ROBERT LAMONT BELKNAP

ROBERT LAMONT BELKNA

Ingratitude and the Underground

Ingratitude and the Undergroun

Ivan Karamazov’s Devil and Epistemic Doubt

Ivan Karamazov’s Devil and Epistemic Doub

General Assembly of the International Dostoevsky Society Budapest, 3-8 July 2007 President’s Report

General Assembly of the International Dostoevsky SocietyBudapest, 3-8 July 2007President’s Repor

Boris Tikhomirov: “Lazar’! Griadi von”: Roman F.M. Dostoevskogo ‘Prestuplenie i nakazanie’ v sovremennom prochtenii. Sankt-Peterburg: Serebrianyi vek 2005.

Boris Tikhomirov: “Lazar’! Griadi von”: Roman F.M. Dostoevskogo‘Prestuplenie i nakazanie’ v sovremennom prochtenii. Sankt-Peterburg:Serebrianyi vek 2005

XIVth International Dostoevsky Symposium Istituto italiano per gli studii filosofici, Napoli tentative dates: 15-20 June 2010

XIVth International Dostoevsky SymposiumIstituto italiano per gli studii filosofici, Napolitentative dates: 15-20 June 201

Collaboration through Wiki and Paper Compositions in Foreign Language Classes

This study investigates the nature of collaboration on wikis as opposed tothe nature of collaboration resulting in a paper composition. In order tounderstand this phenomenon students were placed in groups of four andasked to write two essays during the semester. On one essay students wereasked to produce a composition in the target language on a wiki. Onanother they were asked to produce a composition that would be given tothe teacher in hard copy. Specific research questions includeddetermining to what extent students prefer collaborating to produce a wikior paper composition. Additionally, we attempted to determine, accordingto students, what the advantages and disadvantages of collaborating on awiki composition versus a paper composition are and what effect theseadvantages and disadvantages might have on collaboration. Data wascollected from over one hundred university students through likert-scaletype questions, open-ended written questions as well as face to faceinterviews. Findings indicate that the collaborative process on the wikireflected true collaboration where students had a hand in each part of thecomposition. On the other hand, while completing the paper composition,students generally handed their assigned portion to a single student in thegroup who was designated the compiler and would rarely see or commenton the other group members’ work. The authors also provide a discussionof specific advantages and disadvantages of wiki and paper-basedcompositions and important implications for practitioners

An Integrated Perspective on Insight

The present study on insight is based on an integration of Kaplan and Simon’s (1990) information processing theory of insight, a cognitive style theory, and achievement motivation theory. The style theory is the Assimilator (rule oriented, familiarity seeking)–Explorer (novelty seeking, explorative) styles (Kaufmann, 1979). Our hypothesis is that the effectiveness of 2 types of search constraints (prior experience and solution hints) for solving insight problems is moderated by both cognitive style and achievement needs, and depending on optimal levels of achievement motivation for different task conditions. We tested the hypothesis in a randomized experiment in which 3 levels of achievement needs and 1 type of search constraint (solution hints were available or not available) were experimentally manipulated. In addition, participants completed a cognitive style test, a measure of prior problem-solving experience (the second type of search constraint), and controls for intelligence. There were 476 participants (the mean age was 18.4 years). Results revealed 2 similar and significant 3-way interactions between styles, achievement needs, and the 2 types of search constraints. The pattern of interaction supported the idea that stylistic competence for the task characteristics (with and without search constraints available), when combined with manipulated achievement needs, predicted performance in counterintuitive ways but in line with the classic achievement motivation theory. With appropriate stylistic competence for the task characteristics elevated achievement needs led to poorer performance. With less appropriate stylistic competence, performance improved with increasing motivation. Implications for information processing theory are discussed

Conversaciones virtuales: Investigación y práctica en los intercambios de lengua en línea

Advances in digital technology have created interesting opportunities for language learners to engage in conversation with native speakers. These opportunities provide the possibility for tremendous growth in language and culture learning (Lewis & O’Dowd, 2016) in ways that until recently did not exist. These interactions can take a variety of forms. Some instructors create highly controlled interactions with specific activities and pre-assigned partners. Others students are asked to connect to social media style sites where they experience enormous autonomy in choosing when they interact, who they interact with, and what they speak about (Malerba, 2012). Online exchanges with native speakers also vary according to the linguistic competence of the speakers. Generally, online exchanges have been used with learners who are at intermediate or advanced skill levels. However, the present study builds on recent research suggesting that even novice level learners can benefit from interacting with native speakers online (Satar & Özdener, 2008; Schenker, 2017). In this study, the authors examined novice students’ perceptions of learning and changes in comfort level after participating in a series of online and in-person exchanges over the course of a semester. The study compared students’ perceptions of online interactions generally with those of in-person exchanges and also compared the results of the use of various services. Results suggest that students in all of the groups, online and in-person, felt more comfortable interacting with native speakers and felt that they improved their language skills by engaging in these activities. With that said, students in the in-person group tended to feel more comfortable speaking with native speakers, but students in most of the online groups felt that the one on one nature of the interactions in the online settings led to the most growth.Los avances en la tecnología digital han creado oportunidades interesantes para que los estudiantes de lengua participen en conversaciones con hablantes nativos. Estas oportunidades brindan la posibilidad de un enorme crecimiento en el aprendizaje de lenguas y culturas (Lewis & O’Dowd, 2016) en formas que hasta hace poco no existían. Estas interacciones pueden tomar una variedad de formas. Algunos instructores crean interacciones sumamente controladas con actividades específicas y compañeros asignados previamente. A otros estudiantes se les pide que se conecten a sitios al estilo de las redes sociales donde experimentan una enorme autonomía para elegir cuándo interactúan, con quién interactúan y de qué hablan (Malerba, 2012). Los intercambios en línea con hablantes nativos también varían de acuerdo con la competencia lingüística de los hablantes. En general, los intercambios en línea se han utilizado con estudiantes que se encuentran en los niveles intermedios o avanzados. Sin embargo, el presente estudio se basa en investigaciones recientes que sugieren que incluso los principiantes de nivel principiante pueden beneficiarse de la interacción en línea con hablantes nativos (Satar & Özdener, 2008; Schenker, 2017). En este estudio, los autores examinaron las percepciones de los estudiantes principiantes sobre el aprendizaje y los cambios en el nivel de comodidad después de participar en una serie de intercambios en línea y en persona en el transcurso de un semestre. El estudio comparó las percepciones de los estudiantes sobre las interacciones en línea en general con las de los intercambios en persona y también comparó los resultados del uso de diversos servicios. Los resultados sugieren que los estudiantes de todos los grupos, en línea y en persona, se sintieron más cómodos interactuando con hablantes nativos y sintieron que mejoraron sus habilidades lingüísticas al participar en estas actividades. Dicho esto, los estudiantes en el grupo en persona tienden a sentirse más cómodos al hablar con hablantes nativos, pero los estudiantes, en la mayoría de los grupos en línea, sintieron que la naturaleza de las interacciones en línea de hablar uno a uno condujo a un mayor crecimiento