Gender Representations in EFL Textbooks

This study aimed at finding out the proportion of gender representation in EFL Textbook: When English Rings A Bell VII whether it showed equal proportion or not. The design of this research was content analysis research with 1896 characters and 1344 pictures as the study’s data. The procedure of analyzing the data started by classifying the data into male and female division, then it was analyzed based on Brugeilles & Cromer aspects, while the pictures were simply classified into male or female category. The presentation of male and female category was made by drawing the inferences by the researcher. The result of the analysis was made in the form of percentage and inferences. The result of the study showed the percentage of characters of male was 71% and 29% for female category. Under picture analysis, 55% was male category and 45% was female category. It indicated that When English Rings A Bell VII did not have a balance proportion or an equal representation between male and female category, both under characters and pictures analysis

Measuring working memory load effects on electrophysiological markers of attention orienting during a simulated drive

Intersection accidents result in a significant proportion of road fatalities, and attention allocation likely plays a role. Attention allocation may depend on (limited) working memory (WM) capacity. Driving is often combined with tasks increasing WM load, consequently impairing attention orienting. This study (n = 22) investigated WM load effects on event-related potentials (ERPs) related to attention orienting. A simulated driving environment allowed continuous lane-keeping measurement. Participants were asked to orient attention covertly towards the side indicated by an arrow, and to respond only to moving cars appearing on the attended side by pressing a button. WM load was manipulated using a concurrent memory task. ERPs showed typical attentional modulation (cue: contralateral negativity, LDAP; car: N1, P1, SN and P3) under low and high load conditions. With increased WM load, lane-keeping performance improved, while dual task performance degraded (memory task: increased error rate; orienting task: increased false alarms, smaller P3). Practitioner Summary: Intersection driver-support systems aim to improve traffic safety and flow. However, in-vehicle systems induce WM load, increasing the tendency to yield. Traffic flow reduces if drivers stop at inappropriate times, reducing the effectiveness of systems. Consequently, driver-support systems could include WM load measurement during driving in the development phase

Encoding conditions shape temporal memory precision by modulating temporal uncertainty and temporal bias

Temporal memory about when in the past something happened is suggested to be reconstructed rather than recalled. Participants usually show a degree of mismatch between remembered and actual temporal position of an event. However, recent studies showed markedly different results, including both relatively low temporal precision, for visual objects presented earlier in a series, and relatively high temporal precision, for movie scenes shown at the start of a movie. One explanation could be the use of different stimulus materials, for which participants would employ different cognitive encoding or mnemonic strategies. However, a more parsimonious explanation would be that temporal judgments arise from a common mechanism, regardless of stimulus material or context. In the current manuscript, we reanalysed the results of two previously published experiments and investigated the effect of boundary segmentation and semantic relatedness during encoding in two new experiments. We found that participants showed more temporal uncertainty when the encoded visual objects and contexts were unrelated. Further, we found that increasing the semantic associations during encoding diminished temporal uncertainty but increased temporal underestimation bias, which we interpret as an indication of temporal compression. A simple computational model in which temporal judgment is based on a Gaussian process defined by temporal uncertainty (dispersion) and temporal bias (location) replicated the empirical data of all four experiments, suggesting that patterns of temporal errors observed in different experiments arise from a common mechanism. The model further underscores that semantic relatedness between items decreases temporal uncertainty but enhances temporal compression. These findings have important ramifications for how we memorize the temporal structure of events

The impact of an interaction-based classroom program on executive function development in low-SES preschoolers: first support for effectiveness

Studies have shown that children from a low socioeconomic status (SES) family are likely to have lower academic scores, indicating an SES-achievement gap. This inequality already starts in preschool and persists throughout children’s lives. Since executive functions (EFs) have been put forward as contributing factors in this SES-achievement gap, it is crucial to target early EF development to remediate the adverse effects of poverty. In this quasi-experimental study, a classroom program delivered by teachers (i.e., “Put your EF glasses on”) was implemented to strengthen preschoolers’ EFs, consistent with the idea that well-developed EFs can foster school readiness and prevent school failure. The program aimed to boost children’s EFs through high-quality teacher-child interactions, EF-supporting activities (e.g., games), and a supportive classroom structure. Teachers (n = 24) and children (n = 224, Mage = 52.61 months) from 8 Belgian schools participated in this quasi-experimental pilot study and were divided into experimental and control groups. Teachers in the experimental group carried out the program (receiving materials and coaching to support implementation), whereas teachers in the control group practiced teaching as usual. Before and after the program, all teachers filled out the BRIEF-P, a questionnaire about daily executive problems in preschool children. We compared the effect of the classroom program in low-SES versus middle-to-high-SES children on EF problem scores. Results revealed that all low-SES children started with significantly higher EF problems (total problem score, working memory, inhibition, and planning and organizing) scores than middle-to-high-SES children. A positive effect of the program was found among low-SES children. More specifically, EF problems (total problem score, working memory, shifting, and planning and organizing) remained stable over time in the low-SES group in the experimental group, but there was no program effect on emotional control and inhibition. In the control group, these EF problems increased for low-SES children, expanding the gap between low and middle-to-high-SES children. There were no program effects for middle-to-high-SES children. These results show that a teacher-mediated classroom program can support EF development, especially in preschoolers at sociodemographic risk

