The effect of the external regulator’s absence on children’s speech use, manifested self-regulation, and task performance during learning tasks

The present study was conducted to explore the effect of the absence of the external regulators on children’s use of speech (private/social), task performance, and self-regulation during learning tasks. A novel methodology was employed through a computer-based learning environment that proposed three types/units of encouragement with only two sequences of instructional conditions, Verbal-Gesture-Silent (VGS) versus Silent-Gesture-Verbal (SGV). The Knowledge of response (KR) was applied as: verbal KR feedback with verbal encouragement during the verbal unit, visualization-representation of KR without verbal encouragement during the gesture unit, and no KR feedback without any encouragement during the silent unit. Three measurements were used: speech analysis, novel criteria to measure self-regulation and task performance, and a computer-based friendly chat questionnaire to measure children’s satisfaction. Forty preschool children were divided by their teachers between the two conditions equivalently. It was hypothesized that children in the VGS condition were more speech productive, manifested higher self-regulation, task performance, and satisfaction. The results showed significant differential effect on the speech intensity and manifested self-regulation with no significant differential effect on task performance and satisfaction during learning tasks. However, the results were not confirmed Vygotsky’s view as it were supported (neutralizing, at best) to Piaget’s view of self-regulation development.     

The effect of nonhuman’s external regulation on detecting the natural development process of young children’s self-regulation during learning tasks

The present study explored the effect of nonhuman’s external regulation on children’s natural development of self-regulation and the effect of each natural developed class on children’s spontaneous thinking aloud and satisfaction. The Aginian’s methodology (Agina et al., 2011a) that relied on special computer agents for the external regulation, measuring self-regulation and children’s satisfaction, and producing the final results in points was used with 40 preschool children, which were divided into classes based on their natural development of self-regulation during learning tasks. The results showed that children who followed Piagetian’s view were outperforming children who followed Vygotskyian’s view and Aginian’s view, which is a new psychological view generated by computer indicates that the child either followed unknown class of self-regulation’s natural development or the child holds an ambiguous psychological problem. The results also showed that the relationship between children’s spontaneous thinking aloud and children’s self-regulation is a reverse. The supplemental analysis showed that computer, as a nonhuman external regulator, can identify those children who hold psychological problems and can integrate the net signed of self-regulation of each child at each task through embedding the mathematics integration where the computer becomes fully conscious with all the occurrences of children’s behavioral regulation.     

The effect of the nonhuman external regulator’s answer-until-correct (AUC) versus knowledge-of-result (KR) task feedback on children’s behavioral regulation during learning tasks

The present study was conducted to shed a new light on the nonhuman’s external regulation effect on children’s behavioral regulation through investigating the effect of the computer’s task feedback answer-until-correct (AUC) versus knowledge-of-result (KR) with 40 preschool children (boys/girls) divided into AUC-Condition versus KR-Condition. The Aginian’s methodology (Agina, Kommers, & Steehouder, 2010) with the latest updates (Agina, Kommers, & Steehouder, 2011) was used, which involves an isolated, computer-based learning system with three different computer’s agents for measuring self-regulation as a function of the task level selection, self-regulation as a function of task precision, and special agent for evaluating children’s satisfaction. It was hypothesized that AUC-Condition will outperform KR-Condition in verbalization intensity, manifested self-regulation, and the degree of satisfaction. Despite the results were not confirmed the hypothesis, the results generated by the game were consistent with the statistical results in which this consistency increases, to a great extent, the reliability of the Aginian’s measurements. However, both results were not confirmed Vygotsky’s view or Piaget’s view of self-regulation development as both concluded that thinking aloud and self-regulation have a reverse relationship and, therefore, thinking aloud, per se, can be used to explore the problems the children may not agree to talk about.     

The effect of nonhuman’s external regulation on children’s responses to detect children with developmental problems (DP) associated with the natural development of self-regulation during learning tasks

The present study sought to examine the effect of the nonhuman’s external regulation on children’s responses during learning tasks to detect children with developmental problems (DP) associated with the natural development process of self-regulation. The material was an isolated, computer-based learning system that acts as a standalone learning environment and used by 100 preschool children, which were randomly selected from ten preschools without revising their medical files. Participants were classified by the system itself during learning progression in three essential groups based on Aginian’s zone of children regulation (ZCR), which is “the equilibrium point in the self-regulation’s development process that controls the child to be either a self-Vygotskyian’s learner, self-Piagetian’s learner, or self-Aginian’s learner during learning tasks” ( Agina, Kommers, & Steehouder, 2011d). The results showed that the preschool children can spontaneously do diagnostic tests during learning tasks and the nonhuman external regulator was able to analysis children’s responses that, in turn, used for detecting those children with DP. This result was practically confirmed by revising all children’s medical files that matched the final judgment of the nonhuman external regulator. However, the results confirmed that the natural development of self-regulation was fluctuated among three paradoxical views (Vygotskyian vs. Piagetian vs. Aginian).     

