Δ-distance: A family of dissimilarity metrics between images represented by multi-level feature vectors

This article presents the Δ-distance, a family of distances between images recursively decomposed into segments and represented by multi-level feature vectors. Such a structure is a quad, a quin or a nona-tree resulting from a fixed and arbitrary image partition or from an image segmentation process. It handles positional information of image features (e.g. color, texture or shape). Δ-distance is the generalized form of dissimilarity measures between multi-level feature vectors. Using different weights on tree nodes and different distances between nodes, distances between trees or visual similarity between images can be computed based on the general definition of Δ. In this article, we present three Δ-based distance families: two families of distances between tree structures, called -distance( for Tree) and -distance ( for Segment), and a family of visual distances between images, called ( for Visual). The -distance visually compares two images using their tree representation and the other two distances compare the tree structures resulting from image segmentation. Moreover, we show how existing distances between multi-level feature vectors appear to be particular cases of the Δ-distance     

Capacité cognitive,sentiment d’auto-efficacité et autorégulation

Feelings of self-efficacy have been the object of several studies that have confirmed its ability to predict performance in different contexts. Yet few studies have been conducted using cognitive or academic tasks in which it is more difficult to clearly distinguish self-efficacy from competence. The present study aims to study the moderating role of cognitive capacity in determining the relationship between self-efficacy and on-line self-regulation observed while solving a verbal concept formation task. In order to distinguish self-efficacy from competence, 44 subjects were selected based on the results of their SSPI; these results of which are related to comprehension ability. Analyses of results allow us to observe that, when compared to subjects who consider themselves less efficacious, subjects who have strong feelings of self-efficacy have a higher success rate, are more certain of these successes and reject fewer correct hypotheses, no matter what their cognitive ability. These results once again bring to light the relative independance of cognitive ability and motivational determinants of a person’s actual accomplishments.     

La Psicología de Vygotski: sobre la larga proyección de una corta biografía

RESUMEN

Se presenta el contexto histórico y los antecedentes familiares, culturales y sociales en los que surge la figura de Vygotski y se hace una descripción minuciosa de su obra, de sus implicaciones y contribuciones a la Psicología Científica: su teoría sobre las funciones superiores en el hombre, la actividad instrumental como unidad de análisis de estos procesos superiores, los estudios sobre génesis y desarrollo de los procesos cognitivos y las variaciones culturales, la “zona de desarrollo potencial”, sus aportaciones a la pedagogía y al estudio de las deficiencias, su teoría de la organización neurofisiológica, sus aportaciones a una teoría general del desarrollo y su teoría de la génesis del pensamiento verbal y la función reguladora del lenguaje. Se citan algunas críticas a Vygotski y se formulan algunas implicaciones teóricas no formuladas explícitamente en su teoría.     

Représentations et fonctionnements cognitifs dans une recherche de panne d’un système d’allumage en mecanique-auto

Fault finding is a puzzling task, at work and in technical and professional training. Our purpose is to contribute to an analysis of the required competencies and mainly to a characterisation of the evolution steps in knowledge and action organisation from novice to expert. Eight grown-up preparing a professional certificate in engine mecanics were observed and filmed while they were working out the diagnosis of an ignition trouble on a real equipment. The theory of functionning registers (deducted from Piaget’s theory) is considered as a relevant frame for our activity analysis. So, four competencies patterns has been outlined on the basis of errors extension, circuit functionning representations which were infered from schema interpretations, and trouble-shooting strategies denoted by control procedures. Some consequences about training are examined.     

