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This thesis makes a contribution to Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) architectures. A new intelligent tutoring system is presented for the domain of solving linear equations. This system is novel, because it is the first intelligent equation-solving tutor that combines a cognitive model of the domain with a model of dialog-based tutoring. The tutorial model is novel because it is based on the observation of an experienced human tutor and captures tutorial strategies specific to the domain of equation-solving. In this context, a tutorial dialog is the equivalent of breaking down problems into simpler steps and then asking new questions to the student before proceeding to the next navigational step. The resulting system, named E-tutor, was compared, via a randomized controlled experiment, to an algebra ITS similar to the“Cognitive Tutor" by Carnegie Learning, Inc®. The Cognitive Tutor can provide traditional model-tracing feedback and buggy messages to students, but does not engage students in dialog. Preliminary results using a very small sample size, i.e., teaching equation solving to 15 high school students, showed that E-Tutor with dialog capabilities performed better than E-tutor without dialog. This result showed an effect size of 0.4 standard deviations for overall learning by condition. This set of preliminary results, though not statistically significant, shows promising opportunities to improve learning performance by adding tutorial dialog capabilities to ITSs. However, significant further validation is required, specifically, adding greater numbers and variations of the work to our sample size, before this approach can be deemed successful. The system is available at www.wpi.edu/~leenar/E-tutor.

Existing computational cognitive models of spatial memory often neglect difficulties posed by the real world, such as sensory noise, uncertainty, and high spatial complexity. On the other hand, robotics is unconcerned with understanding biological cognition. This thesis takes an interdisciplinary approach towards developing cognitively plausible spatial memory models able to function in realistic environments, despite sensory noise and spatial complexity. We hypothesized that Bayesian localization and error correction accounts for how brains might maintain accurate location estimates, despite sensory errors. We argued that these mechanisms are psychologically plausible (producing human-like behaviour) as well as neurally plausible (implementable in brains). To support our hypotheses, we reported modelling results of neural recordings from rats (acquired outside this PhD), constituting the first evidence for Bayesian inference in neurons representing spatial location, as well as modelling human behaviour data. In addition to dealing with uncertainty, spatial representations have to be stored and used efficiently in realistic environments, by using structured representations such as hierarchies (which facilitate efficient retrieval and route planning). Evidence suggests that human spatial memories are structured hierarchically, but the process responsible for these structures has not been known. We investigated features influencing them using data from experiments in real-world and virtual reality environments, and proposed a computational model able to predict them in advance (based on clustering in psychological space). We have extended a general cognitive architecture, LIDA (Learning Intelligent Distribution Agent), by these probabilistic models of how brains might estimate, correct, and structure representations of spatial locations. We demonstrated the ability of the resulting model to deal with the challenges of realistic environments by running it in high-fidelity robotic simulations, modelled after participants' actual cities. Our results show that the model can deal with noise, uncertainty and complexity, and that it can reproduce the spatial accuracies of human participants.

Lexical typological studies examine how various languages express similar concepts. Previous research has discussed how the concept of moment is encoded lexically in English, Ancient Greek, and Ancient Egyptian. However, there are no cross-linguistic studies to date that collect data on the lexical expressions associated with the concept of moment. Apart from documenting expressions encoding the concept in various languages, I determine the morphosyntactic status of the collected expressions, analyze the contexts in which they are used, and identify the conceptual sources that the expressions are related to. The data is collected from a convenience sample of 37 mostly unrelated languages using a multiparallel Bible corpus, lexicons, reference grammars, and etymological dictionaries. An expression was found in 27 of the 37 languages. About 74% of the expressions (20 of 27) were used to create temporal adjuncts via affixation of locative case markers and collocation with adpositions. About 41% of the expressions (11 of 27) displayed conceptual sources pertaining to the cognitive domain TIME, while about 30% (8 of 27) were related to VISION. The study contributes to our knowledge of how abstract temporal concepts are expressed lexically. / Studier inom lexikal typologi utforskar hur olika språk uttrycker liknande koncept. Tidigare forskning inom området har behandlat hur ett ögonblick som koncept uttrycks på engelska, forngrekiska, och fornegyptiska. Däremot finns hittills inga typologiska studier som samlar data kring lexikala uttryck för konceptet ögonblick. Syftet med denna studie är att dokumentera hur ett ögonblick uttrycks lexikalt i olika språk. Utöver det syftar jag till att fastställa de olika uttryckens morfosyntaktiska status, analysera vad för slags kontext de förekommer i, och identifiera de olika konceptuella källorna som kan ge upphov till uttrycken i fråga. Data samlades in utifrån ett bekvämlighetsurval av 37 mestadels obesläktade språk genom att använda en korpus med bibelöversättningar, lexikon, referensgrammatiker, och etymologiska ordböcker. Ett uttryck för konceptet ögonblick hittades i 27 av 37 språk. Circa 74% av uttrycken (20 av 27) användes inom adverbfraser, då de antigen förekom med lokativa affix eller med adpositioner. Circa 41% av uttrycken (11 av 27) hade konceptuella källor som kunde associeras med TID, medan circa 30% (8 av 27) hade med SYN att göra. Denna studie bidrar till kunskapen om hur abstrakta temporala koncept uttrycks lexikalt.

