Learning frequent behaviors patterns in intelligent environments for attentiveness level

Nowadays, when it comes to achieving goals in business environments or educational environments, the performance successfully has an important role in performing a task. However, this performance can be affected by several factors. One of the most common is the lack of attention. The individual’s attention in performing a task can be determinant for the final quality or even at the task’s conclusion. In this paper is intended to design a solution that can reduce or even eliminate the lack of attention on performing a task. The idea consist on develop an architecture that capture the user behavior through the mouse and keyboard usage. Furthermore, the system will analyze how the devices are used.This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cognitive Learning Environment and Classroom Analytics (CLECA) : A Method Based on Dynamic Data Mining Techniques

With the advent of modern data analytics tools, understanding the bits and pieces of any environment with the abundance of relevant data has become a reality. Traditional post event analyses are evolving toward on-line and real-time processes. Along with versatile algorithms are being proposed to address the data types suitable for dynamic environments. This research would investigate different dynamic data mining methods that can be deployed into a modern classroom to assist both the teaching and learning atmosphere based on the past and present data. Time series data regarding student’s attentiveness, academic history, content of the topic, demography of the classroom and human sentiment analysis would be fed into an algorithm suitable for dynamic operations to make the learning ambience smarter, resulting in better information being available to educators to take most appropriate measures while teaching a topic. The research objective is to propose an algorithm that can later be implemented with proper hardware set-up.Peer reviewe

The Effect of Structured Task Presentations and Reinforcement on Attention, Achievement, and Attitude of Selected High School Choirs.

This study nested a behavioral design within an experimental design to observe performance improvement after structuring the presentation of musical academic tasks, and to examine the effect of teacher reinforcement on student attentiveness, musical achievement, and attitude in choral ensembles. Two high school choral music classes (N = 60) were assigned intact to one of two treatments. The No Feedback Group (n = 29) received task presentations and directions followed by student performance and no verbal/facial teacher reinforcement. The Feedback Group (n = 31) received task presentations, directions, student performance, and teacher reinforcement. Three similar choral music excerpts were edited for use in the study. The structured presentation of musical concepts across six rehearsals was analyzed within a multiple baseline design. Concept presentations to improve pitch and rhythm accuracy, diction, articulation, dynamics, phrasing and word stress, were identical for both treatment groups and sequenced to improve musical performances. Instruction was evaluated using the sequential patterns of instruction model. Forty choral performances were recorded for evaluation by three expert judges. Individual concepts were evaluated using 10-point scales, and overall performances were evaluated using 100-point scales. Results indicated that similar performance gains were made for all excerpts, though less instructional time was needed to teach previously learned concepts in new musical contexts. Choirs were able to maintain performance gains made immediately after instruction through subsequent rehearsals, despite the addition of new musical concepts. Instruction was stopped for 11 days, and a slight ratings decline was recorded prior to continued instruction, but scores recovered to previous levels quickly. Students receiving feedback were observed off-task a larger percentage of instructional time than students receiving no feedback. Both groups demonstrated lowest off-task percentages during group performance activities and increased off-task percentages during sectional performance and non-performance activities. Overall performances by the Feedback Group were rated higher (mean gain difference = 9.22 points) for the three excerpts. A more positive attitude toward rehearsal aspects was indicated consistently by subjects receiving feedback. Conclusions from the experimental study support previous research on the effect of teacher reinforcement on student performance and attitude, but not attentiveness

The Evolution of ADHD: A Disorder of Communication?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric condition. Many believe that the central disability is impaired inhibition, which leads to reduced abilities in social skills, self-control, organization and time management. The behaviors identified by clinicians as problematic-inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity-have been incorporated into several evolutionary models as selectively adaptive cognitive skills for surviving the challenges of a variable Pleistocene environment. We propose that the disabilities exhibited by individuals with ADHD are maladaptive, and we concur with Barkley that there is a central impairment in the behavioral inhibition system. The underlying neural anatomy and physiology support the possibility that neurotransmitter pathology may have an impact on other interlinked systems (including language), and may also account for the frequent comorbidity of aggression, anxiety, depression, and learning disabilities (many of which are language-related). Language skills compete with other cognitive activities for the attentional system, and thus the evolution of language could not in fact be independent of the evolution of attention. If language represents the ultimate expression of the attentional system, and some individuals with ADHD are seriously impaired in the coordination of interlinked neural systems (including language), then ADHD fits Jerome Wakefield\u27s definition of harmful dysfunction, and communication impairments should be investigated more thoroughly by clinicians