An approach to the analysis and deisgn of an intelligent tutoring system using an object-oriented methodology

A true Intelligent Tutoring System is difficult to produce in today\u27s technological environment. This thesis reviews various theoretical methods and strategies that could be employed in performing the analysis and design of an Intelligent Tutoring System. An overview of the basic concepts of Object-Oriented Analysis and Design are provided in this thesis. The notation system provided by these concepts are utilized. The Object-Oriented Analysis and Design methods that are employed create a basis for an implementation of an Intelligent Tutoring System

Comics as a Cognitive Training Medium for Expert Decision Making

Experts such as military commanders must make decisions quickly and under deadly conditions. A variety of cognitive training media exist, from Powerpoint to virtual reality (VR) simulations; however, there are alternative media that have not yet been comprehensively studied for expert decision making training. In this study, the researcher has examined the use of comics as an alternative to current cognitive training media. In Experiment 1, naval submariners were shown a text-based medium or comic strip and asked to make a decision about the scenario after viewing. The scenario was derived from a situation that submariners were somewhat familiar with but could not predict. In Experiment 2, the level of comic symbolic abstraction was manipulated across three separate comic strips. Results showed that submariners\u27 decision making ability scores were not superior and response times were not faster with comic media than text-based media. Results also did not show superior scores with lower levels of symbolic abstraction. View time for comics was significantly faster than text-based media for Experiment 1. Several post-hoc results for decision making ability scores and response times were also significant. Post-hoc results showed that submariners\u27 decision making ability scores between comic media and text-based media for Experiment 1 were equivalent at the 90% confidence intervals and were equivalent at the 95% confidence intervals for Experiment 2. Speed was equivalent at the 98% confidence intervals for both Experiment 1 and 2. View time was also equivalent at the 98% confidence intervals for Experiment 2. Comics have shown to be an alternative to current cognitive training media. The findings show that comics have the potential to meet the needs of the diverse military population for rapid and comprehensive soldier training

Associates or zamestnanci? Language choice, attitudes and code-switching practices: The case of workplace email communication in Slovakia

