Perceptual learning, when applied to speech, describes experience-evoked adjustments to the cognitive-perceptual processes required for recognising spoken language. It provides the theoretical basis for improved understanding of a speech signal that is initially difficult to perceive. Reduced intelligibility is a frequent and debilitating symptom of dysarthria, a speech disorder associated with neurological disease or injury. The current thesis investigated perceptual learning of dysarthric speech, by jointly considering intelligibility improvements and associated learning mechanisms for listeners familiarised with the neurologically degraded signal. Moderate hypokinetic dysarthria was employed as the test case in the three phases of this programme of research. The initial research phase established strong empirical evidence of improved recognition of dysarthric speech following a familiarisation experience. Sixty normal hearing listeners were randomly assigned to one of three groups and familiarised with passage readings under the following conditions: (1) neurologically intact speech (control) (n = 20), dysarthric speech (passive familiarisation) (n = 20), and (3) dysarthric speech coupled with written information (explicit familiarisation) (n = 20). Subsequent phrase transcription analysis revealed that the intelligibility scores of both groups familiarised with dysarthric speech were significantly higher than those of the control group. Furthermore, performance gains were superior, in both size and longevity, when the familiarisation conditions were explicit. A condition discrepancy in segmentation strategies, in which attention towards syllabic stress contrast cues increased following explicit familiarisation but decreased following passive familiarisation, indicated that performance differences were more than simply magnitude of benefit. Thus, it was speculated that the learning that occurred with passive familiarisation may be qualitatively different to that which occurred with explicit familiarisation. The second phase of the research programme followed up on the initial findings and examined whether the key variable behind the use of particular segmentation strategies was simply the presence or absence of written information during familiarisation. Forty normal hearing listeners were randomly assigned to one of two groups and were familiarised with experimental phrases under either passive (n = 20) or explicit (n = 20) learning conditions. Subsequent phrase transcription analysis revealed that regardless of condition, all listeners utilised syllabic stress contrast cues to segment speech following familiarisation with phrases that emphasised this prosodic perception cue. Furthermore, the study revealed that, in addition to familiarisation condition, intelligibility gains were dependent on the type of the familiarisation stimuli employed. Taken together, the first two research phases demonstrated that perceptual learning of dysarthric speech is influenced by the information afforded within the familiarisation procedure. The final research phase examined the role of indexical information in perceptual learning of dysarthric speech. Forty normal hearing listeners were randomly assigned to one of two groups and were familiarised with dysarthric speech via a training task that emphasised either the linguistic (word identification) (n = 20) or indexical (speaker identification) (n = 20) properties of the signal. Intelligibility gains for listeners trained to identify indexical information paralleled those achieved by listeners trained to identify linguistic information. Similarly, underlying error patterns were also comparable between the two training groups. Thus, phase three revealed that both indexical and linguistic features of the dysarthric signal are learnable, and can be used to promote subsequent processing of dysarthric speech. In summary, this thesis has demonstrated that listeners can learn to better understand neurologically degraded speech. Furthermore, it has offered insight into how the information afforded by the specific familiarisation procedure is differentially leveraged to improve perceptual performance during subsequent encounters with the dysarthric signal. Thus, this programme of research affords preliminary evidence towards the development of a theoretical framework that exploits perceptual learning for the treatment of dysarthria.

Organizational learning seeks to proactively expand the knowledge base of an organizational entity by incorporating knowledge, skills, and experience into the collective conscience of the company through the development of routines rather than relying on individual employees for these traits. Valuable experience gained by individuals who weather economic downturn with their companies must be absorbed into the corporate structure in a meaningful way so that it may be accessible for use during future recessions. This research asks what was learned by individuals during the most recent recession, what mechanisms were employed to retain and utilize this knowledge, and what cultures, strategies, or processes were created because of it. Companies were also compared to understand whether an increase in organizational learning within a company would translate into increased performance.

