The effect of the visual awareness education programme on the visual literacy of children aged 5-6

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the “Visual Awareness Education Programme” developed to support the visual literacy skills of preschool children. The study group comprised 40 children (20 children in the experimental group and 20 children in the control group) attending preschool in the 2014–2015 school year. The pre-test post-test experimental model was used in the study. The “Visual Literacy Inventory for Preschool Children” and the “Children’s Visual Literacy Rating Inventory for Parents” were used to determine visual literacy level of children. Study results revealed significant differences in favour of the experimental group children in the sub-dimensions and the post-test scores of the “Visual Literacy Inventory for Preschool Children” and the post-test scores of the “Children’s Visual Literacy Rating Inventory for Parents”.     

Autoshaping of initial feeding and drinking reactions in newly hatched chicks

Newly hatched chicks were force-fed food and water throughout rearing, and food, water, or sand reinforcers during exposure to an omission-training procedure. The chicks were thus prevented from performing approach and contact responses to the reinforcer at any time in their lives. Nevertheless, the subjects displayed approach and species-specific feeding or drinking reactions directed toward an illuminated key paired with food or water, but not with sand. Illumination of a key either uncorrelated or negatively correlated with food or water did not engender appreciable responding. Feeding and drinking reactions were topographically distinct, determined by the type of reinforcer, but were not elicited by the reinforcer. These findings support a “learned release” view of autoshaping, according to which phylogenetically preorganized behavior patterns are triggered by distal stimuli paired with biologically significant proximal stimulation, and suggest a close relationship between autoshaping and primitive instances of visual object recognition.     

Cyclic activity changes during extinction in rats: A potential model of depression

Rats’ open-field activity immediately following extinction trials in a runway rose sharply from baseline, then dropped below baseline, and finally recovered. There was no discernible relationship between activity levels and runway performance during acquisition or extinction. The data confirm a theory that a sequence of invigoration, depression, and recovery of noninstrumental locomotor activity (an “incentive-disengagement cycle”) may regularly accompany incentive loss, including experimental extinction.     

Modification of chicks’ pecking preferences: Food imprinting or instrumental conditioning?

Using Hess’ technique, 35 small groups of chicks of age 2–3 days or beyond were reinforced in training with food for pecking at one visual stimulus (S+) and nonreinforced for pecking at another (S?) and subsequently tested in extinction. In training, pecking was strongly conditioned to S+, but in testing, both number of pecks to and preference for S+ declined as in instrumental conditioning, contrary to Hess’ original report. Results are discussed relative to studies exposing chicks to actual food objects, where an imprinting-like phenomenon has been found.     

Factors,issues and interdependencies in the incorporation of a Web 2.0 based learning environment in higher education

This work investigates the effect a Web 2.0 learning environment may have in higher education in adding value to the students’ existing competencies. The major issues that this work examines are whether the incorporation of a Web 2.0 environment in higher education has an effect on the students’ performance and what are the significant factors that should be taken into account in the deployment of these technologies to achieve the maximum possible benefits and whether and how they correlate to each other. These factors are derived from the students’ views on the use of technology in a university course deployment and from the students’ personal opinions about a pilot course in a Web 2.0 learning environment. Although the results indicate no direct effect on the students’ performance, significant factors have been revealed via a thorough assessment, which has been performed in the context of a semester–long course, utilizing statistical process control techniques. The derived factors are namely: “Technology as an educational reinforcement”, “Technology as a tool to enhance comprehension” and “Enhancement of student interest and experience”, while in the second one “Completeness of the educational approach”, “Satisfaction from the educational approach” and “Course demands”. These factors can then form the basis for a feedback processes and a monitoring mechanism for a continuously updated educational process.     

