scholarly journals Fostering University Students’ Idea Generation and Idea Evaluation Skills With a Cognitive-Based Creativity Training

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 284-308
Author(s):  
Kim van Broekhoven ◽  
Barbara Belfi ◽  
Ian Hocking ◽  
Rolf van der Velden

Abstract This paper examines the effectiveness of a 10-hour cognitive-based creativity training on idea generation and idea evaluation among 51 undergraduate students (mean age 22) from a large university in the Netherlands. A pre-post-test within-subject design was conducted. All 51 students received the training as part of their bachelor program, and were assigned to receive the training in the first or second semester. As such, students participated in both experimental conditions (control and intervention), albeit at different times (within-subject design). The Alternative Uses Task (AUT) and specially designed idea evaluation tasks were used before and after the training. In the idea evaluation task, students were asked to evaluate ideas on their originality and feasibility. Their ratings were compared with content experts’ ratings. General Linear Models (GLM) for repeated measures were conducted to determine whether any change in idea generation and idea evaluation is the result of the interaction between type of treatment (i.e. intervention or control group) and time (pre- and post-test). The results indicated that students did not generate significantly more (i.e. fluency) and different kind of ideas (i.e. flexibility) after training. Most importantly, in line with recent research, the results suggested that training does not impact idea evaluation skills among students. This suggests that idea evaluation might be a more complex process to enhance than idea generation. The implications of these results for educational practice and future research are discussed.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 226-235
Author(s):  
Ambra Gentile ◽  
Ewan Thomas ◽  
Kaltrina Feka ◽  
Anita Di Vincenzo ◽  
Marco Restifo ◽  
...  

Summary Study aim. The purpose of the current study is to determine the impact of single bouts of physical exercise of different duration and intensity on young adults’ executive functions. Material and methods. The study employed 81 participants (37 females, 44 males) ranging between 19 and 39 years (mean age: 24.6 ± 4.08 years; mean height: 168 ± 9.67 cm; mean weight: 67.2 ± 13.0 kg). The executive functions were assessed through the Stroop task, the Tower of London test, and the Corsi block test. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental conditions (30-second Wingate test condition, an incremental intensity exercise test, and a submaximal constant-intensity test) or the control group. Results. For all the conditions, repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant effect of time on executive function performances, meaning that participants improved their performance between pre-test and post-test, while the interaction time x activity was in the expected direction but nonsignificant. Conclusions. Apparently, a single, brief, high-intensity bout of exercise has no effects on young adults’ cognitive functions, but the same experiment should be replicated with a bigger sample.


2017 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denholm J. Aspy ◽  
Michael Proeve

An experiment involving 115 undergraduate students (74.8% females; mean age = 20.5 years, SD = 4.3) was conducted to explore effects of meditation on social connectedness, nature connectedness, and affect. Participants listened to one of three brief guided meditation Mp3 recordings via the internet, which involved mindfulness meditation (MM), loving-kindness meditation (LKM), or progressive muscle relaxation (active control group). Participants in the MM and LKM groups reported greater social and nature connectedness at post-test than those in the control group. There were no significant differences in connectedness between the MM and LKM groups, suggesting they are both effective for enhancing connectedness. There were no significant changes in negative or positive affect at post-test due to the interventions. Recommendations for future research are provided.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Hita ◽  
G. Venkatesh Kumar

Adolescence is considered as a crucial stage for emotional development. It is also seen as a time of hyper-emotionality, emotional conflict, and volatile mood states. Given that adolescents lack skills for emotional management, emotional distress during these years can hamper their immediate growth and adversely affect their transition to the next stage of life. Interventions that promote positive emotional development during adolescence are the need of the hour. Keeping this in focus, the present study investigated the Effect of Life Skills Training on Adolescent boys and girls with high Emotional Distress. The study used pre- and post-test experimental design with a control group to examine the stated objectives. 160 adolescent boys and girls (n=80), with a mean age of 16.44 years, were selected for the study using Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Of these, 80 in the experimental group (boys=40, girls=40) were trained in life skills. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test and repeated measures of ANOVA were used to analyze obtained results. Major findings of the study indicate that Life Skills training has significant effect in reducing emotional distress and improving emotional health in adolescents. And the significance of it was found to be higher in girls compared to boys.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (35) ◽  
pp. 216-226
Author(s):  
Ratu Betta RUDIBYANI

