933 research outputs found

    Linking language and emotion: how emotion is understood in language comprehension, production and prediction using psycholinguistic methods

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    Emotions are an integral part of why and how we use language in everyday life. We communicate our concerns, express our woes, and share our joy through the use of non-verbal and verbal language. Yet there is a limited understanding of when and how emotional language is processed differently to neutral language, or of how emotional information facilitates or inhibits language processing. Indeed, various efforts have been made to bring back emotions into the discipline of psycholinguistics in the last decade. This can be seen in many interdisciplinary models focusing on the role played by emotion in each aspect of linguistic experience. In this thesis, I answer this call and pursue questions that remain unanswered in psycholinguistics regarding its interaction with emotion. The general trend that I am using to bring emotion into psycholinguistic research is straightforward. Where applicable and relevant, I use well-established tasks or paradigms to investigate the effects of emotional content in language processing. Hence, I focused on three main areas of language processing: comprehension, production and prediction. The first experimental chapter includes a series of experiments utilising the Modality Switching Paradigm to investigate whether sentences describing emotional states are processed differently from sentences describing cognitive states. No switching effects were found consistently in my 3 experiments. My results suggest that these distinct classes of interoceptive concepts, such as ‘thinking’ or ‘being happy’, are not processed differently from each other, suggesting that people do not switch attention between different interoceptive systems when comprehending emotional or cognitive sentences. I discuss the implications for grounded cognition theory in the embodiment literature. In my second experimental chapter, I used the Cumulative Semantic Interference Paradigm to investigate these two questions: (1) whether emotion concepts interfere with one another when repeatedly retrieved (emotion label objects), and (2) whether similar interference occurs for concrete objects that share similar valence association (emotion-laden objects). This could indicate that people use information such as valence and arousal to group objects in semantic memory. I found that interference occurs when people retrieve direct emotion labels repeatedly (e.g., “happy” and “sad”) but not when they retrieve the names of concrete objects that have similar emotion connotations (e.g., “puppy” and “rainbow”). I discuss my findings in terms of the different types of information that support representation of abstract vs. concrete concepts. In my final experimental chapter, I used the Visual World Paradigm to investigate whether the emotional state of an agent is used to inform predictions during sentence processing. I found that people do use the description of emotional state of an agent (e.g., “The boy is happy”) to predict the cause of that affective state during sentence processing (e.g., “because he was given an ice-cream”). A key result here is that people were more likely to fixate on the emotionally congruent objects (e.g., ice-cream) compared to incongruent objects (e.g., broccoli). This suggests that people rapidly and automatically inform predictions about upcoming sentence information based on the emotional state of the agent. I discuss our findings as a novel contribution to the Visual World literature. I conducted a diverse set of experiments using a range of established psycholinguistic methods to investigate the roles of emotional information in language processing. I found clear results in the eye-tracking study but inconsistent effects in both switching and interference studies. I interpret these mixed findings in the following way: emotional content does not always have effects in language processing and that effect are most likely in tasks that explicitly require participants to simulate emotion states in some way. Regardless, not only was I successful in finding some novel results by extending previous tasks, but I was also able to show that this is an avenue that can be explored more to advance the affective psycholinguistic field

    Conversations on Empathy

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    In the aftermath of a global pandemic, amidst new and ongoing wars, genocide, inequality, and staggering ecological collapse, some in the public and political arena have argued that we are in desperate need of greater empathy — be this with our neighbours, refugees, war victims, the vulnerable or disappearing animal and plant species. This interdisciplinary volume asks the crucial questions: How does a better understanding of empathy contribute, if at all, to our understanding of others? How is it implicated in the ways we perceive, understand and constitute others as subjects? Conversations on Empathy examines how empathy might be enacted and experienced either as a way to highlight forms of otherness or, instead, to overcome what might otherwise appear to be irreducible differences. It explores the ways in which empathy enables us to understand, imagine and create sameness and otherness in our everyday intersubjective encounters focusing on a varied range of "radical others" – others who are perceived as being dramatically different from oneself. With a focus on the importance of empathy to understand difference, the book contends that the role of empathy is critical, now more than ever, for thinking about local and global challenges of interconnectedness, care and justice