Zahlreiche Studien belegen, dass Menschen Schwierigkeiten bei der simultanen Ausführung von 2 Aufgaben haben. Diese Schwierigkeiten sind durch zusätzliche Leistungskosten in Doppelaufgabensituationen im Vergleich zu Einzelaufgabensituationen gekennzeichnet (d.h. Doppelaufgabenkosten). Allerdings konnten jüngere Studien eine deutliche Reduktion der Doppelaufgabenkosten am Ende von Übung zeigen. Der Befund von Doppelaufgabenkosten am Beginn und die deutliche Reduktion davon am Ende der Übung indiziert, dass diese Reduktion durch spezifische Lernmechanismen geleistet wird. Obwohl sich frühere Studien bereits mit diesen Mechanismen befassen, bleiben die genauen Mechanismen der Reduktion der Doppelaufgabenkosten durch Übung unbekannt. Das Ziel von vier Studien der vorliegenden Arbeit ist die Spezifizierung dieser Mechanismen durch die Anwendung einer Doppelaufgabensituation mit einer visuellen und einer auditiven Teilaufgabe (Schumacher et al., 2001). Untersuchungen zu Lernmechanismen innerhalb der Teilaufgaben zielten auf die genaue Lokalisation von Verkürzungen der Verarbeitungszeit in diesen Aufgaben während der Übung. Erstmalig konnte ich zeigen, dass die Verkürzung der Aufgabenverarbeitung in Doppelaufgabensituationen vor allem durch eine verkürzte Antwortauswahlstufe erfolgt. Demgegenüber haben Untersuchungen zu Lernmechanismen zwischen den Teilaufgaben auf den Erwerb von Fertigkeiten der Aufgabenkoordination gezielt. Hier habe ich Nachweise erbracht, dass diese Fertigkeiten während der Übung von Doppelaufgaben erwerbbar sind, aber dass kein Erwerb während Einzelaufgabenübung erfolgt. Weiterhin habe ich gezeigt, dass diese Fertigkeiten in alternative Doppelaufgabensituationen transferierbar sind. Allerdings gibt es keinen Nachweis für den Fertigkeitstransfer in Aufgabenwechsel- und Attentional-Blink-Situationen. Um das Ergebnis von Lernmechanismen weiter zu spezifizieren, habe ich gezeigt, dass die Doppelaufgabenleistung in der visuellen aber nicht in der auditiven Teilaufgabe stabil ist nachdem die Übung beendet wurde. Die vorliegenden Befunde zu Lernmechanismen werden in ein Modell von geübter Doppelaufgabenleistung, das Latent Bottleneck Model, integriert und neue Annahmen im Rahmen dieses Modells diskutiert. / Numerous studies showed that people have difficulty performing two tasks at the same time. This difficulty is indicated by additional performance costs in dual-task situations when compared to single-task situations, i.e. dual-task costs. However, recent evidence has shown a substantial reduction of dual-task costs through practice. The finding of dual-task costs at the beginning and the reduction thereof at the end of practice indicates that this reduction must be accomplished via specific learning mechanisms. Although such mechanisms have been addressed in previous studies, the specific mechanisms contributing to practice related dual-task cost reduction remained unknown. The aim of four studies in the present work is to specify these mechanisms by applying a dual-task situation including a visual and an auditory component task (Schumacher et al., 2001). Investigations on learning mechanisms within the component tasks aimed to identify loci of stage shortening in these tasks through practice. For the first time I showed that component task processing in dual-task situations is mainly shortened through a shortening at the response selection stage. In contrast, investigations on learning mechanisms between the component tasks focussed on the acquisition of task coordination skills. Here I provided evidence that these skills are acquired during dual-task practice and there is no acquisition of these skills during single-task practice. Additionally, I demonstrated that these skills are transferable to alternative dual-task situations. There is, however, no evidence for transfer of these skills to task switching and attentional blink paradigms. In order to further specify the result of the learning mechanisms, I showed that dual-task performance in the visual but not in the auditory task is stable after practice has finished. The present findings on learning mechanisms are integrated into a model of practiced dual-task performance, the latent bottleneck model, and new assumptions in the framework of this model are discussed.

