Reading in Web-based hypertexts: cognitive processes strategies and reading goals

Hypertext is a multi-linear electronic, textual and interactive environment to present information. The objective of such an environment is that readers may browse through linked, cross-referenced, annotated texts in a multi-sequential manner, and thus, it is believed, to improve the learning. However, early and current research findings have revealed some mixed results concerning the alleged advantage of hypertext on learning over paper-based documents. Researchers have identified the lack of research about the cognitive processes and the strategies that readers use during reading as one of the main factors for such results. As a result, there is a need and scope for further research in modelling the cognitive processes involved in reading comprehension and the reading strategies in a hypertext environment. This research addresses some of the gaps in the field by proposing a model that represents the sequence of events that take place during reading in a Web-based hypertext environment. Also, emphasis is placed on the strategies that readers use during hypertext reading and on the potential effect of different reading goals on reading comprehension. The evaluation of the model and the other hypotheses is conducted in two experiments using qualitative and quantitative methods. The first experiment employs the think aloud method. Forty two subjects participated. The results demonstrated that the proposed model precisely describes the sequence of events that take place during hypertext reading. They did not reveal any significant difference between different reading goals and understanding. They revealed four reading strategies: serial, serial overview, mixed, and mixed overview, and they identified three factors that influence the selection of hyperlinks: coherence, link location, and personal interest. The second experiment is an independent samples design experiment with ninety subjects. The results confirmed those found in the first experiment. The current study makes a contribution in the field of hypertext reading by proposing and evaluating a procedural model and by making this model graphic. By doing so it addresses some of the voids in the field, expands our understanding of the reading processes and the reading strategies, and provides practical guideliness which are enhanced to promote design supporting effective learning processes

Gender patterns in hypertext reading

The effect of gender in learning has often been the focus of research because of its potential implications in academic achievement. However, the effect of gender in hypertext reading has not been thoroughly investigated. The Web in general and the hypertext in particular has modified the way people access and use information. This paper reports the findings of an empirical study into gender differences in hypertext reading. The study focuses on text-based electronic documents. The study is a mixed method design, with the use of the think-aloud protocols and a between subjects experiment. It examines some original variables not previously studied comprehensively, such as coherence of transactions, sum of selected hyperlinks, and hyperlink location. Forty two participants (30 males and 12 females) read a hierarchically structured hypertext and then, all answered the same set of questions. The data consisted of reading times, comprehension scores, reading strategies, coherent links, hyperlink location, sum of hyperlinks, and the sum of read nodes. The results show that gender did not significantly affect any of the measured variables

EdCCDroid: An Education Pilot Prototype for Introducing Code-Combat using LUA

The current paper present a serious game prototype developed to assist the learning of programming at a university level. The game is called EdCCDroid, and is based on Code-Combat, currently the only game field targeting audience for programming learning compared to other games that would see users touch on the purely logically side of programming without having the user entering any code. Code Combat allows users to use script languages such as javascript, Lua, python etc. as input in order to progress through a small story or compete against other players. The paper reports on a “Learn & Play” game prototype that encourages students to understand the fundamentals of programming, through algorithmic design sceptic tasks, using Robots as Avatars to perform certain tasks within the game world. The paper explores the use of the UNITY 3D libraries to design the game, the real-time interactive platform used and the instructions in Lua format. The goal of the game is to produce an attractive game theme environment as part of the game simulation concept, targeting the development of an easy use Head Up Display (HUD) for writing the equivalent task code in Lua., Feedback is provided in case of errors and a visual output of the game state is being produced with the motion/interaction of the game world-bots. The paper also reports on the usability evaluation results from a pilot study conducted with 14 participants

Quiz Cube:an AR mobile learning application

The current paper presents the Quiz Cube application and its evaluation. The Quiz Cube application is an AR mobile learning application for students and teachers to easily make and use AR UI system using fiducial marker cubes. AR as a platform is just now reaching its full potential. Since smartphones and mobile devices are now at a sufficiently large user base, it is worth looking at the potential for an extremely small form factor delivery system that is flexible, easily modified, and used by educators and students. An easily modifiable AR learning experience will present an AR Mobile platform development, interactive museums, and the chosen subject in a new style. This method can be shown to improve not only knowledge of the chosen subject through investigation, but a better understanding of development potentials for the mobile devices now ubiquitous to students. The Quiz Cube application was evaluated in three different ways and the results are presented here

Hardware Interfaces for VR Applications: Evaluation on Prototypes

The advancement of recent developments over the VR with the expansion of new Head Mount Displays (H.M.D.) such as Oculus Rift and Morpheus have opened new challenges in the already active research filed of the industry of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) by exploring new means of communication with the support of the new hardware devices adjustable to body movements and hand position. The paper explores the hardware interactivity and VR H.M.D’s through two games designed to use the latest Oculus Rift SDK technology with alternative methods of hardware communication. A usability evaluation study was conducted with 18 participants and the results presented and discussed

weSPOT: a cloud-based approach for personal and social inquiry

Scientific inquiry is at the core of the curricula of schools and universities across Europe. weSPOT is a new European initiative proposing a cloud-based approach for personal and social inquiry. weSPOT aims at enabling students to create their mashups out of cloud-based tools in order to perform scientific investigations. Students will also be able to share their inquiry accomplishments in social networks and receive feedback from the learning environment and their peers

weSPOT: A personal and social approach to inquiry-based learning

weSPOT is a new European initiative proposing a novel approach for personal and social inquiry-based learning in secondary and higher education. weSPOT aims at enabling students to create their mash-ups out of cloud based tools and services in order to perform scientific investigations. Students will also be able to share their inquiry accomplishments in social networks and receive feedback from the learning environment and their peers. This paper presents the research framework of the weSPOT project, as well as the initial inquiry-based learning scenarios that will be piloted by the project in real-life educational settings

