Cognitive style, hypermedia navigation and learning

This study examined the influence of cognitive style, spatial orientation and computer expertise on hypertext navigation patterns and learning outcomes when participants interacted with a hypermedia presentation. A sample of 306 undergraduates was pre-tested both on their cognitive style and on their self-reported frequency and ability in using computers. From the initial sample, 40 students were selected to form four groups with the following characteristics: (a) 10 high computer users – sequential thinkers, (b) 10 high computer users – holistic thinkers, (c) 10 low computer users – sequential thinkers and (d) 10 low computer users – holistic thinkers. All participants completed a self-report questionnaire measuring spatial orientation and were then requested to browse freely a hypermedia presentation on the ancient Mayan civilisation. Finally, the students completed a post-test to assess the recall of the hypermedia presentation and the cognitive organisation of the acquired knowledge. The results indicated that hypermedia navigation behaviour was linked to computer skills rather than to cognitive style and that learning outcomes were unaffected by cognitive style or by computer skills. However, learning outcomes were positively affected by specific search patterns, that is by re-visiting hypermedia sections and visiting overview sections in the early stages of hypermedia browsing. Further, navigating overview sections and holistic processing fostered knowledge representation in the form of maps. These findings suggest that individual differences can affect hypermedia navigation even though their role in learning is complex and the impact of cognitive style on learning outcomes was proved to be less important than initially predicted.     

Making computer programming fun and accessible

Learning to program requires much hard work and dedication. Most students in introductory programming courses struggle to grasp programming concepts in general. Universities in the US, Canada, and elsewhere have reported withdrawal, failure, and D-grade rates approaching 50 percent in introductory computer programming courses. To address these problems, we recently designed and successfully offered a revolutionary one-semester course that integrates the use of HTML, JavaScript, and Java. This approach departs markedly from using a single general-purpose programming language such as Java or C++.     

程序设计教学中学生程序设计风格的养成

计算机程序设计课程已成为普通高校本科教学中的公共基础课程之一。目前,关于该课程的一个较普遍的问题是课程结束后学生的实际程序设计能力依然比较差,所编写出来的程序的代码质量不高。原因之一是学生没有养成良好的程序设计风格。着重探讨程序设计风格养成的重要性,以及如何在课程教学中引导学生重视并养成良好的程序设计风格。     

The influence of temperament style on a student’s choice of and performance in a computer programming course

This study is an attempt to determine whether it is necessary to include temperament style when compiling an instrument to predict a student’s chances of success in a computer programming course. Temperament style is seen as the combination of qualities which constitute the natural disposition of an individual and which affect actions, thinking and emotions. The DISC model, as adapted by Boyd [Boyd, C. F. (1994). Different children, different needs: the art of adjustable parenting. Oregon: Questar Publishers Inc.], views people as behaving along two orthogonal dimensions: the speed at which a person moves through life, and his/her general focus when doing things, i.e. on people or on tasks. This study proved that both of these dimensions have an influence on the performance of students in a computer programming course while one of them also has an influence on a student’s choice to pursue a programming course.     

The origins of computer programming

This article describes some of the early developments that can now be viewed as steps toward the development of program control and the modern concept of a stored program. In particular, it discusses early automatic devices, Babbage's contributions set against a background of the technology of his day, the contributions of some of his direct successors, and the genesis of the stored-program idea     

Parallel programming for computer vision

Two Unix environments developed for programming parallel computers to handle image-processing and vision applications are described. Visx is a portable environment for the development of vision applications that has been used for many years on serial computers in research. Visx was adapted to run on a multiprocessor with modest parallelism by using functional decomposition and standard operating-system capabilities to exploit the parallel hardware. Paragon is a high-level environment for multiprocessor systems that has facilities for both functional decomposition and data partitioning. It provides primitives that will work efficiently on several parallel-processing systems. Paragon's primitives can be used to build special image-processing operations, allowing one's own programming environment to be grown naturally     

EEG based personality prediction using genetic programming

The reliable correlation between personality and brain signal ensures that inferences from cognitive processes can be achieved. This research aims primarily to predict one's personality using brain signals. On grounds of Psychology, the inference of personality in this work is performed on the basis of the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality inventory. Personality consists of different types of thinking, feeling and behavior patterns. EEG signals are produced when a person is exposed to situations or scenarios via visual information and experiences various emotions or sentiments. In this study, by evaluating brain waves while a person watches personality traits elicitation materials, the identification of the personality traits of an individual is done. The elicitation materials used for the collection of the dataset comprise approximately 50 videos with the pre-defined personality of the dramatic personae and therefore, it is considered to be the ground truth for the experimental procedure of this work. For creating a dataset, sixty participants contributed and gave brain signals. The GP model with the proposed BSH crossover, known as the BSHGP model, is implemented. The maximum performance of the BSHGP model for a 10-fold partition scheme is 84.34%.     

Dynamic programming for computer register allocation

A procedure for optimal index register allocation in loops is described. The procedure is a result of the dynamic programming formulation of the index register allocation problem for other than straightline code. An example involving a simple loop is solved.     