[ES] El cambio de co'digo esta' sujeto a una gran variedad de factores que dependen del medio de comunicacio'n y de la situacio'n comunicativa. En general, segu'n la lingu¿i'stica, el cambio de co'digo ocurre cuando un hablante alterna entre dos o ma's lenguas o variedades de una lengua en una misma conversacio'n. Estas pra'cticas comunicativas se han tratado en muchos contextos, lenguas y contacto entre culturas. Sin embargo, no hay estudios sobre el tema en el contexto eslovaco, de ahi' la relevancia del trabajo recogido en esta tesis doctoral que tiene como fin u'ltimo paliar esta escasez de estudios lingu¿i'sticos. En concreto, aqui' analizamos el cambio de co'digo exclusivamente en comunicaciones realizadas por correo electro'nico en un entorno laboral multilingu¿e y multicultural. El estudio se centra en la eleccio'n de lengua, las actitudes hacia una lengua y la mezcla de lenguas en las comunicaciones entre los compan¿eros de trabajo de una multinacional hotelera radicada en Eslovaquia. El ana'lisis examina u'nicamente los correos escritos en eslovaco que presentan cambios de co'digo al ingle's. Debido a la naturaleza multidisciplinar de este proyecto de investigacio'n, asi' como a su cara'cter dual, es decir, el examen de las actitudes hacia una lengua por una parte y las pra'cticas de cambio de co'digo por otra, esta tesis plantea varias preguntas de investigacio'n y tiene una serie de objetivos que pasamos a detallar. El objetivo principal del estudio cuantitativo basado en el cuestionario disen¿ado es examinar hasta que' punto los encuestados son conscientes de los cambios de co'digo al ingle's durante sus comunicaciones, en particular durante sus conversaciones electro'nicas, y determinar las razones por las que se lleva a cabo este cambio de co'digo, sacando a la luz las actitudes hacia este feno'meno lingu¿i'stico. Adema's, dado que los conocimientos que aportan los cuestionarios son generalmente limitados, se ha llevado a cabo un ana'lisis del discurso para observar ma's detalladamente el alcance de los cambios de lengua, los tipos y las funciones que presentan. La metodologi'a empleada, que sigue el me'todo mixto de investigacio'n, se utiliza para analizar las motivaciones y las razones por las que nuestros participantes prefieren usar el ingle's en lugar de su lengua nativa. Asi' pues, esta tesis doctoral recoge el primer ana'lisis completo de este tipo sobre el cambio de co'digo eslovaco/ingle's en la comunicacio'n electro'nica que examina conversaciones aute'nticas por Internet dentro de una corporacio'n. Palabras clave: cambio de co'digo, comunicacio'n electro'nica, correo electro'nico, comunicacio'n en entornos laborales, actitudes hacia la lengua[CA] El canvi de codi esta¿ subjecte a una gran varietat de factors que depenen del mitja¿ de comunicacio' i de la situacio' comunicativa. En general, segons la lingu¿i'stica, el canvi de codi ocorre quan un parlant alterna entre dues o me's llengu¿es o varietats d'una llengua en una mateixa conversa. Aquestes pra¿ctiques comunicatives han estat tractades en molts contexts, llengu¿es i contacte entre cultures. No obstant aixo¿, no hi ha estudis sobre el tema en el context eslovac, d'aqui' la relleva¿ncia del treball recollit en aquesta tesi doctoral que te' com a finalitat u'ltima pal.liar l'escassetat d'estudis lingu¿i'stics sobre el tema. En concret, aci' analitzem el canvi de codi exclusivament en comunicacions realitzades per correu electro¿nic en un entorn laboral multilingu¿e i multicultural. L'estudi se centra en l'eleccio' de llengua, les actituds cap a una llengua i la mescla de llengu¿es en les comunicacions entre els companys de treball d'una multinacional hotelera radicada a Eslova¿quia. L'ana¿lisi examina u'nicament els correus escrits en eslovac que presenten canvis de codi a l'angle's. A causa de la naturalesa multidisciplina¿ria d'aquest projecte d'investigacio', aixi' com al seu cara¿cter dual, e's a dir, l'examen de les actituds cap a una llengua per una part i les pra¿ctiques de canvi de codi per altra, aquesta tesi planteja diverses preguntes d'investigacio' i te' una se¿rie d'objectius que detallarem a continuacio'. L'objectiu principal de l'estudi quantitatiu basat en el qu¿estionari dissenyat e's examinar fins a quin punt les persones enquestades so'n conscients del canvi de codi a l'angle's durant les seues comunicacions, en particular durant les seues converses electro¿niques, i determinar les raons per les quals es duu a terme aquest canvi de codi, traient a la llum les actituds cap a aquest fenomen lingu¿i'stic. A me's, ate's que els coneixements que aporten els qu¿estionaris so'n generalment limitats, s'ha realitzat una ana¿lisi del discurs per a observar me's detalladament l'abast dels canvis de llengua, els tipus i les funcions que representen. La metodologia emprada, que segueix el me¿tode mixt d'investigacio', s'utilitza per a analitzar les motivacions i les raons per les quals els nostres participants prefereixen fer u's de l'angle's en comptes de la seua llengua nativa. Per tant, aquesta tesi doctoral recull la primera ana¿lisi completa d'aquest tipus sobre el canvi de codi eslovac/angle's en la comunicacio' electro¿nica que examina converses aute¿ntiques per Internet dins d'una corporacio'. Paraules clau: canvi de codi, comunicacio' electro¿nica, correu electro¿nic, comunicacio' en entorns laborals, actituds cap a la llengua.[EN] Code-switching (CS) is subject to the wide range of interrelations between medium and situation factors. Generally, from a linguistic point of view, CS occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages, or language varieties, in the course of a single conversation. The practice has been noticed all around the world in many contexts, language and culture contact situations. Hence, based on earlier studies of CS phenomenon, but shifting towards a more specific environment, the workplace, the present study aims to fill a considerable gap in scholarly knowledge about the online/ written CS practices of Slovak native speakers in the context of workplace email communication. Therefore, the study focuses on language choice, language attitudes and CS practices among colleagues in a multilingual workplace environment of a multinational hospitality company in Slovakia, focusing solely on the participants' workplace interactions, in particular their email messages written in Slovak (the national language) with switches to English. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of this research project, as well as its dual focus on language attitudes on the one hand and actual CS practices on the other, this thesis addresses a number of research questions and provides a series of analyses centring around the following objectives. The main focus of the quantitative, questionnaire- based study is to examine the participants' metalinguistic awareness of the extent of switching to English during their communication (particularly focusing on their CMC interactions) and to determine their reasons for doing so, while uncovering the attitudes they hold towards this phenomenon. Furthermore, as the depth of knowledge obtained through questionnaire survey is limited, the corpus analysis of email interactions is conducted in order to investigate more closely the extent of switching and the types, forms and functions of CS involved. Employing a mixed method approach in the process, motivations and reasons why our participants choose English over their native language are examined. Hence, the study represents the first comprehensive analysis of its kind on Slovak-English CS in CMC using authentic naturally-occurring computer-mediated corporate interactions. Keywords: code-switching, CMC, email, workplace communication, attitudesThe traineeship was partly funded by Erasmus+ grant, for which I am grateful.Lengyelová, A. (2019). Associates or zamestnanci? Language choice, attitudes and code-switching practices: The case of workplace email communication in Slovakia [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/124352TESI

