Consumer responses to really new products: examining the impacts of learning strategies and presentation formats on product comprehension and attitude formation

Mental simulations and analogies have been identified as powerful learning tools for RNPs. Furthermore, visuals in advertising have recently been conceptualized as meaningful sources of information as opposed to peripheral cues and thus may help consumers learn about RNPs. The study of visual attention may also contribute to understanding the links between conceptual and perceptual analyses when learning for a RNP. Two conceptual models are developed. the first model consists of causal relationships between the attributes of advertising stimuli for RNPs and consumer responses, as well as mediating influences. The second model focuses on the role of visual attention in product comprehension as a response to advertising stimuli. Two experiments are conducted: a Web-Experiment and an eye-tracking experiment. The first experiment (858 subjects) examines the effect of learning strategies (mental simulation vs. analogy vs. no analogy/no mental simulation) and presentation formats (words vs. pictures) on individual responses. The mediating role of emotions is assessed. The second experiment investigates the effect of learning strategies and presentation formats on product comprehension, along with the role of attention (17 subjects). The findings from experiment 1 indicate that learning strategies and presentation formats can either enhance or undermine the effect of advertising stimuli on individual responses. Moreover, the nature of the product (i.e. hedonic vs. utilitarian vs. hybrid) should be considered when designing communications for RNPs. The mediating role of emotions is verified. Experiment 2 suggests that an increase in attention to the message may either reflect enhanced comprehension or confusion.

Social software in Higher Education:the diversity of applications and their contributions to students' learning experiences

Higher education institutions are increasingly using social software tools to support teaching and learning. Despite the fact that social software is often used in a social context, these applications can significantly contribute to the educational experience of a student. However, as the social software domain comprises a considerable diversity of tools, the respective tools can be expected to differ in the way they can contribute to teaching and learning. In this review on the educational use of social software, we systematically analyze and compare the diverse social software tools and identify their contributions to teaching and learning. By integrating established learning theory and the extant literature on the individual social software applications we seek to contribute to a theoretical foundation for social software use and the choice of tools. Case vignettes from several UK higher education institutions are used to illustrate the different applications of social software tools in teaching and learning.

High stability multiplexed fiber interferometer and its application on absolute displacement measurement and on-line surface metrology

We propose a self-reference multiplexed fibre interferometer (MFI) by using a tunable laser and fibre Bragg grating (FBG). The optical measurement system multiplexes two Michelson fibre interferometers with shared optical path in the main part of optical system. One fibre optic interferometer is used as a reference interferometer to monitor and control the high accuracy of the measurement system under environmental perturbations. The other is used as a measurement interferometer to obtain information from the target. An active phase tracking homodyne (APTH) technique is applied for signal processing to achieve high resolution. MFI can be utilised for high precision absolute displacement measurement with different combination of wavelengths from the tuneable laser. By means of Wavelength-Division-Multiplexing (WDM) technique, MFI is also capable of realising on-line surface measurement, in which traditional stylus scanning is replaced by spatial light-wave scanning so as to greatly improve the measurement speed and robustness.

Improving scheduling techniques in heterogeneous systems with dynamic, on-line optimisations

Computational performance increasingly depends on parallelism, and many systems rely on heterogeneous resources such as GPUs and FPGAs to accelerate computationally intensive applications. However, implementations for such heterogeneous systems are often hand-crafted and optimised to one computation scenario, and it can be challenging to maintain high performance when application parameters change. In this paper, we demonstrate that machine learning can help to dynamically choose parameters for task scheduling and load-balancing based on changing characteristics of the incoming workload. We use a financial option pricing application as a case study. We propose a simulation of processing financial tasks on a heterogeneous system with GPUs and FPGAs, and show how dynamic, on-line optimisations could improve such a system. We compare on-line and batch processing algorithms, and we also consider cases with no dynamic optimisations.

On Neuron Mechanisms Used to Resolve Mental Problems of Identification and Learning in Sensorium

The paper considers some possible neuron mechanisms that do not contradict biological data. They are represented in terms of the notion of an elementary sensorium discussed in the previous authors’ works. Such mechanisms resolve problems of two large classes: when identification mechanisms are used and when sensory learning mechanisms are applied along with identification.

High stability multiplexed fibre interferometer and its application on absolute displacement measurement and on-line surface metrology

We propose a self-reference multiplexed fibre interferometer (MFI) by using a tunable laser and fibre Bragg grating (FBG). The optical measurement system multiplexes two Michelson fibre interferometers with shared optical path in the main part of optical system. One fibre optic interferometer is used as a reference interferometer to monitor and control the high accuracy of the measurement system under environmental perturbations. The other is used as a measurement interferometer to obtain information from the target. An active phase tracking homodyne (APTH) technique is applied for signal processing to achieve high resolution. MFI can be utilised for high precision absolute displacement measurement with different combination of wavelengths from the tuneable laser. By means of Wavelength-Division-Multiplexing (WDM) technique, MFI is also capable of realising on-line surface measurement, in which traditional stylus scanning is replaced by spatial light-wave scanning so as to greatly improve the measurement speed and robustness. © 2004 Optical Society of America.

e-Learning, e-Practising and e-Tutoring: an Integrated Approach

In this paper is described a didactic methodology combining current e-learning methods and the support of Intelligent Agents technologies. The aim is to favor the synthesis among theoretical approach and based practical approach using the so-called Intelligent Agent, software that exploits the Artificial Intelligence and that operates as tutor, facilitating the consumers in the training operations. The paper illustrates how such new Intelligent Agent algorithm (IA) is used in the training of employees working in the transportation sector, thanks to the experience gained with the PARMENIDE project - Promoting Advanced Resources and Methodologies for New Teaching and Learning Solutions in Digital Education.

