235,694 research outputs found

    Empirical Tests Of Optimal Cognitive Distance

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    This article provides empirical tests of the hypothesis of ‘optimal cognitive distance’, proposed by Nooteboom (1999, 2000), in two distinct empirical settings. Variety of cognition, needed for learning, has two dimensions: the number of agents with different cognition, and differences in cognition between them (cognitive distance). The hypothesis is that in interfirm relationships optimal learning entails a trade-off between the advantage of increased cognitive distance for a higher novelty value of a partner’s knowledge, and the disadvantage of less mutual understanding. If the value of learning is the mathematical product of novelty value and understandability, it has an inverse-U shaped relation with cognitive distance, with an optimum level that yields maximal value of learning. With auxiliary hypotheses, the hypothesis is tested on interfirm agreements between pharmaceutical companies and biotech companies, as well as on interfirm agreements in ICT industries.innovation;organizational learning;ICT;biotechnology;alliances

    Embodied Cognition, Organization and Innovation

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    This chapter explains and employs a constructivist, interactionist theory of knowledge that has come to be known as the perspective of 'embodied cognition'. That view has roots in earlier developmental psychology, and in sociology, and more recently has received further substance from neural science.It yields a basis for a cognitive theory of the firm, with the notion of cognitive distance between people, the resulting view of organization as a cognitive focusing device, the need for external relations with other organizations to compensate for organizational myopia, and the notion of optimal cognitive distance between firms for innovation by interaction.theory of the firm;organizational cognition;learning;innovation

    Synchronizing Rural Students’ Cognition:An International Case Study about Rural Education Gap in China

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    This primary qualitative study examines the impacts of curricular and non-curricular social learning experiences on rural middle and high school students in China, regarding their cognition about the world, themselves, and their missions. Through eight-week focus field interviews including students in rural schools and the ones studying in urban schools but had rural school experience, this study provides unusual insight to Chinese rural education from learner’s perspective in a comparison model, which has rarely been done. The differences found about rural students’ cognition suggest that “distance” to their learning “models”, and limited access to learning recourses are the major issues with theoretical interpretations. Consistent visiting teaching programs from city and new information technologies are effective tools to help synchronizing the cognition of rural students in the current social context.  This study involves further examination of the major learning theories: Social Learning Theory and Social Cognitive Theory. Keywords: Social learning, cognitive learning behavior, student’s cognition, rural educatio

    Developing downloadable TUIs for online pedagogic activities

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    The Web has changed how we interact with the World’s information and knowledge. As a result there have been several changes to the education sector, especially in online distance learning. Nevertheless, most of the e-Learning activities struggle to break the GUI paradigm. The HCI community has focused on the use of Tangible User Interfaces (TUI) for pedagogic purposes thus producing some evidence of the potential that embodied cognition might bring to constructivist learning. New education movements such as the Edupunk movement argue for an empowerment of independent learners, following the constructivist perspective where learners have to have a more active role by experimenting and discovering concepts on their own. However, we think that accessing TUI systems via Web can lead to pedagogic activities that break the GUI paradigm in education on the Web. This paper presents a case study: three prototypes of TUIs for online learning and exploration were developed and tested, investigating the usability and engagement provided by this kind of interactive tools. <br/

    Designing Wise Communities that Engage in Creative Problem Solving: An Analysis of an Online Design Model

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    Addressing the conference theme of “design thinking,” this paper discusses an instructional design model, WisCom (Wisdom Communities) that we developed to build a wise learning community online, to solve open-ended, ill-structured problems such as solving a health crisis or an environmental disaster, which requires the exchange of multiple perspectives, inter-disciplinary thinking, creative problem solving, and social construction of knowledge. Based on socio-constructivist, sociocultural theories of learning and mediated cognition (Vygotsky, 1978), distributed cognition (Hutchins, 1995; Pea, 1993), group cognition (Stahl, 2006), research on how people learn (Bransford, Vye, Bateman, Brophy, & Roselli, 2004), and distance education design principles (Moore & Kearsley, 2011), WisCom specifies three components that must be designed to create a wise community online that engages in creative problem solving and transformational learning: (1) a cohesive learning community involved in negotiation of meaning and collaborative learning; (2) knowledge innovation – moving the learning community from data, information, and knowledge to wisdom, providing opportunities for reflection, sharing of perspectives, knowledge construction and preservation within the community, and (3) learner support and e-mentoring to achieve the communities’ learning goals

    Physical activity and sedentary behavior associated with learning outcomes and cognition in adult distance learners

