On the Nonsmooth,Nonconstant Velocity of Braille Reading and Reversals

Relative to print reading, braille-reading finger movements are held to be of more constant speed, with continuous and exhaustive contact with all words. However, the continuity of movements is intermittent in two distinct ways: (a) readers reverse direction and reread material already encountered and (b) the continual fluctuations of velocity between phases of acceleration and deceleration. We analyze recordings of experienced readers’ encounters with ambiguous sentences predicted to encourage more reversals, and we undertake comparative kinematic analyses of the finger movements during such reading. The data suggest that when reversals are initiated and where they are targeted reflect language-processing demands. However, their kinematic properties are not qualitatively different from those of forward reading. We conclude that how readers of braille move the reading finger—both forward and in reverse—is primarily influenced by the control properties of low-velocity movements and only secondarily by language properties.     

Promoting Inquiry-Based Teaching in Laboratory Courses: Are We Meeting the Grade?

Over the past decade, repeated calls have been made to incorporate more active teaching and learning in undergraduate biology courses. The emphasis on inquiry-based teaching is especially important in laboratory courses, as these are the courses in which students are applying the process of science. To determine the current state of research on inquiry-based teaching in undergraduate biology laboratory courses, we reviewed the recent published literature on inquiry-based exercises. The majority of studies in our data set were in the subdisciplines of biochemistry, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, and molecular biology. In addition, most exercises were guided inquiry, rather than open ended or research based. Almost 75% of the studies included assessment data, with two-thirds of these studies including multiple types of assessment data. However, few exercises were assessed in multiple courses or at multiple institutions. Furthermore, assessments were rarely based on published instruments. Although the results of the studies in our data set show a positive effect of inquiry-based teaching in biology laboratory courses on student learning gains, research that uses the same instrument across a range of courses and institutions is needed to determine whether these results can be generalized.     

Dopaminerge Modulation striataler Plastizität

This article attempts to outline the neuronal foundations of movement automatization. In particular, it is shown that an increase in automaticity corresponds to processes of synaptic plasticity in the corticostriatal and corticocortical system. This mechanism is supposed to induce changes in the neuronal representations of the respective skill. Furthermore, the role of phasic dopamine release will be discussed with respect to its modulating effect on processes of plasticity.     

Resistance and Endurance: Harriet,The Irishman,and Movies About Indigestible History

Two current biopic movies, Harriet and The Irishman, present the life stories of real people who have been involved with slavery and organized crime. These images contradict the virtuous image of America that is fundamental to our sense of national identity and patriotism. Could this contradiction lead to oppositional movements for social change?     

Exploring askers’ switching from free to paid social Q&A services: A perspective on the push-pull-mooring framework

The purpose of this study is to explore the factors that prompt askers to switch from free to paid social question-and-answer (SQA) services. Prior studies have investigated users’ motivations and participation in free and paid SQA services; however, little attention has been paid to askers’ switching behavior. We empirically analyzed the content of qualitative interviews from 64 askers on a well-known SQA platform in China. Based on the push-pull-mooring framework, we identified and classified factors that influenced askers’ to switch from free to paid Q&A services, using the critical incident technique, after which we calculated the entropy weights of the 16 subcategories before and after the switch, using the entropy weight method. The findings suggest that askers’ switching behavior was influenced by push factors (i.e., dissatisfaction with the free SQA service), pull factors (i.e., satisfaction with the paid SQA service), and mooring factors (i.e., social factors, personal factors, situational factors). Moreover, the findings show that the effects of these factors vary significantly before and after a switch. Dissatisfaction with the quality of information from the free SQA service would influence users before a switch, whereas satisfaction with the quality of information from the paid SQA service would influence them after a switch. In terms of mooring factors, the effects of social and personal factors on askers’ switching behavior, especially subjective norms and cognitive lock-in, turn out to be less significant after a switch, whereas the effect of trust is more significant. Besides, the effects of situational factors are more or less the same before and after a switch. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is one of the first attempts to explore factors that affect askers’ switching behavior and to shed light on the managerial strategies of paid SQA services.     

