second we will show how conceptual maps can provide information about gaps in knowledge and misconceptions students have about the topic.

Knowledge-Based Topic Model for Unsupervised Object Discovery and Localization.

PubMed

Niu, Zhenxing; Hua, Gang; Wang, Le; Gao, Xinbo

Unsupervised object discovery and localization is to discover some dominant object classes and localize all of object instances from a given image collection without any supervision. Previous work has attempted to tackle this problem with vanilla topic models, such as latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA). However, in those methods no prior knowledge for the given image collection is exploited to facilitate object discovery. On the other hand, the topic models used in those methods suffer from the topic coherence issue-some inferred topics do not have clear meaning, which limits the final performance of object discovery. In this paper, prior knowledge in terms of the so-called must-links are exploited from Web images on the Internet. Furthermore, a novel knowledge-based topic model, called LDA with mixture of Dirichlet trees, is proposed to incorporate the must-links into topic modeling for object discovery. In particular, to better deal with the polysemy phenomenon of visual words, the must-link is re-defined as that one must-link only constrains one or some topic(s) instead of all topics, which leads to significantly improved topic coherence. Moreover, the must-links are built and grouped with respect to specific object classes, thus the must-links in our approach are semantic-specific , which allows to more efficiently exploit discriminative prior knowledge from Web images. Extensive experiments validated the efficiency of our proposed approach on several data sets. It is shown that our method significantly improves topic coherence and outperforms the unsupervised methods for object discovery and localization. In addition, compared with discriminative methods, the naturally existing object classes in the given image collection can be subtly discovered, which makes our approach well suited for realistic applications of unsupervised object discovery.Unsupervised object discovery and localization is to discover some dominant object classes and localize all of object instances from a given image collection without any supervision. Previous work has attempted to tackle this problem with vanilla topic models, such as latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA). However, in those methods no prior knowledge for the given image collection is exploited to facilitate object discovery. On the other hand, the topic models used in those methods suffer from the topic coherence issue-some inferred topics do not have clear meaning, which limits the final performance of object discovery. In this paper, prior knowledge in terms of the so-called must-links are exploited from Web images on the Internet. Furthermore, a novel knowledge-based topic model, called LDA with mixture of Dirichlet trees, is proposed to incorporate the must-links into topic modeling for object discovery. In particular, to better deal with the polysemy phenomenon of visual words, the must-link is re-defined as that one must-link only constrains one or some topic(s) instead of all topics, which leads to significantly improved topic coherence. Moreover, the must-links are built and grouped with respect to specific object classes, thus the must-links in our approach are semantic-specific , which allows to more efficiently exploit discriminative prior knowledge from Web images. Extensive experiments validated the efficiency of our proposed approach on several data sets. It is shown that our method significantly improves topic coherence and outperforms the unsupervised methods for object discovery and localization. In addition, compared with discriminative methods, the naturally existing object classes in the given image collection can be subtly discovered, which makes our approach well suited for realistic applications of unsupervised object discovery.

Sequential Probability Ratio Test for Collision Avoidance Maneuver Decisions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, J. Russell; Markley, F. Landis

2010-01-01

When facing a conjunction between space objects, decision makers must chose whether to maneuver for collision avoidance or not. We apply a well-known decision procedure, the sequential probability ratio test, to this problem. We propose two approaches to the problem solution, one based on a frequentist method, and the other on a Bayesian method. The frequentist method does not require any prior knowledge concerning the conjunction, while the Bayesian method assumes knowledge of prior probability densities. Our results show that both methods achieve desired missed detection rates, but the frequentist method's false alarm performance is inferior to the Bayesian method's

Developing Energy Literacy in US Middle-Level Students Using the Geospatial Curriculum Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodzin, Alec M.; Fu, Qiong; Peffer, Tamara E.; Kulo, Violet

2013-06-01

This quantitative study examined the effectiveness of a geospatial curriculum approach to promote energy literacy in an urban school district and examined factors that may account for energy content knowledge achievement. An energy literacy measure was administered to 1,044 eighth-grade students (ages 13-15) in an urban school district in Pennsylvania, USA. One group of students received instruction with a geospatial curriculum approach (geospatial technologies (GT)) and another group of students received 'business as usual' (BAU) curriculum instruction. For the GT students, findings revealed statistically significant gains from pretest to posttest (p < 0.001) on knowledge of energy resource acquisition, energy generation, storage and transport, and energy consumption and conservation. The GT students had year-end energy content knowledge scores significantly higher than those who learned with the BAU curriculum (p < 0.001; effect size being large). A multiple regression found that prior energy content knowledge was the only significant predictor to the year-end energy content knowledge achievement for the GT students (p < 0.001). The findings support that the implementation of a geospatial curriculum approach that employs learning activities that focus on the spatial nature of energy resources can improve the energy literacy of urban middle-level education students.

28 CFR 12.3 - Prior registration with the Foreign Agents Registration Unit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Prior registration with the Foreign Agents Registration Unit. 12.3 Section 12.3 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN PERSONS HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF FOREIGN ESPIONAGE, COUNTERESPIONAGE, OR SABOTAGE MATTERS UNDER THE ACT...

28 CFR 12.3 - Prior registration with the Foreign Agents Registration Unit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Prior registration with the Foreign Agents Registration Unit. 12.3 Section 12.3 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN PERSONS HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF FOREIGN ESPIONAGE, COUNTERESPIONAGE, OR SABOTAGE MATTERS UNDER THE ACT...

