EFFECTS OF A FIXED‐TIME SCHEDULE ON ABERRANT AND ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR

Fixed‐time (FT) schedules of reinforcement have been used to decrease destructive behavior. However, the effects of FT schedules on acquisition and maintenance of appropriate behavior remain unclear. In this study, we present a case in which an FT schedule produced an increase in adaptive behavior and resulted in a significant decrease in destructive behavior.     

Searching for Salient Aspects of Resonant Interaction

This paper illustrates my quest for diversity, more specifically resonant interaction with products. Resonance occurs due to the perfect interplay between a person and a product. It evokes strong positive emotions, unique accompanying behaviour, heightened awareness and cognitive processing. In this paper, I first explain the importance of diversifying designs, especially now we are pursuing the next generation of digital products. I show that designing for resonance can be a way to achieve diversity. I clarify the concept of resonance and resonant interaction. Subsequently, I explain the importance of research through design to study this phenomenon, i.e., by designing in a way that results in experiential prototypes, and subsequently testing these prototypes, scientific knowledge can be generated. Through these prototypes, I study the relationship between the individual user with his concerns, values, personality, skills, senses and effectivities on the one hand, and the interaction and product characteristics on the other hand. The paper concludes with two studies illustrating the way of working and the kind of answers I am obtaining with respect to resonant interaction. It appears that one can design for personality and prolong positive emotions even after the interaction has stopped, which strengthens the case for searching for salient aspects of resonant interaction.     

结构方程模式的发展与应用

结构方程模式(Structural Equation Modeling, SEM)在教育、心理研究中得到非常广泛的应用,但目前还有一些理论和技术上的问题有待于澄清。尤其在国内,许多研究者对这种统计方法不十分了解,因此导致了对该程序的误用以及对结果的错误解释。为此,文章首先对SEM的设计和估计方面的一些问题加以讨论;其次指出SEM在近期的一些发展以及在某些方面的最新应用;最后文章还对SEM的局限性进行了简要评述。     

Error self-correction and spelling: improving the spelling accuracy of secondary students with disabilities in written expression

In order to improve the spelling performance of high school students with deficits in written expression, an error self-correction procedure was implemented. The participants were two tenth-grade students and one twelfth-grade student in a program for individuals with learning disabilities. Using an alternating treatments design, the effect of error self-correction was compared with a more traditional method of spelling practice. The intervention and follow-up phases were implemented over a 6-week period with maintenance checks conducted 4 and 8 weeks after the termination of instruction. Results indicated that the error self-correction procedure was superior to the traditional method of review during the intervention and follow-up phases, but some gains were lost during the maintenance phase.     

A Field-Tested Task Analysis for Creating Single-Subject Graphs Using Microsoft<Superscript>®</Superscript> Office Excel

Creating single-subject (SS) graphs is challenging for many researchers and practitioners because it is a complex task with many steps. Although several authors have introduced guidelines for creating SS graphs, many users continue to experience frustration. The purpose of this article is to minimize these frustrations by providing a field-tested task analysis for creating SS graphs using Microsoft^® Office Excel. Results from the field test are presented and the task analysis, which includes steps for creating a variety of SS graphs, is provided. The article includes various illustrations, a list of prerequisite skills, tips, and troubleshooting items.     

具有认知诊断功能的计算机化自适应测验的研究与实现

构造具有认知诊断功能的计算机化自适应测验（Computerized Adaptive Testing,CAT）,关键在于设计不同于传统CAT的选题策略。本文采用先认知诊断后估计能力的方法,在诊断阶段用状态转换图描述特定认知领域中所有知识状态及这些状态之间的联系,以图的深度优先算法为基础设计选题策略;而在能力估计精细化阶段,每个被试所测项目,不仅与其能力估计值相匹配,且只与其所掌握的属性相关。本文采用蒙特卡罗模拟针对三种不同的属性结构进行试验,结果良好     

I WALK THE LINE: COMMENT ON MIKAEL LEIDENHAG ON THEISTIC EVOLUTION AND INTELLIGENT DESIGN

Is theistic evolution (TE) a philosophically tenable position? Leidenhag argues in his article “The Blurred Line between Theistic Evolution and Intelligent Design” that it is not, since it, Leidenhag claims, espouses a view of divine action that he labels “natural divine causation” (NDC), which makes God explanatory redundant. That is, in so far as TE does not invoke God as an additional cause alongside natural causes, it is untenable. Theistic evolutionists should therefore “reject NDC and affirm a more robust notion of divine agency.” However, this will, Leidenhag claims, have the effect that theistic evolutionists “will move their position significantly closer to Intelligent Design,” and so the line between TE and intelligent design is (or ought to be?) blurred. If successful, the criticism by Leidenhag would be bad news for theists who want to take science seriously and good news for those scientistic atheists according to whom there simply is no scientifically respectable way of combining theism and modern natural science in an overarching worldview. So, is TE stuck between a rock (of redundancy) and a hard place (of pseudo-science)? No, at least not due to the criticism offered by Leidenhag—but maybe religious naturalism is?     

Does work engagement increase person–job fit? The role of job crafting and job insecurity

Drawing on the expanded model of person–environment fit and job crafting theory, this study investigates the underlying processes of the relationship between work engagement and changes in person–job fit. A two-wave longitudinal study was conducted among 246 Chinese employees of a high technology company. As hypothesized, the results show that work engagement is positively related to changes in demands–abilities fit through changes in physical job crafting and positively related to changes in needs–supplies fit through changes in relational job crafting. As predicted, the positive relationship between work engagement and changes in relational job crafting (however, not changes in physical job crafting) is strengthened under conditions of high (vs. low) job insecurity. Our findings indicate that engaged employees craft their work in physical and relational ways, which creates a better person–job fit. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Rôle du cahier des charges et de l’évaluation de sites web sur l’effet de conformité à travers la gestion de contraintes et la qualité ergonomique de pages web

IntroductionPrevious studies have shown that the schedule of conditions orientates the designers’ activity. It leads them to generate and consider more constraints linked to the prescribed ones (provided in the schedule of conditions). In addition, when designers had to evaluate websites before making their productions, they reused into their own productions some characteristic from websites evaluated and visited before designing (that corresponds to the conformity effect).ObjectiveWe carried out an experimental study that aimed to determine the mutual influence of schedule of conditions and conformity effect on constraints accounted by designers and usability quality of the web pages they created. No study has determined the combined effects of these two points of web design on the designers’ activity.MethodTwo groups of professional web designers (the first one dealt with a creative schedule of conditions and the other one with an ergonomic schedule of conditions) had to create two webpages (home page and another one). The experimental study was divided into three successive stages: (1) launching of the two-page design, (2) evaluating two websites, and (3) continuing the two-page design.ResultsThe main results showed that the constraints prescribed in the schedule of conditions affected the first stage of design. Nevertheless, after the evaluation stage (stage 2), this influence decreased during the last design stage (stage 3).ConclusionThe evaluation improved the number of constraints linked to end-users taken into account by the designers during the last stage of their design activity. Nevertheless, the usability quality of web pages created by designers was higher for the designers who dealt with the ergonomic schedule of conditions than for the others.     

Teaching Comparative Theology from an Institution's Mission

Although comparative theology is a continuously growing method in the study of religion, it is still relatively new and not widely accepted in either confessional or secular institutions. Scholars may face difficulty when seeking their institutions' acceptance for a comparative theology course. One way of generating interest and approval for such a course is by designing it from the center of the institution's mission. Professors can look to the institution's mission as a resource for teaching comparatively. We offer four examples from Catholic institutions of how this might be done. Reid Locklin offers further insights in his response to our explorations.