Motivation

The ability of humans and animals to survive in a constantly changing environment is a testament to the power of biological processes. At any given instant in our lives, we are faced with an enormous number of sensory stimuli, and we can typically generate an equally large number of behaviors. How do we learn to ignore irrelevant information and suppress inappropriate behavior so that we may function in a complex environment? In this chapter we discuss motivation, the internal force that produces actions reflecting the interactions between our needs and the demands of our environment. We will first discuss what psychologists mean when they refer to motivation, and then review neural network theories that can expbin how motivation arises within biological nervous systems.Sloan Fellowship (BR-3122): Air Force Office of Scientific Research (F49620-92-J-0499, F49620-92-J-0334

Specialist Classroom Teacher Mentoring and Knowledge Generativity: Exploring trust, support, challenge, risk-taking, and confidence.

The Specialist Classroom Teacher (SCT) position involves a mentoring function that is an integral part of mentoring and induction programmes for teacher-mentees in secondary and area schools in New Zealand. SCT-mentor and teacher-mentee relationships should be confidential and high trust relationships and should involve professional growth for each teacher-mentee as an increase in capacity. This small scale qualitative study involves three purposefully selected cases each of which comprises a SCT-mentor working collaboratively with a teacher-mentee. Challenge, for professional growth as generativity of new practice and/or knowledge for the mentee, should be evident within the mentoring relationship. This study begins by examining documentation on the SCT position and how the position relates to mentoring for generativity. A conceptual model provides a focus for the review of the literature because it identifies some of the key concepts initially considered to be central to mentor-mentee interactions. These concepts include trust, support, risk-taking, and challenge, and to these is added confidence because this concept emerged in the data. Primary data is collected from two naturally occurring mentoring meetings involving each SCT-mentor and teacher-mentee only. This data is analysed and used to formulate questions for one semi-structured interview involving the researcher and each participant pair for each case. Participant perceptions of the concepts and concept interactions within each relationship are sought from interpretive and phenomenological approaches within the interviews. Whereas there is a major focus on support as a mentoring function in the literature, this study found that trust is the basis of each mentoring relationship and that trust underpins the generative process. Discussion centres on the relationship between trust and support, and significantly confidence emerged as a concept that leads to risk-taking behaviour. This emergence of confidence necessitated a revision of the conceptual model presented in the conclusion. Some key points in the discussion and conclusion are: appropriate challenge, static and futuristic support, fields of support, reflective dialogue using tools such as parallel conversations , and realisations pertaining to the 'conscious competence learning model'. This study suggests a shift in focus in the literature from support functions of SCT-mentors to trust building functions because trust-based mentoring relationships are more likely to endure, and are more likely to underpin greater risk-taking behaviours. This study questions the notion that 'deepest trust' through value congruence is the deepest form of trust, suggesting that 'acceptance of different values' represents a 'highest form of trust'

Fabrication of Cu-based metal matrix composites reinforced with carbon nanofillers

The thesis takes inspiration from the worldwide issues related to the shortage of critical raw materials (CRMs) and the need of finding sustainable alternatives to CRMs within fields and sectors strategic to the well-being and economy of industrialized countries. The research activity has been focused on the fabrication of Cu-matrix composites reinforced with carbon nanofillers, nano-graphite and graphene in particular. This class of composites attracts considerable interest as a consequence of the broad spectrum of applications Cu-MCs could find due to their thermal and electric conductivities, self-lubricating properties of graphite, cost-effectiveness and availability. Ball milling (BM) and spark plasma sintering (SPS) have been combined to provide an innovative methodology to fabricate Cu-MCs reinforced with carbon nanofillers enabling the fine dispersion of nanoparticles into the Cu matrix. Specifically, a two-stage cycle involving BM first and, then, SPS has been shown to result in the dispersion of graphite particles in relatively large Cu grains. The iteration of cycles allows the refinement of graphite nanoparticles and their dispersion in Cu powders on the microscopic scale, mostly at grain boundaries, and the subsequent incorporation of nanoparticles into Cu grains due to grain growth mechanisms activated and promoted by high temperatures during SPS. Molecular level mixing has been also tested to obtain Cu-MCs reinforced with graphene starting from liquid solutions of Cu nanoparticles and graphene. In particular, graphene was dispersed during the redox synthesis to obtain Cu nanopowder, subsequently consolidated by SPS. Despite the intrinsic different between the two methods, it has been possible to prepare Cu-MCs with graphite nanoparticles and graphene as dispersoids. Structural and microstructural characterization indicate that dispersoids are finely dispersed into the Cu matrix. Nanoindentation measurements clearly demonstrate the significant enhancement of mechanical properties, thus providing an important clue to the validity of the methodology developed

Study of classical conditioning in Aplysia through the implementation of computational models of its learning circuit

“This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Experimental & Theoretical Artificial Intelligence on 04 Jul 2007, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/DOI:10.1080/09528130601052177.”The learning phenomenon can be analysed at various levels, but in this paper we treat a specific paradigm of artificial intelligence, i.e. artificial neural networks (ANNs), whose main virtue is their capacity to seek unified and mutually satisfactory solutions which are relevant to biological and psychological models. Many of the procedures and methods proposed previously have used biological and/or psychological principles, models, and data; here, we focus on models which look for a greater degree of coherence. Therefore we analyse and compare all aspects of the Gluck–Thompson and Hawkins ANN models. A multithread computer model is developed for analysis of these models in order to study simple learning phenomena in a marine invertebrate (Aplysia californica) and to check their applicability to research in psychology and neurobiology. The predictive capacities of the models differs significantly: the Hawkins model provides a better analysis of the behavioural repertory of Aplysia on both the associative and the non-associative learning level. The scope of the ANN modelling technique is broadened by integration with neurobiological and behavioural models of associative learning, allowing enhancement of some architectures and procedures that are currently being used

