An intelligent computer-aided instruction system for Naval ship recognition

This thesis discusses the design and implementation of an intelligent computer-aided instruction system for Naval ship recognition. The system uses artificial-intelligence techniques to provide an interactive tutoring environment. The student's abilities for ship recognition are tested using randomly selected side-view photos. The student's response is compared to the correct ship in an expert module. If the response is incorrect the features of the correct ship are compared with those of the incorrect ship to formulate a hypothesis concerning the student's misconceptions. Tutoring strategies are chosen based on this comparison. The system provides a recognition test, a summary review and an individual photo review. A review of recognition features for each ship is supplied during the recognition test. A final summary is generated at the end of testing.http://archive.org/details/intelligentcompu00bernLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

L’entraînement aux habiletés sociales d’élèves éprouvant des difficultés d’adaptation au secondaire

Cette recherche compare l’efficacité d’une modalité pédagogique directive à celle d’une modalité pédagogique non directive dans l’entraînement aux habiletés sociales. Vingt-quatre élèves éprouvant des difficultés d’adaptation scolaire au secondaire ont participé à la recherche. Les résultats ne révèlent aucune différence entre les deux modalités d’aménagement pédagogique et celle du groupe témoin, du moins quant aux habiletés sociales et au rendement scolaire. Toutefois, les élèves soumis à la modalité pédagogique directive offrent une meilleure performance dans les jeux de rôle. Les implications concernant l’utilisation et l’évaluation des programmes d’entraînement aux habiletés sociales au secondaire sont discutées.This research presents a comparison of the efficiency of a directive teaching approach with that of a non-directive approach in the training of social skills. The subjects included 24 secondary students with difficulties in school adjustment. Findings indicate no difference between the results of the two types of classroom teaching approaches and those of the control group, as to social skills and school achievement measures. However, those students in the directive teaching approach group demonstrated better role playing performance. The authors discuss implications concerning the use and evaluation of social skills training programs at the secondary level.Este estudio compara la eficacia de un modelo pedagógico directivo con la de un modelo pedagógico no directivo en el entrenamiento a habilidades sociales. Vingt-quatrer alumnos que presentaban dificultades de adaptación escolar en la escuela secundaria participaron en el estudio. Los resultados no revelan ninguna diferencia entre los dos modelos de organización pedagógica y el del grupo control, al menos en lo que respecta a las habilidades sociales y al rendimiento escolar. Sin embargo, los alumnos que fueron sometidos al modelo de pedagogía directiva performan mejor en los juegos de roles. Se discuten las implicaciones referentes a la utilización y a la evaluación de los programas de entrenamiento a las habilidades sociales.Diese direktive Untersuchung vergleicht den Erfolg eines direktiven pädagogischen Stils mit einem nicht-direktiven Stil bei der Sozialerziehung. Vierundzwanzig Schüler mit Anpassungsschwierigkeiten in der höheren Schule haben daran teilgenommen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen keinerlei Untershied zwischen den beiden Erziehungsweisen mit denen der Beobachtungsgruppe, zumindest was das soziale Verhalten und die schulische Leistung betrifft. Doch zeigen die Schüler, die sich einer direktiven Methode unterzogen, eine bessere Leistung im Rollenspiel. Es werden die Folgerungen aus der Anwendung und Beurteilung der Sozialeriehungsprogramme der höheren Schule diskutiert

Sustained reduction in health care costs after adjunctive treatment of graded intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy in patients with psychotic disorders

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the changes in symptom severity and long-term health care cost after intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP) individually tailored and administered to patients with psychotic disorders undergoing standard psychiatric care. Eleven therapists with different levels of expertise delivered an average of 13 one-hour sessions of graded ISTDP to 38 patients with psychotic disorders. Costs for health care services were compiled for a one-year period prior to the start of ISTDP (baseline) along with four one-year periods after termination. Two validated self-report scales, the Brief Symptom Inventory and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems, were administered at intake and termination of ISTDP. Results revealed that health care cost reductions were significant for the one-year post-treatment period relative to baseline year, for both physician costs and hospital costs, and the reductions were sustained for the follow-up period of four post-treatment years. Furthermore, at treatment termination self-reported symptoms and interpersonal problems were significantly reduced. These preliminary findings suggest that this brief adjunctive psychotherapy may be beneficial and reduce costs in selected patients with psychotic disorders, and that gains are sustained in long-term follow-up. Future research directions are discussed

Illness versus substance use effects on the frontal white matter in early phase schizophrenia: A 4 Tesla \u3csup\u3e1\u3c/sup\u3eH-MRS study

Objective Young adults with early phase schizophrenia often report a past or current pattern of illicit substance use and/or alcohol misuse. Still, little is known about the cumulative and separate effects of each stressor on white matter tissue, at this vulnerable period of brain development. Methods Participants involved 24 healthy controls with a past or current history of sustained illicit drug use and/or alcohol misuse (users), 23 healthy controls without such history (normative data), and 27 users with early phase schizophrenia. 1H-MRS data were acquired from a large frontal volume encompassing 95% of white matter, using a 4 Tesla scanner (LASER sequence, TR/TE 3200/46 ms). Results Reduced levels of choline-containing compounds (Cho) were specific to the effect of illness (Cohen\u27s d = 0.68), with 22% of the variance in Cho levels accounted for by duration of illness. Reduced levels of myoInositol (d = 1.10) and creatine plus phosphocreatine (d = 1.07) were specific to the effects of illness plus substance use. Effect of substance use on its own was revealed by reductions in levels of glutamate plus glutamine (d = 0.83) in control users relative to normative data. Conclusions The specific effect of illness on white matter might indicate a decreased synthesis of membrane phospholipids or alternatively, reduced membrane cellular density. In terms of limitations, this study did not include patients without a lifetime history of substance use (non-users), and the specific effect of each substance used could not be studied separately