Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Adaptive entry into the learning process'

The medical laboratory science (MLS) profession is in need for published molecular diagnostics competency-based standards and curriculum. To assess their expectations of new MLS graduates, professionals performing and supervising performance of clinical molecular assays were surveyed to rate the importance of relevant cognitive and psychomotor learning objectives. A modified, asynchronous, iterative online Delphi process was utilized for assessment of consensus on the importance of the objectives. The survey was delivered through online REDCap application. Program directors of 221 MLS programs accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) were asked to forward the first Delphi survey to target participants at their affiliated clinical sites. Ninety-four experts submitted complete surveys, including 88 who provided email addresses, indicating agreement to participate in future Delphi rounds. Most of the participants were certified by ASCP or NCA (81.9%), had over 10 years of laboratory experience (76.6%), and worked in a hospital setting (43.6%). The reliability of the surveys, assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, was 0.96 and 0.97. In the second survey, the objectives assigned low importance by the majority were removed; and others, assigned high importance were expanded. Respondents were given the opportunity to confirm or change their opinion on the objectives after reviewing quantitative results and narrative comments collected in the preceding survey. Upon completion of the Delphi process, 25 essential items were identified as necessary for inclusion in the entry-level MLS curriculum. These concepts and objectives focused on basic molecular biology principles and general molecular laboratory operations, including practical knowledge of techniques designed to maintain specimen integrity and intense theoretical background of the polymerase chain reaction, as well as comprehension of the principles of laboratory assays designed for pathogens most commonly tested for using molecular methods. In this study, the investigator also provided information on the preferred number of contact hours devoted to each group of the identified essential items. The goal of creating the list of essential concepts and objectives was to share it with MLS educators, the NAACLS and the provider of MLS certification exam, the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC), to contribute to the existing exam content guidelines.

A visão de processo adaptativo aplicada à aprendizagem pressupõe quebra da estabilidade, necessária para o aprendiz alcançar níveis superiores de complexidade. Dessa forma, instabilidade, incerteza, desordem e erro podem se constituir características positivas do processo. Considerando o CR como fonte de ordem/desordem, o presente trabalho teve o propósito de investigar quais regimes de freqüência (33%, 66% e 100%) e precisão (geral e específico) de CR favorecem o processo adaptativo na aquisição de uma habilidade motora conjugada de preensão manual com posicionamento linear. Cento e vinte adultos universitários de 18 a 39 anos (média de 25 e desvio padrão de 4,5 anos) foram alocados a seis grupos de 20 sujeitos (dez do sexo masculino e dez do sexo feminino). Na primeira fase do estudo (estabilização), os sujeitos executaram a tarefa com CR verbal, que versou apenas sobre a tentativa recém finalizada de modo a informar sobre o alcance de 20% da força máxima e 35 cm de deslocamento. O critério para encerramento dessa fase foi a execução de duas tentativas dentro de uma faixa de tolerância de erro. Na fase de adaptação, os sujeitos foram testados em 15 tentativas sem CR na mesma tarefa, porém com a perturbação ambiental de uma força de translação de aproximadamente 2 kgf, no sentido contrário do movimento. O equipamento desenvolvido e utilizado foi o Aparelho Eletromagnético de Posicionamento Linear com Dinamometria. As tentativas foram executadas com o membro superior não dominante e com oclusão visual. Da força aplicada no dinamômetro e do deslocamento do cursor originaram-se as medidas de erro: absoluto (EA), constante (EC) e variável (EV). Os resultados da fase de estabilização mostraram indicações de que CR freqüente e específico proporcionou melhor desempenho. Além disso, os grupos, em ambas as demandas (força e distância), reduziram o nível de erros de um ponto inicial a um ponto posterior no tempo com tendência exponencial, o que evidencia a ocorrência de aprendizagem da tarefa. Com base nos resultados da segunda fase, a adaptação à perturbação introduzida não se condicionou às manipulações de freqüência e precisão de CR da fase de estabilização. Os dados de ambas as demandas se ajustaram a um modelo caracterizado pela presença de variância substancial no momento inicial. Não obstante, houve heterogeneidade de resposta ao longo das tentativas na demanda de distância. Os resultados de ambas as demandas da tarefa evidenciaram tracking de baixo a moderado, ou seja, não houve estabilidade de desempenho dos sujeitos, o que implica em possibilidade muito reduzida para prever o desempenho de cada grupo e para cada sujeito. Uma quantidade muito reduzida de sujeitos apresentou não aleatoriedade de erros, reveladora de alguma tendência ou estratégia de desempenho consistente ao longo das tentativas. Pode-se concluir que não se faz necessário reduzir excessivamente a incerteza por intermédio de regimes de CR com muita freqüência e precisão.<br>Motor learning is a ciclic, dynamic and adaptive process, in which motor skills are stabilised and used in more complex situations. To understand motor skill acquisition as an adaptive process, it is necessary to break down the achieved stability in order to reach higher levels of complexity. Thus, instability, uncertainty, disorder, and error might act as positive features in this process. Considering KR as a source of order/disorder, this study aimed to investigate which frequency (33%, 66% e 100%) and precision (general and specific) KR schedules benefit the adaptive process in the acquisition of a linear positioning and manual force control combination motor task. A hundred and twenty undergraduate students ranging from 18 to 39 years (mean age = 25 yr., standard deviation = 4.5 yr.) were randomly assigned to six groups of 20 subjects each (ten male and ten female). In the first phase of the experiment (stabilisation), the subjects performed the motor task receiving verbal KR about the immediately finished trial that provided information about accomplishing the goal of 20% of the maximum force and 35 cm of displacement. The criterion to complete this phase was to perform two consecutive trials inside the error bandwidth. In the adaptation phase, 15 non-KR trials were performed on the same task, but with an environmental perturbation involving a traction force of about 2 kgf in the opposite direction of the movement. It was developed and used an apparatus enabling a linear positioning combined with a manual force control task. The subjects performed blindfolded and with the non-dominant hand. Absolute, constant, and variable errors measures were used to analyse the learning process. According to the stabilisation phase results, there were evidences that frequent and specific KR produced improvement of performance. The groups, on both task requirements (force and distance), reduced the level of errors from an initial to a posterior point in time with exponential trend, which is an evidence of learning occurrence. Results from the second phase indicated that the adaptation to the introduced perturbation was not related to KR frequency and precision provided in the stabilization phase. Data from both requirements fitted in a model with significant variance at the beginning. However, there was response heterogeneity throughout the trials in the distance requirement. Moreover, results revealed from low to moderate tracking, that is, subjects did not perform with stability, what reduces the probability to preview the performance of each group and each subject. A few amount of subjects exhibited absence of error randomness, which could express some performance trend, that is, a consistent strategy along trials. It can be concluded that it is not necessary to excessively diminish uncertainty by means of KR schedules with high frequency and precision.

O objetivo foi investigar a aquisição de habilidades motoras, no modelo do Processo Adaptativo, testando dois ciclos de Instabilidade-Estabilidade-Instabilidade (I-E-I). Duzentos e quarenta homens adultos jovens participaram de dois experimentos realizando uma tarefa seriada de rastreamento. As variáveis dependentes foram as respostas omissas, erradas, corretas e antecipatórias. O Experimento 1 testou o efeito dos Intervalos Inter-Estímulos (IIEs) em uma fase de aquisição num delineamento com seis grupos (300, 400, 500, 600, 700 e 800 ms de IIE); os testes estatísticos indicaram efeito de interação de grupos e blocos em todas as respostas. Com base nesses resultados foi elaborado o experimento principal com a mesma tarefa, num delineamento de três fases (Estabilização, Adaptação I e II) com o intuito de analisar o efeito dos ciclos I-E-I e dos IIEs no desempenho. Foram testados seis grupos nos quais os IIEs eram modificados de uma fase para outra. Os testes estatísticos mostraram efeito de interação entre grupos e blocos para os quatro tipos de resposta. Em seu conjunto, os resultados indicam que a aquisição de habilidades se dá mediante sucessivos ciclos de estabilização-adaptação, que leva ao aumento de complexidade; houve efeito do nível de estabilização alcançado no primeiro ciclo para o segundo ciclo de I-E-I e da magnitude da perturbação; a redundância inicial na estrutura teve efeito no desempenho em respostas funcionais ao longo dos ciclos<br>The aim of this study was to investigate the acquisition of motor learning as proposed by Adaptive Process model of motor learning by testing two Instability- Stability-Instability cycles (IN-ST-IN). Two hundred and forty young adult men participated in the two experiments in which a serial tracking task was used. The dependent variables were anticipatory, correct, incorrect and omission responses. The first experiment tested the effect of the Inter-Stimuli-Intervals (ISI) in an acquisition phase with a design comprised by six groups (300, 400, 500, 600, 700 e 800 ms of ISI); the MANOVA statistics (6 Groups X 3 Blocks) indicated interaction effect in all responses. Based on these results the main experiment was set up with a design of three phases (Stabilization, Adaptation I and II) with the aim to analyze the effect of the IN-ST-IN cycles and the ISIs on four responses. Six groups were tested in which the ISI were modified in each phase. The MANOVA statistics (6 Groups X 5 Blocks) indicated interaction effect in all responses. In sum, the results indicated that the acquisition process of motor skills takes place in the course of successive stabilization-adaptation cycles that lead to the increase to system\'s complexity; there was observed effect of the first cycle stabilization level on the second cycle; the early redundancy in the structure had effect on the functional responses performance, throughout the cycles

