A Talk on the Wild Side: The Direct and Indirect Impact of Speech Recognition on Learning Gains

Research in the learning sciences and mathematics education has suggested that ‘thinking aloud’ (verbalization) can be important for learning. In a technology-mediated learning environment, speech might also help to promote learning by enabling the system to infer the students’ cognitive and affective state so that they can be provided a sequence of tasks and formative feedback, both of which are adapted to their needs. For these and associated reasons, we developed the iTalk2Learn platform that includes speech production and speech recognition for children learning about fractions. We investigated the impact of iTalk2Learn’s speech functionality in classrooms in the UK and Germany, with our results indicating that a speech-enabled learning environment has the potential to enhance student learning gains and engagement, both directly and indirectly

An unprecedented phosphinine with significant P(π)-donor properties

A hitherto unprecedented electronic situation has been observed for a substituted, pyridyl-functionalized phosphinine. In contrast to previous studies, this compound shows considerable π-donor properties as the result of the rather strong +M effect of the CH3S-substituent, changing the electronic properties of this low-coordinate and aromatic phosphorus heterocycle substantially

The impact of feedback on students’ affective states

Affective states play a significant role in students' learning behaviour. Positive affective states can enhance learning, while negative affective states can inhibit it. This paper describes a Wizard-of-Oz study that investigates the impact of different types of feedback on students' affective states. Our results indicate the importance of providing feedback matched carefully to the affective state of the students in order to help them transition into more positive states. For example when students were confused affect boosts and specific instructive feedback seem to be effective in helping students to be in flow again. We discuss this and other ways to adapt the feedback, together with implications for the development of our system and the field in general

Affect matters: exploring the impact of feedback during mathematical tasks in an exploratory environment

We describe a Wizard-of-Oz study that investigates the impact of different types of feedback on students’ affective states. Our results indicate the importance of matching carefully the affective state with appropriate feedback in order to help students transition into more positive states. For example when students were confused affect boosts and specific instruction seem to be effective in helping students to be in flow again. We discuss this and other effective ways to and implications for the development of our system and the field in general

The 12-item Oxford Knee Score: cross-cultural adaptation into German and assessment of its psychometric properties in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee

SummaryObjectiveTo cross-culturally adapt and validate the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) for use in German-speaking patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.MethodsAfter the cross-cultural adaptation (OKS-D), the following metric properties of the questionnaire were assessed in 100 consecutive patients (mean age 66.5 years, 61 women) undergoing total knee replacement: feasibility (percentage of fully completed questionnaires), reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficients [ICC] and Bland and Altman's limits of agreement), and construct validity (correlation with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Index [WOMAC], Knee Society Score [KSS], Activities of Daily Living Scale [ADLS], and Short Form 12 [SF-12]), floor and ceiling effects, and internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha, CA).ResultsWe received 91.9% fully completed questionnaires. Reliability of the OKS-D was excellent (ICC 0.91). Bland and Altman's limits of agreement revealed no significant bias (−0.2) and a random error of 6.2. Correlation coefficients with the other questionnaires ranged from −0.22 (SF-12 Mental Component Scale [MCS]) to −0.77 (ADLS). We observed no floor or ceiling effects. The CA was 0.83.ConclusionsThe German version of the OKS is a reliable and valid measure for the self-assessment of pain and function in German-speaking patients with osteoarthritis of the knee

Qualitätskriterien transdisziplinärer Forschung : ein Leitfaden für die formative Evaluation von Forschungsprojekten

