All-or-none learning of attributes.
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Adolescent↗
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Results for “Informal learning”
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Free recall and subjective organization in performance of learning disabled children.
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Association↗
F3: making your learning effective.
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Education, Nursing↗
Intersensory redundancy facilitates prenatal perceptual learning in bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) embryos.
Information presented redundantly and in temporal synchrony across sensory modalities (intersensory redundancy) selectively recruits attention and facilitates perceptual learning in human infants. This comparative study examined whether intersensory redundancy also facilitates perceptual learning prenatally. The authors assessed quail (Colinus virginianus) embryos' ability to learn a maternal call when it was (a) unimodal, (b) concurrent but asynchronous with patterned light, or (c) redundant and synchronous with patterned light. Chicks' preference for the familiar over a novel maternal call was assessed 24 hr following hatching. Chicks receiving redundant, synchronous stimulation as embryos learned the call 4 times faster than those who received unimodal exposure. Chicks who received asynchronous bimodal stimulation showed no evidence of learning. These results provide the first evidence that embryos are sensitive to redundant, bimodal information and that it can facilitate learning during the prenatal period.
Acoustic Stimulation↗
A comparative study on feature selection methods for drug discovery.
Feature selection is frequently used as a preprocessing step to machine learning. The removal of irrelevant and redundant information often improves the performance of learning algorithms. This paper is a comparative study of feature selection in drug discovery. The focus is on aggressive dimensionality reduction. Five methods were evaluated, including information gain, mutual information, a chi2-test, odds ratio, and GSS coefficient. Two well-known classification algorithms, Naïve Bayesian and Support Vector Machine (SVM), were used to classify the chemical compounds. The results showed that Naïve Bayesian benefited significantly from the feature selection, while SVM performed better when all features were used. In this experiment, information gain and chi2-test were most effective feature selection methods. Using information gain with a Naïve Bayesian classifier, removal of up to 96% of the features yielded an improved classification accuracy measured by sensitivity. When information gain was used to select the features, SVM was much less sensitive to the reduction of feature space. The feature set size was reduced by 99%, while losing only a few percent in terms of sensitivity (from 58.7% to 52.5%) and specificity (from 98.4% to 97.2%). In contrast to information gain and chi2-test, mutual information had relatively poor performance due to its bias toward favoring rare features and its sensitivity to probability estimation errors.
Algorithms↗
Committee work: serendipitous teaching and learning.
This study describes what registered nurses incidentally teach and learn while serving on a committee of a professional nursing organization. One hundred fifteen nurses were asked to complete a questionnaire eliciting information about teaching and learning during District committee meetings. A total of 46 questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 40%. Learning was reported more than teaching during committee meetings. The greatest number of situations described by the respondents as "incidental learning" consisted of group discussion and group work on projects. The nurses obtained new information, gained psychomotor skills, and increased their ability to work effectively in groups. The nurses "helped teach," "educated," and "passed on knowledge," but they referred more often to sharing and contributing than teaching. The findings of this study suggest that, indeed, teaching and learning occur during committee meetings, making these gatherings an adult educational method.
Education, Nursing, Continuing↗
Machine learning paradigms for pattern recognition and image understanding.
In this paper some issues are considered related to the encoding of spatial information and associated perceptual learning algorithms which, it is claimed, are necessary for robust pattern and object recognition in multi-object (natural) scenes. The types of learning requirements within a 'recognition-by-parts' paradigm are contrasted with findings from alternative models.
Form Perception↗
Entropy optimization by the PFANN network: application to blind source separation.
The aim of this paper is to present a study of polynomial functional-link neural units that learn through an information-theoretic-based criterion. First the structure of the neuron is presented and the unsupervised learning theory is explained and discussed, with particular attention being paid to its probability density function and cumulative distribution function approximation capability. Then a neural network formed by such neurons (the polynomial functional-link artificial neural network, or PFANN) is shown to be able to separate out linearly mixed eterokurtic source signals, i.e. signals endowed with either positive or negative kurtoses. In order to compare the performance of the proposed blind separation technique with those exhibited by existing methods, the mixture of densities (MOD) approach of Xu et al, which is closely related to PFANN, is briefly recalled; then comparative numerical simulations performed on both synthetic and real-world signals and a complexity evaluation are illustrated. These results show that the PFANN approach gives similar performance with a noticeable reduction in computational effort.
