Scaring Them into Learning!? Using a Snake Screen to Enhance the Knowledge Transfer Effectiveness of a Web Interface

It seems that surprise events have the potential to turn short-term memories into long-term memories, an unusual phenomenon that may have limited but interesting applications in learning tasks. This surprise-enhanced cognition phenomenon is theoretically modeled based on the notion that many human mental traits have evolved through natural selection; a mathematical analysis building on Price's covariance theorem is employed in this modeling effort. Additionally, the phenomenon is discussed in the context of an online learning task, based on a study involving 186 student participants. A simulated threat was incorporated into a human–computer interface with the goal of increasing the interface's knowledge-transfer effectiveness. The participants were asked to review Web-based learning modules and subsequently take a test on what they had learned. Data from six learning modules in two experimental conditions were contrasted. In the treatment condition, a Web-based screen with a snake in attack position was used to surprise the participants; the snake screen was absent in the control condition. As predicted, the participants in the treatment condition did significantly better in the test for the modules immediately before and after the snake screen than the participants in the control condition. These findings are extrapolated to classroom applications in general. Ethical considerations are also discussed.     

‘Should I use it?’ Assessing the value of online supplemental course materials and their influence on student performance

As a result of the ever-growing list of course technologies and software programs, higher education faculty and administration often debate which new tools are most valuable to students. This article investigates whether the use of an online textbook supplemental program (MindTap®) has a positive influence on student performance. The impact of goal achievement orientations is also discussed and factored into the analysis, as it provides insight into the motivations that drive the usage of online supplemental course materials. Results found that usage of MindTap® is positively predicted by a mastery approach goal orientation. More importantly, it was shown that usage of MindTap® positively predicts student performance, above and beyond the impact of age, gender, SAT score and goal achievement orientation.     

“Losers” and “Winners”: Framing of online self-disclosure in online news media

The intensification of online disclosure of personal information, coupled with the ability to link personal information to those who disclose it, poses important questions regarding the benefits and risks associated with sharing of personal data. This article examines the manifestation of these concerns in news media. Guided by framing theory, it seeks to ascertain the prevailing frames for personal information sharing and to determine whether such framing facilitates debate on issues related to self-disclosure. Articles published in top Israeli online newspapers were analyzed (n = 609). Findings show that the individual user, the state, and corporations are framed as key actors that shape online self-disclosure practices and their outcomes. Furthermore, the individual user, while portrayed as chief actor, is seen as the weakest player.     

Differential influences of perceived organizational factors on younger employees’ participation in offline and online intergenerational knowledge transfer

Intergenerational supportive climate, top management support, organizational institution are seen as three types of important organizational factors for intergenerational knowledge transfer (IGKT), however, current studies are qualitative with little empirical evidence, further, the interrelations of them are little known. This paper investigates and verifies their relationships by an empirical study, especially focuses on their differential effects on younger employees’ participation in IGKT using offline versus online communication methods drawing upon social influence theory. A survey with younger doctors was conducted in the medical industry to test the research model proposed in this study. Results show that younger employees’ perceived intergenerational supportive climate (PISC) has a significant positive influence on offline IGKT, but not on online IGKT; perceived top management support (PTMS) has a significant positive influence on offline IGKT, but has a negative impact on online IGKT; perceived organizational institution support (POIS) has a significant positive influence on online IGKT, but not on offline IGKT. These findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding about IGKT, as well as help managers be more effective to enhance younger employees’ participation in IGKT through offline/online methods, which contribute to offline and online intergenerational knowledge transfer to knowledge management.     

Nurturing a FinTech ecosystem: The case of a youth microloan startup in China

Financial technology, or FinTech, involves the design and delivery of financial products and services through technology. It impacts financial institutions, regulators, customers, and merchants across a wide range of industries. Pervasive digital technologies are challenging the fundamentals of the highly regulated financial sector, leading to the emergence of non-traditional payment systems, peer-to-peer money exchanges and increased turbulence in currency markets. This case study explores the development of a FinTech company in China that offers microloans to college students. Five lessons learned are presented for organizations to better manage the challenges and to leverage the opportunities amidst the disruption of financial sector. Our findings also shed light on how digital technology 1) offers the strategic capability for a firm to occupy a market niche in financial sector, 2) enables the generation of alternative credit scores based on non-traditional data, and 3) improves the financial inclusion of previously excluded market segments.     

基于数据挖掘的中国科技论文在线首发论文下载次数典型特征研究

通过属性规约、空缺值处理及异常值检测,对中国科技论文在线2003-2009年37 898篇首发论文数据进行数据预处理。对数据预处理后的37 348篇首发论文,构建下载次数的回归树模型,通过模型结果分析,得出下载次数的影响因素依次为首发论文的发表时间、所属学科以及首发论文的星级评定结果,并分析下载次数在这三个方面的典型特征。     

The Video Viewing Task: A source of information for assessing and addressing teacher understanding of text-based discussion

This paper reports on the Video Viewing Task (VVT), an assessment designed to measure teachers' developing understanding of two reading comprehension instruction approaches: Reciprocal Teaching (Palincsar, A. S. & Brown, A. L. (1984). Reciprocal teaching of comprehension-fostering and comprehension-monitoring activities. Cognition and Instruction, 1(2), 117–175) and Questioning the Author (Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., Hamilton, R. L., & Kucan, L. (1997). Questioning the author: An approach for enhancing student engagement with text. Newark, DE: International Reading Association). The VVT consists of video excerpts that teachers view and comment on during their viewing. The VVT also includes a series of questions to guide teachers' reflections after viewing. Analyses of teachers' comments and reflections in response to the VVT provide evidence that the VVT captures teachers' entering conceptions and is sensitive to changes in teachers' developing understanding following professional development specific to the two instructional approaches.     

高校图书馆绩效评估管理问题探讨

绩效评估是人力资源管理的核心措施,能够使单位形成持续性的竞争优势.绩效是衡量图书馆事业发展的标尺,是图书馆事业建设的永恒主题.文章分析了图书馆绩效评估的含义、发展背景,并就绩效评估的基本做法、绩效评估工作中必须注意的问题等提出了建设性意见.     

基于学生隐私权保护的在线成绩公布系统的研究与实现

传统的排名制度存在诸多问题,必须提出科学有效的新方式对其进行变革。但如何结合时下网络时代的特点科学有效地公布学生成绩呢?本文就这一问题具体分析了如何公布学生成绩才是科学有效的,并在此基础之上结合网络技术,研究适合不同网络环境下基于B/S模式在线公布成绩的具体实现,并对实现方案进行了全面的分析与评价。     

我国高职院校社会服务能力建设的探讨——以广州铁路职业技术学院创建国家骨干院校为例

社会服务能力是高职院校核心竞争力最直接的反映和体现。结合国家骨干高职院校的建设和实践,从"四技服务"、专利开发、培训鉴定和学生志愿服务等方面对高职院校社会服务能力的建设进行归纳总结,并从创新工学结合人才培养模式、采取合理有效的激励机制、加强师资队伍建设、拓宽社会服务内容等方面对提升高职院校社会服务能力提出了若干建议。