Performance modeling codes for the QuakeSim problem solving environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, J. W.; Donnellan, A.; Lyzenga, G.; Rundle, J.; Tullis, T.

2003-01-01

The QuakeSim Problem Solving Environment uses a web-services approach to unify and deploy diverse remote data sources and processing services within a browser environment. Here we focus on the high-performance crustal modeling applications that will be included in this set of remote but interoperable applications.

A life history approach to delineating how harsh environments and hawk temperament traits differentially shape children's problem-solving skills.

PubMed

Suor, Jennifer H; Sturge-Apple, Melissa L; Davies, Patrick T; Cicchetti, Dante

2017-08-01

Harsh environments are known to predict deficits in children's cognitive abilities. Life history theory approaches challenge this interpretation, proposing stressed children's cognition becomes specialized to solve problems in fitness-enhancing ways. The goal of this study was to examine associations between early environmental harshness and children's problem-solving outcomes across tasks varying in ecological relevance. In addition, we utilize an evolutionary model of temperament toward further specifying whether hawk temperament traits moderate these associations. Two hundred and one mother-child dyads participated in a prospective multimethod study when children were 2 and 4 years old. At age 2, environmental harshness was assessed via maternal report of earned income and observations of maternal disengagement during a parent-child interaction task. Children's hawk temperament traits were assessed from a series of unfamiliar episodes. At age 4, children's reward-oriented and visual problem-solving were measured. Path analyses revealed early environmental harshness and children's hawk temperament traits predicted worse visual problem-solving. Results showed a significant two-way interaction between children's hawk temperament traits and environmental harshness on reward-oriented problem-solving. Simple slope analyses revealed the effect of environmental harshness on reward-oriented problem-solving was specific to children with higher levels of hawk traits. Results suggest early experiences of environmental harshness and child hawk temperament traits shape children's trajectories of problem-solving in an environment-fitting manner. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

When Creative Problem Solving Strategy Meets Web-Based Cooperative Learning Environment in Accounting Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Kai Wen

2011-01-01

Background: Facing highly competitive and changing environment, cultivating citizens with problem-solving attitudes is one critical vision of education. In brief, the importance of education is to cultivate students with practical abilities. Realizing the advantages of web-based cooperative learning (web-based CL) and creative problem solving…

Mathematical Language Development and Talk Types in Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Symons, Duncan; Pierce, Robyn

2015-01-01

In this study we examine the use of cumulative and exploratory talk types in a year 5 computer supported collaborative learning environment. The focus for students in this environment was to participate in mathematical problem solving, with the intention of developing the proficiencies of problem solving and reasoning. Findings suggest that…

Opportunities to Pose Problems Using Digital Technology in Problem Solving Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aguilar-Magallón, Daniel Aurelio; Fernández, Willliam Enrique Poveda

2017-01-01

This article reports and analyzes different types of problems that nine students in a Master's Program in Mathematics Education posed during a course on problem solving. What opportunities (affordances) can a dynamic geometry system (GeoGebra) offer to allow in-service and in-training teachers to formulate and solve problems, and what type of…

Towards a Framework of Using Knowledge Tools for Teaching by Solving Problems in Technology-Enhanced Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kostousov, Sergei; Kudryavtsev, Dmitry

2017-01-01

Problem solving is a critical competency for modern world and also an effective way of learning. Education should not only transfer domain-specific knowledge to students, but also prepare them to solve real-life problems--to apply knowledge from one or several domains within specific situation. Problem solving as teaching tool is known for a long…

What's the Right Answer? Team Problem-Solving in Environments of Uncertainty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jameson, Daphne A.

2009-01-01

Whether in the workplace or the classroom, many teams approach problem-solving as a search for certainty--even though certainty rarely exists in business. This search for the one right answer to a problem creates unrealistic expectations and often undermines teams' effectiveness. To help teams manage their problem-solving process and communication…

Augmented Lagrange Hopfield network for solving economic dispatch problem in competitive environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vo, Dieu Ngoc; Ongsakul, Weerakorn; Nguyen, Khai Phuc

2012-11-01

This paper proposes an augmented Lagrange Hopfield network (ALHN) for solving economic dispatch (ED) problem in the competitive environment. The proposed ALHN is a continuous Hopfield network with its energy function based on augmented Lagrange function for efficiently dealing with constrained optimization problems. The ALHN method can overcome the drawbacks of the conventional Hopfield network such as local optimum, long computational time, and linear constraints. The proposed method is used for solving the ED problem with two revenue models of revenue based on payment for power delivered and payment for reserve allocated. The proposed ALHN has been tested on two systems of 3 units and 10 units for the two considered revenue models. The obtained results from the proposed methods are compared to those from differential evolution (DE) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) methods. The result comparison has indicated that the proposed method is very efficient for solving the problem. Therefore, the proposed ALHN could be a favorable tool for ED problem in the competitive environment.

Investigating the Problem Solving Competency of Pre Service Teachers in Dynamic Geometry Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haja, Shajahan

2005-01-01

This study investigated the problem-solving competency of four secondary pre service teachers (PSTs) of University of London as they explored geometry problems in dynamic geometry environment (DGE) in 2004. A constructivist experiment was designed in which dynamic software Cabri-Geometre II (hereafter Cabri) was used as an interactive medium.…

Investigating Plane Geometry Problem-Solving Strategies of Prospective Mathematics Teachers in Technology and Paper-and-Pencil Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koyuncu, Ilhan; Akyuz, Didem; Cakiroglu, Erdinc

2015-01-01

This study aims to investigate plane geometry problem-solving strategies of prospective mathematics teachers using dynamic geometry software (DGS) and paper-and-pencil (PPB) environments after receiving an instruction with GeoGebra (GGB). Four plane geometry problems were used in a multiple case study design to understand the solution strategies…

Investigating the Influences of a LEAPS Model on Preservice Teachers' Problem Solving, Metacognition, and Motivation in an Educational Technology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lubin, Ian A.; Ge, Xun

2012-01-01

This paper discusses a qualitative study which examined students' problem-solving, metacognition, and motivation in a learning environment designed for teaching educational technology to pre-service teachers. The researchers converted a linear and didactic learning environment into a new open learning environment by contextualizing domain-related…

Perfecting scientists’ collaboration and problem-solving skills in the virtual team environment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Perfecting Scientists’ Collaboration and Problem-Solving Skills in the Virtual Team Environment Numerous factors have contributed to the proliferation of conducting work in virtual teams at the domestic, national, and global levels: innovations in technology, critical developments in software, co-lo...

Problem solving strategies used by RN-to-BSN students in an online problem-based learning course.

PubMed

Oldenburg, Nancy L; Hung, Wei-Chen

2010-04-01

It is essential that nursing students develop the problem solving and critical thinking skills required in the current health care environment. Problem-based learning has been promoted as a way to help students acquire those skills; however, gaps exist in the knowledge base of the strategies used by learners. The purpose of this case study was to gain insight into the problem solving experience of a group of six RN-to-BSN students in an online problem-based learning course. Data, including discussion transcripts, reflective papers, and interview transcripts, were analyzed using a qualitative approach. Students expanded their use of resources and resolved the cases, identifying relevant facts and clinical applications. They had difficulty communicating their findings, establishing the credibility of sources, and offering challenging feedback. Increased support and direction are needed to facilitate the development of problem solving abilities of students in the problem-based learning environment.

Fostering Problem-Solving in a Virtual Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morin, Danielle; Thomas, Jennifer D. E.; Saadé, Raafat George

2015-01-01

This article investigates students' perceptions of the relationship between Problem-Solving and the activities and resources used in a Web-based course on the fundamentals of Information Technology at a university in Montreal, Canada. We assess for the different learning components of the course, the extent of perceived problem-solving skills…

The Effect of Dynamic Web Technologies on Student Academic Achievement in Problem-Based Collaborative Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korucu, Agâh Tugrul; Cakir, Hasan

2018-01-01

Some of the 21st century proficiencies expected from people are determined as collaborative working and problem solving. One way to gain these proficiencies is by using collaborative problem solving based on social constructivism theory. Collaborative problem solving is one of the methods allowing for social constructivism in the class. In…

Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments. A Report from the NAEP Technology-Based Assessment Project, Research and Development Series. NCES 2007-466

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Randy Elliot; Persky, Hilary; Weiss, Andrew R.; Jenkins, Frank

2007-01-01

The Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments (TRE) study was designed to demonstrate and explore innovative use of computers for developing, administering, scoring, and analyzing the results of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessments. Two scenarios (Search and Simulation) were created for measuring problem solving…

Controlling Uncertainty: A Review of Human Behavior in Complex Dynamic Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osman, Magda

2010-01-01

Complex dynamic control (CDC) tasks are a type of problem-solving environment used for examining many cognitive activities (e.g., attention, control, decision making, hypothesis testing, implicit learning, memory, monitoring, planning, and problem solving). Because of their popularity, there have been many findings from diverse domains of research…

Social Problem Solving as a Predictor of Well-Being in Adolescents and Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siu, Andrew M. H.; Shek, Daniel T. L.

2010-01-01

Social problem solving is the cognitive-affective-behavioral process by which people attempt to resolve real-life problems in a social environment, and is of key importance in the management of emotions and well-being. This paper reviews a series of studies on social problem solving conducted by the authors. First, we developed and validated the…

Collaborative Problem-Solving Environments; Proceedings for the Workshop CPSEs for Scientific Research, San Diego, California, June 20 to July 1, 1999

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

Chin, George

1999-01-11

A workshop on collaborative problem-solving environments (CPSEs) was held June 29 through July 1, 1999, in San Diego, California. The workshop was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the High Performance Network Applications Team of the Large Scale Networking Working Group. The workshop brought together researchers and developers from industry, academia, and government to identify, define, and discuss future directions in collaboration and problem-solving technologies in support of scientific research.

Introduction to LogoWriter and Problem Solving for Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoder, Sharon Burrowes; Moursund, Dave

This book about Logo programming and problem solving is designed to introduce preservice and inservice teachers to problem solving in a Logo programming environment. Such a unit of study can be an important part of an introductory computers in education course for educators. Although Logowriter--a version of Logo--was developed by Logo Computer…

Using Everyday Materials To Promote Problem Solving in Toddlers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Segatti, Laura; Brown-DuPaul, Judy; Keyes, Tracy L.

2003-01-01

Outlines benefits of and skills involved in problem solving. Details how an environment rich in materials that foster cause-and-effect or trial-and-error explorations promote cognitive development among toddlers. Offers examples of problem-solving experiences and lists materials for use in curriculum planning. Describes the teacher' role as one of…

Effects of Instructional Preparation Strategies on Problem Solving in a Web-Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Young-Jin

2010-01-01

This study reports the effects of different types of instructional preparation strategies on the problem solving performance of college students taking an introductory physics class. Students were divided into four equally skilled groups and solved the same physics problems after receiving different instructional preparations (engaging in…

Empowering Educationally Disadvantaged Mathematics Students through a Strategies-Based Problem Solving Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramnarain, Umesh

2014-01-01

A major impediment to problem solving in mathematics in the great majority of South African schools is that disadvantaged students from seriously impoverished learning environments are lacking in the necessary informal mathematical knowledge to develop their own strategies for solving non-routine problems. A randomized pretest-posttest control…

Toward Group Problem Solving Guidelines for 21st Century Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ranieri, Kathryn L.

2004-01-01

Effective problem-solving skills are critical in dealing with ambiguous and often complex issues in the present-day leaner and globally diverse organizations. Yet respected, well-established problem-solving models may be misaligned within the current work environment, particularly within a team context. Models learned from a more bureaucratic,…

Understanding Adults' Strong Problem-Solving Skills Based on PIAAC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hämäläinen, Raija; De Wever, Bram; Nissinen, Kari; Cincinnato, Sebastiano

2017-01-01

Purpose: Research has shown that the problem-solving skills of adults with a vocational education and training (VET) background in technology-rich environments (TREs) are often inadequate. However, some adults with a VET background do have sound problem-solving skills. The present study aims to provide insight into the socio-demographic,…

Improving Students' Problem Solving in a Virtual Chemistry Simulation through Metacognitive Messages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beal, Carole R.; Stevens, Ronald H.

2011-01-01

Recent assessments indicate that American students do not score well on tests of scientific problem solving, relative to students in other nations. IMMEX is a web-based virtual environment that provides students with opportunities to solve science problems by viewing information resources through a suite of menu options, developing a hypothesis…

A Contingency View of Problem Solving in Schools: A Case Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, E. Mark; Brown, Michael E.

Patterns of problem-solving activity in one middle-class urban high school are examined and a problem solving model rooted in a conceptual framework of contingency theory is presented. Contingency theory stresses that as political, economic, and social conditions in an organization's environment become problematic, the internal structures of the…

The Evolution of a Flipped Classroom: Evidence-Based Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velegol, Stephanie Butler; Zappe, Sarah E.; Mahoney, Emily

2015-01-01

Engineering students benefit from an active and interactive classroom environment where they can be guided through the problem solving process. Typically faculty members spend class time presenting the technical content required to solve problems, leaving students to apply this knowledge and problem solve on their own at home. There has recently…

Providing Adaptation and Guidance for Design Learning by Problem Solving: The Design Planning Approach in DomoSim-TPC Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redondo, Miguel A.; Bravo, Crescencio; Ortega, Manuel; Verdejo, M. Felisa

2007-01-01

Experimental learning environments based on simulation usually require monitoring and adaptation to the actions the users carry out. Some systems provide this functionality, but they do so in a way which is static or cannot be applied to problem solving tasks. In response to this problem, we propose a method based on the use of intermediate…

Problems in modeling man machine control behavior in biodynamic environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jex, H. R.

1972-01-01

Reviewed are some current problems in modeling man-machine control behavior in a biodynamic environment. It is given in two parts: (1) a review of the models which are appropriate for manual control behavior and the added elements necessary to deal with biodynamic interfaces; and (2) a review of some biodynamic interface pilot/vehicle problems which have occurred, been solved, or need to be solved.

Problem Solving Learning Environments and Assessment: A Knowledge Space Theory Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reimann, Peter; Kickmeier-Rust, Michael; Albert, Dietrich

2013-01-01

This paper explores the relation between problem solving learning environments (PSLEs) and assessment concepts. The general framework of evidence-centered assessment design is used to describe PSLEs in terms of assessment concepts, and to identify similarities between the process of assessment design and of PSLE design. We use a recently developed…

An Auto-Scoring Mechanism for Evaluating Problem-Solving Ability in a Web-Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiou, Chuang-Kai; Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Tseng, Judy C. R.

2009-01-01

The rapid development of computer and network technologies has attracted researchers to investigate strategies for and the effects of applying information technologies in learning activities; simultaneously, learning environments have been developed to record the learning portfolios of students seeking web information for problem-solving. Although…

The CLIA-Model: A Framework for Designing Powerful Learning Environments for Thinking and Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Corte, Erik; Verschaffel, Lieven; Masui, Chris

2004-01-01

A major challenge for education and educational research is to build on our present understanding of learning for designing environments for education that are conducive to fostering in students self-regulatory and cooperative learning skills, transferable knowledge, and a disposition toward competent thinking and problem solving. Taking into…

The New Method of Problem Solving in Physics Education by Using SCORM-Compliant Content Package

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonen, Selahattin; Basaran, Bulent

2008-01-01

In this article, two basic purposes are presented. First, taking effective feedbacks in the electronic learning environment about the learning level of students at the problem solving which are told in physics lessons and laboratories. Second, providing a possibility for students to repeat the subjects and solved problems by watching and…

Conceptual Learning in a Principled Design Problem Solving Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prusak, Naomi; Hershkowitz, Rina; Schwarz, Baruch B.

2013-01-01

To what extent can instructional design be based on principles for instilling a culture of problem solving and conceptual learning? This is the main focus of the study described in this paper, in which third grade students participated in a one-year course designed to foster problem solving and mathematical reasoning. The design relied on five…

Socio-Demographic and Practice-Oriented Factors Related to Proficiency in Problem Solving: A Lifelong Learning Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desjardins, Richard; Ederer, Peer

2015-01-01

This article explores the relative importance of different socio-demographic and practice-oriented factors that are related to proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments (PSTREs) and by extension may be related to complex problem solving (CPS). The empirical analysis focuses on the proficiency measurements of PSTRE made…

A Design and Development of Distance Learning Support Environment for Collaborative Problem Solving in Group Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nitta, Takuya; Takaoka, Ryo; Ahama, Shigeki; Shimokawa, Masayuki

2014-01-01

The competency and curriculum for human resource development in knowledge based society are proposed in each country. We think the keywords are "collaborative problem solving" and "effective use of ICT". In particular, the competency to perform the collaborative problem solving and learning with others on the network is…

Using a Recommendation System to Support Problem Solving and Case-Based Reasoning Retrieval

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tawfik, Andrew A.; Alhoori, Hamed; Keene, Charles Wayne; Bailey, Christian; Hogan, Maureen

2018-01-01

In case library learning environments, learners are presented with an array of narratives that can be used to guide their problem solving. However, according to theorists, learners struggle to identify and retrieve the optimal case to solve a new problem. Given the challenges novice face during case retrieval, recommender systems can be embedded…

Assessing Reflective Thinking in Solving Design Problems: The Development of a Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Yi-Chun; Choi, Ikseon

2015-01-01

Reflection is a critical factor in solving design problems. Using good methods to observe designers' reflection is essential to inform the design of the learning environments that support the development of design problem-solving skills. In this study, we have developed and validated a novel self-reporting questionnaire as an efficient instrument…

Developing a Theory of Digitally-Enabled Trial-Based Problem Solving through Simulation Methods: The Case of Direct-Response Marketing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Joseph Warren

2012-01-01

In turbulent business environments, change is rapid, continuous, and unpredictable. Turbulence undermines those adaptive problem solving methods that generate solutions by extrapolating from what worked (or did not work) in the past. To cope with this challenge, organizations utilize trial-based problem solving (TBPS) approaches in which they…

Integrating Computers into the Problem-Solving Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowther, Deborah L.; Morrison, Gary R.

2003-01-01

Asserts that within the context of problem-based learning environments, professors can encourage students to use computers as problem-solving tools. The ten-step Integrating Technology for InQuiry (NteQ) model guides professors through the process of integrating computers into problem-based learning activities. (SWM)

Associations between conceptual reasoning, problem solving, and adaptive ability in high-functioning autism.

PubMed

Williams, Diane L; Mazefsky, Carla A; Walker, Jon D; Minshew, Nancy J; Goldstein, Gerald

2014-11-01

Abstract thinking is generally highly correlated with problem-solving ability which is predictive of better adaptive functioning. Measures of conceptual reasoning, an ecologically-valid laboratory measure of problem-solving, and a report measure of adaptive functioning in the natural environment, were administered to children and adults with and without autism. The individuals with autism had weaker conceptual reasoning ability than individuals with typical development of similar age and cognitive ability. For the autism group, their flexible thinking scores were significantly correlated with laboratory measures of strategy formation and rule shifting and with reported overall adaptive behavior but not socialization scores. Therefore, in autism, flexibility of thought is potentially more important for adaptive functioning in the natural environment than conceptual reasoning or problem-solving.

The Association between Motivation, Affect, and Self-regulated Learning When Solving Problems.

PubMed

Baars, Martine; Wijnia, Lisette; Paas, Fred

2017-01-01

Self-regulated learning (SRL) skills are essential for learning during school years, particularly in complex problem-solving domains, such as biology and math. Although a lot of studies have focused on the cognitive resources that are needed for learning to solve problems in a self-regulated way, affective and motivational resources have received much less research attention. The current study investigated the relation between affect (i.e., Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale), motivation (i.e., autonomous and controlled motivation), mental effort, SRL skills, and problem-solving performance when learning to solve biology problems in a self-regulated online learning environment. In the learning phase, secondary education students studied video-modeling examples of how to solve hereditary problems, solved hereditary problems which they chose themselves from a set of problems with different complexity levels (i.e., five levels). In the posttest, students solved hereditary problems, self-assessed their performance, and chose a next problem from the set of problems but did not solve these problems. The results from this study showed that negative affect, inaccurate self-assessments during the posttest, and higher perceptions of mental effort during the posttest were negatively associated with problem-solving performance after learning in a self-regulated way.

Problem Solving in a Natural Language Environment.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-07-21

another mapping that can map the "values" of those slots onto each other. 11.2 Kowledge Reoresentation Systems Several general knowledge...Hirach Frames The problem solving frames are general descriptions of problems (and solutions). Much more power could be milked from the concept of...general and powerful matching routines can be seen if the problem solving frames are going to work. The matcher must find matches between an element

The Effect of Dynamic and Interactive Mathematics Learning Environments (DIMLE), Supporting Multiple Representations, on Perceptions of Elementary Mathematics Pre-Service Teachers in Problem Solving Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozdemir, S.; Reis, Z. Ayvaz

2013-01-01

Mathematics is an important discipline, providing crucial tools, such as problem solving, to improve our cognitive abilities. In order to solve a problem, it is better to envision and represent through multiple means. Multiple representations can help a person to redefine a problem with his/her own words in that envisioning process. Dynamic and…

VET Workers' Problem-Solving Skills in Technology-Rich Environments: European Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hämäläinen, Raija; Cincinnato, Sebastiano; Malin, Antero; De Wever, Bram

2014-01-01

The European workplace is challenging VET adults' problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments (TREs). So far, no international large-scale assessment data has been available for VET. The PIAAC data comprise the most comprehensive source of information on adults' skills to date. The present study (N = 50 369) focuses on gaining insight…

The Embodiment of Cases as Alternative Perspective in a Mathematics Hypermedia Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valentine, Keri D.; Kopcha, Theodore J.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a design framework for cases as alternative perspectives (Jonassen in Learning to solve problems: a handbook for designing problem-solving learning environments, 2011a) in the context of K-12 mathematics. Using the design-based research strategy of conjecture mapping, the design of cases for a hypermedia site is described…

A Life History Approach to Delineating How Harsh Environments and Hawk Temperament Traits Differentially Shape Children's Problem-Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suor, Jennifer H.; Sturge-Apple, Melissa L.; Davies, Patrick T.; Cicchetti, Dante

2017-01-01

Harsh environments are known to predict deficits in children's cognitive abilities. Life history theory approaches challenge this interpretation, proposing stressed children's cognition becomes specialized to solve problems in fitness-enhancing ways. The goal of this study was to examine associations between early environmental harshness and…

Problem-solving variability in older spouses: how is it linked to problem-, person-, and couple-characteristics?

PubMed

Hoppmann, Christiane A; Blanchard-Fields, Fredda

2011-09-01

Problem-solving does not take place in isolation and often involves social others such as spouses. Using repeated daily life assessments from 98 older spouses (M age = 72 years; M marriage length = 42 years), the present study examined theoretical notions from social-contextual models of coping regarding (a) the origins of problem-solving variability and (b) associations between problem-solving and specific problem-, person-, and couple- characteristics. Multilevel models indicate that the lion's share of variability in everyday problem-solving is located at the level of the problem situation. Importantly, participants reported more proactive emotion regulation and collaborative problem-solving for social than nonsocial problems. We also found person-specific consistencies in problem-solving. That is, older spouses high in Neuroticism reported more problems across the study period as well as less instrumental problem-solving and more passive emotion regulation than older spouses low in Neuroticism. Contrary to expectations, relationship satisfaction was unrelated to problem-solving in the present sample. Results are in line with the stress and coping literature in demonstrating that everyday problem-solving is a dynamic process that has to be viewed in the broader context in which it occurs. Our findings also complement previous laboratory-based work on everyday problem-solving by underscoring the benefits of examining everyday problem-solving as it unfolds in spouses' own environment.

Using Jigsaw-Style Spectroscopy Problem-Solving to Elucidate Molecular Structure through Online Cooperative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winschel, Grace A.; Everett, Renata K.; Coppola, Brian P.; Shultz, Ginger V.

2015-01-01

Cooperative learning was employed as an instructional approach to facilitate student development of spectroscopy problem solving skills. An interactive online environment was used as a framework to structure weekly discussions around spectroscopy problems outside of class. Weekly discussions consisted of modified jigsaw-style problem solving…

KIPSE1: A Knowledge-based Interactive Problem Solving Environment for data estimation and pattern classification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Han, Chia Yung; Wan, Liqun; Wee, William G.

1990-01-01

A knowledge-based interactive problem solving environment called KIPSE1 is presented. The KIPSE1 is a system built on a commercial expert system shell, the KEE system. This environment gives user capability to carry out exploratory data analysis and pattern classification tasks. A good solution often consists of a sequence of steps with a set of methods used at each step. In KIPSE1, solution is represented in the form of a decision tree and each node of the solution tree represents a partial solution to the problem. Many methodologies are provided at each node to the user such that the user can interactively select the method and data sets to test and subsequently examine the results. Otherwise, users are allowed to make decisions at various stages of problem solving to subdivide the problem into smaller subproblems such that a large problem can be handled and a better solution can be found.

Analogy as a strategy for supporting complex problem solving under uncertainty.

PubMed

Chan, Joel; Paletz, Susannah B F; Schunn, Christian D

2012-11-01

Complex problem solving in naturalistic environments is fraught with uncertainty, which has significant impacts on problem-solving behavior. Thus, theories of human problem solving should include accounts of the cognitive strategies people bring to bear to deal with uncertainty during problem solving. In this article, we present evidence that analogy is one such strategy. Using statistical analyses of the temporal dynamics between analogy and expressed uncertainty in the naturalistic problem-solving conversations among scientists on the Mars Rover Mission, we show that spikes in expressed uncertainty reliably predict analogy use (Study 1) and that expressed uncertainty reduces to baseline levels following analogy use (Study 2). In addition, in Study 3, we show with qualitative analyses that this relationship between uncertainty and analogy is not due to miscommunication-related uncertainty but, rather, is primarily concentrated on substantive problem-solving issues. Finally, we discuss a hypothesis about how analogy might serve as an uncertainty reduction strategy in naturalistic complex problem solving.

Software environment for implementing engineering applications on MIMD computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez, L. A.; Valimohamed, K. A.; Schiff, S.

1990-01-01

In this paper the concept for a software environment for developing engineering application systems for multiprocessor hardware (MIMD) is presented. The philosophy employed is to solve the largest problems possible in a reasonable amount of time, rather than solve existing problems faster. In the proposed environment most of the problems concerning parallel computation and handling of large distributed data spaces are hidden from the application program developer, thereby facilitating the development of large-scale software applications. Applications developed under the environment can be executed on a variety of MIMD hardware; it protects the application software from the effects of a rapidly changing MIMD hardware technology.

On the Benefits of Seeking (and Avoiding) Help in Online Problem-Solving Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roll, Ido; Baker, Ryan S. J. d.; Aleven, Vincent; Koedinger, Kenneth R.

2014-01-01

Seeking the right level of help at the right time can support learning. However, in the context of online problem-solving environments, it is still not entirely clear which help-seeking strategies are desired. We use fine-grained data from 38 high school students who worked with the Geometry Cognitive Tutor for 2 months to better understand the…

The Association between Motivation, Affect, and Self-regulated Learning When Solving Problems

PubMed Central

Baars, Martine; Wijnia, Lisette; Paas, Fred

2017-01-01

Self-regulated learning (SRL) skills are essential for learning during school years, particularly in complex problem-solving domains, such as biology and math. Although a lot of studies have focused on the cognitive resources that are needed for learning to solve problems in a self-regulated way, affective and motivational resources have received much less research attention. The current study investigated the relation between affect (i.e., Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale), motivation (i.e., autonomous and controlled motivation), mental effort, SRL skills, and problem-solving performance when learning to solve biology problems in a self-regulated online learning environment. In the learning phase, secondary education students studied video-modeling examples of how to solve hereditary problems, solved hereditary problems which they chose themselves from a set of problems with different complexity levels (i.e., five levels). In the posttest, students solved hereditary problems, self-assessed their performance, and chose a next problem from the set of problems but did not solve these problems. The results from this study showed that negative affect, inaccurate self-assessments during the posttest, and higher perceptions of mental effort during the posttest were negatively associated with problem-solving performance after learning in a self-regulated way. PMID:28848467

Ontological Problem-Solving Framework for Dynamically Configuring Sensor Systems and Algorithms

PubMed Central

Qualls, Joseph; Russomanno, David J.

2011-01-01

The deployment of ubiquitous sensor systems and algorithms has led to many challenges, such as matching sensor systems to compatible algorithms which are capable of satisfying a task. Compounding the challenges is the lack of the requisite knowledge models needed to discover sensors and algorithms and to subsequently integrate their capabilities to satisfy a specific task. A novel ontological problem-solving framework has been designed to match sensors to compatible algorithms to form synthesized systems, which are capable of satisfying a task and then assigning the synthesized systems to high-level missions. The approach designed for the ontological problem-solving framework has been instantiated in the context of a persistence surveillance prototype environment, which includes profiling sensor systems and algorithms to demonstrate proof-of-concept principles. Even though the problem-solving approach was instantiated with profiling sensor systems and algorithms, the ontological framework may be useful with other heterogeneous sensing-system environments. PMID:22163793

Implementing a Case-Based E-Learning Environment in a Lecture-Oriented Anaesthesiology Class: Do Learning Styles Matter in Complex Problem Solving over Time?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Ikseon; Lee, Sang Joon; Kang, Jeongwan

2009-01-01

This study explores how students' learning styles influence their learning while solving complex problems when a case-based e-learning environment is implemented in a conventional lecture-oriented classroom. Seventy students from an anaesthesiology class at a dental school participated in this study over a 3-week period. Five learning-outcome…

Development and Design of Problem Based Learning Game-Based Courseware

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Chiung-Sui; Chen, Jui-Fa; Chen, Fei-Ling

2015-01-01

In an educational environment, instructors would always think of ways to provide students with motivational learning materials and efficient learning strategies. Hence, many researchers have proposed that students' problem-solving ability enhances their learning. Problem-solving ability plays an important role for users in dealing with problems…

The relation between stressful life events and adjustment in elementary school children: the role of social support and social problem-solving skills.

PubMed

Dubow, E F; Tisak, J

1989-12-01

This study investigated the relation between stressful life events and adjustment in elementary school children, with particular emphasis on the potential main and stress-buffering effects of social support and social problem-solving skills. Third through fifth graders (N = 361) completed social support and social problem-solving measures. Their parents provided ratings of stress in the child's environment and ratings of the child's behavioral adjustment. Teachers provided ratings of the children's behavioral and academic adjustment. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed significant stress-buffering effects for social support and problem-solving skills on teacher-rated behavior problems, that is, higher levels of social support and problem-solving skills moderated the relation between stressful life events and behavior problems. A similar stress-buffering effect was found for problem-solving skills on grade-point average and parent-rated behavior problems. In terms of children's competent behaviors, analyses supported a main effect model of social support and problem-solving. Possible processes accounting for the main and stress-buffering effects are discussed.

Blackboard system generator (BSG) - An alternative distributed problem-solving paradigm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silverman, Barry G.; Feggos, Kostas; Chang, Joseph Shih

1989-01-01

A status review is presented for a generic blackboard-based distributed problem-solving environment in which multiple-agent cooperation can be effected. This environment is organized into a shared information panel, a chairman control panel, and a metaplanning panel. Each panel contains a number of embedded AI techniques that facilitate its operation and that provide heuristics for solving the underlying team-agent decision problem. The status of these panels and heuristics is described along with a number of robustness considerations. The techniques for each of the three panels and for four sets of paradigm-related advances are described, along with selected results from classroom teaching experiments and from three applications.

Decision Making In Assignment Problem With Multiple Attributes Under Intuitionistic Fuzzy Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Sathi; Basu, Kajla

2010-10-01

In this paper we develop a methodology to solve the multiple attribute assignment problems where the attributes are considered to be Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets (IFS). We apply the concept of similarity measures of IFS to solve the Intuitionistic Fuzzy Multi-Attribute Assignment Problem (IFMAAP). The weights of the attributes are determined from expert opinion. An illustrative example is solved to verify the developed approach and to demonstrate its practicality.

Behavioral flexibility and problem solving in an invasive bird.

PubMed

Logan, Corina J

2016-01-01

Behavioral flexibility is considered an important trait for adapting to environmental change, but it is unclear what it is, how it works, and whether it is a problem solving ability. I investigated behavioral flexibility and problem solving experimentally in great-tailed grackles, an invasive bird species and thus a likely candidate for possessing behavioral flexibility. Grackles demonstrated behavioral flexibility in two contexts, the Aesop's Fable paradigm and a color association test. Contrary to predictions, behavioral flexibility did not correlate across contexts. Four out of 6 grackles exhibited efficient problem solving abilities, but problem solving efficiency did not appear to be directly linked with behavioral flexibility. Problem solving speed also did not significantly correlate with reversal learning scores, indicating that faster learners were not the most flexible. These results reveal how little we know about behavioral flexibility, and provide an immense opportunity for future research to explore how individuals and species can use behavior to react to changing environments.

Sleep Does Not Promote Solving Classical Insight Problems and Magic Tricks

PubMed Central

Schönauer, Monika; Brodt, Svenja; Pöhlchen, Dorothee; Breßmer, Anja; Danek, Amory H.; Gais, Steffen

2018-01-01

During creative problem solving, initial solution attempts often fail because of self-imposed constraints that prevent us from thinking out of the box. In order to solve a problem successfully, the problem representation has to be restructured by combining elements of available knowledge in novel and creative ways. It has been suggested that sleep supports the reorganization of memory representations, ultimately aiding problem solving. In this study, we systematically tested the effect of sleep and time on problem solving, using classical insight tasks and magic tricks. Solving these tasks explicitly requires a restructuring of the problem representation and may be accompanied by a subjective feeling of insight. In two sessions, 77 participants had to solve classical insight problems and magic tricks. The two sessions either occurred consecutively or were spaced 3 h apart, with the time in between spent either sleeping or awake. We found that sleep affected neither general solution rates nor the number of solutions accompanied by sudden subjective insight. Our study thus adds to accumulating evidence that sleep does not provide an environment that facilitates the qualitative restructuring of memory representations and enables problem solving. PMID:29535620

Common approach to solving SGEMP, DEMP, and ESD survivability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ling, D.

1977-01-01

System Generated Electromagnetic Pulse (SGEMP) and Dispersed Electromagnetic Pulse DEMP) are nuclear generated spacecraft environments. Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a natural spacecraft environment resulting from differential charging in magnetic substorms. All three phenomena, though differing in origin, result in the same problem to the spacecraft and that is Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). A common design approach utilizing a spacecraft structural Faraday Cage is presented which helps solve the EMI problem. Also, other system design techniques are discussed which minimize the magnitude of these environments through control of materials and electrical grounding configuration.

Criteria for assessing problem solving and decision making in complex environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orasanu, Judith

1993-01-01

Training crews to cope with unanticipated problems in high-risk, high-stress environments requires models of effective problem solving and decision making. Existing decision theories use the criteria of logical consistency and mathematical optimality to evaluate decision quality. While these approaches are useful under some circumstances, the assumptions underlying these models frequently are not met in dynamic time-pressured operational environments. Also, applying formal decision models is both labor and time intensive, a luxury often lacking in operational environments. Alternate approaches and criteria are needed. Given that operational problem solving and decision making are embedded in ongoing tasks, evaluation criteria must address the relation between those activities and satisfaction of broader task goals. Effectiveness and efficiency become relevant for judging reasoning performance in operational environments. New questions must be addressed: What is the relation between the quality of decisions and overall performance by crews engaged in critical high risk tasks? Are different strategies most effective for different types of decisions? How can various decision types be characterized? A preliminary model of decision types found in air transport environments will be described along with a preliminary performance model based on an analysis of 30 flight crews. The performance analysis examined behaviors that distinguish more and less effective crews (based on performance errors). Implications for training and system design will be discussed.

Robotics Projects and Learning Concepts in Science, Technology and Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barak, Moshe; Zadok, Yair

2009-01-01

This paper presents a study about learning and the problem solving process identified among junior high school pupils participating in robotics projects in the Lego Mindstorm environment. The research was guided by the following questions: (1) How do pupils come up with inventive solutions to problems in the context of robotics activities? (2)…

Supporting Distance Learners for Collaborative Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verdejo, M. F.; Barros, B.; Abad, M. T.

This paper describes a computer-supported environment designed to facilitate distance learning through collaborative problem-solving. The goal is to encourage distance learning students to work together, in order to promote both learning of collaboration and learning through collaboration. Collaboration is defined as working together on a common…

Problem Solving Teams in a Total Quality Management Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Towler, Constance F.

1993-01-01

Outlines the problem-solving team training process used at Harvard University (Massachusetts), including the size and formation of teams, roles, and time commitment. Components of the process are explained, including introduction to Total Quality Management (TQM), customer satisfaction, meeting management, Parker Team Player Survey, interactive…

A Toolkit for Forward/Inverse Problems in Electrocardiography within the SCIRun Problem Solving Environment

PubMed Central

Burton, Brett M; Tate, Jess D; Erem, Burak; Swenson, Darrell J; Wang, Dafang F; Steffen, Michael; Brooks, Dana H; van Dam, Peter M; Macleod, Rob S

2012-01-01

Computational modeling in electrocardiography often requires the examination of cardiac forward and inverse problems in order to non-invasively analyze physiological events that are otherwise inaccessible or unethical to explore. The study of these models can be performed in the open-source SCIRun problem solving environment developed at the Center for Integrative Biomedical Computing (CIBC). A new toolkit within SCIRun provides researchers with essential frameworks for constructing and manipulating electrocardiographic forward and inverse models in a highly efficient and interactive way. The toolkit contains sample networks, tutorials and documentation which direct users through SCIRun-specific approaches in the assembly and execution of these specific problems. PMID:22254301

First Responder Problem Solving and Decision Making in Today’s Asymmetrical Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

Scenario: Earthquake 4 It is January 2, 2008, and you are working a day-tour in Ladder Company 999 located in Queens, New York. • Ladder 999’s...able to perform both. 121 Scenario: Earthquake 4 You find out that at approximately 8:58 am, the New York City area...RESPONDER PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING IN TODAY’S ASYMMETRICAL ENVIRONMENT Neil R. Hintze Battalion Chief, New York City Fire Department B.A

Literacy, Numeracy, and Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments among U.S. Adults: Results from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies 2012. Appendix D: Standard Error Tables. First Look. NCES 2014-008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2013

2013-01-01

This paper provides Appendix D, Standard Error tables, for the full report, entitled. "Literacy, Numeracy, and Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments among U.S. Adults: Results from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies 2012. First Look. NCES 2014-008." The full report presents results of the Program…

Factors affecting the social problem-solving ability of baccalaureate nursing students.

PubMed

Lau, Ying

2014-01-01

The hospital environment is characterized by time pressure, uncertain information, conflicting goals, high stakes, stress, and dynamic conditions. These demands mean there is a need for nurses with social problem-solving skills. This study set out to (1) investigate the social problem-solving ability of Chinese baccalaureate nursing students in Macao and (2) identify the association between communication skill, clinical interaction, interpersonal dysfunction, and social problem-solving ability. All nursing students were recruited in one public institute through the census method. The research design was exploratory, cross-sectional, and quantitative. The study used the Chinese version of the Social Problem Solving Inventory short form (C-SPSI-R), Communication Ability Scale (CAS), Clinical Interactive Scale (CIS), and Interpersonal Dysfunction Checklist (IDC). Macao nursing students were more likely to use the two constructive or adaptive dimensions rather than the three dysfunctional dimensions of the C-SPSI-R to solve their problems. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that communication ability (ß=.305, p<.0001), clinical interaction (ß=.129, p=.047), and interpersonal dysfunction (ß=-.402, p<.0001) were associated with social problem-solving after controlling for covariates. Macao has had no problem-solving training in its educational curriculum; an effective problem-solving training should be implemented as part of the curriculum. With so many changes in healthcare today, nurses must be good social problem-solvers in order to deliver holistic care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavioral flexibility and problem solving in an invasive bird

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Behavioral flexibility is considered an important trait for adapting to environmental change, but it is unclear what it is, how it works, and whether it is a problem solving ability. I investigated behavioral flexibility and problem solving experimentally in great-tailed grackles, an invasive bird species and thus a likely candidate for possessing behavioral flexibility. Grackles demonstrated behavioral flexibility in two contexts, the Aesop’s Fable paradigm and a color association test. Contrary to predictions, behavioral flexibility did not correlate across contexts. Four out of 6 grackles exhibited efficient problem solving abilities, but problem solving efficiency did not appear to be directly linked with behavioral flexibility. Problem solving speed also did not significantly correlate with reversal learning scores, indicating that faster learners were not the most flexible. These results reveal how little we know about behavioral flexibility, and provide an immense opportunity for future research to explore how individuals and species can use behavior to react to changing environments. PMID:27168984

ISE: An Integrated Search Environment. The manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chu, Lon-Chan

1992-01-01

Integrated Search Environment (ISE), a software package that implements hierarchical searches with meta-control, is described in this manual. ISE is a collection of problem-independent routines to support solving searches. Mainly, these routines are core routines for solving a search problem and they handle the control of searches and maintain the statistics related to searches. By separating the problem-dependent and problem-independent components in ISE, new search methods based on a combination of existing methods can be developed by coding a single master control program. Further, new applications solved by searches can be developed by coding the problem-dependent parts and reusing the problem-independent parts already developed. Potential users of ISE are designers of new application solvers and new search algorithms, and users of experimental application solvers and search algorithms. The ISE is designed to be user-friendly and information rich. In this manual, the organization of ISE is described and several experiments carried out on ISE are also described.

