Motivating children to learn effectively: exploring the value of intrinsic integration in educational games

The concept of intrinsic motivation lies at the heart of the user engagement created by digital games. Yet despite this, educational software has traditionally attempted to harness games as extrinsic motivation by using them as a sugar coating for learning content. This article tests the concept of intrinsic integration as a way of creating a more productive relationship between educational games and their learning content. Two studies assessed this approach by designing and evaluating an educational game called Zombie Division to teach mathematics to 7- to 11-year-olds. Study 1 examined the learning gains of 58 children who played either the intrinsic, extrinsic, or control variants of Zombie Division for 2 hr, supported by their classroom teacher. Study 2 compared time on task for the intrinsic and extrinsic variants of the game when 16 children had free choice of which game to play. The results showed that children learned more from the intrinsic version of the game under fixed time limits and spent 7 times longer playing it in free-time situations. Together, these studies offer evidence for the genuine value of an intrinsic approach for creating effective educational games. The theoretical and commercial implications of these findings are discussed

An analysis of the Venera 8 measurements

Analysis of the Venera 8 measurements yielded equatorial morning terminator horizontal and vertical winds which are similar to the winds obtained from the Venera 7 measurements. The lower boundary of the horizontal retrograde 4-day wind is defined by a 50-60% decrease in wind speed in the vicinity of 44 km and there exists a retrograde wind plateau of 15 to 40 m/s winds extending from 40 km down to the vicinity of 18 km where the winds decrease rapidly to the order of 0.1 m/s near the surface. Up drafts of 2 to 5 m/s exist in the vicinity of 20 to 30 km and are apparently associated with a slightly super adiabatic lapse rate. The temperature lapse-rate, surface radius, surface topography, and atmospheric structure are discussed

An analysis of the Venus measurements

Plots of the Mariner 5 and Venera 4, 5, and 6 pressure vs temperature show that the Venera profiles are essentially congruent with the Mariner 5 day and night profiles, but are displaced 28 percent higher in pressure. Data suggest a variability in the atmospheric water vapor content in the region from 30 to 50 km. The Venera 7 measurements are interpreted as evidence for updrafts, down-drafts, horizontal wind layers, and nonaqueous precipitation. The previously observed band of retrograde winds which circle the equator with an average speed of 110 m/s is found to extend downward to the one atmosphere level at the equatorial morning terminator. The possibility of a low altitude equator-to-pole circulation with warm gas rising at the poles is inferred. Venera 7 temperature data used with radar topography and microwaves interferometer measurements suggest that the variation of surface temperature with altitude in a band about the equator is less than 5 K/km. The available data are used to calculate a model of the structure of the Venus atmosphere for the first 75 km above the equatorial region

On the reality of the Venus winds

The Venera measurements of wind speed along with the Mariner measurements of lower-region of strong turbulence are evidence for a wide band of variable high speed retrograde horizontal winds which girdle Venus at the equator. In one interpretation of the Mariner 10 UV photographs, the 20km region above the top of the visible cloud is characterized by variable high-speed retrograde horizontal winds which orbit Venus with an average period of 4 earth days, and by many features indicating vertical convection. This suggests that the Venera-Mariner band of winds at 45km extends to the top of the UV cloud and beyond, and that the upper-region of strong turbulence detected by the Mariners may result from vertical convection currents carried along by high speed horizontal winds. In another interpretation, the predominate motions are attributed to wavelike disturbances with a 4-day period. For this case the upper-region of strong turbulence may be due in large part to vertical wind-shear resulting from a rapid decrease in wind speed within a relatively short distance about the Venera-Mariner band of high speed winds

Late biological effects of heavy charged particles: Cataracts, vascular injury and life shortening in mice

Risks associated with extended habitation in a space environment, particularly hazards to space workers that might result from exposure to high energy heavy ion particles (HZE), were studied. Biological effects of HZE were investigated in mice to assess their potential adverse health hazards. The potential effects of HZE particles on the crystalline lens of the eye and the carcinogenic effects and blood vessel (vascular) damage from radiation were evaluated by a risk assessment. Animal experiments to evaluate dose response relationships for tumor induction/promotion and for vascular injury were introduced. Cataract productions and preliminary results on cacinogenic and vascular effects are presented for perspective

