Sensitivity of instrumental responses to an upshift in water deprivation

The role of incentive learning in instrumental performance following an upshift in the degree of water deprivation was analyzed in three experiments. In Experiments 1A and 1B, rats trained to perform an instrumental action reinforced by either sucrose or maltodextrin solutions when in a low-deprivation state were shifted to a high-deprivation state and tested in extinction. This shift in water deprivation increased performance only if the animals had been exposed to the reinforcer in the high-deprivation state prior to testing. In Experiment 2, the role of the instrumental contingency in mediating the preexposure effect observed in the first two studies was examined by training rats to make two instrumental actions for different outcomes. The preexposure experience with the outcomes produced a relative increase in performance of the action reinforced with the incentive preexposed in the high-deprivation state when a choice between the two response alternatives was conducted in that state. These experiments support the conclusion that instrumental performance following revaluation of the reinforcer by an upshift in the level of thirst depends on a process of incentive learning.     

Learner engagement,retention and success: why size matters in massive open online courses (MOOCs)

ABSTRACT

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are usually six to ten weeks long. Participation tends to decrease as the courses progress, leading to low completion rates. This led to the question: Could shorter MOOCs contribute to learners’ engagement, retention and success? This paper compares two versions of Study Skills MOOC, which shared the same content but were delivered in different length formats. One was deployed as a single six-week course and the other as two three-week blocks. In total, 617 people registered for the two versions. Data sources included learning analytics, surveys and the Spanish version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Both versions of the Study Skills MOOC resulted in increased participants’ self-efficacy. However, learners enrolled in the version composed of two three-week blocks were also more engaged with course content, other students and the facilitators. Their retention and completion rates were higher than those in the longer version of the course. Reasons linked to goal proximity, motivation, interactions and social modelling are discussed