Earth Trek...Explore Your Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Gerald

This publication introduces children to water, air, and noise pollution, solid waste disposal, and pesticide use problems. Several pollution problems are explained and the importance of solving them is stressed. Some concepts such as recycling, closed systems, and environments that are related to pollution problems are also introduced. Each…

Dynamic Modeling as a Cognitive Regulation Scaffold for Developing Complex Problem-Solving Skills in an Educational Massively Multiplayer Online Game Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eseryel, Deniz; Ge, Xun; Ifenthaler, Dirk; Law, Victor

2011-01-01

Following a design-based research framework, this article reports two empirical studies with an educational MMOG, called "McLarin's Adventures," on facilitating 9th-grade students' complex problem-solving skill acquisition in interdisciplinary STEM education. The article discusses the nature of complex and ill-structured problem solving…

When students can choose easy, medium, or hard homework problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teodorescu, Raluca E.; Seaton, Daniel T.; Cardamone, Caroline N.; Rayyan, Saif; Abbott, Jonathan E.; Barrantes, Analia; Pawl, Andrew; Pritchard, David E.

2012-02-01

We investigate student-chosen, multi-level homework in our Integrated Learning Environment for Mechanics [1] built using the LON-CAPA [2] open-source learning system. Multi-level refers to problems categorized as easy, medium, and hard. Problem levels were determined a priori based on the knowledge needed to solve them [3]. We analyze these problems using three measures: time-per-problem, LON-CAPA difficulty, and item difficulty measured by item response theory. Our analysis of student behavior in this environment suggests that time-per-problem is strongly dependent on problem category, unlike either score-based measures. We also found trends in student choice of problems, overall effort, and efficiency across the student population. Allowing students choice in problem solving seems to improve their motivation; 70% of students worked additional problems for which no credit was given.

Including Critical Thinking and Problem Solving in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pill, Shane; SueSee, Brendan

2017-01-01

Many physical education curriculum frameworks include statements about the inclusion of critical inquiry processes and the development of creativity and problem-solving skills. The learning environment created by physical education can encourage or limit the application and development of the learners' cognitive resources for critical and creative…

The Design of Computerized Practice Fields for Problem Solving and Contextualized Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riedel, Jens; Fitzgerald, Gail; Leven, Franz; Toenshoff, Burkhard

2003-01-01

Current theories of learning emphasize the importance of learner-centered, active, authentic, environments for meaningful knowledge construction. From this perspective, computerized case-based learning systems afford practice fields for learners to build domain knowledge and problem-solving skills and to support contextualized transfer of…

Innovation and problem solving: a review of common mechanisms.

PubMed

Griffin, Andrea S; Guez, David

2014-11-01

Behavioural innovations have become central to our thinking about how animals adjust to changing environments. It is now well established that animals vary in their ability to innovate, but understanding why remains a challenge. This is because innovations are rare, so studying innovation requires alternative experimental assays that create opportunities for animals to express their ability to invent new behaviours, or use pre-existing ones in new contexts. Problem solving of extractive foraging tasks has been put forward as a suitable experimental assay. We review the rapidly expanding literature on problem solving of extractive foraging tasks in order to better understand to what extent the processes underpinning problem solving, and the factors influencing problem solving, are in line with those predicted, and found, to underpin and influence innovation in the wild. Our aim is to determine whether problem solving can be used as an experimental proxy of innovation. We find that in most respects, problem solving is determined by the same underpinning mechanisms, and is influenced by the same factors, as those predicted to underpin, and to influence, innovation. We conclude that problem solving is a valid experimental assay for studying innovation, propose a conceptual model of problem solving in which motor diversity plays a more central role than has been considered to date, and provide recommendations for future research using problem solving to investigate innovation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cognition in the wild. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of GA, PSO, and ACO algorithms to path planning of autonomous underwater vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aghababa, Mohammad Pourmahmood; Amrollahi, Mohammad Hossein; Borjkhani, Mehdi

2012-09-01

In this paper, an underwater vehicle was modeled with six dimensional nonlinear equations of motion, controlled by DC motors in all degrees of freedom. Near-optimal trajectories in an energetic environment for underwater vehicles were computed using a numerical solution of a nonlinear optimal control problem (NOCP). An energy performance index as a cost function, which should be minimized, was defined. The resulting problem was a two-point boundary value problem (TPBVP). A genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithms were applied to solve the resulting TPBVP. Applying an Euler-Lagrange equation to the NOCP, a conjugate gradient penalty method was also adopted to solve the TPBVP. The problem of energetic environments, involving some energy sources, was discussed. Some near-optimal paths were found using a GA, PSO, and ACO algorithms. Finally, the problem of collision avoidance in an energetic environment was also taken into account.

Hacia Una Pedagogia de Solucion de Problemas en La Educacion Ambiental. Serie Educacion Ambiental 15 (Pedagogy of Solutions and Problems in Environmental Education. Environmental Education Series 15.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Santiago (Chile). Regional Office for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean.

This document discusses the teaching of problem solving in environmental education. From an interdisciplinary viewpoint, this study describes some strategies for teaching that can favor the practice of educational activities oriented toward solving the concrete problems of the surrounding environment. The volume is divided into seven chapters. The…

"Oh" + Apology + Solution: A Practice for Managing the Concomitant Presence of a Possible Offense and a Problem-to-Be-Solved

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pino, Marco; Pozzuoli, Loredana; Riccioni, Ilaria; Castellarin, Valentine

2016-01-01

In this article we examine a turn construction ("oh"+apology+solution) that speakers use to deal with the concomitant presence of a possible offense and a problem-to-be-solved in the immediately preceding interactional environment. We show that speakers collaborate in differentiating the offense aspect and the problem aspect of an…

Robot computer problem solving system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merriam, E. W.; Becker, J. D.

1973-01-01

A robot computer problem solving system which represents a robot exploration vehicle in a simulated Mars environment is described. The model exhibits changes and improvements made on a previously designed robot in a city environment. The Martian environment is modeled in Cartesian coordinates; objects are scattered about a plane; arbitrary restrictions on the robot's vision have been removed; and the robot's path contains arbitrary curves. New environmental features, particularly the visual occlusion of objects by other objects, were added to the model. Two different algorithms were developed for computing occlusion. Movement and vision capabilities of the robot were established in the Mars environment, using LISP/FORTRAN interface for computational efficiency. The graphical display program was redesigned to reflect the change to the Mars-like environment.

Investigating and Communicating Technology Mathematics Problem Solving Experience of Two Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuzle, Ana

2012-01-01

In this paper, I report on preservice teachers' reflections and perceptions on their problem-solving process in a technological context. The purpose of the study was to investigate how preservice teachers experience working individually in a dynamic geometry environment and how these experiences affect their own mathematical activity when…

Solicited versus Unsolicited Metacognitive Prompts for Fostering Mathematical Problem Solving Using Multimedia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramarski, Bracha; Friedman, Sheli

2014-01-01

The study examined how student control over metacognitive prompts in a multimedia environment affects students' ability to solve mathematical problems in immediate comprehension tasks using a multimedia program and a delayed-transfer test. It also examined the effect on metacognitive discourse, mental effort, and engagement with multimedia-based…

Relation between Cyberbullying and Problem Solving: A Study on Turkish University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gokler, Riza

2013-01-01

In this study, cyberbullying living frequency, what the cyber environments in which cyberbullying is lived are, and the relation between "being victim of cyberbullying" and "being cyberbullying" status and problem solving skill of university students are analysed. This research is done by attendance of 460 students from five…

Efficacy of an Online Resource for Teaching Interpersonal Problem Solving Skills to Women Graduate Students in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bekki, Jennifer M.; Bernstein, Bianca; Fabert, Natalie; Gildar, Natalie; Way, Amy

2014-01-01

Interpersonal problem solving skills allow engineers to prevent interpersonal difficulties more effectively and to manage conflict, both of which are critical to successful participation on teams. This research provides evidence that the "Career"WISE online learning environment can improve those skills among women in engineering graduate…

Problem Solving by 5-6 Years Old Kindergarten Children in a Computer Programming Environment: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fessakis, G.; Gouli, E.; Mavroudi, E.

2013-01-01

Computer programming is considered an important competence for the development of higher-order thinking in addition to algorithmic problem solving skills. Its horizontal integration throughout all educational levels is considered worthwhile and attracts the attention of researchers. Towards this direction, an exploratory case study is presented…

How Does Early Feedback in an Online Programming Course Change Problem Solving?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebrahimi, Alireza

2012-01-01

How does early feedback change the programming problem solving in an online environment and help students choose correct approaches? This study was conducted in a sample of students learning programming in an online course entitled Introduction to C++ and OOP (Object Oriented Programming) using the ANGEL learning management system platform. My…

Computer-Based Assessment of Complex Problem Solving: Concept, Implementation, and Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greiff, Samuel; Wustenberg, Sascha; Holt, Daniel V.; Goldhammer, Frank; Funke, Joachim

2013-01-01

Complex Problem Solving (CPS) skills are essential to successfully deal with environments that change dynamically and involve a large number of interconnected and partially unknown causal influences. The increasing importance of such skills in the 21st century requires appropriate assessment and intervention methods, which in turn rely on adequate…

Effect of Worked Examples on Mental Model Progression in a Computer-Based Simulation Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darabi, Aubteen; Nelson, David W.; Meeker, Richard; Liang, Xinya; Boulware, Wilma

2010-01-01

In a diagnostic problem solving operation of a computer-simulated chemical plant, chemical engineering students were randomly assigned to two groups: one studying product-oriented worked examples, the other practicing conventional problem solving. Effects of these instructional strategies on the progression of learners' mental models were examined…

Whole-Class Scaffolding for Learning to Solve Mathematics Problems Together in a Computer-Supported Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdu, Rotem; Schwarz, Baruch; Mavrikis, Manolis

2015-01-01

We investigate teachers' practices in a whole-class context when they scaffold students' learning in situations where students use technologies that facilitate group learning to solve mathematical problems in small groups. We describe teachers' practices in order to evaluate their contribution to "Whole-Class Scaffolding" in the context…

Validation of Predictive Relationship of Creative Problem-Solving Attrubutes with Math Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pham, Linh Hung

2014-01-01

This study was designed to investigate the predictive relationships of creative problem-solving attributes, which comprise divergent thinking, convergent thinking, motivation, general and domain knowledge and skills, and environment, with mathematical creativity of sixth grade students in Thai Nguyen City, Viet Nam. The study also aims to revise…

The Role of Context in a Collaborative Problem-Solving Task during Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritella, Giuseppe; Ligorio, Maria Beatrice; Hakkarainen, Kai

2016-01-01

This article analyses how a group of teachers managed the resources available while performing computer-supported collaborative problem-solving tasks in the context of professional development. The authors video-recorded and analysed collaborative sessions during which the group of teachers used a digital environment to prepare a pedagogical…

Knowledge Intensive Programming: A New Educational Computing Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seidman, Robert H.

1990-01-01

Comparison of the process of problem solving using a conventional procedural computer programing language (e.g., BASIC, Logo, Pascal), with the process when using a logic programing language (i.e., Prolog), focuses on the potential of the two types of programing languages to facilitate the transfer of problem-solving skills, cognitive development,…

Sharing Solutions: Persistence and Grounding in Multimodal Collaborative Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillenbourg, Pierre; Traum, David

2006-01-01

This article reports on an exploratory study of the relationship between grounding and problem solving in multimodal computer-mediated collaboration. This article examines two different media, a shared whiteboard and a MOO environment that includes a text chat facility. A study was done on how the acknowledgment rate (how often partners give…

Deep Learning towards Expertise Development in a Visualization-Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuan, Bei; Wang, Minhong; Kushniruk, Andre W.; Peng, Jun

2017-01-01

With limited problem-solving capability and practical experience, novices have difficulties developing expert-like performance. It is important to make the complex problem-solving process visible to learners and provide them with necessary help throughout the process. This study explores the design and effects of a model-based learning approach…

The development and evaluation of a web-based programme to support problem-solving skills following brain injury.

PubMed

Powell, Laurie Ehlhardt; Wild, Michelle R; Glang, Ann; Ibarra, Summer; Gau, Jeff M; Perez, Amanda; Albin, Richard W; O'Neil-Pirozzi, Therese M; Wade, Shari L; Keating, Tom; Saraceno, Carolyn; Slocumb, Jody

2017-10-24

Cognitive impairments following brain injury, including difficulty with problem solving, can pose significant barriers to successful community reintegration. Problem-solving strategy training is well-supported in the cognitive rehabilitation literature. However, limitations in insurance reimbursement have resulted in fewer services to train such skills to mastery and to support generalization of those skills into everyday environments. The purpose of this project was to develop and evaluate an integrated, web-based programme, ProSolv, which uses a small number of coaching sessions to support problem solving in everyday life following brain injury. We used participatory action research to guide the iterative development, usability testing, and within-subject pilot testing of the ProSolv programme. The finalized programme was then evaluated in a between-subjects group study and a non-experimental single case study. Results were mixed across studies. Participants demonstrated that it was feasible to learn and use the ProSolv programme for support in problem solving. They highly recommended the programme to others and singled out the importance of the coach. Limitations in app design were cited as a major reason for infrequent use of the app outside of coaching sessions. Results provide mixed evidence regarding the utility of web-based mobile apps, such as ProSolv to support problem solving following brain injury. Implications for Rehabilitation People with cognitive impairments following brain injury often struggle with problem solving in everyday contexts. Research supports problem solving skills training following brain injury. Assistive technology for cognition (smartphones, selected apps) offers a means of supporting problem solving for this population. This project demonstrated the feasibility of a web-based programme to address this need.

Reinforcement learning in computer vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernstein, A. V.; Burnaev, E. V.

2018-04-01

Nowadays, machine learning has become one of the basic technologies used in solving various computer vision tasks such as feature detection, image segmentation, object recognition and tracking. In many applications, various complex systems such as robots are equipped with visual sensors from which they learn state of surrounding environment by solving corresponding computer vision tasks. Solutions of these tasks are used for making decisions about possible future actions. It is not surprising that when solving computer vision tasks we should take into account special aspects of their subsequent application in model-based predictive control. Reinforcement learning is one of modern machine learning technologies in which learning is carried out through interaction with the environment. In recent years, Reinforcement learning has been used both for solving such applied tasks as processing and analysis of visual information, and for solving specific computer vision problems such as filtering, extracting image features, localizing objects in scenes, and many others. The paper describes shortly the Reinforcement learning technology and its use for solving computer vision problems.

An Approach to Scoring Collaboration in Online Game Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scoular, Claire; Care, Esther; Awwal, Nafisa

2017-01-01

With technological advances, it is now possible to use games to capture information-rich behaviours that reveal processes by which players interact and solve problems. Recent problem-based games have been designed to assess and record detailed interactions between the problem solver and the game environment, and thereby capture salient solution…

Environmental Science Curriculum Guide, 1987. Bulletin 1792.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louisiana State Dept. of Education, Baton Rouge. Div. of Academic Programs.

This guide for environmental science is intended to make students aware of the problems they will be facing in their environment, and of alternative measures to solve these problems. The course is designed to use scientific principles to study the processes of the environment; examine changes within the environment from a broad perspective;…

Directed Bee Colony Optimization Algorithm to Solve the Nurse Rostering Problem.

PubMed

Rajeswari, M; Amudhavel, J; Pothula, Sujatha; Dhavachelvan, P

2017-01-01

The Nurse Rostering Problem is an NP-hard combinatorial optimization, scheduling problem for assigning a set of nurses to shifts per day by considering both hard and soft constraints. A novel metaheuristic technique is required for solving Nurse Rostering Problem (NRP). This work proposes a metaheuristic technique called Directed Bee Colony Optimization Algorithm using the Modified Nelder-Mead Method for solving the NRP. To solve the NRP, the authors used a multiobjective mathematical programming model and proposed a methodology for the adaptation of a Multiobjective Directed Bee Colony Optimization (MODBCO). MODBCO is used successfully for solving the multiobjective problem of optimizing the scheduling problems. This MODBCO is an integration of deterministic local search, multiagent particle system environment, and honey bee decision-making process. The performance of the algorithm is assessed using the standard dataset INRC2010, and it reflects many real-world cases which vary in size and complexity. The experimental analysis uses statistical tools to show the uniqueness of the algorithm on assessment criteria.

Directed Bee Colony Optimization Algorithm to Solve the Nurse Rostering Problem

PubMed Central

Amudhavel, J.; Pothula, Sujatha; Dhavachelvan, P.

2017-01-01

The Nurse Rostering Problem is an NP-hard combinatorial optimization, scheduling problem for assigning a set of nurses to shifts per day by considering both hard and soft constraints. A novel metaheuristic technique is required for solving Nurse Rostering Problem (NRP). This work proposes a metaheuristic technique called Directed Bee Colony Optimization Algorithm using the Modified Nelder-Mead Method for solving the NRP. To solve the NRP, the authors used a multiobjective mathematical programming model and proposed a methodology for the adaptation of a Multiobjective Directed Bee Colony Optimization (MODBCO). MODBCO is used successfully for solving the multiobjective problem of optimizing the scheduling problems. This MODBCO is an integration of deterministic local search, multiagent particle system environment, and honey bee decision-making process. The performance of the algorithm is assessed using the standard dataset INRC2010, and it reflects many real-world cases which vary in size and complexity. The experimental analysis uses statistical tools to show the uniqueness of the algorithm on assessment criteria. PMID:28473849

A Citizen's Guide to Plastics in the Ocean: More than a Litter Problem. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Hara, Kathryn J.; And Others

This publication gives an overview of the problems caused by plastic debris in the marine environment and describes how citizens and public officials are working together to solve these problems. Chapter I introduces the reader to the problems caused by plastic debris in the marine environment. Chapter II examines the types of debris that are…

Learning from external environments using Soar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laird, John E.

1989-01-01

Soar, like the previous PRODIGY and Theo, is a problem-solving architecture that attempts to learn from experience; unlike them, it takes a more uniform approach, using a single forward-chaining architecture for planning and execution. Its single learning mechanism, designated 'chunking', is domain-independent. Two developmental approaches have been employed with Soar: the first of these allows the architecture to attempt a problem on its own, while the second involves a degree of external guidance. This learning through guidance is integrated with general problem-solving and autonomous learning, leading to an avoidance of human interaction for simple problems that Soar can solve on its own.

Research and applications: Artificial intelligence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raphael, B.; Fikes, R. E.; Chaitin, L. J.; Hart, P. E.; Duda, R. O.; Nilsson, N. J.

1971-01-01

A program of research in the field of artificial intelligence is presented. The research areas discussed include automatic theorem proving, representations of real-world environments, problem-solving methods, the design of a programming system for problem-solving research, techniques for general scene analysis based upon television data, and the problems of assembling an integrated robot system. Major accomplishments include the development of a new problem-solving system that uses both formal logical inference and informal heuristic methods, the development of a method of automatic learning by generalization, and the design of the overall structure of a new complete robot system. Eight appendices to the report contain extensive technical details of the work described.

Optimal Planning and Problem-Solving

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clemet, Bradley; Schaffer, Steven; Rabideau, Gregg

2008-01-01

CTAEMS MDP Optimal Planner is a problem-solving software designed to command a single spacecraft/rover, or a team of spacecraft/rovers, to perform the best action possible at all times according to an abstract model of the spacecraft/rover and its environment. It also may be useful in solving logistical problems encountered in commercial applications such as shipping and manufacturing. The planner reasons around uncertainty according to specified probabilities of outcomes using a plan hierarchy to avoid exploring certain kinds of suboptimal actions. Also, planned actions are calculated as the state-action space is expanded, rather than afterward, to reduce by an order of magnitude the processing time and memory used. The software solves planning problems with actions that can execute concurrently, that have uncertain duration and quality, and that have functional dependencies on others that affect quality. These problems are modeled in a hierarchical planning language called C_TAEMS, a derivative of the TAEMS language for specifying domains for the DARPA Coordinators program. In realistic environments, actions often have uncertain outcomes and can have complex relationships with other tasks. The planner approaches problems by considering all possible actions that may be taken from any state reachable from a given, initial state, and from within the constraints of a given task hierarchy that specifies what tasks may be performed by which team member.

Psychosocial dimensions of solving an indoor air problem.

PubMed

Lahtinen, Marjaana; Huuhtanen, Pekka; Kähkönen, Erkki; Reijula, Kari

2002-03-01

This investigation focuses on the psychological and social dimensions of managing and solving indoor air problems. The data were collected in nine workplaces by interviews (n = 85) and questionnaires (n = 375). Indoor air problems in office environments have traditionally utilized industrial hygiene or technical expertise. However, indoor air problems at workplaces are often more complex issues to solve. Technical questions are inter-related with the dynamics of the work community, and the cooperation and interaction skills of the parties involved in the solving process are also put to the test. In the present study, the interviewees were very critical of the process of solving the indoor air problem. The responsibility for coordinating the problem-managing process was generally considered vague, as were the roles and functions of the various parties. Communication problems occurred and rumors about the indoor air problem circulated widely. Conflicts were common, complicating the process in several ways. The research focused on examining different ways of managing and resolving an indoor air problem. In addition, reference material on the causal factors of the indoor air problem was also acquired. The study supported the hypothesis that psychosocial factors play a significant role in indoor air problems.

Case-Based Learning in Virtual Groups--Collaborative Problem Solving Activities and Learning Outcomes in a Virtual Professional Training Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kopp, Birgitta; Hasenbein, Melanie; Mandl, Heinz

2014-01-01

This article analyzes the collaborative problem solving activities and learning outcomes of five groups that worked on two different complex cases in a virtual professional training course. In this asynchronous virtual learning environment, all knowledge management content was delivered virtually and collaboration took place through forums. To…

Children's Reasoning as Collective Social Action through Problem Solving in Grade 2/3 Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Mijung

2016-01-01

Research on young children's reasoning show the complex relationships of knowledge, theories, and evidence in their decision-making and problem solving. Most of the research on children's reasoning skills has been done in individualized and formal research settings, not collective classroom environments where children often engage in learning and…

Tracing Success: Graphical Methods for Analysing Successful Collaborative Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joiner, Richard; Issroff, Kim

2003-01-01

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the use of trace diagrams for analysing collaborative problem solving. The paper describes a study where trace diagrams were used to analyse joint navigation in a virtual environment. Ten pairs of undergraduates worked together on a distributed virtual task to collect five flowers using two bees with each…

Spawning Ideas--Moving from Ideas to Action: Quality Tools for Collective Problem-Solving and Continuous Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flor, Richard F.; Troskey, Matthew D.

This paper explores the dynamics of managing collective problem solving and decision making, and the application of tools and strategies to deal with the emergent complexity of systems in which educators work. Schools and educational programs are complex adaptive systems that respond to changes in internal and external environments. Functioning…

Visualization of Problem Solving Related to the Quantitative Composition of Solutions in the Dynamic "GeoGebra" Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kostic, V. Dj.; Jovanovic, V. P. Stankov; Sekulic, T. M.; Takaci, Dj. B.

2016-01-01

Problem solving in the field of quantitative composition of solutions (QCS), expressed as mass share and molar concentration, is essential for chemistry students. Since successful chemistry education is based on different mathematical contents, it is important to be proficient in both mathematical and chemistry concepts as well as interconnections…

Learning by Preparing to Teach: Fostering Self-Regulatory Processes and Achievement during Complex Mathematics Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muis, Krista R.; Psaradellis, Cynthia; Chevrier, Marianne; Di Leo, Ivana; Lajoie, Susanne P.

2016-01-01

We developed an intervention based on the learning by teaching paradigm to foster self-regulatory processes and better learning outcomes during complex mathematics problem solving in a technology-rich learning environment. Seventy-eight elementary students were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 conditions: learning by preparing to teach, or learning for…

Do Focused Self-Explanation Prompts Overcome Seductive Details? A Multimedia Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Zhe; Adesope, Olusola

2017-01-01

Research on the seductive details effect on reading expository texts in multimedia learning environments has grown over the past few decades. However, less is known when seductive details are encountered in learning through worked-examples to solve problems. Thus, it is necessary to examine the seductive details effect when solving problems in a…

Instructional Strategies for Online Introductory College Physics Based on Learning Styles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekwue, Eleazer U.

2013-01-01

The practical nature of physics and its reliance on mathematical presentations and problem solving pose a challenge toward presentation of the course in an online environment for effective learning experience. Most first-time introductory college physics students fail to grasp the basic concepts of the course and the problem solving skills if the…

Understanding Problem Solving Behavior of 6-8 Graders in a Debugging Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Zhongxiu; Zhi, Rui; Hicks, Andrew; Barnes, Tiffany

2017-01-01

Debugging is an over-looked component in K-12 computational thinking education. Few K-12 programming environments are designed to teach debugging, and most debugging research were conducted on college-aged students. In this paper, we presented debugging exercises to 6th-8th grade students and analyzed their problem solving behaviors in a…

Investigation of Environmental Problem Solving Skills of Preschool Age Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulutas, Aysegül; Köksalan, Bahadir

2017-01-01

The study was conducted to determine problem-solving skills of preschool age children on environment as well as factors affecting this skill. For this purpose, quantitative and qualitative research methods were used together in the study and the research was designed in the screening model. This study is a descriptive type research since it…

Real-Time Assessment of Problem-Solving of Physics Students Using Computer-Based Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gok, Tolga

2012-01-01

The change in students' problem solving ability in upper-level course through the application of a technological interactive environment--Tablet PC running InkSurvey--was investigated in present study. Tablet PC/InkSurvey interactive technology allowing the instructor to receive real-time formative assessment as the class works through the problem…

Identifying barriers to recovery from work related upper extremity disorders: use of a collaborative problem solving technique.

PubMed

Shaw, William S; Feuerstein, Michael; Miller, Virginia I; Wood, Patricia M

2003-08-01

Improving health and work outcomes for individuals with work related upper extremity disorders (WRUEDs) may require a broad assessment of potential return to work barriers by engaging workers in collaborative problem solving. In this study, half of all nurse case managers from a large workers' compensation system were randomly selected and invited to participate in a randomized, controlled trial of an integrated case management (ICM) approach for WRUEDs. The focus of ICM was problem solving skills training and workplace accommodation. Volunteer nurses attended a 2 day ICM training workshop including instruction in a 6 step process to engage clients in problem solving to overcome barriers to recovery. A chart review of WRUED case management reports (n = 70) during the following 2 years was conducted to extract case managers' reports of barriers to recovery and return to work. Case managers documented from 0 to 21 barriers per case (M = 6.24, SD = 4.02) within 5 domains: signs and symptoms (36%), work environment (27%), medical care (13%), functional limitations (12%), and coping (12%). Compared with case managers who did not receive the training (n = 67), workshop participants identified more barriers related to signs and symptoms, work environment, functional limitations, and coping (p < .05), but not to medical care. Problem solving skills training may help focus case management services on the most salient recovery factors affecting return to work.

Problem-Solving Environments (PSEs) to Support Innovation Clustering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, Zann

1999-01-01

This paper argues that there is need for high level concepts to inform the development of Problem-Solving Environment (PSE) capability. A traditional approach to PSE implementation is to: (1) assemble a collection of tools; (2) integrate the tools; and (3) assume that collaborative work begins after the PSE is assembled. I argue for the need to start from the opposite premise, that promoting human collaboration and observing that process comes first, followed by the development of supporting tools, and finally evolution of PSE capability through input from collaborating project teams.

The Self-Formation of Collaborative Groups in a Problem Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raiyn, Jamal; Tilchin, Oleg

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper is to present "the three steps method" of the self-formation of collaborative groups in a problem-based learning environment. The self-formation of collaborative groups is based on sharing of accountability among students for solving instructional problems. The steps of the method are planning collaborative problem…

A Dynamic Process Model for Optimizing the Hospital Environment Cash-Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pater, Flavius; Rosu, Serban

2011-09-01

In this article is presented a new approach to some fundamental techniques of solving dynamic programming problems with the use of functional equations. We will analyze the problem of minimizing the cost of treatment in a hospital environment. Mathematical modeling of this process leads to an optimal control problem with a finite horizon.

Solving fully fuzzy transportation problem using pentagonal fuzzy numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maheswari, P. Uma; Ganesan, K.

2018-04-01

In this paper, we propose a simple approach for the solution of fuzzy transportation problem under fuzzy environment in which the transportation costs, supplies at sources and demands at destinations are represented by pentagonal fuzzy numbers. The fuzzy transportation problem is solved without converting to its equivalent crisp form using a robust ranking technique and a new fuzzy arithmetic on pentagonal fuzzy numbers. To illustrate the proposed approach a numerical example is provided.

PIAAC Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments: A Conceptual Framework. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 36

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rouet, Jean-Francois; Betrancourt, Mirelle; Britt, M. Anne; Bromme, Rainer; Graesser, Arthur C.; Kulikowich, Jonna M.; Leu, Donald J.; Ueno, Naoki; van Oostendorp, Herre

2009-01-01

Governments and other stakeholders have become increasingly interested in assessing the skills of their adult populations for the purposes of monitoring how well prepared they are for the challenges of the new information world. The current paper provides an overview of the conceptual framework developed for the assessment of problem solving in…

A Flowchart-Based Intelligent Tutoring System for Improving Problem-Solving Skills of Novice Programmers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hooshyar, D.; Ahmad, R. B.; Yousefi, M.; Yusop, F. D.; Horng, S.-J.

2015-01-01

Intelligent tutoring and personalization are considered as the two most important factors in the research of learning systems and environments. An effective tool that can be used to improve problem-solving ability is an Intelligent Tutoring System which is capable of mimicking a human tutor's actions in implementing a one-to-one personalized and…

Analyzing Log Files to Predict Students' Problem Solving Performance in a Computer-Based Physics Tutor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Young-Jin

2015-01-01

This study investigates whether information saved in the log files of a computer-based tutor can be used to predict the problem solving performance of students. The log files of a computer-based physics tutoring environment called Andes Physics Tutor was analyzed to build a logistic regression model that predicted success and failure of students'…

The Computer-Based Assessment of Complex Problem Solving and How It Is Influenced by Students' Information and Communication Technology Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greiff, Samuel; Kretzschmar, André; Müller, Jonas C.; Spinath, Birgit; Martin, Romain

2014-01-01

The 21st-century work environment places strong emphasis on nonroutine transversal skills. In an educational context, complex problem solving (CPS) is generally considered an important transversal skill that includes knowledge acquisition and its application in new and interactive situations. The dynamic and interactive nature of CPS requires a…

Automation of multi-agent control for complex dynamic systems in heterogeneous computational network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oparin, Gennady; Feoktistov, Alexander; Bogdanova, Vera; Sidorov, Ivan

2017-01-01

The rapid progress of high-performance computing entails new challenges related to solving large scientific problems for various subject domains in a heterogeneous distributed computing environment (e.g., a network, Grid system, or Cloud infrastructure). The specialists in the field of parallel and distributed computing give the special attention to a scalability of applications for problem solving. An effective management of the scalable application in the heterogeneous distributed computing environment is still a non-trivial issue. Control systems that operate in networks, especially relate to this issue. We propose a new approach to the multi-agent management for the scalable applications in the heterogeneous computational network. The fundamentals of our approach are the integrated use of conceptual programming, simulation modeling, network monitoring, multi-agent management, and service-oriented programming. We developed a special framework for an automation of the problem solving. Advantages of the proposed approach are demonstrated on the parametric synthesis example of the static linear regulator for complex dynamic systems. Benefits of the scalable application for solving this problem include automation of the multi-agent control for the systems in a parallel mode with various degrees of its detailed elaboration.

Software development environment, appendix F

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riddle, W. E.

1980-01-01

The current status in the area of software development environments is assessed. The purposes of environments, the types of environments, the constituents of an environment, the issue of environment integration, and the problems which must be solved in preparing an environment are discussed. Some general maxims to guide near-term future work are proposed.

Problem-Framing: A perspective on environmental problem-solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardwell, Lisa V.

1991-09-01

The specter of environmental calamity calls for the best efforts of an involved public. Ironically, the way people understand the issues all too often serves to discourage and frustrate rather than motivate them to action. This article draws from problem-solving perspectives offered by cognitive psychology and conflict management to examine a framework for thinking about environmental problems that promises to help rather than hinder efforts to address them. Problem-framing emphasizes focusing on the problem definition. Since how one defines a problem determines one's understanding of and approach to that problem, being able to redefine or reframe a problem and to explore the “problem space” can help broaden the range of alternatives and solutions examined. Problem-framing incorporates a cognitive perspective on how people respond to information. It explains why an emphasis on problem definition is not part of people's typical approach to problems. It recognizes the importance of structure and of having ways to organize that information on one's problem-solving effort. Finally, problem-framing draws on both cognitive psychology and conflict management for strategies to manage information and to create a problem-solving environment that not only encourages participation but can yield better approaches to our environmental problems.

Creating an Interactive and Responsive Teaching Environment to Inspire Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paladino, Angelina

2008-01-01

Teaching students to understand, disable, and solve problems is one of the largest challenges educators face in undergraduate marketing education. My teaching philosophy is centered on the creation of an interactive learning environment. This encompasses problem-based teaching and collaborative learning to foster discussions between students and…

Problem-solving performance and reproductive success of great tits in urban and forest habitats.

PubMed

Preiszner, Bálint; Papp, Sándor; Pipoly, Ivett; Seress, Gábor; Vincze, Ernő; Liker, András; Bókony, Veronika

2017-01-01

Success in problem solving, a form of innovativeness, can help animals exploit their environments, and recent research suggests that it may correlate with reproductive success. Innovativeness has been proposed to be especially beneficial in urbanized habitats, as suggested by superior problem-solving performance of urban individuals in some species. If there is stronger selection for innovativeness in cities than in natural habitats, we expect problem-solving performance to have a greater positive effect on fitness in more urbanized habitats. We tested this idea in great tits (Parus major) breeding at two urban sites and two forests by measuring their problem-solving performance in an obstacle-removal task and a food-acquisition task. Urban pairs were significantly faster problem-solvers in both tasks. Solving speed in the obstacle-removal task was positively correlated with hatching success and the number of fledglings, whereas performance in the food-acquisition task did not correlate with reproductive success. These relationships did not differ between urban and forest habitats. Neophobia, sensitivity to human disturbance, and risk taking in the presence of a predator did not explain the relationships of problem-solving performance either with habitat type or with reproductive success. Our results suggest that the benefit of innovativeness in terms of reproductive success is similar in urban and natural habitats, implying that problem-solving skills may be enhanced in urban populations by some other benefits (e.g. increased survival) or reduced costs (e.g. more opportunities to gain practice with challenging tasks).

Testing the effectiveness of problem-based learning with learning-disabled students in biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerrera, Claudia Patrizia

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of problem-based learning (PBL) with learning-disabled (LD) students. Twenty-four students (12 dyads) classified as LD and attending a school for the learning-disabled participated in the study. Students engaged in either a computer-based environment involving BioWorld, a hospital simulation designed to teach biology students problem-solving skills, or a paper-and-pencil version based on the computer program. A hybrid model of learning was adopted whereby students were provided with direct instruction on the digestive system prior to participating in a problem-solving activity. Students worked in dyads and solved three problems involving the digestive system in either a computerized or a paper-and-pencil condition. The experimenter acted as a coach to assist students throughout the problem-solving process. A follow-up study was conducted, one month later, to measure the long-term learning gains. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze three types of data: process data, outcome data, and follow-up data. Results from the process data showed that all students engaged in effective collaboration and became more systematic in their problem solving over time. Findings from the outcome and follow-up data showed that students in both treatment conditions, made both learning and motivational gains and that these benefits were still evident one month later. Overall, results demonstrated that the computer facilitated students' problem solving and scientific reasoning skills. Some differences were noted in students' collaboration and the amount of assistance required from the coach in both conditions. Thus, PBL is an effective learning approach with LD students in science, regardless of the type of learning environment. These results have implications for teaching science to LD students, as well as for future designs of educational software for this population.

Ontological Problem-Solving Framework for Assigning Sensor Systems and Algorithms to High-Level Missions

PubMed Central

Qualls, Joseph; Russomanno, David J.

2011-01-01

The lack of knowledge models to represent sensor systems, algorithms, and missions makes opportunistically discovering a synthesis of systems and algorithms that can satisfy high-level mission specifications impractical. A novel ontological problem-solving framework has been designed that leverages knowledge models describing sensors, algorithms, and high-level missions to facilitate automated inference of assigning systems to subtasks that may satisfy a given mission specification. To demonstrate the efficacy of the ontological problem-solving architecture, a family of persistence surveillance sensor systems and algorithms has been instantiated in a prototype environment to demonstrate the assignment of systems to subtasks of high-level missions. PMID:22164081

Scene analysis in the natural environment

PubMed Central

Lewicki, Michael S.; Olshausen, Bruno A.; Surlykke, Annemarie; Moss, Cynthia F.

2014-01-01

The problem of scene analysis has been studied in a number of different fields over the past decades. These studies have led to important insights into problems of scene analysis, but not all of these insights are widely appreciated, and there remain critical shortcomings in current approaches that hinder further progress. Here we take the view that scene analysis is a universal problem solved by all animals, and that we can gain new insight by studying the problems that animals face in complex natural environments. In particular, the jumping spider, songbird, echolocating bat, and electric fish, all exhibit behaviors that require robust solutions to scene analysis problems encountered in the natural environment. By examining the behaviors of these seemingly disparate animals, we emerge with a framework for studying scene analysis comprising four essential properties: (1) the ability to solve ill-posed problems, (2) the ability to integrate and store information across time and modality, (3) efficient recovery and representation of 3D scene structure, and (4) the use of optimal motor actions for acquiring information to progress toward behavioral goals. PMID:24744740

Design, System, Value: The Role of Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking Capabilities in Technology Education, as Perceived by Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schooner, Patrick; Nordlöf, Charlotta; Klasander, Claes; Hallström, Jonas

2017-01-01

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2013) defines its views on necessary skills for 21st century citizenship and life-long learning, advocating a generic skillset of literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving in technology-rich environments. Other sources also include critical thinking as a vital 21st Century skill.…

Semantic Grammar: An Engineering Technique for Constructing Natural Language Understanding Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Richard R.

In an attempt to overcome the lack of natural means of communication between student and computer, this thesis addresses the problem of developing a system which can understand natural language within an educational problem-solving environment. The nature of the environment imposes efficiency, habitability, self-teachability, and awareness of…

Heterogeneity in Health Care Computing Environments

PubMed Central

Sengupta, Soumitra

1989-01-01

This paper discusses issues of heterogeneity in computer systems, networks, databases, and presentation techniques, and the problems it creates in developing integrated medical information systems. The need for institutional, comprehensive goals are emphasized. Using the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center's computing environment as the case study, various steps to solve the heterogeneity problem are presented.

Journey into the Problem-Solving Process: Cognitive Functions in a PBL Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chua, B. L.; Tan, O. S.; Liu, W. C.

2016-01-01

In a PBL environment, learning results from learners engaging in cognitive processes pivotal in the understanding or resolution of the problem. Using Tan's cognitive function disc, this study examines the learner's perceived cognitive functions at each stage of PBL, as facilitated by the PBL schema. The results suggest that these learners…

The Influence of Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Metacognitive Prompting on Genetics Problem Solving Ability among High School Students in Kenya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aurah, Catherine Muhonja

Within the framework of social cognitive theory, the influence of self-efficacy beliefs and metacognitive prompting on genetics problem solving ability among high school students in Kenya was examined through a mixed methods research design. A quasi-experimental study, supplemented by focus group interviews, was conducted to investigate both the outcomes and the processes of students' genetics problem-solving ability. Focus group interviews substantiated and supported findings from the quantitative instruments. The study was conducted in 17 high schools in Western Province, Kenya. A total of 2,138 high school students were purposively sampled. A sub-sample of 48 students participated in focus group interviews to understand their perspectives and experiences during the study so as to corroborate the quantitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, zero-order correlations, 2 x 2 factorial ANOVA,, and sequential hierarchical multiple regressions. Qualitative data were transcribed, coded, and reported thematically. Results revealed metacognitive prompts had significant positive effects on student problem-solving ability independent of gender. Self-efficacy and metacognitive prompting significantly predicted genetics problem-solving ability. Gender differences were revealed, with girls outperforming boys on the genetics problem-solving test. Furthermore, self-efficacy moderated the relationship between metacognitive prompting and genetics problem-solving ability. This study established a foundation for instructional methods for biology teachers and recommendations are made for implementing metacognitive prompting in a problem-based learning environment in high schools and science teacher education programs in Kenya.