Perceptual mapping of practical ethics along the value chain: A multiple correspondence analysis with industry and cultural indices as supplementary variables

This paper presents findings from a study investigating a firm’s ethical practices along the value chain. In so doing we attempt to better understand potential relationships between a firm’s ethical stance with its customers and those of its suppliers within a supply chain and identify particular sectoral and cultural influences that might impinge on this. Drawing upon a database comprising of 667 industrial firms from 27 different countries, we found that ethical practices begin with the firm’s relationship with its customers, the characteristics of which then influence the ethical stance with the firm’s suppliers within the supply chain. Importantly, market structure along with some key cultural characteristics were also found to exert significant influence on the implementation of ethical policies in these firms.Practical Ethics, Value Chain, Multiple Correspondence Analysis

Alignment in lingua receptiva: from automaticity towards monitored code-switching

Psycholinguistic alignment is a process in which interlocutors automatically adapt their lexical, structural and conceptual representations, enhancing both comprehension and production. Multilingual constellations also demonstrate alignment patterns, but rely on more monitoring than automatic alignment. This paper focuses on lingua receptiva – a multilingual communicative mode in which speakers use their own language and have enough proficiency to understand each other. Whenever L2 proficiency does not guarantee mutual understanding, compensatory strategies such as code-switching (CS) can be applied. In actual mono- and multilingual constellations, it is more common to use one language at a time, yet in this experiment the participants were invited to communicate in the mode of lingua receptiva. Nonetheless, CS occurred in the data and was analysed in the framework of language contact. Alternations and insertions were the main forms, and their distribution depended on L2 proficiency, attitudes and exposure. It is concluded that CS can function as an alignment strategy

Education for development policy and management: impacts on individual and organizational capacity-building

This research investigates the impact of postgraduate programmes in Development Policy and Management (DPAM) on individual students and on the organizations in which they work. Such programmes have the potential to enhance the capacities of individuals working in a range of organizations directed to poverty reduction, development and wealth creation, from development NGOs to commercial enterprises. The study focused on four programmes in DPAM, three in Southern Africa and one in the UK with a global reach. Three were distance learning programmes and one was block release. All the programmes were informed by an interactive approach and a reflective practitioner philosophy in which course content informs practice and students’ experience is brought to bear on their understandings and use of course content. The study used a survey of students and their line managers (or colleagues who knew their work well), and case studies of students and organizations known to have built capacity and/or brought about changes as a result of students being on a programme. The purpose of the case studies was not simply to corroborate or deepen the survey evidence, but to investigate how capacity-building and change comes about

Promoting Active Learning in Computer Science Using Microlabs

Computer science education continues to grow in importance as the technology industry becomes increasingly prevalent on a global scale. In order to remain competitive, computer science education must continue to increase both the quality and quantity of graduates. In efforts to achieve such ends, the Wags system has been designed and developed to be used in conjunction with the Microlab Learning Cycle, an educational process founded in constructivist learning theory. Through continual testing and refinement, the Microlab Learning Cycle and accompanying system have been able to produce measurable improvements in student understanding and retention of important computer science concepts, while providing an active-learning classroom environment that students enjoy and find valuable

Indigenous-Hybrid Organisations in Colombia: A Multi-Level Analysis within the Buen Vivir Model

There has been a recent increase in the number of publications about the indigenous philosophy of Buen Vivir (BV) as an alternative paradigm to mainstream development theory. However, there is a dearth of theoretically grounded empirical research that interrogates the impact of BV as an alternative development model within the social and solidarity economy (SSE) in Latin America. Therefore, this thesis aims to address this research gap by investigating the development of indigenous community based organisations (ICOs) that are located within the SSE in Colombia, examining to what extent their experiences embody key tenets of the BV model. By drawing upon insights from post-development (BV) and postcolonial theories (Bhabha’s mimicry and hybridity), this thesis develops and critically explores a multi-level model for understanding the development of ICOs in Colombia, considering the micro, meso and macro levels. Using participatory video research, this research draws upon evidence from a multiple case study research with five indigenous communities (Curripaco, Puinave, Yanacona, Misak and Wayuu) in three geographic regions (the Amazons, Cauca and Guajira). The thesis uses the following types of data collection: secondary data sources, video focus groups, video semi-structured interviews, observations and field notes. The analysis of the multiple case study using Nvivo, discovers that ICOs operate as hybrid organisations that are influenced by their indigenous cultural practices, as well as the dominant Western forms legitimised by the SSE norms (mimicry). Overall, this thesis reveals that the ICOs’ experiences are consistent with the values and pillars that embody the key tenets of the BV model. The findings demonstrate that the current policy discourse provides little scope for engagement for ICOs in Colombia, even though evidence shows their contribution to the national economy. In doing so, this thesis offers an opportunity for policy makers to rethink and re-evaluate the existing policies in relation to indigenous communities and the SSE sector, to provide a pathway consistent with some elements of the BV model to contribute to the national development plan

Approximate Aeroelastic Modeling of Flapping Wings: Comparisions with CFD and Experimental Data

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/83577/1/AIAA-2010-2707-714.pd