Epistemic and social scripts in computer-supported collaborative learning

Collaborative learning in computer-supported learning environments typically means that learners work on tasks together, discussing their individual perspectives via text-based media or videoconferencing, and consequently acquire knowledge. Collaborative learning, however, is often sub-optimal with respect to how learners work on the concepts that are supposed to be learned and how learners interact with each other. One possibility to improve collaborative learning environments is to conceptualize epistemic scripts, which specify how learners work on a given task, and social scripts, which structure how learners interact with each other. In this contribution, two studies will be reported that investigated the effects of epistemic and social scripts in a text-based computer-supported learning environment and in a videoconferencing learning environment in order to foster the individual acquisition of knowledge. In each study the factors ‘epistemic script’ and ‘social script’ have been independently varied in a 2×2-factorial design. 182 university students of Educational Science participated in these two studies. Results of both studies show that social scripts can be substantially beneficial with respect to the individual acquisition of knowledge, whereas epistemic scripts apparently do not to lead to the expected effects

Measurement of the near-threshold e+e−→DDˉe^+e^- \to D \bar D cross section using initial-state radiation

We report measurements of the exclusive cross section for $e^+e^- \to D \bar D$, where $D=D^0$ or $D^+$, in the center-of-mass energy range from the $D \bar D$ threshold to $5\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$ with initial-state radiation. The analysis is based on a data sample collected with the Belle detector with an integrated luminosity of 673 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$.Comment: Presented at EPS07 and LP07 conferences, published in PRD(RC

Measurement of K^+K^- production in two-photon collisions in the resonant-mass region

K^+K^- production in two-photon collisions has been studied using a large data sample of 67 fb^{-1} accumulated with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric e^+e^- collider. We have measured the cross section for the process gamma gamma -> K^+ K^- for center-of-mass energies between 1.4 and 2.4 GeV, and found three new resonant structures in the energy region between 1.6 and 2.4 GeV. The angular differential cross sections have also been measured.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, to appear in Euro. Phys. Jour.

Search for Resonant B±→K±h→K±γγB^{\pm}\to K^{\pm} h \to K^{\pm} \gamma \gamma Decays at Belle

We report measurements and searches for resonant $B^{\pm} \to K^{\pm} h \to K^{\pm} \gamma \gamma$ decays where $h$ is a $\eta,\eta^{\prime},\eta_{c},\eta_{c}(2S),\chi_{c0},\chi_{c2},J/\psi$ meson or the X(3872) particle.Comment: accepted by Physics Letters

Search for Lepton-Flavor-Violating tau Decays into a Lepton and an f0(980) Meson

We search for lepton-flavor-violating tau decays into a lepton (electron or muon) and an f0(980) meson using 671 fb-1 of data collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. No events are observed and we set the following 90% C.L. upper limits on the branching fraction products: B(tau- -> e-f0(980))*B(f0(980)->pi+pi-) mu-f0(980))*B(f0(980) -> pi+pi-)<3.4x10^-8. This is the first search performed for these modes.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Lett.

Study of charmonia in four-meson final states produced in two-photon collisions

We report measurements of charmonia produced in two-photon collisions and decaying to four-meson final states, where the meson is either a charged pion or a charged kaon. The analysis is based on a 395fb^{-1} data sample accumulated with the Belle detector at the KEKB electron-positron collider. We observe signals for the three C-even charmonia eta_c(1S), chi_{c0}(1P) and chi_{c2}(1P) in the pi^+pi^-pi^+pi^-, K^+K^-pi^+pi^- and K^+K^-K^+K^- decay modes. No clear signals for eta_c(2S) production are found in these decay modes. We have also studied resonant structures in charmonium decays to two-body intermediate meson resonances. We report the products of the two-photon decay width and the branching fractions, Gamma_{gamma gamma}B, for each of the charmonium decay modes.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figure

Search for B+ -> D*+ pi0 decay

We report on a search for the doubly Cabibbo suppressed decay B+ -> D*+ pi0, based on a data sample of 657 million BBbar pairs collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy e+ e- collider. We find no significant signal and set an upper limit of Br(B+ -> D*+ pi0) < 3.6 x 10^-6 at the 90% confidence level. This limit can be used to constrain the ratio between suppressed and favored B -> D* pi decay amplitudes, r < 0.051, at the 90% confidence level.Comment: 5pages, 2figures, submitted to PRL (v1); PRL published version (v2: minor corrections in the text

Observation of the ϕ(1680)\phi(1680) and the Y(2175) in e+e−→ϕπ+π−e^+ e^- \to \phi\pi^+\pi^-

The cross sections for $e^+ e^- \to \phi\pi^+\pi^-$ and e^+ e^- \to \phi \fzero are measured from threshold to $\sqrt{s}=3.0$ $\hbox{GeV}$ using initial state radiation. The analysis is based on a data sample of 673 fb$^{-1}$ collected on and below the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider. First measurements are reported for the resonance parameters of the $\phi(1680)$ in the $\phi\pi^+\pi^-$ mode: $m=(1689\pm 7\pm 10)$ MeV/$c^2$ and $\Gamma=(211\pm 14\pm 19)$ MeV/$c^2$. A structure at $\sqrt{s}=2.1 \hbox{GeV}/c^2$, corresponding to the so called Y(2175), is observed; its mass and width are determined to be $2079\pm13^{+79}_{-28}$ MeV/$c^2$ and $192\pm23^{+25}_{-61} \hbox{MeV}/c^2$, respectively.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures. Add one plot. Accepted by Phys.Rev.D(RC

Observation of Ds1(2536)+ -> D+pi-K+ and angular decomposition of Ds1(2536)+ -> D*+K0S

Using 462/fb of e+e- annihilation data recorded by the Belle detector, we report the first observation of the decay Ds1(2536)+ -> D+pi-K+. The ratio of branching fractions B(Ds1+ -> D+pi-K+)/B(Ds1+ -> D*+K0) is measured to be (3.27+-0.18+-0.37)%. We also study the angular distributions in the Ds1(2536)+ -> D*+K0S decay and measure the ratio of D- and S-wave amplitudes. The S-wave dominates, with a partial width of Gamma_S/Gamma_total=0.72+-0.05+-0.01.Comment: Submitted to Phys.Rev.D 16 pages, 6 figures, 3 table

Search for lepton-flavor-violating τ→ℓV0\tau\to\ell V^0 decays at Belle

We have searched for neutrinoless $\tau$ lepton decays into $\ell$ and $V^0$, where $\ell$ stands for an electron or muon, and $V^0$ for a vector meson ($\phi$, $\omega$, $K^{*0}$, $\bar{K}^{*0}$ or $\rho^0$), using 543 fb$^{-1}$ of data collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider. No excess of signal events over the expected background has been observed, and we set upper limits on the branching fractions in the range $(5.9-18) \times 10^{-8}$ at the 90% confidence level. These upper limits include the first results for the $\ell \omega$ mode as well as new limits that are significantly more restrictive than our previous results for the $\ell \phi$, $\ell K^{*0}$, $\ell \bar{K}^{*0}$ and $\ell \rho^0$ modes.Comment: 7 pages, 16 figure