The Transformational Effects of Forgiveness in the Lives of Members of the Kingsboro Temple Congregation

Problem Forgiveness is a crucial need within the congregation, and the lack of a greater practice of forgiveness is severely impacting the emotional, relational, and spiritual wellbeing of members. This present study investigated causes of hurt within the congregation, and designed a process to assist members in achieving forgiveness to empower them to live a forgiven life. Method The Pearson Correlations of Values measured 17 variables of spirituality and forgiveness against variables of avoidance, revenge, distancing, and feeling close. The ] 7 variables were reviewed and validated by Dr. Joan Atwood as a check and balance to personal biases. Forty-eight members were studied, comprised of 15 males, 29 females, and 4 unidentified by gender. ,A focus group facilitated a more in-depth study in forgiveness through a workshop and personalized work. Twenty-t\u3evo members of the congregation workshop were studied, comprised of 4 males and 18 females. The workshop involved cognitive, narrative, and affirmative techniques in a process of achieving forgiveness. Results The correlation matrix showed a number of interesting findings. Some of the correlations were negative relationships. A few were statistically significant: spiritual belief was related to avoidance talk, revenge, distancing, and feeling close (r = .016, .027, .031,039, .041, .057, .071, .078. .085 & .093). These correlations imply that positive belief might inspire more healthy feelings and behavior of closeness for offender, while negative belief, unhealthy behaviors of avoidance talk, revenge, and distance self from offender. Regarding spiritual attitude (r = .000, .010, .031, .048. .052, .061, .063, .093 & .001). These correlations imply that the church\u27s demonstration of understanding and support might inspire feeling of closeness in the offended towards the offender, and community of faith, while lack of understanding and support avoidance talk, revenge, and distancing self from the offender and church community. See table 2 on pages 106-107 for details. There was no evidence to substantiate that the spiritual discipline of forgiveness is easier when practiced in the spiritual community. Apparently humans have similar emotional ways they respond to offenses until empowered to respond differently. Individuals from the focus group and personalized processes of forgiveness used a Likert-type scale to rate benefits. Whereas 65% found the workshop to be very helpful, 35% found it helpful. While 69% felt they had achieved their goal, 10% felt they were still struggling, and 23% felt they were more advanced in the approach. Conclusions It appears that the personal belief of an offended member and the attitude of the church community towards the offended and the offense affect the process and outcome of forgiveness. Christians seem to struggle with the virtue of forgiveness as any other people groups

Re-Imagining Childhood and Reconstructing the Legal Order: The Case for Abolishing the Juvenile Court

Although the institution of the juvenile court developed rather recently in our legal system, it is now quite firmly established: every American state and nearly every industrialized nation has a juvenile court system in place. The juvenile court is not without its critics, however. In this Article, Professor Janet Ainsworth recommends its complete abolition. Professor Ainsworth contends that society\u27s current view of the nature of adolescence no longer comports with the turn-of-the century view that originally informed the development of an autonomous juvenile court, thus undermining the ideological legitimacy of a separate court system for juveniles. In addition, Professor Ainsworth argues that, because of the availability of procedural safeguards in the adult court system and because of the greater opportunity for effective assistance of counsel in the adult courts, juveniles will, in fact, benefit from being tried within a unified criminal justice system. Using social constructivist theory as the foundation for her Article, Professor Ainsworth critically examines the changes in the social imagination of the nature of childhood and adolescence and proceeds to a reevaluation of one specific legal institution in light of that changed social construct Professor Ainsworth\u27s analysis, however, has much broader implications for reshaping our legal system over time as society creates and recreates its collective notion of reality

Cataract production in mice by heavy charged particles

The cataractogenic effects of heavy charged particles are evaluated in mice in relation to dose and ionization density. The relative biological effectiveness in relation to linear energy transfer for various particles is considered. Results indicated that low single doses (5 to 20 rad) of Fe 56 or Ar 40 particles are cataractogenic at 11 to 18 months after irradiation; onset and density of the opacification are dose related and cataract density (grade) at 9, 11, 13, and 16 months after irradiation shows partial linear energy transfer dependence. The severity of cataracts is reduced significantly when 417 rad of Co 60 gamma radiation is given in 24 weekly 17 rad fractions compared to giving this radiation as a single dose, but cataract severity is not reduced by fractionation of C12 doses over 24 weeks