The effect of nonhuman’s external regulation on young children’s self-regulation to regulate their own process of learning

The present study sought to examine the effect of nonhuman’s external regulation on children’s self-regulation to regulate their own process of learning and to what extent did children succeed in terms of application when they talk and think while act alone with nonhuman’s external regulator. The Aginian’s methodology (, , ,  and ) that used an isolated, computer-based learning system and acts as a standalone learning environment with special set of tasks was used by hundred healthy preschool children. The results showed that young children were able to regulate their own process of learning and engage with their full free-will without the need of their real teacher’s regulation. The conclusion provided evidence that the verbalization of thinking aloud should occur spontaneously by nature, the nonhuman’s external regulation has a positive effect on young children’s development when they act with their full free-will, and has a positive effect on their behavior either.     

The effect of nonhuman’s external regulation on young children’s creative thinking and thinking aloud verbalization during learning mathematical tasks

The present study was conducted to explore the effect of nonhuman’s external regulation on children’s natural development process of creative thinking, the degree of the manifested creative thinking, the influence of children’s verbalization on their creative thinking, and the extent the stimulus material was usable for children during learning math tasks. The Aginian’s methodology (, , ,  and ) that relied on an isolated, computer-based learning system that acts as a standalone learning environment, with special child-simple-calculator was used by 100 healthy preschool children. The results showed that children were fluctuated between negative and positive creative thinkers, children’s verbalization has no effect on their creative thinking, and the relation between the children’s verbalization of thinking aloud and their creative thinking is a reverse relationship. The usability analysis concluded that, fun is not a key element of the usability as it can only be a feature that could facilitate usability. The mathematical analysis showed that the computer, as a nonhuman external regulator, can integrate the net signed of children’s creative thinking through embedding mathematics integration.     

Students’ perceptions of collaboration, self-regulated learning, and information seeking in the context of Internet-based learning and traditional learning

This study aims to investigate students’ perceptions of three aspects of learning - collaboration, self-regulated learning (SRL), and information seeking (IS) in both Internet-based and traditional face-to-face learning contexts. A multi-dimensional questionnaire was designed to evaluate each aspect in terms of perceived capability, experience, and interest. The analyses explore (1) potential differences of students’ perceptions between Internet-based and face-to-face learning environments and (2) potential differences in the three aspects in relation to learners’ attributes and the use of the Internet and enrollment in online courses. This study surveyed students in a higher education institute who had had experiences with Internet-based and face-to-face learning. The results showed that students perceived higher levels of collaboration (capability only), SRL (capability and experience) and IS (capability, interest, and experience) in Internet-based learning than in traditional learning environments. In terms of students’ education level, graduate students perceived higher levels of capabilities and interests in some of the aspects, than undergraduate students. In addition, for Internet-based learning, significant differences in collaboration and SRL were found derived from time spent on the Internet related to learning; and students’ perceptions of collaboration, SRL, and IS were all positively correlated to students’ online course-taking experience. Implications for online learning practices and instructor’s facilitation are discussed.     

The role of physical representations in solving number problems: A comparison of young children’s use of physical and virtual materials

This research aims to explore the role of physical representations in young children’s numerical learning then identify the benefits of using a graphical interface in order to understand the potential for developing interactive technologies in this domain. Three studies are reported that examined the effect of using physical representations (blocks) on children’s (aged 4–8 years) strategies in a numerical partitioning task. The first study describes the role of certain perceptual and manipulative properties of the physical materials, comparing performance with paper and no materials conditions. The study demonstrated an advantage for physical materials and identified a key property reflecting strategies: whether blocks were moved individually or as a group. This finding was investigated in the second study by comparing strategies when children were asked to constrain movements to one block at a time. Significant differences were found in strategies used although differences were reduced by children moving individual blocks quickly in succession using both hands. The final study examined the effect of constraining manipulation using a graphical user interface, where on screen squares could only be moved individually. As predicted, significant differences were found for strategies used between physical and virtual conditions. The findings suggest that differences in the manipulative properties of interfaces may affect children’s numerical strategies and are discussed with respect to the design of effective interactive technologies in this domain.     