O estudo teve como objetivo investigar, a partir de uma perspectiva de processo adaptativo em aprendizagem motora, o efeito da liberdade na escolha da resposta em diferentes momentos do processo de estabilização. A possibilidade de escolher a ordem dos componentes que compõem uma seqüência de movimentos (liberdade na escolha da resposta) tem se mostrado benéfica à aquisição de habilidades motoras. Contudo, o efeito da liberdade na escolha da resposta pode ser mediado pelo processo de estabilização funcional. Para investigar esta hipótese, 135 voluntários com média de idade de 22 (± 4,1) anos, de ambos os sexos, foram alocados a nove grupos experimentais, derivados da combinação de três condições experimentais (SEM, MED e ALT) e dois momentos da estabilização (antes e após a estabilização inicial do desempenho). A liberdade na escolha da resposta foi operacionalizada neste estudo como a possibilidade de escolher a ordem de uma seqüência de toques em sensores, em uma tarefa complexa de timing coincidente. Os resultados mostraram que não houve efeito da condição experimental do início da prática no desempenho na fase de adaptação, porém condições intermediárias de liberdade de escolha no final da prática não apresentaram queda na consistência frente à modificação da tarefa. Nesse sentido, a liberdade na escolha da resposta não trouxe prejuízos à adaptação<br>The objective of the study was to investigate, from an adaptive process perspective on motor learning, the effect of freedom in response choice in different moments of the stabilization process. The possibility of choosing the order of the components which generate a movement sequence (freedom in response choice) has been shown as beneficial to motor skills acquisition. However, the effect of freedom in response choice could be mediated by the process of functional stabilization. To investigate the hypothesis, a hundred thirty-five volunteers with mean age of 22 (± 4,1) years were assigned to nine experimental groups, derived from the combination of three experimental conditions (SEM, MED and ALT) and two moments of stabilization (before and after initial performance stabilization). Freedom in response choice was manipulated in this study as the possibility of choosing the order of tapping a sequence of sensors, in a complex anticipation timing task. Results showed there was no effect of experimental condition in the beginning of practice in performance in adaptation phase, although intermediate conditions of freddom of choice didnt show decrease in consistency following task modification. In this sense, freedom in response choice wasnt detrimental to adaptation

Recentemente os efeitos de diferentes estruturas de prática na aquisição de hablidades motoras têm sido investigados sob um modelo de não-equilíbrio de aprendizagem motora denominado de Processo Adaptativo. Os achados dessas investigações têm se mostrado divergentes e, no presente trabalho, foram especulados em relação à especificidade da tarefa. A pergunta que se fez foi: os efeitos das práticas constante, aleatória, constante-aleatória e aleatória-constante na aquisição de habilidades motoras seriam específicos à tarefa? Sendo assim, esse trabalho teve como objetivo investigar os efeitos de diferentes estruturas de prática na aquisição de habilidades motoras em função da especificidade da tarefa. Foram realizados três experimentos nos quais as exigências de aprendizagem e a variabilidade de prática foram em termos de controle temporal, de força e espacial, respectivamente, experimentos 1, 2 e 3. Os três experimentos envolveram um delineamento com quatro grupos de prática (constante, aleatória, constante-eleatória e aleatória-contante) e de duas fases (estabilização e adaptação). Os participantes de cada experimento foram 60 crianças com idade média de 11 anos. Os resultados permitiram a conclusão de que houve complementaridade de especificidade/generalidade da tarefa nos efeitos da estruturação da prática no processo adaptativo em aprendizagem motora<br>Recently the effects of practice schedules on the acquisition of motor skills have been investigated under a non-equilibrium model for motor learning known as Adaptive Process. The findings of these investigations have been divergent, and on this dissertation they are speculated on the basis of task specificity. The question asked was: would the effects of constant, random, constant-random and random-constant practice schedules on motor skills acquisition be specific to the task? Thus, the purpouse of this study was to investigate the effects of different practice schedules on the acquisition of motor skills as a function of task specificity. This matter was investigated in three experiments in wich the learning demands and practice variability were in terms of time, force and spatial control, respectively, experiments 1, 2 and 3. The experimental design of the three experiments involved four practice groups (constant, random, constant-random, and random-constant) and two phases (stabilization and adaptation). Sixty children, with mean age of 11 years, participated of each experiment. The results suggest that there is a complementarity of specificity and generability of the effects of the different practice schedules on the adaptive process for the different tasks

O objetivo desse trabalho foi investigar os efeitos da estrutura de prática no processo adaptativo de aprendizagem motora em razão da complexidade da tarefa. Os participantes foram 160 crianças de ambos os gêneros e a tarefa foi de timing coincidente. No experimento 1, as crinaças executaram uma tarefa que consistiu tocar certos alvos de forma seqüencial em integração a um estímulo visual (tarefa simples) e, o experimento 2, uma tarefa com 6 toques (tarefa complexa). O delineamento dos dois experimentos constou de quatro grupos (prática constante, prática aleatória, prática constante-aleatória, e prática aleatória-constante) e de duas fases de aprendizagem (estabilização e adaptação) As variáveis dependentes foram os erros absoluto, variável e constante. Os resultados mostraram que a complexidade da tarefa afetou os efeitos da estruturação da prática no processo adaptativo de aprendizagem motora. Verificou-se que, para a aprendizagem da tarefa simples, a adaptação ocorreu com similar desempenho para os quatro grupos, enquanto que para a tarefa complexa, o desempenho foi pior para o grupo constante<br>The objective of this work was to investigate the effects of practice schedule in the adaptive process of motor learning in reason of task complexity. The participants were one hundred and sixty children of both gender and the task was of coincident timing. In the experiment 1 the children performed a task that consisted of touching four response keys sequentially in conjunction with a visual stimulus (simple task), and, the experiment 2, the task evolved six touches (complex task). The experimental design of both experiments consisted of four practice groups (constant, random, constant-random and random-constant) and two learning phases (stabilization and adaptation). Dependent variables were absolute, variable and constant errors. The results show that task complexity affected the effects of practice schedule in the adaptive process of motor learning. It was verified that for learning of simple task the adaptation occurred with similar performance for all groups, while the complex task occurred worse performance for constant group