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[pt] O objetivo deste trabalho é investigar o processo de tomada de decisão de uma professora de inglês como língua estrangeira, especialmente os fatores influentes nestas decisões, que são, de fato, os elementos identificados e analisados nesta pesquisa. Neste estudo, o processo de tomada de decisão dos professores é visto em uma perspectiva sócio-cognitiva (Woods, 1996), onde a sala de aula é considerada em suas dimensões social, cognitiva e afetiva (Allwright, 1988, 1996; Van Lier, 1996). Os fatores influentes são analisados dentro dos três estágios da tomada de decisão descritos por Woods (1996) em seu modelo etno-cognitivo, que são: (i) os eventos/ações em sala de aula, que juntos formam um curso; (ii) o planejamento que precede estes eventos e ações, onde o professor atua de forma a criar o curso e elementos que formarão os eventos citados acima; e, (iii) a compreensão/interpretação que vem logo em seguida, através de quais ações e eventos são entendidos e avaliados, alimentando o processo de planejamento que por sua vez irá influenciar ações e eventos futuros, dando início ao novo ciclo. Assim, este estudo caracteriza- se como uma pesquisa de base micro-etnográfica (cf: Erickson, 2001), cuja metodologia focaliza o comportamento das pessoas no seu ambiente de trabalho, descrevendo a sua cultura e as relações sociais, buscando entender como as pessoas vêem a si mesmas e o seu grupo. Assim, foram feitas gravações em vídeo de duas aulas da professora. Uma semana depois a professora foi convidada a narrar para o autorpesquisador o que havia acontecido na aula gravada em vídeo. De comum acordo com a professora, decidiu-se, ainda, recorrer à adaptação do processo chamado por muitos autores de storytelling (Calter, 1993; Casanave & Schecter, 1997; Clandinin & Connelly, 2000; Connelly & Clandinin, 1990, 1999; Trimmer, 1997; Witherell & Noddings, 1991; in Contreras E., 2000). As decisões do professor, em qualquer nível ou momento do curso, são influenciadas por vários fatores simultaneamente, além de representar e sinalizar suas crenças, suposições e conhecimento. / [en] The aim of this study is to investigate the decision- making process of a teacher of English as a foreign language, more specifically the influent factors upon those decisions which are identified and analyzed in this research. The decision-making process is studied within a social cognitive view (WOODS, 1996), where the classroom is considered as being a multidimensional environment, with its social, affective and cognitive dimensions (ALLWRIGHT, 1988, 1996; VAN LIER, 1996). The influent factors are analyzed within an ethno-cognitive model developed by Woods (1996) and constituted of: (i) the events/action in the classroom, which together constitute a course; (ii) the planning that precedes these events and actions, where the teacher acts to create the course and elements that will form the events cited above; and, (iii) the understanding/interpretation that comes immediately afterwards, through which actions and events are understood and evaluated, feeding the planning process that in turn will influence future actions and events, starting a new cycle. Thus, this study is micro-ethnographic based (Erickson, 2001): its methodology focuses on people´s behavior in their work environment, describing its social culture and relations, searching to understand how these people see themselves and the group they are in. Thus, two classes of the same teacher were videorecorded. One week later the teacher was invited to tell the author what had happened as she watched the classes on the videotape. The researcher and the teacher decided to make use of the process called by many authors as storytelling (Calter, 1993; Casanave & Schecter, 1997; Clandinin & Connelly, 2000; Connelly & Clandinin, 1990, 1999; Trimmer, 1997; Witherell & Noddings, 1991; in Contreras E., 2000). The teacher´s decisions, in any level or moment of the course, are influenced by several factors simultaneously, and they also represent and signal her beliefs, assumptions and knowledge. Moreover, this study contributes to a better understanding of necessary content to be approached in teacher education courses that will help them in this constant decision- taking process.