Preferential approach to conspecifics as a function of different rearing conditions

Forty-six White Leghorn chicks were tested at 48 h posthatch to determine their ability to discriminate and preferentially respond to individual companions and strangers. In the first experiment, socially reared chicks showed no preference when allowed a simultaneous choice between either a familiar or an unfamiliar socially reared chick. In the second experiment, socially reared chicks preferred (p = .012) an unfamiliar socially reared chick to an unfamiliar chick reared in isolation. In the third experiment, chicks reared in isolation preferred (p = .036) a socially reared chick to an isolation-reared chick. Results indicate that chicks 48 h old respond to others on the basis of behavioral as well as morphological characteristics.     

Intramaze cues and “odor trails” fail to direct choice behavior on an elevated maze

The relative importance of intramaze cues and extramaze cues in directing choice behavior on a radial arm maze was examined using a discrimination procedure which selectively rewarded rats for following only one set of cues. Rats in the intramaze group obtained food from a food cup on the end of each arm. Rats in the extramaze group obtained food from a food cup on a small platform just beyond the end of each arm. All rats were first shaped to perform correctly with the maze in a constant position. Then the maze was rotated to a new position after every choice. For rats in the intramaze group, the food moved with the arms, making intramaze cues relevant. For rats in the extramaze group, the food remained on the platforms (in the same position in the room), making extramaze cues relevant. Rats in the extramaze group performed almost perfectly during maze rotation, demonstrating that intramaze cues were not necessary to support accurate choice behavior. Rats in the intramaze group never performed better than chance, demonstrating that intramaze cues (from the rats, the reinforcement, and the apparatus) were not adequate to control choice behavior. The results of the present experiment are compared to those of other experiments describing the influence of “odor trails” or other olfactory stimuli on choice behavior in mazes.     

数字图像技术的视觉伦理挑战与建构

数字技术建构起来的电子图像与算法图像打破了世界“原本”与“摹本”的区别与对立,使得镜像、幻象与实存一体化,由此带来了远距临场与沉浸式观看、双向建构与圈层化认知等新的视觉化特征。这些新特征对传统的以“观者主体性”为核心的视觉伦理提出了挑战。这种挑战具化为:数字图像对观者的理性认知能力的挑战、对观者的对象性意识的挑战及对观者的多元文化视角的挑战。数字图像技术时代的视觉伦理建构应该走向基于实践基础之上的可行性能力增强的“主体之善”和与现存多元文化同在同构、交融互动的“结构之善”。     

Effects of a concept mapping-based problem-posing approach on students’ learning achievements and critical thinking tendency: An application in Classical Chinese learning contexts

In language courses, it is important to foster students’ systematic thinking and to develop their competence to express, appreciate, criticize and reflect, in particular in such courses as classical Chinese, which aim to develop students’ cultural and literature knowledge. Problem posing is a promising strategy to achieve this objective. However, without sufficient supports, students could feel frustrated since problem posing is a challenging task, in particular for young students. In this study, a fill-in concept mapping-based problem-posing approach was proposed to address this problem. A learning system was developed based on the proposed approach and a quasi-experiment was conducted on an eighth-grade classical Chinese course to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. The experimental results show that the concept mapping-based problem-posing approach improved the students’ learning achievement, critical thinking tendency and problem-posing quality. The interview results further show that the students perceived the approach as being effective from the perspectives of “Improving article comprehension,” “Improving problem-posing performances,” and “Boosting diverse thinking.”     

乡村幼儿园教师专业促进中的有效评价——兼论舒尔曼教师教育思想的点拨价值

评价对乡村幼儿园教师专业促进具有监控引导和反思助力作用。当前我国各类乡村幼儿园教师的专业促进工作存在着评价功能公务化、评价目标随意化和评价过程肤浅化等评价缺陷问题,应当予以及时解决。对此,舒尔曼教师教育思想具有启发和弥合价值,主要体现在四个方面:一是对“为了专业的教育”的评价思想定位;二是对以领域教学知识为核心的评价内容的厘清和理解;三是对“桥梁意识”评价标准的把握和应用;四是对“专业促进档案袋”评价方法的设计和利用。     

