Attentional control and engagement with digital technology

Multiple demands comprise the efficiency of attentional control. There is abundant evidence that when an individual attempts two or more attentionally demanding activities at the same time, the allocation of attention to the tasks is limited and performance suffers as a result. Yet, recent technological innovations require many individuals to manage multiple digital technologies simultaneously or to switch attentional control between tasks. The ability to multitask with various digital technologies involves dividing attention, switching between tasks, and keeping track of multiple strands of information in working memory

The efficacy of working memory training in improving crystallized intelligence

Crystallized intelligence (Gc) is thought to reflect skills acquired through knowledge and experience and is related to verbal ability, language development^1^ and academic success^2^. Gc, together with fluid intelligence (Gf), are constructs of general intelligence^3^. While Gc involves learning, knowledge and skills, Gf refers to our ability in tests of problem-solving, pattern matching, and reasoning. Although there is evidence that Gf can be improved through memory training in adults^4^, the efficacy of memory training in improving acquired skills, such as Gc and academic attainment, has yet to be established. Furthermore, evidence of transfer effects from gains made in the trained tasks is sparse^5^. Here we demonstrate improvements in Gc and academic attainment using working memory training. Participants in the Training group displayed superior performance in all measures of cognitive assessments post-training compared to the Control group, who received knowledge-based training. While previous studies have indicated that gains in intelligence are due to improvements in test-taking skills^6^, this study demonstrates that it is possible to improve crystallized skills through working memory training. Considering the fundamental importance of Gc in acquiring and using knowledge and its predictive power for a large variety of intellectual tasks, these findings may be highly relevant to improving educational outcomes in those who are struggling

It is better than you think: fluid intelligence across the lifespan

The growth and decline of fluid intelligence is associated with brain structural changes. For example, development of fluid IQ is associated with cortex thickness during the critical period between 6 to 12 years old. On the other end of the lifespan, poor performance in cognitive functioning is attributed to a decrease of frontal gray matter density in elderly populations. In particular, there is a sharp decline in fluid IQ scores after 65 years of age. There is substantial evidence that working memory and fluid intelligence (Gf) share neural substrates, such as the prefrontal and parietal cortices. However, very little research has examined whether the pattern of growth and decline in working memory mirrors that of fluid intelligence. For example, does the decline of working memory skills in elderly populations mirror fluid intelligence? Is the rate of working memory decline similar to the rate of growth

Working memory: Is it the new IQ?

Working memory, our ability to process and remember information, is linked to a range of cognitive activities from reasoning tasks to verbal comprehension. There is also extensive evidence of the relationship between working memory and learning outcomes. However, some researchers suggest that working memory is simply a proxy for IQ and does not make a unique contribution to learning outcomes. Here we show that children's working memory skills at 5 years of age was the best predictor of reading, spelling, and math outcomes six years later. IQ, in contrast, accounted for a smaller portion of unique variance to reading and math skills, and was not a significant predictor of spelling performance. Our results demonstrate that working memory is not a proxy for IQ, but rather represents a dissociable cognitive skill with unique links to learning outcomes. Critically, we find that working memory at the start of formal education is a more powerful predictor of subsequent academic success than IQ. This result has important implications for education, particularly with respect to developing intervention and training. It appears that we should target our efforts in developing working memory skills in order to see gains in learning

Short Note: Report of mummified leopard seal carcass in the southern Dry Valleys, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica.

The wide spread occurrence of mummified seal and penguin carcasses tens of kilometres from the open ocean is an interesting phenomenon occurring in the Antarctic Dry Valleys. Mummified seal carcasses were first reported by Scott’s expedition in 1903 (Scott 1969), and live seals and seal carcasses have since been reported many kilometres from the nearest ice-free ocean. Seal carcasses found in the McMurdo Dry Valleys are predominantly crabeater seals (Lobodon carcinophaga (Hombron & Jacquinot)) with a smaller number of Weddell seals, (Leptonychotes weddellii (Lesson)), also reported. Here we present only the second published report of a leopard seal carcass from the McMurdo Dry Valleys

The design of civic technology: factors that influence public participation and impact

Civic technology needs to be better understood in terms of the factors that promote representative public participation and impact. This paper reports on a mixed-methods study of a civic tech platform that enabled the public to provide feedback on public transport to the service providers. The overall aim of this research was to investigate the public's use of a leading civic tech platform, FixMyTransport. The key findings were that: an effective and easy-to-use civic technology platform enables broad participation; data and process complexity need to be removed; factual information can be captured in situ with impacts, consequences and opinions added later; emotions (if important) need to be explicitly elicited; feedback to, and a 'conversation' with, the users is important for engagement, as is a feeling of being part of a community. These findings can contribute to the future design of civic technology platforms. Practitioner Summary: There is a lack of understanding of how 'civic tech' platforms are used and how they may be designed for maximum effectiveness. Multiple data collection methods were used to investigate a well-developed example of civic tech. Effective civic tech can enable broad democratic participation to improve public services

Presence and quality of navigational landmarks: effect on driver performance and implications for design

Current vehicle navigation systems still predominantly use distance-to-turn information to enable a driver to locate a forthcoming manoeuvre. It has been proposed that the design of driver navigation aids can be improved through the incorporation of landmarks as key navigation cues. However, little research has investigated how the quality of the landmark affects driver behaviour. An empirical field trial in a real traffic environment was undertaken with 48 participants (minimum age 21, mean 44; minimum driving experience three years; mean km driven in the last year 19,000) in order to assess the effect that the quality of a landmark had on driver behaviour when navigating an unfamiliar, complex, urban route. The use of good landmarks (as opposed to poor landmarks or distance information) as key verbal navigation cues resulted in significant improvements in navigation performance, driving performance, and driver confidence immediately preceding a turn. The use of distance information to locate a turn resulted in significantly more glances to the in-vehicle display. Actual or potential applications of this research include guiding the design of effective and safe future vehicle navigation systems

HMI integration for driver systems: INTEGRATE and VIVID

HMI integration for driver systems: INTEGRATE and VIVI

Design advice for the inclusion of landmarks in vehicle navigation systems

The following advice has been developed from results of research studies carried out over the course of the REGIONAL project (1999-2002). These results, and the studies that produced them, are described in more detail in section 2 of this document. It also takes into account limited findings in the existing literature relating to the use of landmarks within navigation systems. The aim of REGIONAL was to support the inclusion of landmarks within navigation instructions by generating advice on: • What landmarks to choose and incorporate in databases • How to use them appropriately during the navigation task • The factors to take into account when presenting landmarks within system

Rural GP's management of vehicle related trauma

Background: There is twice the morbidity and mortality resulting from vehicle related trauma in rural and remote areas than in metropolitan areas. Little is known about Australian rural general practitioners' management of those affected. Methods: Seventeen rural GPs in North Queensland participated in semi-structured interviews for this exploratory study of the management of patients presenting with acute or chronic vehicle related trauma. Responses were analysed quantitatively and thematically. Results: General practitioners reported more presentations of chronic than acute vehicle related trauma. Common injuries were soft tissue injury, whiplash and chronic pain syndromes. Vehicles most often involved were motorbikes, passenger cars and bicycles. Surgeons and physiotherapists were the most difficult service providers to access. Better coordination of rehabilitation and community support services is required. Discussion: General practitioners in rural North Queensland manage patients with chronic vehicle related trauma without adequate access to specialised rehabilitation services. More training of GPs and practice staff and improved coordination of these services are required.</p