Thirty years of research on online learning

This paper presents a personal account of developments in research on online learning over the past 30 years. Research on how to design online instruction represents an example of applying the science of learning to education. It contributes to the science of learning (as exemplified by developments in cognitive load theory, the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, and incorporating metacognitive, motivational, and affective aspects of learning), the science of instruction (as exemplified by the continuing development of research‐based principles of instructional design), and the science of assessment (as exemplified by supplementing self‐report surveys and retention tests with multilevel transfer tests, log file data during learning, and cognitive neuroscience measures of cognitive processing during learning). Some recurring themes are that learning is caused by instructional methods rather than instructional media, so research should focus on features that are uniquely afforded by digital learning environments; instructional practice should be grounded in rigorous and systematic research, including value‐added experiments aimed at pinpointing the active ingredients in online instruction; research in online learning should identify boundary conditions under which instructional techniques are most effective; and research in online learning should test and contribute to learning theory.     

Analysis of proctor marking accuracy in a computer-aided personalized system of instruction course

In a computer-aided version of Keller's personalized system of instruction (CAPSI), students within a course were assigned by a computer to be proctors for tests. Archived data from a CAPSI-taught behavior modification course were analyzed to assess proctor accuracy in marking answers as correct or incorrect. Overall accuracy was increased by having each test marked independently by two proctors, and was higher on incorrect answers when the degree of incorrectness was larger.     

Euclidean Hierarchy in Modal Logic

For a Euclidean space , let L _n denote the modal logic of chequered subsets of . For every n 1, we characterize L _n using the more familiar Kripke semantics, thus implying that each L _n is a tabular logic over the well-known modal system Grz of Grzegorczyk. We show that the logics L _n form a decreasing chain converging to the logic L of chequered subsets of . As a result, we obtain that L is also a logic over Grz, and that L has the finite model property. We conclude the paper by extending our results to the modal language enriched with the universal modality.     

Extinction effects during the assessment of multiple problem behaviors

Extinction effects were evaluated in a multiple baseline across behaviors design with 2 boys after just one of several target problem behaviors was observed during a functional analysis. Other target behaviors emerged as extinction was introduced sequentially across all problem behaviors. Results demonstrated an efficient strategy for simultaneously assessing multiple problem behaviors maintained by the same consequence.     

教学心理学情感维度上的一种教材处理策略——心理匹配

在教学心理学领域中,人们往往习惯于从认知维度探索教材的优化处理策略,缺乏情感维度上的相应研究。奥苏贝尔虽提出意义学习的两个内在先决条件：一是学习者有同化新材料的认知结构;二是学习者有意义学习的心向．但他本人也仅从影响学生认知结构的角度,提出教材的认知处理策略──先行组织者策略．而未从影响学生心向的角度．提出教材的情感处理策略。鉴此,本文从情感维度上提出教材处理的心理匹配策略．以冀与认知策略一起共同优化处理教材、呈现教学内容环节,并阐明心理匹配策略的内涵、机制、作用和种类。     

Instructional control of generalized relational matching to sample in children.

Three experiments examined the performance of 4-year-old children in matching geometric stimuli. Performance was developed as a simulation in which all components of the behavior were overt and directly measured. A correct match depended on the state of an instructional stimulus: the background color of the display. In the first two experiments, on nonidentity trials (signified by a green background) the next longer length, larger size, or greater distance was correct. With a blue background, a comparison identical to the sample was correct. In Experiment 3, red was added for which shorter, smaller, or nearer was correct. Also here, on nonidentity trials, if a comparison of the correct length was not presented, the children adjusted their search target to the comparison of the next succeeding size (larger or smaller) so as to maintain a constant matching relation. Subsequently, when exposure to the instructional stimulus was reduced to presentation only at the beginning of each trial, performance simulated matching based on instructions about abstract relations. In all experiments, accurate matching generalized across novel stimuli and reduced exposure to the instructional stimuli.     

Individual differences in spatial frequency processing in scene perception: the influence of autism-related traits

Previous research suggested that coarse (High Spatial Frequency or HSF) and fine (Low Spatial Frequency or LSF) spatial information are flexibly used at different stages of processing during scene recognition in daily life. We tried to replicate and extend these findings by presenting non-social real-life scenes either as a normal picture, solely defined by LSF or HSF information, or using hybrid images consisting of overlaid LSF and HSF scene information. These were used as (in)congruent prime stimuli, modulating the rapid detection of a normal target picture in a 2-Alternative Forced Choice (2-AFC) categorization task (manmade versus natural). Our results indicated that coarse spatial information was more effective with shorter prime presentation times and fine spatial information required a longer prime presentation to influence participant performance. Interestingly, higher scores on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient questionnaire modified the impact of HSF prime information on target identification and influenced performance when ambiguous hybrid prime information preceded the categorization task.     

Serving first for the benefit of others: preliminary evidence for a hierarchical conceptualization of servant leadership

In this paper, we examine servant leadership as a promising leadership style for today's dynamic sales environments. Conceptual and empirical literature points to servant leadership's strong potential in facilitating benefits to salespeople and the organization. Yet that same literature evidences a problematic lack of consensus regarding components that distinctly reflect servant leadership. Existing conceptualizations include dimensions like humility and providing direction, which clearly overlap with various other leadership styles. In this paper, we first consider unique distinctives of servant leadership. We then propose an extension of the augmentation hypothesis from the transactional and transformational leadership literature. Specifically, we posit that servant leadership distinctives are hierarchically built on transformational characteristics, which themselves are built on transactional characteristics. Using secondary data from a sample of professional salespeople, we apply Guttman scaling and show this hierarchical conceptualization to be empirically tenable. We demonstrate that sales leadership at higher levels on the hierarchy produces incremental gains in salesperson satisfaction, salesperson performance, organizational citizenship behaviors, and corporate social responsibility. We confirm our findings in a validation sample and demonstrate an additional relationship with customer-directed extra-role behaviors. Our results imply that sales organizations can reap enhanced multi-faceted benefits through higher levels of servant leadership.     

THE EFFECTS OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATCH AND CONTENT OVERLAP ON GENERALIZED READING PERFORMANCE

This study examined the effects of instructional match and content overlap on students' ability to generalize from passage reading instruction. Four students with mild disabilities served as participants. Using a multielement design, students were instructed with passages at two levels of text difficulty (instructionally matched vs. instructionally mismatched), and generalization was assessed with passages at two levels of similarity to those instructed (low vs. high content overlap). Results indicated that students' oral reading accuracy and fluency showed the greatest degree of generalization when instructional materials were matched to the students' skill level and assessment materials were similar to those used during instruction. Moreover, these results were maintained at 1-month follow-up. The implications of these findings for classroom reading instruction and the assessment of students' reading skills are discussed.