Designing multimedia games for young children’s taxonomic concept development

This study aimed to design and evaluate multimedia games which were based on the theories of children’s development of taxonomic concepts. Factors that might affect children’s classification skills, such as use of single physical characteristics of objects, competition between thematic and taxonomic relationships, difficulty in forming hierarchical categories, were identified. Several strategies for overcoming the above disadvantages, such as verbal hints, linguistic labeling, exemplar comparison, and explicit statements were implemented in the Software for Rebuilding Taxonomy (SoRT) for improving children’s taxonomic concept learning. Sixty children, aged 4 and 5, participated in the evaluation of SoRT. The results showed that the SoRT was helpful to improve children’s distinction between thematic and taxonomic relationships and their learning of hierarchical taxonomic concepts.     

Learning in the early years: Social interactions around picturebooks,puzzles and digital technologies

This paper develops an approach to thinking about young children, digital technologies and learning, drawing on research literature that relates children’s learning to the use of books, and on literature that discusses the nature of interaction between adults and children and its relationship to children’s learning. An analysis is given of parents and children using devices marketed as supporting young children’s learning, identifying, within the interactions that take place, the adult’s conception of appropriate use, and showing how this influences the nature of adult–child interaction. The findings are then related to literature on social interaction and learning, and discussed in relation to the assumptions that underpin the design of the devices used. The paper suggests that the artefact can influence adult–child interaction via a conception of appropriate use, which relates to traditions or practices with which the adult is familiar but also to the design features of the artefact. It suggests that it may be time to rethink the design of technologies to support young children’s learning.     

F-FDG PET imaging analysis for computer aided Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Finding sensitive and appropriate technologies for non-invasive observation and early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is of fundamental importance to develop early treatments. In this work we develop a fully automatic computer aided diagnosis (CAD) system for high-dimensional pattern classification of baseline ¹⁸F-FDG PET scans from Alzheimer’s disease neuroimaging initiative (ADNI) participants. Image projection as feature space dimension reduction technique is combined with an eigenimage based decomposition for feature extraction, and support vector machine (SVM) is used to manage the classification task. A two folded objective is achieved by reaching relevant classification performance complemented with an image analysis support for final decision making. A 88.24% accuracy in identifying mild AD, with 88.64% specificity, and 87.70% sensitivity is obtained. This method also allows the identification of characteristic AD patterns in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects.     

Using non-verbal cues to (automatically) assess children’s performance difficulties with arithmetic problems

Intelligent tutoring systems often make use of students’ answers to adapt instruction or feedback on a task. In this paper, we explore the alternative possibility of adapting a system based on the perceived affective and cognitive state of a student. A system can potentially better adapt to the needs of each individual student by using non-verbal behavior. We used a new experimental paradigm inspired by ‘brain training’ software to collect primary school children’s answers to easy and difficult arithmetic problems and made audiovisual recordings of their answers. Adult observers rated these films on perceived difficulty level. Results showed that adults were able to correctly interpret children’s perceived level of difficulty, especially if they saw their face (compared to hearing their voice). They paid attention to features such as ‘looking away’, and ‘frowning’. Then we checked whether we could also automatically predict if the posed problem was either easy or difficult based on the first second of their response. This ‘thin-slice analysis’ could correctly predict the difficulty level in 71% of all cases. When trained on sufficiently many recordings, Adaptive Tutoring Systems should be able to detect children’s state and adapt the difficulty level of their learning materials accordingly.     

Exploring relations among college students’ prior knowledge,implicit theories of intelligence,and self-regulated learning in a hypermedia environment

Researchers and educators continue to explore how to assist students in the acquisition of conceptual understanding of complex science topics. While hypermedia learning environments (HLEs) afford unique opportunities to display multiple representations of these often abstract topics, students who do not engage in self-regulated learning (SRL) with HLEs often fail to achieve conceptual understanding. There is a lack of research regarding how student characteristics, such as prior knowledge and students’ implicit theory of intelligence (ITI), interact with SRL to influence academic performance. In this study, structural equation modeling was used to investigate these issues. It was found that prior knowledge and ITI were related to SRL and performance, and that SRL acted as a benevolent moderator, enhancing the positive effects of prior knowledge upon learning, and diminishing the negative effects of having a maladaptive ITI.     

Online advertising on popular children’s websites: Structural features and privacy issues

This study examined advertisements placed on popular children’s websites. A total of 117 commercial children’s websites, 933 unique ads and 813 advertising websites were included in the sample. Results show that a majority of children’s websites carried advertisements, a third of which were Google ads. Less than half (47%) of the children’s websites and about a quarter (24%) of the advertising websites complied with COPPA when they collected personal information from children. Implications for children’s online safety are discussed.     