28 CFR 12.3 - Prior registration with the Foreign Agents Registration Unit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Prior registration with the Foreign Agents Registration Unit. 12.3 Section 12.3 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN PERSONS HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF FOREIGN ESPIONAGE, COUNTERESPIONAGE, OR SABOTAGE MATTERS UNDER THE ACT...

28 CFR 12.3 - Prior registration with the Foreign Agents Registration Unit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Prior registration with the Foreign Agents Registration Unit. 12.3 Section 12.3 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN PERSONS HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF FOREIGN ESPIONAGE, COUNTERESPIONAGE, OR SABOTAGE MATTERS UNDER THE ACT...

28 CFR 12.3 - Prior registration with the Foreign Agents Registration Unit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Prior registration with the Foreign Agents Registration Unit. 12.3 Section 12.3 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN PERSONS HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF FOREIGN ESPIONAGE, COUNTERESPIONAGE, OR SABOTAGE MATTERS UNDER THE ACT...

Findings from TIMSS 2007: What Drives Utilization of Inquiry-Based Science Instruction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuzhabekova, Aliya

2015-01-01

Prior research has shown that greatest student achievement in sciences is attributed to "inquiry-based instructional approach", in which the goal of science teaching is nurturing attitudes and skills necessary for independent quest for scientific knowledge. While prior research has clearly demonstrated positive instructional effects of…

Use of knowledge-sharing web-based portal in gross and microscopic anatomy.

PubMed

Durosaro, Olayemi; Lachman, Nirusha; Pawlina, Wojciech

2008-12-01

Changes in worldwide healthcare delivery require review of current medical school curricula structure to develop learning outcomes that ensures mastery of knowledge and clinical competency. In the last 3 years, Mayo Medical School implemented outcomes-based curriculum to encompass new graduate outcomes. Standard courses were replaced by 6-week clinically-integrated didactic blocks separated by student-self selected academic enrichment activities. Gross and microscopic anatomy was integrated with radiology and genetics respectively. Laboratory components include virtual microscopy and anatomical dissection. Students assigned to teams utilise computer portals to share learning experiences. High-resolution computed tomographic (CT) scans of cadavers prior to dissection were made available for correlative learning between the cadaveric material and radiologic images. Students work in teams on assigned presentations that include histology, cell and molecular biology, genetics and genomic using the Nexus Portal, based on DrupalEd, to share their observations, reflections and dissection findings. New generation of medical students are clearly comfortable utilising web-based programmes that maximise their learning potential of conceptually difficult and labor intensive courses. Team-based learning approach emphasising the use of knowledge-sharing computer portals maximises opportunities for students to master their knowledge and improve cognitive skills to ensure clinical competency.

An approach to improving science knowledge about energy balance and nutrition among elementary- and middle-school students.

PubMed

Moreno, Nancy P; Denk, James P; Roberts, J Kyle; Tharp, Barbara Z; Bost, Michelle; Thomson, William A

2004-01-01

Unhealthy diets, lack of fitness, and obesity are serious problems in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control, Surgeon General, and Department of Health and Human Services are calling for action to address these problems. Scientists and educators at Baylor College of Medicine and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute teamed to produce an instructional unit, "Food and Fitness," and evaluated it with students in grades 3-7 in Houston, Texas. A field-test group (447 students) completed all unit activities under the guidance of their teachers. This group and a comparison group (343 students) completed pre and postassessments measuring knowledge of concepts covered in the unit. Outcomes indicate that the unit significantly increased students' knowledge and awareness of science concepts related to energy in living systems, metabolism, nutrients, and diet. Pre-assessment results suggest that most students understand concepts related to calories in food, exercise and energy use, and matching food intake to energy use. Students' prior knowledge was found to be much lower on topics related to healthy portion sizes, foods that supply the most energy, essential nutrients, what "diet" actually means, and the relationship between body size and basal metabolic rate.

Posterior Cingulate Cortex: Adapting Behavior to a Changing World

PubMed Central

Pearson, John M.; Heilbronner, Sarah R.; Barack, David L.; Hayden, Benjamin Y.; Platt, Michael L.

2011-01-01

When has the world changed enough to warrant a new approach? The answer depends upon current needs, behavioral flexibility, and prior knowledge about the environment. Formal approaches solve the problem by integrating the recent history of rewards, errors, uncertainty, and context via Bayesian inference to detect changes in the world and alter behavioral policy. Neuronal activity in posterior cingulate cortex (CGp)—a key node in the default network—is known to vary with learning, memory, reward, and task engagement. We propose that these modulations reflect the underlying process of change detection and motivate subsequent shifts in behavior. PMID:21420893

The early Earth Observing System reference handbook: Earth Science and Applications Division missions, 1990-1997

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Prior to the launch of the Earth Observing System (EOS) series, NASA will launch and operate a wide variety of new earth science satellites and instruments, as well as undertake several efforts collecting and using the data from existing and planned satellites from other agencies and nations. These initiatives will augment the knowledge base gained from ongoing Earth Science and Applications Division (ESAD) programs. This volume describes three sets of ESAD activities -- ongoing exploitation of operational satellite data, research missions with upcoming launches between now and the first launch of EOS, and candidate earth probes.

Book Review: Astronomy: A Self-Teaching Guide, 6th Edition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marigza, R. N., Jr.

