Combining cognitive and affective support in order to promote learning

The present study investigated the impact of cognitive and affective support intervention on the learning outcomes of learners working with a simulation in economics. Cognitive support was given by statements in order to increase reflection and self-explanation in learners. Affective support was given by a goal-based scenario. Participants were 104 students of social science classes who were randomly allocated to a variant with cognitive and/or affective support as well as a basal variant without affective and cognitive support. Perceived germane cognitive load was increased by cognitive support but not by affective support. Understanding, as measured by posttest performance, was significantly increased by a combination of affective and cognitive support as compared to the basal variant without any support, while a single support intervention had no significant impact. The need for an augmented Cognitive Load Theory by the inclusion of affective factors is applied.     

A microfluidic shear device that accommodates parallel high and low stress zones within the same culturing chamber

Fluid shear stress (FSS) plays a critical role in regulating endothelium function and maintaining vascular homeostasis. Current microfluidic devices for studying FSS effects on cells either separate high shear stress zone and low shear stress zone into different culturing chambers, or arranging the zones serially along the flow direction, which complicates subsequent data interpretation. In this paper, we report a diamond shaped microfluidic shear device where the high shear stress zone and the low shear stress zone are arranged in parallel within one culturing chamber. Since the zones with different shear stress magnitudes are aligned normal to the flow direction, the cells in one stress group are not substantially affected by the flow-induced cytokine/chemokine releases by cells in the other group. Cell loading experiments using human umbilical vein endothelial cells show that the device is able to reveal stress magnitude-dependent and loading duration-dependent cell responses. The co-existence of shear stress zones with varied magnitudes within the same culturing chamber not only ensures that all the cells are subject to the identical culturing conditions, but also allows the resemblance of the differential shear stress pattern in natural arterial conditions. The device is expected to provide a new solution for studying the effects of heterogeneous hemodynamic patterns in the onset and progression of various vascular diseases.     

Human Trafficking: A Review for Mental Health Professionals

This article provides a review of current research on human trafficking for mental health practitioners and scholars. In addition to an overview of definitions, causes and processes of trafficking, the article highlights mental health consequences of trafficking along with suggestions for treatment of survivors. Directions for counseling services, prevention, policy work and international involvement are also discussed.     

The effects of realism in learning with dynamic visualizations

Two experiments are reported that investigated the relative effectiveness of a realistic dynamic visualization as opposed to a schematic visualization for learning about cell replication (mitosis). In Experiment 1, 37 university students watched either realistic or schematic visualizations. Students' subjective task demands ratings as well as their performance in a multiple-choice test and a pictorial test clearly demonstrated the superiority of the schematic dynamic visualization. In Experiment 2, 83 students were given the two visualizations in four different orders of presentation. Students showed the same performance irrespective of whether they watched the schematic visualization twice, first saw the schematic and then the realistic visualization or vice versa. Only students, who watched the realistic visualization twice, had far lower learning outcomes. Contrary to our expectations, for both experiments, students' prior knowledge did not moderate the results.     

Disentangling the antecedents of ambidexterity: Exploration and exploitation

We view ambidexterity as a paradox whereby its components, exploration and exploitation, generate persistent and conflicting demands on an organization. Drawing on the attention based view of the firm (ABV), we examine three antecedents of organizational ambidexterity that reflect ABV’s three principles ? the principle of focus of attention; the principle of situated attention; and the principle of structural distribution of attention. Specifically, we examine the influence of top management team (TMT) composition, whether or not the firm has a clear written vision, and the extent to which organizational attention is focused on investments in R&D, and continuous improvement. We empirically validate our model on a sample of 422 small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK and find that ambidexterity is supported by a blend of integration and differentiation approaches.     

Comparing the Difficulty of Examination Subjects with Item Response Theory

Methods are presented for comparing grades obtained in a situation where students can choose between different subjects. It must be expected that the comparison between the grades is complicated by the interaction between the students' pattern and level of proficiency on one hand, and the choice of the subjects on the other hand. Three methods based on item response theory (IRT) for the estimation of proficiency measures that are comparable over students and subjects are discussed: a method based on a model with a unidimensional representation of proficiency, a method based on a model with a multidimensional representation of proficiency, and a method based on a multidimensional representation of proficiency where the stochastic nature of the choice of examination subjects is explicitly modeled. The methods are compared using the data from the Central Examinations in Secondary Education in the Netherlands. The results show that the unidimensional IRT model produces unrealistic results, which do not appear when using the two multidimensional IRT models. Further, it is shown that both the multidimensional models produce acceptable model fit. However, the model that explicitly takes the choice process into account produces the best model fit.     

Reasoning as a Pedagogical Tool: Tolstoy’s Real Happening Stories for Children

Viewing Tolstoy’s works from psychological and intellectual perspectives demonstrates his approach to children’s literacy and especially the development of reasoning, which he presents in his writing for children and the stories he includes in his New ABC book (1875a) and four Readers (1875b). This article examines Tolstoy’s reasoning approach in education and its application in his real happening stories for children. Some of Tolstoy’s ideas about upbringing that are expressed in his stories are similar to ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778) and a Swiss developmental physiologist contemporary to Tolstoy, Jean Piaget (1896–1980). Tolstoy’s real happening stories treat situations that a child might actually experience; they propose and teach scenarios that might influence a child’s or an adult’s thinking about ways to obtain an education. Thus, in Tolstoy’s approach to children’s education, reasoning becomes a pedagogical tool, used to develop knowledge, experience and critical thinking ability.     

Formative Use of Language Assessment： Supporting Learning Through the Medium of a Second Language

Over the last decade, there has been an increased interest in investigation of assessment for learning. However, to date, there are still very few studies that investigated assessment for language learning or formative language assessment, focusing particularly on： （a） effects of formative assessment on learners＇ linguistic development and on teachers＇ teaching and lesson planning; （b） variables influencing the frequency and extent of effectiveness of formative assessment; （c） teachers＇ and learners＇ views on teacher feedback and learner peer- and self- assessment; and （d） fulfilment of the requirements set in the official United Kingdom （UK） policy documents on effective teaching and assessment of learners with English as an additional language （EAL）, also known as English as an second language （ESL） in the United States （U.S.）, in real classrooms. This article addressed these issues, and thus, extended the limited knowledge base on formative language assessment research to date. Moreover, through examining classroom-embedded language assessment processes from various perspectives, this research paper made a link between two research areas： （a） language testing and assessment; and （b） second language acquisition, also a relatively neglected field of research. This paper investigated two intact primary immersion classrooms, with learners as young as 8-10 years old and teachers whose teaching roles in the classrooms differed; two teachers were mainstream classroom teachers （CTs） and one was a mainstream teacher with specific responsibilities for language development in the school. The data were derived from literacy, numeracy, and science lessons through classroom observations and from the research participants through interviews. The data were firstly transcribed and coded qualitatively and then analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings revealed that various language assessment strategies were used regardless of the subject area of the les