This dissertation reports a study of the dissolution mechanism which governs the leaching of Cu from chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) in acidic media at atmospheric pressure and examines the differences between chemical (abiotic), leaching and bioleaching. An array of solution, solid surface and bulk speciation studies were used to make a comprehensive study of the CuFeS2 leaching process(es). / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2008.

目前世界各地風起雲湧的創業競賽，不論是大學或民間單位主辦，都有規模逐漸變大，參加隊伍數量增多等趨勢。參賽的隊伍由某區域性大學擴展到該國所有大學，進而全球化。這一波大學生參加創業競賽的風潮，也帶動各知名大學逐漸重視創業研究，在創業課程的數量、種類、重要性也日趨增加。 　　在各國創業競賽風行之時，國內兩大創業競賽也已悄悄地邁入第四屆的比賽了，也算是漸入成熟的階段。本研究嘗試以參賽者主觀評鑑的角度來探討其對於參加創業競賽的學習效果。 　　因此不同的創業競賽模式、團隊背景、參賽動機甚至於團隊運作情形對於知識學習與能力提升的學習成效否有不同的影響？若是不同，又有哪些差異？這便是本研究欲探討的問題。 　　本研究採用結構式問卷輔以個案訪談來收集資料，主要研究對象為第三屆TIC100科技創新競賽與第三屆台灣工業銀行創業大賽之團隊成員。 　　經分析資料，研究發現如下： 　　1. 透過創業競賽的學習，確實可以學習到創業的知識與能力。 　　2. 透過創業課程的要求與輔助參加創業競賽，對於創業知識與能力的學習成效最佳。 　　3. 不同的創業競賽模式其對於知識學習、能力提升與整體學習成效無明顯差異。 　　4. 學習型導向創業競賽整體學習成效較實務型導向創業競賽佳。 　　5. 競賽參與動機對於知識學習、能力提升與整體學習成效有明顯正相關。 　　6. 不同的團隊背景其對於知識學習、能力提升與整體學習成效無明顯差異。 　　7. 團隊運作情形對於知識學習、能力提升與整體學習成效有明顯正相關。 / There are more and more entrepreneurial competitions held by universities or big famous companies years by years. The number of teams participating games grows rapidly and the region of some contest expands from within a college activity to a global one. With this popular activities, it also makes all famous universities and colleges pay much attention to entrepreneurial research and the quantity and variety of entrepreneurial courses have become increasingly important. 　　With foreign entrepreneurial competitions’ popular, the tow entrepreneurial competitions in Taiwan are also get into 4th . This study try to focus on entrepreneurial competitions’ learning effect. 　　Therefore, if there any different learning effect on entrepreneurial knowledge and skill between different competition model, team background, motivation, even if teamwork situation? 　　This study has adopted structural questionnaire and case study to collect data and information. The major study targets are the members of 3rd TIC100 Technology Innovation Competition and 3rd Industrial Bank of Taiwan Cross-Century Entrepreneur Competition. 　　After doing interview and analysis, it gets several conclusions in this investigation: 　　1. It indeed can learn about entrepreneurial knowledge and skill through entrepreneurial competition. 　　2. The learning effect on entrepreneurial knowledge and skill will be better by taking entrepreneurial course and participating in entrepreneurial competition. 　　3. There are not noticeable different on learning effect between different entrepreneurial competition model. 　　4. Learning-orientated entrepreneurial competition’s learning effect is better then practical-orientated entrepreneurial competition. 　　5. There are noticeable correlation between participating motivation and learning effect. 　　6. There are not noticeable different on learning effect between different team background. 　　7. There are noticeable correlation between teamwork situation and learning effect.