Continuous learning and development has become increasingly important in the information age. However, employees with limited formal education in lower status occupations may be disadvantaged in their opportunities for development, as their jobs tend to require more limited knowledge and skills. In mature age, such workers may be subject to cumulative disadvantage with respect to work related learning and development, as well as negative stereotyping. This thesis concerns work related learning and development from a lifespan development psychology perspective. Development across the lifespan is grounded in biocultural co-constructivism. That is, the reciprocal influences of the individual and environment produce change in the individual. Existing theories and models of adaptive development attempt to explain how developmental resources are allocated across the lifespan. These included the Meta- theory of Selective Optimisation with Compensation, Dual Process Model of Self Regulation, and Developmental Regulation via Optimisation and Primary and Secondary Control. These models were integrated to create the Model of Adaptive Development for Work Related Learning. The Learning and Development Survey (LDS) was constructed to measure the hypothesised processes of adaptive development for work related learning, which were individual goal selection, individual goal engagement, individual goal disengagement, organisational opportunities (selection and engagement), and organisational constraints. Data collection was undertaken in two phases: the pilot study and the main study. The objective of the pilot study was to test the LDS on a target population of 112 employees from a local government organisation. Exploratory factor analysis reduced the pilot version of the survey to 38 items encompassing eight constructs which covered the processes of the model of adaptive development for work related learning. In the main study, the Revised Learning and Development Survey (R-LDS) was administered to another group of 137 employees from the local government organisation, as well as 110 employees from a private healthcare organisation. The purpose of the main study was to validate the R-LDS on two different groups to provide evidence of stability, and compare survey scores according to age and occupational status to determine construct validity. Findings from the main study indicated that only four constructs of the R-LDS were stable, which were organisational opportunities – selection, individual goal engagement, organisational constraints – disengagement and organisational opportunities – engagement. In addition, MANOVA studies revealed that the demographic variables affected organisational opportunities and constraints in the workplace, although individual goal engagement was not influenced by age. The findings from the pilot and main study partially supported the model of adaptive development for work related learning. Given that only four factors displayed adequate reliability in terms of internal consistency and stability, the findings suggest that individual goal selection and individual goal disengagement are less relevant to work related learning and development. Some recent research which emerged during the course of the current study has suggested that individual goal selection and individual goal disengagement are more relevant when goal achievement is impeded by biological constraints such as ageing. However, correlations between the retained factors support the model of adaptive development for work related learning, and represent the role of biocultural co-constructivism in development. Individual goal engagement was positively correlated with both opportunity factors (selection and engagement), while organisational constraints – disengagement was negatively correlated with organisational opportunities – selection. Demographic findings indicated that higher occupational status was associated with more opportunities for development. Age was associated with fewer opportunities or greater constraints for development, especially for lower status workers.

Evidências na literatura apontam que com a prática de habilidades motoras com alta demanda cognitiva é adquirida uma representação mental. No entanto, freqüentemente observa-se que indivíduos com desempenho semelhante em uma mesma habilidade possuem distinta capacidade de adaptação, ou seja, apresentam desempenhos diferentes na execução da mesma habilidade em uma outra condição. A questão central deste estudo tem origem nesse aparente paradoxo: estruturas de representação mental de mesma natureza proverem capacidade de adaptação distinta. Há evidências na literatura de que o grau de liberdade de escolha do aprendiz pode afetar o processo de aquisição de habilidades motoras, sendo que um grau ótimo dessa liberdade proporcionaria a formação de uma representação mental que favorece a capacidade de adaptação. Assim, o objetivo do estudo foi investigar o efeito do grau de liberdade na escolha da resposta no processo adaptativo em aprendizagem motora. Foram realizados três experimentos, nos quais indivíduos que adquiriram uma representação mental, em três condições distintas de liberdade de escolha, foram testados em sua capacidade de adaptação a modificações da tarefa: perceptiva (EXPERIMENTO 1), efetora (EXPERIMENTO 2) e perceptivo-efetora (EXPERIMENTO 3). Participaram do estudo 139 voluntários com média de idade de 21 anos. Foi utilizada uma tarefa complexa de timing coincidente. Os resultados permitiram concluir que um alto grau de liberdade na escolha da resposta, durante a estabilização de uma habilidade motora, prejudica o processo de adaptação a uma modificação perceptivo-efetora da tarefa, havendo indicativo de que um grau médio é benéfico. Além disso, houve indícios de que o não fornecimento de liberdade de escolha prejudica a adaptação a uma modificação efetora da tarefa<br>Evidence on literature indicates that with the practice of a motor skill with high cognitive demand a mental representation is acquired. Nevertheless, it is frequently observed that individuals with similar performances in a skill have distinct adaptation capacity, e.g., they show different performances when executing the same skill in another condition. The main question of this study derives from this apparent paradox: mental representation structures of the same nature providing distinct adaptation capacity. There is evidence on literature that the learner?s degree of freedom of choice may affect the acquisition process of a motor skill, given that an optimal degree of that freedom would lead to the formation of a mental representation which favours the adaptation capacity. Thus, the purpouse of this study was to investigate the effect of the degree of freedom in response choice on adaptive process in motor learning. This matter was investigated in three experiments, in which individuals who acquired a mental representation in three distinct conditions of freedom in response choice were tested on their capacity to adapt to: perceptual (EXPERIMENT 1), motor (EXPERIMENT 2) and perceptual-motor (EXPERIMENT 3) task modifications. A hundred thrity-nine volunteers, with mean age of 21 years, took part in this study. A complex coincident timing task was used. The results allowed to conclude that a high degree of freedom in response choice, during the stabilization of a motor skill, impairs the adaptation process to a perceptual-motor modification of the task. Furthermore, the results suggest that a medium degree of freedom is beneficial to adapt to a perceptual-motor modification of the task and that not provinding freedom in response choice impairs the adaptation to a motor modification of the task

O objetivo desse estudo foi investigar os efeitos de diferentes estruturas de prática e freqüências de fornecimento de feedback na aprendizagem de habilidades motoras. Foram participantes 144 crianças entre 11 e 12 anos de idade. A tarefa foi o saque por cima do voleibol, executada com o objetivo de fazer com que a bola acertasse o centro de um alvo redondo localizado no lado oposto da quadra. As crianças foram distribuídas em oito grupos que resultaram da combinação das práticas constante, aleatória, constante-aleatória e aleatória-constante com as freqüências de fornecimento de feedback, 100% e 33%. O feedback utilizado foi o conhecimento de performance (CP), sendo que o mesmo foi baseado em uma lista de hierarquia de fornecimento de CP. O estudo envolveu duas fases experimentais: estabilização e adaptação, com a execução de 130 e 30 tentativas, respectivamente. Na fase de estabilização foi manipulada a variável independente ? tipo de prática e freqüência de CP ?, sendo que a prática aleatória foi manipulada em termos de diferentes regiões do saque. As variáveis dependentes referiram-se à pontuação relativa à meta do saque e ao padrão de movimento. Utilizou-se para análises intragrupo o teste de Friedman e para as análises entre grupos o teste Kruskal Wallis. Os resultados mostraram que não houve melhora no desempenho durante a fase de estabilização e que na fase de adaptação o desempenho de todos os grupos foi piorado. Sendo assim, os resultados não permitem concluir sobre os efeitos de diferentes estruturas de prática e freqüências de feedback extrínseco, uma vez que não foi observada a aprendizagem do saque por cima do voleibol<br>The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different practice schedules and different frequencies of external feedback in the motor skills learning. Participated in the study 144 children with ages between 11 and 12 years the took was the overhead serve of volleyball, which was performed with the objective of making the ball hit the center of a round target placed on the opposing court. The children were distributed in eight groups that resulted of the combination of the constant, random, constant-random, and random-constant practices schedules with the feedback frequencies of 100% and 33%. Knowledge of performance (KP) was used, and it was based on a hierarquy list of KP. The study involved two experimental phases: stabilization and adaptation, with 130 and 30 trials, respectively. In stabilization phase the independent variables ? practice schedule and KP frequency -, being that practice variability was in terms of different serving regions. Dependent variables were related to target accuracy and pattern of movement. The Friedman?s test was used for intragroup analyses and the Kruskal Wallis test for the comparisons between groups. The results showld that there isn?t improvement in the performance during the stabilization phase, and in the adaptation phase the performance of all groups was worsed. Therefore, the results not permit conclued about the effects of different practice schedules and KP frequencies, seen that was not observed the learning of the It was also observed the learning of the overhead serve in voleyball

Recentemente os efeitos de diferentes estruturas de prática na aprendizagem de habilidades motoras têm sido investigados sob um modelo de não-equilíbrio denominado Processo Adaptativo. Há indicativos de que, primeiramente, haja necessidade da prática constante para formar a estrutura da habilidade e, posteriormente, da prática aleatória para promover a sua diversificação. Entretanto, os estudos acerca da estruturação da prática incitam indagações relacionadas ao efeito da estrutura de prática que inclui alguma liberdade de escolha do aprendiz no processo adaptativo. Assim, o objetivo do estudo foi investigar os efeitos de diferentes estruturas de prática com liberdade de escolha na aprendizagem de habilidades motoras. Realizou-se um experimento que consistiu de duas fases: estabilização e adaptação. Na fase de estabilização, as 120 crianças participantes foram distribuídas em seis grupos formados pela associação entre as estruturas de prática constante e constante-aleatória e diferentes tipos de liberdade de escolha - da seqüência ou de alguns componentes para formar uma seqüência. Na fase de adaptação, os aprendizes foram testados em sua capacidade de se adaptar a uma modificação perceptivo-efetora da tarefa. Os resultados permitiram concluir que a estrutura de prática constante com liberdade na escolha de alguns componentes para formar a seqüência proporcionou melhor adaptação à nova tarefa<br>Recently the effects of practice schedules on motor skills learning have been investigated under a non-equilibrium model known as Adaptive Process. There are indicatives that, firstly, it has necessity of constant practice to form the skill?s structure and, later, of random practice to further its diversification. However, studies about practice schedules incite inquiries related with the effects of practice schedule that includes some freedom of choice of the learners in the adaptive process. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different practice schedules with freedom of choice on learning of motor skills. It was carried out one experiment that consisted of two phases: stabilization and adaptation. In the stabilization phase 120 children were assigned into six groups formed by association between constant and constant-random practice schedules and different kinds of freedom of choice (sequence or components). In the adaptation phase, the learners were submitted to perceptual-motor task modification. The results allowed to conclude that constant practice schedule with freedom in the components choice provided better adaptation to the new task