2009-03-01

The sixth edition of Moche's book is up-to-date with the latest in astronomy. It contains accurate astronomical data on stars and constellations. The topics are incorporated with web site addresses for the reader to expand his/her knowledge and see high-resolution images of the celestial targets. This edition incorporates new discoveries and suggestions made prior to the first editions. Among the new developments is the twenty-first-century research into black holes, active galaxies and quasars, searches for life in space, origin and structure of our universe, and the latest in ground and space telescopes.

Increased experience amplifies the activation of task-irrelevant category representations.

PubMed

Wu, Rachel; Pruitt, Zoe; Zinszer, Benjamin D; Cheung, Olivia S

2017-02-01

Prior research has demonstrated the benefits (i.e., task-relevant attentional selection) and costs (i.e., task-irrelevant attentional capture) of prior knowledge on search for an individual target or multiple targets from a category. This study investigated whether the level of experience with particular categories predicts the degree of task-relevant and task-irrelevant activation of item and category representations. Adults with varying levels of dieting experience (measured via 3 subscales of Disinhibition, Restraint, Hunger; Stunkard & Messick, Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 29(1), 71-83, 1985) searched for targets defined as either a specific food item (e.g., carrots), or a category (i.e., any healthy or unhealthy food item). Apart from the target-present trials, in the target-absent "foil" trials, when searching for a specific item (e.g., carrots), irrelevant items from the target's category (e.g., squash) were presented. The ERP (N2pc) results revealed that the activation of task-relevant representations (measured via Exemplar and Category N2pc amplitudes) did not differ based on the degree of experience. Critically, however, increased dieting experience, as revealed by lower Disinhibition scores, predicted activation of task-irrelevant representations (i.e., attentional capture of foils from the target item category). Our results suggest that increased experience with particular categories encourages the rapid activation of category representations even when category information is task irrelevant, and that the N2pc in foil trials could potentially serve as an indication of experience level in future studies on categorization.

The relationship between physical inactivity and mental wellbeing: Findings from a gamification-based community-wide physical activity intervention

PubMed Central

Harris, Marc Ashley

2018-01-01

Mental ill health accounts for 13 per cent of total global disease burden with predictions that depression alone will be the leading cause of disease burden globally by 2030. Poor mental health is consistently associated with deprivation, low income, unemployment, poor education, poorer physical health and increased health-risk behaviour. A plethora of research has examined the relationship between physical activity and mental wellbeing; however, the influence of community-wide gamification-based physical activity interventions on mental wellbeing, to the authors’ knowledge, is yet to be explored. In view of this paucity of attention, the current study examined the relationship between physical activity and mental wellbeing pre/post a community-wide, gamification-based intervention. The findings revealed that increases in mental wellbeing were significantly greater for the least active prior to the intervention, and a strong, positive correlation between increase in physical activity and increase in mental wellbeing was observed. PMID:29372067

The relationship between physical inactivity and mental wellbeing: Findings from a gamification-based community-wide physical activity intervention.

PubMed

Harris, Marc Ashley

2018-01-01

Mental ill health accounts for 13 per cent of total global disease burden with predictions that depression alone will be the leading cause of disease burden globally by 2030. Poor mental health is consistently associated with deprivation, low income, unemployment, poor education, poorer physical health and increased health-risk behaviour. A plethora of research has examined the relationship between physical activity and mental wellbeing; however, the influence of community-wide gamification-based physical activity interventions on mental wellbeing, to the authors' knowledge, is yet to be explored. In view of this paucity of attention, the current study examined the relationship between physical activity and mental wellbeing pre/post a community-wide, gamification-based intervention. The findings revealed that increases in mental wellbeing were significantly greater for the least active prior to the intervention, and a strong, positive correlation between increase in physical activity and increase in mental wellbeing was observed.

Reverse engineering highlights potential principles of large gene regulatory network design and learning.

PubMed

Carré, Clément; Mas, André; Krouk, Gabriel

2017-01-01

Inferring transcriptional gene regulatory networks from transcriptomic datasets is a key challenge of systems biology, with potential impacts ranging from medicine to agronomy. There are several techniques used presently to experimentally assay transcription factors to target relationships, defining important information about real gene regulatory networks connections. These techniques include classical ChIP-seq, yeast one-hybrid, or more recently, DAP-seq or target technologies. These techniques are usually used to validate algorithm predictions. Here, we developed a reverse engineering approach based on mathematical and computer simulation to evaluate the impact that this prior knowledge on gene regulatory networks may have on training machine learning algorithms. First, we developed a gene regulatory networks-simulating engine called FRANK (Fast Randomizing Algorithm for Network Knowledge) that is able to simulate large gene regulatory networks (containing 10 4 genes) with characteristics of gene regulatory networks observed in vivo. FRANK also generates stable or oscillatory gene expression directly produced by the simulated gene regulatory networks. The development of FRANK leads to important general conclusions concerning the design of large and stable gene regulatory networks harboring scale free properties (built ex nihilo). In combination with supervised (accepting prior knowledge) support vector machine algorithm we (i) address biologically oriented questions concerning our capacity to accurately reconstruct gene regulatory networks and in particular we demonstrate that prior-knowledge structure is crucial for accurate learning, and (ii) draw conclusions to inform experimental design to performed learning able to solve gene regulatory networks in the future. By demonstrating that our predictions concerning the influence of the prior-knowledge structure on support vector machine learning capacity holds true on real data ( Escherichia coli K14 network reconstruction using network and transcriptomic data), we show that the formalism used to build FRANK can to some extent be a reasonable model for gene regulatory networks in real cells.

A knowledge-based system for patient image pre-fetching in heterogeneous database environments--modeling, design, and evaluation.