Des travaux de recherche en ergonomie et en psychologie cognitive signalent une difficulté d’apprentissage du SIG, sans pour autant s’attarder sur le sujet (Medyckyj-Scott 1991, Nyerges 1991, Davies 1995 et, en France, Wurtz 1996). Notre recherche vient à la suite de ces travaux et tente d’apporter, par la compréhension des mécanismes de l’apprentissage du SIG dans les conditions offertes par la formation professionnelle continue, un éclairage sur les difficultés d’apprentissage du SIG et les manières possibles de les dépasser. Nous avons retenu – filmé et analysé – deux sessions de formation SIG d’une semaine (env. 30h chacune), ayant lieu à 3 années d’intervalle, dans le même centre de formation et étant co-animées par les mêmes deux formateurs. A la manière d’Aline Robert (2008), nous avons observé et enregistré l’activité en formation sans intervenir : une caméra fixe (image et son) a été placée à l’écart, de manière à couvrir le plus largement possible la partie occupée de la salle. Sur le plan théorique, la thèse centrale est celle de la possibilité et de la pertinence d’accéder aux processus et aux mécanismes d’apprentissage par les représentations que les professionnels adultes se construisent. Nous avons examiné cela avec la théorie de la représentation fonctionnelle (Leplat), également appelée image opérative (Ochanine) ou représentation pour l’action (Teiger, Weill-Fassina, Rabardel). Plusieurs autres cadres théoriques ont également été mobilisés : les théories de la formation pour adultes (Barbier, Bourgeois, Kaddouri), celles de la formation professionnelle (Mayen, Pastré, Vergnaud), la théorie des instruments et de l’action instrumentée (Rabardel), la théorie de la médiation et du guidage par autrui (Galperine, Savoyant). Nous avons rendu compte du processus d’apprentissage dans son déroulement, à travers l’évolution du système de représentation des personnes, auquel nous avons eu accès par l’analyse de l’activité verbale. En effet, dans l’interaction verbale entre les formateurs et les apprenants, ou entre des apprenants, les représentations des personnes ressortent comme des ressources (représentations construites avant la formation) ou comme des effets de la formation (représentations récentes, en cours de construction ou de transformation). L’évolution du système de représentations est systématiquement mise en relation avec les conditions qui le déterminent. Une organisation a priori structurée en séquences, mais qui autorise l’intervention de chacun, laisse place à l’expression des représentations des professionnels en formation. L’accent est cependant mis sur l’interaction verbale entre les formateurs et les apprenants et les effets produits. La fonction formative est assurée par deux formateurs, qui sont des professionnels expérimentés et qui agissent en co-animation simultanée. Cela offre un terrain intéressant d’analyse du partage de l’activité de transmission. Nous observons comment les formateurs organisent leur intervention commune : ils se complètent et se soutiennent, mais aussi se contredisent et s’empêchent…La thèse s’inscrit dans une nouvelle orientation du courant de la didactique professionnelle, orientation initiée par Mayen : il s’agit d’analyser la formation en vue du travail et non plus seulement le travail en vue de la formation. En analysant le processus d’apprentissage en formation, la thèse reste toutefois centrée sur le travail. D’abord, parce que l’objet de l’apprentissage, le SIG, est un instrument professionnel. Ensuite, parce que les sujets de la recherche sont des professionnels en activité, qui ne se détachent pas de leur travail en arrivant en formation (Pastré, Mayen et Vergnaud, 2007). Enfin, parce que les tâches et les situations de travail connues et vécues par chacun – et verbalisées devant le groupe – sont autant de ressources pour apprendre en situation de formation. / Research in ergonomics and cognitive psychology point out difficulties in learning GIS (Medyckyj-Scott 1991, Nyerges 1991, Davies 1995 et, en France, Wurtz 1996). Our research is a follow-up of this work. It attempts to highlight the difficulties of learning GIS and possible ways exceed them, by understanding the mechanisms of learning GIS in the conditions offered by the CVT (continuous vocational training). We filmed and analyzed two GIS training sessions (approx. 