Individuals, who work in high risk confrontational (HRC) settings in which a conflict exists, experience high-stress levels in their jobs and are known to have a high level of decreased performance and decreased survival. Individuals being trained to handle such conflicts should be trained effectively to accomplish the ultimate objective, staying alive. The problem is the lack of research and program evaluations examining effectiveness of training simulations in the transfer of skills under HRC settings. The purpose of my study was to test if the skill of target acquisition could be effectively transferred to a real environment (RE) after exposure within a virtual environment (VE). Ackerman's (1988) Theory of Ability Determinants of Skill Acquisition supports the progression participants advance through in the transfer of learning. A randomized posttest only comparison group design was used. The population involved 24 novice paintball players. Participants were randomly assigned to a simulation treatment or a non-simulation comparison application. Two days after receiving the intervention, participants engaged in live practice sessions (game 1 and game 2) in a RE where target acquisition skills were measured. Evidence suggests significant differences were found between novice players in the type of intervention received and the number of targets acquired in a RE, whereas, no significant change in scores was found between practice sessions, and no interaction was found between intervention received and practice. Recommendations for replicating studies include: (a) focusing on the manipulation of specific variables within the training context, (b) using different live environments, (c) examining factors that influence teaming and strategy formation, and (d) combining experts and novice players for a closer representation of a population in an HRC setting.

In recent years there has been an increasing interest in mathematics teaching and learning at undergraduate level. However, many fields are little explored; differential equations being one of these topics. In this study I use the theoretical framework of Coordination Classes to analyze how undergraduate mechanical engineering students apply their knowledge in the context of system dynamics and what resources and strategies they used; in this subject, students model dynamics systems based on Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs). I applied three tasks in different contexts (Mechanical, Electrical and Fluid Systems) in order to identify what information was relevant for the students, readout strategies; what inferences students made with the relevant information, causal nets; and what strategies students used to apply their knowledge in those contexts, concept projections. I found that the core problem at projecting their knowledge relied on the causal nets, coinciding with diSessa and Wagner's conjecture (2005). I also identified and characterized three strategies or concept projections students used in solving the tasks: Diagram-based approach, Component-based approach and Equation-based approach.

No description available.

Transfer of learning is the reason for education. The ultimate goal of teaching is to help learners apply what is studied in one situation to another. For language learning, the purpose of studying grammar and vocabulary is to be able to use that knowledge in a wide variety of contexts. It is, therefore, of interest to determine what can be done to influence transfer of learning. In this study I explored the effects of reminders on the transfer of vocabulary learned in one course to writing tasks in another. The five purposes of this study were to evaluate the effects of the treatment on: (a) the salience of the reminders and on study time, (b) differences in vocabulary learning, (c) the developmental trajectories of language proficiency and writing based, (d) the correctness of the target vocabulary used in a writing task, and (e) the perceived usefulness of the vocabulary study. This study was conducted at a private university in western Japan. The participants (N = 179) were enrolled in a course focusing on vocabulary learning (vocabulary course) and one on genre writing (content course). They were placed into one of four conditions based on entry-level placement tests. These groups received different degrees of reminders. Those in the comparison condition received no reminder (NR) to use the target vocabulary. The three remaining conditions received one of three reminder treatments in the content course before revising required essays: (a) a general reminder (R) to use words studied in the vocabulary course, (b) the same general reminder and a noticing task (R+), and (c) the same general reminder and a task designed to promote target vocabulary usage (R++). Data for this study were obtained using the following instruments: vocabulary self-study logs, Quizlet (2017) and Moodle (2016) metrics, receptive and productive vocabulary tests, a language proficiency test, three measures of writing quality, and individual interviews with 20 of the participants. Prior to conducting quantitative analyses on the data gathered with these instruments, the receptive and productive vocabulary tests, and one measure of writing quality, the JACET writing rubric (Kuru, Masaki, & Kinshi, 2009), were analyzed using the Rasch rating-scale model in order to evaluate the validity and reliability of the instruments as well as to obtain estimates of the participants’ abilities and item difficulties. In addition, the Rasch model was used to check for interrater reliability and rater severity of the scores of the JACET writing rubric. The data were then analyzed using mixed ANOVAs in order to ascertain differences in within-subjects and between-subjects measures. The results confirmed the salience of the reminders, and study time was shown to decrease in stronger conditions. This is a key finding because analysis of the data also indicated that the participants in stronger treatment conditions learned the target vocabulary with the same efficiency as those in weaker conditions despite reporting less study time. Furthermore, the treatments had positive effects on lexical complexity, amount of produced written text, and the amount of correct vocabulary usage in the writing task. / Teaching & Learning

published_or_final_version / abstract / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts

No description available.