Effects of oil development in Arctic America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reed, J.C.

1970-01-01

Large and important discoveries of petroleum were made in northern Alaska in 1968. The reserves were estimated then to be perhaps as much as ten thousand million barrels. Subsequent exploration has shown the resources to be much greater than was estimated earlier. Many problems must be solved before petroleum from northern Alaska reaches the world's markets. These problems are of three types: 1, those related to exploring, developing, and operating under the physical environments of the region; 2, those having to do with people-both the native people and those brought in from lower latitudes-and 3, those concerning the protection of the natural environments. The problems are great, but so also are the reserves of petroleum. To the extent that the problems are not solved, the cost of development and operation will be higher, the use of people will be expensive and unsatisfactory, and the natural environments will be threatened. The whole effort could be jeopardized on those grounds. ?? 1970.

Counting to 20: Online Implementation of a Face-to-Face, Elementary Mathematics Methods Problem-Solving Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Catherine Stein

2012-01-01

This study describes implementation of the same problem-solving activity in both online and face-to-face environments. The activity, done in the first class period or first module of a K-2 mathematics methods course, was initially used in a face-to-face class and then adapted later for use in an online class. While the task was originally designed…

A Designer’s Guide to Human Performance Modelling (La Modelisation des Performances Humaines: Manuel du Concepteur).

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-12-01

failure detection, monitoring, and decision making.) moderator function. Originally, the output from these One of the best known OCM implementations, the...imposed by the tasks themselves, the information and equipment provided, the task environment, operator skills and experience, operator strategies , the...problem-solving situation, including the toward failure.) knowledge necessary to generate the right problem- solving strategies , the attention that

Pilot interaction with automated airborne decision making systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouse, W. B.; Hammer, J. M.; Morris, N. M.; Knaeuper, A. E.; Brown, E. N.; Lewis, C. M.; Yoon, W. C.

1984-01-01

Two project areas were pursued: the intelligent cockpit and human problem solving. The first area involves an investigation of the use of advanced software engineering methods to aid aircraft crews in procedure selection and execution. The second area is focused on human problem solving in dynamic environments, particulary in terms of identification of rule-based models land alternative approaches to training and aiding. Progress in each area is discussed.

Good practices in managing work-related indoor air problems: a psychosocial perspective.

PubMed

Lahtinen, Marjaana; Huuhtanen, Pekka; Vähämäki, Kari; Kähkönen, Erkki; Mussalo-Rauhamaa, Helena; Reijula, Kari

2004-07-01

Indoor air problems at workplaces are often exceedingly complex. Technical questions are interrelated with the dynamics of the work community, and the cooperation and interaction skills of the parties involved in the problem solving process are also put to the test. The objective of our study was to analyze the process of managing and solving indoor air problems from a psychosocial perspective. This collective case study was based on data from questionnaires, interviews and various documentary materials. Technical inspections of the buildings and indoor air measurements were also carried out. The following four factors best differentiated successful cases from impeded cases: extensive multiprofessional collaboration and participative action, systematic action and perseverance, investment in information and communication, and process thinking and learning. The study also proposed a theoretical model for the role of the psychosocial work environment in indoor air problems. The expertise related to social and human aspects of problem solving plays a significant role in solving indoor air problems. Failures to properly handle these aspects may lead to resources being wasted and result in a problematic situation becoming stagnant or worse. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Adapting Experiential Learning to Develop Problem-Solving Skills in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Engineering Students.

PubMed

Marshall, Matthew M; Carrano, Andres L; Dannels, Wendy A

2016-10-01

Individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions, and this may be due in part to their level of preparation in the development and retention of mathematical and problem-solving skills. An approach was developed that incorporates experiential learning and best practices of STEM instruction to give first-year DHH students enrolled in a postsecondary STEM program the opportunity to develop problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios. Using an industrial engineering laboratory that provides manufacturing and warehousing environments, students were immersed in real-world scenarios in which they worked on teams to address prescribed problems encountered during the activities. The highly structured, Plan-Do-Check-Act approach commonly used in industry was adapted for the DHH student participants to document and communicate the problem-solving steps. Students who experienced the intervention realized a 14.6% improvement in problem-solving proficiency compared with a control group, and this gain was retained at 6 and 12 months, post-intervention. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Web-Based Interactive Writing Environment: Development and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Jie Chi; Ko, Hwa Wei; Chung, I. Ling

2005-01-01

This study reports the development and evaluation of a web-based interactive writing environment designed for elementary school students. The environment includes three writing themes, "story pass on", "story chameleon" and "thousand ideas", to encourage reading comprehension, creativity and problem-solving skills of…

Safety in numbers 4: The relationship between exposure to authentic and didactic environments and nursing students' learning of medication dosage calculation problem solving knowledge and skills.

PubMed

Weeks, Keith W; Clochesy, John M; Hutton, B Meriel; Moseley, Laurie

2013-03-01

Advancing the art and science of education practice requires a robust evaluation of the relationship between students' exposure to learning and assessment environments and the development of their cognitive competence (knowing that and why) and functional competence (know-how and skills). Healthcare education translation research requires specific education technology assessments and evaluations that consist of quantitative analyses of empirical data and qualitative evaluations of the lived student experience of the education journey and schemata construction (Weeks et al., 2013a). This paper focuses on the outcomes of UK PhD and USA post-doctorate experimental research. We evaluated the relationship between exposure to traditional didactic methods of education, prototypes of an authentic medication dosage calculation problem-solving (MDC-PS) environment and nursing students' construction of conceptual and calculation competence in medication dosage calculation problem-solving skills. Empirical outcomes from both UK and USA programmes of research identified highly significant differences in the construction of conceptual and calculation competence in MDC-PS following exposure to the authentic learning environment to that following exposure to traditional didactic transmission methods of education (p < 0.001). This research highlighted that for many students exposure to authentic learning environments is an essential first step in the development of conceptual and calculation competence and relevant schemata construction (internal representations of the relationship between the features of authentic dosage problems and calculation functions); and how authentic environments more ably support all cognitive (learning) styles in mathematics than traditional didactic methods of education. Functional competence evaluations are addressed in Macdonald et al. (2013) and Weeks et al. (2013e). Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Using an Epistemic Game to Facilitate Students' Problem-Solving: The Case of Hospitality Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Shwu-Huey; Wang, Hsiu-Yuan

2017-01-01

Hospitality students are required to be able to address challenging cases or problems in the work environment. However, traditional lecture- or exam-based instruction leaves a gap between theory and practice. On the other hand, modern youth live and socialise in an increasingly digital environment, and one of their biggest pastimes is playing…

Multilevel decomposition of complete vehicle configuration in a parallel computing environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatt, Vinay; Ragsdell, K. M.

1989-01-01

This research summarizes various approaches to multilevel decomposition to solve large structural problems. A linear decomposition scheme based on the Sobieski algorithm is selected as a vehicle for automated synthesis of a complete vehicle configuration in a parallel processing environment. The research is in a developmental state. Preliminary numerical results are presented for several example problems.

Learning Relative Motion Concepts in Immersive and Non-immersive Virtual Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozhevnikov, Michael; Gurlitt, Johannes; Kozhevnikov, Maria

2013-12-01

The focus of the current study is to understand which unique features of an immersive virtual reality environment have the potential to improve learning relative motion concepts. Thirty-seven undergraduate students learned relative motion concepts using computer simulation either in immersive virtual environment (IVE) or non-immersive desktop virtual environment (DVE) conditions. Our results show that after the simulation activities, both IVE and DVE groups exhibited a significant shift toward a scientific understanding in their conceptual models and epistemological beliefs about the nature of relative motion, and also a significant improvement on relative motion problem-solving tests. In addition, we analyzed students' performance on one-dimensional and two-dimensional questions in the relative motion problem-solving test separately and found that after training in the simulation, the IVE group performed significantly better than the DVE group on solving two-dimensional relative motion problems. We suggest that egocentric encoding of the scene in IVE (where the learner constitutes a part of a scene they are immersed in), as compared to allocentric encoding on a computer screen in DVE (where the learner is looking at the scene from "outside"), is more beneficial than DVE for studying more complex (two-dimensional) relative motion problems. Overall, our findings suggest that such aspects of virtual realities as immersivity, first-hand experience, and the possibility of changing different frames of reference can facilitate understanding abstract scientific phenomena and help in displacing intuitive misconceptions with more accurate mental models.

Amoeba-inspired nanoarchitectonic computing: solving intractable computational problems using nanoscale photoexcitation transfer dynamics.

PubMed

Aono, Masashi; Naruse, Makoto; Kim, Song-Ju; Wakabayashi, Masamitsu; Hori, Hirokazu; Ohtsu, Motoichi; Hara, Masahiko

2013-06-18

Biologically inspired computing devices and architectures are expected to overcome the limitations of conventional technologies in terms of solving computationally demanding problems, adapting to complex environments, reducing energy consumption, and so on. We previously demonstrated that a primitive single-celled amoeba (a plasmodial slime mold), which exhibits complex spatiotemporal oscillatory dynamics and sophisticated computing capabilities, can be used to search for a solution to a very hard combinatorial optimization problem. We successfully extracted the essential spatiotemporal dynamics by which the amoeba solves the problem. This amoeba-inspired computing paradigm can be implemented by various physical systems that exhibit suitable spatiotemporal dynamics resembling the amoeba's problem-solving process. In this Article, we demonstrate that photoexcitation transfer phenomena in certain quantum nanostructures mediated by optical near-field interactions generate the amoebalike spatiotemporal dynamics and can be used to solve the satisfiability problem (SAT), which is the problem of judging whether a given logical proposition (a Boolean formula) is self-consistent. SAT is related to diverse application problems in artificial intelligence, information security, and bioinformatics and is a crucially important nondeterministic polynomial time (NP)-complete problem, which is believed to become intractable for conventional digital computers when the problem size increases. We show that our amoeba-inspired computing paradigm dramatically outperforms a conventional stochastic search method. These results indicate the potential for developing highly versatile nanoarchitectonic computers that realize powerful solution searching with low energy consumption.

Fundamentals of the Design and the Operation of an Intelligent Tutoring System for the Learning of the Arithmetical and Algebraic Way of Solving Word Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnau, David; Arevalillo-Herraez, Miguel; Puig, Luis; Gonzalez-Calero, Jose Antonio

2013-01-01

Designers of interactive learning environments with a focus on word problem solving usually have to compromise between the amount of resolution paths that a user is allowed to follow and the quality of the feedback provided. We have built an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) that is able to both track the user's actions and provide adequate…

ADOPTING THE PROBLEM BASED LEARNING APPROACH IN A GIS PROJECT MANAGEMENT CLASS

EPA Science Inventory

Problem Based Learning (PBL) is a process that emphasizes the need for developing problem solving skills through hands-on project formulation and management. A class adopting the PBL method provides students with an environment to acquire necessary knowledge to encounter, unders...

Cognitive theories and the design of e-learning environments.

PubMed

Gillani, Bijan; O'Guinn, Christina

2004-01-01

Cognitive development refers to a mental process by which knowledge is acquired, stored, and retrieved to solve problems. Therefore, cognitive developmental theories attempt to explain cognitive activities that contribute to students' intellectual development and their capacity to learn and solve problems. Cognitive developmental research has had a great impact on the constructivism movement in education and educational technology. In order to appreciate how cognitive developmental theories have contributed to the design, process and development of constructive e-learning environments, we shall first present Piaget's cognitive theory and derive an inquiry training model from it that will support a constructivism approach to teaching and learning. Second, we will discuss an example developed by NASA that used the Web as an appropriate instructional delivery medium to apply Piaget's cognitive theory to create e-learning environments.

Testing problem-solving capacities: differences between individual testing and social group setting.

PubMed

Krasheninnikova, Anastasia; Schneider, Jutta M

2014-09-01

Testing animals individually in problem-solving tasks limits distractions of the subjects during the test, so that they can fully concentrate on the problem. However, such individual performance may not indicate the problem-solving capacity that is commonly employed in the wild when individuals are faced with a novel problem in their social groups, where the presence of a conspecific influences an individual's behaviour. To assess the validity of data gathered from parrots when tested individually, we compared the performance on patterned-string tasks among parrots tested singly and parrots tested in social context. We tested two captive groups of orange-winged amazons (Amazona amazonica) with several patterned-string tasks. Despite the differences in the testing environment (singly vs. social context), parrots from both groups performed similarly. However, we found that the willingness to participate in the tasks was significantly higher for the individuals tested in social context. The study provides further evidence for the crucial influence of social context on individual's response to a challenging situation such as a problem-solving test.

An Interactive Strategy for Solving Multi-Criteria Decision Making of Sustainable Land Revitalization Planning Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayasari, Ruth; Mawengkang, Herman; Gomar Purba, Ronal

2018-02-01

Land revitalization refers to comprehensive renovation of farmland, waterways, roads, forest or villages to improve the quality of plantation, raise the productivity of the plantation area and improve agricultural production conditions and the environment. The objective of sustainable land revitalization planning is to facilitate environmentally, socially, and economically viable land use. Therefore it is reasonable to use participatory approach to fullfil the plan. This paper addresses a multicriteria decision aid to model such planning problem, then we develop an interactive approach for solving the problem.

Space colonization as a tool for teaching anthropology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melchionne, Thomas L.; Rosen, Steven L.

1986-08-01

One hundred years of anthropological research has sought to discover the properties of human nature. This research bears directly on the problem of creating new societies in alien environments. Space colonization presents theoretical and practical problems which anthropology can help solve. These problems and the attempt to solve them can be used in the classroom as a vehicle for teaching both ethnology and physical anthropology. In such a course students would explore the findings of both cultural and biosocial anthropology, and use these findings to construct a space colony which has reasonable prognosis for survival.

Environmental problem solving

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

Miller, A.

Human influences create both environmental problems and barriers to effective policy aimed at addressing those problems. In effect, environmental managers manage people as much as they manage the environment. Therefore, they must gain an understanding of the psychological and sociopolitical dimensions of environmental problems that they are attempting to resolve. The author reappraises conventional analyses of environmental problems using lessons from the psychosocial disciplines. The author combines the disciplines of ecology, political sociology and psychology to produce a more adaptive approach to problem-solving that is specifically geared toward the environmental field. Numerous case studies demonstrate the practical application of theorymore » in a way that is useful to technical and scientific professionals as well as to policymakers and planners.« less

Simulators' validation study: Problem solution logic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoultz, M. B.

1974-01-01

A study was conducted to validate the ground based simulators used for aircraft environment in ride-quality research. The logic to the approach for solving this problem is developed. The overall problem solution flow chart is presented. The factors which could influence the human response to the environment on board the aircraft are analyzed. The mathematical models used in the study are explained. The steps which were followed in conducting the validation tests are outlined.

Neurally and Ocularly Informed Graph-Based Models for Searching 3D Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-03

hBCI = hybrid brain–computer interface, TAG = transductive annotation by graph, CV = computer vision, TSP = traveling salesman problem . are navigated...environment that are most likely to contain objects that the subject would like to visit. 2.9. Route planning A traveling salesman problem (TSP) solver...fixations in a visual search task using fixation-related potentials J. Vis. 13 Croes G 1958 A method for solving traveling - salesman problems Oper. Res

Flippin' Fluid Mechanics - Using Online Technology to Enhance the In-Class Learning Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webster, D. R.; Majerich, D. M.

2013-11-01

This study provides an empirical analysis of using online technologies and team problem solving sessions to shift an undergraduate fluid mechanics course from a traditional lecture format to a collaborative learning environment. Students were from two consecutive semesters of the same course taught by the same professor. One group used online technologies and solved problems in class and the other did not. Out of class, the treatment group watched 72 short (11 minutes, average) video lectures covering course topics and example problems being solved. Three times a week students worked in teams of two to solve problems on desktop whiteboard tablets while the instructor and graduate assistants provided ``just-in-time'' tutoring. The number of team problems assigned during the semester exceeded 100. Weekly online homework was assigned to reinforce topics. The WileyPlus online system generated unique problem parameters for each student. The control group received three-50 minute weekly lectures. Data include three midterms and a final exam. Regression results indicate that controlling for all of the entered variables, for every one more problem solving session the student attended, the final grade was raised by 0.327 points. Thus, if a student participated in all 25 of the team problem solving sessions, the final grade would have been 8.2 points higher, a difference of nearly a grade. Using online technologies and teamwork appeared to result in improved achievement, but more research is needed to support these findings.

Mastering Foreign Language Competence of Ecology and Environment Managers for Mining Industry of Kuzbass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenwald, Oksana; Islamov, Roman; Sergeychick, Tatyana

2017-11-01

The necessity to solve nature conservation problems of Kuzbass mining industry demands from postgraduate education institutions to train highly qualified specialists in ecology and environment management. As 21st century education is competence-based one, the article clarifies the concept of competence in education, focuses on key competences, namely foreign language competence and its relevance for specialists in ecology and environment management. Foreign language competence is acquired through the course of "Foreign Language" discipline which covers the following aspects: academic reading, academic writing and public speaking. The article also describes the experience of organizing students' individual work taking into account their motivation and specific conditions of the discipline as well. Thus, both the content of the discipline and the approach to organize students' learning contribute to mastering foreign language competence of ecology and environment managers as inherent condition of their professional efficiency for solving ecological problems of mining industry in Kuzbass region.

Perfecting Scientists' Collaboration and Problem-Solving Skills in the Virtual Team Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jabro, A.; Jabro, J.

2012-04-01

PPerfecting Scientists' Collaboration and Problem-Solving Skills in the Virtual Team Environment Numerous factors have contributed to the proliferation of conducting work in virtual teams at the domestic, national, and global levels: innovations in technology, critical developments in software, co-located research partners and diverse funding sources, dynamic economic and political environments, and a changing workforce. Today's scientists must be prepared to not only perform work in the virtual team environment, but to work effectively and efficiently despite physical and cultural barriers. Research supports that students who have been exposed to virtual team experiences are desirable in the professional and academic arenas. Research supports establishing and maintaining established protocols for communication behavior prior to task discussion provides for successful team outcomes. Research conducted on graduate and undergraduate virtual teams' behaviors led to the development of successful pedagogic practices and assessment strategies.

Elements of Problem-Based Learning: Suggestions for Implementation in the Asynchronous Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Erik

2010-01-01

Problem-based learning, or PBL, is a student-centered instructional approach that is derived from constructivist epistemology. It is based upon ill-structured real-world problems with the goal of strengthening and developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills in learners. Initially utilized in medical schools to strengthen diagnostic…

Embellishing Problem-Solving Examples with Deep Structure Information Facilitates Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hee Seung; Betts, Shawn; Anderson, John R.

2017-01-01

Appreciation of problem structure is critical to successful learning. Two experiments investigated effective ways of communicating problem structure in a computer-based learning environment and tested whether verbal instruction is necessary to specify solution steps, when deep structure is already embellished by instructional examples.…

Lexical Problems in Large Distributed Information Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkovich, Simon Ya; Shneiderman, Ben

1980-01-01

Suggests a unified concept of a lexical subsystem as part of an information system to deal with lexical problems in local and network environments. The linguistic and control functions of the lexical subsystems in solving problems for large computer systems are described, and references are included. (Author/BK)

Diagnosing Learners' Problem-Solving Strategies Using Learning Environments with Algorithmic Problems in Secondary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiesmuller, Ulrich

2009-01-01

At schools special learning and programming environments are often used in the field of algorithms. Particularly with regard to computer science lessons in secondary education, they are supposed to help novices to learn the basics of programming. In several parts of Germany (e.g., Bavaria) these fundamentals are taught as early as in the seventh…

There and Back Again: From Research Methods to Principles of Learning, and Everything in Between: Consolidated Knowledge Using the Course Wiki

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogendoorn, Adrian

2017-01-01

A course wiki is an active environment in which students not only solve problems, but also find their own problems (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 1999). Wikis are novel, immersive environments requiring active participation, which enable students to build knowledge within a secure online setting (Hadjerrouit, 2011). This contribution traces a…

A Framework and a Methodology for Developing Authentic Constructivist e-Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zualkernan, Imran A.

2006-01-01

Semantically rich domains require operative knowledge to solve complex problems in real-world settings. These domains provide an ideal environment for developing authentic constructivist e-learning environments. In this paper we present a framework and a methodology for developing authentic learning environments for such domains. The framework is…

Students using visual thinking to learn science in a Web-based environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plough, Jean Margaret

United States students' science test scores are low, especially in problem solving, and traditional science instruction could be improved. Consequently, visual thinking, constructing science structures, and problem solving in a web-based environment may be valuable strategies for improving science learning. This ethnographic study examined the science learning of fifteen fourth grade students in an after school computer club involving diverse students at an inner city school. The investigation was done from the perspective of the students, and it described the processes of visual thinking, web page construction, and problem solving in a web-based environment. The study utilized informal group interviews, field notes, Visual Learning Logs, and student web pages, and incorporated a Standards-Based Rubric which evaluated students' performance on eight science and technology standards. The Visual Learning Logs were drawings done on the computer to represent science concepts related to the Food Chain. Students used the internet to search for information on a plant or animal of their choice. Next, students used this internet information, with the information from their Visual Learning Logs, to make web pages on their plant or animal. Later, students linked their web pages to form Science Structures. Finally, students linked their Science Structures with the structures of other students, and used these linked structures as models for solving problems. Further, during informal group interviews, students answered questions about visual thinking, problem solving, and science concepts. The results of this study showed clearly that (1) making visual representations helped students understand science knowledge, (2) making links between web pages helped students construct Science Knowledge Structures, and (3) students themselves said that visual thinking helped them learn science. In addition, this study found that when using Visual Learning Logs, the main overall ideas of the science concepts were usually represented accurately. Further, looking for information on the internet may cause new problems in learning. Likewise, being absent, starting late, and/or dropping out all may negatively influence students' proficiency on the standards. Finally, the way Science Structures are constructed and linked may provide insights into the way individual students think and process information.

Metacognitive skills and students' motivation toward chemical equilibrium problem solving ability: A correlational study on students of XI IPA SMAN 2 Banjarmasin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muna, Khairiatul; Sanjaya, Rahmat Eko; Syahmani, Bakti, Iriani

2017-12-01

The demand for students to have metacognitive skills and problem solving ability can be seen in the core competencies of the 2013 curriculum. Metacognitive skills are the skills which affect students' success in solving problems depending on students' motivation. This explains the possibility of the relationship between metacognition and motivation in affecting students' achievement including problem solving. Due to the importance of metacognitive skills to solve problems and the possible relationship between metacognition and motivation, a study to find the relationship among the variables is necessary to conduct, particularly on chemistry problem solving. This one shot case study using quantitative method aimed to investigate the correlation between metacognitive skills and motivation toward problem solving ability focusing on chemical equilibrium. The research population was students of grade XI of majoring Science of Banjarmasin Public High Scool 2 (XI IPA SMAN 2 Banjarmasin) with the samples of 33 students obtained by using purposive sampling technique. The research data were collected using test and non-test and analyzed using multiple regression in SPSS 21. The results of this study showed that (1) the students' metacognitive skills and motivation correlated positively with coefficient of +0.450 to problem solving ability on chemical equilibrium: (2) inter-variables of students' motivation (self-efficacy, active learning strategies, science/chemistry learning value, performance goal, achievement goal, and learning environment stimulations) correlated positively to metacognitive skills with the correlation coefficients of +0.580, +0.537, +0.363, +0.241, +0.516, and +0.271, respectively. Based on the results, it is necessary for teachers to implement learning which develops students' metacognitive skills and motivation, such as learning with scientific approach. The implementation of the learning is also supposed to be complemented with the use of learning device, such as student worksheet, to help students use their metacognitive skills in solving problems, particularly on chemistry subject.

Implementing and Assessing Computational Modeling in Introductory Mechanics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caballero, Marcos D.; Kohlmyer, Matthew A.; Schatz, Michael F.

2012-01-01

Students taking introductory physics are rarely exposed to computational modeling. In a one-semester large lecture introductory calculus-based mechanics course at Georgia Tech, students learned to solve physics problems using the VPython programming environment. During the term, 1357 students in this course solved a suite of 14 computational…

Distraction during learning with hypermedia: difficult tasks help to keep task goals on track

PubMed Central

Scheiter, Katharina; Gerjets, Peter; Heise, Elke

2014-01-01

In educational hypermedia environments, students are often confronted with potential sources of distraction arising from additional information that, albeit interesting, is unrelated to their current task goal. The paper investigates the conditions under which distraction occurs and hampers performance. Based on theories of volitional action control it was hypothesized that interesting information, especially if related to a pending goal, would interfere with task performance only when working on easy, but not on difficult tasks. In Experiment 1, 66 students learned about probability theory using worked examples and solved corresponding test problems, whose task difficulty was manipulated. As a second factor, the presence of interesting information unrelated to the primary task was varied. Results showed that students solved more easy than difficult probability problems correctly. However, the presence of interesting, but task-irrelevant information did not interfere with performance. In Experiment 2, 68 students again engaged in example-based learning and problem solving in the presence of task-irrelevant information. Problem-solving difficulty was varied as a first factor. Additionally, the presence of a pending goal related to the task-irrelevant information was manipulated. As expected, problem-solving performance declined when a pending goal was present during working on easy problems, whereas no interference was observed for difficult problems. Moreover, the presence of a pending goal reduced the time on task-relevant information and increased the time on task-irrelevant information while working on easy tasks. However, as revealed by mediation analyses these changes in overt information processing behavior did not explain the decline in problem-solving performance. As an alternative explanation it is suggested that goal conflicts resulting from pending goals claim cognitive resources, which are then no longer available for learning and problem solving. PMID:24723907

High-rise housing construction as a way of solving the problem of providing people with comfortable habitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misailovov, Andrey

2018-03-01

The article analyzes the role of high-rise construction in solving the problem of providing people with comfortable habitation. High-rise construction is considered as a part of urban environment of big cities, a way of effective land use and development of entrepreneurship, including small and medium-sized enterprises. The economic efficiency of high-rise construction, an increase in budgetary financing and the number of introduced innovations are discussed.

Improvement of statistical methods for detecting anomalies in climate and environmental monitoring systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakunin, A. G.; Hussein, H. M.

2018-01-01

The article shows how the known statistical methods, which are widely used in solving financial problems and a number of other fields of science and technology, can be effectively applied after minor modification for solving such problems in climate and environment monitoring systems, as the detection of anomalies in the form of abrupt changes in signal levels, the occurrence of positive and negative outliers and the violation of the cycle form in periodic processes.

Problem-based learning through field investigation: Boosting questioning skill, biological literacy, and academic achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suwono, Hadi; Wibowo, Agung

2018-01-01

Biology learning emphasizes problem-based learning as a learning strategy to develop students ability in identifying and solving problems in the surrounding environment. Problem identification skills are closely correlated with questioning skills. By holding this skill, students tend to deliver a procedural question instead of the descriptive one. Problem-based learning through field investigation is an instruction model which directly exposes the students to problems or phenomena that occur in the environment, and then the students design the field investigation activities to solve these problems. The purpose of this research was to describe the improvement of undergraduate biology students on questioning skills, biological literacy, and academic achievement through problem-based learning through field investigation (PBFI) compared with the lecture-based instruction (LBI). This research was a time series quasi-experimental design. The research was conducted on August - December 2015 and involved 26 undergraduate biology students at the State University of Malang on the Freshwater Ecology course. The data were collected during the learning with LBI and PBFI, in which questioning skills, biological literacy, and academic achievement were collected 3 times in each learning model. The data showed that the procedural correlative and causal types of questions are produced by the students to guide them in conducting investigations and problem-solving in PBFI. The biological literacy and academic achievement of the students at PBFI are significantly higher than those at LBI. The results show that PBFI increases the questioning skill, biological literacy, and the academic achievement of undergraduate biology students.

Multiple representations and free-body diagrams: Do students benefit from using them?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosengrant, David R.

2007-12-01

Introductory physics students have difficulties understanding concepts and solving problems. When they solve problems, they use surface features of the problems to find an equation to calculate a numerical answer often not understanding the physics in the problem. How do we help students approach problem solving in an expert manner? A possible answer is to help them learn to represent knowledge in multiple ways and then use these different representations for conceptual understanding and problem solving. This solution follows from research in cognitive science and in physics education. However, there are no studies in physics that investigate whether students who learn to use multiple representations are in fact better problem solvers. This study focuses on one specific representation used in physics--a free body diagram. A free-body diagram is a graphical representation of forces exerted on an object of interest by other objects. I used the free-body diagram to investigate five main questions: (1) If students are in a course where they consistently use free body diagrams to construct and test concepts in mechanics, electricity and magnetism and to solve problems in class and in homework, will they draw free-body diagrams on their own when solving exam problems? (2) Are students who use free-body diagrams to solve problems more successful then those who do not? (3) Why do students draw free-body diagrams when solving problems? (4) Are students consistent in constructing diagrams for different concepts in physics and are they consistent in the quality of their diagrams? (5) What are possible relationships between features of a problem and how likely a student will draw a free body diagram to help them solve the problem? I utilized a mixed-methods approach to answer these questions. Questions 1, 2, 4 and 5 required a quantitative approach while question 3 required a qualitative approach, a case study. When I completed my study, I found that if students are in an environment which fosters the use of representations for problem solving and for concept development, then the majority of students will consistently construct helpful free-body diagrams and use them on their own to solve problems. Additionally, those that construct correct free-body diagrams are significantly more likely to successfully solve the problem. Finally, those students that are high achieving tend to use diagrams more and for more reasons then students who have low course grades. These findings will have major impacts on how introductory physics instructors run their classes and how curriculums are designed. These results favor a problem solving strategy that is rich with representations.

The application of hybrid artificial intelligence systems for forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lees, Brian; Corchado, Juan

1999-03-01

The results to date are presented from an ongoing investigation, in which the aim is to combine the strengths of different artificial intelligence methods into a single problem solving system. The premise underlying this research is that a system which embodies several cooperating problem solving methods will be capable of achieving better performance than if only a single method were employed. The work has so far concentrated on the combination of case-based reasoning and artificial neural networks. The relative merits of artificial neural networks and case-based reasoning problem solving paradigms, and their combination are discussed. The integration of these two AI problem solving methods in a hybrid systems architecture, such that the neural network provides support for learning from past experience in the case-based reasoning cycle, is then presented. The approach has been applied to the task of forecasting the variation of physical parameters of the ocean. Results obtained so far from tests carried out in the dynamic oceanic environment are presented.

EPA'S WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND MODELING RESEARCH PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

Watershed management presumes that community groups can best solve many water quality and ecosystem problems at the watershed level rather than at the individual site, receiving waterbody, or discharger level. After assessing and ranking watershed problems, and setting environ...

Learning and Teaching in a Synchronous Collaborative Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marjanovic, Olivera

1999-01-01

Describes a new synchronous collaborative environment that combines interactive learning and Group Support Systems for computer-mediated collaboration. Illustrates its potential to improve critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills, and describes how teachers' roles are changed. (Author/LRW)

Estimating the position and orientation of a mobile robot with respect to a trajectory using omnidirectional imaging and global appearance.

PubMed

Payá, Luis; Reinoso, Oscar; Jiménez, Luis M; Juliá, Miguel

2017-01-01

Along the past years, mobile robots have proliferated both in domestic and in industrial environments to solve some tasks such as cleaning, assistance, or material transportation. One of their advantages is the ability to operate in wide areas without the necessity of introducing changes into the existing infrastructure. Thanks to the sensors they may be equipped with and their processing systems, mobile robots constitute a versatile alternative to solve a wide range of applications. When designing the control system of a mobile robot so that it carries out a task autonomously in an unknown environment, it is expected to take decisions about its localization in the environment and about the trajectory that it has to follow in order to arrive to the target points. More concisely, the robot has to find a relatively good solution to two crucial problems: building a model of the environment, and estimating the position of the robot within this model. In this work, we propose a framework to solve these problems using only visual information. The mobile robot is equipped with a catadioptric vision sensor that provides omnidirectional images from the environment. First, the robot goes along the trajectories to include in the model and uses the visual information captured to build this model. After that, the robot is able to estimate its position and orientation with respect to the trajectory. Among the possible approaches to solve these problems, global appearance techniques are used in this work. They have emerged recently as a robust and efficient alternative compared to landmark extraction techniques. A global description method based on Radon Transform is used to design mapping and localization algorithms and a set of images captured by a mobile robot in a real environment, under realistic operation conditions, is used to test the performance of these algorithms.

Time-domain finite elements in optimal control with application to launch-vehicle guidance. PhD. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bless, Robert R.

1991-01-01

A time-domain finite element method is developed for optimal control problems. The theory derived is general enough to handle a large class of problems including optimal control problems that are continuous in the states and controls, problems with discontinuities in the states and/or system equations, problems with control inequality constraints, problems with state inequality constraints, or problems involving any combination of the above. The theory is developed in such a way that no numerical quadrature is necessary regardless of the degree of nonlinearity in the equations. Also, the same shape functions may be employed for every problem because all strong boundary conditions are transformed into natural or weak boundary conditions. In addition, the resulting nonlinear algebraic equations are very sparse. Use of sparse matrix solvers allows for the rapid and accurate solution of very difficult optimization problems. The formulation is applied to launch-vehicle trajectory optimization problems, and results show that real-time optimal guidance is realizable with this method. Finally, a general problem solving environment is created for solving a large class of optimal control problems. The algorithm uses both FORTRAN and a symbolic computation program to solve problems with a minimum of user interaction. The use of symbolic computation eliminates the need for user-written subroutines which greatly reduces the setup time for solving problems.

Contributions to "k"-Means Clustering and Regression via Classification Algorithms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salman, Raied

2012-01-01

The dissertation deals with clustering algorithms and transforming regression problems into classification problems. The main contributions of the dissertation are twofold; first, to improve (speed up) the clustering algorithms and second, to develop a strict learning environment for solving regression problems as classification tasks by using…

Learning from Dealing with Real World Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akcay, Hakan

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide an example of using real world issues as tools for science teaching and learning. Using real world issues provides students with experiences in learning in problem-based environments and encourages them to apply their content knowledge to solving current and local problems.

Determination of Science Teachers' Opinions about Outdoor Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubat, Ulas

2017-01-01

The aim of this research is to discover what science teachers' opinions about outdoor education learning environments are. Outdoor education learning environments contribute to problem-solving, critical and creative thinking skills of students. For this reason, outdoor education learning environments are very important for students to learn by…

Three-Dimensional Path Planning for Uninhabited Combat Aerial Vehicle Based on Predator-Prey Pigeon-Inspired Optimization in Dynamic Environment.

PubMed

Zhang, Bo; Duan, Haibin

2017-01-01

Three-dimension path planning of uninhabited combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) is a complicated optimal problem, which mainly focused on optimizing the flight route considering the different types of constrains under complex combating environment. A novel predator-prey pigeon-inspired optimization (PPPIO) is proposed to solve the UCAV three-dimension path planning problem in dynamic environment. Pigeon-inspired optimization (PIO) is a new bio-inspired optimization algorithm. In this algorithm, map and compass operator model and landmark operator model are used to search the best result of a function. The prey-predator concept is adopted to improve global best properties and enhance the convergence speed. The characteristics of the optimal path are presented in the form of a cost function. The comparative simulation results show that our proposed PPPIO algorithm is more efficient than the basic PIO, particle swarm optimization (PSO), and different evolution (DE) in solving UCAV three-dimensional path planning problems.

Communications oriented programming of parallel iterative solutions of sparse linear systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patrick, M. L.; Pratt, T. W.

1986-01-01

Parallel algorithms are developed for a class of scientific computational problems by partitioning the problems into smaller problems which may be solved concurrently. The effectiveness of the resulting parallel solutions is determined by the amount and frequency of communication and synchronization and the extent to which communication can be overlapped with computation. Three different parallel algorithms for solving the same class of problems are presented, and their effectiveness is analyzed from this point of view. The algorithms are programmed using a new programming environment. Run-time statistics and experience obtained from the execution of these programs assist in measuring the effectiveness of these algorithms.

An approach for heterogeneous and loosely coupled geospatial data distributed computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Bin; Huang, Fengru; Fang, Yu; Huang, Zhou; Lin, Hui

2010-07-01

Most GIS (Geographic Information System) applications tend to have heterogeneous and autonomous geospatial information resources, and the availability of these local resources is unpredictable and dynamic under a distributed computing environment. In order to make use of these local resources together to solve larger geospatial information processing problems that are related to an overall situation, in this paper, with the support of peer-to-peer computing technologies, we propose a geospatial data distributed computing mechanism that involves loosely coupled geospatial resource directories and a term named as Equivalent Distributed Program of global geospatial queries to solve geospatial distributed computing problems under heterogeneous GIS environments. First, a geospatial query process schema for distributed computing as well as a method for equivalent transformation from a global geospatial query to distributed local queries at SQL (Structured Query Language) level to solve the coordinating problem among heterogeneous resources are presented. Second, peer-to-peer technologies are used to maintain a loosely coupled network environment that consists of autonomous geospatial information resources, thus to achieve decentralized and consistent synchronization among global geospatial resource directories, and to carry out distributed transaction management of local queries. Finally, based on the developed prototype system, example applications of simple and complex geospatial data distributed queries are presented to illustrate the procedure of global geospatial information processing.

Empowering Students in Science through Active Learning: Voices From Inside the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erickson, Sabrina Ann

Preparing students for success in the 21st century has shifted the focus of science education from acquiring information and knowledge to mastery of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teacher and student perspectives of the relationship between (a) active learning, problem solving, and achievement in science and (b) the conditions that help facilitate this environment. Adapting a social constructivist theoretical framework, high school science teachers and students were interviewed, school records analyzed, curriculum documents studied, and classes observed. The findings revealed that students were engaged with the material in an active learning environment, which led to a sense of involvement, interest, and meaningful learning. Students felt empowered to take ownership of their learning, developed the critical thinking skills necessary to solve problems independently and became aware of how they learn best, which students reported as interactive learning. Moreover, student reflections revealed that an active environment contributed to deeper understanding and higher skills through interaction and discussion, including questioning, explaining, arguing, and contemplating scientific concepts with their peers. Recommendations are for science teachers to provide opportunities for students to work actively, collaborate in groups, and discuss their ideas to develop the necessary skills for achievement and for administrators to facilitate the conditions needed for active learning to occur.

Building Interactivity in Higher Education to Support Student Engagement in Spatial Problem Solving and Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulland, E.-K.; Veenendaal, B.; Schut, A. G. T.

2012-07-01

Problem-solving knowledge and skills are an important attribute of spatial sciences graduates. The challenge of higher education is to build a teaching and learning environment that enables students to acquire these skills in relevant and authentic applications. This study investigates the effectiveness of traditional face-to-face teaching and online learning technologies in supporting the student learning of problem-solving and computer programming skills, techniques and solutions. The student cohort considered for this study involves students in the surveying as well as geographic information science (GISc) disciplines. Also, students studying across a range of learning modes including on-campus, distance and blended, are considered in this study. Student feedback and past studies reveal a lack of student interest and engagement in problem solving and computer programming. Many students do not see such skills as directly relevant and applicable to their perceptions of what future spatial careers hold. A range of teaching and learning methods for both face-to-face teaching and distance learning were introduced to address some of the perceived weaknesses of the learning environment. These included initiating greater student interaction in lectures, modifying assessments to provide greater feedback and student accountability, and the provision of more interactive and engaging online learning resources. The paper presents and evaluates the teaching methods used to support the student learning environment. Responses of students in relation to their learning experiences were collected via two anonymous, online surveys and these results were analysed with respect to student pass and retention rates. The study found a clear distinction between expectations and engagement of surveying students in comparison to GISc students. A further outcome revealed that students who were already engaged in their learning benefited the most from the interactive learning resources and opportunities provided.

Integrating Learning, Problem Solving, and Engagement in Narrative-Centered Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, Jonathan P.; Shores, Lucy R.; Mott, Bradford W.; Lester, James C.

2011-01-01

A key promise of narrative-centered learning environments is the ability to make learning engaging. However, there is concern that learning and engagement may be at odds in these game-based learning environments. This view suggests that, on the one hand, students interacting with a game-based learning environment may be engaged but unlikely to…

Environmental Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bandhu, Desh, Ed.; Aulakh, G. S., Ed.