Transdisziplinäre Forschung befasst sich mit lebensweltlichen Problemstellungen. Bei der Forschungsarbeit müssen Experten/innen aus verschiedenen Fächern bzw. Disziplinen und aus der Praxis zusammenwirken, um die komplexe Problematik umfassend behandeln zu können. Diese Vielfalt, die besondere Formen der Kooperation, der Differenzierung und Integration, Methoden und Theorien impliziert, bringt es mit sich, dass gängige, bei der fachbezogenen Bewertung hinreichende Verfahren der Evaluation und der Qualitätssicherung nicht unmittelbar auf solche Forschungsvorhaben übertragen werden können. Diesem Mangel an Kriterien und Methoden der Evaluation begegnet Evalunet, das Evaluationsnetzwerk für transdisziplinäre Forschung, mit dem vorgelegten Leitfaden für die Forschungspraxis, der vor allem ausführlich beschriebene Qualitätskriterien enthält und ebenso Aussagen zu methodischen und Verfahrensfragen macht. Er ist aus der empirischen Auswertung konkreter transdisziplinärer Forschungsprojekte und unter Mithilfe zahlreicher Experten und Expertinnen aus verschiedenen Fachrichtungen entstanden. Der Leitfaden dient dem Zweck der Evaluation von transdisziplinären Forschungsprojekten, wobei dieses Instrument auf den Aspekt des Lernens aus dem Evaluationsvorgang (formative Evaluation) zugeschnitten ist und bei der Aus- und Bewertung auf einen Diskurs setzt (diskursive Evaluation). Neben einer Evaluierung mittels der ausführlich beschriebenen Detailkriterien ist auch eine weniger aufwändige Evaluation mit Hilfe einer Kriterienauswahl (Basiskriterien) möglich. Die Qualitätskriterien können auch für die Konzipierung neuer transdisziplinärer Forschungsvorhaben genutzt werden.Transdisciplinary research projects investigate problems from everyday life. Experts from various disciplines and practitioners from the practical field in question have to co-operate to cope with the problem appropriately. Multiple forms of co-operation, differentiation and integration, methods and theories are significant for such projects. So conventional methods of disciplinary evaluation cannot be transferred and applied directly. In this situation, Evalunet, the Network for Transdisciplinary Evaluation, offers this guide, which provides researchers with very detailed evaluation criteria and descriptions of evaluation methods and practices. The criteria and procedures were identified in an empirical process by evaluating a number of transdisciplinary research projects. In this process, the Evalunet team was supported by numerous experts from various research areas. The main purpose of the guide is to provide guidance for the evaluation of transdisciplinary research projects. The criteria mainly support discursive evaluation processes that initiate learning processes for researchers and evaluators (formative evaluation). A set with a reduced number of criteria (Basiskriterien) offers a basic procedure for the evaluation, while the larger set with more detailed criteria (Detailkriterien) provides explanations and assistance in making a judgement. Criteria can also be used for conceiving and constructing new research projects

Health-related quality of life in the phase III ASCENT trial of sacituzumab govitecan versus standard chemotherapy in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

Quality of life; Sacituzumab govitecan; Triple-negative breast neoplasmsQualitat de vida; Sacituzumab govitecan; Neoplàsies de mama triple negatiuCalidad de vida; Sacituzumab govitecan; Neoplasias de mama triple negativoBackground The antibody–drug conjugate sacituzumab govitecan (SG) prolongs progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with refractory/relapsed metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC). Here, we investigated its effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods This analysis was based on the open-label phase III ASCENT trial (NCT02574455). Adults with refractory/relapsed mTNBC who had received ≥2 prior systemic therapies (≥1 in the metastatic setting) were randomised 1:1 to SG or treatment of physician's choice (TPC; capecitabine, eribulin, vinorelbine, or gemcitabine). HRQoL was assessed on day 1 of each treatment cycle using the EORTC QLQ-C30. Score changes from baseline were analysed using linear mixed-effect models for repeated measures. Stratified Cox regressions evaluated time to first clinically meaningful change of HRQoL. Results The analysis population comprised 236 patients randomised to SG and 183 to TPC. For global health status (GHS)/QoL, physical functioning, fatigue, and pain, changes from baseline were superior for SG versus TPC. Compared with TPC, SG was inferior regarding changes from baseline for nausea/vomiting and diarrhoea but non-inferior for other QLQ-C30 domains. Median time to first clinically meaningful worsening was longer for SG than for TPC for physical functioning (22.1 versus 12.1 weeks, P < 0.001), role functioning (11.4 versus 7.1 weeks, P < 0.001), fatigue (7.7 versus 6.0 weeks, P < 0.05), and pain (21.6 versus 9.9 weeks, P < 0.001). Conclusions SG was generally associated with greater improvements and delayed worsening of HRQoL scores compared with TPC. This supports the favourable profile of SG as an mTNBC treatment.This work was sponsored by Gilead Sciences