Working memory capacity, lexical access and proficiency level in L2 speech production

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Comunicação e Expressão, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Letras/Inglês e Literatura Correspondente, Florianópolis, 2009This study investigates (i) whether bilingual lexical access is predicted by working memory capacity (WMC) and proficiency level in L2; (ii) whether WMC and L2 proficiency interact in predicting bilingual lexical access, and (iii) the extent to which within-language competition affects bilingual lexical access. One hundred learners of English as a foreign language (L2) were submitted to three data collection sessions which comprised three tests to measure WMC, two tests to measure L2 proficiency and one test to assess bilingual lexical access. The task used to assess the main L2 ability under investigation - bilingual lexical access -, was a picture-naming task carried out under the semantic competitor paradigm. This task was composed of a control and an experimental condition. Whereas in the former subjects were required to name pictures without any interfering stimuli, in the latter they were asked to retrieve the lexical items to name the pictures under the presence of semantically related L2 word distractors. Data were analyzed quantitatively and the statistical procedures (multiple regressions, ANOVA, ANCOVA and partial correlations) revealed that, in general terms, WMC and L2 proficiency both significantly predicted bilingual lexical access. Higher spans retrieved lexical items faster than lower spans. Moreover, the facilitation effects of semantically related L2 word distractors on L2 picture-naming were shown to be an effect of task order. However, more proficient bilinguals obtained faster reaction times during the retrieval of L2 lexical items than less proficient ones, regardless of performing the control or the experimental condition first. The findings of the present study are explained mainly in respect to the interplay between automatic and controlled processes in memory retrieval and their impact on the development of L2 proficiency. Special attention is given to the way semantic/lexical representations develop, are stored, retrieved and connected in a bilingual mental lexicon.Este estudo investiga (i) se o acesso lexical bilíngüe pode ser explicado pela capacidade de memória de trabalho (CMT) e pelo nível de proficiência em L2; (ii) se ambos os construtos interagem para explicar o acesso lexical bilíngüe e, (iii) o efeito da competição entre representações lexicais em L2 no acesso lexical bilíngüe. Cem aprendizes de Inglês como língua estrangeira foram submetidos a três sessões de coleta de dados envolvendo 3 testes para medir a capacidade de memória de trabalho, 2 testes para medir o nível de proficiência em L2 e 1 teste para mensurar o acesso lexical bilíngüe dos aprendizes. A tarefa utilizada para medir o acesso lexical foi uma tarefa de nomeação de figuras conduzida sob o paradigma de competição semântica. Essa tarefa era composta de uma condição controle e uma experimental. Enquanto na primeira condição os aprendizes deviam nomear figuras em L2 sem nenhum estímulo interferente, na segunda os mesmo deviam nomear figuras na presença de distratores semanticamente relacionados aos nomes das figuras. Os dados foram analisados quantitativamente. Os resultados revelaram que, em termos gerais, CMT e nível de proficiência em L2 explicam parte da variação em acesso lexical significativamente. Aprendizes com maior CMT recuperaram os itens lexicais mais rapidamente que aprendizes com menor CMT. Os efeitos facilitatórios produzidos por distratores semanticamente relacionados aos nomes das figuras na tarefa de nomeação em L2 foram conseqüência da ordem de execução das condições controle e experimental. Os aprendizes mais proficientes, por sua vez, apresentaram tempos de resposta mais rápidos do que aprendizes menos proficientes, independentemente de realizar a condição controle ou a experimental primeiro. Os resultados deste estudo são explicados, principalmente, em relação à interação entre processos automáticos e controlados na recuperação de informação da memória de longo-prazo e no desenvolvimento da proficiência e das representações lexicais em L2

Self-presentation and self-positioning in text-messages: Embedded multimodality, deixis, and reference frame