In India, environmental education (EE) is introduced at various levels. Goals of this country's EE programs include: improving the quality of environment to create awareness among the people on environmental problems and conservation; developing skills to solve environmental problems; creating the necessary atmosphere for citizen participation in…

The earth as a problem: A curriculum inquiry into the nature of environmental education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammond, William Frank

1998-12-01

This thesis is a contribution to curriculum theory in environmental education. Its purpose is to analyze the concept of education as used by environmental educators and to examine how educational purposes are related to differing concepts of human-environment interactions and the environmental problematique. It examines three published written curricula using curriculum inquiry methodology as a means of examining two major claims. The first claim is that curricula in environmental education have been affected by a focus on environmental issues or problems, which has resulted in definitions, descriptions and curriculum proposals in the field having a syntax or narrative structure in the form of problem solving. The second claim of the thesis is that while different programs share the common underlying syntax they resolve issues concerning the nature of education, the concept of environment, the role of environmental action projects, and the nature of schooling in significantly different ways. The thesis critiques the curriculum writings of William B. Stapp, Harold R. Hungerford, and Michael J. Cohen. Each has published curriculum work in environmental education and has been active in the development of the field. Their works were chosen because of their publicly accessible form. The inquiry demonstrates that the three programs present analyses of current global environmental problems as serious and in need of urgent attention. All three focus on solving or preventing environmental problems as a major purpose of environmental education. In spite of the common emphasis on problem solving, the inquiry also reveals significant differences among the three programs in regard to concepts of education, views of the environment and the place and role of humans in it, approaches to environmental action projects as curricular elements, and ideas about the place of environmental education in schools. I conclude that although some environmental educators view the continuing debate about the nature and conceptualization of environmental education as needless repetition of issues which have been satisfactorily resolved, important questions remain to be addressed by curriculum theory in this field. In order for environmental education to nurture education as opposed to particular ideologies and beliefs curriculum writers should develop clear concepts of the nature of education and widen the focus of human environment relations beyond problem solving.

Problem-Based Learning in Formal and Informal Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shimic, Goran; Jevremovic, Aleksandar

2012-01-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered instructional strategy in which students solve problems and reflect on their experiences. Different domains need different approaches in the design of PBL systems. Therefore, we present one case study in this article: A Java Programming PBL. The application is developed as an additional module for…

An Examination of High School Students' Online Engagement in Mathematics Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Woong; Son, Ji-Won; Gregson, Susan; Kim, Jihye

2018-01-01

This article examines high school students' engagement in a set of trigonometry problems. Students completed this task independently in an online environment with access to Internet search engines, online textbooks, and YouTube videos. The findings imply that students have the resourcefulness to solve procedure-based mathematics problems in an…

An E-Learning Environment for Algorithmic: Toward an Active Construction of Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babori, Abdelghani; Fassi, Hicham Fihri; Hariri, Abdellah; Bideq, Mustapha

2016-01-01

Assimilating an algorithmic course is a persistent problem for many undergraduate students. The major problem faced by students is the lack of problem solving ability and flexibility. Therefore, students are generally passive, unmotivated and unable to mobilize all the acquired knowledge (loops, test, variables, etc.) to deal with new encountered…

Designing a Problem-Based Learning Environment for ESL Students in Business Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Roberta; Rooney, Pam

1998-01-01

Describes a problem-based course structure (that focuses on problem solving, critical thinking, and team skills) for an upper-level business writing course that allows both English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and Native English-speaking students the opportunity to improve communication abilities in cross-cultural work groups. Discusses cooperative…

Integrating Model-Driven and Data-Driven Techniques for Analyzing Learning Behaviors in Open-Ended Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinnebrew, John S.; Segedy, James R.; Biswas, Gautam

2017-01-01

Research in computer-based learning environments has long recognized the vital role of adaptivity in promoting effective, individualized learning among students. Adaptive scaffolding capabilities are particularly important in open-ended learning environments, which provide students with opportunities for solving authentic and complex problems, and…

Open Learning Environments and the Impact of a Pedagogical Agent

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarebout, Geraldine; Elen, Jan

2006-01-01

Research reveals that in highly structured learning environments pedagogical agents can act as tools to direct students' learning processes by providing content or problem solving guidance. It has not yet been addressed whether pedagogical agents have a similar impact in more open learning environments that aim at fostering students' acquisition…

Enhancing User Support in Open Problem Solving Environments through Bayesian Network Inference Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tselios, Nikolaos; Stoica, Adrian; Maragoudakis, Manolis; Avouris, Nikolaos; Komis, Vassilis

2006-01-01

During the last years, development of open learning environments that support effectively their users has been a challenge for the research community of educational technologies. The open interactive nature of these environments results in users experiencing difficulties in coping with the plethora of available functions, especially during their…

Information Seeking When Problem Solving: Perspectives of Public Health Professionals.

PubMed

Newman, Kristine; Dobbins, Maureen; Yost, Jennifer; Ciliska, Donna

2017-04-01

Given the many different types of professionals working in public health and their diverse roles, it is likely that their information needs, information-seeking behaviors, and problem-solving abilities differ. Although public health professionals often work in interdisciplinary teams, few studies have explored their information needs and behaviors within the context of teamwork. This study explored the relationship between Canadian public health professionals' perceptions of their problem-solving abilities and their information-seeking behaviors with a specific focus on the use of evidence in practice settings. It also explored their perceptions of collaborative information seeking and the work contexts in which they sought information. Key Canadian contacts at public health organizations helped recruit study participants through their list-servs. An electronic survey was used to gather data about (a) individual information-seeking behaviors, (b) collaborative information-seeking behaviors, (c) use of evidence in practice environments, (d) perceived problem-solving abilities, and (e) demographic characteristics. Fifty-eight public health professionals were recruited, with different roles and representing most Canadian provinces and one territory. A significant relationship was found between perceived problem-solving abilities and collaborative information-seeking behavior (r = -.44, p < .00, N = 58), but not individual information seeking. The results suggested that when public health professionals take a shared, active approach to problem solving, maintain personal control, and have confidence, they are more likely collaborate with others in seeking information to complete a work task. Administrators of public health organizations should promote collaboration by implementing effective communication and information-seeking strategies, and by providing information resources and retrieval tools. Public health professionals' perceived problem-solving abilities can influence how they collaborate in seeking information. Educators in public health organizations should tailor training in information searching to promote collaboration through collaborative technology systems. © 2016 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Physics-Aware Informative Coverage Planning for Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

environment and find the optimal path connecting fixed nodes, which is equivalent to solving the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). While TSP is an NP...intended for application to USV harbor patrolling, it is applicable to many different domains. The problem of traveling over an area and gathering...environment. I. INTRODUCTION There are many applications that need persistent monitor- ing of a given area, requiring repeated travel over the area to

Improve Problem Solving Skills through Adapting Programming Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaykhian, Linda H.; Shaykhian, Gholam Ali

2007-01-01

There are numerous ways for engineers and students to become better problem-solvers. The use of command line and visual programming tools can help to model a problem and formulate a solution through visualization. The analysis of problem attributes and constraints provide insight into the scope and complexity of the problem. The visualization aspect of the problem-solving approach tends to make students and engineers more systematic in their thought process and help them catch errors before proceeding too far in the wrong direction. The problem-solver identifies and defines important terms, variables, rules, and procedures required for solving a problem. Every step required to construct the problem solution can be defined in program commands that produce intermediate output. This paper advocates improved problem solving skills through using a programming tool. MatLab created by MathWorks, is an interactive numerical computing environment and programming language. It is a matrix-based system that easily lends itself to matrix manipulation, and plotting of functions and data. MatLab can be used as an interactive command line or a sequence of commands that can be saved in a file as a script or named functions. Prior programming experience is not required to use MatLab commands. The GNU Octave, part of the GNU project, a free computer program for performing numerical computations, is comparable to MatLab. MatLab visual and command programming are presented here.

Inhibitory Control, but Not Prolonged Object-Related Experience Appears to Affect Physical Problem-Solving Performance of Pet Dogs.

PubMed

Müller, Corsin A; Riemer, Stefanie; Virányi, Zsófia; Huber, Ludwig; Range, Friederike

2016-01-01

Human infants develop an understanding of their physical environment through playful interactions with objects. Similar processes may influence also the performance of non-human animals in physical problem-solving tasks, but to date there is little empirical data to evaluate this hypothesis. In addition or alternatively to prior experiences, inhibitory control has been suggested as a factor underlying the considerable individual differences in performance reported for many species. Here we report a study in which we manipulated the extent of object-related experience for a cohort of dogs (Canis familiaris) of the breed Border Collie over a period of 18 months, and assessed their level of inhibitory control, prior to testing them in a series of four physical problem-solving tasks. We found no evidence that differences in object-related experience explain variability in performance in these tasks. It thus appears that dogs do not transfer knowledge about physical rules from one physical problem-solving task to another, but rather approach each task as a novel problem. Our results, however, suggest that individual performance in these tasks is influenced in a complex way by the subject's level of inhibitory control. Depending on the task, inhibitory control had a positive or a negative effect on performance and different aspects of inhibitory control turned out to be the best predictors of individual performance in the different tasks. Therefore, studying the interplay between inhibitory control and problem-solving performance will make an important contribution to our understanding of individual and species differences in physical problem-solving performance.

Inhibitory Control, but Not Prolonged Object-Related Experience Appears to Affect Physical Problem-Solving Performance of Pet Dogs

PubMed Central

Müller, Corsin A.; Riemer, Stefanie; Virányi, Zsófia; Huber, Ludwig; Range, Friederike

2016-01-01

Human infants develop an understanding of their physical environment through playful interactions with objects. Similar processes may influence also the performance of non-human animals in physical problem-solving tasks, but to date there is little empirical data to evaluate this hypothesis. In addition or alternatively to prior experiences, inhibitory control has been suggested as a factor underlying the considerable individual differences in performance reported for many species. Here we report a study in which we manipulated the extent of object-related experience for a cohort of dogs (Canis familiaris) of the breed Border Collie over a period of 18 months, and assessed their level of inhibitory control, prior to testing them in a series of four physical problem-solving tasks. We found no evidence that differences in object-related experience explain variability in performance in these tasks. It thus appears that dogs do not transfer knowledge about physical rules from one physical problem-solving task to another, but rather approach each task as a novel problem. Our results, however, suggest that individual performance in these tasks is influenced in a complex way by the subject’s level of inhibitory control. Depending on the task, inhibitory control had a positive or a negative effect on performance and different aspects of inhibitory control turned out to be the best predictors of individual performance in the different tasks. Therefore, studying the interplay between inhibitory control and problem-solving performance will make an important contribution to our understanding of individual and species differences in physical problem-solving performance. PMID:26863141

Motivational Factors Underlying Problem Solving: Comparing Wolf and Dog Puppies' Explorative and Neophobic Behaviors at 5, 6, and 8 Weeks of Age.

PubMed

Marshall-Pescini, Sarah; Virányi, Zsófia; Kubinyi, Enikő; Range, Friederike

2017-01-01

Background: Wolves have been shown to be better in independent problem-solving tasks than dogs, however it is unclear whether cognitive or motivational factors underlie such differences. In a number of species problem solving has been linked to both persistence in exploration and neophobia, suggesting both these aspects may underlie dog-wolf differences in problem solving. Indeed adult wolves have been shown to be more likely to approach a novel object and more persistent in their investigation of it, but also slower in making contact with it and more fearful of it than dogs. Methods: In the current study we investigated potential differences in equally-raised dogs' and wolves' explorative and neophobic behaviors in a novel environment and with novel objects at 5, 6, and 8 weeks of age. Results: Results showed that wolves were more persistent in exploring both the environment and the objects than dogs, and this was the case at all ages. There were no differences in the frequency of fear-related behaviors and time spent in proximity to humans. Stress-related behaviors were similarly expressed at 5 and 6 weeks, although wolves showed a higher frequency of such behaviors at 8 weeks. Discussion: Overall, results with puppies confirm those with adult animals: wolves appear to be more explorative than dogs. Such motivational differences need to be taken into account when comparing dogs and wolves in cognitive tasks.

Motivational Factors Underlying Problem Solving: Comparing Wolf and Dog Puppies' Explorative and Neophobic Behaviors at 5, 6, and 8 Weeks of Age

PubMed Central

Marshall-Pescini, Sarah; Virányi, Zsófia; Kubinyi, Enikő; Range, Friederike

2017-01-01

Background: Wolves have been shown to be better in independent problem-solving tasks than dogs, however it is unclear whether cognitive or motivational factors underlie such differences. In a number of species problem solving has been linked to both persistence in exploration and neophobia, suggesting both these aspects may underlie dog-wolf differences in problem solving. Indeed adult wolves have been shown to be more likely to approach a novel object and more persistent in their investigation of it, but also slower in making contact with it and more fearful of it than dogs. Methods: In the current study we investigated potential differences in equally-raised dogs' and wolves' explorative and neophobic behaviors in a novel environment and with novel objects at 5, 6, and 8 weeks of age. Results: Results showed that wolves were more persistent in exploring both the environment and the objects than dogs, and this was the case at all ages. There were no differences in the frequency of fear-related behaviors and time spent in proximity to humans. Stress-related behaviors were similarly expressed at 5 and 6 weeks, although wolves showed a higher frequency of such behaviors at 8 weeks. Discussion: Overall, results with puppies confirm those with adult animals: wolves appear to be more explorative than dogs. Such motivational differences need to be taken into account when comparing dogs and wolves in cognitive tasks. PMID:28232814

Controlling uncertainty: a review of human behavior in complex dynamic environments.

PubMed

Osman, Magda

2010-01-01

Complex dynamic control (CDC) tasks are a type of problem-solving environment used for examining many cognitive activities (e.g., attention, control, decision making, hypothesis testing, implicit learning, memory, monitoring, planning, and problem solving). Because of their popularity, there have been many findings from diverse domains of research (economics, engineering, ergonomics, human-computer interaction, management, psychology), but they remain largely disconnected from each other. The objective of this article is to review theoretical developments and empirical work on CDC tasks, and to introduce a novel framework (monitoring and control framework) as a tool for integrating theory and findings. The main thesis of the monitoring and control framework is that CDC tasks are characteristically uncertain environments, and subjective judgments of uncertainty guide the way in which monitoring and control behaviors attempt to reduce it. The article concludes by discussing new insights into continuing debates and future directions for research on CDC tasks.

Uncertain programming models for portfolio selection with uncertain returns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Bo; Peng, Jin; Li, Shengguo

2015-10-01

In an indeterminacy economic environment, experts' knowledge about the returns of securities consists of much uncertainty instead of randomness. This paper discusses portfolio selection problem in uncertain environment in which security returns cannot be well reflected by historical data, but can be evaluated by the experts. In the paper, returns of securities are assumed to be given by uncertain variables. According to various decision criteria, the portfolio selection problem in uncertain environment is formulated as expected-variance-chance model and chance-expected-variance model by using the uncertainty programming. Within the framework of uncertainty theory, for the convenience of solving the models, some crisp equivalents are discussed under different conditions. In addition, a hybrid intelligent algorithm is designed in the paper to provide a general method for solving the new models in general cases. At last, two numerical examples are provided to show the performance and applications of the models and algorithm.

Limbless undulatory propulsion on land.

PubMed

Guo, Z V; Mahadevan, L

2008-03-04

We analyze the lateral undulatory motion of a natural or artificial snake or other slender organism that "swims" on land by propagating retrograde flexural waves. The governing equations for the planar lateral undulation of a thin filament that interacts frictionally with its environment lead to an incomplete system. Closures accounting for the forces generated by the internal muscles and the interaction of the filament with its environment lead to a nonlinear boundary value problem, which we solve using a combination of analytical and numerical methods. We find that the primary determinant of the shape of the organism is its interaction with the external environment, whereas the speed of the organism is determined primarily by the internal muscular forces, consistent with prior qualitative observations. Our model also allows us to pose and solve a variety of optimization problems such as those associated with maximum speed and mechanical efficiency, thus defining the performance envelope of this mode of locomotion.

Deal or No Deal: using games to improve student learning, retention and decision-making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, Alan F.; Woodford, Kelly C.; Maes, Jeanne

2011-03-01

Student understanding and retention can be enhanced and improved by providing alternative learning activities and environments. Education theory recognizes the value of incorporating alternative activities (games, exercises and simulations) to stimulate student interest in the educational environment, enhance transfer of knowledge and improve learned retention with meaningful repetition. In this case study, we investigate using an online version of the television game show, 'Deal or No Deal', to enhance student understanding and retention by playing the game to learn expected value in an introductory statistics course, and to foster development of critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in the modern business environment. Enhancing the thinking process of problem solving using repetitive games should also improve a student's ability to follow non-mathematical problem-solving processes, which should improve the overall ability to process information and make logical decisions. Learning and retention are measured to evaluate the success of the students' performance.

Living in the Environment: A Sourcebook for Environmental Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sytnik, K. M.; And Others

This document presents a survey of ideas concerning environmental issues and educational efforts to improve the quality of life. Chapter one, "Environmental Education for Understanding and Solving Environmental Problems," includes sections on the relationship between cultural heritage and the environment, and methodologies in…

Design and performance frameworks for constructing problem-solving simulations.

PubMed

Stevens, Ron; Palacio-Cayetano, Joycelin

2003-01-01

Rapid advancements in hardware, software, and connectivity are helping to shorten the times needed to develop computer simulations for science education. These advancements, however, have not been accompanied by corresponding theories of how best to design and use these technologies for teaching, learning, and testing. Such design frameworks ideally would be guided less by the strengths/limitations of the presentation media and more by cognitive analyses detailing the goals of the tasks, the needs and abilities of students, and the resulting decision outcomes needed by different audiences. This article describes a problem-solving environment and associated theoretical framework for investigating how students select and use strategies as they solve complex science problems. A framework is first described for designing on-line problem spaces that highlights issues of content, scale, cognitive complexity, and constraints. While this framework was originally designed for medical education, it has proven robust and has been successfully applied to learning environments from elementary school through medical school. Next, a similar framework is detailed for collecting student performance and progress data that can provide evidence of students' strategic thinking and that could potentially be used to accelerate student progress. Finally, experimental validation data are presented that link strategy selection and use with other metrics of scientific reasoning and student achievement.

Design and Performance Frameworks for Constructing Problem-Solving Simulations

PubMed Central

Stevens, Ron; Palacio-Cayetano, Joycelin

2003-01-01

Rapid advancements in hardware, software, and connectivity are helping to shorten the times needed to develop computer simulations for science education. These advancements, however, have not been accompanied by corresponding theories of how best to design and use these technologies for teaching, learning, and testing. Such design frameworks ideally would be guided less by the strengths/limitations of the presentation media and more by cognitive analyses detailing the goals of the tasks, the needs and abilities of students, and the resulting decision outcomes needed by different audiences. This article describes a problem-solving environment and associated theoretical framework for investigating how students select and use strategies as they solve complex science problems. A framework is first described for designing on-line problem spaces that highlights issues of content, scale, cognitive complexity, and constraints. While this framework was originally designed for medical education, it has proven robust and has been successfully applied to learning environments from elementary school through medical school. Next, a similar framework is detailed for collecting student performance and progress data that can provide evidence of students' strategic thinking and that could potentially be used to accelerate student progress. Finally, experimental validation data are presented that link strategy selection and use with other metrics of scientific reasoning and student achievement. PMID:14506505

The impact of information technology and organizational focus on the visibility of patient care errors.

PubMed

Walston, Stephen L; Mwachofi, Ari; Aldosari, Bakheet; Al-Omar, Badran A; Yousef, Asmaa Al; Sheikh, Asiya

2010-01-01

INVESTIGATED: The implementation of information systems and the creation of an open culture, characterized by emphasis on patient safety and problem solving, are 2 means suggested to improve health care quality. This study examines the effects of use of information technology and focus on patient safety and problem solving on the visibility of patient care errors. A survey of nurses in Saudi Arabia is analyzed by means of factor analysis and multiregression analysis to examine nurses' use of information technology and culture in controlling errors. Our research suggests that greater use of information technology to control patient care errors may reduce the prevalence of such errors while an increased focus on patient safety and problem solving facilitates an open environment where errors can be more openly discussed and addressed. The use of technology appears to have a role in decreasing errors. Yet, an organization that focuses on problem solving and patient safety can open lines of communication and create a culture in which errors can be discussed and resolved.

Learning comunication strategies for distributed artificial intelligence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinney, Michael; Tsatsoulis, Costas

1992-08-01

We present a methodology that allows collections of intelligent system to automatically learn communication strategies, so that they can exchange information and coordinate their problem solving activity. In our methodology communication between agents is determined by the agents themselves, which consider the progress of their individual problem solving activities compared to the communication needs of their surrounding agents. Through learning, communication lines between agents might be established or disconnected, communication frequencies modified, and the system can also react to dynamic changes in the environment that might force agents to cease to exist or to be added. We have established dynamic, quantitative measures of the usefulness of a fact, the cost of a fact, the work load of an agent, and the selfishness of an agent (a measure indicating an agent's preference between transmitting information versus performing individual problem solving), and use these values to adapt the communication between intelligent agents. In this paper we present the theoretical foundations of our work together with experimental results and performance statistics of networks of agents involved in cooperative problem solving activities.

A biologically inspired controller to solve the coverage problem in robotics.

PubMed

Rañó, Iñaki; Santos, José A

2017-06-05

The coverage problem consists on computing a path or trajectory for a robot to pass over all the points in some free area and has applications ranging from floor cleaning to demining. Coverage is solved as a planning problem-providing theoretical validation of the solution-or through heuristic techniques which rely on experimental validation. Through a combination of theoretical results and simulations, this paper presents a novel solution to the coverage problem that exploits the chaotic behaviour of a simple biologically inspired motion controller, the Braitenberg vehicle 2b. Although chaos has been used for coverage, our approach has much less restrictive assumptions about the environment and can be implemented using on-board sensors. First, we prove theoretically that this vehicle-a well known model of animal tropotaxis-behaves as a charge in an electro-magnetic field. The motion equations can be reduced to a Hamiltonian system, and, therefore the vehicle follows quasi-periodic or chaotic trajectories, which pass arbitrarily close to any point in the work-space, i.e. it solves the coverage problem. Secondly, through a set of extensive simulations, we show that the trajectories cover regions of bounded workspaces, and full coverage is achieved when the perceptual range of the vehicle is short. We compare the performance of this new approach with different types of random motion controllers in the same bounded environments.

Implementing Advanced Characteristics of X3D Collaborative Virtual Environments for Supporting e-Learning: The Case of EVE Platform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouras, Christos; Triglianos, Vasileios; Tsiatsos, Thrasyvoulos

2014-01-01

Three dimensional Collaborative Virtual Environments are a powerful form of collaborative telecommunication applications, enabling the users to share a common three-dimensional space and interact with each other as well as with the environment surrounding them, in order to collaboratively solve problems or aid learning processes. Such an…

3D Sound Interactive Environments for Blind Children Problem Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Jaime; Saenz, Mauricio

2006-01-01

Audio-based virtual environments have been increasingly used to foster cognitive and learning skills. A number of studies have also highlighted that the use of technology can help learners to develop effective skills such as motivation and self-esteem. This study presents the design and usability of 3D interactive environments for children with…

Mobile code security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramalingam, Srikumar

2001-11-01

A highly secure mobile agent system is very important for a mobile computing environment. The security issues in mobile agent system comprise protecting mobile hosts from malicious agents, protecting agents from other malicious agents, protecting hosts from other malicious hosts and protecting agents from malicious hosts. Using traditional security mechanisms the first three security problems can be solved. Apart from using trusted hardware, very few approaches exist to protect mobile code from malicious hosts. Some of the approaches to solve this problem are the use of trusted computing, computing with encrypted function, steganography, cryptographic traces, Seal Calculas, etc. This paper focuses on the simulation of some of these existing techniques in the designed mobile language. Some new approaches to solve malicious network problem and agent tampering problem are developed using public key encryption system and steganographic concepts. The approaches are based on encrypting and hiding the partial solutions of the mobile agents. The partial results are stored and the address of the storage is destroyed as the agent moves from one host to another host. This allows only the originator to make use of the partial results. Through these approaches some of the existing problems are solved.

Beyond rules: The next generation of expert systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Jay C.; Wagner, Robert E.

1987-01-01

The PARAGON Representation, Management, and Manipulation system is introduced. The concepts of knowledge representation, knowledge management, and knowledge manipulation are combined in a comprehensive system for solving real world problems requiring high levels of expertise in a real time environment. In most applications the complexity of the problem and the representation used to describe the domain knowledge tend to obscure the information from which solutions are derived. This inhibits the acquisition of domain knowledge verification/validation, places severe constraints on the ability to extend and maintain a knowledge base while making generic problem solving strategies difficult to develop. A unique hybrid system was developed to overcome these traditional limitations.

A Software Laboratory Environment for Computer-Based Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurtz, Barry L.; O'Neal, Micheal B.

This paper describes a National Science Foundation-sponsored project at Louisiana Technological University to develop computer-based laboratories for "hands-on" introductions to major topics of computer science. The underlying strategy is to develop structured laboratory environments that present abstract concepts through the use of…

Mexico’s Drug War and Its Unintended Regional Consequences

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

multiple approaches are designed to solve the problem.9 Analysis of the current strategic environment, relying on the environmental assessment model...current environmental assessment, this paper will provide a brief description of a more desired environment and also a problem statement that depicts...the 1980s the U.S. focused its counter drug efforts in Peru and Bolivia, then the world’s leaders in coca leaf supply. In the meantime, Colombian

An implementation and analysis of the Abstract Syntax Notation One and the basic encoding rules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harvey, James D.; Weaver, Alfred C.

1990-01-01

The details of abstract syntax notation one standard (ASN.1) and the basic encoding rules standard (BER) that collectively solve the problem of data transfer across incompatible host environments are presented, and a compiler that was built to automate their use is described. Experiences with this compiler are also discussed which provide a quantitative analysis of the performance costs associated with the application of these standards. An evaluation is offered as to how well suited ASN.1 and BER are in solving the common data representation problem.

A generalized Poisson and Poisson-Boltzmann solver for electrostatic environments.

PubMed

Fisicaro, G; Genovese, L; Andreussi, O; Marzari, N; Goedecker, S

2016-01-07

The computational study of chemical reactions in complex, wet environments is critical for applications in many fields. It is often essential to study chemical reactions in the presence of applied electrochemical potentials, taking into account the non-trivial electrostatic screening coming from the solvent and the electrolytes. As a consequence, the electrostatic potential has to be found by solving the generalized Poisson and the Poisson-Boltzmann equations for neutral and ionic solutions, respectively. In the present work, solvers for both problems have been developed. A preconditioned conjugate gradient method has been implemented for the solution of the generalized Poisson equation and the linear regime of the Poisson-Boltzmann, allowing to solve iteratively the minimization problem with some ten iterations of the ordinary Poisson equation solver. In addition, a self-consistent procedure enables us to solve the non-linear Poisson-Boltzmann problem. Both solvers exhibit very high accuracy and parallel efficiency and allow for the treatment of periodic, free, and slab boundary conditions. The solver has been integrated into the BigDFT and Quantum-ESPRESSO electronic-structure packages and will be released as an independent program, suitable for integration in other codes.

A generalized Poisson and Poisson-Boltzmann solver for electrostatic environments

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

Fisicaro, G., E-mail: giuseppe.fisicaro@unibas.ch; Goedecker, S.; Genovese, L.

2016-01-07

The computational study of chemical reactions in complex, wet environments is critical for applications in many fields. It is often essential to study chemical reactions in the presence of applied electrochemical potentials, taking into account the non-trivial electrostatic screening coming from the solvent and the electrolytes. As a consequence, the electrostatic potential has to be found by solving the generalized Poisson and the Poisson-Boltzmann equations for neutral and ionic solutions, respectively. In the present work, solvers for both problems have been developed. A preconditioned conjugate gradient method has been implemented for the solution of the generalized Poisson equation and themore » linear regime of the Poisson-Boltzmann, allowing to solve iteratively the minimization problem with some ten iterations of the ordinary Poisson equation solver. In addition, a self-consistent procedure enables us to solve the non-linear Poisson-Boltzmann problem. Both solvers exhibit very high accuracy and parallel efficiency and allow for the treatment of periodic, free, and slab boundary conditions. The solver has been integrated into the BigDFT and Quantum-ESPRESSO electronic-structure packages and will be released as an independent program, suitable for integration in other codes.« less

Cognitive development in introductory physics: A research-based approach to curriculum reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teodorescu, Raluca Elena

This project describes the research on a classification of physics problems in the context of introductory physics courses. This classification, called the Taxonomy of Introductory Physics Problems (TIPP), relates physics problems to the cognitive processes required to solve them. TIPP was created for designing and clarifying educational objectives, for developing assessments that can evaluate individual component processes of the problem-solving process, and for guiding curriculum design in introductory physics courses, specifically within the context of a "thinking-skills" curriculum. TIPP relies on the following resources: (1) cognitive research findings adopted by physics education research, (2) expert-novice research discoveries acknowledged by physics education research, (3) an educational psychology taxonomy for educational objectives, and (4) various collections of physics problems created by physics education researchers or developed by textbook authors. TIPP was used in the years 2006--2008 to reform the first semester of the introductory algebra-based physics course (called Phys 11) at The George Washington University. The reform sought to transform our curriculum into a "thinking-skills" curriculum that trades "breadth for depth" by focusing on fewer topics while targeting the students' cognitive development. We employed existing research on the physics problem-solving expert-novice behavior, cognitive science and behavioral science findings, and educational psychology recommendations. Our pedagogy relies on didactic constructs such as the GW-ACCESS problem-solving protocol, learning progressions and concept maps that we have developed and implemented in our introductory physics course. These tools were designed based on TIPP. Their purpose is: (1) to help students build local and global coherent knowledge structures, (2) to develop more context-independent problem-solving abilities, (3) to gain confidence in problem solving, and (4) to establish connections between everyday phenomena and underlying physics concepts. We organize traditional and research-based physics problems such that students experience a gradual increase in complexity related to problem context, problem features and cognitive processes needed to solve the problem. The instructional environment that we designed allows for explicit monitoring, control and measurement of the cognitive processes exercised during the instruction period. It is easily adaptable to any kind of curriculum and can be readily adjusted throughout the semester. To assess the development of students' problem-solving abilities, we created rubrics that measure specific aspects of the thinking involved in physics problem solving. The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) was administered pre- and post-instruction to determine students' shift in dispositions towards learning physics. The Force Concept Inventory (FCI) was administered pre- and post-instruction to determine students' level of conceptual understanding. The results feature improvements in students' problem-solving abilities and in their attitudes towards learning physics.

Software life cycle methodologies and environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fridge, Ernest

1991-01-01

Products of this project will significantly improve the quality and productivity of Space Station Freedom Program software processes by: improving software reliability and safety; and broadening the range of problems that can be solved with computational solutions. Projects brings in Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) technology for: Environments such as Engineering Script Language/Parts Composition System (ESL/PCS) application generator, Intelligent User Interface for cost avoidance in setting up operational computer runs, Framework programmable platform for defining process and software development work flow control, Process for bringing CASE technology into an organization's culture, and CLIPS/CLIPS Ada language for developing expert systems; and methodologies such as Method for developing fault tolerant, distributed systems and a method for developing systems for common sense reasoning and for solving expert systems problems when only approximate truths are known.

Performance evaluation of different types of particle representation procedures of Particle Swarm Optimization in Job-shop Scheduling Problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izah Anuar, Nurul; Saptari, Adi

2016-02-01

This paper addresses the types of particle representation (encoding) procedures in a population-based stochastic optimization technique in solving scheduling problems known in the job-shop manufacturing environment. It intends to evaluate and compare the performance of different particle representation procedures in Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) in the case of solving Job-shop Scheduling Problems (JSP). Particle representation procedures refer to the mapping between the particle position in PSO and the scheduling solution in JSP. It is an important step to be carried out so that each particle in PSO can represent a schedule in JSP. Three procedures such as Operation and Particle Position Sequence (OPPS), random keys representation and random-key encoding scheme are used in this study. These procedures have been tested on FT06 and FT10 benchmark problems available in the OR-Library, where the objective function is to minimize the makespan by the use of MATLAB software. Based on the experimental results, it is discovered that OPPS gives the best performance in solving both benchmark problems. The contribution of this paper is the fact that it demonstrates to the practitioners involved in complex scheduling problems that different particle representation procedures can have significant effects on the performance of PSO in solving JSP.

Using Immersive Virtual Reality for Electrical Substation Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanaka, Eduardo H.; Paludo, Juliana A.; Cordeiro, Carlúcio S.; Domingues, Leonardo R.; Gadbem, Edgar V.; Euflausino, Adriana

2015-01-01

Usually, distribution electricians are called upon to solve technical problems found in electrical substations. In this project, we apply problem-based learning to a training program for electricians, with the help of a virtual reality environment that simulates a real substation. Using this virtual substation, users may safely practice maneuvers…

Tertiary EE Student Projects: What the Academics Learnt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meehan, Barry; Thomas, Ian

2006-01-01

Problem solving and teamwork abilities are important skills for graduates entering the environment profession. Through a problem based learning approach small groups of students from the environmental courses at RMIT University have been gaining these professional skills by undertaking projects in Vietnam. With three years experience in running…

Rational Approximations to Rational Models: Alternative Algorithms for Category Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanborn, Adam N.; Griffiths, Thomas L.; Navarro, Daniel J.

2010-01-01

Rational models of cognition typically consider the abstract computational problems posed by the environment, assuming that people are capable of optimally solving those problems. This differs from more traditional formal models of cognition, which focus on the psychological processes responsible for behavior. A basic challenge for rational models…

Leadership, Followership, and Evolution: Some Lessons from the Past

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Vugt, Mark; Hogan, Robert; Kaiser, Robert B.

2008-01-01

This article analyzes the topic of leadership from an evolutionary perspective and proposes three conclusions that are not part of mainstream theory. First, leading and following are strategies that evolved for solving social coordination problems in ancestral environments, including in particular the problems of group movement, intragroup…

Using Approximate Dynamic Programming to Solve the Stochastic Demand Military Inventory Routing Problem with Direct Delivery

DTIC Science & Technology

due to the dangers of utilizing convoy operations. However, enemy actions, austere conditions, and inclement weather pose a significant risk to a...squares temporal differencing for policy evaluation. We construct a representative problem instance based on an austere combat environment in order to

Adaptive Memory: Ancestral Priorities and the Mnemonic Value of Survival Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nairne, James S.; Pandeirada, Josefa N. S.

2010-01-01

Evolutionary psychologists often propose that humans carry around "stone-age" brains, along with a toolkit of cognitive adaptations designed originally to solve hunter-gatherer problems. This perspective predicts that optimal cognitive performance might sometimes be induced by ancestrally-based problems, those present in ancestral environments,…

A Phenomena-Oriented Environment for Teaching Process Modeling: Novel Modeling Software and Its Use in Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foss, Alan S.; Geurts, Kevin R.; Goodeve, Peter J.; Dahm, Kevin D.; Stephanopoulos, George; Bieszczad, Jerry; Koulouris, Alexandros

1999-01-01

Discusses a program that offers students a phenomenon-oriented environment expressed in the fundamental concepts and language of chemical engineering such as mass and energy balancing, phase equilibria, reaction stoichiometry and rate, modes of heat, and species transport. (CCM)

Collaborative Accounting Problem Solving via Group Support Systems in a Face-to-Face versus Distant Learning Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Jacqueline A.

2001-01-01

Accounting students (n=128) used either face-to-face or distant Group support systems to complete collaborative tasks. Participation and social presence perceptions were significantly higher face to face. Task difficulty did not affect participation in either environment. (Contains 54 references.) (JOW)

Instructional Design Issues in a Distributed Collaborative Engineering Design (CED) Instructional Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koszalka, Tiffany A.; Wu, Yiyan

2010-01-01

Changes in engineering practices have spawned changes in engineering education and prompted the use of distributed learning environments. A distributed collaborative engineering design (CED) course was designed to engage engineering students in learning about and solving engineering design problems. The CED incorporated an advanced interactive…

The Effects of Segmentation and Personalization on Superficial and Comprehensive Strategy Instruction in Multimedia Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doolittle, Peter

2010-01-01

Short, cause-and-effect instructional multimedia tutorials that provide learner control of instructional pace (segmentation) and verbal representations of content in a conversational tone (personalization) have been demonstrated to benefit problem solving transfer. How might a more comprehensive multimedia instructional environment focused on…

Estimating the Local Size and Coverage of Interaction Network Regions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eagle, Michael; Barnes, Tiffany

2015-01-01

Interactive problem solving environments, such as intelligent tutoring systems and educational video games, produce large amounts of transactional data which make it a challenge for both researchers and educators to understand how students work within the environment. Researchers have modeled the student-tutor interactions using complex network…

Semantic Annotation of Ubiquitous Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weal, M. J.; Michaelides, D. T.; Page, K.; De Roure, D. C.; Monger, E.; Gobbi, M.

2012-01-01

Skills-based learning environments are used to promote the acquisition of practical skills as well as decision making, communication, and problem solving. It is important to provide feedback to the students from these sessions and observations of their actions may inform the assessment process and help researchers to better understand the learning…

Social Knowledge Awareness Map for Computer Supported Ubiquitous Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Bishouty, Moushir M.; Ogata, Hiroaki; Rahman, Samia; Yano, Yoneo

2010-01-01

Social networks are helpful for people to solve problems by providing useful information. Therefore, the importance of mobile social software for learning has been supported by many researches. In this research, a model of personalized collaborative ubiquitous learning environment is designed and implemented in order to support learners doing…

PGDnet: A New Problem-Solving Virtual Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gomez, Emilio; Rodriguez-Marciel, Cristina

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to provide information about the virtual learning environment known as PGDnet (the Spanish acronym for "Plataforma de Gestion Docente" or Educational Management Platform in English), which was developed by the innovative education group at the Technical University of Madrid known as "Nuevas metodologias…

United Nations Environment Programme. Annual Review 1981.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi (Kenya).

This edition of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) annual report is structured in three parts. Part 1 focuses on three contemporary problems (ground water, toxic chemicals and human food chains and environmental economics) and attempts to solve them. Also included is a modified extract of "The Annual State of the Environment…

Early Childhood Environmental Education in Tropical and Coastal Areas: A Meta-Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawitri, D. R.

2017-02-01

Early childhood years are the period of the greatest and most significant developments in ones’ life, and are generally regarded as the basis upon which the rest of their life is constructed. However, these early years are those that traditionally have received the least attention from environmental education. This paper was aimed to summarize several day-to-day activities that can be conducted to educate children in their early years about environment. Environmental education is an educational process that deals with the human interrelationships with the environment, and that uses an interdisciplinary problem solving approach with value clarification. Environmental education is aimed at producing a community that is knowledgeable about the biophysical environment and its associated problems, aware of how to solve these problems, and enthusiastic to work toward their solution. It highlights the progress of knowledge, understanding, attitudes, skills, and commitment for environmental problems and considerations. Further, environmental education can help children expand their ecological worldview, promote active care to the environment, and explain the relationship between modern life style and current environmental problems. Several types of environmental education have been identified from the literature, such as outdoor activities in natural outdoor setting, school gardening, play-based learning, and drawing activities. Each of these activities has its own characteristics and effects on children’s environmental-related attitudes and behaviors. Through these activities, the unique characteristics of tropical and coastal areas can potentially be used to facilitate children to learn about nature and environment. Recommendations for childhood education practitioners and future researchers are discussed.

Knowledge acquisition for case-based reasoning systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riesbeck, Christopher K.

1988-01-01

Case-based reasoning (CBR) is a simple idea: solve new problems by adapting old solutions to similar problems. The CBR approach offers several potential advantages over rule-based reasoning: rules are not combined blindly in a search for solutions, solutions can be explained in terms of concrete examples, and performance can improve automatically as new problems are solved and added to the case library. Moving CBR for the university research environment to the real world requires smooth interfaces for getting knowledge from experts. Described are the basic elements of an interface for acquiring three basic bodies of knowledge that any case-based reasoner requires: the case library of problems and their solutions, the analysis rules that flesh out input problem specifications so that relevant cases can be retrieved, and the adaptation rules that adjust old solutions to fit new problems.

Building a Career Mathematics File: Challenging Students to Find the Importance of Mathematics in a Variety of Occupations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keleher, Lori A.

2006-01-01

The Career Mathematics file is an occupational problem-solving system, which includes a wide range of mathematical problems and solutions, collected from various resources and helps students establish connections between mathematics and their environment. The study shows that the problems given can be used as realistic examples to study and…

A Drawing and Multi-Representational Computer Environment for Beginners' Learning of Programming Using C: Design and Pilot Formative Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kordaki, Maria

2010-01-01

This paper presents both the design and the pilot formative evaluation study of a computer-based problem-solving environment (named LECGO: Learning Environment for programming using C using Geometrical Objects) for the learning of computer programming using C by beginners. In its design, constructivist and social learning theories were taken into…

Grand challenges for biological engineering

PubMed Central

Yoon, Jeong-Yeol; Riley, Mark R

2009-01-01

Biological engineering will play a significant role in solving many of the world's problems in medicine, agriculture, and the environment. Recently the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE) released a document "Grand Challenges in Engineering," covering broad realms of human concern from sustainability, health, vulnerability and the joy of living. Biological engineers, having tools and techniques at the interface between living and non-living entities, will play a prominent role in forging a better future. The 2010 Institute of Biological Engineering (IBE) conference in Cambridge, MA, USA will address, in part, the roles of biological engineering in solving the challenges presented by the NAE. This letter presents a brief outline of how biological engineers are working to solve these large scale and integrated problems of our society. PMID:19772647

Student Engagement in a Structured Problem-Based Approach to Learning: A First-Year Electronic Engineering Study Module on Heat Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montero, E.; Gonzalez, M. J.