A compreensão do processo de aprendizagem motora é de real importância para a atividade fisioterapêutica, visto que as abordagens e técnicas visam à mudança e o aperfeiçoamento de uma atividade motora ou mesmo a aquisição de uma nova habilidade. Neste processo a prática realizada tem implicação direta na aprendizagem motora. Objetivo: comparar os efeitos da prática combinada (iniciada pelo treino mental, seguido pelo treino físico, com distribuição proporcionada entre os mesmos), com os efeitos da prática mental e física isoladas, sobre aquisição, retenção, transferência inter tarefa e inter manual em crianças de 9 a 10 anos. Método: participaram do estudo 36 crianças, divididas em 3 grupos de acordo com o tipo de prática realizada: o grupo PM está composto 12 crianças, o PF por 12 crianças e o PC por 12 crianças. O treinamento foi realizado em sessão única e constituiu da repetição de 2400 movimentos de uma sequência de movimentos de oposição dos dedos. Todos os grupos foram submetidos às mesmas avaliações antes do treinamento, depois do treinamento, 4, 7, e 28 dias após o treinamento. A aquisição, a retenção e a transferência foram avaliados por meio da análise de variância (ANOVA). Para todas as interações que alcançaram nível de significância (p<0,05) foi aplicado o pós-teste de Tukey. Resultados: para o tempo de treinamento, tanto a PM quanto a PF proporcionaram melhora progressiva da velocidade ao longo dos blocos, já a PC proporcionou melhora inicial entre os dois primeiros blocos, e piora na velocidade do segundo para o terceiro que não se modificou até o final do treino. A análise da aquisição evidenciou que a PC proporcionou ao final do treino o mesmo nível de desempenho da PM, mas inferior ao obtido pela PF. Para retenção, a PC proporcionou os mesmo níveis obtidos pela PF e PM, com ganhos adicionais tardios. Para a transferência inter-sequência e intermanual, a PC permitiu a transferência do desempenho obtido por meio do treino da ST para a SR de forma similar a PM, mas superior a PF. Conclusão: a prática combinada não mostrou vantagens em comparação a prática física ou mental isoladas para a aprendizagem, retenção de uma tarefa de oposição sequencial de dedos em crianças de 9 e 10 anos. Entretanto, mostrou-se mais eficiente que a prática física isolada para a transferência inter-sequências e intermanual, alcançando a mesma eficiência da prática mental isolada. Assim, as três formas de prática foram igualmente eficientes para a aprendizagem e retenção de movimentos sequenciais e a prática mental, combinada ou não com a prática física foi mais eficiente que a prática física isolada para a transferência inter-sequências e intermanual / Understanding the process of motor learning it is important to physiotherapy so that approaches and techniques designed to change and improve motor activity or even the acquisition of a new skill. In this process the practice has held direct implication in motor learning. Purpose: To compare the effects of combined practice (initiated by mental training, followed by physical training, with distribution provided between them), with the effects of mental and physical practice isolated on acquisition, retention and transfer on the learning of sequential finger opposition movements in children 9-10 years. Methods: This study included thirty-six 9 to 10 year-old children that were randomly allocated into three groups: mental practice (MP), physical practice (PP), and combined (PC). The training was conducted in a single session and consisted repetition of 2400 movements sequence of finger opposition movements. All groups underwent the same evaluations before training, after training, 4, 7, and 28 days after training. The acquisition, retention and transfer were evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA). For all interactions that reached statistical significance (p <0.05) was applied post-Tukey test. Results: The training time for both the MP and FP provided progressive improvement in speed over the blocks, the CP has provided initial improvement between the first two blocks, and worsened speed from the second to the third that did not change until the end of the training. The analysis showed that acquisition of the CP at the end of the training provided the same level of performance of the MP, but lower than that obtained by the FP. For retention, the CP showed the same levels obtained by the FP and MP, with additional gains late. For inter-sequence and intermanual transfer, CP allowed to transfer performance obtained by training for the trained sequence similarly to reverse sequence by MP, but exceeding FP. Conclusion: The combined practice showed no advantages compared to physical or mental practice isolated to learning retention task of sequential finger opposition in children aged 9 and 10 years. However, proved more efficient than single physical practice to transfer inter-sequences and intermanual, achieving the same efficiency of mental practice alone. So the three forms of practice were equally efficient for learning and retention of sequential movements and mental practice, whether or not combined with physical practice was more effective than physical practice alone for transfer