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    Gijselaers, H. J. M., De Groot, R. H. M., & Kirschner, P. A. (2013, 7 November). Physical activity and sedentary behavior associated with learning outcomes and cognition in adult distance learners. Paper presentation at the ICO [Interuniversity Center for Educational Research] National Fall School, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.Physical activity and sedentary behavior appear to be related to learning outcomes in children and to cognition across the whole lifespan. Research in adults, concerning physical activity and sedentary behavior and their relationship with learning outcomes, is not apparent. Therefore, we investigated if and how they are related in adults participating in distance education. The study was executed among Open University (NL) students in a cross-sectional survey-research. Opposed to our hypothesis physical activity was a negative predictor for learning outcomes. Possibly, time spent on physical activity in this specific group of students could detract from the time they spent on learning, as it is likely that their spare time is limited. Also, opposed to our hypothesis, sedentary behavior was positively associated with learning outcomes. As spare time is likely to be scarce it could be that time spent learning adds to the time spent sitting, as it is highly likely that most students will study sitting. Thus, possibly resulting in sedentary behavior being a positive predictor for learning outcomes. As expected, physical activity and sedentary behavior appeared to be each independent and separate constructs as they both added uniquely to the regression model. These results ask for more elaboration on the exact effects of physical activity and sedentary behavior on learning in adults

    Multiple representations in multimedia and e-learning materials: an issue of literacy

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    The trend towards using multimedia in e-learning environments as the preferred basis for teaching (particularly when teaching at a distance) has increased dramatically, particularly over the last few years. This paper will report on a current research project being conducted at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), involving the development of a multimedia version of an existing print based course. Specifically, it will analyse relevant instructional design (ID) issues and reflect on the concepts involved in catering for a multiliterate clientele and how the use of multiple representations may enhance the learning opportunities of students, primarily post-secondary learners. Firstly it will investigate the role that learning styles play in the learning process and what should be considered when preparing instructional material, looking closely at the importance of visualisation in the representation of concepts and the current understandings of what it means to be literate in a culture saturated with visual elements. It will be seen that our understanding of these basic concepts will play an important role in our ID approach to teaching and learning, particularly when using visual and/or multiple representations in the multimedia and e-learning environments. Secondly, it will investigate the cognitive constraints experienced by learners when information is displayed in multiple ways in such an environment and whether it will be beneficial to learner cognition to provide users with a level of interactive choice. Finally a set of instructional design recommendations will be made as to an appropriate format and potential way forward for the delivery of multimedia and e-learning instructional materials

    Comunicação e cognição no ensino de línguas a distância: das tecnologias multimedia à criação de ambientes de aprendizagem

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    I Congresso sobre Comunicação, Cognição e Media, realizado na Universidade Católica, em Braga de 23-25 de Setembro 2009Learning Management Systems (LMS) build spaces where communication and cognition may cross the teaching methodologies and learning processes and present peculiar challenges concerning a second language acquisition (SLA) in distance education. Research on SLA reveals diverse linguistic development patterns on students output through the language learning processes and studies on the input, i.e., the kind of language students are exposed, show the importance of interaction and negotiation of meaning. Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) approach allows and emphasizes the language use through communicative activities in context of daily situations, i.e., tasks. In order to develop language learning in distance education, it is necessary to build an environment that can develop an interface among students and learning context, making possible an interrelationship among communicative situations with native speakers, daily document selection, exercises and a diversity of activities together with different levels of sequence and complexity. At the same time, it is essential to articulate all of these elements inside an optimal psycholinguistic environment for language learning at a distance

    Adult Learning Open University Determinants study (ALOUD): Biological lifestyle factors associated with study success

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    Gijselaers, H. J. M., De Groot, R. H. M., & Kirschner, P. A. (2012, 7 November). Adult Learning Open University Determinants study (ALOUD): Biological lifestyle factors associated with study success. Poster presentation at the International ICO Fall School, Girona, Spain.Life expectancies keep rising as our society develops. Changes in our knowledge economy are fast and as a result the value of personal knowledge and experience diminishes at a high rate. This leads to an ongoing demand for employees to develop their knowledge and experience far into adult age. However, the ability to learn decreases over time. Research shows that biological lifestyle factors can possibly influence the ability to learn. Probably, this is partly caused as cognition is a key condition for normal learning and cognition can be influenced by biological lifestyle factors. Three biological lifestyle factors that are associated with learning, study success, academic achievement, and/or cognition are the focus of this study. These biological lifestyle factors are physical activity, sleep, and nutrition. Research into these biological lifestyle factors with regard to study success in adults is lacking. Research so far has focused on primary, secondary, and university education, and is usually targeted on traditional education. The goal of this study is to gain insight in the associations between biological lifestyle factors and study success in adults participating in distance education. A large cross-sectional study will offer more information on how these biological lifestyle factors are associated with study success and cognition. Also, the associations between the biological lifestyle factors and subjective factors (i.e. life satisfaction and health related quality of life) will be evaluated. The goal of this study is to gain insight into the determinants of study success in adult distance learners. Expected is that healthy lifestyles will be positively associated with study success. The results will offer possibilities to develop tailored strategies to enhance study success of students in adult education
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