2009-01-01

Problem-based learning has been at the core of significant developments in engineering education in recent years. This term refers to any learning environment in which the problem drives the learning, because it is posed in such a way that students realize they need to acquire new knowledge before the problem can be solved. This paper presents the…

Amoeba-inspired nanoarchitectonic computing implemented using electrical Brownian ratchets.

PubMed

Aono, M; Kasai, S; Kim, S-J; Wakabayashi, M; Miwa, H; Naruse, M

2015-06-12

In this study, we extracted the essential spatiotemporal dynamics that allow an amoeboid organism to solve a computationally demanding problem and adapt to its environment, thereby proposing a nature-inspired nanoarchitectonic computing system, which we implemented using a network of nanowire devices called 'electrical Brownian ratchets (EBRs)'. By utilizing the fluctuations generated from thermal energy in nanowire devices, we used our system to solve the satisfiability problem, which is a highly complex combinatorial problem related to a wide variety of practical applications. We evaluated the dependency of the solution search speed on its exploration parameter, which characterizes the fluctuation intensity of EBRs, using a simulation model of our system called 'AmoebaSAT-Brownian'. We found that AmoebaSAT-Brownian enhanced the solution searching speed dramatically when we imposed some constraints on the fluctuations in its time series and it outperformed a well-known stochastic local search method. These results suggest a new computing paradigm, which may allow high-speed problem solving to be implemented by interacting nanoscale devices with low power consumption.

CABINS: Case-based interactive scheduler

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyashita, Kazuo; Sycara, Katia

1992-01-01

In this paper we discuss the need for interactive factory schedule repair and improvement, and we identify case-based reasoning (CBR) as an appropriate methodology. Case-based reasoning is the problem solving paradigm that relies on a memory for past problem solving experiences (cases) to guide current problem solving. Cases similar to the current case are retrieved from the case memory, and similarities and differences of the current case to past cases are identified. Then a best case is selected, and its repair plan is adapted to fit the current problem description. If a repair solution fails, an explanation for the failure is stored along with the case in memory, so that the user can avoid repeating similar failures in the future. So far we have identified a number of repair strategies and tactics for factory scheduling and have implemented a part of our approach in a prototype system, called CABINS. As a future work, we are going to scale up CABINS to evaluate its usefulness in a real manufacturing environment.

Interactive Problem Solving Tutorials Through Visual Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Undreiu, Lucian; Schuster, David; Undreiu, Adriana

2008-10-01

We have used LabVIEW visual programming to build an interactive tutorial to promote conceptual understanding in physics problem solving. This programming environment is able to offer a web-accessible problem solving experience that enables students to work at their own pace and receive feedback. Intuitive graphical symbols, modular structures and the ability to create templates are just a few of the advantages this software has to offer. The architecture of an application can be designed in a way that allows instructors with little knowledge of LabVIEW to easily personalize it. Both the physics solution and the interactive pedagogy can be visually programmed in LabVIEW. Our physics pedagogy approach is that of cognitive apprenticeship, in that the tutorial guides students to develop conceptual understanding and physical insight into phenomena, rather than purely formula-based solutions. We demonstrate how this model is reflected in the design and programming of the interactive tutorials.

Engineering Antifragile Systems: A Change In Design Philosophy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Kennie H.

2014-01-01

While technology has made astounding advances in the last century, problems are confronting the engineering community that must be solved. Cost and schedule of producing large systems are increasing at an unsustainable rate and these systems often do not perform as intended. New systems are required that may not be achieved by current methods. To solve these problems, NASA is working to infuse concepts from Complexity Science into the engineering process. Some of these problems may be solved by a change in design philosophy. Instead of designing systems to meet known requirements that will always lead to fragile systems at some degree, systems should be designed wherever possible to be antifragile: designing cognitive cyberphysical systems that can learn from their experience, adapt to unforeseen events they face in their environment, and grow stronger in the face of adversity. Several examples are presented of on ongoing research efforts to employ this philosophy.

Effects of traumatic brain injury on a virtual reality social problem solving task and relations to cortical thickness in adolescence.

PubMed

Hanten, Gerri; Cook, Lori; Orsten, Kimberley; Chapman, Sandra B; Li, Xiaoqi; Wilde, Elisabeth A; Schnelle, Kathleen P; Levin, Harvey S

2011-02-01

Social problem solving was assessed in 28 youth ages 12-19 years (15 with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), 13 uninjured) using a naturalistic, computerized virtual reality (VR) version of the Interpersonal Negotiations Strategy interview (Yeates, Schultz, & Selman, 1991). In each scenario, processing load condition was varied in terms of number of characters and amount of information. Adolescents viewed animated scenarios depicting social conflict in a virtual microworld environment from an avatar's viewpoint, and were questioned on four problem solving steps: defining the problem, generating solutions, selecting solutions, and evaluating the likely outcome. Scoring was based on a developmental scale in which responses were judged as impulsive, unilateral, reciprocal, or collaborative, in order of increasing score. Adolescents with TBI were significantly impaired on the summary VR-Social Problem Solving (VR-SPS) score in Condition A (2 speakers, no irrelevant information), p=0.005; in Condition B (2 speakers+irrelevant information), p=0.035; and Condition C (4 speakers+irrelevant information), p=0.008. Effect sizes (Cohen's D) were large (A=1.40, B=0.96, C=1.23). Significant group differences were strongest and most consistent for defining the problems and evaluating outcomes. The relation of task performance to cortical thickness of specific brain regions was also explored, with significant relations found with orbitofrontal regions, the frontal pole, the cuneus, and the temporal pole. Results are discussed in the context of specific cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying social problem solving deficits after childhood TBI. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury on a Virtual Reality Social Problem Solving Task and Relations to Cortical Thickness in Adolescence

PubMed Central

Hanten, Gerri; Cook, Lori; Orsten, Kimberley; Chapman, Sandra B.; Li, Xiaoqi; Wilde, Elisabeth A.; Schnelle, Kathleen P.; Levin, Harvey S.

2011-01-01

Social problem solving was assessed in 28 youth ages 12–19 years (15 with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), 13 uninjured) using a naturalistic, computerized virtual reality (VR) version of the Interpersonal Negotiations Strategy interview (Yeates, Schultz, & Selman, 1991). In each scenario, processing load condition was varied in terms of number of characters and amount of information. Adolescents viewed animated scenarios depicting social conflict in a virtual microworld environment from an avatar’s viewpoint, and were questioned on four problem solving steps: defining the problem, generating solutions, selecting solutions, and evaluating the likely outcome. Scoring was based on a developmental scale in which responses were judged as impulsive, unilateral, reciprocal, or collaborative, in order of increasing score. Adolescents with TBI were significantly impaired on the summary VR-Social Problem Solving (VR-SPS) score in Condition A (2 speakers, no irrelevant information), p = 0.005; in Condition B (2 speakers + irrelevant information), p = 0.035; and Condition C (4 speakers + irrelevant information), p = 0.008. Effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were large (A = 1.40, B = 0.96, C = 1.23). Significant group differences were strongest and most consistent for defining the problems and evaluating outcomes. The relation of task performance to cortical thickness of specific brain regions was also explored, with significant relations found with orbitofrontal regions, the frontal pole, the cuneus, and the temporal pole. Results are discussed in the context of specific cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying social problem solving deficits after childhood TBI. PMID:21147137

Beyond Muddling: Creativity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cates, Camille

1979-01-01

Argues that incrementalism's weakness is that it is another rational approach to problem solving when what is needed is a nonrational approach--creativity. Offers guidelines for improving creativity in oneself and in the work environment. (IRT)

Impact on Learning Awards, 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Planning & Management, 2001

2001-01-01

Recognizes 14 architectural firms for their innovative designs, which helped solve real-world problems in K-12 school facilities. Designs for retrofits, safety and security, and specialized learning environments are profiled and critiqued. (GR)

The “Cocktail Party Problem”: What Is It? How Can It Be Solved? And Why Should Animal Behaviorists Study It?

PubMed Central

Bee, Mark A.; Micheyl, Christophe

2009-01-01

Animals often use acoustic signals to communicate in groups or social aggregations in which multiple individuals signal within a receiver's hearing range. Consequently, receivers face challenges related to acoustic interference and auditory masking that are not unlike the human “cocktail party problem,” which refers to the problem of perceiving speech in noisy social settings. Understanding the sensory solutions to the cocktail party problem has been a goal of research on human hearing and speech communication for several decades. Despite a general interest in acoustic signaling in groups, animal behaviorists have devoted comparatively less attention toward understanding how animals solve problems equivalent to the human cocktail party problem. After illustrating how humans and non-human animals experience and overcome similar perceptual challenges in cocktail-party-like social environments, this article reviews previous psychophysical and physiological studies of humans and non-human animals to describe how the cocktail party problem can be solved. This review also outlines several basic and applied benefits that could result from studies of the cocktail party problem in the context of animal acoustic communication. PMID:18729652

Technology--an actor in the ICU: a study in workplace research tradition.

PubMed

Wikström, Ann-Charlott; Larsson, Ullabeth Sätterlund

2004-07-01

The present study focuses on human-machine interaction in an intensive care unit in the West of Sweden. The aim of the present study was to explore how technology intervenes and challenges the ICU staff's knowing in practice. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE: The study's theoretical starting point draws on workplace research tradition. Workplace studies encompass the interaction between the actors' situated activities and the technological tools that make their activities possible. Fieldwork or in situ studies of everyday practice in an intensive care unit documented in written field notes constituted the data. The findings show first how technology intervenes in the division of labour when the taken-for-granted "old" everyday practice is disrupted when a new machine intervenes in the morning's work; secondly, it reveal how technology challenges practical knowing and thirdly, it shows how technology reformulates practice. Staff members' awareness of routine problems is often connected to the ability to see, which is always related to cultural/contextual competence. It is concluded that it is not talk alone that helps the caregivers to "(dis)solve" the problems. The ability to see the problems, the work environment and to find the relevant supporting tools for "(dis)solving" the routine problems is also crucial. But it is not possible to say that it is the skillful work of humans that solve problems, nor do we claim it is the tools that do so. Humans and tools are interwoven in the problem-solving process. Relevance to clinical practice. Routine problems in the intensive care unit are not "(dis)solved" through the cognitive work of individual staff members alone. Problems are also "(dis)solved" jointly with other staff members. Staff members "borrow" the knowing from each other and problems are re-represented through communication. The knowing has to be distributed among the intensive care unit staff to make the everyday work flexible.

Trusted computing strengthens cloud authentication.

PubMed

Ghazizadeh, Eghbal; Zamani, Mazdak; Ab Manan, Jamalul-lail; Alizadeh, Mojtaba

2014-01-01

Cloud computing is a new generation of technology which is designed to provide the commercial necessities, solve the IT management issues, and run the appropriate applications. Another entry on the list of cloud functions which has been handled internally is Identity Access Management (IAM). Companies encounter IAM as security challenges while adopting more technologies became apparent. Trust Multi-tenancy and trusted computing based on a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) are great technologies for solving the trust and security concerns in the cloud identity environment. Single sign-on (SSO) and OpenID have been released to solve security and privacy problems for cloud identity. This paper proposes the use of trusted computing, Federated Identity Management, and OpenID Web SSO to solve identity theft in the cloud. Besides, this proposed model has been simulated in .Net environment. Security analyzing, simulation, and BLP confidential model are three ways to evaluate and analyze our proposed model.

Trusted Computing Strengthens Cloud Authentication

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Cloud computing is a new generation of technology which is designed to provide the commercial necessities, solve the IT management issues, and run the appropriate applications. Another entry on the list of cloud functions which has been handled internally is Identity Access Management (IAM). Companies encounter IAM as security challenges while adopting more technologies became apparent. Trust Multi-tenancy and trusted computing based on a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) are great technologies for solving the trust and security concerns in the cloud identity environment. Single sign-on (SSO) and OpenID have been released to solve security and privacy problems for cloud identity. This paper proposes the use of trusted computing, Federated Identity Management, and OpenID Web SSO to solve identity theft in the cloud. Besides, this proposed model has been simulated in .Net environment. Security analyzing, simulation, and BLP confidential model are three ways to evaluate and analyze our proposed model. PMID:24701149

A Genetic Algorithm for the Bi-Level Topological Design of Local Area Networks

PubMed Central

Camacho-Vallejo, José-Fernando; Mar-Ortiz, Julio; López-Ramos, Francisco; Rodríguez, Ricardo Pedraza

2015-01-01

Local access networks (LAN) are commonly used as communication infrastructures which meet the demand of a set of users in the local environment. Usually these networks consist of several LAN segments connected by bridges. The topological LAN design bi-level problem consists on assigning users to clusters and the union of clusters by bridges in order to obtain a minimum response time network with minimum connection cost. Therefore, the decision of optimally assigning users to clusters will be made by the leader and the follower will make the decision of connecting all the clusters while forming a spanning tree. In this paper, we propose a genetic algorithm for solving the bi-level topological design of a Local Access Network. Our solution method considers the Stackelberg equilibrium to solve the bi-level problem. The Stackelberg-Genetic algorithm procedure deals with the fact that the follower’s problem cannot be optimally solved in a straightforward manner. The computational results obtained from two different sets of instances show that the performance of the developed algorithm is efficient and that it is more suitable for solving the bi-level problem than a previous Nash-Genetic approach. PMID:26102502

The Use of Comics-Based Cases in Anchored Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kneller, Matthew F.

2009-01-01

The primary purpose of this research was to understand how comics fulfill the role of anchor in an anchored instruction learning environment. Anchored instruction addresses the inert knowledge problem through the use of realistic multimedia stories, or "anchors," that embed a problem and the necessary data to solve it within the narrative. In the…

Technologies for Literacy: Using Technologies in a Problem Solving Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chwee Beng

2014-01-01

As technologies have become an integral part of our lives, the way we read and understand text has changed drastically. In this paper, we discuss how various technologies support learners' reading and writing skills within the context of meaningful learning. Next, using elaborated cases, we argue that situating learners in problem solving…

An Evolving Approach to Learning Problem Solving and Program Development: The Distributed Learning Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deek, Fadi; Espinosa, Idania

2005-01-01

Traditionally, novice programmers have had difficulties in three distinct areas: breaking down a given problem, designing a workable solution, and debugging the resulting program. Many programming environments, software applications, and teaching tools have been developed to address the difficulties faced by these novices. Along with advancements…

The Effect of Shift-Problem Lessons in the Mathematics Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palha, Sonia; Dekker, Rijkje; Gravemeijer, Koeno

2015-01-01

It remains difficult to foster problem-solving and mathematical-reasoning capabilities in classrooms where students and teachers are accustomed to the more traditional forms of education. Several studies suggest that this difficulty might be related to the kind of knowledge students acquire in such environments, which could be fragmented and…

Environmental Activities, Junior High School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, William C.; Larson, Robert J.

This guide, for use at the junior high level, is aimed at helping our youth become more knowledgeable concerning the environment and associated problems, thus making them aware of how to solve these problems and motivating them to work toward their solution. Among the subjects discussed are art in nature, erosion, body pollution, water pollution,…

Design, Test, Redesign: Simulation in Technology, Engineering, and Design Education Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swinson, Ronnie; Clark, Aaron C.; Ernst, Jeremy V.; Sutton, Kevin

2016-01-01

Today's engineers, designers, and technologists are often thrust into the role of problem solver, from the initial design phase of a product or process all the way to final development. Many engineers in manufacturing environments are tasked with solving problems and continuously improving processes to enhance company profitability, efficiency,…

A Development of Environmental Education Teaching Process by Using Ethics Infusion for Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wongchantra, Prayoon; Boujai, Pairoj; Sata, Winyoo; Nuangchalerm, Prasart

2008-01-01

Environmental problems were made by human beings because they lack environmental ethics. The sustainable solving of environmental problems must rely on a teaching process using an environmental ethics infusion method. The purposes of this research were to study knowledge of environment and environmental ethics through an environmental education…

An Adaptive Display to Treat Stress-Related Disorders: EMMA's World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banos, R. M.; Botella, C.; Guillen, V.; Garcia-Palacios, A.; Quero, S.; Breton-Lopez, J.; Alcaniz, M.

2009-01-01

Most of the virtual environments currently available in the field of psychological treatments were designed to solve a specific problem. Our research group has developed a versatile virtual reality system (an adaptive display) called "EMMA's world", which can address a wide range of problems. It was designed to assist in clinical situations where…

PBL-SEE: An Authentic Assessment Model for PBL-Based Software Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

dos Santos, Simone C.

2017-01-01

The problem-based learning (PBL) approach has been successfully applied to teaching software engineering thanks to its principles of group work, learning by solving real problems, and learning environments that match the market realities. However, the lack of well-defined methodologies and processes for implementing the PBL approach represents a…

On the importance of the Cerulean and Golden-winged Warblers summits in the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia in Bogotá

Treesearch

Paul B. Hamel

2008-01-01

Cerulean Warbler is a bird with problems; this migratorybird lives in environments on which large numbersof people depend for an adequate productivelivelihood, energy, high quality wood products, coffee,and cacao. Solving the biological problems of thisspecies in its complex...

A Classification Metric for Computer Procedures in a Structured Educational Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linton, M. J.; And Others

Use of a computer programming language in problem-solving activities provides an opportunity to examine how young children use a restricted set of language primitives. The generation, and execution of computer instructions was used as a verification stage in the problem-solution process. The metric is intended to provide a descriptive…

Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments to Solve Performance Problems: A Case of a Korean Company

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Min Kyu

2010-01-01

This is a case describing how technology enhanced learning environments can be used to improve employees' competence development. For this purpose, specific problematic situations in a Korean insurance company are portrayed. These situations demonstrate that everyday life in a workplace provides opportunities for learning and performance…

Exploring Students' Use of Explanatory Help during Math Problem Solving in Interactive Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Xudong

2016-01-01

Help-seeking is a crucial behavior during learning in interactive learning environments (ILEs). Appropriate help-seeking promotes learning, while inappropriate help-seeking prohibits learning. However, many students are unaware of effective help-seeking behaviors. Therefore, research is needed to examine how students seek help in ILEs. Although…

Cracking Her Codes: Understanding Shared Technology Resources as Positioning Artifacts for Power and Status in CSCL Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Amber; Bannister, Nicole; Matthews, Gretchen

2017-01-01

There is a positive relationship between student participation in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments and improved complex problem-solving strategies, increased learning gains, higher engagement in the thinking of their peers, and an enthusiastic disposition toward groupwork. However, student participation varies from…

Assessment in Immersive Virtual Environments: Cases for Learning, of Learning, and as Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Code, Jillianne; Zap, Nick

2017-01-01

The key to education reform lies in exploring alternative forms of assessment. Alternative performance assessments provide a more valid measure than multiple-choice tests of students' conceptual understanding and higher-level skills such as problem solving and inquiry. Advances in game-based and virtual environment technologies are creating new…

Aviation and the Environment. A Selected, Annotated Bibliography Related to Aviation's Responses Toward Improving the Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Jane

This informal, brief bibliography attempts to stress the positive side of aviation, annotating documents that explain how the airlines, aircraft engine manufacturers, government agencies, military aviation, and general aviation are meeting their responsibilities in solving environmental problems. Topics arousing public concern are identified:…

Examining Student Outcomes in University Computer Laboratory Environments: Issues for Educational Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newby, Michael; Marcoulides, Laura D.

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to model the relationship between student performance, student attitudes, and computer laboratory environments. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 234 college students enrolled in courses that involved the use of a computer to solve problems and provided the laboratory experience by means of…

Fostering Creativity through Inquiry and Adventure in Informal Learning Environment Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doering, Aaron; Henrickson, Jeni

2015-01-01

Self-directed, inquiry-based learning opportunities focused on transdisciplinary real-world problem solving have been shown to foster creativity in learners. What tools might we provide classroom teachers to scaffold them and their students through this creative process? This study examines an online informal learning environment and the role the…

Using Immersive Virtual Environments for Certification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lutz, R.; Cruz-Neira, C.

1998-01-01

Immersive virtual environments (VEs) technology has matured to the point where it can be utilized as a scientific and engineering problem solving tool. In particular, VEs are starting to be used to design and evaluate safety-critical systems that involve human operators, such as flight and driving simulators, complex machinery training, and emergency rescue strategies.

Problem Solving in a Middle School Robotics Design Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norton, Stephen J.; McRobbie, Campbell J.; Ginns, Ian S.

2007-07-01

Little research has been conducted on how students work when they are required to plan, build and evaluate artefacts in technology rich learning environments such as those supported by tools including flow charts, Labview programming and Lego construction. In this study, activity theory was used as an analytic tool to examine the social construction of meaning. There was a focus on the effect of teachers’ goals and the rules they enacted upon student use of the flow chart planning tool, and the tools of the programming language Labview and Lego construction. It was found that the articulation of a teacher’s goals via rules and divisions of labour helped to form distinct communities of learning and influenced the development of different problem solving strategies. The use of the planning tool flow charting was associated with continuity of approach, integration of problem solutions including appreciation of the nexus between construction and programming, and greater educational transformation. Students who flow charted defined problems in a more holistic way and demonstrated more methodical, insightful and integrated approaches to their use of tools. The findings have implications for teaching in design dominated learning environments.

Promoting Experimental Problem-solving Ability in Sixth-grade Students Through Problem-oriented Teaching of Ecology: Findings of an intervention study in a complex domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roesch, Frank; Nerb, Josef; Riess, Werner

2015-03-01

Our study investigated whether problem-oriented designed ecology lessons with phases of direct instruction and of open experimentation foster the development of cross-domain and domain-specific components of experimental problem-solving ability better than conventional lessons in science. We used a paper-and-pencil test to assess students' abilities in a quasi-experimental intervention study utilizing a pretest/posttest control-group design (N = 340; average performing sixth-grade students). The treatment group received lessons on forest ecosystems consistent with the principle of education for sustainable development. This learning environment was expected to help students enhance their ecological knowledge and their theoretical and methodological experimental competencies. Two control groups received either the teachers' usual lessons on forest ecosystems or non-specific lessons on other science topics. We found that the treatment promoted specific components of experimental problem-solving ability (generating epistemic questions, planning two-factorial experiments, and identifying correct experimental controls). However, the observed effects were small, and awareness for aspects of higher ecological experimental validity was not promoted by the treatment.

A firefly algorithm for solving competitive location-design problem: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadjadi, Seyed Jafar; Ashtiani, Milad Gorji; Ramezanian, Reza; Makui, Ahmad

2016-12-01

This paper aims at determining the optimal number of new facilities besides specifying both the optimal location and design level of them under the budget constraint in a competitive environment by a novel hybrid continuous and discrete firefly algorithm. A real-world application of locating new chain stores in the city of Tehran, Iran, is used and the results are analyzed. In addition, several examples have been solved to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed model and algorithm. The results demonstrate that the performed method provides good-quality results for the test problems.

A survey of intelligent tutoring systems: Implications for complex dynamic systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chu, Rose W.

1989-01-01

An overview of the research in the field of intelligent tutorial systems (ITS) is provided. The various approaches in the design and implementation of ITS are examined and discussed in the context of problem solving in an environment of a complex dynamic system (CDS). Issues pertaining to a CDS and the nature of human problem solving especially in light of a CDS are considered. An overview of the architecture of an ITS is provided as the basis for the in-depth examination of various systems. Finally, the implications for the design and evaluation of an ITS are discussed.

Doctoral training in behavior analysis: Training generalized problem-solving skills

PubMed Central

Chase, Philip N.; Wylie, Ruth G.

1985-01-01

This essay provides guidelines for designing a doctoral program in behavior analysis. First, we propose a general accomplishment for all behavior analytic doctoral students: that they be able to solve problems concerning individual behavior within a range of environments. Second, in order to achieve this goal, we propose that students be trained in conceptual and experimental analysis of behavior, the application of behavioral principles and the administration of behavioral programs. This training should include class work, but it should emphasize the immersion of students in a variety of environments in which they are required to use behavior analytic strategies. Third, we provide an example of a hypothetical graduate program that involves the proposed training. Finally, an evaluation plan is suggested for determining whether a training program is in fact producing students who are generalized problem-solvers. At each step, we justify our point of view from a perspective that combines principles from behavior analysis and educational systems design. PMID:22478633

EPA Challenges & Prizes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is a government leader in tapping the power of contributions from the public to help solve difficult problems that affect the environment and public health. Prize competitions allow federal agencies to pay only for successful solutions.

Synthetic depth data creation for sensor setup planning and evaluation of multi-camera multi-person trackers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pattke, Marco; Martin, Manuel; Voit, Michael

2017-05-01

Tracking people with cameras in public areas is common today. However with an increasing number of cameras it becomes harder and harder to view the data manually. Especially in safety critical areas automatic image exploitation could help to solve this problem. Setting up such a system can however be difficult because of its increased complexity. Sensor placement is critical to ensure that people are detected and tracked reliably. We try to solve this problem using a simulation framework that is able to simulate different camera setups in the desired environment including animated characters. We combine this framework with our self developed distributed and scalable system for people tracking to test its effectiveness and can show the results of the tracking system in real time in the simulated environment.

Safety in numbers 7: Veni, vidi, duci: a grounded theory evaluation of nursing students' medication dosage calculation problem-solving schemata construction.

PubMed

Weeks, Keith W; Higginson, Ray; Clochesy, John M; Coben, Diana

2013-03-01

This paper evaluates nursing students' transition through schemata construction and competence development in medication dosage calculation problem-solving (MDC-PS). We advance a grounded theory from interview data that reflects the experiences and perceptions of two groups of undergraduate pre-registration nursing students: eight students exposed to a prototype authentic MDC-PS environment and didactic transmission methods of education and 15 final year students exposed to the safeMedicate authentic MDC-PS environment. We advance a theory of how classroom-based 'chalk and talk' didactic transmission environments offered multiple barriers to accurate MDC-PS schemata construction among novice students. While conversely it was universally perceived by all students that authentic learning and assessment environments enabled MDC-PS schemata construction through facilitating: 'seeing' the authentic features of medication dosage problems; context-based and situational learning; learning within a scaffolded environment that supported construction of cognitive links between the concrete world of clinical MDC-PS and the abstract world of mathematics; and confidence-building in their cognitive and functional competence ability. Drawing on the principle of veni, vidi, duci (I came, I saw, I calculated), we combined the two sets of evaluations to offer a grounded theoretical basis for schemata construction and competence development within this critical domain of professional practice. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Safety in numbers 3: Authenticity, Building knowledge & skills and Competency development & assessment: the ABC of safe medication dosage calculation problem-solving pedagogy.

PubMed

Weeks, Keith W; Meriel Hutton, B; Coben, Diana; Clochesy, John M; Pontin, David

2013-03-01

When designing learning and assessment environments it is essential to articulate the underpinning education philosophy, theory, model and learning style support mechanisms that inform their structure and content. We elaborate on original PhD research that articulates the design rationale of authentic medication dosage calculation problem-solving (MDC-PS) learning and diagnostic assessment environments. These environments embody the principles of authenticity, building knowledge and skills and competency assessment and are designed to support development of competence and bridging of the theory-practice gap. Authentic learning and diagnostic assessment environments capture the features and expert practices that are located in real world practice cultures and recreate them in authentic virtual clinical environments. We explore how this provides students with a safe virtual authentic environment to actively experience, practice and undertake MDC-PS learning and assessment activities. We argue that this is integral to the construction and diagnostic assessment of schemata validity (mental constructions and frameworks that are an individual's internal representation of their world), bridging of the theory-practice gap and cognitive and functional competence development. We illustrate these principles through the underpinning pedagogical design of two online virtual authentic learning and diagnostic assessment environments (safeMedicate and eDose™). Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Promoting Students' Problem Solving Skills and Knowledge of STEM Concepts in a Data-Rich Learning Environment: Using Online Data as a Tool for Teaching about Renewable Energy Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thurmond, Brandi

2011-01-01

This study sought to compare a data-rich learning (DRL) environment that utilized online data as a tool for teaching about renewable energy technologies (RET) to a lecture-based learning environment to determine the impact of the learning environment on students' knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) concepts related…

Human-Assisted Machine Information Exploitation: a crowdsourced investigation of information-based problem solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kase, Sue E.; Vanni, Michelle; Caylor, Justine; Hoye, Jeff

2017-05-01

The Human-Assisted Machine Information Exploitation (HAMIE) investigation utilizes large-scale online data collection for developing models of information-based problem solving (IBPS) behavior in a simulated time-critical operational environment. These types of environments are characteristic of intelligence workflow processes conducted during human-geo-political unrest situations when the ability to make the best decision at the right time ensures strategic overmatch. The project takes a systems approach to Human Information Interaction (HII) by harnessing the expertise of crowds to model the interaction of the information consumer and the information required to solve a problem at different levels of system restrictiveness and decisional guidance. The design variables derived from Decision Support Systems (DSS) research represent the experimental conditions in this online single-player against-the-clock game where the player, acting in the role of an intelligence analyst, is tasked with a Commander's Critical Information Requirement (CCIR) in an information overload scenario. The player performs a sequence of three information processing tasks (annotation, relation identification, and link diagram formation) with the assistance of `HAMIE the robot' who offers varying levels of information understanding dependent on question complexity. We provide preliminary results from a pilot study conducted with Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) participants on the Volunteer Science scientific research platform.

Photography from space to help solve problems on earth. [using ERTS imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Varied uses of ERTS imagery are briefly discussed. Applications to mineral/land resources, environment, land use, water resources, maps/charts, marine resources, and agriculture/forestry/range resources are also provided.

Solving lot-sizing problem with quantity discount and transportation cost

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Amy H. I.; Kang, He-Yau; Lai, Chun-Mei

2013-04-01

Owing to today's increasingly competitive market and ever-changing manufacturing environment, the inventory problem is becoming more complicated to solve. The incorporation of heuristics methods has become a new trend to tackle the complex problem in the past decade. This article considers a lot-sizing problem, and the objective is to minimise total costs, where the costs include ordering, holding, purchase and transportation costs, under the requirement that no inventory shortage is allowed in the system. We first formulate the lot-sizing problem as a mixed integer programming (MIP) model. Next, an efficient genetic algorithm (GA) model is constructed for solving large-scale lot-sizing problems. An illustrative example with two cases in a touch panel manufacturer is used to illustrate the practicality of these models, and a sensitivity analysis is applied to understand the impact of the changes in parameters to the outcomes. The results demonstrate that both the MIP model and the GA model are effective and relatively accurate tools for determining the replenishment for touch panel manufacturing for multi-periods with quantity discount and batch transportation. The contributions of this article are to construct an MIP model to obtain an optimal solution when the problem is not too complicated itself and to present a GA model to find a near-optimal solution efficiently when the problem is complicated.

Interaction Networks: Generating High Level Hints Based on Network Community Clustering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eagle, Michael; Johnson, Matthew; Barnes, Tiffany

2012-01-01

We introduce a novel data structure, the Interaction Network, for representing interaction-data from open problem solving environment tutors. We show how using network community detecting techniques are used to identify sub-goals in problems in a logic tutor. We then use those community structures to generate high level hints between sub-goals.…

Problem Identification and Task Engagement Using the LIBRE Problem Solving Tool: A Case Study of Three Bilingual Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerra, Norma; Castro-Villarreal, Felicia; Cheatham, Nicholas; Claeys, Lorena

2014-01-01

Bilingual Latino students engage multiple languages, cultures and environments as they pursue educational and professional goals. For this underrepresented group, pursuing a post-secondary degree is a "lucha" (fight) to negotiate the complex interplay of historical, educational, and cultural variables and achieve academic success.…

Evaluating Biology Achievement Scores in an ICT Integrated PBL Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osman, Kamisah; Kaur, Simranjeet Judge

2014-01-01

Students' achievement in Biology is often looked up as a benchmark to evaluate the mode of teaching and learning in higher education. Problem-based learning (PBL) is an approach that focuses on students' solving a problem through collaborative groups. There were eighty samples involved in this study. The samples were divided into three groups: ICT…

A Study of Effective Team Building in Relation to Organizational Culture and Organizational Climate in Universities in Delhi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banerjee, Priyanka

2014-01-01

Educational organizations are facing severe problems in terms of competition, quality degradation and deteriorating standards. There is a need to identify, define, develop strategy, initiate action and solve the problem. The present research holds significance in the rapidity of changing environment that affects our educational organizations…

Towards Detection of Learner Misconceptions in a Medical Learning Environment: A Subgroup Discovery Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poitras, Eric G.; Doleck, Tenzin; Lajoie, Susanne P.

2018-01-01

Ill-structured problems, by definition, have multiple paths to a solution and are multifaceted making automated assessment and feedback a difficult challenge. Diagnostic reasoning about medical cases meet the criteria of ill-structured problem solving since there are multiple solution paths. The goal of this study was to develop an adaptive…

Authentic Education by Providing a Situation for Student-Selected Problem-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strimel, Greg

2014-01-01

Students are seldom given an authentic experience within school that allows them the opportunity to solve real-life complex engineering design problems that have meaning to their lives and/ or the greater society. They are often confined to learning environments that are limited by the restrictions set by course content for assessment purposes and…

From Science to Business: Preparing Female Scientists and Engineers for Successful Transitions into Entrepreneurship--Summary of a Workshop

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Didion, Catherine Jay; Guenther, Rita S.; Gunderson, Victoria

2012-01-01

Scientists, engineers, and medical professionals play a vital role in building the 21st- century science and technology enterprises that will create solutions and jobs critical to solving the large, complex, and interdisciplinary problems faced by society: problems in energy, sustainability, the environment, water, food, disease, and healthcare.…

Physics Learning with a Computer Algebra System: Towards a Learning Environment That Promotes Enhanced Problem Representations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

An approach to teaching problem-solving based on using the computer software Mathematica is applied to the study of electrostatics and is compared with the normal approach to the module. Learning outcomes for both approaches were not significantly different. The experimental course successfully addressed a number of misconceptions. Students in the…

Water Pollution, A Scientists' Institute for Public Information Workbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berg, George G.

Analyzed are the reasons why present mechanisms for the control of water purity are inadequate. The control of waterborne epidemics is discussed to illustrate a problem which has been solved, then degradation of the environment is presented as an unsolved problem. Case histories are given of pollution and attempts at control in rivers, lakes,…

Achievement of Joint Perception in a Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Environment: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afacan Adanir, Gulgun

2017-01-01

The case study focuses on the interactional mechanisms through which online collaborative teams co-construct a shared understanding of an analytical geometry problem by using dynamic geometry representations. The collaborative study consisted of an assignment on which the learners worked together in groups to solve a ship navigation problem as…

Conceptual Framework to Help Promote Retention and Transfer in the Introductory Chemical Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanyak, Michael E., Jr.

2015-01-01

In an introductory chemical engineering course, the conceptual framework of a holistic problem-solving methodology in conjunction with a problem-based learning approach has been shown to create a learning environment that nurtures deep learning rather than surface learning. Based on exam scores, student grades are either the same or better than…

"Growing" Education in Difficult Environments Promoting Problem Solving: A Case from Palestine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jabr, Dua

2009-01-01

This paper presents a collaborative educational experiment "The Death of the Dead Sea: A Problem Based Learning" that was applied in two governmental high schools in Ramallah, Palestine in the school year 2006-2007. The students' role was to raise awareness to the phenomenon of the saltiest lake that shrinks towards extinction. In spite…

Undergraduate Student Task Group Approach to Complex Problem Solving Employing Computer Programming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, LeRoy D.

A project formulated a computer simulation game for use as an instructional device to improve financial decision making. The author constructed a hypothetical firm, specifying its environment, variables, and a maximization problem. Students, assisted by a professor and computer consultants and having access to B5500 and B6700 facilities, held 16…

Advancing Young Adolescents' Hypothesis-Development Performance in a Computer-Supported and Problem-Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hye Jeong; Pedersen, Susan

2011-01-01

Hypothesis development is a complex cognitive activity, but one that is critical as a means of reducing uncertainty during ill-structured problem solving. In this study, we examined the effect of metacognitive scaffolds in strengthening hypothesis development. We also examined the influence of hypothesis development on young adolescents'…

Experiences Situating Mathematical Problem Solving at the Core of Early Childhood Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopes, Celi Espasandin; Grando, Regina Célia; D'Ambrosio, Beatriz Silva

2017-01-01

Our goal in this article is to discuss the importance of problems in early childhood education for the child's development and engagement with the mathematics existing in childhood culture. Our assumption is that an important task for young children's education is to create a democratic and critical environment, in which multiplicity of…

A Multi-User Virtual Environment for Building and Assessing Higher Order Inquiry Skills in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ketelhut, Diane Jass; Nelson, Brian C.; Clarke, Jody; Dede, Chris

2010-01-01

This study investigated novel pedagogies for helping teachers infuse inquiry into a standards-based science curriculum. Using a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) as a pedagogical vehicle, teams of middle-school students collaboratively solved problems around disease in a virtual town called River City. The students interacted with "avatars" of…

Evaluation of Learning Environments for Object-Oriented Programming: Measuring Cognitive Load with a Novel Measurement Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uysal, Murat Pasa

2016-01-01

Various methods and tools have been proposed to overcome the learning obstacles for Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). However, it remains difficult especially for novice learners. The problem may be not only adopting an instructional method, but also an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Learners employ IDEs as a means to solve programming…

Cognitive Diffusion Model: Facilitating EFL Learning in an Authentic Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shadiev, Rustam; Hwang, Wu-Yuin; Huang, Yueh-Min; Liu, Tzu-Yu

2017-01-01

For this study, we designed learning activities in which students applied newly acquired knowledge to solve meaningful daily life problems in their local community--a real, familiar, and relevant environment for students. For example, students learned about signs and rules in class and then applied this new knowledge to create their own rules for…

Eye Tracking and Early Detection of Confusion in Digital Learning Environments: Proof of Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pachman, Mariya; Arguel, Amaël; Lockyer, Lori; Kennedy, Gregor; Lodge, Jason M.

2016-01-01

Research on incidence of and changes in confusion during complex learning and problem-solving calls for advanced methods of confusion detection in digital learning environments (DLEs). In this study we attempt to address this issue by investigating the use of multiple measures, including psychophysiological indicators and self-ratings, to detect…

Partnering for Environmental Sustainability: A Case Study of a University's Participation in the Community Action for a Renewed Environment Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szarleta, Ellen

2010-01-01

This article examines an important policy initiative that creates self-sustaining partnerships among community stakeholders, including academic institutions. The Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) model of collaborative problem-solving (CPS) builds community capacity and knowledge while addressing the challenges of toxic pollution…

"Elven Elder LVL59 LFP/RB. Please PM Me": Immersion, Collaborative Tasks and Problem-Solving in Massively Multiplayer Online Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voulgari, Iro; Komis, Vassilis

2010-01-01

Although there is strong evidence that massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) constitute environments of social interactions and effective learning, we currently lack the tools for investigating the effectiveness of the social networks emerging as well as the cognitive aspects and knowledge acquisition such environments involve. Within this…

Developing an Efficient Computational Method that Estimates the Ability of Students in a Web-Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Young-Jin

2012-01-01

This paper presents a computational method that can efficiently estimate the ability of students from the log files of a Web-based learning environment capturing their problem solving processes. The computational method developed in this study approximates the posterior distribution of the student's ability obtained from the conventional Bayes…

Traffic pollution and countermeasures of urban traffic environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yuhong; Zheng, Chaocheng

2018-01-01

Background: Traffic environment has become a serious social problem in China currently, therefore, urban traffic environment governance is the requirement to solve this issue because as an important place in people's social life, urban traffic environment shows a strong city's energy. Objective: Based on analysis on social function of city traffic environment and its influence of traffic on urban environment in this paper, the goal to establish a healthy urban traffic environment must be included under the aim of sustainable development eternally and feasible measures were put forward afterwards. Method, result, conclusion and possible applications.

Some variance reduction methods for numerical stochastic homogenization

PubMed Central

Blanc, X.; Le Bris, C.; Legoll, F.

