Surprise and change: Variations in the strength of present and absent cues in causal learning     

Wasserman EA  Castro L 《Learning & behavior》2005,33(2):131-146

It is said that “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” But, when and why does an absent event become salient to the heart or to the brain? An absent event may become salient when its nonoccurrence is surprising. Van Hamme and Wasserman (1994) found that a nonpresented but expected stimulus can actually change its associative status—and in the opposite direction from a presented stimulus. Associative models like that of Rescorla and Wagner (1972) focus only on presented cues; so, they cannot explain this result. However, absent cues can be permitted to change their value by assigning different learning parameters to present and absent cues. Van Hamme and Wasserman revised the Rescorla-Wagner model so that the α parameter is positive for present cues, but negative for absent cues; now, changes in the associative strength of absent cues move in the opposite direction as presented ones. This revised Rescorla-Wagner model can thus explain such otherwise vexing empirical findings as backward blocking, recovery from overshadowing, and backward conditioned inhibition. Moreover, the revised model predicts new effects. For example, explicit information about the absence of nonpresented cues should increase their salience (that is, their negative α value should be larger), leading to stronger associative changes than when no explicit mention is made of cue absence. Support for this prediction is detailed in a new causal judgment experiment in which participants rated the effectiveness of different foods’ triggering a patient’s allergic reaction. Overall, these and other findings encourage us to view human causal learning from an associative perspective.  相似文献   

Computers and education outside school     

Claudio de Moura Castro  Torkel Alfthan 《Prospects》1990,20(2):187-196

Has also been director or executive secretary of several educational projects in Brazil. Author of some twenty books and of numerous articles on education, training, science and technology.  相似文献   

Soviet higher education: an alternative construct to the western university paradigm     

Alex Kuraev 《Higher Education》2016,71(2):181-193

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Income and Social Rank Influence UK Children's Behavioral Problems: A Longitudinal Analysis          下载免费PDF全文

Elisabeth A. Garratt  Tarani Chandola  Kingsley Purdam  Alex M. Wood 《Child development》2017,88(4):1302-1320

Children living in low‐income households face elevated risks of behavioral problems, but the impact of absolute and relative income to this risk remains unexplored. Using the U.K. Millennium Cohort Study data, longitudinal associations between Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores and absolute household income, distance from the regional median and mean income, and regional income rank were examined in 3‐ to 12‐year‐olds (n = 16,532). Higher absolute household incomes were associated with lower behavioral problems, while higher income rank was associated with lower behavioral problems only at the highest absolute incomes. Higher absolute household incomes were associated with lower behavioral problems among children in working households, indicating compounding effects of income and socioeconomic advantages. Both absolute and relative incomes therefore appear to influence behavioral problems.  相似文献   

Attitudes towards genetics: a case study among Brazilian high school students     

Massarani L  Moreira Ide C 《Public understanding of science (Bristol, England)》2005,14(2):201-212

The objective of our study was to investigate young people's attitudes towards modern genetics and biotechnology. Quantitative and qualitative studies were conducted among high school students in Rio de Janeiro. These included a survey of students in nine public and private schools as well as focus groups for a complementary analysis of their attitudes and perceptions with respect to these subjects. We observe that, in general, students are relatively well informed about some of the main issues related to the applications of genetics. In their assessment of the utility, the potential risks, and the need for encouragement of the different techniques used in genetic manipulation, they were able to make clear distinctions between the different purposes of each technique. Most students believed that transgenic food could be useful and that it should be encouraged, but they were also aware that there were risks involved. Furthermore, the students were strongly supportive of the labeling of transgenic food.  相似文献   

Teaching Probability for Conceptual Change La Enseñanza De La Probabilidad Por Cambio Conceptual     

César Sáenz Castro 《Educational Studies in Mathematics》1998,35(3):233-254

This work presents a theoretical proposal for a methodology for the teaching of probability theory. The theoretical proposal has a dual inspiration: (1) the epistemological approach of Lakatos (1978b) regarding the quasi-empirical nature of mathematical theories; (2) the perspective of conceptual change for the teaching-learning process, as formulated by Strike and Posner (1992). The scientific content taught and the didactic methods used in the classroom should, according to this proposal, respect and conform to this dual inspiration. We also present an evaluation of the methodology in a real context: six Spanish high school classes of students aged 14–15. The main purpose of the research was to answer this question: Is our didactic proposal more effective than traditional methodology? We operatively identify the concept of traditional teaching, and establish several indicators of effectiveness: the mastery of elementary probability calculations, the quality of intuitive reasoning in probability, and the conceptual and attitudinal change produced. We found significant differences on all indicators, except for attitudinal change, in favour of the group that followed our proposal.  相似文献   

Zum Problem der Hochschulreform in Spanien: Einige Ausgewählte Daten     

Val  José Cajide  Philipp  Rita Radl  Castro  Ana Porto 《International Review of Education/Internationale Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft/Revue internationale l'éducation》1998,44(5-6):583-596

Over the past ten years there has been a sweeping reform of the courses taught and qualifications awarded by Spanish universities. For that reason, an investigation was launched in 1996–97 at the University of Santiago de Compostela (in Northwest Spain) into the teaching, research and management entailed in four new degree courses: physics (years one to four), agricultural engineering (first and second years), agricultural food-processing technology (years one to three) and pharmacy. This article reports on students' opinions of the reforms in these courses, revealing dissatisfaction with facilities for practical course work, lack of connection with prospective employment, and a call for more information about courses.  相似文献   

Vocational and technical training: Setting the record straight     

Claudio de Moura Castro 《Prospects》1999,29(1):37-54

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Sustainability, crossdisciplinarity and higher education --From an agronomic point of view   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Alex Koutsouris 《美中教育评论》2009,6(3):13-27

Nowadays, there is a growing conviction （at least in rhetoric） that sustainability is an idea whose time has come with education being a critical component in the transition towards a sustainable future. In the field of higher agricultural education, systemic approaches have, among others, triggered a lively dialogue. Topics include the challenge of sustainable agricultural development, the understanding of agriculture as the interface between people and their environment, integrated curricula （i.e. multi- inter- and trans-disciplinary approaches）, etc. Such powerful debates have （sometimes radical） consequences for the whole curriculum design, i.e. the nature of goals, content （knowledge）, and processes （learning methodologies）. However, the still dominant scientific paradigm of reductionism, the strong traditions of disciplines and the prevailing approach to agricultural development impede changes towards a new educational paradigm in higher education. Nonetheless, such a new paradigm should be supported if universities are to keep pace in a changing world.  相似文献   

The ‘collateral impact’ of pupil behaviour and geographically concentrated socio‐economic disadvantage     

Alex Hugh David 《British Journal of Sociology of Education》2010,31(3):261-276

Schools in areas of concentrated disadvantage tend to have below‐average attainment, but there is no consensus on why. Mental and behavioural disorders in children are correlated with socio‐economic disadvantage. This paper puts forward the hypothesis that the first phenomenon can at least partly be accounted for by the second phenomenon through the concept of ‘collateral impact’ – collateral impact refers to the effect of externalising or internalising behaviour by a pupil on other pupils' learning and attainment. The argument developing the hypothesis is presented. An analysis of where evidence to support the hypothesis is most likely to be found identifies primary schools in areas of concentrated disadvantage, although testing of the proposed hypothesis would best be conducted by independent researchers to pre‐empt questions of confirmability. Potential implications for policy and practice are discussed, particularly managing difficult group behaviour in primary schools.  相似文献