Predicting performance in computer programming courses

Currently available methods for selecting computer programmers are reviewed. The academic achievement, in high school and in the university, of over 3000 students is reviewed and correlated with their performance in the different computer programming courses. The results revealed that performance in high school and college mathematics and science courses account for up to 50 per cent of the variance in computer programming course performance. The implications of these results for training and selection are discussed.     

计算机程序设计基础课程中计算思维的培养

针对当前计算机程序设计基础课程教学中存在的问题,分析了将计算思维引入教学中的重要性,并提出了如何在课程中培养学生计算思维能力的几点想法。     

Cognitive interference in computer anxiety

This study investigated the sources of cognitive interference in high vs. low computer anxious university students. A total of 149 psychology undergraduates were administered measures of computer anxiety, trait anxiety, computer experience and positive and negative thoughts associated with computers and computer use. It was hypothesized that individuals high in computer anxiety would report a greater number of debilitative thoughts than individuals low in computer anxiety. However, individuals high in computer anxiety were expected to report more on-task thoughts than individuals low in computer anxiety. In support of the hypotheses, a multivariate analysis of variance revealed that the high computer anxious group reported experiencing significantly more negative evaluations, off-task thoughts and negative computer cognitions than the low computer anxious group. In addition, the high computer anxious group reported fewer computer enjoyment cognitions than the low computer anxious group. Contrary to previous research findings, computer anxiety was not related to on-task thoughts when statistically controlling for off-task thoughts. The results are discussed in light of cognitive models of anxiety and prior research.     

Cognitive interference in computer anxiety

This study investigated the sources of cognitive interference in high vs. low computer anxious university students. A total of 149 psychology undergraduates were administered measures of computer anxiety, trait anxiety, computer experience and positive and negative thoughts associated with computers and computer use. It was hypothesized that individuals high in computer anxiety would report a greater number of debilitative thoughts than individuals low in computer anxiety. However, individuals high in computer anxiety were expected to report more on-task thoughts than individuals low in computer anxiety. In support of the hypotheses, a multivariate analysis of variance revealed that the high computer anxious group reported experiencing significantly more negative evaluations, off-task thoughts and negative computer cognitions than the low computer anxious group. In addition, the high computer anxious group reported fewer computer enjoyment cognitions than the low computer anxious group. Contrary to previous research findings, computer anxiety was not related to on-task thoughts when statistically controlling for off-task thoughts. The results are discussed in light of cognitive models of anxiety and prior research.     

Computerized versus standard personality measures: Equivalency,computer anxiety,and gender differences

Undergraduate students were administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Purpose in Life Test (PIL) in either paper-and-pencil or computer-administered format. Prior to administration, all subjects completed the Computer Anxiety Rating Scale (CARS). State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Phobos Mathematics Anxiety Inventory (PHOBOS) in their original paper-and-pencil formats. For those subjects who received the personality tests via computer administration, high CARS scores were associated with higher BDI scores and lower PIL scores, even when state, trait, and mathematics anxiety were partialled out. The results suggest that standardized normative distributions on personality tests may not be applicable to computerized personality tests (CPT).     

Computerized versus standard personality measures: Equivalency, computer anxiety, and gender differences

Undergraduate students were administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Purpose in Life Test (PIL) in either paper-and-pencil or computer-administered format. Prior to administration, all subjects completed the Computer Anxiety Rating Scale (CARS). State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Phobos Mathematics Anxiety Inventory (PHOBOS) in their original paper-and-pencil formats. For those subjects who received the personality tests via computer administration, high CARS scores were associated with higher BDI scores and lower PIL scores, even when state, trait, and mathematics anxiety were partialled out. The results suggest that standardized normative distributions on personality tests may not be applicable to computerized personality tests (CPT).     

A bridge between constructive logic and computer programming

Some logic notions have their analogies among programming concepts and vice versa. But people often try to understand these analogies in too straightforward a manner. A collection of analogies arising between constructive logics and programming is summarized and illustrated here. Some examples of complexities usually not taken into account are shown.     

System and programming aspects of the computer INAC

After describing a new computer from the programming point of view, the influence of the main characteristics of the computer upon the implementation of various types of programming systems is analyzed with special regard to resources allocation in multiprogramming and time-sharing operation. The computer, which has a table-addressing system, an operative stack and other stacking facilities, automatic linkage instructions, automatic interruption system, and can be coupled to all sorts of periferal devices through a standard interface, has been in operation since February 1966.     

Cognitive model based fashion style decision making

The decision of the style of a garment was affected by not only the physical attributes of the components of the garment but also the decision context. Lacking consideration of the decision context leads to the prediction failure of many models in intelligent fashion design systems. This paper proposed to integrate the cognitive model - Multi-alternative Decision Field Theory (MDFT) with Genetic Algorithm to tackle the context problem, specifically, the choice set when a decision was made. A unified S expression and its sign deciding mechanism was given out. Experiments showed that the proposed model gives out a better prediction of human fashion style decision than GA only model.