2016-01-01

We give an overview of a series of recent studies devoted to variance reduction techniques for numerical stochastic homogenization. Numerical homogenization requires that a set of problems is solved at the microscale, the so-called corrector problems. In a random environment, these problems are stochastic and therefore need to be repeatedly solved, for several configurations of the medium considered. An empirical average over all configurations is then performed using the Monte Carlo approach, so as to approximate the effective coefficients necessary to determine the macroscopic behaviour. Variance severely affects the accuracy and the cost of such computations. Variance reduction approaches, borrowed from other contexts in the engineering sciences, can be useful. Some of these variance reduction techniques are presented, studied and tested here. PMID:27002065

A Problem-Solving Environment for Biological Network Informatics: Bio-Spice

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

user an environment to access software tools. The Dashboard is built upon the NetBeans Integrated Development Environment (IDE), an open source Java...based integration platform was demonstrated. During the subsequent six month development cycle, the first version of the NetBeans based Bio-SPICE...frameworks (OAA, NetBeans , and Systems Biology Workbench (SBW)[15]), it becomes possible for Bio-SPICE tools to truly interoperate. This interoperation

Charting a path for health sciences librarians in an integrated information environment.

PubMed

Jones, C J

1993-10-01

Changes in the health information environment present a major challenge to health sciences librarians. To successfully meet this challenge, librarians must apply the concepts of informal, self-directed, lifelong learning to their own carers. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations is creating an integrated information environment in health care organizations. The health sciences librarian brings unique knowledge and skills to this environment. The reference technique, a methodology that closely parallels other problem-solving approaches such as the physician's diagnostic technique, equips librarians with the conceptual skills to develop creative solutions to information management problems. Each health sciences librarian must assume responsibility for extending professional skills and abilities and demonstrating them in the workplace.

Escript: Open Source Environment For Solving Large-Scale Geophysical Joint Inversion Problems in Python

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, Lutz; Altinay, Cihan; Fenwick, Joel; Smith, Troy

2014-05-01

The program package escript has been designed for solving mathematical modeling problems using python, see Gross et al. (2013). Its development and maintenance has been funded by the Australian Commonwealth to provide open source software infrastructure for the Australian Earth Science community (recent funding by the Australian Geophysical Observing System EIF (AGOS) and the AuScope Collaborative Research Infrastructure Scheme (CRIS)). The key concepts of escript are based on the terminology of spatial functions and partial differential equations (PDEs) - an approach providing abstraction from the underlying spatial discretization method (i.e. the finite element method (FEM)). This feature presents a programming environment to the user which is easy to use even for complex models. Due to the fact that implementations are independent from data structures simulations are easily portable across desktop computers and scalable compute clusters without modifications to the program code. escript has been successfully applied in a variety of applications including modeling mantel convection, melting processes, volcanic flow, earthquakes, faulting, multi-phase flow, block caving and mineralization (see Poulet et al. 2013). The recent escript release (see Gross et al. (2013)) provides an open framework for solving joint inversion problems for geophysical data sets (potential field, seismic and electro-magnetic). The strategy bases on the idea to formulate the inversion problem as an optimization problem with PDE constraints where the cost function is defined by the data defect and the regularization term for the rock properties, see Gross & Kemp (2013). This approach of first-optimize-then-discretize avoids the assemblage of the - in general- dense sensitivity matrix as used in conventional approaches where discrete programming techniques are applied to the discretized problem (first-discretize-then-optimize). In this paper we will discuss the mathematical framework for inversion and appropriate solution schemes in escript. We will also give a brief introduction into escript's open framework for defining and solving geophysical inversion problems. Finally we will show some benchmark results to demonstrate the computational scalability of the inversion method across a large number of cores and compute nodes in a parallel computing environment. References: - L. Gross et al. (2013): Escript Solving Partial Differential Equations in Python Version 3.4, The University of Queensland, https://launchpad.net/escript-finley - L. Gross and C. Kemp (2013) Large Scale Joint Inversion of Geophysical Data using the Finite Element Method in escript. ASEG Extended Abstracts 2013, http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ASEG2013ab306 - T. Poulet, L. Gross, D. Georgiev, J. Cleverley (2012): escript-RT: Reactive transport simulation in Python using escript, Computers & Geosciences, Volume 45, 168-176. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2011.11.005.

Centralized Authentication with Kerberos 5, Part I

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

Wachsmann, A

Account administration in a distributed Unix/Linux environment can become very complicated and messy if done by hand. Large sites use special tools to deal with this problem. I will describe how even very small installations like your three computer network at home can take advantage of the very same tools. The problem in a distributed environment is that password and shadow files need to be changed individually on each machine if an account change occurs. Account changes include: password change, addition/removal of accounts, name change of an account (UID/GID changes are a big problem in any case), additional or removedmore » login privileges to a (group of) computer(s), etc. In this article, I will show how Kerberos 5 solves the authentication problem in a distributed computing environment. A second article will describe a solution for the authorization problem.« less

Initial evaluation of the effects of an environmental-focused problem-solving intervention for transition-age young people with developmental disabilities: Project TEAM.

PubMed

Kramer, Jessica M; Helfrich, Christine; Levin, Melissa; Hwang, I-Ting; Samuel, Preethy S; Carrellas, Ann; Schwartz, Ariel E; Goeva, Aleksandrina; Kolaczyk, Eric D

2018-03-12

Project TEAM (Teens making Environment and Activity Modifications) teaches transition-age young people with developmental disabilities, including those with co-occurring intellectual or cognitive disabilities, to identify and resolve environmental barriers to participation. We examined its effects on young people's attainment of participation goals, knowledge, problem-solving, self-determination, and self-efficacy. We used a quasi-experimental, repeated measures design (initial, outcome, 6-week follow-up) with two groups: (1) Project TEAM (28 males, 19 females; mean age 17y 6mo); and (2) goal-setting comparison (21 males, 14 females; mean age 17y 6mo). A matched convenience sample was recruited in two US states. Attainment of participation goals and goal attainment scaling (GAS) T scores were compared at outcome. Differences between groups for all other outcomes were analyzed using linear mixed effects models. At outcome, Project TEAM participants demonstrated greater knowledge (estimated mean difference: 1.82; confidence interval [CI]: 0.90, 2.74) and ability to apply knowledge during participation (GAS: t[75]=4.21; CI: 5.21, 14.57) compared to goal-setting. While both groups achieved significant improvements in knowledge, problem-solving, and self-determination, increases in parent reported self-determination remained at 6-week follow-up only for Project TEAM (estimated mean difference: 4.65; CI: 1.32, 7.98). Significantly more Project TEAM participants attained their participation goals by follow-up (Project TEAM=97.6%, goal-setting=77.1%, p=0.009). Both approaches support attainment of participation goals. Although inconclusive, Project TEAM may uniquely support young people with developmental disabilities to act in a self-determined manner and apply an environmental problem-solving approach over time. Individualized goal-setting, alone or during Project TEAM (Teens making Environment and Activity Modifications) appears to support attainment of participation goals. Project TEAM appears to support young people with developmental disabilities to apply an environmental problem-solving approach to participation barriers. Parents of young people with developmental disabilities report sustained changes in self-determination 6 weeks after Project TEAM. © 2018 Mac Keith Press.

Information Power Grid: Distributed High-Performance Computing and Large-Scale Data Management for Science and Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, William E.; Gannon, Dennis; Nitzberg, Bill; Feiereisen, William (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The term "Grid" refers to distributed, high performance computing and data handling infrastructure that incorporates geographically and organizationally dispersed, heterogeneous resources that are persistent and supported. The vision for NASN's Information Power Grid - a computing and data Grid - is that it will provide significant new capabilities to scientists and engineers by facilitating routine construction of information based problem solving environments / frameworks that will knit together widely distributed computing, data, instrument, and human resources into just-in-time systems that can address complex and large-scale computing and data analysis problems. IPG development and deployment is addressing requirements obtained by analyzing a number of different application areas, in particular from the NASA Aero-Space Technology Enterprise. This analysis has focussed primarily on two types of users: The scientist / design engineer whose primary interest is problem solving (e.g., determining wing aerodynamic characteristics in many different operating environments), and whose primary interface to IPG will be through various sorts of problem solving frameworks. The second type of user if the tool designer: The computational scientists who convert physics and mathematics into code that can simulate the physical world. These are the two primary users of IPG, and they have rather different requirements. This paper describes the current state of IPG (the operational testbed), the set of capabilities being put into place for the operational prototype IPG, as well as some of the longer term R&D tasks.

Climate change: could it help develop 'adaptive expertise'?

PubMed

Bell, Erica; Horton, Graeme; Blashki, Grant; Seidel, Bastian M

2012-05-01

Preparing health practitioners to respond to the rising burden of disease from climate change is emerging as a priority in health workforce policy and planning. However, this issue is hardly represented in the medical education research. The rapidly evolving wide range of direct and indirect consequences of climate change will require health professionals to have not only broad content knowledge but also flexibility and responsiveness to diverse regional conditions as part of complex health problem-solving and adaptation. It is known that adaptive experts may not necessarily be quick at solving familiar problems, but they do creatively seek to better solve novel problems. This may be the result of an acquired approach to practice or a pathway that can be fostered by learning environments. It is also known that building adaptive expertise in medical education involves putting students on a learning pathway that requires them to have, first, the motivation to innovatively problem-solve and, second, exposure to diverse content material, meaningfully presented. Including curriculum content on the health effects of climate change could help meet these two conditions for some students at least. A working definition and illustrative competencies for adaptive expertise for climate change, as well as examples of teaching and assessment approaches extrapolated from rural curricula, are provided.

Using the Habit App for Weight Loss Problem Solving: Development and Feasibility Study.

PubMed

Pagoto, Sherry; Tulu, Bengisu; Agu, Emmanuel; Waring, Molly E; Oleski, Jessica L; Jake-Schoffman, Danielle E

2018-06-20

Reviews of weight loss mobile apps have revealed they include very few evidence-based features, relying mostly on self-monitoring. Unfortunately, adherence to self-monitoring is often low, especially among patients with motivational challenges. One behavioral strategy that is leveraged in virtually every visit of behavioral weight loss interventions and is specifically used to deal with adherence and motivational issues is problem solving. Problem solving has been successfully implemented in depression mobile apps, but not yet in weight loss apps. This study describes the development and feasibility testing of the Habit app, which was designed to automate problem-solving therapy for weight loss. Two iterative single-arm pilot studies were conducted to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the Habit app. In each pilot study, adults who were overweight or obese were enrolled in an 8-week intervention that included the Habit app plus support via a private Facebook group. Feasibility outcomes included retention, app usage, usability, and acceptability. Changes in problem-solving skills and weight over 8 weeks are described, as well as app usage and weight change at 16 weeks. Results from both pilots show acceptable use of the Habit app over 8 weeks with on average two to three uses per week, the recommended rate of use. Acceptability ratings were mixed such that 54% (13/24) and 73% (11/15) of participants found the diet solutions helpful and 71% (17/24) and 80% (12/15) found setting reminders for habits helpful in pilots 1 and 2, respectively. In both pilots, participants lost significant weight (P=.005 and P=.03, respectively). In neither pilot was an effect on problem-solving skills observed (P=.62 and P=.27, respectively). Problem-solving therapy for weight loss is feasible to implement in a mobile app environment; however, automated delivery may not impact problem-solving skills as has been observed previously via human delivery. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02192905; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02192905 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6zPQmvOF2). ©Sherry Pagoto, Bengisu Tulu, Emmanuel Agu, Molly E Waring, Jessica L Oleski, Danielle E Jake-Schoffman. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 20.06.2018.

Efforts to Handle Waste through Science, Environment, Technology and Society (SETS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmawati, D.; Rahman, T.; Amprasto, A.

2017-09-01

This research to identify the attempt to deal with the waste through a learning SETS to facilitate troubleshooting and environmentally conscious high school students. The research method is weak experiment, with the design of the study “The One-group pretest-Posttest Design”. The population used in this study is an entire senior high school class in Ciamis Regency of Indonesia many as 10 classes totaling 360 students. The sample used in this study were 1 class. Data collected through pretest and posttest to increase problem-solving skills and environmental awareness of students. Instruments used in this research is to test the ability to solve the problem on the concept of Pollution and Environmental Protection, in the form of essays by 15 matter, the attitude scale questionnaire of 28 statements. The analysis N-gain average showed that the SETS problem-solving skills and environmental awareness of students in the medium category. In addition, students’ creativity in finding out pretty good waste management by creating products that are aesthetically valuable and economic appropriately.

Integrating causal reasoning at different levels of abstraction. [in problem-solving system functioning as pilot assistant in commercial air transport emergencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudlicka, Eva; Corker, Kevin

1988-01-01

In this paper, a problem-solving system which uses a multilevel causal model of its domain is described. The system functions in the role of a pilot's assistant in the domain of commercial air transport emergencies. The model represents causal relationships among the aircraft subsystems, the effectors (engines, control surfaces), the forces that act on an aircraft in flight (thrust, lift), and the aircraft's flight profile (speed, altitude, etc.). The causal relationships are represented at three levels of abstraction: Boolean, qualitative, and quantitative, and reasoning about causes and effects can take place at each of these levels. Since processing at each level has different characteristics with respect to speed, the type of data required, and the specificity of the results, the problem-solving system can adapt to a wide variety of situations. The system is currently being implemented in the KEE(TM) development environment on a Symbolics Lisp machine.

Nanobiotechnology for the Environment: Innovative Solutions for the Management of Harmful Algal Blooms.

PubMed

Gellert, Matthew R; Kim, Beum Jun; Reffsin, Samuel E; Jusuf, Sebastian E; Wagner, Nicole D; Winans, Stephen C; Wu, Mingming

2017-12-04

Nanobiotechnology has played important roles in solving contemporary health problems, including cancer and diabetes, but has not yet been widely exploited for problems in food security and environmental protection. Water scarcity is an emerging worldwide problem as a result of climate change and population increase. Current methods of managing water resources are not efficient or sustainable. In this perspective, we focus on harmful algal blooms to demonstrate how nanobiotechnology can be explored to understand microbe-environment interactions and allow for toxin/pollutant detection with significantly improved sensitivity. These capabilities hold potential for future development of sustainable solutions for drinking water management.

Analysis of problem solving on project based learning with resource based learning approach computer-aided program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuncoro, K. S.; Junaedi, I.; Dwijanto

2018-03-01

This study aimed to reveal the effectiveness of Project Based Learning with Resource Based Learning approach computer-aided program and analyzed problem-solving abilities in terms of problem-solving steps based on Polya stages. The research method used was mixed method with sequential explanatory design. The subject of this research was the students of math semester 4. The results showed that the S-TPS (Strong Top Problem Solving) and W-TPS (Weak Top Problem Solving) had good problem-solving abilities in each problem-solving indicator. The problem-solving ability of S-MPS (Strong Middle Problem Solving) and (Weak Middle Problem Solving) in each indicator was good. The subject of S-BPS (Strong Bottom Problem Solving) had a difficulty in solving the problem with computer program, less precise in writing the final conclusion and could not reflect the problem-solving process using Polya’s step. While the Subject of W-BPS (Weak Bottom Problem Solving) had not been able to meet almost all the indicators of problem-solving. The subject of W-BPS could not precisely made the initial table of completion so that the completion phase with Polya’s step was constrained.

Impact of Indoor Physical Environment on Learning Efficiency in Different Types of Tasks: A 3 × 4 × 3 Full Factorial Design Analysis.

PubMed

Xiong, Lilin; Huang, Xiao; Li, Jie; Mao, Peng; Wang, Xiang; Wang, Rubing; Tang, Meng

2018-06-13

Indoor physical environments appear to influence learning efficiency nowadays. For improvement in learning efficiency, environmental scenarios need to be designed when occupants engage in different learning tasks. However, how learning efficiency is affected by indoor physical environment based on task types are still not well understood. The present study aims to explore the impacts of three physical environmental factors (i.e., temperature, noise, and illuminance) on learning efficiency according to different types of tasks, including perception, memory, problem-solving, and attention-oriented tasks. A 3 × 4 × 3 full factorial design experiment was employed in a university classroom with 10 subjects recruited. Environmental scenarios were generated based on different levels of temperature (17 °C, 22 °C, and 27 °C), noise (40 dB(A), 50 dB(A), 60 dB(A), and 70 dB(A)) and illuminance (60 lx, 300 lx, and 2200 lx). Accuracy rate (AC), reaction time (RT), and the final performance indicator (PI) were used to quantify learning efficiency. The results showed ambient temperature, noise, and illuminance exerted significant main effect on learning efficiency based on four task types. Significant concurrent effects of the three factors on final learning efficiency was found in all tasks except problem-solving-oriented task. The optimal environmental scenarios for top learning efficiency were further identified under different environmental interactions. The highest learning efficiency came in thermoneutral, relatively quiet, and bright conditions in perception-oriented task. Subjects performed best under warm, relatively quiet, and moderately light exposure when recalling images in the memory-oriented task. Learning efficiency peaked to maxima in thermoneutral, fairly quiet, and moderately light environment in problem-solving process while in cool, fairly quiet and bright environment with regard to attention-oriented task. The study provides guidance for building users to conduct effective environmental intervention with simultaneous controls of ambient temperature, noise, and illuminance. It contributes to creating the most suitable indoor physical environment for improving occupants learning efficiency according to different task types. The findings could further supplement the present indoor environment-related standards or norms with providing empirical reference on environmental interactions.

Why do we need nuclear power? Energy policy in the light of history of civilization

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

Yoda, Susumu

1996-06-01

With the population explosion as a background, economic growth needs massive consumption of energy and resources. This massive consumption of energy and resources will deteriorate the global environment. It is a complicated chain of causes and effects. The problems of economic growth, resources and energy, and environment must be solved at the same time. Here the so-called ``Trilemma`` problem emerges. To overcome the Trilemma and assure a sustainable development of the whole world, approaches and actions are needed from various viewpoints including technology, socio-economic system and civilization. From the viewpoint of energy, it will be necessary to introduce all energymore » technologies which will not deteriorate the global environment. Energy conservation and efficiency are an important part of this process. It is also important to introduce renewable energy as much as possible. Even with these efforts, the energy needed by mankind in the 21st century will be tremendous. An energy source is needed which is adequate in terms of quantity, price, and environment. It is nuclear energy that meets these requirements. Several problems must be solved before the fundamental important merit of nuclear power can be realized. These issues are discussed here. They are divided into the following categories: economic issues; technical issues; social issues; political issues; and the issues in Asia.« less

Training Spiking Neural Models Using Artificial Bee Colony

PubMed Central

Vazquez, Roberto A.; Garro, Beatriz A.

2015-01-01

Spiking neurons are models designed to simulate, in a realistic manner, the behavior of biological neurons. Recently, it has been proven that this type of neurons can be applied to solve pattern recognition problems with great efficiency. However, the lack of learning strategies for training these models do not allow to use them in several pattern recognition problems. On the other hand, several bioinspired algorithms have been proposed in the last years for solving a broad range of optimization problems, including those related to the field of artificial neural networks (ANNs). Artificial bee colony (ABC) is a novel algorithm based on the behavior of bees in the task of exploring their environment to find a food source. In this paper, we describe how the ABC algorithm can be used as a learning strategy to train a spiking neuron aiming to solve pattern recognition problems. Finally, the proposed approach is tested on several pattern recognition problems. It is important to remark that to realize the powerfulness of this type of model only one neuron will be used. In addition, we analyze how the performance of these models is improved using this kind of learning strategy. PMID:25709644

Willing Retention of Misbelief

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, John W.

2003-12-01

Students also ought to get a better picture of how useful chemistry is and what insights it can provide regarding crucial problems that face society. A student who has completed a general chemistry course ought to have some understanding of how chemists are addressing major problems involving energy resources, adequate supplies of pure food and water, degradation of the environment, poverty, disease, and terrorism. Even better, the student should be aware that these problems are intertwined and solving one of them at the expense of any or all of the others is not a true solution. Better yet, the student should realize that with appropriate education and experience, the student could contribute significantly to society’s efforts to solve these problems. Former ACS President Ronald Breslow has suggested on numerous occasions that students are more likely to be attracted to a field in which the student can participate in solving important problems, but we persist in teaching chemistry as if it is a dead science, where everything is already known. Both learning and the unknown are powerful challenges that can motivate students to put forth their best efforts. We ought to make better use of them.

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.

Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications for Safer Intersections : Virtual Traffic Lights

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-15

Increasing the use of information technology (IT) in future vehicles can solve or mitigate many of the fundamental problems we face today in transportation such as energy efficiency, reduced carbon footprint for cars, greener environment, and several...

SPATIAL ANALYSIS AND DECISION ASSISTANCE (SADA) TRAINING COURSE

EPA Science Inventory

Spatial Analysis and Decision Assistance (SADA) is a Windows freeware program that incorporates tools from environmental assessment into an effective problem-solving environment. SADA was developed by the Institute for Environmental Modeling at the University of Tennessee and inc...

The Decline of American Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Stirling M.

1971-01-01

This report, applicable to all American cities, demonstrates how an environment has been created in the Nation's schools that is hostile to education, and that it is time to seek alternatives to additional millions of dollars to solve people problems. (Author)

Synergistic Knowledge Development in Interdisciplinary Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broussard, Shorna R.; La Lopa, Joseph Mick; Ross-Davis, Amy

2007-01-01

Problem solving, interpersonal skills, information literacy, and critical and independent thinking are essential qualities that employers seek, yet many undergraduates lack. We structured an interdisciplinary classroom and experiential learning environment where students from three undergraduate courses (Hospitality and Tourism Management,…

GEE-WIS Anchored Problem Solving Using Real-Time Authentic Water Quality Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, M.; Wlodarczyk, M. S.; Branco, B.; Torgersen, T.

2002-05-01

GEE-WIS scientific problem solving consists of observing, hypothesizing, synthesis, argument building and reasoning, in the context of analysis, representation, modeling and sense-making of real-time authentic water quality data. Geoscience Environmental Education - Web-accessible Instrumented Systems, or GEE-WIS, an NSF Geoscience Education grant, has established a set of companion websites that stream real-time data from two campus retention ponds for research and use in secondary and undergraduate water quality lessons. We have targeted scientific problem solving skills because of the nature of the GEE-WIS environment, but further because they are central to state and federal efforts to establish science education curriculum standards and are at the core of performance-based testing. We have used a design experiment process to create and test two Anchored Instruction scenario problems. Customization such as that done through a design process, is acknowledged to be a fundamental component of educational research from an ecological psychology perspective. Our efforts have shared core design elements with other NSF water quality projects. Our method involves the analysis of student written scenario responses for level of scientific problem solving using a qualitative scoring rubric designed from participation in a related NSF project, SCALE (Synergy Communities: Aggregating Learning about Education). Student solutions of GEE-WIS anchor problems from Fall 2001 and Spring 2002 will be summarized. Implications are drawn for those interested in making secondary and high education geoscience more realistic and more motivating for students through the use of real-time authentic data via Internet.

The Impact of Adaptive Complex Assessment on the HOT Skill Development of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raiyn, Jamal; Tilchin, Oleg

2016-01-01

In this paper we propose a method for the adaptive complex assessment (ACA) of the higher-order thinking (HOT) skills needed by students for problem solving, and we examine the impact of the method on the development of HOT skills in a problem-based learning (PBL) environment. Complexity in the assessment is provided by initial, formative, and…

Delving into the Nature of Problem Solving Processes in a Dynamic Geometry Environment: Different Technological Effects on Cognitive Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuzle, Ana

2017-01-01

Students regularly struggle with mathematical tasks, particularly those concerning non-routine problems in geometry. Although educators would like for their learners to transfer their knowledge to non-routine and real-life situations, students run into a number of difficulties. The goal of this exploratory study was to analyze three participants'…

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

Kalavapudi, M.; Iyengar, V.

Increased industrial activities in developing countries have degraded the environment, and the impact on the environment is further magnified because of an ever-increasing population, the prime receptors. Independent of the geographical location, it is possible to adopt effective strategies to solve environmental problems. In the United States, waste characterization and remediation practices are commonly used for quantifying toxic contaminants in air, water, and soil. Previously, such procedures were extraneous, ineffective, and cost-intensive. Reconciliation between the government and stakeholders, reinforced by valid data analysis and environmental exposure assessments, has allowed the {open_quotes}Brownfields{close_quotes} to be a successful approach. Certified reference materials andmore » standard reference materials from the National Institute of Standards (NIST) are indispensable tools for solving environmental problems and help to validate data quality and the demands of legal metrology. Certified reference materials are commonly available, essential tools for developing good quality secondary and in-house reference materials that also enhance analytical quality. This paper cites examples of environmental conditions in developing countries, i.e., industrial pollution problems in India, polluted beaches in Brazil, and deteriorating air quality in countries, such as Korea, China, and Japan. The paper also highlights practical and effective approaches for remediating these problems. 23 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.« less

The effect of multiple internal representations on context-rich instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasry, Nathaniel; Aulls, Mark W.

2007-11-01

We discuss n-coding, a theoretical model of multiple internal mental representations. The n-coding construct is developed from a review of cognitive and imaging data that demonstrates the independence of information processed along different modalities such as verbal, visual, kinesthetic, logico-mathematic, and social modalities. A study testing the effectiveness of the n-coding construct in classrooms is presented. Four sections differing in the level of n-coding opportunities were compared. Besides a traditional-instruction section used as a control group, each of the remaining three sections were given context-rich problems, which differed by the level of n-coding opportunities designed into their laboratory environment. To measure the effectiveness of the construct, problem-solving skills were assessed as conceptual learning using the force concept inventory. We also developed several new measures that take students' confidence in concepts into account. Our results show that the n-coding construct is useful in designing context-rich environments and can be used to increase learning gains in problem solving, conceptual knowledge, and concept confidence. Specifically, when using props in designing context-rich problems, we find n-coding to be a useful construct in guiding which additional dimensions need to be attended to.

Design and Usability Assessment of a Dialogue-Based Cognitive Tutoring System to Model Expert Problem Solving in Research Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hung, Wei-Chen; Smith, Thomas J.; Smith, M. Cecil

2015-01-01

Technology provides the means to create useful learning and practice environments for learners. Well-designed cognitive tutor systems, for example, can provide appropriate learning environments that feature cognitive supports (ie, scaffolding) for students to increase their procedural knowledge. The purpose of this study was to conduct a series of…

The Influence of the Teaching and Learning Environment on the Development of Generic Capabilities Needed for a Knowledge-Based Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kember, David; Leung, Doris Y. P.

2005-01-01

The effect of the teaching and learning environment on the development of generic capabilities was examined through a survey of 1756 undergraduate students at a university in Hong Kong. The survey assessed students' perceptions of the development of the six capabilities of critical thinking, self-managed learning, adaptability, problem solving,…

Using Calculators for Assessing Pupils' Conceptualization on Place-Value

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papadopoulos, Ioannis

2013-01-01

In this paper a two-stage research study is described focused on problem solving relevant to place-value and on the use of the operations within the calculator environment. The findings show that in this specific environment and via appropriate tasks teachers are provided with a context to better understand what year 5 or 6 pupils know or do not…

A Web Environment to Encourage Students to Do Exercises outside the Classroom: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capus, Laurence; Curvat, Frederic; Leclair, Olivier; Tourigny, Nicole

2006-01-01

For the past five years, our students have been passing less and less time preparing for lectures and exams. To encourage them to do more exercises, a pedagogical activity was offered outside the classroom. With the goal of making students more active during the problem-solving process, an innovative online environment, Sphinx, was developed.…

Navigating Massively Multiplayer Online Games: Evaluating 21st Century Skills for Learning within Virtual Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCreery, Michael P.; Schrader, P. G.; Krach, S. Kathleen

2011-01-01

There is a substantial and growing interest in immersive virtual spaces as contexts for 21st century skills like problem solving, communication, and collaboration. However, little consideration has been given to the ways in which users become proficient in these environments or what types of target behaviors are associated with 21st century…

The Effects of Using Exploratory Computerized Environments in Grades 1 to 8 Mathematics: A Meta-Analysis of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sokolowski, Andrzej; Li, Yeping; Willson, Victor

2015-01-01

Background: The process of problem solving is difficult for students; thus, mathematics educators have made multiple attempts to seek ways of making this process more accessible to learners. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect size statistic of utilizing exploratory computerized environments (ECEs) to support the process of word…

Me and My Environment, Unit V: Air and Water in My Environment, Experimental Edition 1973-74.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, Boulder, CO.

The experimental 1973-74 edition of Unit V consists of 35 life science curriculum activities intended for 13- to 16-year-old educable mentally handicapped adolescents. The role of the teacher in continuing field trials is noted and environmental themes and elements, inquiry skills, problem solving skills, and applicational behaviors and attitudes…

Environmental Education through the Lens of Diverse Elementary School Students in the United States: A Phenomenographic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quiroz Enriquez, Brissa Yazmin

2013-01-01

Global environmental change is occurring, putting our planet under pressure. Children need to understand not only why the environment is important, but also their role as citizens of a globalized society and their necessary contribution to solving global problems. Students carry their own perspectives about the environment and education, and these…

Game Design Narrative for Learning: Appropriating Adventure Game Design Narrative Devices and Techniques for the Design of Interactive Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickey, Michele D.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this conceptual analysis is to investigate how contemporary video and computer games might inform instructional design by looking at how narrative devices and techniques support problem solving within complex, multimodal environments. Specifically, this analysis presents a brief overview of game genres and the role of narrative in…

Metaphors for the Nature of Human-Computer Interaction in an Empowering Environment: Interaction Style Influences the Manner of Human Accomplishment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weller, Herman G.; Hartson, H. Rex

1992-01-01

Describes human-computer interface needs for empowering environments in computer usage in which the machine handles the routine mechanics of problem solving while the user concentrates on its higher order meanings. A closed-loop model of interaction is described, interface as illusion is discussed, and metaphors for human-computer interaction are…

The Effects of a Robot Game Environment on Computer Programming Education for Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shim, Jaekwoun; Kwon, Daiyoung; Lee, Wongyu

2017-01-01

In the past, computer programming was perceived as a task only carried out by computer scientists; in the 21st century, however, computer programming is viewed as a critical and necessary skill that everyone should learn. In order to improve teaching of problem-solving abilities in a computing environment, extensive research is being done on…

Effects of Learner Cognitive Styles and Metacognitive Tools on Information Acquisition Paths and Learning in Hyperspace Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, T. Ella; And Others

This study was designed to investigate the effects of the presence or absence of metacognitive skill tools available in hyperspace environments on field independent and field dependent learners. Learners were engaged in problem solving in an information-rich hyperspace based on a lesson on the attack on Pearl Harbor. Forty undergraduates were…

Patterns of Student Stress: A Profile of Teacher Education Students in Their First Year of Tertiary Studies. Report Number 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, M.

Stress adaptation research suggests that individuals need not only strategies and skills to solve problems, but also supportive environments in which solutions can be accomplished. A general profile of Australian freshmen education majors was drawn to examine their adjustment to and behaviors in the college environment. Results indicated that 80%…

Me and My Environment, Unit IV: Transfer and Cycling of Materials in My Environment, Experimental Edition 1973-74.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, Boulder, CO.

The experimental 1973-74 edition of Unit IV consists of 28 life science curriculum activities for 13- to 16-year-old educable mentally handicapped children. The role of the teacher in continuing field trials is noted and environmental themes and elements, inquiry skills, problem solving skills, and applicational behaviors and attitudes are…

Human sex differences in solving a virtual navigation problem.

PubMed

Astur, Robert S; Purton, Andrea J; Zaniewski, Melanie J; Cimadevilla, Jose; Markus, Etan J

2016-07-15

The current study examined sex differences in initial and subsequent strategies in solving a navigational problem within a virtual reality environment. We tested 163 undergraduates on a virtual T-maze task that included probe trials designed to assess whether participants were responding using either a place or response strategy. Participants were also tested on a mental rotation task and memory of the details of the virtual room. There were no differences between the sexes in copying or recalling a map of the room or on first trial performance of the T-maze. However, at trial two, males show a significant advantage in solving the task, and approximately 80% of the males adopt a place strategy to solve the T-maze whereas females at that point showed no strategy preference. Across all testing, both males and females preferentially used a place strategy. We discuss how factors such as spatial priming affect strategy preferences and how such factors may differentially affect males and females. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Alpha-Helix Concept: Innovative utilization of the Space Station Program. A report to the National Aeronautical and Space Administration requesting establishment of a Sensory Physiology Laboratory on the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bandurski, R. S.; Singh, N.

1983-01-01

A major laboratory dedicated to biological-medical research is proposed for the Space Platform. The laboratory would focus on sensor physiology and biochemistry since sensory physiology represents the first impact of the new space environment on living organisms. Microgravity and the high radiation environment of space would be used to help solve the problems of prolonged sojourns in space but, more importantly, to help solve terrestrial problems of human health and agricultural productivity. The emphasis would be on experimental use of microorganisms and small plants and small animals to minimize the space and time required to use the Space Platform for maximum human betterment. The Alpha Helix Concept, that is, the use of the Space Platform to bring experimental biomedicine to a new and extreme frontier is introduced so as to better understand the worldly environment. Staffing and instrumenting the Space Platform biomedical laboratory in a manner patterned after successful terrestrial sensory physiology laboratories is also proposed.

The Alpha-Helix Concept: Innovative utilization of the Space Station Program. A report to the National Aeronautical and Space Administration requesting establishment of a Sensory Physiology Laboratory on the Space Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandurski, R. S.; Singh, N.

1983-10-01

A major laboratory dedicated to biological-medical research is proposed for the Space Platform. The laboratory would focus on sensor physiology and biochemistry since sensory physiology represents the first impact of the new space environment on living organisms. Microgravity and the high radiation environment of space would be used to help solve the problems of prolonged sojourns in space but, more importantly, to help solve terrestrial problems of human health and agricultural productivity. The emphasis would be on experimental use of microorganisms and small plants and small animals to minimize the space and time required to use the Space Platform for maximum human betterment. The Alpha Helix Concept, that is, the use of the Space Platform to bring experimental biomedicine to a new and extreme frontier is introduced so as to better understand the worldly environment. Staffing and instrumenting the Space Platform biomedical laboratory in a manner patterned after successful terrestrial sensory physiology laboratories is also proposed.

A New Conflict Resolution Method for Multiple Mobile Robots in Cluttered Environments With Motion-Liveness.

PubMed

Shahriari, Mohammadali; Biglarbegian, Mohammad

2018-01-01

This paper presents a new conflict resolution methodology for multiple mobile robots while ensuring their motion-liveness, especially for cluttered and dynamic environments. Our method constructs a mathematical formulation in a form of an optimization problem by minimizing the overall travel times of the robots subject to resolving all the conflicts in their motion. This optimization problem can be easily solved through coordinating only the robots' speeds. To overcome the computational cost in executing the algorithm for very cluttered environments, we develop an innovative method through clustering the environment into independent subproblems that can be solved using parallel programming techniques. We demonstrate the scalability of our approach through performing extensive simulations. Simulation results showed that our proposed method is capable of resolving the conflicts of 100 robots in less than 1.23 s in a cluttered environment that has 4357 intersections in the paths of the robots. We also developed an experimental testbed and demonstrated that our approach can be implemented in real time. We finally compared our approach with other existing methods in the literature both quantitatively and qualitatively. This comparison shows while our approach is mathematically sound, it is more computationally efficient, scalable for very large number of robots, and guarantees the live and smooth motion of robots.

Biostimulators: A New Trend towards Solving an Old Problem.

PubMed

Posmyk, Małgorzata M; Szafrańska, Katarzyna

2016-01-01

Stresses provoked by adverse living conditions are inherent to a changing environment (climate change and anthropogenic influence) and they are basic factors that limit plant development and yields. Agriculture always struggled with this problem. The survey of non-toxic, natural, active substances useful in protection, and stimulation of plants growing under suboptimal and even harmful conditions, as well as searching for the most effective methods for their application, will direct our activities toward sustainable development and harmony with nature. It seems highly probable that boosting natural plant defense strategies by applying biostimulators will help to solve an old problem of poor yield in plant cultivation, by provoking their better growth and development even under suboptimal environmental conditions. This work is a concise review of such substances and methods of their application to plants.

Some variance reduction methods for numerical stochastic homogenization.

PubMed

Blanc, X; Le Bris, C; Legoll, F

2016-04-28

We give an overview of a series of recent studies devoted to variance reduction techniques for numerical stochastic homogenization. Numerical homogenization requires that a set of problems is solved at the microscale, the so-called corrector problems. In a random environment, these problems are stochastic and therefore need to be repeatedly solved, for several configurations of the medium considered. An empirical average over all configurations is then performed using the Monte Carlo approach, so as to approximate the effective coefficients necessary to determine the macroscopic behaviour. Variance severely affects the accuracy and the cost of such computations. Variance reduction approaches, borrowed from other contexts in the engineering sciences, can be useful. Some of these variance reduction techniques are presented, studied and tested here. © 2016 The Author(s).

Toward Solving the Problem of Problem Solving: An Analysis Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roesler, Rebecca A.

2016-01-01

Teaching is replete with problem solving. Problem solving as a skill, however, is seldom addressed directly within music teacher education curricula, and research in music education has not examined problem solving systematically. A framework detailing problem-solving component skills would provide a needed foundation. I observed problem solving…

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

Huesemann, Michael H.

It is currently believed that science and technology can provide effective solutions to most, if not all, environmental problems facing western industrial societies. The validity of this optimistic assumption is highly questionable for at least three reasons: First, current mechanistic, reductionist science is inherently incapable of providing the complete and accurate information which is required to successfully address environmental problems. Second, both the conservation of mass principle and the second law of thermodynamics dictate that most remediation technologies - while successful in solving specific pollution problems - cause unavoidable negative environmental impacts elsewhere or in the future. Third, it ismore » intrinsically impossible to design industrial processes that have no negative environmental impacts. This follows not only from the entropy law but also from the fact that any generation of energy is impossible without negative environmental consequences. It can therefore be concluded that science and technology have only very limited potential in solving current and future environmental problems. Consequently, it will be necessary to address the root cause of environmental deterioration, namely the prevailing materialistic values that are the main driving force for both overpopulation and overconsumption. The long-term protection of the environment is therefore not primarily a technical problem but rather a social and moral problem that can only be solved by drastically reducing the strong influence of materialistic values.« less

Collision avoidance for aircraft in abort landing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathwig, Jarret

We study the collision avoidance between two aircraft flying in the same vertical plane: a host aircraft on a glide path and an intruder aircraft on a horizontal trajectory below that of the host aircraft and heading in the opposite direction. Assuming that the intruder aircraft is uncooperative, the host aircraft executes an optimal abort landing maneuver: it applies maximum thrust setting and maximum angle of attack lifting the flight path over the original path, thereby increasing the timewise minimum distance between the two aircraft and, in this way, avoiding the potential collision. In the presence of weak constraints on the aircraft and/or the environment, the angle of attack must be brought to the maximum value and kept there until the maximin point is reached. On the other hand, in the presence of strong constraints on the aircraft and the environment, desaturation of the angle of attack might have to take place before the maximin point is reached. This thesis includes four parts. In the first part, after an introduction and review of the available literature, we reformulate and solve the one-subarc Chebyshev maximin problem as a two-subarc Bolza-Pontryagin problem in which the avoidance and the recovery maneuvers are treated simultaneously. In the second part, we develop a guidance scheme (gamma guidance) capable of approximating the optimal trajectory in real time. In the third part, we present the algorithms employed to solve the one-subarc and two-subarc problems. In the fourth part, we decompose the two-subarc Bolza-Pontryagin problem into two one-subarc problems: the avoidance problem and the recovery problem, to be solved in sequence; remarkably, for problems where the ratio of total maneuver time to avoidance time is sufficiently large (≥5), this simplified procedure predicts accurately the location of the maximin point as well as the maximin distance.

Supporting Scientific Analysis within Collaborative Problem Solving Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Velvin R.; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Collaborative problem solving environments for scientists should contain the analysis tools the scientists require in addition to the remote collaboration tools used for general communication. Unfortunately, most scientific analysis tools have been designed for a "stand-alone mode" and cannot be easily modified to work well in a collaborative environment. This paper addresses the questions, "What features are desired in a scientific analysis tool contained within a collaborative environment?", "What are the tool design criteria needed to provide these features?", and "What support is required from the architecture to support these design criteria?." First, the features of scientific analysis tools that are important for effective analysis in collaborative environments are listed. Next, several design criteria for developing analysis tools that will provide these features are presented. Then requirements for the architecture to support these design criteria are listed. Sonic proposed architectures for collaborative problem solving environments are reviewed and their capabilities to support the specified design criteria are discussed. A deficiency in the most popular architecture for remote application sharing, the ITU T. 120 architecture, prevents it from supporting highly interactive, dynamic, high resolution graphics. To illustrate that the specified design criteria can provide a highly effective analysis tool within a collaborative problem solving environment, a scientific analysis tool that contains the specified design criteria has been integrated into a collaborative environment and tested for effectiveness. The tests were conducted in collaborations between remote sites in the US and between remote sites on different continents. The tests showed that the tool (a tool for the visual analysis of computer simulations of physics) was highly effective for both synchronous and asynchronous collaborative analyses. The important features provided by the tool (and made possible by the specified design criteria) are: 1. The tool provides highly interactive, dynamic, high resolution, 3D graphics. 2. All remote scientists can view the same dynamic, high resolution, 3D scenes of the analysis as the analysis is being conducted. 3. The responsiveness of the tool is nearly identical to the responsiveness of the tool in a stand-alone mode. 4. The scientists can transfer control of the analysis between themselves. 5. Any analysis session or segment of an analysis session, whether done individually or collaboratively, can be recorded and posted on the Web for other scientists or students to download and play in either a collaborative or individual mode. 6. The scientist or student who downloaded the session can, individually or collaboratively, modify or extend the session with his/her own "what if" analysis of the data and post his/her version of the analysis back onto the Web. 7. The peak network bandwidth used in the collaborative sessions is only 1K bit/second even though the scientists at all sites are viewing high resolution (1280 x 1024 pixels), dynamic, 3D scenes of the analysis. The links between the specified design criteria and these performance features are presented.