In order to explain the development of English and Spanish skills in children from Spanish-speaking homes in the United States, it is necessary to identify their sources of language exposure. Most research to date has focused on home language use. The aim of this study is to identify sources of English and Spanish exposure outside the home that bilingual children experience between the ages of 2 and 5 years. The present study focuses on 3 potential sources: grandparents, extracurricular activities, and early childcare and education settings. We ask how much English and Spanish exposure children receive, how that changes from 2.5 to 5 years, and whether family variables influence those changes. Participants were 149 children from Spanish-speaking homes in southeastern Florida, with at least one parent an immigrant from a Spanish-speaking country. Measured out-of-home sources of input included hours per of week of English and Spanish from a Grandparent, during Extracurricular Activities, and during Preschool at 30, 36, 42, 48, and 60 months. Parents’ Native Language Background groups were either both native Spanish-speaking or one native, Spanish-speaking and one native, English-speaking. Maternal Education was treated as a dichotomous variable: mothers whose highest level of education in English is less than a four-year college degree and mothers whose highest level of education in English is equivalent to or greater than a four-year college degree. Child Birth Order was also treated as a dichotomous variable: only children and first-born children or later born children. Results revealed that for these children from Spanish-speaking homes, Grandparents are primarily a source of heritage-language (Spanish) input and Extracurricular Activities and Preschool are primarily a source of societal-language (English) input. Findings suggest English exposure from out-of-home sources increases over time possibly at the expense of Spanish exposure. Parents’ Native Language Backgrounds and Maternal Education influenced children’s exposure to both languages from these outside sources of input; Child Birth Order did not. Implications for future research and practical application are discussed. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

No description available.

O objetivo desse estudo foi analisar a preferência podal e assimetrias interlaterais de desempenho no chute de potência em crianças. Vinte e quatro meninos praticantes de futsal foram divididos em três grupos etários: seis, oito e 10 anos. A análise da preferência podal foi realizada por meio da observação da preferência de uso por uma das pernas em diferentes tarefas motoras, classificadas nas categorias: estabilização, mobilização geral (sem relação com tarefas do futebol) e mobilização específica (tarefas relacionadas ao futebol). A análise da assimetria de desempenho foi feita em função de parâmetros cinemáticos, após as crianças terem sido filmadas no desempenho do chute com a perna preferida e com a perna não-preferida com marcadores nas articulações do ombro, quadril, joelho e tornozelo. A avaliação da preferência podal indicou diferenças significativas entre as tarefas de estabilização e as de mobilização. Nas tarefas de estabilização os três grupos apresentaram grande variabilidade, o que abrangeu desde preferência esquerda consistente a preferência direita consistente. Nas tarefas de mobilização a grande maioria das crianças apresentou preferência podal direita consistente em todas as idades. Os resultados indicaram que a preferência podal é dependente da tarefa. A avaliação de desempenho indicou vantagem da perna direita na maioria das variáveis e nenhuma alteração da relação de desempenho entre uma perna e outra foi detectada entre as idades. Esses achados sugerem um desenvolvimento bilateral do chute, propiciado por mecanismos de transferência interlateral de aprendizagem. Tais resultados indicam que a preferência podal e as assimetrias interlaterais de desempenho são similares entre crianças de diferentes faixas etárias com prática regular em ações motoras relacionadas ao futebol / This study aimed at assessing podal preference and interlateral asymmetries in the performance of kicking in children. Twenty-four soccer player males were assigned to three age groups: 6, 8, and 10-year olds. Lateral preference was assessed on the basis of frequency of use of the right and the left foot/leg to perform different podal tasks, characteristic of the following categories: stabilization (balance tasks), general mobilization (tasks unrelated to soccer), and specific mobilization (tasks related to soccer). Performance asymmetry was quantified with different kinematic parameters, on the basis of images of kicking of either body side, using markers on the shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle joints. The results from assessment of podal preference indicated that for the stabilization tasks the three age groups presented a great variability, ranging from consistent preference for the left leg to consistent preference for the right leg. In both categories of mobilization tasks consistent preference for the right leg was prevalent in all ages. These results showed that podal preference is task-dependent. Analysis of performance asymmetry revealed a right leg advantage in most variables, and that no modification of the relationship between the legs was detected across ages. These findings suggest a bilateral development of kicking, possibly due to mechanisms of interlateral transfer of learning. These results indicate that both podal preference and interlateral podal asymmetries of performance are similar between children of different ages having regular practice in motor actions related to soccer