The impeding role of initial unrealistic goal-setting on videogame-based training performance: Identifying underpinning processes and a solution

Videogames are increasingly being used as instructional tools within education, workforce, and military contexts. Yet, additional research is needed to better understand what (and how) videogame-based training design attributes impact trainee performance in this type of training context. Goals/goal-setting and performance feedback represent two such important game design attributes. Goal-setting theory suggests that moderately difficult goals produce modest goal-performance discrepancies, which result in enhanced performance. Yet, goal-performance discrepancies are not universally beneficial. This study investigates the performance consequences of trainees setting an unrealistically difficult goal early in videogame-based training, and the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Data from 387 trainees completing a videogame-based training program demonstrated that an initial unrealistic goal, and subsequently a large goal-performance discrepancy, negatively impacts subsequent training performance. Self-regulation was examined as a mediator of this relationship; yet, was not supported, as goal-performance discrepancy failed to predict self-regulation. However, goal-performance discrepancy and videogame self-efficacy were found to interact in predicting trainees’ self-regulation, suggesting more complex underlying mechanisms. This study also demonstrated that providing trainees with simple goal-setting advisement can facilitate realistic goal-setting. These findings highlight the important role of realistic goal-setting in enhancing videogame-based training effectiveness.     

Analysis of Low Molecular Weight Lignin-Derived Sulphonates by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis

A fast and simple analytical procedure, based on capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), for separation of underivatized low molecular weight lignin-derived sulphonates has been developed. Optimal CZE-operatipn conditions for the separation and detection of several lignin-derived sulphonic acids was found when using a low pH (pH 1.7) phosphate buffer system, an applied voltage of 20 kV and UV-detection at the anode-side. At these conditions the electroosmotic flow is negligible and the analytes are transported through the capillary column by electromigration. The sulphonation and subsequent degradation of the lignin-model compound 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-O-(2-methoxyphenyl)-glycerol has been studied by CZE-analysis of aliquots taken from a sulphite reaction mixture No sample pretreatment was needed before analyzing the sulphite reaction mixture with CZE. The method has also been found to be useful for detection of sulphonic acids in samples from sulphite cooking. Crude extracts of a sulphite cooking liquor could be directly analysed by using the technique developed. Based on migration time data and comparison with an authentic sample, 1-(4-hydroxy-3-meth6xyphenyl)-prop-2-ene-1-sulphonate was identified as one of the sulphonic acids present in the sulphite cooking liquor.     

Colour research with architectural relevance: How can different approaches gain from each other?

Colour research from different scientific traditions start from different basic questions and use different methods and concepts. This makes it difficult to communicate and to judge result relevance in a wider perspective. Here we start from architects' need of colour knowledge and discuss recent studies of colour appearance and colour emotion, with and without explicit connection to architecture. We stress the need for further development and clarification of concepts and conclude that the multitude of studies with different approaches can be seen as cases, jointly adding to a widened and deepened understanding of colour. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 2010     

Gradient and curvature approximation in data–dependent surface simplification

In Scientific Visualization, it is often necessary to represent surfaces with data components attached to them, e.g. cutting surfaces or isosurfaces in CFD data sets with multiple data components. They can contain a vast number of very small triangles. To make the interactive visual analysis of large data sets still feasible, surface simplification algorithms are used to reduce the number of triangles significantly. The order of triangles to be removed iteratively is determined by a priority criterion taking into account as well geometric properties of the surface as irregularities of the data components attached to it. In the present paper, different gradient and curvature approximation schemes are described and compared with respect to efficiency, robustness, and their usefulness as priority criteria in our surface simplification method. Received: 30 June 1998 / Accepted: 9 July 1999     

Hollow polylactide microcapsules with controlled morphology and thermal and mechanical properties

Hollow polylactide microcapsules were prepared by multistage premix membrane emulsification of polylactide/dichloromethane/oil solutions in water (nonsolvent). The effects of the different oils on the morphology, thermal, and mechanical properties of the hollow microcapsules were investigated. All oils resulted in hollow microcapsules with controlled shell thickness of ～60 nm except for eugenol, in which irregular, massive capsules were obtained. The properties of the microcapsules were strongly dependent on the oil used, for example the thermal transition temperatures found for hollow capsules were lower than for solid particles prepared without any oil. The crystallinity and transition temperatures of the capsules prepared with linear alkanes were higher than for cyclic alkanes; terpenes gave the lowest transition temperatures. The shell stiffness, measured with atomic force microscopy, was highly dependent on the oil used. Capsules prepared with dodecane showed higher stiffness (3.3 N m^?1) than with limonene (2 N m^?1) or cyclohexane (1.4 N m^?1). © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009     

Cleaning for Improved Indoor Air Quality: an Initial Assessment of Effectiveness

Abstract A study was conducted to characterize the indoor environment of a multifloor, multiuse, nonproblem, noncompliant building through long-term monitoring for biological, chemical, and particulate pollutants. The study also assessed the effects of cleaning on indoor air quality by providing a program to monitor baseline levels, providing a rigorous (deep) cleaning of the building, and then continuing to monitor after implementation of a standardized, improved, cleaning program. To assess the effectiveness of the cleaning program, air, surface, and dust data from monitoring prior to the cleaning program were compared with those obtained while the improved housekeeping program was in place. Correlations between pollutants and other environmental factors were studied. The data suggest that the improved cleaning program contributed to indoor air quality through the reduction of airborne dust mass, total volatile organic compounds, and culturable bacteria and fungi.     

About the sense of social compatibility

The debate in the Federal Republic of Germany on the estimation of the social compatibility of the consequences of technology as a criterion for the evaluation of technical systems has been going on since the mid seventies. The approach presented discusses the normative structurally transcending perspective of the viability and developmental capacity of society. The question of desirable social development as opposed to the technically possible is raised. A criteria system for evaluating social compatibility of new information and communication technologies including AI is focused on and may serve as a consensus building forum for public technology policy discussion.     

Fluorescence studies on the interaction between pyrene‐labelled poly(acrylic acid) and cyclodextrins

The interactions, in aqueous media, between a pyrene‐labelled polyelectrolyte poly(acrylic acid) (PAAMePy) with two different degrees of labelling and β‐ and γ‐cyclodextrins (β‐ and γ‐CD) were studied using absorption and fluorescence (steady‐state and time‐resolved) techniques. In addition to qualitative and quantitative parameters obtained from absorption and steady‐state fluorescence spectra, time‐resolved fluorescence data are presented, allowing additional important observations regarding the nature of the interactions. From the overall data it was possible to conclude that in the case of interaction with γ‐CD the efficient encapsulation of two pyrene units into the cavity of the cyclodextrin molecule leads to a decrease in the number of available free monomers and an increase in the number of preformed ground‐state dimers (GSDs) of pyrene. It was also shown that contrary to the situation in water, where only intramolecular interactions are present, the addition of γ‐CD leads to new interpolymeric interactions. The absence of significant changes is noted when the interactions of PAAMePy polymers take place with β‐CD. The excimer‐to‐monomer fluorescence intensity ratio (I_E/I_M) was found to increase with the added amount of γ‐CD but not with β‐CD. This increase is justified on the basis of the increase of the GSD contribution. The photophysical behaviour was found to be dependent on the pH of the media, but with the absence of relevant interactions between CD and PAAMePy polymer at alkaline values. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry