Hearing and Echolocation in the Australian Grey Swiftlet, Collocalia Spodiopygia

The frequency sensitivity of hearing in the grey swiftlet, Collocalia spodiopygia, was determined by neuronal recordings from the auditory midbrain (MLD). The most sensitive best frequency response thresholds occurred between 0.8 and 4.7 kHz, with the upper frequency limit near 6 kHz. Spectral analysis of echolocation click pairs revealed energy peaks between 3.0 and 8.0kHz for the foreclick, compared to 4.0-6.0 kHz for the principal click. The relationship between good hearing sensitivity and click energy peaks in the swiftlet extends about an octave higher than it does in the oilbird (Steatornis caripensis)

Laryngeal Nerve Activity During Pulse Emission in the CF-FM Bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum. II. The Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve

The activity of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) was recorded in the greater horseshoe bat,Rhinolophus ferrumequinum. Respiration, vocalization and nerve discharges were monitored while vocalizations were elicted by stimulation of the central gray matter. This stimulation evoked either expiration or expiration plus vocalization depending on the stimulus strength. When vocalization occurred it always took place during expiration. Recordings from the RLN during respiration showed activity during the inspiration phase, but when vocalization occurred there was activity during inspiration and expiration. These results are consistent with the view that the RLN innervates muscles which control the opening and closing of the glottis. During vocalization the vocal folds are closely approximated and the discharge patterns of the nerve suggests that it controls the muscles which start and end each pulse

Thinking, Interthinking, and Technological Tools

Language use is widely regarded as an important indicator of high quality learning and reasoning ability. Yet this masks an irony: language is fundamentally a social, collaborative tool, yet despite the widespread recognition of its importance in relation to learning, the role of dialogue is undervalued in learning contexts. In this chapter we argue that to see language as only a tool for individual thought presents a limited view of its transformative power. This power, we argue, lies in the ways in which dialogue is used to interthink – that is, to think together, to build knowledge co-constructively through our shared understanding. Technology can play an important role in resourcing thinking through the provision of information, and support to provide a space to think alone. It can moreover provide significant support for learners to build shared representations together, particularly through giving learners access to a wealth of ‘given’ inter-related texts which resource the co-construction of knowledge

Supporting Collaborative Learning in Videoconferencing using Collaboration Scripts and Content Schemes

Studies have shown that videoconferences are an effective medium for facilitating communication between parties who are separated by distance. Furthermore, studies reveal that videoconferences are effective when used for distance learning, particularly due to their ability to facilitate complex collaborative learning tasks. However, as in face-to-face communication, learners benefit when they receive additional support for such learning tasks. This article provides an overview of two empirical studies to illustrate more general insights regarding some effective and less effective ways to support collaborative learning with videoconferencing. The focus is on content schemes as content-specific support and task-specific support as collaboration scripts. Based on the results of the two studies, conclusions can be drawn about support measures that promote learning. Conclusions can also be reached about the need for employing both content schemes and collaboration scripts to provide learners with the most benefit.Studien haben gezeigt, dass Videokonferenzen ein effektives Medium für die verteilte Kommunikation sind. Ebenso zeigten erste Studien, dass sich Videokonferenzen auch in Telelernumgebungen einsetzen lassen, insbesondere weil sie komplexe kooperative Lernaufgaben ermöglichen. Lernende profitieren jedoch in solchen Lernaufgaben – ähnlich wie face to face – von zusätzlicher Unterstützung. In diesem Beitrag werden zwei empirische Studien dargestellt, die weiterführende Erkenntnisse hinsichtlich effektiver und weniger effektiver Arten der Unterstützung kollaborativen Lernens in Videokonferenzen erbringen sollen. Der Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf Wissensschemata als Methode inhaltlicher Unterstützung, und aufgabenspezifischer Unterstützung in Form von Kooperationsskripts. Ausgehend von den Ergebnissen dieser zwei Studien werden Folgerungen über lernförderliche Merkmale der Unterstützungsmaßnahmen formuliert. Befunde weisen auf die Notwendigkeit Wissensschemata und Kooperationsskripts kombiniert anzuwenden hin, um für die Lernenden den größtmöglichen Nutzen zu erreichen

From meaning making to joint construction of knowledge practices and artefacts - a trialogical approach to CSCL

ACM,; 978-1-4092-8498-4; Editors: Claire O'Malley, Daniel Suthers, Peter Reimann, Angelique Dimitracopoulou; Proceeding volume: Volume 1Peer reviewe