O objetivo desse estudo foi investigar o efeito de diferentes estruturas de prática no processo adaptativo de aprendizagem motora em função da validade ecológica da situação experimental. Participaram do estudo 104 crianças distribuídas em oito grupos experimentais (2 níveis de validade ecológica x 4 estruturas de prática). A tarefa foi rebater uma bola de tênis de mesa lançada por um equipamento ou pelo experimentador, com o objetivo de acertar um alvo localizado do lado oposto da mesa. O estudo envolveu duas fases: estabilização e adaptação. O desempenho foi analisado por meio da somatória e do coeficiente de variação dos pontos alcançados em blocos de dez tentativas. Os resultados mostraram que os efeitos das práticas constante, aleatória, constante-aleatória e aleatória-constante no processo adaptativo de aprendizagem motora foram similares em ambos os níveis de validade ecológica manipulados. Mas, diferente do verificado em situação de laboratório, a prática constante foi a estrutura menos efetiva no processo adaptativo de aprendizagem motora em ambas as situações experimentais<br>The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different practice schedules in the adaptive process of motor learning in relation to the experimental situations ecological validity. 104 children participated distributed in eight experimental groups (2 levels of ecological validity x 4 practice schedules). The task was to hit a table tennis ball thrown by equipment or experimenter, aiming to hit a target located on the opposite side of the table. The study comprised two phases: stabilization and adaptation. Performance was analyzed through the summation and variation coefficient of the points reached in ten trial blocks. Results showed that the effects of constant, random, constant-random and random-constant practice on adaptive process of motor learning were similar for both levels of ecological validity. But, different from what was observed on laboratory situations, constant practice was the less effective on adaptive process of motor learning in both experimental situations

O objetivo desse estudo foi investigar os efeitos de diferentes estruturas de prática no processo adaptativo da aprendizagem de uma tarefa de timing coincidente em função da idade. Crianças (n=40), adultos (n=47) e idosos (n=57) foram distribuídos em grupos de prática constante, aleatória, constante-aleatória e aleatória-constante. A tarefa consistiu em tocar certos alvos de forma seqüencial em integração a um estímulo visual. O delineamento envolveu duas fases de aprendizagem: estabilização e adaptação. Os dados foram analisados em relação aos erros absoluto, variável, constante e de execução. Os resultados mostraram que o processo adaptativo na aprendizagem de crianças, adultos e idosos de uma tarefa de timing coincidente foi beneficiado pela prática constante-aleatória<br>The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different practice schedule on the adaptive process of the coincident timing task learning in function of age. Children (n=40), adults (n=47) and elderly (n=57) were distributed in constant, random, constant-random and random-constant practices group. The task consisted of touching response keys sequentially in conjunction with a visual stimulus. The experimental design involved two learning phases: stabilization and adaptation. The data were analyzed in terms of absolute, variable, constant and execution errors. The results showed that adaptive process in the learning of children, adults and elderly of a coincident timing task was beneficed by constant-random practice

Muitas instituições de ensino superior (IES) buscam novas formas de aperfeiçoarem o processo ensino-aprendizagem visando adequarem as aulas tradicionais às tecnologias emergentes advindas da Web 2.0, como as mídias sociais. Nesse processo de reinvenção, o docente deve capacitar-se a ministrar aulas não apenas com o intuito de disseminar conhecimentos tácitos e explícitos, mas também de liderar os estudantes na sala de aula presencial e nos ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem, conduzindo-os a superarem suas expectativas quanto ao aprendizado. Analisando perfis de liderança existentes, a presente dissertação, focada em um Estudo de Caso, busca identificar qual o perfil ideal de liderança do docente em ambientes híbridos, utilizando-se para tal do Índice de Satisfação de Grupo, análise de gráficos e do discurso dos estudantes. O método de ensino adotado pelo docente foi o PBL (Problem Based Learning), dando-se ênfase ao desenvolvimento do pensamento critico. A pesquisa realizou-se junto a disciplinas do Departamento de Engenharia de Produção da EESC-USP, onde estudantes de graduação e pós-graduação foram desafiados pelo método PBL a pensarem de forma crítica na construção do próprio conhecimento. Os resultados obtidos por meio de questionários aplicados ao final dos semestres de 2011 e 2012 mostram que a liderança Laissez-faire não é indicada na fase de implantação do PBL, necessitando maior interferência do docente para a quebra do paradigma entre o modelo de ensino tradicional e o novo. Conclui-se que a conexão entre o processo ensino-aprendizagem tradicional e o novo possa ser feita por meio da liderança situacional, alternando a liderança transformacional e a transacional de acordo com o contexto, excluindo-se a Laissez-faire.<br>Many institutions have developed new ways to improve the teaching-learning process, trying to adequate the classes to the emerging new technologies based on Web 2.0, as in the case of social media. In this re-inventing process teachers must have the leadership skills both in classrooms and virtual learning environments, allowing the students to overcome their expectations of the learning process. This dissertation is focused on a case study that seeks to identify what is the ideal leadership profile into hybrid environments, using a group satisfaction index, graphical analysis and student speeching skills. The teaching methodology used by the teacher was the PBL (Problem-Based Learning) that emphasizes the critical mindset. The research was carried out during the disciplines into the Manufacturing Engineering graduation and post-graduation program of Universidade de São Paulo (USP) EESC department. The students were challenged by the PBL methodology to think about the best way to build their own know how. The data obtained with the application of questionaries in the 2011 and 2012 semesters showed that the \"Laissez-Faire\" leadership is not recommended during the PBL methodology implementation, requiring more interferences and attention from the teacher to break the paradigm of the traditional teaching models. The conclusion is that the connection between the traditional and the new teaching-learning processes can be built using situational leadership, alternating between transformational leadership and transactional models, contextually, excluding the Laissez-faire.

Forskning om entreprenörskap fokuserar på framgång som ignorerar den höga felfrekvensen av Nya företag. Många nya företag misslyckas så hur entreprenörer hantera det när deras företag misslyckas? Framgångsrika entreprenörer prisar fördelarna med misslyckande som en värdefull lärare. Resultatet av misslyckande regelbundet fylld med ekonomiska, sociala, psykologiska och fysiska hälsoproblem. Syftet med denna forskning är att bedöma företagets misslyckande upplevelser för företagare, från det ögonblick resultatet genom att  återhämtningen för att hantera företagande fel och avsluta för påverkan av den slutna företag.  I denna forskning aspekter av livet som påverka av entreprenörs fel undersöka ekonomiskt, socialt och psykologiskt att belysa faktorer som kan påverka mängden av kostnaderna för ett misslyckande. Därefter beskriver forskningen hur entreprenörer lära av misslyckanden. Den presenterar på resultaten av företagets misslyckande, inklusive hantera fel och återhämtning tillsammans med kognitiva och beteendemässiga utfall.<br>Research on entrepreneurship focuses on success which ignores the high failure rate of new ventures. Many new ventures fail so how entrepreneurs deal with it when their venture    fails? Successful entrepreneurs praising the advantages of failure as a valuable teacher. The result of failure is regularly filled with economic, social, psychological, and physical health disorder. The aim of this research is to assessment venture failure experiences for entrepreneurs, from the instant result through to recovery for coping with entrepreneurial failure and exit for impact of the closed venture. In this research, aspects of life affected by entrepreneurial failure examine economically, socially and psychologically in highlighting factors that may influence the amount of costs of failure. Next, the research describes how entrepreneurs learn from failure. It presents on the outcomes of venture failure, including coping with failure and recovery together with cognitive and behavioral outcomes. The main objective of the research study is to understand the failure from entrepreneurs    who have experienced it and also to make a theoretical framework of failure based on entrepreneurial venture failure experiences. Every entrepreneur starts up a venture with high expectations of achieving success. Failure can be emotionally disturbing, devastating,  painful, distressing and costly for the entrepreneur who may have to aspect the stigma of failure and the loss of reputation. The entrepreneur can get involved in grief, heartache, anxiety, depression, shame, rejection and discouragement (Politis &amp; Gabrielsson, 2009). The purpose of the research is to investigate how entrepreneurs realize and react to venture  failure. Moreover, entrepreneurs are looking for positive aspects of failure as enhancing experiences that help their coping with entrepreneurial failure, learning from failure, the willingness to begin a new venture and also trigger changes in upcoming decision-making. The purpose of the research is to take a view of the existed experience of failure, taking into consideration impact from the entrepreneurship.