Teachers' self‐assessment of the effects of formative and summative electronic portfolios on professional development

This study compared the effects of four electronic portfolio curricula on pre‐service and beginning teachers' self‐ratings of their professional development (n = 207), using a 34 item electronic Portfolio Assessment Scale (ePAS). Three formative portfolios, A, C and D, had teacher development as a primary objective and used participants' narrative reflections on students over a 2–3 month period. One summative portfolio, B, assessed teacher accountability through participants' analyses of professional teaching standards concerning students during 1–2 week teaching units. Factor analyses of the ePAS assessments for each portfolio and all four combined yielded the same five factors concerning professional outcomes: overall teacher development, including reflective skill (F1), an understanding of assessment roles (F2), an understanding of backwards planning (F3), the benefit of analyzing student work (F4) and the benefit of teacher peer collaboration (F5). For F1, F3 and F5 the means of the formative portfolios A, C and D were significantly higher than those of portfolio B. No differences were found among the portfolios concerning the benefits of analyzing student work (F4). The researchers concluded that formative portfolios that focused on teacher development better supported professional outcomes than did the summative accountability portfolio. It was concluded that portfolios should not be used for the summative accountability of teachers.

Dans cette étude nous avons comparé les effets de quatre programmes scolaires à portefeuille électronique sur les autocritiques que des enseignants débutants ont faites de leur développement professionnel (n = 207). Nous nous sommes servis d'une échelle d'évaluation à portefeuille électronique de 34 points (ePAS). L'objectif principal des trois portefeuilles formatifs A, B et D était le développement de l'enseignant. Pour y parvenir nous avons employé des réflexions narratives sur les élèves pendant une période de deux à trois mois. A travers un portefeuille sommaire, B, nous avons évalué la responsabilité des enseignants au moyen des analyses que les participants ont faites des normes de l'enseignement professionnel des unités d'apprentissage d'une à deux semaines. Nous avons conclu que les portefeuilles formatifs qui se concentraient sur le développement des enseignants ont mieux soutenu le rendement professionnel des jeunes enseignants.

Este estudio compara los efectos de cuatro portafolios electrónicos curriculares sobre las auto evaluaciones de profesores antes de que comiencen a ejercitar la enseñanza y de profesores que inician su desarrollo profesional (n = 207), utilizando 34 ítemes de la escala de Portfolio Assessment (Valorización de Portafolios) (ePAS). Tres portafolios formativos, A, C y D, tienen como objetivo principal el desarrollo de la enseñanza usando las reflexiones por escrito de los participantes sobre estudiantes en un período de dos a tres meses. En un portafolio de síntesis, B, se valora la responsabilidad de los profesores. Durante una unidad educacional de una a dos semanas, los participantes evalúan métodos de enseñanza y, a través de este análisis, valoran la responsabilidad de los profesores. Se concluye que los portafolios formativos que se enfocan en el desarrollo de la enseñanza facilitan de mejor manera el resultado del desarrollo de los profesionales jóvenes.

Diese Arbeit vergleicht die Wirkungen von vier Lehrplänen im Bereich elektronischer Portfeuilles auf die beruflichen Selbstbewertungen von werdenden und neueingetretenen Lehrkräften. Verwendet wird ein elektronisches Portfeuillewertungssystem (ePAWS) von 34 Punkten. Die Entwicklung der Lehrer ist die primäre Absicht von drei formativen Portfeuilles, A, C und D, in denen die Teilnehmer ihre Selbstbeobachtungen über zwei bis drei Wochen aufgeschrieben haben. Die Verantwortlichkeit von Lehren wird in einem zusammenfassenden Portfeuille B eingesschätzt, durch eine Beurteilung von lehrberuflichen Maßstaben der Teilnehmer in Bezug auf Studenten im Verlauf einer ein‐ bis zweiwöchigen Lehreinheit. Bewiesen wurde, daß die formativen Portefeuilles, die sich auf Lehrentwicklung konzentrierten, die Weiterentfaltung von neueingestiegenen Lehrkräften besser fördern.