Exploration De La Résilience éducationnelle Chez Des Enseignants

AN EXPLORATION OF THE EDUCATIONAL RESILIENCE OF TEACHING STAFF – This study focuses on the degree of resilience displayed by teaching staff with the aim of promoting their professional development and preventing job-related exhaustion. Seven underprivileged schools in Montreal were selected, and 24 teaching staff with contrasting personal profiles were interviewed on the subject of their work. The Alceste software was used to analyse the conversations, which revolved around techniques applied when dealing with critical incidents. The main analysis identified five different discourses among the respondents. Three of these were associated with the more resilient of the teachers and two were associated with the more vulnerable ones. Resilient teaching staff characteristically discussed dealing with aggressive behaviour, the teaching-learning relationship and the subject of social relationships, whereas vulnerable teaching staff focused on work beyond the classroom, people in positions of higher authority and the community. The authors note that teachers who are just embarking on their careers appear more vulnerable than more experienced teaching staff, which suggests that more resources should be provided to support teachers in their profession.     

Comment on Elbers' article: Which competence? For whom? For what?

In reaction to Elbers' paper, several comments are made concerning the unit of analysis used to observe children's cognitive activity, the nature of the competence assessed, and the role of the task, or the object of knowledge, in which the child and the adult interact. It is argued that the testing situation is a social event in which the adult and the child interact on a specific object and negotiate a common interpretation of the task and the situation. From this perspective, the testing situation appears to be a learning situation in which new knowledge is acquired.     

Spelling,Reading Abilities and Speech Perception in Deaf Children with a Cochlear Implant

ABSTRACT

This study aims to compare word spelling outcomes for French-speaking deaf children with a cochlear implant (CI) with hearing children who matched for age, level of education and gender. A picture written naming task controlling for word frequency, word length, and phoneme-to-grapheme predictability was designed to analyze spelling productions. A generalized linear mixed model on the percentage of correct spelling revealed an effect of participant’s reading abilities, but no effect of hearing status. Word frequency and word length, but not phoneme-to-grapheme predictability, contributed to explaining the spelling variance. Deaf children with a CI made significantly less phonologically plausible errors and more phonologically unacceptable errors when compared to their hearing peers. Age at implantation and speech perception scores were related to deaf children’s errors. A good word spelling level can be achieved by deaf children with a CI, who nonetheless use less efficiently the phoneme-to-grapheme strategy than do hearing children.     

YOU CAN TOUCH THIS: SIMULATION EXERCISES FOR AGING AND DISABILITY

Materials and exercises that may be used to simulate some of the deficits that occur in vision, hearing, mobility, and manual dexterity with increased age or disability are described. How arthritis, stroke, glaucoma, cataracts, and yellowing of the lens of the eye may be simulated is explained. The demonstrations are appropriate for educating health care professionals in gerontology and geriatrics and have been used with students of all ages.     

Developmental stability and changes in the impact of root consistency on children’s spelling

The study reported here examined grade 2–4 children’s sensitivity to the consistency in the spelling of roots in related words. We build on earlier research by attempting to quantify the extent that children’s spellings of both inflected and derived forms accord with this principle. We contrasted children’s accuracy and consistency in spelling the root form (e.g., rock) with that of its spelling in related inflected and derived forms (e.g., rocks and rocky), as well as unrelated control forms (e.g., rocket). Across grades 2–4, children’s spellings accorded with the root consistency principle to the same extent for inflected and derived forms. Nevertheless, it was not until grade 4 that spellings maximally reflected the principle. These results are discussed in terms of how children’s spelling might come to reflect the root consistency principle that guides spelling in English.     

Relations between impostor feelings and upward and downward identification and contrast among 10- to 12-year-old students

The first objective of this study was to examine the presence of the impostor phenomenon (IP) among 740 students aged 10 to 12 years old. The second objective was twofold: (1) to examine the link between the impostor feelings and the propensity to use social comparison and (2) to examine whether this feeling is related to the processes of identification with versus contrast to others who are either doing better or worse than oneself. Results showed that, although generally of low intensity, the impostor feelings are indeed present in late elementary school children. A positive link between the impostor feelings and the propensity to use social comparison was also observed. It also appeared that, more than for others, children who feel like impostors were likely to differentiate themselves from their more capable peers while identifying themselves with less capable peers. The discussion focuses on the presence of the IP in late elementary children and on how the upward contrast and the downward identification may contribute to its development and maintenance.