Technology Enhanced Learning in Programming Courses--International Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivanovic, Mirjana; Xinogalos, Stelios; Pitner, Tomáš; Savic, Miloš

2017-01-01

Technology enhanced learning (TEL) is increasingly influencing university education, mainly in overcoming disadvantages of direct instruction teaching approaches, and encouraging creativity, problem solving and critical thinking in student-centered, interactive learning environments. In this paper, experiences from object-oriented programming…

NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO SOLVE OLD PROBLEMS

EPA Science Inventory

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) was established in early December of 1970 to protect human health and the environment. The USEPA realized from the beginning that to effectively carry out is's mission it needed to encourage the development of new technologies. Almos...

I Am. Therefore, I Think.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thurber, Christopher A.

2003-01-01

A review of groundbreaking studies in child development by Piaget, Vygotsky, Baillargeon, Premack, and Woodruff suggests that the ideal learning environment would need to have developmentally appropriate and challenging activities; nurturing experts; plenty of social interaction; and opportunities for problem solving, thoughtful reflection, and…

Robot path planning algorithm based on symbolic tags in dynamic environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vokhmintsev, A.; Timchenko, M.; Melnikov, A.; Kozko, A.; Makovetskii, A.

2017-09-01

The present work will propose a new heuristic algorithms for path planning of a mobile robot in an unknown dynamic space that have theoretically approved estimates of computational complexity and are approbated for solving specific applied problems.

Goals and everyday problem solving: examining the link between age-related goals and problem-solving strategy use.

PubMed

Hoppmann, Christiane A; Coats, Abby Heckman; Blanchard-Fields, Fredda

2008-07-01

Qualitative interviews on family and financial problems from 332 adolescents, young, middle-aged, and older adults, demonstrated that developmentally relevant goals predicted problem-solving strategy use over and above problem domain. Four focal goals concerned autonomy, generativity, maintaining good relationships with others, and changing another person. We examined both self- and other-focused problem-solving strategies. Autonomy goals were associated with self-focused instrumental problem solving and generative goals were related to other-focused instrumental problem solving in family and financial problems. Goals of changing another person were related to other-focused instrumental problem solving in the family domain only. The match between goals and strategies, an indicator of problem-solving adaptiveness, showed that young individuals displayed the greatest match between autonomy goals and self-focused problem solving, whereas older adults showed a greater match between generative goals and other-focused problem solving. Findings speak to the importance of considering goals in investigations of age-related differences in everyday problem solving.

Experimenting in a constructivist high school physics laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Wolff-Michael

Although laboratory activities have long been recognized for their potential to facilitate the learning of science concepts and skills, this potential has yet to be realized. To remediate this problem, researchers have called for constructivist learning environments in which students can pursue open inquiry and frame their own research problems. The present study was designed to describe and understand students' experimenting and problem solving in such an environment. An interpretive research methodology was adopted for the construction of meaning from the data. The data sources included videotapes, their transcripts, student laboratory reports and reflections, interviews with the students, and the teacher's course outline and reflective notes. Forty-six students from three sections of an introductory physics course taught at a private school for boys participated in the study. This article shows the students' remarkable ability and willingness to generate research questions and to design and develop apparatus for data collection. In their effort to frame research questions, students often used narrative explanations to explore and think about the phenomena to be studied. In some cases, blind alleys, students framed research questions and planned experiments that did not lead to the expected results. We observed a remarkable flexibility to deal with problems that arose during the implementation of their plans in the context of the inquiry. These problems, as well as their solutions and the necessary decision-making processes, were characterized by their situated nature. Finally, students pursued meaningful learning during the interpretation of data and graphs to arrive at reasonable answers of their research questions. We concluded that students should be provided with problem-rich learning environments in which they learn to investigate phenomena of their own interest and in which they can develop complex problem-solving skills.

Resources in Technology: Problem-Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Technology Teacher, 1986

1986-01-01

This instructional module examines a key function of science and technology: problem solving. It studies the meaning of problem solving, looks at techniques for problem solving, examines case studies that exemplify the problem-solving approach, presents problems for the reader to solve, and provides a student self-quiz. (Author/CT)

Photolithography diagnostic expert systems: a systematic approach to problem solving in a wafer fabrication facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weatherwax Scott, Caroline; Tsareff, Christopher R.

1990-06-01

One of the main goals of process engineering in the semiconductor industry is to improve wafer fabrication productivity and throughput. Engineers must work continuously toward this goal in addition to performing sustaining and development tasks. To accomplish these objectives, managers must make efficient use of engineering resources. One of the tools being used to improve efficiency is the diagnostic expert system. Expert systems are knowledge based computer programs designed to lead the user through the analysis and solution of a problem. Several photolithography diagnostic expert systems have been implemented at the Hughes Technology Center to provide a systematic approach to process problem solving. This systematic approach was achieved by documenting cause and effect analyses for a wide variety of processing problems. This knowledge was organized in the form of IF-THEN rules, a common structure for knowledge representation in expert system technology. These rules form the knowledge base of the expert system which is stored in the computer. The systems also include the problem solving methodology used by the expert when addressing a problem in his area of expertise. Operators now use the expert systems to solve many process problems without engineering assistance. The systems also facilitate the collection of appropriate data to assist engineering in solving unanticipated problems. Currently, several expert systems have been implemented to cover all aspects of the photolithography process. The systems, which have been in use for over a year, include wafer surface preparation (HMDS), photoresist coat and softbake, align and expose on a wafer stepper, and develop inspection. These systems are part of a plan to implement an expert system diagnostic environment throughout the wafer fabrication facility. In this paper, the systems' construction is described, including knowledge acquisition, rule construction, knowledge refinement, testing, and evaluation. The roles played by the process engineering expert and the knowledge engineer are discussed. The features of the systems are shown, particularly the interactive quality of the consultations and the ease of system use.

Exploring or Avoiding Novel Food Resources? The Novelty Conflict in an Invasive Bird

PubMed Central

Sol, Daniel; Griffin, Andrea S.; Bartomeus, Ignasi; Boyce, Hayley

2011-01-01

For an animal invading a novel region, the ability to develop new behaviors should facilitate the use of novel food resources and hence increase its survival in the new environment. However, the need to explore new resources may entail costs such as exposing the animal to unfamiliar predators. These two opposing forces result in an exploration-avoidance conflict, which can be expected to interfere with the acquisition of new resources. However, its consequences should be less dramatic in highly urbanized environments where new food opportunities are common and predation risk is low. We tested this hypothesis experimentally by presenting three foraging tasks to introduced common mynas (Acridotheres tristis) from environments with low and high urbanization levels from Australia. Individuals from the highly urbanized environments, where mynas are both more opportunistic when foraging and less fearful to predators, resolved a technical task faster than those from less urbanized environments. These differences did not reflect innovative ‘personalities’ and were not confounded by sex, morphology or motivational state. Rather, the principal factors underlying differences in mynas' problem-solving ability were neophobic-neophilic responses, which varied across habitats. Thus, mynas seem to modulate their problem-solving ability according to the benefits and costs of innovating in their particular habitat, which may help us understand the great success of the species in highly urbanized environments. PMID:21611168

How to Lessen the Effects of User Resistance on the Adoption of an E-Learning Environment: Screenshot Annotation on Flickr

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, T. K.

2018-01-01

The study makes use of the photo-hosting site, namely Flickr, for students to upload screenshots to demonstrate computer software problems and troubleshooting software. By creating non-text stickers and text-based annotations above the screenshots, students are able to help one another to diagnose and solve problems with greater certainty. In…

Designing Adaptive Instructional Environments: Insights from Empirical Evidence

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

theorems. Cohen’s f effect size for pretest to posttest gain, averaged across different problems = 0.46. 7 Basis for Adaptation Ability of...problems and took a posttest . Measures of Learning 26-item multiple choice pretest and posttest . Effect size on posttest scores as measured by...solving algebraic equations. Measures of Learning Pretest and posttest using rapid diagnostic testing procedure: Student had to provide their

Achievement of First-, Second-, and Third-Grade Students on Multiplication and Division Word Problems in Two Different Solution Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Aileen; Cabral, Sheryl Ann

This is a project in an emerging line of research investigating children's informed knowledge of mathematics questions. The purpose of this study was to analyze the ability of students who had not received multiplication or division instruction to solve multiplication and division word problems. The study consisted of videotaped interviews with 89…

Occupancy Grid Map Merging Using Feature Maps

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

each robot begins exploring at different starting points, once two robots can communicate, they send their odometry data, LIDAR observations, and maps...robots [11]. Moreover, it is relevant to mention that significant success has been achieved in solving SLAM problems when using hybrid maps [12...represents the environment by parametric features. Our method is capable of representing a LIDAR scanned environment map in a parametric fashion. In general

Designing and Using Virtual Field Environments to Enhance and Extend Field Experience in Professional Development Programs in Geology for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Granshaw, Frank Douglas

2011-01-01

Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used to acquaint geoscience novices with some of the observation, data gathering, and problem solving done in actual field situations by geoscientists. VR environments in a variety of forms are used to prepare students for doing geologic fieldwork, as well as to provide proxies for such experience when…

A Cognitive Analysis of Students’ Mathematical Problem Solving Ability on Geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusyda, N. A.; Kusnandi, K.; Suhendra, S.

2017-09-01

The purpose of this research is to analyze of mathematical problem solving ability of students in one of secondary school on geometry. This research was conducted by using quantitative approach with descriptive method. Population in this research was all students of that school and the sample was twenty five students that was chosen by purposive sampling technique. Data of mathematical problem solving were collected through essay test. The results showed the percentage of achievement of mathematical problem solving indicators of students were: 1) solve closed mathematical problems with context in math was 50%; 2) solve the closed mathematical problems with the context beyond mathematics was 24%; 3) solving open mathematical problems with contexts in mathematics was 35%; And 4) solving open mathematical problems with contexts outside mathematics was 44%. Based on the percentage, it can be concluded that the level of achievement of mathematical problem solving ability in geometry still low. This is because students are not used to solving problems that measure mathematical problem solving ability, weaknesses remember previous knowledge, and lack of problem solving framework. So the students’ ability of mathematical problems solving need to be improved with implement appropriate learning strategy.

Technology Management Education for Students with Educational Background of Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoyama, Atsushi; Abe, Atsushi

Japanese industry has been encouraged to transform from a mode of ‘recovery’ to one of 'front-runner' in effective innovation and creation of new businesses and markets based in accomplishments of basic research. Graduate School of Technology Management at Ritsumeikan University strives to not only offer knowledge and skills, but also business experiences to its students so that they may acquire the abilities to discover and solve practical problems logically, analytically and systematically. To achieve these aims, it has inaugurated the Ritsumeikan University Practicum Program by enhancing existing internship programs. Under the guidance of its faculties, this program will allow its students a chance to set and solve actual problems in real world business environments.

Parallel algorithms for boundary value problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Avi

1990-01-01

A general approach to solve boundary value problems numerically in a parallel environment is discussed. The basic algorithm consists of two steps: the local step where all the P available processors work in parallel, and the global step where one processor solves a tridiagonal linear system of the order P. The main advantages of this approach are two fold. First, this suggested approach is very flexible, especially in the local step and thus the algorithm can be used with any number of processors and with any of the SIMD or MIMD machines. Secondly, the communication complexity is very small and thus can be used as easily with shared memory machines. Several examples for using this strategy are discussed.

Eliminating Barriers: A Training Intervention in the Use of Medical Information Resources Within an Information-rich Ambulatory Care Environment

PubMed Central

Cuddy, Colleen; Brewer, Karen; Fitzpatrick, Bronson; Faraino, Richard; Trainor, Angela; Ciotoli, Carlo

2001-01-01

The NYU Ehrman Medical Library worked with the NYU Health Center to establish a base line analysis of the Center staff's knowledge and skills about medical information resources and how they apply them to clinical problem solving in their practice. Based on the results of this survey, the library conducted a targeted 12-month training program in how to select and use electronic resources for clinical problem solving. The survey was repeated and analyzed for significant self-reported change in information-seeking behavior and information skills. The poster presents the statistically significant changes and a set of the resultant research hypotheses.

Analysis the Purposes of Land Use Planning on the Hard Coal Tailing Dumps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zástĕrová, Petra; Niemiec, Dominik; Marschalko, Marian; Durd'ák, Jan; Duraj, Miloš; Yilmaz, Işik; Drusa, Marian

2016-10-01

The aim of this publication is to analyse the purposes of land use planning on hard coal tailing dumps. This issue is very topical because there are 46 tailing dumps and 281 reservoirs in the Ostrava-Karvina Mining District. They significantly affect the landscape of this region. A major problem is solving problems of reclamation of these geological environment. This means that it is necessary to think about it and start to solve it. It is clear that such reclamation is not simple both economic as well as environmental point of view. It is necessary to think carefully about what purpose would be tailing dump or reservoirs to utilize in a given location.

Managing Academic Libraries with Fewer Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riggs, Donald E.

1992-01-01

A discussion of academic library management during retrenchment looks at a variety of issues, including staffing needs in the labor-intensive library environment, acquisitions budgeting, interlibrary cooperation (ownership vs. access to resources), entrepreneurship and strategic planning for problem solving, and use of total quality management…

Learning to be a Capable Systems Agriculturalist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bawden, Richard; Valentine, Ian

1984-01-01

Outlines innovations associated with development of a learning environment designed around problem-solving/situation-improving strategies for farming and other agricultural systems at Australia's Hawkesbury Agricultural College. The situation at the school is described; observations and reflections are noted; and conceptualizations and actions for…

Overset Grid Methods Applied to Nonlinear Potential Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holst, Terry; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The objectives of this viewgraph presentation are to develop Chimera-based potential methodology which is compatible with overflow and overflow infrastructure, creating options for an advanced problem solving environment and to significantly reduce turnaround time for aerodynamic analysis and design (primarily cruise conditions).

Studying primate learning in group contexts: Tests of social foraging, response to novelty, and cooperative problem solving.

PubMed

Drea, Christine M

2006-03-01

Learning commonly refers to the modification of behavior through experience, whereby an animal gains information about stimulus-response contingencies from interacting with its physical environment. Social learning, on the other hand, occurs when the same information originates, not from the animal's personal experience, but from the actions of others. Socially biased learning is the 'collective outcome of interacting physical, social, and individual factors' [D. Fragaszy, E. Visalberghi, Learn. Behav. 32 (2004) 24-35.] (see p. 24). Mounting interest in animal social learning has brought with it certain innovations in animal testing procedures. Variants of the observer-demonstrator and cooperation paradigms, for instance, have been used widely in captive settings to examine the transmission or coordination of behavior, respectively, between two animals. Relatively few studies, however, have examined social learning in more complex group settings and even fewer have manipulated the social environment to empirically test the effect of group dynamics on problem solving. The present paper outlines procedures for group testing captive non-human primates, in spacious arenas, to evaluate the social modulation of learning and performance. These methods are illustrated in the context of (1) naturalistic social foraging problems, modeled after traditional visual discrimination paradigms, (2) response to novel objects and novel extractive foraging tasks, and (3) cooperative problem solving. Each example showcases the benefits of experimentally manipulating social context to compare an animal's performance in intact groups (or even pairs) against its performance under different social circumstances. Broader application of group testing procedures and manipulation of group composition promise to provide meaningful insight into socially biased learning.

A visual programming environment for the Navier-Stokes computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tomboulian, Sherryl; Crockett, Thomas W.; Middleton, David

1988-01-01

The Navier-Stokes computer is a high-performance, reconfigurable, pipelined machine designed to solve large computational fluid dynamics problems. Due to the complexity of the architecture, development of effective, high-level language compilers for the system appears to be a very difficult task. Consequently, a visual programming methodology has been developed which allows users to program the system at an architectural level by constructing diagrams of the pipeline configuration. These schematic program representations can then be checked for validity and automatically translated into machine code. The visual environment is illustrated by using a prototype graphical editor to program an example problem.

Virtual manufacturing in reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papstel, Jyri; Saks, Alo

2000-10-01

SMEs play an important role in manufacturing industry. But from time to time there is a shortage in resources to complete the particular order in time. Number of systems is introduced to produce digital information in order to support product and process development activities. Main problem is lack of opportunity for direct data transition within design system modules when needed temporary extension of design capacity (virtuality) or to implement integrated concurrent product development principles. The planning experience in the field is weakly used as well. The concept of virtual manufacturing is a supporting idea to solve this problem. At the same time a number of practical problems should be solved like information conformity, data transfer, unified technological concepts acceptation etc. In the present paper the proposed ways to solve the practical problems of virtual manufacturing are described. General objective is to introduce the knowledge-based CAPP system as missing module for Virtual Manufacturing in the selected product domain. Surface-centered planning concept based on STEP- based modeling principles, and knowledge-based process planning methodology will be used to gain the objectives. As a result the planning module supplied by design data with direct access, and supporting advising environment is expected. Mould producing SME would be as test basis.

Intervention into a turbulent urban situation: A case study. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caldwell, G. M., Jr.

1973-01-01

The application is reported of NASA management philosophy and techniques within New Castle County, Delaware, to meet actual problems of community violence. It resulted in restructuring the county approach to problems of this nature, and development of a comprehensive system for planning, based on the NASA planning process. The method involved federal, state, and local resources with community representatives in solving the problems. The concept of a turbulent environment is presented with parallels drawn between NASA management experience and problems of management within an urban arena.

A robust optimisation approach to the problem of supplier selection and allocation in outsourcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Yelin; Keung Lai, Kin; Liang, Liang

2016-03-01

We formulate the supplier selection and allocation problem in outsourcing under an uncertain environment as a stochastic programming problem. Both the decision-maker's attitude towards risk and the penalty parameters for demand deviation are considered in the objective function. A service level agreement, upper bound for each selected supplier's allocation and the number of selected suppliers are considered as constraints. A novel robust optimisation approach is employed to solve this problem under different economic situations. Illustrative examples are presented with managerial implications highlighted to support decision-making.

An investigative framework to facilitate epidemiological thinking during herd problem-solving.

PubMed

More, Simon J; Doherty, Michael L; O'Grady, Luke

2017-01-01

Veterinary clinicians and students commonly use diagnostic approaches appropriate for individual cases when conducting herd problem-solving. However, these approaches can be problematic, in part because they make limited use of epidemiological principles and methods, which has clear application during the investigation of herd problems. In this paper, we provide an overview of diagnostic approaches that are used when investigating individual animal cases, and the challenges faced when these approaches are directly translated from the individual to the herd. Further, we propose an investigative framework to facilitate epidemiological thinking during herd problem-solving. A number of different approaches are used when making a diagnosis on an individual animal, including pattern recognition, hypothetico-deductive reasoning, and the key abnormality method. Methods commonly applied to individuals are often adapted for herd problem-solving: 'comparison with best practice' being a herd-level adaptation of pattern recognition, and 'differential diagnoses' a herd-level adaptation of hypothetico-deductive reasoning. These approaches can be effective, however, challenges can arise. Herds are complex; a collection of individual cows, but also additional layers relating to environment, management, feeding etc. It is unrealistic to expect seamless translation of diagnostic approaches from the individual to the herd. Comparison with best practice is time-consuming and prioritisation of actions can be problematic, whereas differential diagnoses can lead to 'pathogen hunting', particularly in complex cases. Epidemiology is the science of understanding disease in populations. The focus is on the population, underpinned by principles and utilising methods that seek to allow us to generate solid conclusions from apparently uncontrolled situations. In this paper, we argue for the inclusion of epidemiological principles and methods as an additional tool for herd problem-solving, and outline an investigative framework, with examples, to effectively incorporate these principles and methods with other diagnostic approaches during herd problem-solving. Relevant measures of performance are identified, and measures of case frequencies are calculated and compared across time, in space and among animal groupings, to identify patterns, clues and plausible hypotheses, consistent with potential biological processes. With this knowledge, the subsequent investigation (relevant on-farm activities, diagnostic testing and other examinations) can be focused, and actions prioritised (specifically, those actions that are likely to make the greatest difference in addressing the problem if enacted). In our experience, this investigative framework is an effective teaching tool, facilitating epidemiological thinking among students during herd problem-solving. It is a generic and robust process, suited to many herd-based problems.

A Computationally Efficient Parallel Levenberg-Marquardt Algorithm for Large-Scale Big-Data Inversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Y.; O'Malley, D.; Vesselinov, V. V.

2015-12-01

Inverse modeling seeks model parameters given a set of observed state variables. However, for many practical problems due to the facts that the observed data sets are often large and model parameters are often numerous, conventional methods for solving the inverse modeling can be computationally expensive. We have developed a new, computationally-efficient Levenberg-Marquardt method for solving large-scale inverse modeling. Levenberg-Marquardt methods require the solution of a dense linear system of equations which can be prohibitively expensive to compute for large-scale inverse problems. Our novel method projects the original large-scale linear problem down to a Krylov subspace, such that the dimensionality of the measurements can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, instead of solving the linear system for every Levenberg-Marquardt damping parameter, we store the Krylov subspace computed when solving the first damping parameter and recycle it for all the following damping parameters. The efficiency of our new inverse modeling algorithm is significantly improved by using these computational techniques. We apply this new inverse modeling method to invert for a random transitivity field. Our algorithm is fast enough to solve for the distributed model parameters (transitivity) at each computational node in the model domain. The inversion is also aided by the use regularization techniques. The algorithm is coded in Julia and implemented in the MADS computational framework (http://mads.lanl.gov). Julia is an advanced high-level scientific programing language that allows for efficient memory management and utilization of high-performance computational resources. By comparing with a Levenberg-Marquardt method using standard linear inversion techniques, our Levenberg-Marquardt method yields speed-up ratio of 15 in a multi-core computational environment and a speed-up ratio of 45 in a single-core computational environment. Therefore, our new inverse modeling method is a powerful tool for large-scale applications.

Resource Letter RPS-1: Research in problem solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Leonardo; Brewe, Eric; Foster, Thomas M.; Harper, Kathleen A.

2004-09-01

This Resource Letter provides a guide to the literature on research in problem solving, especially in physics. The references were compiled with two audiences in mind: physicists who are (or might become) engaged in research on problem solving, and physics instructors who are interested in using research results to improve their students' learning of problem solving. In addition to general references, journal articles and books are cited for the following topics: cognitive aspects of problem solving, expert-novice problem-solver characteristics, problem solving in mathematics, alternative problem types, curricular interventions, and the use of computers in problem solving.

Fuel, environmental, and transmission pricing considerations in a deregulated environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obessis, Emmanouil Vlassios

The 1992 National Energy Policy Act drastically changed the traditional structure of the vertically integrated utility. To facilitate increased competition in the power utility sector, all markets related to power generation have been opened to free competition and trading. To survive in the new competitive environment, power producers need to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Fuel marketing strategies are thus, getting more aggressive and fuel markets are becoming more competitive, offering more options regarding fuel supplies and contracts. At the same time, the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments are taking effect. Although tightening the emission standards, this legislation offers utilities a wider flexibility in choosing compliance strategies. It also set maximum annual allowable levels replacing the traditional uniform maximum emission rates. The bill also introduced the concept of marketable emission allowances and provided for the establishment of nationwide markets where allowances may be traded, sold, or purchased. Several fuel- and emission-constrained algorithms have been historically presented, but those two classes of constraints, in general, were handled independently. The multiobjective optimization model developed in this research work, concurrently satisfies sets of detailed fuel and emission limits, modeling in a more accurate way the fuel supply and environmental limitations and their complexities in the new deregulated operational environment. Development of the implementation software is an integral part of this research project. This software may be useful for both daily scheduling activities and short-term operational planning. A Lagrangian multipliers-based variant is used to solve the problem. Single line searches are used to update the multipliers, thus offering attractive execution times. This work also investigates the applicability of cooperative games to the problem of transmission cost allocation. Interest in game theory as a powerful tool to solve common property allocation problems has been renewed. A simple allocation framework is developed using capacity based costing rules. Different solution concepts are applied to solve small scale transmission pricing problems. Game models may render themselves useful in investigating "what if" scenarios.

Motion Planning and Synthesis of Human-Like Characters in Constrained Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Liangjun; Pan, Jia; Manocha, Dinesh

We give an overview of our recent work on generating naturally-looking human motion in constrained environments with multiple obstacles. This includes a whole-body motion planning algorithm for high DOF human-like characters. The planning problem is decomposed into a sequence of low dimensional sub-problems. We use a constrained coordination scheme to solve the sub-problems in an incremental manner and a local path refinement algorithm to compute collision-free paths in tight spaces and satisfy the statically stable constraint on CoM. We also present a hybrid algorithm to generate plausible motion by combing the motion computed by our planner with mocap data. We demonstrate the performance of our algorithm on a 40 DOF human-like character and generate efficient motion strategies for object placement, bending, walking, and lifting in complex environments.

A hybrid genetic-simulated annealing algorithm for the location-inventory-routing problem considering returns under e-supply chain environment.

PubMed

Li, Yanhui; Guo, Hao; Wang, Lin; Fu, Jing

2013-01-01

Facility location, inventory control, and vehicle routes scheduling are critical and highly related problems in the design of logistics system for e-business. Meanwhile, the return ratio in Internet sales was significantly higher than in the traditional business. Many of returned merchandise have no quality defects, which can reenter sales channels just after a simple repackaging process. Focusing on the existing problem in e-commerce logistics system, we formulate a location-inventory-routing problem model with no quality defects returns. To solve this NP-hard problem, an effective hybrid genetic simulated annealing algorithm (HGSAA) is proposed. Results of numerical examples show that HGSAA outperforms GA on computing time, optimal solution, and computing stability. The proposed model is very useful to help managers make the right decisions under e-supply chain environment.

Development of Interactive Videodisc Instruction for Problem Solving and Armor Skills

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

skills in both tactical and non-tactical environments. The main body of the lesson is approximately 30 minutes long (linear play time), and is divided...because the test takes a long time and the task is not a problem for most students. The basis on which the above tasks were selected for diagnostic...selection he could given the time available. This is a short-term solution to the task selection problem, but in the long -term a more comprehensive and

Work Integrated Learning Competencies: Industrial Supervisors' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makhathini, Thobeka Pearl

2016-01-01

Research on student-learning outcomes indicates that university graduates do not possess relevant skills required by the industry such as leadership, emotional intelligence, problem solving, communication, decision-making skills and the ability to function in a multicultural environment. Currently, engineering graduates are expected to perform…

The Therapeutic Stage Encounters the Virtual World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imholz, Susan

2008-01-01

Clinical research in expressive therapies, psychodrama in particular, offer education researchers and software designers descriptive analyses and evidence-based impact studies on attitudinal shifts and enhanced problem solving abilities for patients and students who participate in psychodrama role-play. Gaming environments and virtual worlds that…

Teaming. The Key to World Class Manufacturing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, John R.

1999-01-01

Lean manufacturing, a streamlined system of flow and job shop techniques, relies on self-directed work teams. Technology educators can prepare students for work in this environment by using problem-solving teams in the classroom to work on design briefs and other group projects. (SK)

Themed Learning with Music and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smarkusky, Debra L.; Toman, Sharon A.

2016-01-01

Interdisciplinary teaching and interpretation of technology for various applications provides a challenging and engaging environment for students to enhance their creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This paper presents results of a joint effort between faculty in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology and the…

Digital Readiness Gaps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horrigan, John B.

2016-01-01

For many years concerns about "digital divides" centered primarily on whether people had "access" to digital technologies. Now, those worried about these issues also focus on the degree to which people succeed or struggle when they use technology to try to navigate their environments, solve problems, and make decisions. This…

The Creative Personality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selby, Edwin C.; Shaw, Emily J.; Houtz, John C.

2005-01-01

The study of the creative personality has established itself as a major avenue of research on creativity and creative problem solving, other areas being creative process, product, and environment (or press). With respect to personality research, over the past 50-plus years, many studies have examined characteristics, attitudes, preferences,…

Facilitating Learning in Multidisciplinary Groups with Transactive CSCL Scripts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noroozi, Omid; Teasley, Stephanie D.; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Weinberger, Armin; Mulder, Martin

2013-01-01

Knowledge sharing and transfer are essential for learning in groups, especially when group members have different disciplinary expertise and collaborate online. Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) environments have been designed to facilitate transactive knowledge sharing and transfer in collaborative problem-solving settings. This…

Facilitating Argumentative Knowledge Construction through a Transactive Discussion Script in CSCL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noroozi, Omid; Weinberger, Armin; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Mulder, Martin; Chizari, Mohammad

2013-01-01

Learning to argue is prerequisite to solving complex problems in groups, especially when they are multidisciplinary and collaborate online. Environments for Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) can be designed to facilitate argumentative knowledge construction. This study investigates how argumentative knowledge construction in…

Comments and Criticism: Comment on "Identification of Student Misconceptions in Genetics Problem Solving via Computer Program."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Mike U.

1991-01-01

Criticizes an article by Browning and Lehman (1988) for (1) using "gene" instead of allele, (2) misusing the word "misconception," and (3) the possible influences of the computer environment on the results of the study. (PR)

Parallel Fortran-MPI software for numerical inversion of the Laplace transform and its application to oscillatory water levels in groundwater environments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhan, X.

2005-01-01

A parallel Fortran-MPI (Message Passing Interface) software for numerical inversion of the Laplace transform based on a Fourier series method is developed to meet the need of solving intensive computational problems involving oscillatory water level's response to hydraulic tests in a groundwater environment. The software is a parallel version of ACM (The Association for Computing Machinery) Transactions on Mathematical Software (TOMS) Algorithm 796. Running 38 test examples indicated that implementation of MPI techniques with distributed memory architecture speedups the processing and improves the efficiency. Applications to oscillatory water levels in a well during aquifer tests are presented to illustrate how this package can be applied to solve complicated environmental problems involved in differential and integral equations. The package is free and is easy to use for people with little or no previous experience in using MPI but who wish to get off to a quick start in parallel computing. ?? 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Students’ difficulties in probabilistic problem-solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arum, D. P.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Pramudya, I.

2018-03-01

There are many errors can be identified when students solving mathematics problems, particularly in solving the probabilistic problem. This present study aims to investigate students’ difficulties in solving the probabilistic problem. It focuses on analyzing and describing students errors during solving the problem. This research used the qualitative method with case study strategy. The subjects in this research involve ten students of 9th grade that were selected by purposive sampling. Data in this research involve students’ probabilistic problem-solving result and recorded interview regarding students’ difficulties in solving the problem. Those data were analyzed descriptively using Miles and Huberman steps. The results show that students have difficulties in solving the probabilistic problem and can be divided into three categories. First difficulties relate to students’ difficulties in understanding the probabilistic problem. Second, students’ difficulties in choosing and using appropriate strategies for solving the problem. Third, students’ difficulties with the computational process in solving the problem. Based on the result seems that students still have difficulties in solving the probabilistic problem. It means that students have not able to use their knowledge and ability for responding probabilistic problem yet. Therefore, it is important for mathematics teachers to plan probabilistic learning which could optimize students probabilistic thinking ability.

Spindle

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

2013-04-04

Spindle is software infrastructure that solves file system scalabiltiy problems associated with starting dynamically linked applications in HPC environments. When an HPC applications starts up thousands of pricesses at once, and those processes simultaneously access a shared file system to look for shared libraries, it can cause significant performance problems for both the application and other users. Spindle scalably coordinates the distribution of shared libraries to an application to avoid hammering the shared file system.

A spiking neural network model of model-free reinforcement learning with high-dimensional sensory input and perceptual ambiguity.

PubMed

Nakano, Takashi; Otsuka, Makoto; Yoshimoto, Junichiro; Doya, Kenji

2015-01-01

A theoretical framework of reinforcement learning plays an important role in understanding action selection in animals. Spiking neural networks provide a theoretically grounded means to test computational hypotheses on neurally plausible algorithms of reinforcement learning through numerical simulation. However, most of these models cannot handle observations which are noisy, or occurred in the past, even though these are inevitable and constraining features of learning in real environments. This class of problem is formally known as partially observable reinforcement learning (PORL) problems. It provides a generalization of reinforcement learning to partially observable domains. In addition, observations in the real world tend to be rich and high-dimensional. In this work, we use a spiking neural network model to approximate the free energy of a restricted Boltzmann machine and apply it to the solution of PORL problems with high-dimensional observations. Our spiking network model solves maze tasks with perceptually ambiguous high-dimensional observations without knowledge of the true environment. An extended model with working memory also solves history-dependent tasks. The way spiking neural networks handle PORL problems may provide a glimpse into the underlying laws of neural information processing which can only be discovered through such a top-down approach.

A Spiking Neural Network Model of Model-Free Reinforcement Learning with High-Dimensional Sensory Input and Perceptual Ambiguity

PubMed Central

Nakano, Takashi; Otsuka, Makoto; Yoshimoto, Junichiro; Doya, Kenji

2015-01-01

A theoretical framework of reinforcement learning plays an important role in understanding action selection in animals. Spiking neural networks provide a theoretically grounded means to test computational hypotheses on neurally plausible algorithms of reinforcement learning through numerical simulation. However, most of these models cannot handle observations which are noisy, or occurred in the past, even though these are inevitable and constraining features of learning in real environments. This class of problem is formally known as partially observable reinforcement learning (PORL) problems. It provides a generalization of reinforcement learning to partially observable domains. In addition, observations in the real world tend to be rich and high-dimensional. In this work, we use a spiking neural network model to approximate the free energy of a restricted Boltzmann machine and apply it to the solution of PORL problems with high-dimensional observations. Our spiking network model solves maze tasks with perceptually ambiguous high-dimensional observations without knowledge of the true environment. An extended model with working memory also solves history-dependent tasks. The way spiking neural networks handle PORL problems may provide a glimpse into the underlying laws of neural information processing which can only be discovered through such a top-down approach. PMID:25734662

The Use of Self, Peer and Teacher Assessment as a Feedback System in a Learning Environment Aimed at Fostering Skills of Cooperation in an Entrepreneurial Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schelfhout, Wouter; Dochy, Filip; Janssens, Steven

2004-01-01

Education is criticized for producing inert knowledge and for paying too little attention to skills such as cooperating and problem solving. Powerful learning environments have the potential to overcome these educational shortcomings. The goal of this research was to find out ways in which a "learning enterprise" can best be supported (coached) in…

Development and Evaluation of a Web Map Mind Tool Environment with the Theory of Spatial Thinking and Project-Based Learning Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hou, Huei-Tse; Yu, Tsai-Fang; Wu, Yi-Xuan; Sung, Yao-Ting; Chang, Kuo-En

2016-01-01

The theory of spatial thinking is relevant to the learning and teaching of many academic domains. One promising method to facilitate learners' higher-order thinking is to utilize a web map mind tool to assist learners in applying spatial thinking to cooperative problem solving. In this study, an environment is designed based on the theory of…

Study on the Future Internet System through Analysis of SCADA Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Jae-Gu; Jung, Sungmo; Kim, Seoksoo

Research on the future Internet is focused on establishing standards by solving problems through various projects and accepting various requirements. In this study, the SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) environment, closely related with national infrastructure, is analyzed in order to explore requirements of the future Internet and then those of the SCADA network. Also, this study provides SCADA system environments for the future Internet.

Daily Report, Supplement, East Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-07-23

policy must be adapted to agriculture. To the best of my knowledge, I am helping to shape such an economic policy. [Box, p 26] Report From...Romanian industry (which has not yet begun) cannot easily solve the thorny problem of the mammoth combined enterprises. On one hand, Romanian...the advanced countries), seeking man’s integra- tion into the environment and not transformation of the environment . We have enough experience with

Development of a problem solving evaluation instrument; untangling of specific problem solving assets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Wendy Kristine

The purpose of my research was to produce a problem solving evaluation tool for physics. To do this it was necessary to gain a thorough understanding of how students solve problems. Although physics educators highly value problem solving and have put extensive effort into understanding successful problem solving, there is currently no efficient way to evaluate problem solving skill. Attempts have been made in the past; however, knowledge of the principles required to solve the subject problem are so absolutely critical that they completely overshadow any other skills students may use when solving a problem. The work presented here is unique because the evaluation tool removes the requirement that the student already have a grasp of physics concepts. It is also unique because I picked a wide range of people and picked a wide range of tasks for evaluation. This is an important design feature that helps make things emerge more clearly. This dissertation includes an extensive literature review of problem solving in physics, math, education and cognitive science as well as descriptions of studies involving student use of interactive computer simulations, the design and validation of a beliefs about physics survey and finally the design of the problem solving evaluation tool. I have successfully developed and validated a problem solving evaluation tool that identifies 44 separate assets (skills) necessary for solving problems. Rigorous validation studies, including work with an independent interviewer, show these assets identified by this content-free evaluation tool are the same assets that students use to solve problems in mechanics and quantum mechanics. Understanding this set of component assets will help teachers and researchers address problem solving within the classroom.

Age differences in everyday problem-solving effectiveness: older adults select more effective strategies for interpersonal problems.

PubMed

Blanchard-Fields, Fredda; Mienaltowski, Andrew; Seay, Renee Baldi

2007-01-01

Using the Everyday Problem Solving Inventory of Cornelius and Caspi, we examined differences in problem-solving strategy endorsement and effectiveness in two domains of everyday functioning (instrumental or interpersonal, and a mixture of the two domains) and for four strategies (avoidance-denial, passive dependence, planful problem solving, and cognitive analysis). Consistent with past research, our research showed that older adults were more problem focused than young adults in their approach to solving instrumental problems, whereas older adults selected more avoidant-denial strategies than young adults when solving interpersonal problems. Overall, older adults were also more effective than young adults when solving everyday problems, in particular for interpersonal problems.

Spontaneous gestures influence strategy choices in problem solving.

PubMed

Alibali, Martha W; Spencer, Robert C; Knox, Lucy; Kita, Sotaro

2011-09-01

Do gestures merely reflect problem-solving processes, or do they play a functional role in problem solving? We hypothesized that gestures highlight and structure perceptual-motor information, and thereby make such information more likely to be used in problem solving. Participants in two experiments solved problems requiring the prediction of gear movement, either with gesture allowed or with gesture prohibited. Such problems can be correctly solved using either a perceptual-motor strategy (simulation of gear movements) or an abstract strategy (the parity strategy). Participants in the gesture-allowed condition were more likely to use perceptual-motor strategies than were participants in the gesture-prohibited condition. Gesture promoted use of perceptual-motor strategies both for participants who talked aloud while solving the problems (Experiment 1) and for participants who solved the problems silently (Experiment 2). Thus, spontaneous gestures influence strategy choices in problem solving.

Too upset to think: the interplay of borderline personality features, negative emotions, and social problem solving in the laboratory.

PubMed

Dixon-Gordon, Katherine L; Chapman, Alexander L; Lovasz, Nathalie; Walters, Kris

2011-10-01

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with poor social problem solving and problems with emotion regulation. In this study, the social problem-solving performance of undergraduates with high (n = 26), mid (n = 32), or low (n = 29) levels of BPD features was assessed with the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised and using the means-ends problem-solving procedure before and after a social rejection stressor. The high-BP group, but not the low-BP group, showed a significant reduction in relevant solutions to social problems and more inappropriate solutions following the negative emotion induction. Increases in self-reported negative emotions during the emotion induction mediated the relationship between BP features and reductions in social problem-solving performance. In addition, the high-BP group demonstrated trait deficits in social problem solving on the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised. These findings suggest that future research must examine social problem solving under differing emotional conditions, and that clinical interventions to improve social problem solving among persons with BP features should focus on responses to emotional contexts.

