Can narrative cutscenes improve home learning from a math game? An experimental study with children

Little is known about the instructional effects of narrative framing elements in child learning games. In this study, second and third graders (M_age = 8.24) played one of two versions of a successful, commercial mathematical learning game at home for 2 weeks (N = 95; between-subject design). The versions differed in the presence/absence of a background story conveyed through comic cutscenes at the beginning and the end of the game. Results showed that children played the game intensively in both conditions: despite not being forced to do so. Plus, they also learned from the game. As expected, children assigned to the cutscenes condition interfaced with the cutscenes. However, no between-group difference was detected in pre-post learning gains, parent-reported engagement, self-reported enjoyment, time spent with the game and the number of solved in-game tasks (all |ds| < 0.29). Altogether, no advantage or disadvantage from the narrative comic cutscenes was revealed.     

Automaticity training for dyslexics: An experimental study

Less-skilled readers may experience a processing bottleneck in reading comprehension produced by a failure to automate word recognition. The automaticity hypothesis predicts that training which increases rapid and automatic word recognition will improve comprehension. To date few studies have tested this hypothesis. Our goal was to test the automaticity hypothesis by training dyslexic readers (n=35) to access the meaning of words more rapidly. Training consisted of speeded word games implemented on a microcomputer that provided feedback concerning subjects’ speed and accuracy using sound and graphics. Three experimental tasks were administered both before and after training in which trials with trained and untrained stimuli were randomly intermixed. The measures were latency and accuracy of word vocalization, sentence comprehension, and a dual-task procedure designed to measure automaticity. Although pre/post improvement was larger for trained than untrained stimuli, reaction time on the word vocalization and sentence comprehension tasks improved significantly for both trained and untrained stimuli. In contrast, automaticity and sentence comprehension accuracy improved significantly for trained but not untrained stimuli. The training effect in comprehension remained when controlling for increases in word knowledge. The results support the automaticity hypothesis and further suggest that severely disabled readers may benefit from training in automatic word recognition. A portion of this research was supported by a Faculty Development Grant awarded to the first author from Southeastern Louisiana University. Directed by the second author, the Los Angeles study was based on a doctoral dissertation submitted by the first author to the University of Southern California in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree. Portions of this work were presented at the meetings of the Society for Research in Child Development, Baltimore, April 1989, and The Orton Dyslexia Society, Portland, November 1991.     

Aspiration levels and educational choices: An experimental study

The explanation of social inequalities in education is still a debated issue in economics. Recent empirical studies tend to downplay the potential role of credit constraint. This article tests a different potential explanation of social inequalities in education, specifically that social differences in aspiration level result in different educational choices. Having existed for a long time in the sociology of education, this explanation can be justified if aspiration levels are seen as reference points in a prospect theory framework. In order to test this explanation, this article applies the method of experimental economics to the issue of education choice and behaviour. One hundred and twenty-nine individuals participated in an experiment in which they had to perform a task over 15 stages grouped in three blocks or levels. In order to continue through the experiment, a minimum level of success was required at the end of each level. Rewards were dependent on the final level successfully reached. At the end of each level, participants could either choose to stop and take their reward or to pay a cost to continue further in order to possibly receive higher rewards. To test the impact of aspiration levels, outcomes were either presented as gains or losses relative to an initial sum. In accordance with the theoretical predictions, participants in the loss framing group choose to go further in the experiment. There was also a significant and interesting gender effect in the loss framing treatment, such that males performed better and reached higher levels.     

The effects of feedback from students to university instructors: An experimental study

This article reports the results of an experimental study of the effects of students' evaluative feedback to university instructors. Data obtained indicated that feedback from students did not have any significant effects on the instructors' teaching performance and their perception of teaching. Some limitations of the study are discussed with suggestions for further exploration of the problem.     

白散泥稻田肥料效应试验研究

肥料是作物增产的重要因素。在农田施肥实践过程中,氮、磷、钾肥及配比用量因土壤不同而不同。笔者进行了白散泥稻田氮磷钾肥料效应的试验,采用3个因子、4个不同施肥用量的水平试验,推荐了最佳施肥用量。     

An ethnographic study of the friendship patterns of international students in England: An attempt to recreate home through conational interaction

This paper reports findings from an ethnographic study into the adjustment experience of a group of postgraduate international students at a university in the South of England. Friendship emerged as a major theme in this study; of particular importance to students was the desire and need to mix with conational friends. This desire was driven by the urge to obtain the comfort offered by shared language, shared heritage and access to instrumental support. It was also informed by fear of discrimination and compounded by an absence of host contact which was a source of deep disillusionment for students. The negative impact of segregated friendship groups on the improvement of linguistic and cultural knowledge was understood, but only a handful of students broke away from the confines of the monoethnic ghetto.     

地理实验对中学地理教学影响的实验研究

本文用实验对比的方法,从问题的提出、在地理教学中开设地理实验的理论依据、实验的组织、数学模型的建立、数据的分析、实验的验证等方面来探讨地理实验对中学地理教学的影响.     

高校武术课运用自主法教学的实验

通过采用自主法教学与常规教学的比较，结果表明自主法教学可以最大限度地发挥学生学习的主动性。不断增强学生的主体意识和参与意识，在提高教学净利要的同时达到素质教育的目的。     

认知隐喻的词汇习得策略实证研究

根据认知隐喻理论应用于二语词汇习得的研究成果,通过教学实验,以检验认知隐喻的词汇教学策略在二语词汇习得中的有效性。研究结果表明,基于认知隐喻的词汇教学策略能够：（1）扩大学生词汇习得的广度;（2）促进学生多义单词、动词短语和习语的习得;（3）促进基本词汇、多义词及英语习语的长时记忆。     

备选项序列特征对动态决策行为影响的实验研究

根提决策者的有限理性假设以及行为决策理论．动态决策过程中备选项随机出现的序列特征对人们的搜索行为和心理具有重要影响。本文运用实验室实验的方法研究发现．当选项集数量较少且选项值连续升高的情境下．决策者倾向于较少的搜索数量;而当选项集数量较少且选项值连续降低的情境下．决策者倾向于较多的搜索数量。另一方面．当选项集数量较多且选项值连续升高的情境下．决策者倾向于较多的搜索数量：而当选项集数量较多且选项值连续降低的情境下,决策者倾向于较少的搜索数量。     

The American Community College Story,Take Two: An Unfinished Essay

The author observes that community college administrators perform their duties on ambiguous and uncertain intellectual and environmental landscapes, so they continually search for meaning and purpose in organizational life. This article proposes a straightforward approach to answering several questions related to the quest for meaning and purpose, and relates the discussion to the origination of the junior college movement at the turn of the 20th century. The article concludes with implications for practice by analyzing how community college administrators pursue meaning and purpose by reflecting creatively on theory and practice of the past, present, and future.     

Assessing sex and career biases in screening candidates for a deanship: An experimental study

To test how sex biases operate in the screening of candidates for administrative positions, an experimental study was conducted to evaluate the contribution of gender and career pattern effects on candidates' ratings. Faculty from seven universities were asked in a task that was judged to be realistic to evaluate vitae of six candidates for a deanship of a college of arts and sciences. Experimental design permitted alteration of the vitae to change gender and career patterns. No significant difference was found in the ratings assigned to male and female candidates. Career break did have a significant effect; candidates with career breaks received higher ratings on the average than those without career breaks. There was no significant interaction of gender and career break. Three different ratings systems were used, but none interacted with either gender or career break. However, closer examination of screeners' ratings did suggest that career experience was evaluated in different ways for male and female candidates.