PubMed

Wei, C P; Hu, P J; Sheng, O R

2001-03-01

When performing primary reading on a newly taken radiological examination, a radiologist often needs to reference relevant prior images of the same patient for confirmation or comparison purposes. Support of such image references is of clinical importance and may have significant effects on radiologists' examination reading efficiency, service quality, and work satisfaction. To effectively support such image reference needs, we proposed and developed a knowledge-based patient image pre-fetching system, addressing several challenging requirements of the application that include representation and learning of image reference heuristics and management of data-intensive knowledge inferencing. Moreover, the system demands an extensible and maintainable architecture design capable of effectively adapting to a dynamic environment characterized by heterogeneous and autonomous data source systems. In this paper, we developed a synthesized object-oriented entity- relationship model, a conceptual model appropriate for representing radiologists' prior image reference heuristics that are heuristic oriented and data intensive. We detailed the system architecture and design of the knowledge-based patient image pre-fetching system. Our architecture design is based on a client-mediator-server framework, capable of coping with a dynamic environment characterized by distributed, heterogeneous, and highly autonomous data source systems. To adapt to changes in radiologists' patient prior image reference heuristics, ID3-based multidecision-tree induction and CN2-based multidecision induction learning techniques were developed and evaluated. Experimentally, we examined effects of the pre-fetching system we created on radiologists' examination readings. Preliminary results show that the knowledge-based patient image pre-fetching system more accurately supports radiologists' patient prior image reference needs than the current practice adopted at the study site and that radiologists may become more efficient, consultatively effective, and better satisfied when supported by the pre-fetching system than when relying on the study site's pre-fetching practice.

Assessing Teachers' Science Content Knowledge: A Strategy for Assessing Depth of Understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McConnell, Tom J.; Parker, Joyce M.; Eberhardt, Jan

2013-06-01

One of the characteristics of effective science teachers is a deep understanding of science concepts. The ability to identify, explain and apply concepts is critical in designing, delivering and assessing instruction. Because some teachers have not completed extensive courses in some areas of science, especially in middle and elementary grades, many professional development programs attempt to strengthen teachers' content knowledge. Assessing this content knowledge is challenging. Concept inventories are reliable and efficient, but do not reveal depth of knowledge. Interviews and observations are time-consuming. The Problem Based Learning Project for Teachers implemented a strategy that includes pre-post instruments in eight content strands that permits blind coding of responses and comparison across teachers and groups of teachers. The instruments include two types of open-ended questions that assess both general knowledge and the ability to apply Big Ideas related to specific science topics. The coding scheme is useful in revealing patterns in prior knowledge and learning, and identifying ideas that are challenging or not addressed by learning activities. The strengths and limitations of the scoring scheme are identified through comparison of the findings to case studies of four participating teachers from middle and elementary schools. The cases include examples of coded pre- and post-test responses to illustrate some of the themes seen in teacher learning. The findings raise questions for future investigation that can be conducted using analyses of the coded responses.

Cooperative Education, Experiential Learning, and Personal Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrahamsson, Kenneth, Ed.

Cooperative education, experiential learning, and personal knowledge are addressed in nine conference papers. Kenneth Abrahamsson considers the nature of experiential learning, the recognition of prior learning, educational design and the assessment of quality, and policy and practice for integrating learning and experience. Harry Hienemann…

"Bricolage" and Teachers' Theorizing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Jon

1990-01-01

Discusses issues stimulated by Elizabeth Hatton's examination of teachers' work as "bricolage" in a prior article. Explores the connection between creative potential and pedagogic knowledge and the science of the abstract and the concrete. Presents potential reforms that could enhance teachers' capacity to gain pedagogic knowledge. (JS)

Primary-Grade Students' Knowledge and Thinking about the Supply of Utilities (Water, Heat, and Light) to Modern Homes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brophy, Jere; Alleman, Janet

2003-01-01

This interview study gathered information about the prior knowledge and thinking of kindergarten to third- graders regarding the supply of water, heat, and light to modern homes. Findings indicated that students possessed only limited and spotty knowledge about utilities in modern homes. Within general trends, there was evidence of growth in…

Psychosocial Aspects of ART Counseling: A Comparison of HIV Beliefs and Knowledge in PMTCT and ART-Naïve Women.

PubMed

Gouse, Hetta; Henry, Michelle; Robbins, Reuben N; Lopez-Rios, Javier; Mellins, Claude A; Remien, Robert H; Joska, John A

Antiretroviral therapy (ART)-readiness counseling has been deemed critical to adherence, instilling knowledge, and promoting positive beliefs and attitudes. In the landscape of changing policy in South Africa, some ART initiators have had prior ART-readiness counseling (e.g., for prevention-of-mother-to-child-transmission [PMTCT] programs). The extent to which previous counseling resulted in retained knowledge and belief is unknown, which may be important to the promotion of women's ART adherence. We compared 320 women living with HIV and initiating ART, with and without prior PMTCT on HIV knowledge, treatment, beliefs, and attitudes. The PMTCT group held more accurate beliefs and more positive attitudes about ART. Both groups lacked understanding of basic HIV biology. Nondisclosure of HIV status was high. Thus, in individuals re-initiating therapy, some knowledge about HIV and its treatment was not well retained. Tailored education and counseling may be critical to adherence, with a focus on biological concepts that impact ART resistance. Copyright © 2017 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Schematic knowledge changes what judgments of learning predict in a source memory task.