Data management in an object-oriented distributed aircraft conceptual design environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Zhijie

In the competitive global market place, aerospace companies are forced to deliver the right products to the right market, with the right cost, and at the right time. However, the rapid development of technologies and new business opportunities, such as mergers, acquisitions, supply chain management, etc., have dramatically increased the complexity of designing an aircraft. Therefore, the pressure to reduce design cycle time and cost is enormous. One way to solve such a dilemma is to develop and apply advanced engineering environments (AEEs), which are distributed collaborative virtual design environments linking researchers, technologists, designers, etc., together by incorporating application tools and advanced computational, communications, and networking facilities. Aircraft conceptual design, as the first design stage, provides major opportunity to compress design cycle time and is the cheapest place for making design changes. However, traditional aircraft conceptual design programs, which are monolithic programs, cannot provide satisfactory functionality to meet new design requirements due to the lack of domain flexibility and analysis scalability. Therefore, we are in need of the next generation aircraft conceptual design environment (NextADE). To build the NextADE, the framework and the data management problem are two major problems that need to be addressed at the forefront. Solving these two problems, particularly the data management problem, is the focus of this research. In this dissertation, in light of AEEs, a distributed object-oriented framework is firstly formulated and tested for the NextADE. In order to improve interoperability and simplify the integration of heterogeneous application tools, data management is one of the major problems that need to be tackled. To solve this problem, taking into account the characteristics of aircraft conceptual design data, a robust, extensible object-oriented data model is then proposed according to the distributed object-oriented framework. By overcoming the shortcomings of the traditional approach of modeling aircraft conceptual design data, this data model makes it possible to capture specific detailed information of aircraft conceptual design without sacrificing generality, which is one of the most desired features of a data model for aircraft conceptual design. Based upon this data model, a prototype of the data management system, which is one of the fundamental building blocks of the NextADE, is implemented utilizing the state of the art information technologies. Using a general-purpose integration software package to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed framework and the data management system, the NextADE is initially implemented by integrating the prototype of the data management system with other building blocks of the design environment, such as disciplinary analyses programs and mission analyses programs. As experiments, two case studies are conducted in the integrated design environments. One is based upon a simplified conceptual design of a notional conventional aircraft; the other is a simplified conceptual design of an unconventional aircraft. As a result of the experiments, the proposed framework and the data management approach are shown to be feasible solutions to the research problems.

An Investigation of Secondary Teachers’ Understanding and Belief on Mathematical Problem Solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuli Eko Siswono, Tatag; Wachidul Kohar, Ahmad; Kurniasari, Ika; Puji Astuti, Yuliani

2016-02-01

Weaknesses on problem solving of Indonesian students as reported by recent international surveys give rise to questions on how Indonesian teachers bring out idea of problem solving in mathematics lesson. An explorative study was undertaken to investigate how secondary teachers who teach mathematics at junior high school level understand and show belief toward mathematical problem solving. Participants were teachers from four cities in East Java province comprising 45 state teachers and 25 private teachers. Data was obtained through questionnaires and written test. The results of this study point out that the teachers understand pedagogical problem solving knowledge well as indicated by high score of observed teachers‘ responses showing understanding on problem solving as instruction as well as implementation of problem solving in teaching practice. However, they less understand on problem solving content knowledge such as problem solving strategies and meaning of problem itself. Regarding teacher's difficulties, teachers admitted to most frequently fail in (1) determining a precise mathematical model or strategies when carrying out problem solving steps which is supported by data of test result that revealed transformation error as the most frequently observed errors in teachers’ work and (2) choosing suitable real situation when designing context-based problem solving task. Meanwhile, analysis of teacher's beliefs on problem solving shows that teachers tend to view both mathematics and how students should learn mathematics as body static perspective, while they tend to believe to apply idea of problem solving as dynamic approach when teaching mathematics.

The Impact of Teacher Training on Creative Writing and Problem-Solving Using Futuristic Scenarios for Creative Problem Solving and Creative Problem Solving Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayel Al-Srour, Nadia; Al-Ali, Safa M.; Al-Oweidi, Alia

2016-01-01

The present study aims to detect the impact of teacher training on creative writing and problem-solving using both Futuristic scenarios program to solve problems creatively, and creative problem solving. To achieve the objectives of the study, the sample was divided into two groups, the first consist of 20 teachers, and 23 teachers to second…

A Noise Removal Method for Uniform Circular Arrays in Complex Underwater Noise Environments with Low SNR

PubMed Central

Xia, Huijun; Yang, Kunde; Ma, Yuanliang; Wang, Yong; Liu, Yaxiong

2017-01-01

Generally, many beamforming methods are derived under the assumption of white noise. In practice, the actual underwater ambient noise is complex. As a result, the noise removal capacity of the beamforming method may be deteriorated considerably. Furthermore, in underwater environment with extremely low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the performances of the beamforming method may be deteriorated. To tackle these problems, a noise removal method for uniform circular array (UCA) is proposed to remove the received noise and improve the SNR in complex noise environments with low SNR. First, the symmetrical noise sources are defined and the spatial correlation of the symmetrical noise sources is calculated. Then, based on the preceding results, the noise covariance matrix is decomposed into symmetrical and asymmetrical components. Analysis indicates that the symmetrical component only affect the real part of the noise covariance matrix. Consequently, the delay-and-sum (DAS) beamforming is performed by using the imaginary part of the covariance matrix to remove the symmetrical component. However, the noise removal method causes two problems. First, the proposed method produces a false target. Second, the proposed method would seriously suppress the signal when it is located in some directions. To solve the first problem, two methods to reconstruct the signal covariance matrix are presented: based on the estimation of signal variance and based on the constrained optimization algorithm. To solve the second problem, we can design the array configuration and select the suitable working frequency. Theoretical analysis and experimental results are included to demonstrate that the proposed methods are particularly effective in complex noise environments with low SNR. The proposed method can be extended to any array. PMID:28598386

Problem-solving skills in high school biology: The effectiveness of the IMMEX problem-solving assessment software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palacio-Cayetano, Joycelin

"Problem-solving through reflective thinking should be both the method and valuable outcome of science instruction in America's schools" proclaimed John Dewey (Gabel, 1995). If the development of problem-solving is a primary goal of science education, more problem-solving opportunities must be an integral part of K-16 education. To examine the effective use of technology in developing and assessing problem-solving skills, a problem-solving authoring, learning, and assessment software, the UCLA IMMEX Program-Interactive Multimedia Exercises-was investigated. This study was a twenty-week quasi-experimental study that was implemented as a control-group time series design among 120 tenth grade students. Both the experimental group (n = 60) and the control group (n = 60) participated in a problem-based learning curriculum; however, the experimental group received regular intensive experiences with IMMEX problem-solving and the control group did not. Problem-solving pretest and posttest were administered to all students. The instruments used were a 35-item Processes of Biological Inquiry Test and an IMMEX problem-solving assessment test, True Roots. Students who participated in the IMMEX Program achieved significant (p <.05) gains in problem-solving skills on both problem-solving assessment instruments. This study provided evidence that IMMEX software is highly efficient in evaluating salient elements of problem-solving. Outputs of students' problem-solving strategies revealed that unsuccessful problem solvers primarily used the following four strategies: (1) no data search strategy, students simply guessed; (2) limited data search strategy leading to insufficient data and premature closing; (3) irrelevant data search strategy, students focus in areas bearing no substantive data; and (4) extensive data search strategy with inadequate integration and analysis. On the contrary, successful problem solvers used the following strategies; (1) focused search strategy coupled with the ability to fill in knowledge gaps by accessing the appropriate resources; (2) targeted search strategy coupled with high level of analytical and integration skills; and (3) focused search strategy coupled with superior discrimination, analytical, and integration skills. The strategies of students who were successful and unsuccessful solving IMMEX problems were consistent with those of expert and novice problem solvers identified in the literature on problem-solving.

GIS Enabled PBl Pedagogy: The Effects on Students' Learning in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Yan; Laxman, Kumar

2009-01-01

In efforts aimed at acquainting learners with "how to learn" skills rather than static content knowledge, more student centric instructional approaches are being increasingly adopted in informing curriculum design and delivery. Technology-rich problem solving environments offer great promise in scaffolding and facilitating…

Variations on an Historical Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, Patrick

2006-01-01

The National Inquiry Standard for Science Education Preparation requires science teachers to introduce students to scientific inquiry to solve problems by various methods, including active learning in a collaborative environment. In order for science teachers to comply with this inquiry standard, activities must be designed for students to…

Transferable Skills Training for Researchers: Supporting Career Development and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing (NJ3), 2012

2012-01-01

Researchers are embarking on increasingly diverse careers where collaboration, networking and interdisciplinarity are becoming more important. Transferable skills (e.g. communication skills and problem-solving abilities) can help researchers operate more effectively in different work environments. While researchers acquire some of these skills in…

Teacher's Guide, Ecology, Grade 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yadkin Valley Economic Development District, Inc., Walnut Cove, NC.

This teacher's guide has been constructed to assist in developing and implementing a life science course with an environment/ecological unit for Grade 7. Designed primarily for use with other science units, it offers numerous multidisciplinary activities which emphasize involvement in problem-solving through open-ended investigation rather than…

Cattails or Concrete?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heal, Fred A.; And Others

Developed for elementary science studies, this unit on man and environment requires student involvement in discovery, observation, gathering and recording data, and problem solving. A series of 19 booklets, each designed as an activity which can be completed out-of-doors, comprise this student packet of materials. Topics studied in the activities…

Some Conditions for Organiational Problem-Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stannard, Charles I.

The change process consists of a series of stages, beginning with awareness of organizational dysfunction and culminating in successful implementation of change. Difficulties in instigating change in schools are due to: (a) diffused and poorly defined school goals and objectives; (b) a school environment of conflicting and contradictory…

Teamwork Evaluation by Middle Grade Students in Inclusive Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strom, Paris S.; Thompson, MaryEllen; Strom, Robert D.

2013-01-01

Teamwork skills are considered essential in a work environment characterized by diversity and interdependence. Consequently, middle grade teachers arrange cooperative learning so students can acquire experience with solving problems in groups. Teachers also acknowledge that they are frustrated because appropriate instruments are lacking to track…

Teaching Innovation: Equipping Students to Overcome Real-World Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Jamye; Yaoyuneyong, Gallayanee

2016-01-01

Business students beginning their careers find that they must innovate to solve nebulous problems, work in interdisciplinary groups and environments, and effectively communicate their knowledge to colleagues and clients with diverse backgrounds. Addressing this, researchers devised a flipped classroom cross-disciplinary (CD) client-based project…

Improving Virtual Teams through Knowledge Management: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laughridge, James F.

2012-01-01

Within the dynamic globalized operating environment, organizations are increasingly relying on virtual teams to solve their most difficult problems, leverage their expertise and expand their presence. The use of virtual teams by organizations continues to increase greatly as the technologies supporting them evolve. Despite improvements in…

Teacher's Guide, Ecology, Grade 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yadkin Valley Economic Development District, Inc., Walnut Cove, NC.

This teacher's guide has been constructed to assist in developing and implementing a life science course with an environment/ecological unit for Grade 10. Designed primarily for use with other science units, it offers numerous multidisciplinary activities which emphasize involvement in problem-solving through open-ended investigation rather than…

CONSTRUCTING A PROBLEM SOLVING ENVIRONMENT TOOL FOR HYDROLOGIC ASSESSMENT OF LAND USE CHANGE. (R825760)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Reinventing Discovery Learning: A Field-Wide Research Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrahamson, Dor; Kapur, Manu

2018-01-01

Whereas some educational designers believe that students should learn new concepts through explorative problem solving within dedicated environments that constrain key parameters of their search and then support their progressive appropriation of empowering disciplinary forms, others are critical of the ultimate efficacy of this discovery-based…

Energy Activities for Junior High Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota State Energy Agency, St. Paul.

The document contains seven learning activities for junior high students on the energy situation. Objectives are to help students gain understanding and knowledge about the relationships between humans and their social and physical environments; solve problems and clarify issues; examine personal beliefs and values; and recognize the relationships…

How an Active Learning Classroom Transformed IT Executive Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connolly, Amy; Lampe, Michael

2016-01-01

This article describes how our university built a unique classroom environment specifically for active learning. This classroom changed students' experience in the undergraduate executive information technology (IT) management class. Every college graduate should learn to think critically, solve problems, and communicate solutions, but 90% of…

Secure Wireless Networking at Simon Fraser University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Worth

2003-01-01

Describes the wireless local area network (WLAN) at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada. Originally conceived to address computing capacity and reduce university computer space demands, the WLAN has provided a seamless computing environment for students and solved a number of other campus problems as well. (SLD)

Education for the Information Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breivik, Patricia Senn

1992-01-01

To be effective in the current rapidly changing environment, individuals need more than a knowledge base. They also need information literacy which includes techniques for exploring new information, synthesizing it, and using it in practical ways. Undergraduate education should focus on such resource-based learning directed at problem solving.…

Treefrogs as Animal Models for Research on Auditory Scene Analysis and the Cocktail Party Problem

PubMed Central

Bee, Mark A.

2014-01-01

The perceptual analysis of acoustic scenes involves binding together sounds from the same source and separating them from other sounds in the environment. In large social groups, listeners experience increased difficulty performing these tasks due to high noise levels and interference from the concurrent signals of multiple individuals. While a substantial body of literature on these issues pertains to human hearing and speech communication, few studies have investigated how nonhuman animals may be evolutionarily adapted to solve biologically analogous communication problems. Here, I review recent and ongoing work aimed at testing hypotheses about perceptual mechanisms that enable treefrogs in the genus Hyla to communicate vocally in noisy, multi-source social environments. After briefly introducing the genus and the methods used to study hearing in frogs, I outline several functional constraints on communication posed by the acoustic environment of breeding “choruses”. Then, I review studies of sound source perception aimed at uncovering how treefrog listeners may be adapted to cope with these constraints. Specifically, this review covers research on the acoustic cues used in sequential and simultaneous auditory grouping, spatial release from masking, and dip listening. Throughout the paper, I attempt to illustrate how broad-scale, comparative studies of carefully considered animal models may ultimately reveal an evolutionary diversity of underlying mechanisms for solving cocktail-party-like problems in communication. PMID:24424243

A Lane-Level LBS System for Vehicle Network with High-Precision BDS/GPS Positioning

PubMed Central

Guo, Chi; Guo, Wenfei; Cao, Guangyi; Dong, Hongbo

2015-01-01

In recent years, research on vehicle network location service has begun to focus on its intelligence and precision. The accuracy of space-time information has become a core factor for vehicle network systems in a mobile environment. However, difficulties persist in vehicle satellite positioning since deficiencies in the provision of high-quality space-time references greatly limit the development and application of vehicle networks. In this paper, we propose a high-precision-based vehicle network location service to solve this problem. The major components of this study include the following: (1) application of wide-area precise positioning technology to the vehicle network system. An adaptive correction message broadcast protocol is designed to satisfy the requirements for large-scale target precise positioning in the mobile Internet environment; (2) development of a concurrence service system with a flexible virtual expansion architecture to guarantee reliable data interaction between vehicles and the background; (3) verification of the positioning precision and service quality in the urban environment. Based on this high-precision positioning service platform, a lane-level location service is designed to solve a typical traffic safety problem. PMID:25755665

Bio-Inspired Genetic Algorithms with Formalized Crossover Operators for Robotic Applications.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Kang, Man; Li, Xiaojuan; Liu, Geng-Yang

2017-01-01

Genetic algorithms are widely adopted to solve optimization problems in robotic applications. In such safety-critical systems, it is vitally important to formally prove the correctness when genetic algorithms are applied. This paper focuses on formal modeling of crossover operations that are one of most important operations in genetic algorithms. Specially, we for the first time formalize crossover operations with higher-order logic based on HOL4 that is easy to be deployed with its user-friendly programing environment. With correctness-guaranteed formalized crossover operations, we can safely apply them in robotic applications. We implement our technique to solve a path planning problem using a genetic algorithm with our formalized crossover operations, and the results show the effectiveness of our technique.

An element search ant colony technique for solving virtual machine placement problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srija, J.; Rani John, Rose; Kanaga, Grace Mary, Dr.

2017-09-01

The data centres in the cloud environment play a key role in providing infrastructure for ubiquitous computing, pervasive computing, mobile computing etc. This computing technique tries to utilize the available resources in order to provide services. Hence maintaining the resource utilization without wastage of power consumption has become a challenging task for the researchers. In this paper we propose the direct guidance ant colony system for effective mapping of virtual machines to the physical machine with maximal resource utilization and minimal power consumption. The proposed algorithm has been compared with the existing ant colony approach which is involved in solving virtual machine placement problem and thus the proposed algorithm proves to provide better result than the existing technique.

Pre-Service Class Teacher' Ability in Solving Mathematical Problems and Skills in Solving Daily Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aljaberi, Nahil M.; Gheith, Eman

2016-01-01

This study aims to investigate the ability of pre-service class teacher at University of Petrain solving mathematical problems using Polya's Techniques, their level of problem solving skills in daily-life issues. The study also investigates the correlation between their ability to solve mathematical problems and their level of problem solving…

MapReduce in the Cloud: A Use Case Study for Efficient Co-Occurrence Processing of MEDLINE Annotations with MeSH.

PubMed

Kreuzthaler, Markus; Miñarro-Giménez, Jose Antonio; Schulz, Stefan

2016-01-01

Big data resources are difficult to process without a scaled hardware environment that is specifically adapted to the problem. The emergence of flexible cloud-based virtualization techniques promises solutions to this problem. This paper demonstrates how a billion of lines can be processed in a reasonable amount of time in a cloud-based environment. Our use case addresses the accumulation of concept co-occurrence data in MEDLINE annotation as a series of MapReduce jobs, which can be scaled and executed in the cloud. Besides showing an efficient way solving this problem, we generated an additional resource for the scientific community to be used for advanced text mining approaches.

Application of desktop computers in nuclear engineering education

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

Graves, H.W. Jr.

1990-01-01

Utilization of desktop computers in the academic environment is based on the same objectives as in the industrial environment - increased quality and efficiency. Desktop computers can be extremely useful teaching tools in two general areas: classroom demonstrations and homework assignments. Although differences in emphasis exist, tutorial programs share many characteristics with interactive software developed for the industrial environment. In the Reactor Design and Fuel Management course at the University of Maryland, several interactive tutorial programs provided by Energy analysis Software Service have been utilized. These programs have been designed to be sufficiently structured to permit an orderly, disciplined solutionmore » to the problem being solved, and yet be flexible enough to accommodate most problem solution options.« less

Design-based science and the transfer of science knowledge and real-world problem-solving skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortus, David Leon

Design-Based Science (DBS) helps students develop new scientific knowledge and problem-solving skills in the context of designing artifacts. This pedagogy was developed as a response to the potential problem of transfer of knowledge from academic settings to extra classroom environments. This dissertation describes DBS in detail and attempts to answer three questions: (1) Do DBS curricula support students' efforts to transfer newly constructed science knowledge and 'designerly' skills (Baynes, 1994) to the solution of new real-world design problems in an extra-classroom setting? (2) Do DBS curricula support students' efforts to construct new scientific knowledge? (3) Do DBS curricula support students' efforts to develop 'designerly' problem-solving skills? Ninety-two students attending a public high school serving a working class community participated in the consecutive enactments of three different DBS units over one school year. The analysis of pre- and posttests and of artifacts created by the students demonstrated that substantial knowledge was constructed during each of the enactments, with the tests leading to effect sizes of 2.1 on the first unit, 1.9 on the second, and 2.7 on the third. After each enactment the students solved a new design problem as a transfer task. The transfer tasks were unsequestered, unsupported by the teacher, lasted three days, were done in the school's library, required new learning, and were solved in groups of four. In order to generate an individual measure of transfer, the students responded to an individual post-transfer written test after each transfer task was completed, that assessed their understanding and recollection of the solution their group submitted. For all three units there was a stronger correlation between the individual transfer scores and posttests scores than with pretest scores, indicating that the knowledge and skills that were constructed during the enactments supported the solution of the transfer tasks. The correlations with the posttests increased from one enactment to the next, demonstrating that the students' transfer performance improved as they gained more experience in DBS classrooms. Potential threats to the study's internal validity that were identified and discussed were improved teacher proficiency, the nature of the transfer tasks, the difficulty of the science content covered by the units, the similarity between the units and the transfer tasks, and the similarity between the transfer tasks. This dissertation demonstrates that: (a) appropriate learning environments can foster transfer, (b) transfer performance can improve over time, and (c) that it may be necessary to rethink and redefine the procedures for identifying and assessing real-world transfer.

Extraction of a group-pair relation: problem-solving relation from web-board documents.

PubMed

Pechsiri, Chaveevan; Piriyakul, Rapepun

2016-01-01

This paper aims to extract a group-pair relation as a Problem-Solving relation, for example a DiseaseSymptom-Treatment relation and a CarProblem-Repair relation, between two event-explanation groups, a problem-concept group as a symptom/CarProblem-concept group and a solving-concept group as a treatment-concept/repair concept group from hospital-web-board and car-repair-guru-web-board documents. The Problem-Solving relation (particularly Symptom-Treatment relation) including the graphical representation benefits non-professional persons by supporting knowledge of primarily solving problems. The research contains three problems: how to identify an EDU (an Elementary Discourse Unit, which is a simple sentence) with the event concept of either a problem or a solution; how to determine a problem-concept EDU boundary and a solving-concept EDU boundary as two event-explanation groups, and how to determine the Problem-Solving relation between these two event-explanation groups. Therefore, we apply word co-occurrence to identify a problem-concept EDU and a solving-concept EDU, and machine-learning techniques to solve a problem-concept EDU boundary and a solving-concept EDU boundary. We propose using k-mean and Naïve Bayes to determine the Problem-Solving relation between the two event-explanation groups involved with clustering features. In contrast to previous works, the proposed approach enables group-pair relation extraction with high accuracy.

Students’ Mathematical Problem-Solving Abilities Through The Application of Learning Models Problem Based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasution, M. L.; Yerizon, Y.; Gusmiyanti, R.

2018-04-01

One of the purpose mathematic learning is to develop problem solving abilities. Problem solving is obtained through experience in questioning non-routine. Improving students’ mathematical problem-solving abilities required an appropriate strategy in learning activities one of them is models problem based learning (PBL). Thus, the purpose of this research is to determine whether the problem solving abilities of mathematical students’ who learn to use PBL better than on the ability of students’ mathematical problem solving by applying conventional learning. This research included quasi experiment with static group design and population is students class XI MIA SMAN 1 Lubuk Alung. Class experiment in the class XI MIA 5 and class control in the class XI MIA 6. The instrument of final test students’ mathematical problem solving used essay form. The result of data final test in analyzed with t-test. The result is students’ mathematical problem solving abilities with PBL better then on the ability of students’ mathematical problem solving by applying conventional learning. It’s seen from the high percentage achieved by the group of students who learn to use PBL for each indicator of students’ mathematical problem solving.

Using a general problem-solving strategy to promote transfer.

PubMed

Youssef-Shalala, Amina; Ayres, Paul; Schubert, Carina; Sweller, John

2014-09-01

Cognitive load theory was used to hypothesize that a general problem-solving strategy based on a make-as-many-moves-as-possible heuristic could facilitate problem solutions for transfer problems. In four experiments, school students were required to learn about a topic through practice with a general problem-solving strategy, through a conventional problem solving strategy or by studying worked examples. In Experiments 1 and 2 using junior high school students learning geometry, low knowledge students in the general problem-solving group scored significantly higher on near or far transfer tests than the conventional problem-solving group. In Experiment 3, an advantage for a general problem-solving group over a group presented worked examples was obtained on far transfer tests using the same curriculum materials, again presented to junior high school students. No differences between conditions were found in Experiments 1, 2, or 3 using test problems similar to the acquisition problems. Experiment 4 used senior high school students studying economics and found the general problem-solving group scored significantly higher than the conventional problem-solving group on both similar and transfer tests. It was concluded that the general problem-solving strategy was helpful for novices, but not for students that had access to domain-specific knowledge. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Revising explanatory models to accommodate anomalous genetic phenomena: Problem solving in the context of discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hafner, Robert; Stewart, Jim

Past problem-solving research has provided a basis for helping students structure their knowledge and apply appropriate problem-solving strategies to solve problems for which their knowledge (or mental models) of scientific phenomena is adequate (model-using problem solving). This research examines how problem solving in the domain of Mendelian genetics proceeds in situations where solvers' mental models are insufficient to solve problems at hand (model-revising problem solving). Such situations require solvers to use existing models to recognize anomalous data and to revise those models to accommodate the data. The study was conducted in the context of 9-week high school genetics course and addressed: the heuristics charactenstic of successful model-revising problem solving: the nature of the model revisions, made by students as well as the nature of model development across problem types; and the basis upon which solvers decide that a revised model is sufficient (that t has both predictive and explanatory power).

Parent-Teacher Communication about Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Examination of Collaborative Problem-Solving

PubMed Central

Azad, Gazi F.; Kim, Mina; Marcus, Steven C.; Mandell, David S.; Sheridan, Susan M.

2016-01-01

Effective parent-teacher communication involves problem-solving concerns about students. Few studies have examined problem solving interactions between parents and teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a particular focus on identifying communication barriers and strategies for improving them. This study examined the problem-solving behaviors of parents and teachers of children with ASD. Participants included 18 teachers and 39 parents of children with ASD. Parent-teacher dyads were prompted to discuss and provide a solution for a problem that a student experienced at home and at school. Parents and teachers also reported on their problem-solving behaviors. Results showed that parents and teachers displayed limited use of the core elements of problem-solving. Teachers displayed more problem-solving behaviors than parents. Both groups reported engaging in more problem-solving behaviors than they were observed to display during their discussions. Our findings suggest that teacher and parent training programs should include collaborative approaches to problem-solving. PMID:28392604

Parent-Teacher Communication about Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Examination of Collaborative Problem-Solving.

PubMed

Azad, Gazi F; Kim, Mina; Marcus, Steven C; Mandell, David S; Sheridan, Susan M

2016-12-01

Effective parent-teacher communication involves problem-solving concerns about students. Few studies have examined problem solving interactions between parents and teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a particular focus on identifying communication barriers and strategies for improving them. This study examined the problem-solving behaviors of parents and teachers of children with ASD. Participants included 18 teachers and 39 parents of children with ASD. Parent-teacher dyads were prompted to discuss and provide a solution for a problem that a student experienced at home and at school. Parents and teachers also reported on their problem-solving behaviors. Results showed that parents and teachers displayed limited use of the core elements of problem-solving. Teachers displayed more problem-solving behaviors than parents. Both groups reported engaging in more problem-solving behaviors than they were observed to display during their discussions. Our findings suggest that teacher and parent training programs should include collaborative approaches to problem-solving.

Errors analysis of problem solving using the Newman stage after applying cooperative learning of TTW type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rr Chusnul, C.; Mardiyana, S., Dewi Retno

2017-12-01

Problem solving is the basis of mathematics learning. Problem solving teaches us to clarify an issue coherently in order to avoid misunderstanding information. Sometimes there may be mistakes in problem solving due to misunderstanding the issue, choosing a wrong concept or misapplied concept. The problem-solving test was carried out after students were given treatment on learning by using cooperative learning of TTW type. The purpose of this study was to elucidate student problem regarding to problem solving errors after learning by using cooperative learning of TTW type. Newman stages were used to identify problem solving errors in this study. The new research used a descriptive method to find out problem solving errors in students. The subject in this study were students of Vocational Senior High School (SMK) in 10th grade. Test and interview was conducted for data collection. Thus, the results of this study suggested problem solving errors in students after learning by using cooperative learning of TTW type for Newman stages.

Rejection Sensitivity and Depression: Indirect Effects Through Problem Solving.

PubMed

Kraines, Morganne A; Wells, Tony T

2017-01-01

Rejection sensitivity (RS) and deficits in social problem solving are risk factors for depression. Despite their relationship to depression and the potential connection between them, no studies have examined RS and social problem solving together in the context of depression. As such, we examined RS, five facets of social problem solving, and symptoms of depression in a young adult sample. A total of 180 participants completed measures of RS, social problem solving, and depressive symptoms. We used bootstrapping to examine the indirect effect of RS on depressive symptoms through problem solving. RS was positively associated with depressive symptoms. A negative problem orientation, impulsive/careless style, and avoidance style of social problem solving were positively associated with depressive symptoms, and a positive problem orientation was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. RS demonstrated an indirect effect on depressive symptoms through two social problem-solving facets: the tendency to view problems as threats to one's well-being and an avoidance problem-solving style characterized by procrastination, passivity, or overdependence on others. These results are consistent with prior research that found a positive association between RS and depression symptoms, but this is the first study to implicate specific problem-solving deficits in the relationship between RS and depression. Our results suggest that depressive symptoms in high RS individuals may result from viewing problems as threats and taking an avoidant, rather than proactive, approach to dealing with problems. These findings may have implications for problem-solving interventions for rejection sensitive individuals.

The Cyclic Nature of Problem Solving: An Emergent Multidimensional Problem-Solving Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Marilyn P.; Bloom, Irene

2005-01-01

This paper describes the problem-solving behaviors of 12 mathematicians as they completed four mathematical tasks. The emergent problem-solving framework draws on the large body of research, as grounded by and modified in response to our close observations of these mathematicians. The resulting "Multidimensional Problem-Solving Framework" has four…

Mathematical Problem Solving: A Review of the Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Funkhouser, Charles

The major perspectives on problem solving of the twentieth century are reviewed--associationism, Gestalt psychology, and cognitive science. The results of the review on teaching problem solving and the uses of computers to teach problem solving are included. Four major issues related to the teaching of problem solving are discussed: (1)…

Teaching Problem Solving Skills to Elementary Age Students with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cote, Debra L.; Jones, Vita L.; Barnett, Crystal; Pavelek, Karin; Nguyen, Hoang; Sparks, Shannon L.

2014-01-01

Students with disabilities need problem-solving skills to promote their success in solving the problems of daily life. The research into problem-solving instruction has been limited for students with autism. Using a problem-solving intervention and the Self Determined Learning Model of Instruction, three elementary age students with autism were…

Rasch Measurement of Collaborative Problem Solving in an Online Environment.

PubMed

Harding, Susan-Marie E; Griffin, Patrick E

2016-01-01

This paper describes an approach to the assessment of human to human collaborative problem solving using a set of online interactive tasks completed by student dyads. Within the dyad, roles were nominated as either A or B and students selected their own roles. The question as to whether role selection affected individual student performance measures is addressed. Process stream data was captured from 3402 students in six countries who explored the problem space by clicking, dragging the mouse, moving the cursor and collaborating with their partner through a chat box window. Process stream data were explored to identify behavioural indicators that represented elements of a conceptual framework. These indicative behaviours were coded into a series of dichotomous items. These items represented actions and chats performed by students. The frequency of occurrence was used as a proxy measure of item difficulty. Then given a measure of item difficulty, student ability could be estimated using the difficulty estimates of the range of items demonstrated by the student. The Rasch simple logistic model was used to review the indicators to identify those that were consistent with the assumptions of the model and were invariant across national samples, language, curriculum and age of the student. The data were analysed using a one and two dimension, one parameter model. Rasch separation reliability, fit to the model, distribution of students and items on the underpinning construct, estimates for each country and the effect of role differences are reported. This study provides evidence that collaborative problem solving can be assessed in an online environment involving human to human interaction using behavioural indicators shown to have a consistent relationship between the estimate of student ability, and the probability of demonstrating the behaviour.

The use of self-determination theory to foster environmental motivation in an environmental biology course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darner, Rebekka

A scientifically literate person is one who understands the nature of science, its processes, products, and their appropriate application to decision-making contexts. The impetus to make informed decisions about environmental issues is environmental motivation. I examined students' environmental motivation, its relationship to scientific knowledge, and how environmental motivation can be fostered in a science classroom. This study took place in a college-level environmental biology course in which the instructor attempted to support students' basic psychological needs, as defined by self-determination theory (SDT). The first question was to what extent does an SDT-guided environmental biology course differ from a non-SDT-guided course in the degree to which it fostered self-determined motivation toward the environment. The administration of a well-validated scale to two sections before, after, and six months following the end of the course indicated that SDT-guided instruction is a plausible way to foster environmental motivation in the classroom. The second question was what are the multiple influences on fostering self-determined motivation toward the environment in an SDT-guided course. Path analysis indicated that environmental motivation can be partially accomplished in an environmental biology course by conveying to students that they are cared for, are connected to others, and can trust others while solving environmental problems. The third question sought to characterize students' scientific conceptualizations as they solve environmental problems and the extent to which their conceptualizations relate to the satisfaction of their need for competence. Students were videotaped during in-class problem-solving, after which stimulated-recall interviews were conducted. Grounded theory and an established coding scheme were combined to analyze these data, which resulted in three grounded hypotheses about what characterizes students' scientific knowledge when they feel highly competent about solving environmental problems. The final research question sought to identify which classroom features students cite when they indicate that their basic psychological needs are being fulfilled or undermined. Grounded analysis resulted in seven features of the instructional environment. This dissertation marks the first application of SDT to a formal environmental education setting in which a goal was to foster environmental motivation. Several research prospects and a learning cycle based on findings are proposed.

Learning problem-solving skills in a distance education physics course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rampho, G. J.; Ramorola, M. Z.

2017-10-01

In this paper we present the results of a study on the effectiveness of combinations of delivery modes of distance education in learning problem-solving skills in a distance education introductory physics course. A problem-solving instruction with the explicit teaching of a problem-solving strategy and worked-out examples were implemented in the course. The study used the ex post facto research design with stratified sampling to investigate the effect of the learning of a problem-solving strategy on the problem-solving performance. The number of problems attempted and the mean frequency of using a strategy in solving problems in the three course presentation modes were compared. The finding of the study indicated that combining the different course presentation modes had no statistically significant effect in the learning of problem-solving skills in the distance education course.

A Hybrid Genetic-Simulated Annealing Algorithm for the Location-Inventory-Routing Problem Considering Returns under E-Supply Chain Environment

PubMed Central

Guo, Hao; Fu, Jing

2013-01-01

Facility location, inventory control, and vehicle routes scheduling are critical and highly related problems in the design of logistics system for e-business. Meanwhile, the return ratio in Internet sales was significantly higher than in the traditional business. Many of returned merchandise have no quality defects, which can reenter sales channels just after a simple repackaging process. Focusing on the existing problem in e-commerce logistics system, we formulate a location-inventory-routing problem model with no quality defects returns. To solve this NP-hard problem, an effective hybrid genetic simulated annealing algorithm (HGSAA) is proposed. Results of numerical examples show that HGSAA outperforms GA on computing time, optimal solution, and computing stability. The proposed model is very useful to help managers make the right decisions under e-supply chain environment. PMID:24489489

Additional Crime Scenes for Projectile Motion Unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fullerton, Dan; Bonner, David

2011-12-01

Building students' ability to transfer physics fundamentals to real-world applications establishes a deeper understanding of underlying concepts while enhancing student interest. Forensic science offers a great opportunity for students to apply physics to highly engaging, real-world contexts. Integrating these opportunities into inquiry-based problem solving in a team environment provides a terrific backdrop for fostering communication, analysis, and critical thinking skills. One such activity, inspired jointly by the museum exhibit "CSI: The Experience"2 and David Bonner's TPT article "Increasing Student Engagement and Enthusiasm: A Projectile Motion Crime Scene,"3 provides students with three different crime scenes, each requiring an analysis of projectile motion. In this lesson students socially engage in higher-order analysis of two-dimensional projectile motion problems by collecting information from 3-D scale models and collaborating with one another on its interpretation, in addition to diagramming and mathematical analysis typical to problem solving in physics.

Plan-graph Based Heuristics for Conformant Probabilistic Planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramakrishnan, Salesh; Pollack, Martha E.; Smith, David E.

2004-01-01

In this paper, we introduce plan-graph based heuristics to solve a variation of the conformant probabilistic planning (CPP) problem. In many real-world problems, it is the case that the sensors are unreliable or take too many resources to provide knowledge about the environment. These domains are better modeled as conformant planning problems. POMDP based techniques are currently the most successful approach for solving CPP but have the limitation of state- space explosion. Recent advances in deterministic and conformant planning have shown that plan-graphs can be used to enhance the performance significantly. We show that this enhancement can also be translated to CPP. We describe our process for developing the plan-graph heuristics and estimating the probability of a partial plan. We compare the performance of our planner PVHPOP when used with different heuristics. We also perform a comparison with a POMDP solver to show over a order of magnitude improvement in performance.

MAUVE: A New Strategy for Solving and Grading Physics Problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, Nicole Breanne

2016-05-01

MAUVE (magnitude, answer, units, variables, and equations) is a framework and rubric to help students and teachers through the process of clearly solving and assessing solutions to introductory physics problems. Success in introductory physics often derives from an understanding of units, a command over dimensional analysis, and good bookkeeping. I developed MAUVE for an introductory-level environmental physics course as an easy-to-remember checklist to help students construct organized and thoughtful solutions to physics problems. Environmental physics is a core physics course for environmental and sustainability science (ESS) majors that teaches principles of radiation, thermodynamics, and mechanics within the context of the environment and sustainable energy systems. ESS student concentrations include environmental biology, applied ecology, biogeochemistry, and natural resources. The MAUVE rubric, inspired by nature, has encouraged my students to produce legible and tactical work, and has significantly clarified the grading process.

An overview of adaptive model theory: solving the problems of redundancy, resources, and nonlinear interactions in human movement control.

PubMed

Neilson, Peter D; Neilson, Megan D

2005-09-01

Adaptive model theory (AMT) is a computational theory that addresses the difficult control problem posed by the musculoskeletal system in interaction with the environment. It proposes that the nervous system creates motor maps and task-dependent synergies to solve the problems of redundancy and limited central resources. These lead to the adaptive formation of task-dependent feedback/feedforward controllers able to generate stable, noninteractive control and render nonlinear interactions unobservable in sensory-motor relationships. AMT offers a unified account of how the nervous system might achieve these solutions by forming internal models. This is presented as the design of a simulator consisting of neural adaptive filters based on cerebellar circuitry. It incorporates a new network module that adaptively models (in real time) nonlinear relationships between inputs with changing and uncertain spectral and amplitude probability density functions as is the case for sensory and motor signals.

A United Framework for Solving Multiagent Task Assignment Problems

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

Presented to the Faculty Graduate School of Engineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology Air University Air Education and Training Command in...Member Date Date Accepted: 170-e<.. 01 DateM.V.THOMAS Dean, Graduate School of E,ngineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology AFIT...actions in two different problem groups: using shame [37] for autonomous robots navigating a minefield, and a waiter - refiller service environment [94

A Systems Engineering Survey of Artificial Intelligence and Smart Sensor Networks in a Network-Centric Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

problems, to better model the problem solving of computer systems. This research brought about the intertwining of AI and cognitive psychology . Much of...where symbol sequences are sequential intelligent states of the network, and must be classified as normal, abnormal , or unknown. These symbols...is associated with abnormal behavior; and abcbc is associated with unknown behavior, as it fits no known behavior. Predicted outcomes from

Performance comparison of heuristic algorithms for task scheduling in IaaS cloud computing environment.

PubMed

Madni, Syed Hamid Hussain; Abd Latiff, Muhammad Shafie; Abdullahi, Mohammed; Abdulhamid, Shafi'i Muhammad; Usman, Mohammed Joda

2017-01-01

Cloud computing infrastructure is suitable for meeting computational needs of large task sizes. Optimal scheduling of tasks in cloud computing environment has been proved to be an NP-complete problem, hence the need for the application of heuristic methods. Several heuristic algorithms have been developed and used in addressing this problem, but choosing the appropriate algorithm for solving task assignment problem of a particular nature is difficult since the methods are developed under different assumptions. Therefore, six rule based heuristic algorithms are implemented and used to schedule autonomous tasks in homogeneous and heterogeneous environments with the aim of comparing their performance in terms of cost, degree of imbalance, makespan and throughput. First Come First Serve (FCFS), Minimum Completion Time (MCT), Minimum Execution Time (MET), Max-min, Min-min and Sufferage are the heuristic algorithms considered for the performance comparison and analysis of task scheduling in cloud computing.

Performance comparison of heuristic algorithms for task scheduling in IaaS cloud computing environment

PubMed Central

Madni, Syed Hamid Hussain; Abd Latiff, Muhammad Shafie; Abdullahi, Mohammed; Usman, Mohammed Joda

2017-01-01

Cloud computing infrastructure is suitable for meeting computational needs of large task sizes. Optimal scheduling of tasks in cloud computing environment has been proved to be an NP-complete problem, hence the need for the application of heuristic methods. Several heuristic algorithms have been developed and used in addressing this problem, but choosing the appropriate algorithm for solving task assignment problem of a particular nature is difficult since the methods are developed under different assumptions. Therefore, six rule based heuristic algorithms are implemented and used to schedule autonomous tasks in homogeneous and heterogeneous environments with the aim of comparing their performance in terms of cost, degree of imbalance, makespan and throughput. First Come First Serve (FCFS), Minimum Completion Time (MCT), Minimum Execution Time (MET), Max-min, Min-min and Sufferage are the heuristic algorithms considered for the performance comparison and analysis of task scheduling in cloud computing. PMID:28467505