Chemistry is one of the scientific disciplines considered difficult for students to understand its microscopic and macroscopic concepts. Students also claim that this discipline is tedious and complicated. They are unable to connect what is shown in the visual structure to the process and phenomenon. In the context of self-motivation among university students, there is a higher chance of expanding the stimulation of learning. This study aimed to improve self-confidence and the mastery of concepts of chemistry teaching students using problem-based learning. The quasi-experimental method was used with the design of the non-equivalent pre-test-post-test control group. The population included all students in the electrochemistry class at Lampung University in 2019. The purposeful sampling technique employed divided the sample into two groups. The first group was called Class A and was considered as the experimental class - using problem-based learning -. The second group, Class B, was recognized as the control class - using the conventional model in which the teacher applied the speech method in the delivery of materials during the class -. Class A's self-confidence and mastery of concepts have a higher nGain value than class B, and the result of the effect size is that class B has a more significant effect than class A. Based on the outcome, one can conclude that problem-based learning has a significant influence on improving self-confidence and mastery of concepts on the electrochemical theme.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
So Yoon Kim ◽  
Seonghee Jeong

Purpose: This research was conducted to identify the effects of providing support programs to families of elderly with dementia on family empowerment and attitudes toward dementia. Methods: A nonequivalent control group pre- and post-test design was used. Participants were 49 family caregivers, experimental (24) and control (25), recruited from families through a dementia support center in Y district. This program implemented Haearim, a support program for family caregivers of demented elders developed by the National Institute of Dementia in 2016. Outcome measures were empowerment and attitudes toward to dementia. Data were analyzed with a ${chi}^2-test$, independent t-test, Fisher's exact probability test, paired t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA with SPSS/PC version 20.0. Results: Family empowerment (F=6.84, p=.002) and family caregivers' attitudes (F=16.48, p<.001) toward dementia in the experimental group improved significantly more than that of the control group after intervention. Conclusion: Results indicate that support programs for families of elderly with dementia are effective in positively changing empowerment and attitudes toward dementia among family caregivers.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Stanley Burger ◽  
Susan L. Johnson

Increases in portion size lead to increases in energy intake, yet the mechanisms behind this ‘portion size effect’ are unclear. This study tested possible mechanisms of the portion size effect i.e., bite size and visual cues in 30 over- and normal-weight individuals (15 men, 15 women). A 2x2 repeated measures, within-subject design was used to test the effects of portion size (410g vs. 820g of a pasta dish) and visual cues (blindfolded vs. visible) on energy intake. At each meal participants were exposed to one of four experimental conditions (small portion/visible; small portion/blindfold; large portion/visible; large portion/blindfold). Participant characteristics, food intake, number of bites, meal duration, palatability measures and hunger and fullness were assessed. In response to a doubling of the portion presented, entrée energy intake increased 26% (220kcal P &lt; 0.001) and mean bite size increased 2.4g/bite (P &lt; 0.05). Overweight individuals consumed 40% (334kcal) more of the entrée in response to the large portion condition (P &lt; 0.05), while lean individuals’ intakes did not differ (P &lt; 0.56). A 12% (122kcal) decrease in entrée intake was observed in the blindfolded condition (P &lt; 0.01), but no portion by visual cue interaction was found; indicating that blindfolding did not attenuate the portion size effect. These data suggest that the portion size effect is greater in overweight individuals and occurs via changes in bite size.


1984 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Waldman ◽  
Charles Davidshofer

The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of a three-week death and dying symposium at Colorado State University on attitudes and anxiety related to death, dying, and grief. A prepost control group design was employed using psychology undergraduate students as participants. Because of an overall finding of low participant attendance at the symposium events, participants who attended at least one event were assigned to the treatment group for data analyses. Results indicated lower death anxiety for students in both the treatment and control groups. The findings are discussed in terms of the widespread media coverage and informal discussions which accompany large-scale symposiums. Future research is suggested regarding the dynamic effects of such death and dying symposiums in relation to both attendants and nonattendants.