    KĂŒnstliche Intelligenz in der Hochschulbildung. Chancen und Grenzen des KI-gestĂŒtzten Lernens und Lehrens

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    Der Einsatz von KĂŒnstlicher Intelligenz erfĂ€hrt in hochschuldidaktischen Kontexten wachsendes Interesse. Durch individualisierte Lernwege ergeben sich fĂŒr Studierende und Dozierende neue Lern-Lehr-Möglichkeiten. Der Band befasst sich jedoch auch mit den daraus resultierenden Gefahren: Es sind Demarkationslinien zu ziehen, wenn es um Datenschutz oder ethische Bedenken geht. Die Autor*innen des Bandes nehmen verschiedene Sichtweisen ein, um eine multidisziplinĂ€re Betrachtung der neuen Problemstellungen, die die Anwendung von KI im Hochschulkontext mit sich bringt, zu ermöglichen. (DIPF/Orig.)Higher education teaching contexts are becoming increasingly interested in the use of artificial intelligence. Individualized learning paths give students and lecturers new opportunities for learning and teaching. The volume, however, also covers the risks that follow: There must be clear boundaries when it comes to privacy or ethical issues. To enable a multidisciplinary view of the new issues raised by the application of AI in the university context, the volume\u27s authors adopt various vantage points. (Editors

    A Phenomenological Study of Teachers\u27 Experiences with Educational Gamification and its Impact on Student Engagement in the Middle School Math and Science Classroom

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    The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand digital gamification and its effect on student engagement based on the lived experiences of middle school math and science teachers in rural schools in the southeast region of the United States. Nick Pelling’s gamification theory guided the study herein. Gamification theory served as a tool to alter learner engagement which impacted instruction and learning. I used a criterion-based purposeful selection of 10 middle school math and science teachers with gamification experience. Participating teachers had three or more years of teaching experience and taught in regional rural schools. The hermeneutical phenomenological study resulted in the themes of gamification elements on student engagement, planning gamification lessons, and obstacles to gamification. The lived experiences of middle school math and science teachers positively addressed the gap in the correlation between gamification and enhancing student engagement

    Game-inspired Pedagogical Conversational Agents: A Systematic Literature Review

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    Pedagogical conversational agents (PCAs) are an innovative way to help learners improve their academic performance via intelligent dialog systems. However, PCAs have not yet reached their full potential. They often fail because users perceive conversations with them as not engaging. Enriching them with game-based approaches could contribute to mitigating this issue. One could enrich a PCA with game-based approaches by gamifying it to foster positive effects, such as fun and motivation, or by integrating it into a game-based learning (GBL) environment to promote effects such as social presence and enable individual learning support. We summarize PCAs that are combined with game-based approaches under the novel term “game-inspired PCAs”. We conducted a systematic literature review on this topic, as previous literature reviews on PCAs either have not combined the topics of PCAs and GBL or have done so to a limited extent only. We analyzed the literature regarding the existing design knowledge base, the game elements used, the thematic areas and target groups, the PCA roles and types, the extent of artificial intelligence (AI) usage, and opportunities for adaptation. We reduced the initial 3,034 records to 50 fully coded papers, from which we derived a morphological box and revealed current research streams and future research recommendations. Overall, our results show that the topic offers promising application potential but that scholars and practitioners have not yet considered it holistically. For instance, we found that researchers have rarely provided prescriptive design knowledge, have not sufficiently combined game elements, and have seldom used AI algorithms as well as intelligent possibilities of user adaptation in PCA development. Furthermore, researchers have scarcely considered certain target groups, thematic areas, and PCA roles. Consequently, our paper contributes to research and practice by addressing research gaps and structuring the existing knowledge base

