Accommodating the Needs of Field Dependent Learners in Simulation Gaming Environments

The field dependency and independency cognitive style affects the academic performance of students. It has been generally accepted that the needs of field dependent students could be accommodated in learning environments. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two instructional support features (model transparency and feedback) on the performance of field dependent and field independent students in a Web-based simulation environment. In this study, there were two treatment groups. One group, consisting of 14 participants, received a black-box simulation (no model transparency) with no feedback (black-box + no feedback), and another group, consisting of 8 participants, received a glass-box simulation (with model transparency) with feedback feature (glass-box + feedback). The model transparency was provided in text-only format. The feedback was diagnostic and immediate. To assess the participants’ cognitive style, the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) was implemented. The participants’ achievements were evaluated with a performance assessment method that showed the near-transfer skills. The results of this study revealed that the simulation performance was similar for both the participants interacting with the glass-box simulation with feedback feature and the participants interacting with the black-box simulation with no feedback feature. There was no statistically significant correlation between participants’ degree of field independency (GEFT scores) and their simulation performance. Finally, there was no interaction between the treatments and the cognitive style of participants. Significant performance differences were reported in the literature for field dependent and field independent students in learning environments. The results of this study were contradictory to the literature review. Directions for future research are discussed

Fear of COVID-19, mindfulness, humor, and hopelessness: a multiple mediation analysis

Hopelessness is an important vulnerability factor for depressive symptomology and suicidal ideations. It may also play an important role in the fear of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, the present study tested the mediating role of mindful awareness and humor (both identified as coping strategies for dealing with stressful situations) in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and hopelessness. Participants comprised 786 Turkish individuals (562 females and 224 males; aged between 18 and 67 years) from 71 of 81 cities in Turkey. An online convenience sampling method was used to recruit participants. Participants completed surveys including the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and Coping Humor Scale. The model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) and utilizing bootstrapping. The results of SEM showed that the effect of fear of COVID-19 on hopelessness was partly mediated by mindfulness and humor, and which was supported by bootstrapping. Therefore, higher fear of COVID-19 was associated with lower mindfulness and humor. In turn, lower mindfulness and humor were related with higher hopelessness. Findings are discussed in the context of COVID-19 and the hopelessness literature, and practical implications for counselors are also provided

Nonprehensile Manipulation of Deformable Objects: Achievements and Perspectives from the RoDyMan Project

The goal of this work is to disseminate the results achieved so far within the RODYMAN project related to planning and control strategies for robotic nonprehensile manipulation. The project aims at advancing the state of the art of nonprehensile dynamic manipulation of rigid and deformable objects to future enhance the possibility of employing robots in anthropic environments. The final demonstrator of the RODYMAN project will be an autonomous pizza maker. This article is a milestone to highlight the lessons learned so far and pave the way towards future research directions and critical discussions

Data-Driven Design of Energy-Shaping Controllers for Swing-Up Control of Underactuated Robots

We propose a novel data-driven procedure to train a neural network for the swing-up control of underactuated robotic systems. Our approach is inspired by several recent developments ranging from nonlinear control theory to machine learning. We embed a neural network indirectly into the equations of motion of the robotic manipulator as its control input. Using familiar results from passivity-based and energy-shaping control literature, this control function is determined by the appropriate gradients of a neural network, acting as an energy-like (Lyapunov) function. We encode the task of swinging-up robotic systems through the use of transverse coordinates and goal sets; which drastically accelerates the rate of learning by providing a concise target for the neural network. We demonstrate the efficacy of the algorithm with both numerical simulations and experiments

THE EFFECT OF AEROBIC EXERCISE AND WEIGHT-LIFTING PLUS AEROBIC EXERCISE ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND BLOOD PARAMETERS IN SEDENTARY FEMALES