Computer support for collaborative learning environments

This paper deals with computer support for collaborative learning environments. Our analysis is based on a moderate constructivist view on learning, which emphasizes the need to support learners instructionally in their collaborative knowledge construction. We will first illustrate the extent to which the computer can provide tools for supporting collaborative knowledge construction. Secondly, we will focus on instruction itself and show the kinds of advanced instructional methods that computer tools may provide for the learners. Furthermore, we will discuss the learners’ prerequisites and how they must be considered when constructing learning environments.Dieser Bericht behandelt die Unterstützung kooperativer Lernumgebungen durch den Einsatz von Computern. Der theoretische Hintergrund greift auf einen moderaten Konstruktivismus zurück, der die Notwendigkeit einer instruktionalen Unterstützung für die gemeinsame Wissenskonstruktion betont. Darauf aufbauend beschreibt der Bericht in einem ersten Schritt, wie der Computer Werkzeuge zur gemeinsamen Wissenskonstruktion bereitstellen kann. Im zweiten Teil steht die Instruktion für das kooperative Lernen im Vordergrund. Dabei werden Methoden instruktionaler Unterstützung vorgestellt, die computerbasierte Werkzeuge für die gemeinsame Wissenskonstruktion bereitstellen, insbesondere Skripts und inhaltliche Strukturvorgaben. Darüber hinaus beschreibt der Bericht, inwieweit individuelle Lernereigenschaften, wie z.B. das Vorwissen, einen Einfluss auf die Realisierung von Lernumgebungen haben

Main functionalities of the Knowledge Practices Environment (KPE) affording knowledge creation practices in education

ACM,; 978-1-4092-8498-4; Editors: Claire O'Malley, Daniel Suthers, Peter Reimann, Angelique Dimitracopoulou;Peer reviewe

Cooperative Learning in Videoconferencing: The Influence of Content Schemes and Cooperation Scripts on Shared External Representations and Individual Learning Outcomes

Video-conferencing is expected to become increasingly important for tele-learning environments. This study investigates how to foster cooperative learning in videoconferencing. The learning environment was a peer-teaching scenario, which demanded the learners to teach each other theories. In this study the effects of different types of support for cooperation were investigated. The main research question is how (1) content schemes and (2) cooperation scripts enhance the construction of collaborative external representations and foster learning outcomes. Re-sults indicate that content schemes as well as cooperation scripts foster the construction of shared external representations. Furthermore, the cooperation script enhances learning outcomVideokonferenzen werden in Telelernumgebungen zunehmend wichtiger. Im Rahmen dieser Studie wird untersucht, wie man kooperatives Lernen in Videokonferenzen unterstützen kann. Als Lernumgebung wurde ein Peer-Teaching Szenario gewählt, bei dem es die Aufgabe der Lernenden war, sich gegenseitig eine Theorie zu vermitteln. Dabei werden die Auswirkungen einer Unterstützung durch die Faktoren (1) Wissensschemata und (2) Kooperationsskripts auf die Erstellung einer gemeinsamen externalen Repräsentation und auf den Lernerfolg untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sowohl Wissensschemata als auch Kooperationsskripts positive Effekte auf die Erstellung der gemeinsamen externalen Repräsentation haben. Lernende mit Kooperationsskript wiesen zusätzlich einen höheren Lernerfolg auf als Lernende ohne Kooperationsskr

Online discussion compensates for suboptimal timing of supportive information presentation in a digitally supported learning environment

This study used a sequential set-up to investigate the consecutive effects of timing of supportive information presentation (information before vs. information during the learning task clusters) in interactive digital learning materials (IDLMs) and type of collaboration (personal discussion vs. online discussion) in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) on student knowledge construction. Students (N = 87) were first randomly assigned to the two information presentation conditions to work individually on a case-based assignment in IDLM. Students who received information during learning task clusters tended to show better results on knowledge construction than those who received information only before each cluster. The students within the two separate information presentation conditions were then randomly assigned to pairs to discuss the outcomes of their assignments under either the personal discussion or online discussion condition in CSCL. When supportive information had been presented before each learning task cluster, online discussion led to better results than personal discussion. When supportive information had been presented during the learning task clusters, however, the online and personal discussion conditions had no differential effect on knowledge construction. Online discussion in CSCL appeared to compensate for suboptimal timing of presentation of supportive information before the learning task clusters in IDLM

Anatomical bases of sex- and size-related acoustic variation in herring gull alarm calls

The hypothesis that anatomical or physiological factors can constrain the production of vocalizations is supported by an increasing number of examples from a range of taxa, where acoustic variation is related to sex, body-size or condition. In this study, we combine anatomical and acoustic investigations in herring gulls Larus argentatus to 1) identify co-variation between sex, body size and the dimensions of the vocal apparatus and 2) test the possible effect of this co-variation on interindividual variation in the acoustics of alarm calls. We found that the vocal apparatus was sexually dimorphic, with males having longer trachea and bigger vibratile membranes than females. We also identified a relationship between the head–bill length – a secondary sexual trait – and the length of the trachea in males only. However, we failed to identify corresponding sex- and body-size related variation in the acoustic components of alarm calls. We suggest that this absence of a relationship between anatomical and acoustic dimensions may reflect the lack of biomechanical constraints exerted during the production of alarm calls, and that such relationships are more likely to be expressed in this species’ sexual calls, whose production is characterised by more pronounced, ritualised postures that are more likely to highlight inter-individual size variation