Empirical studies and intelligent language tutoring

The research described in this paper addresses how a language tutoring system tackles a practical problem in learning a language — negative transfer (mother tongue influence). The empirical studies we have undertaken indicate that negative transfer is the most obvious explanation for most of the errors committed by first-year students in their study of Chinese grammar at the University of Durham. The results of our empirical studies accord with the views of experts on both negative transfer and the Chinese language. A language tutoring prototype (the Chinese Tutor) has been designed on the basis of the results of the empirical studies. The Chinese Tutor contains five models: the expert model, the student model, the diagnoser, the tutor model and the interface module. The five models work effectively together in order to ensure a successful tutorial session. A number of potential users from the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Durham have used the Chinese Tutor with positive results. In this paper, we will first address issues in relation to empirical studies: the significance of empirical studies and the results of the empirical studies. We will then move on to some of the important design issues, i.e., how the problem of negative transfer is tackled by the Chinese Tutor, which includes discussions on how the rules in the mixed grammar are used for detecting arbitrary transfer errors; how the types of error made by the student are inferred; and how an appropriate tutorial strategy is selected. Finally, a tutorial session run by one of the students who has used the Chinese Tutor is presented and what the Chinese Tutor can offer to the students will also be addressed.     

Factors affecting university-industry R&D projects: The importance of searching, screening and signalling

This paper presents an empirical analysis of the determinants of research cooperation between firms and Public research organisations (PROs) for a sample of innovating small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The econometric analysis is based on the results of the KNOW survey carried out in seven EU countries during 2000. In contrast to earlier works that provide information about the importance of PROs’ research, we know the number of firm/PRO collaborative research and development (R&D) projects. This allows us to study the determinants of firm collaboration with PROs in terms of both the propensity of a firm to undertake R&D projects with a university (do they cooperate or not) and the extent of this collaboration (number of R&D projects). Two questions are addressed. Which firms cooperated with PROs? And what are the firm characteristics that might explain the number of R&D projects with PROs? The results of our analysis point to two major phenomena. First, the propensity to forge an agreement with an academic partner depends on the ‘absolute size’ of the industrial partner. Second the openness of firms to the external environment, as measured by their willingness to search, screen and signal, significantly affects the development of R&D projects with PROs. Our findings suggest that acquiring knowledge through the screening of publications and involvement in public policies positively affects the probability of signing an agreement with a PRO, but not the number of R&D projects developed. In fact, firms that outsource research and development, and patent to protect innovation and to signal competencies show higher levels of collaboration.     

Validity of criteria-based content analysis (CBCA) at trial in free-narrative interviews

Objective

The reliability of child witness testimony in sexual abuse cases is often controversial, and few tools are available. Criteria-Based Content Analysis (CBCA) is a widely used instrument for evaluating psychological credibility in cases of suspected child sexual abuse. Only few studies have evaluated CBCA scores in children suspected of being sexually abused. We designed this study to investigate the reliability of CBCA in discriminating allegations of child sexual abuse during court hearings, by comparing CBCA results with the court's final, unappealable sentence. We then investigated whether CBCA scores correlated with age, and whether some criteria were better than others in distinguishing cases of confirmed and unconfirmed abuse.

Methods

From a pool of 487 child sexual abuse cases, confirmed and unconfirmed cases were selected using various criteria including child IQ ≥ 70, agreement between the final trial outcome and the opinion of 3 experts, presence of at least 1 independent validating informative component in cases of confirmed abuse, and absence of suggestive questions during the child's testimonies. This screening yielded a study sample of 60 confirmed and 49 unconfirmed cases. The 14 item version of CBCA was applied to child witness testimony by 2 expert raters.

Results

Of the 14 criteria tested, 12 achieved satisfactory inter-rater agreement (Maxwell's Random Error). Analyses of covariance, with case group (confirmed vs. unconfirmed) and gender as independent variables and age as a covariate, showed no main effect of gender. Analyses of the interaction showed that the simple effects of abuse were significant in both sex. Nine CBCA criteria were satisfied more often among confirmed than unconfirmed cases; seven criteria increased with age.

Conclusion

CBCA scores distinguish between confirmed and unconfirmed cases. The criteria that distinguish best between the 2 groups are Quantity of Details, Interactions, and Subjective Experience. CBCA scores correlate positively with age, and independently from abuse; all the criteria test except 2 (Unusual Details and Misunderstood Details) increase with age. The agreement rate could be increased by merging criteria Unusual and Superfluous details that achieve a low inter-rater agreement when investigated separately.