Artificial Intelligence↗
Educating the next generation of physicians about stroke: incorporating stroke prevention into the medical school curriculum.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In response to the need to educate physicians about stroke, we have implemented an educational program on stroke prevention for undergraduate medical students within the first-year neuroscience course. This study investigated whether first-year students learned and retained key information about stroke, and used students' feedback both to identify effective curricular components and to explore their attitudes regarding stroke prevention. METHODS: Stroke knowledge and self-assessed confidence in that knowledge before, immediately after, and 8 months after participation in the stroke curriculum were analyzed and compared for 3 classes, using paired t tests and repeated-measures ANOVA. Student feedback about the effectiveness of specific parts of the curriculum and about the importance of stroke prevention was solicited and evaluated. RESULTS: First-year medical students in 3 classes more than doubled their overall stroke knowledge scores (pretest total mean of 8.2; posttest mean 18.0), and retained significant improvement 8 months later (mean 15.7). Subscores in all 4 areas of stroke knowledge tested significantly increased (P<0.001). Students' confidence in their knowledge of stroke risk factors and warning signs, as well as in their knowledge itself, increased (P<0.001). Each of the 3 cohorts demonstrated similar improvements. Feedback indicated heightened awareness and interest in stroke prevention, which was maintained after completion of the curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that when instruction on stroke prevention is incorporated into the first-year curriculum, students learn and retain key information. Because entire classes of medical students are involved, this type of approach has the potential to reach all future physicians and therefore to meaningfully impact future stroke care.
Curriculum↗
Bridging the gap between health literacy and patient education for people with multiple sclerosis.
Health literacy links literacy skill level with the ability to understand health information and take control of one's health. People who have multiple sclerosis (MS) are bombarded with information on the disease and its prognosis, symptom management, and complex treatment options--information that is vital to self-management and quality of life. Approximately 50% of the people who have MS experience cognitive deficits, such as memory loss and a diminished capacity for learning, processing, and recalling information. By identifying and removing barriers to learning and building collaborative nurse-patient partnerships, nurses can make MS education meaningful for their patients.
Educational Status↗
Studying health information from a distance: refining an e-learning case study in the crucible of student evaluation.
PURPOSE: To present a formative evaluation of the impact of a multimedia case study as a component of a masters course in health informatics delivered by distance learning. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS/RESOURCES: First and second year health informatics students undertaking four core modules of a masters programme at the University of Sheffield. METHODOLOGY: Individual qualitative user surveys and interviews. RESULTS/OUTCOMES: Formative evaluation has played a significant role in refining the case study through its text-based, intermediate and CD-ROM based stages. Feedback from students has resulted in clarification of case study tasks, clearer definition of teaching roles and a revised approach to assessment. At the same time it has highlighted the importance of ongoing revision and maintenance in keeping the scenarios realistic and current. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The multimedia case study has met many of its original aims in providing greater cohesion for core modules and encouraging greater levels of interaction and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Computer-Assisted Instruction↗
Theatre as a public engagement tool for health-policy development.
PURPOSE: To explore theatre as a public engagement tool for health-policy development. BACKGROUND: In a justice-based democracy, engagement of a large number of citizens of diverse perspectives is required for legitimate health-policy development. However, all current strategies of citizen participation are limited in their capacity to engage, either by lack of opportunity to educate citizens prior to soliciting their opinions or lack of large numbers of citizens. METHODS: A series of 12 nested case studies was conducted, with each case study consisting of a performance of a 70-min play, specifically written to educate citizens to scientific, clinical, and psychosocial issues of adult predictive genetic testing, and to foster empathy for persons immersed therein; and a 1-h audience discussion that was taped and transcribed for qualitative analysis (modified thematic). The script was based on key informant interviews, literature review, and six script readings for key informants and communities. Audience members were recruited through conference or educational event programs, posters, newsletters, and electronic announcements, as well as newspaper advertisements and other public, community and institutional postings. RESULTS: More than 1,000 citizens were engaged. The analysis indicated that audience members were engaged emotionally and cognitively in the position of the characters and the health-policy issues. Audience members' comments forwarded from personal or professional lived experience confirmed the validity of the script and promoted further emotional and cognitive engagement of other audience members. Audience members offered informed and diverse opinions on policy issues, including resource allocation, patenting of genetic tests, research funding, genetic test-based insurance discrimination, and imperative for public education. The potential for harm to key informants and audience members (and those in relationships with them) were observed, usually related to learning or offering personal information regarding their genetic risk. CONCLUSION: As many citizens can be engaged in theatre-based policy development as surveyed through public opinion polls, and many times the number that can be engaged in strategies that educate citizens prior to soliciting their opinions, likely at a similar cost per citizen engaged.
Community Participation↗
Guiding parents' use of the Internet for newborn education.
Shorter hospital stays have had an impact on the traditional role of mother-baby nurses in providing education on parenting to their patients. In recent years, there has been a proliferation of consumer health information available on the Internet related to parenting. Publication of information on the Internet, however, is not monitored and reviewed in the way that traditional print sources are; therefore, there is no guarantee that the information is current, unbiased, or accurate. As more consumers search the World Wide Web for parenting information, nurses need to learn more about this technology so they can assist parents in identifying how to locate information they can trust.
Consumer Advocacy↗
Improving text memory by organizing interfering text at retrieval.