Distance Learning Education of Software Engineering: Principles and Experiences

Whether distance learning spells the end of traditional campuses, as some maintain, or whether distance learning instead represents a powerful addition to a growing array of delivery options for higher education, its impact on higher education is great and growing. Distance learning is creating alternative models of teaching and learning, new job descriptions for faculty, and new types of higher education providers. The advent of Distance and Distributed Learning has raised numerous questions about quality and quality assurance: ² How do established distance learning institutions ensure quality? ² What more needs to be done? ² How do quality assurance agencies view the distinction between on- and off-campus teaching and learning? This talk discusses these issues from the viewpoints of funding organisa- tion, quality assurance agencies and the learners.

Technology-Enhanced Learning: Review and Prospects

This paper is a reflection on the history and future of technology-enhanced learning. Over the last century various new technologies were introduced in education. Often, educational revolutions were proclaimed. Unfortunately, most of these new technologies failed to meet the high expectations. This paper reviews the rise and fall of various "revolutionary" learning technologies and analyses what went wrong. Three main driving factors are identified that influence the educational system: 1) educational practice, 2) educational research, and 3) educational technology. The role and position of these factors is elaborated and critically reviewed. Today, again many promising new technologies are being put in place for learning: gaming, social web, and mobile technologies, for example. Inevitably, these are once again proclaimed by its supporters to revolutionise teaching and learning. The paper concludes with identifying a number of relevant factors that substantiate a favourable future outlook of technology-enhanced learning.

Towards New Teaching in Mathematics How to Realize Inquiry Based and Problem Oriented Mathematics Lessons?

Дагмар Рааб Математиката е вълнуваща и забавна. Можем ли да убедим учениците, че това може да стане действителност. Задачите са най-важните инструменти за учителите по математика, когато планират уроците си. Планът трябва да съдържа идеи как да се очертае и как да се жалонира пътят, по който учениците ще стигнат до решението на дадена задача. Учителите не трябва да очакват от учениците си просто да кажат кой е отговорът на задачата, а да ги увлекат в процеса на решаване с подходящи въпроси. Ролята на учителя е да помогне на учениците • да бъдат активни и резултатни при решаването на задачи; • самите те да поставят задачи; • да модифицират задачи; • да откриват закономерности; • да изготвят стратегии за решаване на задачи; • да откриват и изследват различни начини за решаване на задачи; • да намират смислена връзка между математическите си знания и проблеми от ежедневието. В доклада са представени избрани и вече експериментирани примери за това как учители и ученици могат да намерят подходящ път към нов тип преживявания в преподаването и изучаването на училищната математика.

Creative thinking experimentations for entrepreneurship with a disruptive, personalised and mobile game-based learning ecosystem

Based on an unprecedented need of stimulating creative capacities towards entrepreneurship to university students and young researchers, this paper introduces and analyses a smart learning ecosystem for encouraging teaching and learning on creative thinking as a distinct feature to be taught and learnt in universities. The paper introduces a mashed-up authoring architecture for designing lesson-plans and games with visual learning mechanics for creativity learning. The design process is facilitated by creativity pathways discerned across components. Participatory learning, networking and capacity building is a key aspect of the architecture, extending the learning experience and context from the classroom to outdoor (co-authoring of creative pathways by students, teachers and real-world entrepreneurs) and personal spaces. We anticipate that the smart learning ecosystem will be empirically evaluated and validated in future iterations for exploring the benefits of using games for enhancing creative mindsets, unlocking the imagination that lies within, practiced and transferred to multiple academic tribes and territories.

Az információterjedés szerepe az innováció-elfogadásban. Az okostelefonok és az on-line kollektív intelligencia (Role of informationspread in the innovation acceptance: the smart phones and the online collective intelligence)

A tanulmány célja az innováció-terjedés marketingvonzatú irodalmának bemutatása, valamint betekintés az exploratív tartalomelemzés módszerével az informális, kollektív intelligenciát generáló on-line felületek, nevesül a blogok és fórumok kutathatóságába. Az okostelefonok innováció-elfogadásának példáján keresztül a szerzők megpróbálják felderíteni az információterjedés elméletének megvalósulását az elemzett felületeken. Bemutatnak három, a mintára jellemző információterjedési és felvett szerep mintát, melyek alapul szolgálhatnak a további célirányú kutatások számára. / === / Adaptive smart phones that give space for user-added functions create active online discussions. Committed users are ready to share information, advise others, while less expert users seek this information. In their paper the authors show that related user-generated content i.e. blogs and bulletin boards provide a rich data source for analysis, which gives them the opportunity to further elaborate on the diffusion of information in the case of smart phone usage among online Hungarian users. Online collective intelligence may well contribute to the diffusion of innovations through diffusing information. Following a thorough review on the literature on the diffusion of innovations, in their exploratory content analysis, they found two categories of users on the analyzed boards: a first group we dubbed "experts" (corresponding to innovators in Bass's typology) that made a special effort trying to solve particular problems thus contributing to collective intelligence, thus reducing (among others) the perceived complexity of these phones and adding to their trialability, both factors influencing users' innovation acceptance, and a second group, "simple users" (or imitators in Bass's typology), uninterested in product innovation, still asking questions and searching for solutions concerning extant technology. Manufacturers do not seem yet to regard these boards as a source of valuable data, even though these clearly serve as an important pool of information and a growing factor of decision for their potential customers.