Critical and enduring questions for teachers are whose ethics or what ethics they should be teaching in schools and how, given the pluralism of the wider society. The focus of this study is to establish whether it is possible to identify a common, non-relativist basis for what should be taught in Ethics Education and then to consider how such an approach might best be undertaken. This task involves finding some basis for ethics that we all have reason to accept and requires an understanding of the nature of moral development and learning. An interdisciplinary approach has been undertaken to investigate whether it is possible to find a common basis for ethics and to determine what constitutes the nature of moral development and learning. In the first instance, this interdisciplinary approach has been used to investigate whether there is justification for believing that as human beings we share certain characteristics and patterns of behaviour, or a common humanity, the features of which might suggest a common basis for ethics that we all have reason to accept. This investigation examines empirical findings and theoretical conclusions relating to the sociobiological, psychosocial and sociocultural dimensions of human beings to support the notion that we share a common humanity which is characterised by a number of features. These features include the deeply reciprocal nature of our relationships with one another and the sociocultural nature of our moral learnings. Moreover, we are a highly interdependent social species whose survival and well-being are dependent not only on cooperation with one another but also with sustaining a satisfactory ecological balance with other forms of life within dynamic, natural systems. This interdependence suggests that the norm of having care for one another and our world is one that we all have reason to accept. This norm, in turn, suggests a telos, or set of goals for ethics, that involve the creation of a just and caring society. However, in order to realise such a telos for ethics it is necessary to provide some specific theoretical and practical guidelines related to deciding what constitutes the nature and scope of care within specific contexts. Accordingly, the study undertakes a brief review of contemporary approaches to ethics to evaluate the extent to which these provide a means for realising the ethical form of life based in the norm of having care for one another and our world. This review suggests that feminist theories of care provide the most promising basis for delineating what it is to care for one another and our world. However, it is also acknowledged that there are a number of limitations with existing theories of care. This study, therefore, undertakes a conceptual analysis of the nature and scope of care and outlines an extended ethic of care. This theorising recognises that care for others is characterised by the dimensions of responsiveness, the exercise of responsible action and is refined and amended by critical reflection. It is acknowledged that justice is intrinsic to the nature of care as is the exercise of a range of virtues. The scope of our caring responsibilities is seen to extend to all others in the global community, as well as all other species, while also requiring care for self, and care for particular others for whom we may have special familial or work-related responsibilities. The evaluation of what constitutes caring practice is also discussed and it is acknowledged that caring practices must meet minimum requirements in terms of respect for basic human rights and should contribute to the welfare and well-being of the recipients of care. This specification of the nature and scope of care, in conjunction with a consideration of the nature of moral learning and development, provides a basis from which to develop a philosophical foundation as well as a set of aims and objectives for Ethics Education. It is acknowledged that students need to develop a wide range of cognitive, emotional and social competencies in order to understand what it means to care for self and others within specific socio-cultural contexts and also to develop the sense of empathetic connection and affiliation to others that translates moral decisions into responsible moral action. It is hoped that the study provides the basis for beginning a dialogue in schools that involves students, teachers, families and members of the wider community about what it means to live the ethical form of life and how education itself might promote broadly such a form of life.

Critical and enduring questions for teachers are whose ethics or what ethics they should be teaching in schools and how, given the pluralism of the wider society. The focus of this study is to establish whether it is possible to identify a common, non-relativist basis for what should be taught in Ethics Education and then to consider how such an approach might best be undertaken. This task involves finding some basis for ethics that we all have reason to accept and requires an understanding of the nature of moral development and learning. An interdisciplinary approach has been undertaken to investigate whether it is possible to find a common basis for ethics and to determine what constitutes the nature of moral development and learning. In the first instance, this interdisciplinary approach has been used to investigate whether there is justification for believing that as human beings we share certain characteristics and patterns of behaviour, or a common humanity, the features of which might suggest a common basis for ethics that we all have reason to accept. This investigation examines empirical findings and theoretical conclusions relating to the sociobiological, psychosocial and sociocultural dimensions of human beings to support the notion that we share a common humanity which is characterised by a number of features. These features include the deeply reciprocal nature of our relationships with one another and the sociocultural nature of our moral learnings. Moreover, we are a highly interdependent social species whose survival and well-being are dependent not only on cooperation with one another but also with sustaining a satisfactory ecological balance with other forms of life within dynamic, natural systems. This interdependence suggests that the norm of having care for one another and our world is one that we all have reason to accept. This norm, in turn, suggests a telos, or set of goals for ethics, that involve the creation of a just and caring society. However, in order to realise such a telos for ethics it is necessary to provide some specific theoretical and practical guidelines related to deciding what constitutes the nature and scope of care within specific contexts. Accordingly, the study undertakes a brief review of contemporary approaches to ethics to evaluate the extent to which these provide a means for realising the ethical form of life based in the norm of having care for one another and our world. This review suggests that feminist theories of care provide the most promising basis for delineating what it is to care for one another and our world. However, it is also acknowledged that there are a number of limitations with existing theories of care. This study, therefore, undertakes a conceptual analysis of the nature and scope of care and outlines an extended ethic of care. This theorising recognises that care for others is characterised by the dimensions of responsiveness, the exercise of responsible action and is refined and amended by critical reflection. It is acknowledged that justice is intrinsic to the nature of care as is the exercise of a range of virtues. The scope of our caring responsibilities is seen to extend to all others in the global community, as well as all other species, while also requiring care for self, and care for particular others for whom we may have special familial or work-related responsibilities. The evaluation of what constitutes caring practice is also discussed and it is acknowledged that caring practices must meet minimum requirements in terms of respect for basic human rights and should contribute to the welfare and well-being of the recipients of care. This specification of the nature and scope of care, in conjunction with a consideration of the nature of moral learning and development, provides a basis from which to develop a philosophical foundation as well as a set of aims and objectives for Ethics Education. It is acknowledged that students need to develop a wide range of cognitive, emotional and social competencies in order to understand what it means to care for self and others within specific socio-cultural contexts and also to develop the sense of empathetic connection and affiliation to others that translates moral decisions into responsible moral action. It is hoped that the study provides the basis for beginning a dialogue in schools that involves students, teachers, families and members of the wider community about what it means to live the ethical form of life and how education itself might promote broadly such a form of life.