The purpose of this study was determined the effects of 12 weeks aerobic exercise and weight-lifting plus aerobic exercise on blood pressure, blood serum lipids and lipoproteins of sedentary females. Thirty seven sedentary females (Aerobic group mean age: 44.66 years, Weight-Lifting + Aerobic group mean age: 40.80 years) participated in this study. Before initiate the exercise their blood samples, peripheral measurements and thickness of skinfolds were taken. The subjects participated in aerobics group (n = 21) and weight-lifting plus aerobics group (n = 16) 3 times in a week through one hour. The intensity of exercise was increased gradually and their heart rates were raised up to 130-140 rates per-minute and of the tension. Two way ANOVA was used in this study. There were no significant difference between two different type of exercise groups (p>0.05) fırst group (aerobic); HDL-C (High Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol) 18.12%, second group (weight-lifting plus aerobic) %28.23, there were a significant increase among them (p<0.01). Total cholesterol decrease 13.97% in group of aerobic exercise and it decreases 7.13% in group of weight-lifting plus aerobic. Triglyceride decreases 31.74% in group of aerobic exercise; it decreases 19.53% in group of weight-lifting plus aerobic exercise. Level of LDL-C was decreased 28.11% in group of aerobic exercise, 21.46% in group of weight-lifting plus aerobic. When we consider exercise types, the only flats of type is on triglyceride and APO B, (p<0.05), there were effects of exercise duration is on HDL-C, LDL-C AND Total cholesterol (p<0.01). There were effects of type and duration of exercise on TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, APO A1, and APO B (P<0.01). In this study, regular aerobic and weight-lifting plus aerobic exercises have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in sedentary women and a significant improvement in systolic and diastolic blood pressures as well as reduction of cholesterol, triglyceride, and  of LDL-C. Level of HDL-C was increased in both of exercise groups.    Article visualizations

Bilişsel Esneklik ve Mental İyi Oluş arasındaki ilişkide Olumsuz Değerlendirilme Korkusu ve Akademik Mükemmeliyetçiliğin Sırasal Çoklu Aracı Rolü

This study examined the serial multiple mediator roles of the fear of negative evaluation and academic perfectionism on the relation between cognitive flexibility and mental well-being in a sample of Turkish university students. A total of 320 students [162 (50.6%) female and 158 (49.4%) male, M age = 20.37; SD = 2.05] in two separate public universities were involved in this study. The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale, the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, and the Academic Perfectionism Scale were used to obtain the data. We investigated the serial multiple mediations roles by using bootstrapping based PROCESS macro (Model 6). The results revealed that significant relationships between the variables. Moreover, the findings indicated that fear of negative evaluation and academic perfectionism subsequently and partially mediated the relation between cognitive flexibility and mental well-being.Bu çalışmada Türk üniversite öğrencilerinin bilişsel esneklik düzeyleri ile mental iyi oluşları_x000D_ arasında olumsuz değerlendirilme korkusu ve akademik mükemmeliyetçiliğin sırasal çoklu_x000D_ aracılığı incelenmiştir. İki farklı devlet üniversitesinde öğrenim gören toplamda 320 [162 (%50.6)_x000D_ kadın ve 158 (%49.4) erkek, Yaş ort = 20.37, ss = 2.05] öğrenci çalışmaya dahil olmuştur. Warwick-_x000D_ Edinburgh Mental İyi Oluş Ölçeği, Bilişsel Esneklik Envanteri, Olumsuz Değerlendirilme Korkusu_x000D_ Ölçeği Kısa Formu ve Akademik Mükemmeliyetçilik Ölçeği verilerin elde edilmesinde_x000D_ kullanılmıştır. Çalışmada incelenen sırasal çoklu aracılık rolü PROCESS makrosu (Model 6)_x000D_ kullanılarak incelenmiştir. Araştırmanın sonuçlara göre, çalışmanın değişkenleri olan bilişsel_x000D_ esneklik, ruhsal iyi oluş, olumsuz değerlendirilme korkusu ve akademik mükemmeliyetçiliğin_x000D_ birbirleriyle anlamlı ilişkiye sahip oldukları görülmüştür. Ayrıca bilişsel esneklik ile mental iyi_x000D_ oluş arasında değerlendirilme korkusu ve akademik mükemmeliyetçiliğin sıralı kısmi aracı rolleri_x000D_ istatistiksel bakımdan önemli bulunmuştur.Bu çalışmada Türk üniversite öğrencilerinin bilişsel esneklik düzeyleri ile mental iyi oluşları arasında olumsuz değerlendirilme korkusu ve akademik mükemmeliyetçiliğin sırasal çoklu aracılığı incelenmiştir. İki farklı devlet üniversitesinde öğrenim gören toplamda 320 [162 (%50.6) kadın ve 158 (%49.4) erkek, Yaş ort = 20.37, ss = 2.05] öğrenci çalışmaya dahil olmuştur. Warwick- Edinburgh Mental İyi Oluş Ölçeği, Bilişsel Esneklik Envanteri, Olumsuz Değerlendirilme Korkusu Ölçeği Kısa Formu ve Akademik Mükemmeliyetçilik Ölçeği verilerin elde edilmesinde kullanılmıştır. Çalışmada incelenen sırasal çoklu aracılık rolü PROCESS makrosu (Model 6) kullanılarak incelenmiştir. Araştırmanın sonuçlara göre, çalışmanın değişkenleri olan bilişsel esneklik, ruhsal iyi oluş, olumsuz değerlendirilme korkusu ve akademik mükemmeliyetçiliğin birbirleriyle anlamlı ilişkiye sahip oldukları görülmüştür. Ayrıca bilişsel esneklik ile mental iyi oluş arasında değerlendirilme korkusu ve akademik mükemmeliyetçiliğin sıralı kısmi aracı rolleri istatistiksel bakımdan önemli bulunmuştur