30 hours each). Taken place three years apart, in the same training center, the training sessions have been conducted by the same two trainers. As Aline Robert (2008), we observed and recorded training activity without interfering: a fixed camera was placed in the gap, to cover the widest possible the occupied part of the classroom.On a theoretical level, our central thesis is the possibility and relevance to access processes and mechanisms of learning through mental representations built by adult learners. We relied on the theory of functional representation (Leplat), also called operative image (Ochanine) or representation for the action (Teiger, Weill-Fassina, Rabardel). Several other theoretical frameworks have also been mobilized: theories of adults learning (Barber, Bourgeois, Kaddouri), theories of vocational training (Mayen, Pastré, Vergnaud), the theory of instruments and instrumented action (Rabardel), the theory of mediation and guidance by others (Galperin, Savoyant). We reported on the learning process in its development through the evolution of the system of representation of people, which we had access through the analysis of verbal activity. Indeed, in verbal interaction between instructors and learners or between learners, representations of people emerge as resources (representations built before training) or as effects of training (under construction or processing representations).The evolution of the system of representations is systematically related to the conditions that determine it. The organization of the training session allows everyone to express themselves and underscores its representations. Emphasis is however placed on verbal interaction between trainers and learners and the effects produced. The formative function is provided by two trainers who are experienced professionals and who act simultaneous. This offers an interesting field of analysis of sharing transmission activity. We observe how trainers organize their joint intervention: they complement and support each other, but also contradict and prevent.Our thesis is part of a new orientation of vocational didactics theoretical field. This orientation has initiated by Mayen and consists to analyze training to work and not only the work for training. By analyzing the learning process, the thesis remains focused on work process. First, because the subject of learning is a professional instrument (GIS). Second, because trainees are professionals who do not separate their work joining the training session (Pastré, Mayen and Vergnaud, 2007). Finally, because the work situations and tasks experienced and verbalized by everyone are so many resources to learn during the training session.

Digitalization may have opened up the scope of easy remote interaction among companies, but it has also brought the unwanted baggage of "distance", especially those who have a large number of subsidiaries spread all over the continents. Taking this into consideration, it has been seen that multinational companies (MNCs) who have their subsidiaries around the globe face challenges to share their learnings among them. This means on one side digitalization enables integration efficiently within those who share similarities and also with the stakeholders in the local environment. On the other side, digitalization created a detachment among subsidiaries who are distantly located. Subsidiaries learned new skills and adapted new routines based on their local environment while going through the transition of digitalization. It can be seen that sharing of these learnings between the subsidiaries were impacted due to this transition. But with the MNCs, reaping the benefits of digitalization, they are ready to take the next step of switching somewhat permanently, a hybrid work culture, which includes digitalization of many in-person interactive events and training. The focus of this dissertation is to analyze the challenges MNCs will face while building learning mechanisms especially among those subsidiaries that are distantly located. Along with it the needs that are evolving from within the MNCs have been identified because, if they are attended efficiently it will facilitate to overcome these challenges.

Today, organisations in multiple industries are faced with challenges connected to digitalisation. The construction industry is one of the sectors in Sweden that are struggling most to digitalise, despite their efforts. The construction industry consists of project-basedorganisations, which literature have proven to have difficulties with managing complexity. Furthermore, there is a lack of experience with innovation projects and digitalisation knowledge. The purpose of this study is to investigate how large-size construction companies utilise learning mechanisms to capture the knowledge obtained from digital innovation projects and retain it as an organisational memory. By increasing the focus on managing learning mechanisms with a suitable knowledge management strategy, it is possible to improve the organisational performance in relation to digital innovation. The theoretical approach of interproject learning is used to analyse the Swedish construction industry by doing a case-study of four large-size construction companies which are operating in Sweden. The data is gathered through semi-structured interviews of two different hierarchic members in each case company and through investigations of their webpages, annual reports and existing written materials. Additionally, interviews with experts and interest organisations are included in the data