The effects of formal learning and informal learning on job performance: the mediating role of the value of learning at work

Although research has widely recognized the relationships between formal and informal learning and job performance, empirical studies have not paid sufficient attention to these relationships. In addition, there is little understanding how individual perceptions toward learning influence the relationships between the aforementioned two types of learning and job performance. In the present study, it was proposed that formal and informal learning can influence job performance. Moreover, in the relationships between formal and informal learning and job performance, the value of learning at work was considered as a mediator. With a sample of employees from small and medium-sized enterprises in South Korea, the research showed that formal and informal learning influences job performance through the value of learning at work. Based on the results of the study, several implications were discussed.     

Unintended Learning in Primary School Practical Science Lessons from Polanyi’s Perspective of Intellectual Passion

This study explored, from the perspective of intellectual passion developed by Michael Polanyi, the unintended learning that occurred in primary practical science lessons. We use the term ‘unintended’ learning to distinguish it from ‘intended’ learning that appears in teachers’ learning objectives. Data were collected using video and audio recordings of a sample of twenty-four whole class practical science lessons, taught by five teachers, in Korean primary schools with 10- to 12-year-old students. In addition, video and audio recordings were made for each small group of students working together in order to capture their activities and intra-group discourse. Pre-lesson interviews with the teachers were undertaken and audio-recorded to ascertain their intended learning objectives. Selected key vignettes, including unintended learning, were analysed from the perspective of intellectual passion developed by Polanyi. What we found in this study is that unintended learning could occur when students got interested in something in the first place and could maintain their interest. In addition, students could get conceptual knowledge when they tried to connect their experience to their related prior knowledge. It was also found that the processes of intended learning and of unintended learning were different. Intended learning was characterized by having been planned by the teacher who then sought to generate students’ interest in it. In contrast, unintended learning originated from students’ spontaneous interest and curiosity as a result of unplanned opportunities. Whilst teachers’ persuasive passion comes first in the process of intended learning, students’ heuristic passion comes first in the process of unintended learning. Based on these findings, we argue that teachers need to be more aware that unintended learning, on the part of individual students, can occur during their lesson and to be able to better use this opportunity so that this unintended learning can be shared by the whole class. Furthermore, we argue that teachers’ deliberate action and a more interactive classroom culture are necessary in order to allow students to develop, in addition to heuristic passion, persuasive passion towards their unintended learning.     

Experimental intervention research on students with specific poor comprehension: a systematic review of treatment outcomes

Students with specific poor comprehension (SPC) can sound out words accurately, but have difficulty understanding what they read. However, most existing reading intervention studies on students with reading disabilities did not differentiate students with SPC from other types of students with reading disabilities who accompany with decoding difficulties. The purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize findings from 14 experimental intervention studies that have included students with SPC with the goal of increasing reading comprehension. Out of eight types of interventions identified, Reciprocal Teaching (g = .856) demonstrated the largest effect size. Metalinguistic intervention showed the effect size of above .50 (a medium effect size), suggesting that intervention that explicitly teaches high-level oral language strategies was positive to improve reading performances of students with SPC. Findings also suggest a need to specify the classification criteria of students with SPC to broaden an understanding about the evidence-based intervention for students with SPC. Practical implications for effective practice, limitations, and future directions are discussed.     

Analytical method for promoting process capability of shock absorption steel

Mechanical properties and low cycle fatigue are two factors that must be considered in developing new type steel for shock absorption. Process capability and process control are significant factors in achieving the purpose of research and development programs. Often-used evaluation methods failed to measure process yield and process centering; so this paper uses Taguchi loss function as basis to establish an evaluation method and the steps for assessing the quality of mechanical properties and process control of an iron and steel manufacturer. The establishment of this method can serve the research and development and manufacturing industry and lay a foundation in enhancing its process control ability to select better manufacturing processes that are more reliable than decision making by using the other commonly used methods.     

Integration of user profiles: models and experiments in information retrieval

One difficult problem in information retrieval (IR) is the proper interpretation of user queries. It is extremely hard for users to express their information needs in a specific yet exhaustive way. In an effort to alleviate this problem, two theoretical models have been proposed to utilize user characteristics maintained in the form of a user profile. Although the idea of integrating user profiles into an IR system is intuitively appealing, and the models seem viable, no research to date has established a foundation for the roles of user profiles in such a system. Aiming at the investigation of the roles of user profiles, therefore, this study first identifies and extends various query/profile interaction models to provide a ground upon which the investigation can be undertaken. From a continuum of models characterized on the basis of interaction types, metrics, and parameters, nearly 400 models are chosen to investigate the “model space.” New measures are developed based on the notion of user satisfaction/frustration. In addition, three different criteria are used to guide users in making judgments on the quality of retrieved items. Analysis of the data obtained from the experiments shows that, for a wide variety of criteria and metrics, there are always some query/profile interaction models that outperform the query alone model. In addition, preferable characteristics for different criteria are identified in terms of interaction types, parameters, and metrics.     

A simple form synthesis of linear time-variant digital filter via spectral decomposition of its impulse response

The paper describes a new technique to synthesize a finite impulse response of linear time-variant (LTV) digital filter. First, a finite impulse response is decomposed into a sum of products of two orthogonal sequences. The direct implementation of the decomposed impulse response leads to the parallel connection of linear time-invariant (LTI) digital filters, followed by time-varying multipliers. A simple filter structure is obtained by properly modifying the sequences to realize the parallel form structure as a cascade connection of first- or second-order recursive LTI filters. The structure is easy to implement on a computer and saves computation time. Numerical examples illustrating the technique are included.     

Children Persist Less When Adults Take Over

Children need to learn to persist through challenges, yet adults sometimes step in to solve problems for them. Here, we looked at how adult taking over related to children’s persistence. In an observational study (N = 34, ages 4–8), we found that parents who took over more often during a challenging puzzle task rated their children as dispositionally less persistent. To establish whether taking over can cause reduced persistence, we ran two preregistered experiments (N = 150, ages 4–5). Children assigned to a taking over condition persisted less on a subsequent task compared to those in a teaching or a baseline condition. Reframing the context did not ameliorate the negative impact of taking over. The results suggest that taking over impairs children’s persistence.     

Urban Youth Scholars: Cultivating Critical Global Leadership Development through Youth-Led Justice-Oriented Research

The Urban Review - Educational researchers and practitioners have cited the need for new directions in youth leadership studies as it relates to globalization. Globalization is considered one of...