Resilience, hope, and subjective happiness among the Turkish population: fear of COVID-19 as a mediator

Psychology deals with not only mental disorders but also psychological strengths within individuals. Psychological strengths will play an important role in struggling with the global novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The present study tested a model concerning the relationship between resilience, hope, and subjective happiness using structural equation modeling to identify the mediating role of fear of COVID-19. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a convenience sample of 971 Turkish individuals (aged 18 to 74 years) from 75 of 81 cities in Turkey. The survey included the Subjective Happiness Scale, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Brief Resilience Scale, and the Dispositional Hope Scale, and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The SEM demonstrated an association between resilience–hope and subjective happiness was mediated by fear of COVID-19 (CMIN/df = 2.664, CFI = 0.994, NFI = 0.984, TLI = 0.984, GFI = 0.994, RMSEA = 0.044, SRMR = 0.024, AIC = 81.334, ECVI = 0.084). Resilience had a direct effect and an indirect effect on subjective happiness via fear of COVID-19. Hope also had a direct effect and an indirect effect on subjective happiness via fear of COVID-19. Consequently, in the fight against COVID-19, individuals who are resistant to stress and have a belief that they can find a way to cope can help prevent the fear of COVID-19 and so enhance good mental health

A Coordinate-Free Framework for Robotic Pizza Tossing and Catching

This chapter presents a solution to the problem of autonomous pizza tossing and catching. Under the assumption that robotic fingers grasp the pizza dough with soft contact, the grasp constraints are formulated and used to derive the individual and combined Euler-Lagrange dynamic equations of motion of the robotic manipulator and the dough. In particular, the dynamics of the dough is a modified version of the rigid-body dynamics, taking into account the change of inertia due to its deformation. Through these mathematical models, the two control problems of tossing and catching are formulated. For the tossing phase, an exponentially convergent controller that stabilizes a desired velocity of the dough as it leaves the fingers, is derived. On the other hand, to catch the dough, an optimal trajectory for the end-effector of the robotic manipulator is generated. Finally, the control laws to make the optimal trajectory exponentially attractive are derived. The developed theory is demonstrated with an elaborate simulation of the tossing and catching phases. This chapter is based on the work presented in [1]

Centralized and Decentralized Optimal Control of Variable Speed Heat Pumps

Utility service providers are often challenged with the synchronization of thermostatically controlled loads. Load synchronization, as a result of naturally occurring and demand-response events, has the potential to damage power distribution equipment. Because thermostatically controlled loads constitute most of the power consumed by the grid at any given time, the proper control of such devices can lead to significant energy savings and improved grid stability. The contribution of this paper is the development of an optimal control algorithm for commonly used variable speed heat pumps. By means of selective peer-to-peer communication, our control architecture allows for the regulation of home temperatures while simultaneously minimizing aggregate power consumption, and aggregate load volatility. An optimal centralized controller is also explored and compared against its decentralized counterpart

Autonomy Support and Children's School Attachment: Motivation as a Mediator [Özerklik Desteǧi ve Çocuklarin Okula Baǧliliǧi: Motivasyonun Aracilik Rolü]

The present study examined the mediating role of motivation in the association between autonomy support and children's school attachment. The study participants consisted of 437 primary school students (232 girls and 205 boys) selected from six schools in a province located in Turkey's southeast region. A hypothesized model was developed and tested by structural equation modeling on cross-sectional data. The data were collected via The School Attachment Scale for Children and Adolescents, The Scale for Motivation in Education, and The Short Form of the Learning Climate Scale. The results indicated that autonomy support had an indirect effect on school attachment through internal motivation. Contrary to these findings, it has been determined that neither identified external motivation nor introjected external motivation affected attachment to the school's directly and indirectly. © 2021 The authors. All right reserved