Oddity of visual patterns conceptualized by pigeons

Pigeons were trained to learn an instrumental oddity-from-sample discrimination involving visual forms. One group, the “few examples” group, dealt with 5 patterns in 40 different combinations. Another group, the “many examples” group, dealt with 20 patterns in 160 different combinations. After both groups had reached asymptotic performance and had learned to operate under partial reinforcement conditions, they were tested for transfer under extinction conditions with two different groups of 5 novel patterns, each in 40 combinations. All animals showed significant above chance transfer to both of these novel stimulus sets. Transfer performance with test stimuli of similar geometric design to training stimuli was better than performance with stimuli of markedly different design. The transfer performance of the “many examples” group was marginally better than that of the “few examples” group, even though the latter’s performance on the training stimuli was better throughout. It is concluded that pigeons can learn to employ an oddity concept and that this may be promoted by the use of many training exemplars. Furthermore, it is inferred that pigeons may normally use a mixture of strategies to solve oddity and identity problems.     

The effect of simultaneous motion presentation and graph generation in a kinematics lab

Real-time microcomputer-based Lab (MBL) experiments allow students to “see” and, at least in kinematics exercises, “feel” the connection between a physical event and its graphical representation. In Brasell's (1987) examination of the sonic ranger MBL, a delay of graphing by only 20 seconds diminished the impact of the MBL exercises. This article describes a study where kinesthetic feedback was completely removed by only giving students visual replications of a motion situation. Graph production was synchronized with motion reanimation so that students still saw a moving object and its kinematics graph simultaneously. Results indicate that this technique did not have a substantial educational advantage over traditional instruction. Since Brasell and others have demonstrated the superiority of microcomputer-based labs, this may indicate that visual juxtaposition is not the relevant variable producing the educational impact of real-time MBL. Immediate student control of the physical event and its graphical representation might be what makes MBL effective and, in the case of kinematics laboratories, kinesthetic feedback could be the most important component of the MBL learning experience. Further studies are needed in order to clarify this point.     

朱熹、王夫之哲学比较——兼论王夫之对朱熹理学形上根基的颠覆

朱熹与王夫之一个是理学之集大成者,一个是气学之集大成者。两人对理与气的不同推崇通过理气观、道器观、有无观和动静观全面展示出来,恰成对立之势。这种对立并非偶然,而是作为早期启蒙思想家的王夫之自觉批判理学的结果,他的哲学建构便是对朱熹哲学形上根基的颠覆。有鉴于此,朱熹与王夫之的哲学不仅表明了两人哲学的差异,而且直观地展示了宋明理学与早期启蒙思潮的分歧。     

论小说《新安家族》和《乔家大院》的影视化意识

当下小说创作在视觉文化的导向下进行着影视化阐释,这为小说研究提供了一种新维度。季宇的《新安家族》和朱秀海的《乔家大院》作为"影视同期书",在小说的书写中有意识地将小说的语言、结构和审美体验与影视艺术进行契合。作品中的语言借鉴影视的声画特色,进行了可视性描写,结构上进行空间建构和蒙太奇的组接,呈现出"直感"性的审美趣味,达到了与影视互通共赢的效果。     

论莫兰迪油画作品中的气息与意味

莫兰迪的艺术将事物原有的表象形式削减过半,推到具象与抽象的模糊边界。他的静物沉浸在安静恬淡的颜色,色彩除了表达物象的功能,更具幽静质朴的情感传达。莫兰迪的油画用类似中国“写意”的方式来表现静物,有很强的东方意境。他的油画以“实”写“虚”,以“虚”造“实”,创造了一个强大的、虚实结合的视觉影像。作品始终保持若即若离、不可预测的熟悉而又陌生,极具禅韵。     

Ontogeny of step-through passive avoidance learning in domestic chicks: Effects of prepunishment training and cue distinctiveness