Author(s):  
Yin Yin Khoo ◽  
Robert Fitzgerald

This study examines the impact of using cartoons shared through mobile devices to promote awareness and to aid in the development of financial literacy among Economics students in Malaysia. The study also investigates the use of these ‘mobile cartoons' to develop students' communication skills. The study involved a quasi-experimental methodology investigating the learning outcomes of 91 undergraduate students. Data was acquired through surveys and interviews. The results showed a higher mean for the experimental group (Mobile Learning Collaborative) than the control group (Conventional Collaborative). Future research may focus on the improvement in the design of the intervention with a particular focus on expanding the range of cartoon characters.


2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 373-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice Miner Holden ◽  
Kathy Oden ◽  
Kelly Kozlowski ◽  
Bert Hayslip

In this article, we reviewed results of research on near-death experiences (NDEs) over the past 3 decades and examined the effect of viewing the hour-long 2002 BBC documentary The Day I Died: The Mind, the Brain, and Near-Death Experiences on accurate knowledge about near-death experiences among advanced undergraduates at a southwestern university. In a quasi-experimental research design, the experimental group completed a 20-item questionnaire before and after viewing the documentary ( n = 66; 45 females, 21 males), and the waitlist control group completed the questionnaire as pre- and posttest before viewing the documentary ( n = 39; 36 female, 3 male). The two groups' scores at pretest were not significantly different ( p > .05). Group by occasion repeated measures ANOVA revealed the experimental group's posttest scores moved significantly in the direction of correctness with a large effect size ( p < .001; η2= .56), whereas waitlist control group posttest scores remained similar to pretest scores. We discuss two exceptions to the effectiveness of the documentary and recommendations for educators using it as well as for future research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-18
Author(s):  
Bárbara Pessali-Marques ◽  
Gustavo H.C. Peixoto ◽  
Christian E.T. Cabido ◽  
André Gustavo P. Andrade ◽  
Sara A. Rodrigues ◽  
...  

This study aimed to investigate the bio- mechanical response of the hamstring muscles to acute stretching in dancers (D) compared to non-dancers (ND). Maximal range of motion (ROMMax) and stiffness of the hamstrings were assessed in 46 young males, 23 undergraduate students (ND) and 23 professional dancers (D). Ages of the two groups were D 21.5 ± 0.60 years; ND 27.5 ± 0.98 years). Testing was performed in two sessions, familiarization with procedures in the first session and the tests themselves (pre- and post-test and intervention) in the second, with a 24- to 48-hour interval between. The pre-test consisted of three trials of passive knee extension to the point of increased tension in the hamstrings, defined as ROMMax. The resistance torque recorded at ROMMax was defined as torqueMax. Six 30-second constant torque stretches were performed at 100% of the torqueMaxreached in the pre-test in one lower limb only (intervention), with the contralateral limb used as control. The torque measured at an identical ROM before (pre-test) and after (post-test) the intervention was defined as torqueROM, and represented stiffness in this study. Reliability of the ROMMax, torqueMax, and torqueROMwas assessed via intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC3, k) and standard error of the measurements (SEM). Comparison between dancers and non-dancers, control, and intervention conditions for all dependent variables was performed using ANOVA repeated measures followed by Tukey post hoc comparisons to highlight any interaction. The submaximal stretch intensity applied caused torqueROM to decrease in both D and ND groups (p < 0.01), indicating a decrease in stiffness, but no difference between the groups was found. A significantly greater increase in ROMMax was found for the D group compared to the ND group (p < 0.01), suggesting that other aspects in addition to MTU biomechanical adaptations may have played a role in the ROMMax increase, especially for the D group. Further research is needed to explore what those other adaptations are. Meanwhile, coaches and physical therapists should be aware that dancers may require different stretch training protocols than non-dancers.


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