We provide evidence that information that organizes interfering text after learning improves recall of original text to which the organizing information does not pertain. Subjects learned two text passages. The second passage was difficult to understand without the aid of a picture that provided the necessary clarifying context. Using the picture as an organizing cue for the second passage (just before retrieval of the first passage) improved recall of the first passage. We address and rule out an alternate explanation that is based on the difficulty of the task immediately preceding recall. These results contradict several traditional hypotheses about interference, and they are difficult to explain with several current models of memory. Implications for learning are discussed.
Adult↗
Designing high-quality interactive multimedia learning modules.
Modern research has broadened scientific knowledge and revealed the interdisciplinary nature of the sciences. For today's students, this advance translates to learning a more diverse range of concepts, usually in less time, and without supporting resources. Students can benefit from technology-enhanced learning supplements that unify concepts and are delivered on-demand over the Internet. Such supplements, like imaging informatics databases, serve as innovative references for biomedical information, but could improve their interaction interfaces to support learning. With information from these digital datasets, multimedia learning tools can be designed to transform learning into an active process where students can visualize relationships over time, interact with dynamic content, and immediately test their knowledge. This approach bridges knowledge gaps, fosters conceptual understanding, and builds problem-solving and critical thinking skills-all essential components to informatics training for science and medicine. Additional benefits include cost-free access and ease of dissemination over the Internet or CD-ROM. However, current methods for the design of multimedia learning modules are not standardized and lack strong instructional design. Pressure from administrators at the top and students from the bottom are pushing faculty to use modern technology to address the learning needs and expectations of contemporary students. Yet, faculty lack adequate support and training to adopt this new approach. So how can faculty learn to create educational multimedia materials for their students? This paper provides guidelines on best practices in educational multimedia design, derived from the Virtual Labs Project at Stanford University. The development of a multimedia module consists of five phases: (1) understand the learning problem and the users needs; (2) design the content to harness the enabling technologies; (3) build multimedia materials with web style standards and human factors principles; (4) user testing; (5) evaluate and improve design.
Computer Graphics↗
Clinical importance of parent ratings of everyday cognitive abilities in children with learning and attention problems.
This study addressed two issues: first, whether parental reports contribute information over and above a standardized psychometric assessment, and second, whether parental reports of everyday cognitive functioning might be useful in distinguishing between children with reading disabilities (RD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and combined ADHD + RD. Parent-reported information on 159 children with learning or attention problems was obtained using a questionnaire called the Parent Ratings of Everyday Cognitive and Academic Abilities (PRECAA). Psychometric information used for comparison included the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised, the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Short Form, the Vocabulary and Block Design subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 3rd edition, and the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration. The PRECAA was found to be sensitive to group differences between children with RD and children with ADHD and combined ADHD + RD. Its inclusion resulted in a significant increase in the number of children correctly classified compared to the use of psychometric measures alone. The PRECAA correctly classified more children (66%) than did the standard psychometric measures (50%). In fact, a very high percentage of children with ADHD (81%) were correctly classified using the PRECAA. These findings suggest that the PRECAA may be a useful aid to clinicians in the identification of children with learning and attention problems.
Adolescent↗
Moving from a long-stay hospital to the community.
This article offers an understanding of the experiences and needs of people with severe learning disabilities as they are moved from long-stay institutions to alternative provision in the community. The article draws upon a research study whose preliminary findings suggest that important information about people with learning disabilities is lost in transition. The consequences of such a loss of information are discussed and suggestions offered to improve practice.
Deinstitutionalization↗
Videotape versus computer interactive education in alcoholic and nonalcoholic controls.
Few studies have evaluated the ability of the alcoholic patient to learn treatment-related information and all have involved conventional educational modalities such as videotape or lecture. Since computer interactive (CI) programs allow for individualization, feedback, and active learning, we were interested in determining whether CI would prove to be a more effective educational/treatment modality for male alcoholic patients than the conventional videotape (V) modality. The current study compared the relative effectiveness of the CI and V educational interventions for VA alcoholic patients and a cognitively and sociodemographically matched sample of nonalcoholic VA patients. The 91 male alcoholic subjects (46 V, 45 CI) were lower socioeconomic outpatients in a VA Alcoholism Treatment program. Control subjects were 35 nonalcoholic men (18 V, 17 CI) attending an outpatient medical clinic at the same facility. All subjects were individually exposed in a single session to a 1 hr intervention on the Medical Effects of Alcohol. Baseline knowledge was measured prior to the intervention using a 21-item multiple choice test, while learning and retention were assessed with the same instrument 24 hr after the intervention. All four subgroups (two types of subjects x two types of intervention) identified approximately three more items correctly at the post-test than at baseline. Thus, neither alcoholics for nonalcoholics acquired more information when exposed to the CI intervention. Further, no differences were found overall in the learning of the alcoholic and nonalcoholic subjects. The implications of these findings and their limitations are discussed.
Adult↗