    An Exploration of the Role Persistence Plays for First-Generation, African American Males Enrolled at Four-Year, Primarily White Institutions: A Phenomenological Study

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    Many first-generation, African American male students who enroll in primarily White institutions do not persist. This phenomenological study aimed to understand academic persistence in first-generation African American male students enrolled at a four-year, primarily White institution. The theory guiding this study is the theory of human motivation developed by Abraham Maslow. Maslow\u27s theory of motivation provided the necessary framework that assisted in understanding the basic needs required first-generation, African American male students to persist academically. A qualitative research methodology was appropriate as it is designed to increase understanding of first-generation African American male students\u27 lived experiences as they endeavor to persist academically. Transcendental phenomenology was selected for this study because it allowed the researcher to develop essential descriptions of the participants\u27 lived experiences. The setting for this transcendental, phenomenological study was a four-year, private institution, Odonald Hill University, located in the Midwest region of the United States. The sample was derived from a Facebook Group, Empowering African American First Gen. The selected sample size was 12 first-generation, African American, male students enrolled in a US four-year, primarily White institution. The researcher utilized three data collection methods: semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and surveys to attain data. Data analysis for this study followed Moustakas’ (1994) modified Van Kaam method of data analysis

    Integrating Historically Marginalized Students’ Funds of Knowledge for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning

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    The United States historically has not always recognized the unique knowledge, or Funds of Knowledge (FoK; Moll et. al, 1992) that Black (and other historically marginalized) students’ have as assets to classroom learning and much of today’s mainstream curriculum represents White cultural norms as the basis (Sjursen, 2021). Because of this reality, marginalized students must navigate mainstream cultural norms alongside their own culture to be successful in the classroom. This three-paper dissertation includes 1. a systematic literature review of Black U.S. k-8 students language and identity in relation to achievement, 2. a qualitative case study centered on middle school urban Southeastern science teachers’ perspectives on FoK as well as FoK integration into the classroom, and 3. a QuantCrit case study that critically examines rural Midwestern kindergarten teachers’ survey responses regarding historically marginalized students. The systematic literature review examined previous findings related to elementary and middle school Black students’ FoK, or knowledge based on their personal experiences and identities (Oughton, 2010; Baker, 2005; Moll et. al., 1992; Vélez- Ibáñez & Greenberg, 1990). The review determines 1. how Black students’ FoK can be leveraged to increase academic achievement, 2. how FoK has been incorporated and measured, and 3. the nature of the relationship(s) between the languages, racial/ethnic identity(ies), and academic learning of Black students. The qualitative case study analyzed examples of students’ FoK and teacher incorporation of FoK into classroom lessons through the interviews of seven science middle school teachers in diverse and urban classrooms. This study used asset-based and culturally inclusive pedagogies that recognize students’ diverse identities, languages, and lived experiences (funds of knowledge, FoK) as valuable resources for learning (Moll et al., 1992). The goal of this study was to 1) explore teachers’ recognition of marginalized students’ diverse FoK, 2) examine teachers’ FoK and its relation to students’ FoK, as well as 3) investigate to what degree teachers integrate students FoK into their pedagogical approaches. Finally, the goal of the QuantCrit case study was to quantitatively evaluate the experiences of historically marginalized student populations within a rural Midwestern kindergarten sample within the CRT framework (Garcia, et. al., 2018). The study drew upon multiple resistance frameworks (i.e. Critical Race Theory [Delgado & Stefancic, 2000], Critical Race Pedagogy [Curenton & Iruka, 2020; Yoo, 2010; Lynn, 1999], and Quant Crit [Garcia et. al., 2018; Garcia, & Mayorga, 2018]) aiming to promote equitable and positive culturally relevant pedagogies (Barrio, et. al., 2017; Kugler & West-Burns, 2010)

    Examining the Relationships Between Distance Education Students’ Self-Efficacy and Their Achievement