A presente dissertação teve como objetivo fazer a interface da prática e das técnicas da Terapia Cognitivo-Comportamental (TCC) com a Psico-Oncologia, no que tange ao entendimento do modelo cognitivo e como este interfere positiva ou negativamente no enfrentamento do câncer. Para tal, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa, com metodologia de estudo de caso, com duas participantes, sendo uma com câncer de colo de útero e a outra com câncer de mama. A pesquisa qualitativa foi organizada em 14 encontros: no primeiro, foram medidas as variáveis distress, ansiedade e depressão, por meio dos instrumentos Termômetro do Distress e Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão; os 12 encontros seguintes foram realizados no formato de sessões de psicoterapia, baseados na Terapia Psicológica Adjuvante, em que os conflitos, a necessidade de adaptação a uma nova realidade e o enfrentamento do diagnóstico e do tratamento do câncer foram abordadas por meio das técnicas da TCC; por fim, o último e 14º encontro teve como objetivo o fechamento das sessões e a avaliação das variáveis medidas ao início. Os resultados apontaram que as duas participantes apresentaram melhora das variáveis medidas, tendo resultados mais significativos, em ambos os casos, nas variáveis ansiedade e distress. Por meio do entendimento do modelo cognitivo e da ressignificação de crenças e pensamentos automáticos, as duas participantes tiveram melhora na capacidade de aceitação da nova condição, bem como na aceitação e enfrentamento dos limites impostos pelos sintomas da doença e pelos efeitos colaterais do tratamento, além de reestruturar alguns pontos de grande importância em sua vida pessoal, familiar e de saúde, tendo ganhos consideráveis, a despeito do adoecimento oncológico. Ademais, a pesquisa demonstrou a necessidade de um olhar individualizado para cada paciente e suas crenças estabelecidas em diferentes momentos, em diversas situações e como sua percepção acerca do câncer pode ser instrumentalizada positivamente para ajudar no enfrentamento do adoecimento e em sua qualidade de vida e de relacionamentos / The purpose of this dissertation was to interface the practice and techniques of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Psycho-Oncology, by understanding the cognitive model and how it interferes - positively or negatively - in coping with cancer. For that, a qualitative research using a case study methodology with two participants, one with cervical cancer and the other with breast cancer, was carried out. The qualitative research was organized in 14 meetings: in the first, the distress, anxiety, and depression variables were measured, using the Distress Thermometer and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; the following 12 meetings were held in the format of Psychotherapy sessions based on the Adjuvant Psychological Therapy, where the conflicts, the need to adapt to a new reality, the confrontation of the diagnosis, and the treatment of cancer were addressed through CBT techniques; finally, the last and 14th meeting had the objective of closing the sessions and evaluating the variables measured at the beginning. The results showed that both participants presented improvements in their psychological states, with more significant results, in both cases, in the variables of anxiety and distress. By understanding the cognitive model and the modification of beliefs and automatic thoughts, the two participants had an improvement in their ability to accept their new condition, as well as in accepting and coping with the limits imposed by the symptoms of the disease and the side effects of the treatment, and by restructuring important points relating to their personal, family and health life, which resulted in considerable gains, in spite of their cancer. In addition, the research demonstrated the need for individualized care for each patient and a deeper understanding of their beliefs, which were established at different moments and in different situations, as well as understanding how their different perception towards cancer was used as a tool to help them confront the disease, improve their quality of life and relationships

Als Ergebnis der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde ein nützliches Hilfsmittel auf der Basis der kognitiven Herangehensweise zur Verbesserung der Effizienz der Managemententscheidungen für die Gussausschussverringerung und Qualitätsverbesserung in den Gießereien entwickelt. Das Werkzeug hilft dem Technologen, den Mechanismus des Gussfehlerentstehungsprozesses aufzudecken, die Logik der Gussfehlerentstehung zu verstehen und die präventiven Maßnahmen zu testen. Man kann das Werkzeug täglich im Betrieb benutzen, um die strategischen und operativen Entscheidungen rasch und ohne Durchführung der kostspieligen und komplizierten Versuche zu treffen. Auf diese Weise können Kosten und Zeit eingespart werden.

Leveraging our experience with the traditional approach to ambient assisted living (AAL) which relies on a large spread of heterogeneous technologies in deployments, this thesis studies the possibility of a more "stripped down" and complementary approach, where only a reduced hardware subset is deployed, probing a transfer of complexity towards the software side, and enhancing the large scale deployability of the solution. Focused on the reasoning aspects in AAL systems, this work has allowed the finding of a suitable semantic inference engine for the peculiar use in these systems, responding to a need in this scientific community. Considering the coarse granularity of situational data available, dedicated rule-sets with adapted inference strategies are proposed, implemented, and validated using this engine. A novel semantic reasoning mechanism is proposed based on a cognitively inspired reasoning architecture. Finally, the whole reasoning system is integrated in a fully featured context-aware service framework, powering its context awareness by performing live event processing through complex ontological manipulation. the overall system is validated through in-situ deployments in a nursing home as well as private homes over a few months period, which itself is noticeable in a mainly laboratory-bound research domain