PubMed

Konopka, Agnieszka E; Benjamin, Aaron S

2009-01-01

Source monitoring can be influenced by information that is external to the study context, such as beliefs and general knowledge (Johnson, Hashtroudi, & Lindsay, 1993). We investigated the extent to which metamnemonic judgments predict memory for items and sources when schematic information about the sources is or is not provided at encoding. Participants made judgments of learning (JOLs) to statements presented by two speakers and were informed of the occupation of each speaker either before or after the encoding session. Replicating earlier work, prior knowledge decreased participants' tendency to erroneously attribute statements to schematically consistent but episodically incorrect speakers. The origin of this effect can be understood by examining the relationship between JOLs and performance: JOLs were equally predictive of item and source memory in the absence of prior knowledge, but were exclusively predictive of source memory when participants knew of the relationship between speakers and statements during study. Background knowledge determines the information that people solicit in service of metamnemonic judgments, suggesting that these judgments reflect control processes during encoding that reduce schematic errors.

Early testimonial learning: monitoring speech acts and speakers.

PubMed

Stephens, Elizabeth; Suarez, Sarah; Koenig, Melissa

2015-01-01

Testimony provides children with a rich source of knowledge about the world and the people in it. However, testimony is not guaranteed to be veridical, and speakers vary greatly in both knowledge and intent. In this chapter, we argue that children encounter two primary types of conflicts when learning from speakers: conflicts of knowledge and conflicts of interest. We review recent research on children's selective trust in testimony and propose two distinct mechanisms supporting early epistemic vigilance in response to the conflicts associated with speakers. The first section of the chapter focuses on the mechanism of coherence checking, which occurs during the process of message comprehension and facilitates children's comparison of information communicated through testimony to their prior knowledge, alerting them to inaccurate, inconsistent, irrational, and implausible messages. The second section focuses on source-monitoring processes. When children lack relevant prior knowledge with which to evaluate testimonial messages, they monitor speakers themselves for evidence of competence and morality, attending to cues such as confidence, consensus, access to information, prosocial and antisocial behavior, and group membership. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In favor of general probability distributions: lateral prefrontal and insular cortices respond to stimulus inherent, but irrelevant differences.

PubMed

Mestres-Missé, Anna; Trampel, Robert; Turner, Robert; Kotz, Sonja A

2016-04-01

A key aspect of optimal behavior is the ability to predict what will come next. To achieve this, we must have a fairly good idea of the probability of occurrence of possible outcomes. This is based both on prior knowledge about a particular or similar situation and on immediately relevant new information. One question that arises is: when considering converging prior probability and external evidence, is the most probable outcome selected or does the brain represent degrees of uncertainty, even highly improbable ones? Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the current study explored these possibilities by contrasting words that differ in their probability of occurrence, namely, unbalanced ambiguous words and unambiguous words. Unbalanced ambiguous words have a strong frequency-based bias towards one meaning, while unambiguous words have only one meaning. The current results reveal larger activation in lateral prefrontal and insular cortices in response to dominant ambiguous compared to unambiguous words even when prior and contextual information biases one interpretation only. These results suggest a probability distribution, whereby all outcomes and their associated probabilities of occurrence--even if very low--are represented and maintained.

Prior knowledge driven Granger causality analysis on gene regulatory network discovery

DOE PAGES

Yao, Shun; Yoo, Shinjae; Yu, Dantong

2015-08-28

Our study focuses on discovering gene regulatory networks from time series gene expression data using the Granger causality (GC) model. However, the number of available time points (T) usually is much smaller than the number of target genes (n) in biological datasets. The widely applied pairwise GC model (PGC) and other regularization strategies can lead to a significant number of false identifications when n>>T. In this study, we proposed a new method, viz., CGC-2SPR (CGC using two-step prior Ridge regularization) to resolve the problem by incorporating prior biological knowledge about a target gene data set. In our simulation experiments, themore » propose new methodology CGC-2SPR showed significant performance improvement in terms of accuracy over other widely used GC modeling (PGC, Ridge and Lasso) and MI-based (MRNET and ARACNE) methods. In addition, we applied CGC-2SPR to a real biological dataset, i.e., the yeast metabolic cycle, and discovered more true positive edges with CGC-2SPR than with the other existing methods. In our research, we noticed a “ 1+1>2” effect when we combined prior knowledge and gene expression data to discover regulatory networks. Based on causality networks, we made a functional prediction that the Abm1 gene (its functions previously were unknown) might be related to the yeast’s responses to different levels of glucose. In conclusion, our research improves causality modeling by combining heterogeneous knowledge, which is well aligned with the future direction in system biology. Furthermore, we proposed a method of Monte Carlo significance estimation (MCSE) to calculate the edge significances which provide statistical meanings to the discovered causality networks. All of our data and source codes will be available under the link https://bitbucket.org/dtyu/granger-causality/wiki/Home.« less

Optimal sampling with prior information of the image geometry in microfluidic MRI.

