Learning leadership in outdoor education: Effects of feedback

There is paucity of knowledge regarding learning outcomes from outdoor leadership training courses. The aim of this pilot study was to examine progress in perceived leadership skills after a six-month outdoor education course, and to examine the effect of systematic feedback from fellow students. Seventeen students were randomized into intervention and control groups and participated in six outdoor excursions during which they took leader roles. The intervention consisted of systematic use of feedback from fellow students. To assess the progress in students’ perceived outdoor leadership skills, the students answered a questionnaire covering four categories of leadership both before and after the course. Significant progress in perceived outdoor leadership was found for all students after the six-month course. Systematic feedback from fellow students did not seem to enhance students’ perceived outdoor leadership skills. The reasons could be that the feedback was not given in the actual situations or that the student feedback was not valued. Feedback from teachers and from nature (self-experience) were found to be important for strengthening perceived leadership skills.

Coevolution of Economic and Industrial Linkages within the Land-Sea Industrial Structure of China

The joint development of continental and marine economies has become an important driving force for the upgrading of industrial structures. However, because of the differences in resource endowment and development potential, developing industrial structures and the quality of economic development are uneven among regions. In this study, the added values of three land-sea industries in the three marine economic circles of northern, eastern, and southern China, were employed to clarify the evolutionary behavior of the industrial structure of these three circles on the land and sea; the synchronization, lag, equilibrium, and dislocation of developing the industrial structure were also explored which a gray relational model based on convex judgment and gray time difference analyses were used to construct a relational model from the static and dynamic aspects of the system, and the internal and external linkages of the industrial structure of the three circles were analyzed from the perspective of industrial correlation. The results show that: (1) Correlations among the linkages of the three economic circles in the marine industrial structure, both including and without temporal and spatial differences, and the marine feedback driver, differ markedly. (2) The effects of feedback for marine industrial development from the Eastern Marine Economic Circle were stronger, whereas those of the Southern Marine Economic Circle were weak and those of the Northern Marine Economic Circle were ambiguous. (3) A significant difference was observed in the degree of coevolution among the land-sea industrial structures of these areas. The Northern Marine Economic Circle exhibited a slightly higher degree of coevolution than the other two economic circles, showing a stable trend of coevolution and wide spatial development. The eastern and southern circles displayed high degrees of coordination in developing their industrial structures. The research results provide a reference for regional adjustment and optimization of industrial structure.

The effects of teacher’ feedback

A pesar de su importancia, los efectos de la retroalimentación en entornos en línea no han sido ampliamente evaluados; tampoco hay consenso sobre cómo deben medirse. El objetivo de este estudio exploratorio es analizar los efectos de la retroalimentación del profesorado durante el desarrollo de un foro de discusión en línea. Durante un período de tres semanas, los participantes (14 estudiantes universitarios y su tutor) participaron en un debate virtual sobre el uso de Wikipedia con fines académicos, utilizando la plataforma Knowledge Forum (los participantes realizaron 328 publicaciones en total). Sobre la base de las características de los entornos de aprendizaje en línea, desarrollamos un modelo multidimensional para estudiar los comentarios del profesor y sus efectos durante la interacción en línea. Los resultados muestran los principales efectos de la retroalimentación tanto en la discusión de los estudiantes sobre los temas de aprendizaje -efecto en cadena y efecto en racimo-, como en las reglas de participación en el debate. El documento concluye con una discusión sobre las implicaciones teóricas y prácticas de estos resultados. Despite its importance, the effects of feedback in online environments has not been widely assessed; nor is there any consensus on how it should be measured. The aim of this exploratory study is to analyse the effects of teacher feedback during the development of an online discussion forum. Over a three-week period, the participants (14 university students and their tutor) engaged in a virtual debate on the use of Wikipedia for academic purposes, using the Knowledge Forum platform (participants made 328 posts in total). Based on characteristics of online learning environments, we developed a multidimensional model to study feedback and its effects during online interaction. The results show the main effects of the teacher's feedback both on the students' discussion about learning topics –chain effect and cluster effect– and on the rules of participation in the debate. The paper concludes with a discussion on the theoretical and practical implications of these results.

Evidence for the Effectiveness of Feedback from Wearable Inertial Sensors during Work-Related Activities: A Scoping Review

Background: Wearable inertial sensor technology (WIST) systems provide feedback, aiming to modify aberrant postures and movements. The literature on the effects of feedback from WIST during work or work-related activities has not been previously summarised. This review examines the effectiveness of feedback on upper body kinematics during work or work-related activities, along with the wearability and a quantification of the kinematics of the related device. Methods: The Cinahl, Cochrane, Embase, Medline, Scopus, Sportdiscus and Google Scholar databases were searched, including reports from January 2005 to July 2021. The included studies were summarised descriptively and the evidence was assessed. Results: Fourteen included studies demonstrated a ‘limited’ level of evidence supporting posture and/or movement behaviour improvements using WIST feedback, with no improvements in pain. One study assessed wearability and another two investigated comfort. Studies used tri-axial accelerometers or IMU integration (n = 5 studies). Visual and/or vibrotactile feedback was mostly used. Most studies had a risk of bias, lacked detail for methodological reproducibility and displayed inconsistent reporting of sensor technology, with validation provided only in one study. Thus, we have proposed a minimum ‘Technology and Design Checklist’ for reporting. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that WIST may improve posture, though not pain; however, the quality of the studies limits the strength of this conclusion. Wearability evaluations are needed for the translation of WIST outcomes. Minimum reporting standards for WIST should be followed to ensure methodological reproducibility.

Testing the reminding account of the lag effect in L2 vocabulary learning

Research has produced mixed findings regarding the effects of spacing L2 study. In order to know how this potentially very powerful learning tool can be useful, it is important to understand the cognitive mechanisms that drive the effects in L2 learning and how the operation of these mechanisms may be affected by variables relevant for SLA contexts. In this study, I examine the contribution of the dual mechanism of successful effortful retrieval during study to the lag effect in foreign vocabulary learning from L2-L1 retrieval practice. I additionally investigate the effects of feedback study time on the operation of the two cognitive mechanisms under investigation. Native speakers of English studied Finnish vocabulary during L2-L1 retrieval practice in paired-associate learning while their response latencies and accuracy were recorded. Results suggest that: (a) successful effortful retrieval underlies benefits of spacing L2-L1 retrieval practice: even with immediate feedback study, the benefits of effort are conditional on retrieval success; (b) successful retrieval is more beneficial than unsuccessful retrieval, contrary to proposals where this was not directly tested; and (c) imposing longer study time externally has little benefit, unlike what has been previously found with learner-regulated longer study time. Implications for L2 learning and teaching are discussed.