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    This study aimed to examine the relationships between students’ self-efficacy (SSE) and students’ achievement (SA) in distance education. The instruments were administered to 100 undergraduate students in a distance university who work as migrant workers in Taiwan to gather data, while their SA scores were obtained from the university. The semi-structured interviews for 8 participants consisted of questions that showed the specific conditions of SSE and SA. The findings of this study were reported as follows: There was a significantly positive correlation between targeted SSE (overall scales and general self-efficacy) and SA. Targeted students' self-efficacy effectively predicted their achievement; besides, general self- efficacy had the most significant influence. In the qualitative findings, four themes were extracted for those students with lower self-efficacy but higher achievement—physical and emotional condition, teaching and learning strategy, positive social interaction, and intrinsic motivation. Moreover, three themes were extracted for those students with moderate or higher self-efficacy but lower achievement—more time for leisure (not hard-working), less social interaction, and external excuses. Providing effective learning environments, social interactions, and teaching and learning strategies are suggested in distance education

    Bridging the gap between evidence-informed and actual teaching practices of engineering educators: an AI-enhanced professional learning system

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    Imagine a classroom where engineering students are challenged to apply what they’re learning, where they interactively explore the complexities of authentic, level-appropriate engineering problems, supported by professors who are aware of and apply evidence-informed teaching practices. Expectations align with the engineering workplace. Learners improve their acquired knowledge and skills through experimentation and deliberate practice. They harness systems thinking as they make connections and see patterns. They are challenged to adapt to whatever scenario they face, to identify problems, think critically, generate and model effective solutions, and to make justifiable decisions. Learners experience the tension between knowing and doing engineering things. They learn firsthand, and in context, what it means to be a practicing engineer. This aspiring approach is very different from the didactic practices reported in most Canadian undergraduate engineering classrooms. The challenge, and the focus of this research, is to encourage and assist engineering educators to stretch their current teaching practices beyond what’s comfortable and customary, to those that are both evidence-informed and truly representative of engineering. This research is a blend of interdisciplinary mixed-methods and design-based research. The interdisciplinary mixed-method research integrates the findings of educational research, learning sciences, professional learning, and systems thinking. Sixteen research studies explore the experiences and practices of educators and students in the Canadian undergraduate engineering system. These findings confirm that a gulf exists between evidence-informed teaching practices and what happens in the typical undergraduate engineering classroom. They clearly establish the need for an educational development model that translates existing educational research into tangible, level-appropriate teaching practices for engineering educators at all levels of experience and skill. This foundational research leads to the design and development of this thesis' first of three contributions, the LENS (Learning Environments Nurture Success) model of engineering faculty development. This model, which is comprised of six lenses that align with an effective learning environment, offers a practical framework to support educational development and planning for all forms of delivery (face-to-face, remote, blended, or hybrid). It can be used independently, in consultation with an educational developer, or in collaboration with colleagues. It threads educator-related threshold concepts associated with learning, pedagogy, assessment, and teaching with technology through each of six lenses, and links myriad interdisciplinary research findings to facilitate the successful education of undergraduate engineering students. The second contribution of this research is a proof-of-concept intelligent Professional Learning System (iPLS). This AI-enhanced learning platform individualizes and guides the development of professional knowledge and skills. The look, feel, and functionality of this proof-of-concept iPLS is shaped by an integration of research findings in professional learning, training and development, technology-based learning, and AI in education. The final contribution of this work is an iPLS application designed to help engineering educators develop their teaching practices. It provides needs-specific recommendations based on an individual's ranking on a novice to expert continuum and achieved teaching-related thresholds. Quantitative and qualitative field test results show the combined LENS, iPLS, and engineering education application (EEA) to be a viable method by which engineering educators can stretch their teaching to include more evidence-informed teaching practices. Using the elements of an elegant design as its measure, the system is determined to be effective and robust with a minimal number of unexpected consequences
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