Research and Development engineering is at the corner stone of humanity’s evolution. It is perceived to be a systematic creative process which ultimately improves the living standard of a society through the creation of new applications and products. The commercial paradigm that governs project selection, resource allocation and market penetration prevails when the focus shifts from pure research to applied research. Furthermore, the road to success through commercialisation is difficult for most inventors, especially in a vast and isolated country such as Australia which is located a long way from wealthy and developed economies. While market leading products are considered unique, the actual process to achieve these products is essentially the same; progressing from an idea, through development to an outcome (if successful). Unfortunately, statistics indicate that only 3% of ‘ideas’ are significantly successful, 4% are moderately successful, and the remainder ‘evaporate’ in that form (Michael Quinn, Chairman, Innovation Capital Associates Pty Ltd). This study demonstrates and analyses two techniques developed by the author which reduce uncertainty in the engineering design and development phase of new product development and therefore increase the probability of a successful outcome. This study expands the existing knowledge of the engineering design and development stage in the new product development process and is couched in the identification of practical methods, which have been successfully used to develop new products by Australian Small Medium Enterprise (SME) Excel Technology Group Pty Ltd (ETG). Process theory is the term most commonly used to describe scientific study that identifies occurrences that result from a specified input state to an output state, thus detailing the process used to achieve an outcome. The thesis identifies relevant material and analyses recognised and established engineering processes utilised in developing new products. The literature identified that case studies are a particularly useful method for supporting problem-solving processes in settings where there are no clear answers or where problems are unstructured, as in New Product Development (NPD). This study describes, defines, and demonstrates the process of new product development within the context of historical product development and a ‘live’ case study associated with an Australian Government START grant awarded to Excel Technology Group in 2004 to assist in the development of an image-based vehicle detection product. This study proposes two techniques which reduce uncertainty and thereby improve the probability of a successful outcome. The first technique provides a predicted project development path or forward engineering plan which transforms the initial ‘fuzzy idea’ into a potential and achievable outcome. This process qualifies the ‘fuzzy idea’ as a potential, rationale or tangible outcome which is within the capability of the organisation. Additionally, this process proposes that a tangible or rationale idea can be deconstructed in reverse engineering process in order to create a forward engineering development plan. A detailed structured forward engineering plan reduces the uncertainty associated with new product development unknowns and therefore contributes to a successful outcome. This is described as the RETRO technique. The study recognises however that this claim requires qualification and proposes a second technique. The second technique proposes that a two dimensional spatial representation which has productivity and consumed resources as its axes, provides an effective means to qualify progress and expediently identify variation from the predicted plan. This spatial representation technique allows a quick response which in itself has a prediction attribute associated with directing the project back onto its predicted path. This process involves a coterminous comparison between the predicted development path and the evolving actual project development path. A consequence of this process is verification of progress or the application of informed, timely and quantified corrective action. This process also identifies the degree of success achieved in the engineering design and development phase of new product development where success is defined as achieving a predicted outcome. This spatial representation technique is referred to as NPD Mapping. The study demonstrates that these are useful techniques which aid SMEs in achieving successful new product outcomes because the technique are easily administered, measure and represent relevant development process related elements and functions, and enable expedient quantified responsive action when the evolving path varies from the predicted path. These techniques go beyond time line representations as represented in GANTT charts and PERT analysis, and represent the base variables of consumed resource and productivity/technical achievement in a manner that facilitates higher level interpretation of time, effort, degree of difficulty, and product complexity in order to facilitate informed decision making. This study presents, describes, analyses and demonstrates an SME focused engineering development technique, developed by the author, that produces a successful new product outcome which begins with a ‘fuzzy idea’ in the mind of the inventor and concludes with a successful new product outcome that is delivered on time and within budget. Further research on a wider range of SME organisations undertaking new product development is recommended.

Research and Development engineering is at the corner stone of humanity’s evolution. It is perceived to be a systematic creative process which ultimately improves the living standard of a society through the creation of new applications and products. The commercial paradigm that governs project selection, resource allocation and market penetration prevails when the focus shifts from pure research to applied research. Furthermore, the road to success through commercialisation is difficult for most inventors, especially in a vast and isolated country such as Australia which is located a long way from wealthy and developed economies. While market leading products are considered unique, the actual process to achieve these products is essentially the same; progressing from an idea, through development to an outcome (if successful). Unfortunately, statistics indicate that only 3% of ‘ideas’ are significantly successful, 4% are moderately successful, and the remainder ‘evaporate’ in that form (Michael Quinn, Chairman, Innovation Capital Associates Pty Ltd). This study demonstrates and analyses two techniques developed by the author which reduce uncertainty in the engineering design and development phase of new product development and therefore increase the probability of a successful outcome. This study expands the existing knowledge of the engineering design and development stage in the new product development process and is couched in the identification of practical methods, which have been successfully used to develop new products by Australian Small Medium Enterprise (SME) Excel Technology Group Pty Ltd (ETG). Process theory is the term most commonly used to describe scientific study that identifies occurrences that result from a specified input state to an output state, thus detailing the process used to achieve an outcome. The thesis identifies relevant material and analyses recognised and established engineering processes utilised in developing new products. The literature identified that case studies are a particularly useful method for supporting problem-solving processes in settings where there are no clear answers or where problems are unstructured, as in New Product Development (NPD). This study describes, defines, and demonstrates the process of new product development within the context of historical product development and a ‘live’ case study associated with an Australian Government START grant awarded to Excel Technology Group in 2004 to assist in the development of an image-based vehicle detection product. This study proposes two techniques which reduce uncertainty and thereby improve the probability of a successful outcome. The first technique provides a predicted project development path or forward engineering plan which transforms the initial ‘fuzzy idea’ into a potential and achievable outcome. This process qualifies the ‘fuzzy idea’ as a potential, rationale or tangible outcome which is within the capability of the organisation. Additionally, this process proposes that a tangible or rationale idea can be deconstructed in reverse engineering process in order to create a forward engineering development plan. A detailed structured forward engineering plan reduces the uncertainty associated with new product development unknowns and therefore contributes to a successful outcome. This is described as the RETRO technique. The study recognises however that this claim requires qualification and proposes a second technique. The second technique proposes that a two dimensional spatial representation which has productivity and consumed resources as its axes, provides an effective means to qualify progress and expediently identify variation from the predicted plan. This spatial representation technique allows a quick response which in itself has a prediction attribute associated with directing the project back onto its predicted path. This process involves a coterminous comparison between the predicted development path and the evolving actual project development path. A consequence of this process is verification of progress or the application of informed, timely and quantified corrective action. This process also identifies the degree of success achieved in the engineering design and development phase of new product development where success is defined as achieving a predicted outcome. This spatial representation technique is referred to as NPD Mapping. The study demonstrates that these are useful techniques which aid SMEs in achieving successful new product outcomes because the technique are easily administered, measure and represent relevant development process related elements and functions, and enable expedient quantified responsive action when the evolving path varies from the predicted path. These techniques go beyond time line representations as represented in GANTT charts and PERT analysis, and represent the base variables of consumed resource and productivity/technical achievement in a manner that facilitates higher level interpretation of time, effort, degree of difficulty, and product complexity in order to facilitate informed decision making. This study presents, describes, analyses and demonstrates an SME focused engineering development technique, developed by the author, that produces a successful new product outcome which begins with a ‘fuzzy idea’ in the mind of the inventor and concludes with a successful new product outcome that is delivered on time and within budget. Further research on a wider range of SME organisations undertaking new product development is recommended.

System dynamics modelling has been used for around 40 years to address complex, systemic, dynamic problems, those often described as wicked. But, system dynamics modelling is not an exact science and arguments about the most suitable techniques to use in which circumstances, continues. The nature of these wicked problems is investigated through a series of case studies where poor situational awareness among stakeholders was identified. This was found to be an underlying cause for management failure, suggesting need for better ways of recognising and managing wicked problem situations. Human cognition is considered both as a limitation and enabler to decision-making in wicked problem environments. Naturalistic and deliberate decision-making are reviewed. The thesis identifies the need for integration of qualitative and quantitative techniques. Case study results and a review of the literature led to identification of a set of principles of method to be applied in an integrated framework, the aim being to develop an improved way of addressing wicked problems. These principles were applied to a series of cases in an action research setting. However, organisational and political barriers were encountered. This limited the exploitation and investigation of cases to varying degrees. In response to a need identified in the literature review and the case studies, a tool is designed to facilitate analysis of multi-factorial, non-linear causality. This unique tool and its use to assist in problem conceptualisation, and as an aid to testing alternate strategies, are demonstrated. Further investigation is needed in relation to the veracity of combining causal influences using this tool and system dynamics, broadly. System dynamics modelling was found to have utility needed to support analysis of wicked problems. However, failure in a particular modelling project occurred when it was found necessary to rely on human judgement in estimating values to be input into the models. This was found to be problematic and unacceptably risky for sponsors of the modelling effort. Finally, this work has also identified that further study is required into: the use of human judgement in decision-making and the validity of system dynamics models that rely on the quantification of human judgement.

碩士<br>國立臺南大學<br>諮商與輔導學系碩士班<br>98<br>The purpose of this study was to explore the adaptive process of counseling trainees facing counseling-learning challenge. Through semi-structure interviews, four counseling trainees participated were asked about how they adapted when facing hardships in counseling-learning. The research method is a narrative research approach and Holistic-Content analysis is used in data analysis. The results are as follow: 1.The challenges in counseling-learning:Studies show that different challenges resulting from the different majors in the university in the early counseling-learning stage, lack of self-confidence, competition in the classroom environment, gap between hope and real life produces difficulties. In practical counseling situations, Counseling trainees feel helpless because instructors cannot provide practical assistance. Personal issues also produce problems when handling cases; furthermore, they feel a lack of support from people around when facing challenges. 2. The adaptive process in facing counseling-learning challenges: Studies show that when facing difficulties, counseling trainees use the support of self-belief, actively seek help and advice from others to reduce anxiety, continuously reflect when facing challenges, change of attitude from pessimism to optimism, develop positive interpretations toward difficulties, and build-up confidence from feedbacks. The recommendations proposed from the results and conclusions of the study can be the reference for graduates, counselors, educators and future researches.