Monitoring, planning, and self-efficacy during learning with hypermedia: The impact of conceptual scaffolds

Self-report data and think-aloud data from 37 undergraduates were used to examine the impact of conceptual scaffolds on self-efficacy, monitoring, and planning during learning with a commercial hypermedia environment. Participants, randomly assigned to either the No Scaffolding (NS) or Conceptual Scaffolding (CS) condition, used a hypermedia environment for 30 min to learn about the circulatory system. Think-aloud data collected during this learning task was used to measure participants’ self-regulated learning (SRL) with hypermedia. Additionally, participants completed a self-efficacy questionnaire at three points during the learning task (immediately prior to the 30-min hypermedia learning task, 10 min into the learning task, and 20 min into the learning task). Results indicated that participants from both conditions reported higher levels of self-efficacy immediately before the hypermedia learning task, and that they decreased their use of SRL processes related to monitoring as they progressed through the hypermedia learning task. In addition, results also indicated that participants in the CS condition used, on average, more SRL processes related to planning during the hypermedia learning task than participants in the NS condition.     

“Who vs. Whom AND Where Should We Go Through?”: A reflection towards clarifying the effect of media and entertainment on children’s development for future research

Despite the massive body of research on the effect of media and entertainment on children’s development, especially through computer that clearly stands as the most interactive and appealing medium not only between children but also among people, the research, up to date, still lacks a true understanding of the powerful effect of the communication between children, generally all users, and the content of the entertainment. Thus, the present reflection paper was conducted towards clarifying the directions of the future research concerning the effect of media and entertainment on young children’s development based on the literature’s theoretical critiques. However, the present paper only paid attention to the most effective studies in the literature given the fact that many and many studies are just repeating what already available in the literature. The conclusion came up with two main directions of the future research on children’s development, (1) media as a quasi-human’s external regulator and (2) entertainment as a context of the learning process. Both directions yielded a new phase of learning (Self-Arousal Learning (SAL)) that the future research has to take it into account and consideration. The main topics of the SAL were stated as guidance for the main two directions of the future research.     

How can self‐regulated learning be supported in mathematical E‐learning environments?

Abstract This study compares two E-learning environments: E-learning supported with IMPROVE self-metacognitive questioning (EL+IMP), and E-learning without explicit support of self-regulation (EL). The effects were compared between mathematical problem-solving and self-regulated learning (SRL). Participants were 65 ninth-grade students who studied linear function in Israeli junior high schools. Results showed that EL+IMP students significantly outperformed the EL students in problem-solving procedural and transfer tasks regarding mathematical explanations. We also found that the EL+IMP students outperformed their counterparts in using self-monitoring strategies during problem solving. This study discusses both the practical and theoretical implications of supporting SRL in mathematical E-learning environments.     

Toward operationalization of ‘flow’ in mathematics learnware

Many children are not motivated to learn mathematics. Flow, a type of intrinsic motivation, has been described as an optimal experience in which a learner can derive great joy from a learning activity. This paper examines the importance and application of flow while learning mathematics. An operational model of flow for designing children’s mathematics learnware is proposed. This model is intended to operationalize the characteristics of flow in mathematics learnware in an integrated manner, facilitating the flow experience for children. The suitability of the model is demonstrated through an instantiated operational learnware called Super Tangrams. Super Tangrams aims to facilitate children’s understanding of transformation geometry while making the learning activity enjoyable and a flow experience. A study is reported that evaluates if the operational instance of the model promotes the flow experience while learning mathematics. The results suggest that the model is highly effective.     

统计关系学习研究进展

统计关系学习是人工智能领域的一个新研究热点,它将关系表示、似然性理论和机器学习相结合,能更好地解决现实世界中复杂的关系数据问题,在生物信息学、web导航、社会网、地理信息系统和自然语言理解等领域有着重要的应用.首先对统计关系学习的研究内容以及研究任务进行了介绍和总结,然后根据概率表示和推理机制的不同,对当前的统计关系学习方法进行了分类,并对各类方法进行了详细介绍,最后讨论了当前统计关系学习存在的问题,并指出了今后研究和发展的方向.     

The effects of individual innovativeness on users’ adoption of Internet content filtering software and attitudes toward children’s Internet use

The introduction of Internet content filtering software (ICFS) has led to intense debate among civil liberties groups. This paper explores the relationship between membership in five previously established adopter categories and users’ adoption of ICFS. The study also investigates how membership in the five adopter categories (innovators, early adopters, early majority adopters, late majority adopters, and laggards) affects user perceptions of and satisfaction with the software as well as parental attitudes towards their children’s Internet use.