In three experiments, 1- and 4-day-old chicks (N=96) were first trained to move from one compartment into another for heat reward, and then, following 1, 24, or 48 prepunishment trials, the chicks’ step-through responses were punished with aversive wing-shocks during 24 passive avoidance (PA) trials. The major finding of these experiments was that the age dependency of PA learning of the young chick depends upon both the number of prepunishment trials and the cue differences between the safe and shock compartments. The 1-day-old chick showed an improvement in PA learning as both prepunishment trials and cue differences were increased, but the 4-day-old chicks’ PA learning was retarded by increasing the number of prepunishment trials when either identical or distinct cues were in the two compartments. These PA results suggest that the 1-day-old chick, as compared with the 4-day-old chick, is deficient in learning, or detecting changes in, stimulus- and/or response-reinforcement contingencies.     

COLLEGE STUDENTS’ REACTIONS TOWARDS KEY FACETS OF CLASSROOM TESTING

The major aim of the present study is to assess college students’ attitudes, perceptions, emotional reactions and affective dispositions with respect to various critical dimensions of course achievement testing and assessment, including: “papers” vs. “exams”, “essay” vs. “multiple choice” type formats, “open book” vs. “closed book” exams, “free choice” among items vs. “no free choice” among items, and “oral” vs. “written” modes of test administration. A further aim is to delineate the construction, properties, and potential classroom uses and applications of a selected sample of examinee feedback inventories designed to gauge students’ test attitudes and dispositions. The use of each examinee feedback inventory is demonstrated and exemplified in the context of an empirical study. This paper discusses the assumptions underlying the use of feedback systems in college achievement evaluation; their importance for assessing the face validity of classroom tests; some possible future applications of feedback inventories for research and applied purposes in college; and some guidelines for future research. A mapping sentence specifying the universe of content of test attitude and examinee feedback research is suggested as a heuristic device for guiding future research.     

Frustration and the production of schedule-induced polydipsia

In two experiments, the hypothesis that frustration mediates the production of schedule-induced polydipsia was tested. In Experiment I, a group in which reward was reduced from 6 to 2 pellets of food in an operant chamber was found to increase water intake compared to a group maintained at 2 pellets reward. In Experiment II, rats trained to approach food on a partial reinforcement schedule in a runway subsequently showed lower levels of water intake in the operant test for polydipsia than rats given continuous reinforcement during runway training. The results are interpreted as supporting a frustration hypothesis of schedule-induced polydipsia and are discussed within the context of persistence theory.     

How training on exact or approximate mental representations of number can enhance first-grade students’ basic number processing and arithmetic skills

Theories of psychology and mathematics education recommend two instructional approaches to develop students’ mental representations of number: The “exact” approach focuses on the development of exact representations of organized dot patterns; the “approximate” approach focuses on the approximate representation of analogue magnitudes. This study provides for the first time empirical evidence for the specific effects of these approaches by implementing them in a highly controlled learning environment. 147 first-graders were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups that used an “exact”, an “approximate”, or both versions of the same computer game, or to a control group. Performance on tasks requiring exact or approximate number processing as well as achievement in arithmetic were measured before and after the intervention. Results show that performance improved on tasks related to the exact or approximate number aspect trained, but there was no crossover effect. Achievement in arithmetic increased for the experimental groups and tended to be higher after only exact or only approximate training. Implications for teaching and learning in the classroom are discussed.     

Improving learning achievements,motivations and problem-solving skills through a peer assessment-based game development approach

In this study, a peer assessment-based game development approach is proposed for improving students’ learning achievements, motivations and problem-solving skills. An experiment has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in a science course at an elementary school. A total of 167 sixth graders participated in the experiment, 82 of whom were assigned to the experimental group and learned with the peer assessment-based game development approach, while 85 students were in the control group and learned with the conventional game development approach. From the empirical results, it was found that the proposed approach could effectively promote students’ learning achievement, learning motivation, problem-solving skills, as well as their perceptions of the use of educational computer games. Moreover, it was found from the open-ended questions that most of the students perceived peer assessment-based game development as an effective learning strategy that helped them improve their deep learning status in terms of “in-depth thinking,” “creativity,” and “motivation.”