碩士<br>東海大學<br>工業工程研究所<br>86<br>Computer-aided process planning ( CAPP ) , along with the reducing life cycle and increasing variety of the products, must be capable of offering the shortcut for transformation from the products design to the manufacturing route, by the phase of improving the efficiency and reducing the necessity of humanbeen involvement. For increasing the correctness of process plans, an expert system was developed to offer the expert-thinking-based process planning rules. For increasing the flexibility of the process plans, it needs to make the process planning system embody the adaptive-learning ability. By the reasons, this research employs dynamic integrated system structure with two cooperative fuzzy neural networks and expert system to establish an integrated process planning system for improving the efficiency of the CAPP. To establish the neural network system to give the process planning system learning ability, this research employed a back-propagation neural network(BPN), embodying fuzzy logic rule, to evaluate the properties of process plans for the workpiece. For similar workpieces, the system will retrieve the proper existing process plans. Otherwise, the expert system will be activated to plan the new process plan for it. Then the new information can be fed back to the neural network for retraining to remember the experience of the new workpieces. The system developed for this research can be applied to various domain of manufacturing. Through this research, the various developed functional modules of the process planning system apply the experts’ inference logic and the dynamic learning ability. For the phase of dynamic evaluation for promoting the human decision in the traditional process planning activities, the system can offer more flexibility and more correctness to the process planning system

abstract: Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative condition diagnosed on patients with clinical history and motor signs of tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia, and the estimated number of patients living with Parkinson's disease around the world is seven to ten million. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) provides substantial relief of the motor signs of Parkinson's disease patients. It is an advanced surgical technique that is used when drug therapy is no longer sufficient for Parkinson's disease patients. DBS alleviates the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease by targeting the subthalamic nucleus using high-frequency electrical stimulation. This work proposes a behavior recognition model for patients with Parkinson's disease. In particular, an adaptive learning method is proposed to classify behavioral tasks of Parkinson's disease patients using local field potential and electrocorticography signals that are collected during DBS implantation surgeries. Unique patterns exhibited between these signals in a matched feature space would lead to distinction between motor and language behavioral tasks. Unique features are first extracted from deep brain signals in the time-frequency space using the matching pursuit decomposition algorithm. The Dirichlet process Gaussian mixture model uses the extracted features to cluster the different behavioral signal patterns, without training or any prior information. The performance of the method is then compared with other machine learning methods and the advantages of each method is discussed under different conditions.<br>Dissertation/Thesis<br>Masters Thesis Electrical Engineering 2015

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)<br>The main contributions in this thesis include the selectively decentralized method in solving multi-agent reinforcement learning problems and the discretized Markov-decision-process (MDP) algorithm to compute the sub-optimal learning policy in completely unknown learning and control problems. These contributions tackle several challenges in multi-agent reinforcement learning: the unknown and dynamic nature of the learning environment, the difficulty in computing the closed-form solution of the learning problem, the slow learning performance in large-scale systems, and the questions of how/when/to whom the learning agents should communicate among themselves. Through this thesis, the selectively decentralized method, which evaluates all of the possible communicative strategies, not only increases the learning speed, achieves better learning goals but also could learn the communicative policy for each learning agent. Compared to the other state-of-the-art approaches, this thesis’s contributions offer two advantages. First, the selectively decentralized method could incorporate a wide range of well-known algorithms, including the discretized MDP, in single-agent reinforcement learning; meanwhile, the state-of-the-art approaches usually could be applied for one class of algorithms. Second, the discretized MDP algorithm could compute the sub-optimal learning policy when the environment is described in general nonlinear format; meanwhile, the other state-of-the-art approaches often assume that the environment is in limited format, particularly in feedback-linearization form. This thesis also discusses several alternative approaches for multi-agent learning, including Multidisciplinary Optimization. In addition, this thesis shows how the selectively decentralized method could successfully solve several real-worlds problems, particularly in mechanical and biological systems.

碩士<br>中原大學<br>工業工程研究所<br>100<br>With competitions between enterprises, it is importance and necessary to control costs and quality of products. Therefore, the development of prediction system is tending to become a significant role in last decades. The models of the system including model simulation, statistical prediction, regression analysis and various soft computing have been generally used in the prediction system. its accuracy is also increasing gradually. However, the major component of building the models is a large number of data. Under the circumstance, the prediction system is difficult to be implemented under the small batch and new producing lines situations. The purpose of this study is to develop a real-time adaptive learning prediction system, which can be utilized in a small sample, such as production shortfall in the early stages of producing. Moreover, this model can be adjusted in accordance with different specifications of operation conditions. This research is to develop a gray prediction system associated with gray relational analysis, which is use select the input factors of the system. Furthermore, a gray prediction theory would work as framework to build a real-time adaptive learning prediction system with a small number of data. The gray prediction implemented the result of accumulated generating operation, the calculation of gray values, effect data and establishes information anticipation with a small-scale model through the trend of characteristics of. This study applied the model to predict the surface roughness in milling operations. The correlation between cutting forces and surface roughness has been analyzed. With proper cutting force as input factors, a gray real time adaptive learning surface roughness prediction system in milling operations is built. The system does not need any training data in advance to construct the prediction model. It would only use limited data from trial production or set up to create the real-time prediction model for each production batch. To evaluate reliability and accuracy of the system, the model would be compared with a traditional neural network prediction model of a large sample. The result of comparison between these two models shows no significant difference. The time and cost of collecting and data and training model are significantly reduced.