PubMed

Han, S H; Cho, H; Paulsen, J L

2015-03-01

Recent advances in MRI acquisition for microscopic flows enable unprecedented sensitivity and speed in a portable NMR/MRI microfluidic analysis platform. However, the application of MRI to microfluidics usually suffers from prolonged acquisition times owing to the combination of the required high resolution and wide field of view necessary to resolve details within microfluidic channels. When prior knowledge of the image geometry is available as a binarized image, such as for microfluidic MRI, it is possible to reduce sampling requirements by incorporating this information into the reconstruction algorithm. The current approach to the design of the partial weighted random sampling schemes is to bias toward the high signal energy portions of the binarized image geometry after Fourier transformation (i.e. in its k-space representation). Although this sampling prescription is frequently effective, it can be far from optimal in certain limiting cases, such as for a 1D channel, or more generally yield inefficient sampling schemes at low degrees of sub-sampling. This work explores the tradeoff between signal acquisition and incoherent sampling on image reconstruction quality given prior knowledge of the image geometry for weighted random sampling schemes, finding that optimal distribution is not robustly determined by maximizing the acquired signal but from interpreting its marginal change with respect to the sub-sampling rate. We develop a corresponding sampling design methodology that deterministically yields a near optimal sampling distribution for image reconstructions incorporating knowledge of the image geometry. The technique robustly identifies optimal weighted random sampling schemes and provides improved reconstruction fidelity for multiple 1D and 2D images, when compared to prior techniques for sampling optimization given knowledge of the image geometry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Legal Professionals' Knowledge of Eyewitness Testimony in China: A Cross-Sectional Survey

PubMed Central

Jiang, Lina; Luo, Dahua

2016-01-01

Purpose To examine legal professionals’ knowledge of a wide range of factors that affect eyewitness accuracy in China. Methods A total of 812 participants, including 210 judges, 244 prosecutors, 202 police officers, and 156 defense attorneys, were asked to respond to 12 statements about eyewitness testimony and 3 basic demographic questions (i.e., gender, age, and prior experience). Results Although the judges and the defense attorneys had a somewhat higher number of correct responses than the other two groups, all groups showed limited knowledge of eyewitness testimony. In addition, the participants’ responses to only four items (i.e., weapon focus, attitude and expectations, child suggestibility, and the impact of stress) were roughly unanimous within the four legal professional groups. Legal professionals’ gender showed no significant correlations with their knowledge of eyewitness testimony. Prior experiences were significantly and negatively correlated with the item on the knowledge of forgetting curve among judges but positively correlated with two items (i.e., attitudes and exposure time) among defense attorneys and with 4 statements (i.e., the knowledge of attitudes and expectations, impact of stress, child witness accuracy, and exposure time) among prosecutors. Conclusions The findings suggest that knowledge of the factors that influence eyewitness accuracy must be more effectively communicated to legal professionals in the future. PMID:26828933

Pre-service teachers' knowledge of phonemic awareness: relationship to perceived knowledge, self-efficacy beliefs, and exposure to a multimedia-enhanced lecture.

PubMed

Martinussen, Rhonda; Ferrari, Julia; Aitken, Madison; Willows, Dale

2015-10-01

This study examined the relations among perceived and actual knowledge of phonemic awareness (PA), exposure to PA instruction during practicum, and self-efficacy for teaching PA in a sample of 54 teacher candidates (TCs) enrolled in a 1-year Bachelor of Education program in a Canadian university. It also assessed the effects of a brief multimedia-enhanced lecture on TCs' actual knowledge of PA and efficacy ratings. Prior to the lecture, teacher candidates' scores on the PA assessment were relatively low with a mean percentage correct of 56.3%. Actual knowledge was not significantly correlated with perceived knowledge or self-efficacy ratings. Perceived knowledge was significantly and positively correlated with efficacy ratings and students' rating of their exposure to PA instruction during their practicum experience. A path analysis revealed that the relationship between exposure to PA instruction and self-efficacy beliefs was mediated by perceived knowledge controlling for actual knowledge and general prior experience working with young children. Analyses also revealed that TCs made significant gains in self-efficacy as well as actual knowledge when re-assessed after the lecture with a mean post-lecture score of 71.4%. Written feedback from the TCs indicated that the digital video clips included in the lecture provided clarity regarding the type of instructional practices that teachers could use to support phonemic awareness development in children. Implications for practice and future research on teacher preparation are discussed.

Teaching Newton's Laws with the iPod Touch in Conceptual Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Angela M.

2011-04-01

One of the greatest challenges in teaching physics is helping students achieve a conceptual understanding of Newton's laws. I find that students fresh from middle school can sometimes recite the laws verbatim ("An object in motion stays in motion…" and "For every action…"), but they rarely demonstrate a working knowledge of how to apply them to observable phenomena. As a firm believer in inquiry-based teaching methods, I like to develop activities where students can experiment and construct understandings based on relevant personal experiences. Consequently, I am always looking for exciting new technologies that can readily demonstrate how physics affects everyday things. In a conceptual physics class designed for ninth-graders, I created a structured activity where students applied Newton's laws to a series of free applications downloaded on iPod Touches. The laws had been introduced during the prior class session with textual descriptions and graphical representations. The course is offered as part of the Enlace Latino Collegiate Society, a weekend enrichment program for middle and high school students in the Bronx. The majority of students had limited or no prior exposure to physics concepts, and many attended high schools where physics was not offered at all.

Staying Engaged: Knowledge and Research Needs in Student Engagement

PubMed Central

Wang, Ming-Te; Degol, Jessica

2016-01-01

In this article, we review knowledge about student engagement and look ahead to the future of study in this area. We begin by describing how researchers in the field define and study student engagement. In particular, we describe the levels, contexts, and dimensions that constitute the measurement of engagement, summarize the contexts that shape engagement and the outcomes that result from it, and articulate person-centered approaches for analyzing engagement. We conclude by addressing limitations to the research and providing recommendations for study. Specifically, we point to the importance of incorporating more work on how learning-related emotions, personality characteristics, prior learning experiences, shared values across contexts, and engagement in nonacademic activities influence individual differences in student engagement. We also stress the need to improve our understanding of the nuances involved in developing engagement over time by incorporating more extensive longitudinal analyses, intervention trials, research on affective neuroscience, and interactions among levels and dimensions of engagement. PMID:27087833

Flipped Class - Making that One Hour Effective in a Resource Constrained Setting.

