Cognitive abilities,digital games and arithmetic performance enhancement: A study comparing the effects of a math game and paper exercises

Besides entertainment, games have shown to have the potential to impact a broader variety of cognitive abilities. Research has consistently shown that several aspects in cognition such as visual short-memory, multitasking and spatial skills can be enhanced by game play. In a previous study, it was found that playing Monkey Tales, a game aimed at training arithmetic skills, helped second grade pupils to increase their accuracy in mental calculation as compared to paper exercises. In this follow up study we explore whether traditional methods and game training differ in terms of the cognitive processes that both are able to impact. We incorporated standardized measures of working memory and visuo-motor skills. Additionally, the mathematics game was modified and its contents extracted to allow precise comparison between the gaming and paper exercises condition. Thus each single math exercise, type of question (e.g., multiple choice), quantity and order was perfectly matched in the game training and the traditional training conditions. Gains in arithmetical performance, and self-reported measures of enjoyment were also investigated. We found some evidence suggesting that arithmetic performance enhancement induced by game play and paper exercises differ not only in terms of enjoyment but also of working memory capacity improvements.     

Can child-pedestrians’ hazard perception skills be enhanced?

ObjectiveTraffic collisions yield a substantial rate of morbidity and injury among child-pedestrians. We explored the formation of an innovative hazard perception training intervention – Child-pedestrians Anticipate and Act Hazard Perception Training (CA²HPT). Training was based upon enhancing participants’ ability to anticipate potential hazards by exposing them to an array of traffic scenes viewed from different angles.MethodTwenty-four 7–9-year-olds have participated. Trainees underwent a 40-min intervention of observing typical residential traffic scenarios in a simulated dome projection environment while engaging in a hazard detection task. Trainees were encouraged to note differences between the scenarios presented to them from separate angles (a pedestrian's point-of-view and a higher perspective angle). Next, trainees and control group members were required to perform crossing decision tasks.ResultsTrainees were found to be more aware of potential hazards related to restricted field of view relative to control.ConclusionsChild pedestrians are responsive to training and actively detecting materialized hazards may enrich child-pedestrians’ ability to cross roads.     

利用整合区域特性约束提高孔隙率模拟精度

本文将空间结构变化的要求与动态资料确定的储量共同作为约束,建立了包含两个约束条件的目标函数, 应用模拟退火算法对孔隙率的空间分布进行预测。在实现过程中,通过初始控制参数的给定及目标函数修改提高了运算效率。由于目标函数有效地整合了静、动态信息,从而降低了模拟结果的不确定性．提高了模拟的精度。合成数据及实际数据的模拟试验表明,整合区域特性约束不仅提高了孔隙率模拟精度,而且算法收敛快、稳定性高。     

试论就业形势与战略

论述了就业的特殊重要性、目前我国就业形势的极端严重性，以及所应当采取的战略和措施。     

Editorial.

Presents some brief remarks from the editor of the Journal of Educational Psychology regarding his goals for the Journal, and noting the decline in membership in Division 15. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

信息理解系统的结构及理解过程

主要讨论消息理解的基本模式及其信息理解系统，并且讨论了二类消息的语义理解例以及理解客观度．     

对包装工程教育的认识及其本科教育模式的探索

在对高等工程教育本质以及存在问题进行分析的基础上，针对包装工程教育进行了深入探讨。并结合郑州大学包装工程专业的特点，对复合型人才培养的教育模式进行了探索与实践。     

鱼雷罐喷粉预处理优化研究

在已经得到的描述鱼雷罐喷粉处理基本参数具体表达式的基础上，运用多目标非线性优化方法，对工艺操作参数进行优化。