gathering. The investigation presents that digitalisation and digital innovation in the construction industry are connected to digital tools, such as BIM. We also see a shift in attention, where digital tools originally were supposed to solve concrete tasks, whereas they now have a more process oriented focus with changes in the organisations to smoother digital implementations. Creating standard digital tools, which is utilised in all the projects in the industry and are ready for use will smooth the implementation. The learning mechanisms that exist in digital innovation projects are presented in relation to the decentralised environment. The variety of individual knowledge codification is high, with an absence of knowledge articulation and a high presence of experience accumulation. From a project perspective, there is an evolvement from local to a more central focus for digital innovation initiatives. In an organisational perspective, there is no clear knowledge management strategy, but we argue to see a shift towards a more navigator learning landscape, where emphasises on knowledge articulation is increasing. A discussion of the shift in perception of digital innovation and the evolvement to a more central focus of innovation initiative will increase digitalisation is provided, with a conclusion where the importance of not losing the advantage of having a project-based approach is highlighted. The main limitation of this work is that the research only consists of large-sized companies; therefore, this investigation may not highlight the whole industrial organisational behaviour. Instead, it can provide an understanding of the different learning mechanisms in relation to digital innovation. Further work should investigate small- and medium-sized organisations in the construction industry. / Organisationer i flera branscher står idag inför utmaningar, där hanteringen av digitalisering ären av dem. Den svenska byggbranschen anses ha en stor utmaning med digitalisering. Byggbranschen utgörs till stor del av projektbaserade organisationer och litteratur visar att branschen har svårigheter att hantera komplexitet. Det finns också brist på erfarenheter av projekt relaterat till innovation och även en brist på kunskap om digitalisering. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur stora byggföretag samlar kunskaper från digitala innovationsprojekt genom att utnyttja inlärningsmekanismer och på så sätt behålla kunskapen som en lärdom inom organisationen. Genom att fokusera på hantering av inlärningsmekanismer med en lämplig kunskapsstrategi är det möjligt att förbättra organisationen i förhållande till den digitala innovationen. Den teoretiska aspekten för intern projektinlärning används för att analysera den svenska byggbranschen och detta görs genom en fallstudie av fyra stora byggföretag som är verksamma i Sverige. De data som används har erhållits genom semistrukturerade intervjuer av personer från två olika nivåer inom varje företag och via granskning av företagens hemsidor, årsredovisningar och befintligt skriftligt material. Dessutom ingår intervjuer med experter och intresseorganisationer i datainsamlingen. Studien visar att digitalisering och digital innovation inom byggbranschen är kopplad till digitala verktyg, såsom BIM. Studien visar också på ett skifte i fokus bland de undersökta företagen från ett tidigare fokus på digitala verktyg som löser konkreta problem ändras till ett mer processorienterat fokus. Detta innebär att inkludera förändringar i företagsorganisationen vilket förenklar implementeringen av digitala lösningar. Detta kan göras genom att ha ett utvecklingsfokus av de digitala verktyg som redan används. Dessa kan då delas mellan projekten och vara färdiga för att användas från projektstart. De inlärningsmekanismer som finns i digitala innovationsprojekt förklaras i förhållande till den decentraliserade miljön de ärverksamma inom. Mångfalden av individuell kunskapskodifiering är hög, liksom insamlandetav upplevelser. Däremot finns det en brist på kunskapsstrategier inom de studerade byggföretagen. Från ett projektperspektiv sker det en utveckling som går från ett lokalt till ett mer centraliserat fokus gällande digital innovation. Från ett organisatoriskt perspektiv finns detingen tydlig strategi för kunskapshantering, men vi argumenterar för att det ska ske ett skifte mot ett mer styrt lärandelandskap med en betoning på kunskapsledning. Vidare görs en diskussion huruvida denna utveckling är relevant och om den kommer att öka digitaliseringen. Slutsatsen poängterar vikten av att inte förlora fördelarna med ett projektbaserat arbetssätt. Begränsningen av denna studie är att enbart stora företag studerats. Därför kan studien inte fungera som en överblick för hela byggbranschens beteende, utan ger en förståelse för en utveckling av inlärningsmekanismer i samband med digital innovation. Framtida studier börbehandla även små och medelstora företag inom byggbranschen.