Spiders in Fauna Europaea : dual use of the database

The history and current work of the project Fauna Europaea is outlined. The different sources used for building up the database and the efforts to keep it updated are described. Available models of national checklists are discussed and the ideal checklist is described. The double use of the database as a matrix behind the official site of Fauna Europaea – as well as a directly visible document on the website of the European Society of Arachnology – are indicated and the differences in transparency, links to literature sources, and facilities such as distribution maps and calculations of numbers of scores per species or of species per country are discussed. The future of the project is briefly outlined. The need for a European identification tool for spiders is stressed

Linyphia triumphalis : a junior synonym of Centromerus pabulator (Araneae, Linyphiidae)

Linyphia triumphalis Denis, 1952 was found to be a junior synonym of Centromerus pabulator (O.P.-Cambridge, 1875) (Araneae, Linyphiidae). New synonymy

Spiders in a hostile world (Arachnoidea, Araneae)

Spiders are powerful predators, but the threats confronting them are numerous. A survey is presented of the many different arthropods which waylay spiders in various ways. Some food-specialists among spiders feed exclusively on spiders. Kleptoparasites are found among spiders as well as among Mecoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Heteroptera. Predators are found within spiders’ own population (cannibalism), among other spider species (araneophagy), and among different species of Heteroptera, Odonata, and Hymenoptera. Parasitoids are found in the orders Hymenoptera and Diptera. The largest insect order, Coleoptera, comprises a few species among the Carabidae which feed on spiders, but beetles are not represented among the kleptoparasites or parasitoids

Report on a case of successful induction of ovulation with clomiphene citrate

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Learning to make sense

Helsdingen, A. S., & Van den Bosch, K. (2009). Learning to make sense. Paper presented at the Cognitive Systems with Interactive sensors conference in Paris. November, 16-18, 2009, Paris, France.Sensemaking is the process of understanding situations of high complexity or uncertainty in order to make decisions. Individuals and teams that are good at sensemaking tend to collect and critically evaluate the available evidence, seek for consistency, and test assumptions underlying assessments. Furthermore, their experience allows them to have a high appreciation for how the context affects the problem. In this paper we will (1) present observations on successful and failing sensemaking in first responder teams, (2) discuss the development of sensemaking competency, and (3) present an approach for training the knowledge and skills that are critical for sensemaking

Critical thinking instruction and contextual interference to increase cognitive flexibility in complex judgment

Helsdingen, A. S., Van Gog, T., & Van Merriënboer, J. J. G. (2009). Critical thinking instruction and contextual interference to increase cognitive flexibility in complex judgment. Paper presented at the Joint meeting of the Scientific Network on "Developing critical and flexible thinking" and the European Network on Epistemological beliefs. June, 3-5, 2009, Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium.Learning predictive relationships between cues and outcomes is a central aspect of many cognitive tasks. Studies on judgment and decision making have provided knowledge of how experienced decision makers approach complex decision problems. It seems to involve at least two types of skill: (1) recognition skills based on subject matter expertise (i.e., acquired cognitive schemas), that is, knowledge of relevant cues, their mutual interrelationships and the relationships with the criterion value that needs to be predicted, and (2) higher order critical thinking skills that serve to increase understanding by means of generalization and abstraction. Targeting training at these skills may improve cognitive flexibility through elaboration of the content (e.g., by generalisation, discrimination, or abstracting away from it). We established that instructional methods for implementing critical thinking and contextual interference, separately and in combination, can increase transfer of judgment skills to new tasks and contexts

The Effects of Practice Schedule and Critical Thinking Prompts on Learning and Transfer of a Complex Judgment Task

Helsdingen, A. S., Van Gog, T., & Van Merriënboer, J. J. G. (2011). The effects of practice schedule and critical thinking prompts on learning and transfer of complex judgment task. Journal of Educational Psychology, 103(2), 383-398. doi:10.1037/a0022370Many instructional strategies that appear to improve learners’ performance during training, may not realize adequate post test performance or transfer to a job. And the converse has been found true as well: instructional strategies that appear to slow the learner’s progress during training often lead to better post-training or transfer performance. For example, many studies have shown beneficial effects of random over blocked practice on transfer of learning, even though blocked practice often leads to better performance during the training session. In a 2 x 3 factorial experiment (N = 120) with the factors practice schedule (random, blocked) and critical thinking prompts (before task, after task, none), this study investigates whether this also applies to complex judgement tasks, and whether critical thinking prompts can enhance the effectiveness of particular practice schedules. It is hypothesized that prompts provided after task execution yield best transfer in a random practice schedule, whereas prompts provided before task execution yield best transfer in a blocked schedule. In line with our hypothesis, a blocked schedule led to better performance than random practice during training, but not on the transfer test, where a random schedule was beneficial. The hypothesized interaction effect was also found: critical thinking prompts after task execution significantly benefit transfer performance of participants following a random schedule, and transfer performance following a blocked schedule can be a little enhanced through providing critical thinking prompts before task execution. These results warrant instruction in critical thinking processes to teach complex judgment tasks, using random practice schedules combined with critical thinking prompts provided after task execution

Die rol van die vrou in die westerse musiekgeskiedenis van Suid-Afrika, 1652-1952

Text in AfrikaansHierdie studie handel oor die rol wat vroue in die Westerse musiekgeskiedenis van SuidAfrika vanaf 1652 tot 1952 gespeel bet. Vroue se bydraes en die belangrikheid daarvan word dus op haas elke denkbare gebied van die musiekmilieu gedurende die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van elke belanghebbende Westerse gemeenskap ondersoek. Hoofstukke een tot vyf konsentreer op die rol wat vroue as professione1e en amateur musikante binne die volgende streke sou vervul: Wes-Kaap, Natal, Vrystaat, Transvaal en Oos-Kaap. Hul posisies as uitvoerende kunstenaars, opvoedkundiges, beskermvroue, orkeslede, dirigente, komponiste, asook as stigters en lede van musiekverenigings word bestudeer. Hoofstuk ses stel 'n algemene beeld van die identiteit en werksaamhede van vrouemusici in die Suid-Afrikaanse musiekgeskiedenis daar. Daar word gekyk na die belangrikheid van hul bydraes en gevolglik blyk duidelik dat hul betekenis nie na waarde geskat word nie. Ten slotte word gepoog om vas te stel wat ten grondslag van hierdie ,verskynsel le.This study deals with women musicians in the history of Western music in South Africa from 1652 to 1952. Their contributions within the origin and development of every major Western society are traced. Chapters one to five highlight women's roles as professional and amateur musicians in the following regions: Western Cape, Natal, Free State, Transvaal and Eastern Cape. Their posistions as performing artists, educators, patrons, orchestral players, conductors, composers, as well as fo'unders and members of musical societies are discussed. Chapter six recreates a general image of the identity and activity of South African women musicians. It becomes evident that their contributions are entirely underestimated. Finally the study seeks to place this misconception into proper perspective.Art History, Visual Arts and MusicologyM. Mus