PubMed

Zafar, Afsheen

2016-09-01

Flipped-class teaching has a great potential to replace traditional lectures in medical education. This study was designed to explore attitude of undergraduate medical students from Pakistan towards flipped-class. Five flipped classes were conducted in third year MBBS by a single teacher for a class of 100 students. Quantitative data was collected through a survey questionnaire to assess students' response to the new method. Afocused group discussion was then conducted with students who disliked the method and preferred traditional lectures. Asequential mixed methods approach was used for analysis. Seventy-one students participated in the survey, 84.5% students liked this method of teaching. Students identified fruitful interaction, better retention, better conceptualisation, prior knowledge, active learning, individual student attention, and application of knowledge as strengths of the class. Noise, limited time, lack of self-confidence, and presence of uninterested students were identified as problems for engaging in the class.

Native American adolescents' views of fetal alcohol syndrome prevention in schools.

PubMed

Ma, G X; Toubbeh, J; Cline, J; Chisholm, A

1998-04-01

Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance among adolescents in the United States. Adolescent females are recognized as one group at risk for giving birth to babies with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Sixth through eighth grade Native Americans were surveyed about their attitudes toward and knowledge of FAS risk factors and prevention strategies. Data revealed that 52% of students drank alcohol prior to the survey. Though sexually active, students lacked knowledge about the relationship between alcohol and FAS. The study revealed 1) limited prevention programs in middle schools and 2) the most influential factor in determining attitudes and decisions about alcohol use was the immediate family. Students felt FAS prevention is an important topic in school health education, noting the important role peers play in teaching and role modeling. Various strategies incorporating music and communication technology such as videotape and computer-assisted interactive tools into prevention materials are discussed.

Teaching Theory in Occupational Therapy Using a Cooperative Learning: A Mixed-Methods Study.

PubMed

Howe, Tsu-Hsin; Sheu, Ching-Fan; Hinojosa, Jim

2018-01-01

Cooperative learning provides an important vehicle for active learning, as knowledge is socially constructed through interaction with others. This study investigated the effect of cooperative learning on occupational therapy (OT) theory knowledge attainment in professional-level OT students in a classroom environment. Using a pre- and post-test group design, 24 first-year, entry-level OT students participated while taking a theory course in their second semester of the program. Cooperative learning methods were implemented via in-class group assignments. The students were asked to complete two questionnaires regarding their attitudes toward group environments and their perception toward group learning before and after the semester. MANCOVA was used to examine changes in attitudes and perceived learning among groups. Students' summary sheets for each in-class assignment and course evaluations were collected for content analysis. Results indicated significant changes in students' attitude toward working in small groups regardless of their prior group experience.

Impact of a United Kingdom-wide campaign to tackle antimicrobial resistance on self-reported knowledge and behaviour change.

PubMed

Chaintarli, Katerina; Ingle, Suzanne M; Bhattacharya, Alex; Ashiru-Oredope, Diane; Oliver, Isabel; Gobin, Maya

2016-05-12

As part of the 2014 European Antibiotic Awareness Day plans, a new campaign called Antibiotic Guardian (AG) was launched in the United Kingdom, including an online pledge system to increase commitment from healthcare professionals and members of the public to reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The aim of this evaluation was to determine the impact of the campaign on self-reported knowledge and behaviour around AMR. An online survey was sent to 9016 Antibiotic Guardians (AGs) to assess changes in self-reported knowledge and behaviour (outcomes) following the campaign. Logistic regression models, adjusted for variables including age, sex and pledge group (pledging as member of public or as healthcare professional), were used to estimate associations between outcomes and AG characteristics. 2478 AGs responded to the survey (27.5 % response rate) of whom 1696 (68.4 %) pledged as healthcare professionals and 782 (31.6 %) as members of public (similar proportions to the total number of AGs). 96.3 % of all AGs who responded had prior knowledge of AMR. 73.5 % of participants were female and participants were most commonly between 45 and 54 years old. Two thirds (63.4 %) of participants reported always acting according to their pledge. Members of the public were more likely to act in line with their pledge than professionals (Odds Ratio (OR) =3.60, 95 % Confidence Interval (CI): 2.88-4.51). Approximately half of participants (44.5 %) (both healthcare professionals and members of public) reported that they acquired more knowledge about AMR post-campaign. People that were confused about AMR prior to the campaign acquired more knowledge after the campaign (OR = 3.10, 95 % CI: 1.36-7.09). More participants reported a sense of personal responsibility towards tackling AMR post-campaign, increasing from 58.3 % of participants pre-campaign to 70.5 % post-campaign. This study demonstrated that the campaign increased commitment to tackling AMR in both healthcare professional and member of the public, increased self-reported knowledge and changed self-reported behaviour particularly among people with prior AMR awareness. Online pledge schemes can be an effective and inexpensive way to engage people with the problem of AMR especially among those with prior awareness of the topic.

Assessing Graduate Assistant Teacher Communication Concerns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feezel, Jerry D.; Myers, Scott A.