Promoting cross-cultural awareness through exposure in game-based learning

With the global market constantly evolving through a globe-spanning network of communications, collaborations and immigrations, individuals are encouraged to be equipped with cultural literacy. To offset cultural division, it is essential to promote “cross-fertilisation across all boundaries, between ‘majority’ and ‘minorities’, ‘dominant’ and ‘sub’ cultures, localities, classes, faiths, disciplines and genres, as the source of cultural, social, civic and economic innovation”. Three main campaigns are: 1) Pluralism, which aims to promote positive diversity by encouraging understanding and respect. Britain, for instance, has increasingly diversified in ethnic and religious terms as a result of continued large scale immigration from a far wider set of source countries. 2) Homogenisation, that goes beyond co-existence through tolerance by promoting one common identity based around citizenship and assimilating minorities into the society. Malaysia, for instance, is running ‘1Malaysia’ campaign to promote homogenisation while celebrating diversity. 3) Globalisation: Awareness nurtured at the root level can be extended into a more global setting. The lack of cross-cultural awareness can be detrimental to the success of global marketing campaigns, business meetings and international relations. Within the domain of game-based learning (GBL), this article briefly describes the attributes of the e-VITA project, which may be adopted by future initiatives in exploring games to support cross-cultural awareness campaigns, such as ‘1Malaysia’ and multicultural Britain

Cervical Deformity Patients Have Baseline Swallowing Dysfunction but Surgery Does Not Increase Dysphagia at 3 Months: Results From a Prospective Cohort Study.

Study designProspective cohort study.ObjectivesMost studies of dysphagia in the cervical spine have focused on a degenerative patient population; the rate of dysphagia following surgery for cervical deformity (CD) is unknown. This study aims to investigate if surgery for cervical deformity results in postoperative dysphagia.MethodsPatients with CD undergoing surgery from 2013 to 2015 were prospectively enrolled to evaluate dysphagia. Demographic, operative, and radiographic variables were analyzed. The Quality of Life in Swallowing Disorders (SWAL-QoL) was used to measure dysphagia. Paired t test, independent t tests, and bivariate Pearson correlations were performed.ResultsA total of 88 CD patients, aged 61.52 ± 10.52 years, were enrolled. All patients (100%) had 3-month SWAL-QoL for analysis. The baseline preoperative SWAL-QoL was 78.35. This is roughly the same level of dysphagia as an anterior cervical discectomy patient that is 3 weeks removed from surgery. Increasing body mass index (BMI) was correlated with decreased SWAL-QoL score (r = -0.30, P = .001). Age, gender, smoking, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) showed no significant correlations with preoperative SWAL-QoL. Patients with prior cervical surgery had a lower preoperative SWAL-QoL (P = .04). While 11 patients had acute postoperative dysphagia, CD surgery did not result in lower SWAL-QoL at 3 months (77.26 vs 78.35, P = .53). Surgical variables, including estimated blood loss (EBL), anterior or posterior fusion levels, steroid use, preoperative traction, staged surgery, surgical approach, anterior corpectomy, posterior osteotomy, and UIV (upper instrumented vertebrae) location, showed no impact on postoperative SWAL-QoL. Correction of cervical kyphosis was not correlated to 3-month SWAL-QoL scores or the change in SWAL-QoL scores.ConclusionsWhile patients undergoing surgery for cervical deformity had swallowing dysfunction at baseline, we did not observe a significant decline in SWAL-QoL scores at 3 months. Patients with prior cervical surgery and higher BMI had a lower baseline SWAL-QoL. There were no surgical or radiographic variables correlated to a change in SWAL-QOL score

The posterior use of BMP-2 in cervical deformity surgery does not result in increased early complications: A prospective multicenter study

Study designProspective cohort study.ObjectivesTo describe the rate of short-term complications following the posterior use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in cervical deformity (CD) surgery.MethodsCD patients from 2013 to 2015 were enrolled in a prospective, multicenter database. Patients were divided into those receiving rhBMP-2 (BMP) and no rhBMP-2 (NOBMP). The relationship between BMP use, demographic variables surgical variables, radiographic parameters and complications was evaluated.ResultsA total of 100 patients (47 BMP, 53 NOBMP) were included. Follow-up time averaged 7.6 months (range 3-12 months). An average of 13.6mg of BMP was used per person with 1.49 mg per level. Compared with the NOBMP group, patients in the BMP group were older (P = .03). BMP was more commonly used in patients that and had longer prior fusions (6.0 vs 2.5, P < .01). There were no differences between groups with regards to a history of surgery, Charlson Comorbidity Index, estimated blood loss, operation time, fusion levels, and surgical approach. The maintenance of radiographic parameters at 6-month follow-up was similar. There were no differences in terms of total complication incidence, total complications per person, major complications per person or any specific complication. Linear regression and Pearson correlation analysis did not reveal any strong r2 values (r2 = 0.09, 0.08, 0.06) between the use of BMP and complications (major or operative).ConclusionsBMP use was not directly associated with an increased incidence of early complications in this prospective cohort of operative adult CD patients. Its use was associated with increased number of levels instrumented and fused