Practice implication

Given its ability to distinguish between confirmed and unconfirmed cases of suspected child abuse, the CBCA could be a useful tool for expert opinion. Because our strict selection criteria make it difficult to generalize our results, further studies should investigate whether the CBCA is equally useful in the cases we excluded from our study (for example mental retardation).     

Learning from the Past,Looking to the Future: issues and agendas in education

This year, EJE has marked its 50^th anniversary with a special set of four linked issues, the organisation of which was inspired in part by the four pillars of learning first set out in the 1996 Delors Report, Learning: the treasure within. In this article, the authors highlight key themes that have emerged. Several of the contributing authors suggest that deepening tensions have driven education systems further away from the holistic, humanist vision of the Delors Report. At the same time, there are innovative policies and practices that address a broader range of aims of learning and have flourished despite challenges. Moving forward, the authors examine the challenges of citizenship, creativity and innovation in education. The article concludes with suggestions on important themes for the education agenda in the near future to which EJE may contribute further insights.     

Despicable Others: Animated Othering as Equipment for Living in the Era of Trump

This essay comparatively examines U.S.-Russian and U.S.-Mexican interculturality in the Despicable Me movie franchise. We argue that cultural transformations of the main protagonists – Russian Gru and Mexican El Macho – are politically significant cases of U.S.-Russian and U.S.-Mexican interculturality, reflected and constructed by popular culture in general, and by animated cartoons in particular. Conceptualizing and analyzing animation as “equipment for living,” we demonstrate how these cases serve as epistemological and pedagogical tools of confirming U.S.-dominant ideology, and discursively and visually constructing (Russian and Mexican) Others the way that they are currently understood and treated in (the non-fictional) U.S. society.     

Indirect estimation of injected mortar volume in historical walls using the electrical resistivity tomography

The electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) represents one of the widely used geophysical techniques for the exploration of the subsurface. In the last few years, this method has been demonstrated to be an efficient reconnaissance tool not only for monitoring degradation status of walls and foundations of historical buildings, but also for imaging the spatial distribution of injected mortar, commonly employed for consolidation purposes. A 3D resistivity tomography survey was carried out on four selected wall portions of the historical church of Montepetriolo, Perugia, Central Italy. The obtained 3D resistivity distribution models before and after grouting provided suggestive images of the internal structure of the studied walls. Moreover, the spatial distribution of the zones being filled with mortar was determined quantitatively by scaling the post- to the preinjection resistivity values. Using a well known correlation between resistivity and porosity, established in the geophysical community, a further step towards a more quantitative assessment was attempted to indirectly determine the unit volumes of the injected mortar The obtained results were satisfactory and in some cases almost similar to the yard data. Furthermore, two flat-jack tests confirmed the local increment of the mechanical resistance of the studied left front (2) and right lateral (3) wall portions.     

Assessment of the state of conservation of stone artworks after laser cleaning: comparison with conventional cleaning results on a two-decade follow up

The utilization of laser light to produce fine and selective cleaning of superficial deposits and encrustation from stones was originally proposed more than 20 years ago by John Asmus who performed pioneering trials of laser cleaning on stone façades in Venice, Cremona and Padua. The opportunity to collect stone samples from these sites allowed us to carry out an original study aimed at evaluating the conservation state of stone surfaces cleaned 10–20 years ago by means of three different techniques: Nd:YAG laser radiation, micron sandblasting and chemical pads. Samples of various stone types, as Istria limestone, Botticino limestone and Nanto sandstone were collected and examined by means of optical and SEM microscopy, FT/IR, and EDAX analyses. The results provided preliminary indications that the state of conservation of stone surfaces previously subjected to laser cleaning is generally better in comparison with those which concurrently underwent mechanical and chemical cleaning.     

Investment in Paintings: A Short-Run Price Index

This paper analyses the performance of a speculative investment in paintings during the period 1987–1995 by applying a modified repeat sales technique to a sample of 1446 repeat sales. Since this period is characterised by a boom and a non-boom sub-period, a price risk term is introduced to estimate influences that only affect a painting's value upon its sale, by isolating shocks that can cause realised returns to stray from expectations. The main finding is that from 1987 to 1991 an investment in paintigs performs well if compared with alternative forms of investment, such as U.S. stocks, U.S. 30 year government bonds and gold; by contrast, from 1992 to 1995 returns are lower, with the exception of 1993.