1997-01-01

Finds that graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) experience eight interrelated types of communication concern (self, task, impact, role conflict, teaching, area knowledge, procedural knowledge, and time management). Shows that GTA variables of expected duties, prior teaching experience, newness to area, foreign or domestic birth, and age are likely…

Characterizing Solution Concepts in Games Using Knowledge Based Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

rationalizable strategies [ Bernheim , 1984; Pearce, 1984]. Using a characterization due to Halpern [2006], we can show that if their prior is described...knowledge of rationality. Games and Economic Behavior, 8:6–19, 1995. [ Bernheim , 1984] B. D. Bernheim . Rationalizable strategic behavior. Econometrica, 52

Conceptual Developments in Schema Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigenho, Frederick W., Jr.

The conceptual development of schema theory, the way an individual organizes knowledge, is discussed, reviewing a range of perspectives regarding schema. Schema has been defined as the interfacing of incoming information with prior knowledge, clustered in networks. These networks comprise a superordinate concept and supporting information. The…

Individual Differences in Reprocessing of Text.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haenggi, Dieter; Perfetti, Charles A.

1992-01-01

Decoding, working memory, and domain-specific prior knowledge were studied as predictors of comprehension for 48 university undergraduate students after rewriting notes, rereading notes, or rereading a text. Working memory was most important for comprehension of text-implicit information, whereas knowledge was relatively more important for…

Event-related potentials reveal the effect of prior knowledge on competition for representation and attentional capture.

PubMed

Hilimire, Matthew R; Corballis, Paul M

2014-01-01

Objects compete for representation in our limited capacity visual system. We examined how this competition is influenced by top-down knowledge using event-related potentials. Competition was manipulated by presenting visual search arrays in which the target or distractor was the only color singleton compared to displays in which both singletons were presented. Experiments 1 and 2 manipulated whether the observer knew the color of the target in advance. Experiment 3 ruled out low-level sensory explanations. Results show that, under conditions of competition, the distractor does not elicit an N2pc when the target color is known. However, the N2pc elicited by the target is reduced in the presence of a distractor. These findings suggest that top-down knowledge can prevent the capture of attention by distracting information, but this prior knowledge does not eliminate the competitive influence of the distractor on the target. Copyright © 2013 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Nuclear Physics in High School: what are the previous knowledge?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pombo, F. de O.

2017-11-01

Nuclear physics is a branch of physics that about a century occupies an important space in the theoretical, experimental and scientific fields. Currently, its relevance in application is concentrated in several areas such as energy production, diagnostic processes and medical treatment and nuclear bombs, high destructive power. Whereas, according to legal regulations, the teaching of physics must make the student competent in the understanding of the world and assuming the perspective of Paulo Freire (2011) that education is not done on the subject, but together with him, in dialogue with his point of departure, his prior knowledge, we established the general objective of raising students prior knowledge of the third year of high School at Nair Ferreira Neves school, in São Sebastião-SP, about nuclear physics. We concluded that the school has not fulfilled its role in relation to nuclear physics, because students have information from other means of information and these knowledge are stereotyped and mistaken, damaging the world's reading and exercising full citizenship.

Understanding Possibilities and Limitations of Abstract Chemical Representations for Achieving Conceptual Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corradi, David M. J.; Elen, Jan; Schraepen, Beno; Clarebout, Geraldine

2014-01-01

When learning with abstract and scientific multiple external representations (MERs), low prior knowledge learners are said to have difficulties in using these MERs to achieve conceptual understanding. Yet little is known about what these limitations precisely entail. In order to understand this, we presented 101 learners with low prior knowledge…

When Prior Knowledge Interferes, Inhibitory Control Matters for Learning: The Case of Numerical Magnitude Representations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laski, Elida V.; Dulaney, Alana

2015-01-01

The present study tested the "interference hypothesis"-that learning and using more advanced representations and strategies requires the inhibition of prior, less advanced ones. Specifically, it examined the relation between inhibitory control and number line estimation performance. Experiment 1 compared the accuracy of adults' (N = 53)…

Conditions for Self-Confidence among Boys and Girls Achieving Highly in Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ziegler, Albert; Heller, Kurt A.

2000-01-01

Students (N=379) in the 8th grade of German college preparatory schools, prior to formal chemistry instruction, were evaluated for prior knowledge of chemistry, their self-concept regarding chemistry, their gender-bound attitudes toward chemistry, and their fear of chemistry. Findings indicated that girls already expressed significantly lower…

Recognition of Prior Learning: The Participants' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miguel, Marta C.; Ornelas, José H.; Maroco, João P.

2016-01-01

The current narrative on lifelong learning goes beyond formal education and training, including learning at work, in the family and in the community. Recognition of prior learning is a process of evaluation of those skills and knowledge acquired through life experience, allowing them to be formally recognized by the qualification systems. It is a…

17 CFR 155.3 - Trading standards for futures commission merchants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... controls to: (1) Insure, to the extent possible, that each order received from a customer which is... affiliated person has gained knowledge of the customer's order prior to the transmission to the floor of the... reason of their relationship to such other person, except with such other person's prior consent and in...

Ultrasound and Cadaveric Prosections as Methods for Teaching Cardiac Anatomy: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griksaitis, Michael J.; Sawdon, Marina A.; Finn, Gabrielle M.

2012-01-01

This study compared the efficacy of two cardiac anatomy teaching modalities, ultrasound imaging and cadaveric prosections, for learning cardiac gross anatomy. One hundred and eight first-year medical students participated. Two weeks prior to the teaching intervention, students completed a pretest to assess their prior knowledge and to ensure that…