PhDTexting has often been treated as verbally minimalist, notionally transactional, and, consequently, expressively impaired due to its text-only (mono-modal) character. Despite this, even with the development of new modes of electronically mediated communication (EMC) which made available a wide range of rich (multi-modal) communicative possibilities, texting has maintained its well-established position. This thesis approaches texting as communicatively rich and explores its expressive possibilities in the context of establishing texters’ deictic centres and representing aspects of physicality. Based on the analysis of nearly two thousand text-messages written by British and Polish native speakers and subsequent semi-formal interviews with the senders, I argue that senders position themselves discursively at one of four locations: their own physical deictic centre, the deictic centre of their communicative partner, a mutually agreed space distinct from either of their deictic centres, or a joint (virtual) communicative location with the recipient. I recognise the existence of social location and negative location, as well as location expressed through actions and motion. Additionally, I establish that physicality and body are represented through a variety of enacted (rather than described) sensory information, including auditory, visual, and kinaesthetic. Through the employment of these discursive tools, which follow certain presentation rules, texters create their alterae personae through which actions are performed in virtual space. I argue that text-messages should not be treated as monomodal, but as characterised by embedded multimodality, a term which I introduce. Methodologically, I draw on interactional sociolinguistics (e.g., Gumperz 1982; Tannen semantics (e.g., Lyons 1977; Talmy 1985; Fauconnier 1985), text-grammar (Nunberg 1990), mediated discourse analysis (e.g., Scollon and Levine 2004), and multimodal discourse analysis (e.g., Norris 2004). This interdisciplinary study advances current knowledge about discursive self-positioning and self-presentation in EMC, and provides insights about texting as a mode of communication that offers wide expressive possibilities despite its physical restrictions. As well as adding to theoretical discussion about motion verbs and performativity, the study contributes to research on deixis, physicality, and place, the expression of which is manifested in text-messages. 1989), performativity and speech act theory (e.g., Austin 1962; Searle 1975, 1979)

The Effects of Group Size on Student Learning, Student Contributions, \Mental Effort, and Group Outcomes for Middle-Aged Adults Working in an Ill-Structured Problem-Solving Environment

Group work has become increasingly important within adult education as educators strive to present students with problems and processes that they encounter in their professional lives. In many work environments, individuals are expected to function as a part of a team to solve complex problems. Consequently, there has been a shift towards teaching students how to solve problems as part of a group rather than individually. An important question becomes What size group maximizes students learning? This study compared student learning, student participation levels, and mental effort for middle-aged, professional students in large (six students) and small groups (three students) while working in a collaborative, ill-structured problem solving environment to determine if group size impacted student performance. This study found that there was no significant difference in learning, participation, and mental effort between large and small groups. It also confirmed earlier research demonstrating that group product scores, even when adjusted for student participation, did not predict individual student learning. A multiple regression was used to determine if group size, participation, mental effort or group scores could be used to predict individual student learning. The study showed that for middle-aged professional students, group size, mental effort, participation, or group quality were not effective predictors of student learning

Arguing Affect: The Rhetoric of Peripheral Persuasion.

This study explores the theoretical parameters of peripheral persuasion. Chapter one reviews social scientific approaches to the study of persuasion from researchers in communication theory, psychology, and marketing. This review reveals a bifurcation of the persuasion concept into cognitive and affective dimensions. After demonstrating a bias in social scientific research for the cognitive dimensions of persuasion, chapter one links the affective dimensions of persuasion with the concept of peripheral persuasion and emerging trends in rhetorical theory that emphasize narrative models of communication. Chapter two scrutinizes the distinction between cognitive or central routes to persuasion and affective or peripheral routes to persuasion in terms of The Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion developed by Cacioppo and Petty (1984a). The chapter further considers the tenets of the model in light of recent criticism, of the ELM by Stiff (1986) and Stiff and Boster (1987). Chapter three develops a rhetoric of peripheral persuasion by placing the concept of peripheral persuasion in the context of emerging theories of narrative based upon narrative models (Fisher, 1984). The chapter further examines criticism of Fisher\u27s model by Rowland (1987) and Warnick (1987). The chapter concludes with a discussion of how peripheral persuasion is consistent with non-controversial elements of narrative models of rhetorical theory. Chapter four demonstrates the explanatory power of the rhetoric of peripheral persuasion. Using print advertisements from a recent Benson & Hedges campaign (1987) this chapter illustrates the usefulness of a theory of peripheral persuasion for linking theoretical and social scientific approaches to the study of persuasion. The chapter also includes a discussion of non-print peripheral persuasion contexts