Μια από τις μεγαλύτερες προκλήσεις στις μέρες μας αποτελεί η εξαγωγή και η κατανόηση του πλήθους των πληροφοριών που βρίσκονται κρυμμένες στα βιολογικά δεδομένα. Ο καταιγισμός των πληροφοριών που προέρχονται από τη βιολογική έρευνα είναι τόσο σύνθετος που χρειάζεται να αναλυθεί με τη χρήση προηγμένων υπολογιστικών μεθόδων. Αυτό οδήγησε στη Βιοπληροφορική, έναν επαναστατικό επιστημονικό τομέα, ο οποίος εφαρμόζει στοιχεία της επιστήμης των υπολογιστών και της τεχνολογίας των πληροφοριών για τη διαχείριση των βιολογικών δεδομένων. Ο κλάδος της Βιοπληροφορικής σήμερα θεωρείται, παγκοσμίως, ένας από τους πλέον εξελισσόμενους, ενώ έχει ήδη επιδείξει σημαντικά επιτεύγματα και έχει συγκεντρώσει ιδιαίτερα σημαντικές διακρίσεις. Η εκπαίδευση εξειδικευμένων ατόμων σε θέματα Βιοπληροφορικής αποτελεί ιδιαίτερη πρόκληση, καθώς οι εκπαιδευόμενοι προέρχονται από τον τομέα της Βιολογίας ή της Πληροφορικής, παρουσιάζοντας γι' αυτόν τον λόγο μεγάλες διαφορές στο μαθησιακό τους υπόβαθρο. Επιπλέον, δημοσιεύονται συνεχώς καινούριες μέθοδοι επεξεργασίας βιολογικών δεδομένων, καθιστώντας το δύσκολο ακόμα και για κάποιον εκπαιδευτικό να παρακολουθεί την εξέλιξη και να ενημερώνει το εκπαιδευτικό περιεχόμενο των μαθημάτων του. Την ίδια στιγμή, η τεχνολογία της ηλεκτρονικής εκμάθησης έχει γίνει ένα εναλλακτικό μαθησιακό πρότυπο. Κατά τη διάρκεια του 20ού αιώνα, για τους περισσότερους από εμάς, η έννοια της μάθησης ήταν συνυφασμένη με τις παραδοσιακές αίθουσες διδασκαλίας. Όμως, από τον 21ο αιώνα άρχισε να κυριαρχεί μια νέα κουλτούρα μάθησης. Χάρη στην κατάλληλη χρήση των τεχνολογιών πληροφορίας, των δικτύων και των πολυμέσων, μαθητές και ερευνητές οι οποίοι διαχωρίζονται από την απόσταση, συνδέονται τεχνολογικά. Η γνώση γίνεται διαθέσιμη στο σύγχρονο ακαδημαϊκό και επαγγελματικό κόσμο, χωρίς χωρικούς ή χρονικούς περιορισμούς. Η συνεχώς αυξανόμενη υποδομή των ψηφιακών δικτύων ενισχύει την ικανότητα για πρόσβαση και χρήση απεριόριστων πηγών και εργαλείων. Επιπλέον, η ηλεκτρονική μάθηση εκτείνεται πέρα από την απλή πρόσβαση στην πληροφορία, αλλά βασίζεται στην επικοινωνία και στην αλληλεπίδραση των ατόμων που συμμετέχουν στη διαδικασία της μάθησης. Οι πλατφόρμες της ηλεκτρονικής εκμάθησης είναι ιδιαίτερα χρήσιμες και στην εκπαίδευση της Βιοπληροφορικής, καθώς μπορούν να βελτιώσουν την ποιότητα της διδασκαλίας και να μειώσουν τον χρόνο που απαιτείται για τη διαχείριση του εκπαιδευτικού υλικού. Πέραν τούτου, το αντικείμενο της Βιοπληροφορικής είναι πλήρως συνυφασμένο με τη χρήση του Διαδικτύου, καθώς μέσω αυτού μπορούν να βρεθούν πολλές πηγές δεδομένων και χρήσιμα εργαλεία. Στην παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία, προηγμένες διαδικασίες ηλεκτρονικής μάθησης έχουν αναπτυχθεί ώστε να εισαγάγουν ολοένα και περισσότερους μαθητές στην επαναστατική επιστήμη της Βιοπληροφορικής. Μια σύγχρονη διαδικτυακή εφαρμογή, η οποία όχι μόνο αποθηκεύει και διαχειρίζεται τον πλούτο της γνώσης και της εμπειρίας της ερευνητικής ομάδας «Υπολογιστικής Βιολογίας και Βιοπληροφορικής» του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών, αλλά επιπλέον επιτρέπει στους χρήστες του συστήματος να προβάλλουν, οπουδήποτε και οποτεδήποτε, και να αλληλεπιδρούν με το πλούσιο μαθησιακό περιεχόμενο το οποίο παρουσιάζεται με τη μορφή κειμένων, υπερκειμένων,εικόνων, παρουσιάσεων και βίντεο. Δημοσιεύσεις σε συνέδρια και περιοδικά, ερευνητικά έργα, διπλωματικές εργασίες, παρουσιάσεις, εργαλεία και ανακοινώσεις είναι μόνο μερικά δείγματα της καθημερινής συνεισφοράς και της ανεκτίμητης προσπάθειας της ερευνητικής ομάδας. Πλήθος πληροφοριών, καλά οργανωμένων και δυναμικά ανανεώσιμων, είναι πάντα στη διάθεση μας. Σημαντικότατο στοιχείο του συστήματος ηλεκτρονικής εκμάθησης αποτελεί η ευφυΐα του, με άλλα λόγια η ικανότητα παροχής μιας εξατομικευμένης μαθησιακής πορείας στον κάθε εκπαιδευόμενο, με βάση το επίπεδο γνώσεων, τις μαθησιακές ανάγκες αλλά και την πρόοδο του. Επιπρόσθετα, η εν λόγω διαδικτυακή εφαρμογή εκμάθησης της Βιοπληροφορικής ευνοεί τη δημιουργία μαθησιακών κοινοτήτων οι οποίες ενισχύουν τη συνεργασία, την επικοινωνία αλλά και την αλληλεπίδραση μεταξύ εκπαιδευτών και εκπαιδευόμενων, όπως δηλαδή συμβαίνει σε μία παραδοσιακή αίθουσα διδασκαλίας. Όμως, μέσα από την ηλεκτρονική μάθηση, ο εκπαιδευόμενος αποτελεί πλέον το «κέντρο της μαθησιακής διαδικασίας», καθώς μετατρέπεται από παθητικό σε ενεργό δέκτη της μάθησης, επιλέγοντας το πώς και τι μαθαίνει.<br>One of the greatest challenges today is the extraction and comprehension of the huge mass of information hidden in biological data. The flood of information that comes from the biological research is so complex that needs to be analyzed by means of advanced computational methods. This has given rise to Bioinformatics, a revolutionary scientific field which applies elements of computer science and information technology to the management of this biological information. Bioinformatics is now considered, worldwide, as one of the most evolving fields since it has already demonstrated some very significant achievements and it has gathered really important distinctions. Training students in Bioinformatics is an important challenge as they have big academic differences and their learning background is either in Biology or in Informatics. Moreover, new methods for biological data processing are being published frequently and it is very hard even for professionals in the field of Bioinformatics to follow the new publications and renew the material of their courses. At the same time, the e-learning technology has become an alternative learning standard. During the 20th century, for most of us, the concept of learning was intertwined with the traditional classrooms. But, since the 21st century a new culture of learning has begun. Thanks to the proper use of modern information technologies, networks and multimedia, students and researches who are separated by distance, get technologically connected. Knowledge becomes available to the contemporary academic and professional world, without any geographical restrictions or time limits. The growing infrastructure of digital networks enhances the ability to access and use unlimited resources and tools. Furthermore, e-learning extends beyond simple access to information, but it is based on the communication and interaction of people involved in the learning process. The e-learning platforms are particularly useful in Bioinformatics education, as they can improve the quality of teaching and reduce the time required for the administration of educational material. Furthermore, the scientific field of Bioinformatics is completely interwoven with the use of the Internet due to the fact that many data sources and software tools are accessible through it. In this thesis, advanced e-learning processes have been developed in order to introduce more and more students to the revolutionary science of Bioinformatics. A modern web application which not only stores and manages the wealth of knowledge and experience provided by the Computational Biology and Bioinformatics group of the University of Patras, but also permits visitors to visualize, anywhere and anytime, and interact with this rich learning content which is presented in the form of text, hypertext, images, presentations and videos. Publications in conferences and journals, research projects, theses, presentations, tools, latest news and announcements are just some demonstrations of the daily contribution and the priceless effort spent by this group. A great deal of information, securely organized and dynamically updated, always at our disposal. The most important element of this e-learning application is its intelligence, in other words its ability to provide a personalized learning path to each student, based on his level of knowledge, his learning needs and the progress made in every step of the e-learning training. In addition, this Bioinformatics e-learning application, favors the creation of learning communities which enhance collaboration, communication and interaction between trainers and trainees, as that occurs in a traditional classroom. However, through e-learning, the trainee becomes the "center of the learning process", as he turns from a passive to an active receiver of learning, by choosing how and what he learns.

There are mounting concerns to ensure that children are prepared for the literacy demands of the 21st century. Reading inability at 9 years of age portends a lifetime of illiteracy for the majority of struggling readers. Given the greater weight placed on expository text from the junior grades onwards, children with reading disabilities become increasingly constrained by their reading deficits, putting them at risk of falling ever further behind their normally achieving peers. This ethnographic study, extending over an 8 month period and finishing on the last day of the school year, targeted older poor readers at the junior level. Less is known about their reading deficits, relative to younger struggling readers. Therefore, the first of three principal objectives aimed to extend understanding of the processes whereby older poor readers interact with expository text by providing a qualitative finer-grained assessment of their particular difficulties than presently exists. The second objective was focused on developing and implementing a cohesive program of research-based interventions that targeted critical requirements of successful interactions with expository text, including the ability to summarize, locate information, and attend to text structure. The third objective involved establishing and describing a collaborative, intensive research partnership with two classroom teachers at the junior level to implement and evaluate research-grounded interventions for their students with reading difficulties, working within the context of the regular classroom. The dual researcher role, as collaborator with the teachers and instigator of the intervention program, shaped a reconfigured model of special education, responsive to a diverse range of student needs and abilities, and situated within a content-rich, challenging curriculum. Parallel lessons afforded the opportunity to tier instruction with increasing intensity for the children with the highest needs. Results showed the critical importance of aggressively promoting self-efficacy, self-regulation, and metacognitve awareness for older struggling readers. As these children’s strategic repertoire increased, so, too, did their comprehension and comprehension-monitoring. Differentiated instruction that was tiered, flexible, and responsive supported social inclusion and social collaboration. Social context and authentic content became interwoven and instrumental in engaging the children, maintaining their motivation and sustaining their commitment to read to learn.<br>Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2010-01-27 15:10:03.202