Diseño de un sistema de mantenimiento proactivo basado en la metodología RCM como propuesta para el mantenimiento de las plantas eléctricas tipo GPU del GANCA

This article develops a proposal whose purpose was to design a maintenance alternative based on Reliability that leads to providing greater operational availability in the Ground Electric Power Supply Units for Aircraft (GPU) of the Caribbean Naval Group (GANCA) in the city of Barranquilla. As a result of applying the Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) methodology and recognizing, anticipating, and controlling failure modes through maintenance tasks, the following activities are required: i) collection, ii) classification, and iii) categorization (i.e., equipment, subsystems, and systems, down to the component level, development of matrices, criticality analysis, causes, and consequences). With this, GANCA will have a solution for the maintenance of its GPUs that will serve as a reference to impact the increase in availability and improve the effectiveness of maintenance, and that can be used as a reference for other equipment that provides ground support in Colombian Naval Aviation. From a practical point of view, it is recommended to use the scheme proposed in this work.En este artículo se desarrolló una propuesta de trabajo cuyo propósito fue diseñar una alternativa de mantenimiento basada en confiabilidad para brindar mayor disponibilidad operativa en las Unidades de alimentación de Potencia eléctrica a Aeronaves en Tierra (GPU), del Grupo Aeronaval del Caribe (GANCA) en la ciudad de Barranquilla. Como resultado de la aplicación de la metodología de Mantenimiento Centrado en Confiabilidad (RCM), se logró el desarrollo de matrices, análisis de criticidad, causas y consecuencias a partir de la recolección, clasificación y categorización de los equipos, subsistemas y sistemas hasta el nivel de componentes; esto con el fin de reconocer, anticipar y controlar los modos de falla a través de tareas de mantenimiento. Con esto, el GANCA tendrá una solución para el mantenimiento de sus GPU, que servirá de referencia para impactar en el aumento de la disponibilidad y con ello mejorar la efectividad de mantenimiento, que podrá ser usada como referencia para otros equipos de apoyo terrestre en la Aviación Naval de Colombia. Desde el punto de vista práctico, se recomienda usar el esquema propuesto en este trabajo

A call for evidence-based security tools

Since the 2001 attacks on the twin towers, policies on security have changed drastically, bringing about an increased need for tools that allow for the detection of deception. Many of the solutions offered today, however, lack scientific underpinning. We recommend two important changes to improve the (cost) effectiveness of security policy. To begin with, the emphasis of deception research should shift from technological to behavioural sciences. Secondly, the burden of proof should lie with the manufacturers of the security tools. Governments should not rely on security tools that have not passed scientific scrutiny, and should only employ those methods that have been proven effective. After all, the use of tools that do not work will only get us further from the truth

Effects of mixed versus blocked design on stimulus evaluation: combining underaddative effects.

(from the journal abstract) According to the asynchronous discrete coding model of Miller, two manipulations should display underadditive effects on reaction time if they slow down noncontingent stages associated with the processing of two separable dimensions of a stimulus. Underadditive effects are also predicted by a dual route model when a task variable is factorially varied with design type (mixed vs blocked). Interpretations of both underadditive effects and their combination were evaluated. Intact and degraded stimuli were presented to 18 young adults either in a single block (mixed) or in separate blocks (blocked). Spatial stimulus-response (S-R) compatibility was manipulated in all conditions. Stimulus degradation and S-R compatibility interacted underadditively, but only in blocked presentations. Both interpretations of underadditive effects were supported. Eye-movement registrations provided additional support for the alternative routes model