Perceptions of non-native speakers of Arabic language towards cloud-based educational activities based on the entrance of multiple intelligences.

The need to diversify educational cloud activities arose due to social distancing, the widening of individual differences between learners, and the need to employ the possibilities offered by cloud education to achieve language goals. This research identifies the perceptions of non-native Arabic language learners towards the cloud-based educational activities based on the entrance of multiple intelligences. The descriptive approach was used, and a questionnaire was designed, consisting of: (Linguistic, Musical, visual- Spatial, Interpersonal, and Interpersonal). The sample consisted of (33) male and female students. The results showed that learners' perceptions are highly positive on all areas of activities. The highest percentage was interpersonal intelligence activities. Also, there are no statistically significant differences due to the sex. The originality of the research presents a vision of the entrance of multiple intelligences; To benefit from its educational applications in teaching Arabic online to non-native speakers, and to keep pace with global trends in the adoption of cloud education and its activities. It is also expected that the results of this research will benefit the following groups: institutions concerned with teaching foreign languages, experts who prepare curricula for teaching Arabic, and teachers of Arabic for non-native speakers.

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Mediated the Relationship Between Odor Identification and Cognition in Alzheimer's Disease Spectrum: A Structural Equation Model Analysis

Background: Odor identification dysfunction is an early predictor of the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), which are common in AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), are also associated with odor identification dysfunction. Whether NPS affect the specificity of using odor identification dysfunction to predict cognitive decline in AD and MCI remains unclear.Methods: Patients (233 with MCI and 45 with AD) and 45 healthy controls (HCs) underwent assessments of odor identification (Sniffin' Sticks), NPS (Neuropsychiatric Inventory-12), and cognitive function (global cognition, memory, language, executive function, visual-spatial skill, and attention). Structural equation modeling (SEM) with bootstrapping estimation was conducted to explore the relationships between odor identification, NPS, and cognition.Results: Patients with NPS showed significantly worse performance in odor identification and cognition than patients without NPS and HCs. The SEM showed odor identification to be positively associated with cognition, and cognition had special indirect effects on odor identification through affective and psychosis symptoms (two factors extracted from Neuropsychiatric Inventory-12). Additionally, affective and psychosis symptoms partially mediated the effect of cognition on odor identification.Conclusion: Neuropsychiatric symptoms are associated with odor identification dysfunction in patients with AD and MCI. Studies exploring the relationship between odor identification dysfunction and cognitive decline in patients with AD and MCI should include an assessment of affective and psychosis symptoms, and adjust their confounding effects.

Unifying the Ability-as-Compensator and Ability-as-Enhancer Hypotheses

Spatial abilities have been found to interact with the design of visualizations in educational materials in different forms: (1) spatial abilities enhanced learning with optimized visual design (ability-as-enhancer) or (2) spatial abilities compensated for suboptimal visual design (ability-as-compensator). A brief review of pertinent studies suggests that these two forms are viewed as mutually exclusive. We propose a novel unifying conceptualization. This conceptualization suggests that the ability-as enhancer interaction will be found in the low-medium range of a broad ability continuum whereas the ability-as-compensator interaction will be found in the medium-high range. The largest difference in learning outcomes between visual design variations is expected for medium ability. A corresponding analytical approach is suggested that includes nonlinear quadratic interactions. The unifying conceptualization was confirmed in an experiment with a consistent visual-spatial task. In addition, the conceptualization was investigated with a reanalysis of pooled data from four multimedia learning experiments. Consistent with the conceptualization, quadratic interactions were found, meaning that interactions depended on ability range. The largest difference between visual design variations was obtained for medium ability, as expected. It is concluded that the unifying conceptualization is a useful theoretical and methodological approach to analyze and interpret aptitude-treatment interactions that go beyond linear interactions.

Cytoarchitectonic parcellation and functional characterization of four new areas in the caudal parahippocampal cortex

Brain areas at the parahippocampal gyrus of the temporal–occipital transition region are involved in different functions including processing visual–spatial information and episodic memory. Results of neuroimaging experiments have revealed a differentiated functional parcellation of this region, but its microstructural correlates are less well understood. Here we provide probability maps of four new cytoarchitectonic areas, Ph1, Ph2, Ph3 and CoS1 at the parahippocampal gyrus and collateral sulcus. Areas have been identified based on an observer-independent mapping of serial, cell-body stained histological sections of ten human postmortem brains. They have been registered to two standard reference spaces, and superimposed to capture intersubject variability. The comparison of the maps with functional imaging data illustrates the different involvement of the new areas in a variety of functions. Maps are available as part of Julich-Brain atlas and can be used as anatomical references for future studies to better understand relationships between structure and function of the caudal parahippocampal cortex.

Experts and designated users evaluations on visual tools screencast SketchUp Make (ViToS-SUM)

The problem and the aim of the study. Students at secondary school are facing problems in learning Mathematics for topic Geometry. The purpose of this study is to examine the validity of a learning strategy for 3-dimensional Geometry, using Visual Tools Screencast SketchUp Make, called ViToS-SUM. Research methods. ViToS-SUM consists of four components: level of van Hiele geometrical thinking, visual spatial skills, visual tools and video tutorial screencast SketchUp Make. A topic in form 3 mathematics, Plans and Elevations was chosen for this study. The whole process of design and development of ViToS-SUM adopted the five cyclic stages of ADDIE instructional design model. This article addresses the details of the final two stages specifically, implementation and evaluation prior to pilot test. Twelve students from a secondary school and three experts involved in this study. Quantitative approaches were used to collect data as well as to analyse the experts’ and students’ views on the appropriateness of ViToS-SUM. Results. The experts agreed that both visual spatial skills (mean = 5.00) and level of van Hiele geometrical thinking (mean = 4.61) should be embedded in ViToS-SUM. Moreover, the experts also agreed that the content of ViToS-SUM is suitable (mean = 4.51) with the mathematics content for topic Plans and Elevations. The pre and post test showed that there were significant differences in mean scores of visual spatial skills, before and after learning via ViToS-SUM (t=12.21; p<0.05). Furthermore, the pre and posttest also revealed that there is a significant difference in students’ level of van Hiele geometrical thinking before and after intervention (Z =-3.18; p < 0.05). Thus, ViToS-SUM had supported most of students in constructing concepts of Geometry. Meanwhile, the findings revealed that all experts agreed that ViToS-SUM served as pedagogical learning strategy for Geometry. Conclusion. This learning strategy should be integrated in the mathematics curricular for secondary schools to increase students’ performance in Geometry. Training is needed for teachers in order to deliver the concepts of Geometry effectively using this mode of teaching. More computer facilities should be equipped to schools in order to encourage teachers and students to utilize technology in teaching and learning.

The relationship between numerosity perception and mathematics ability in adults: the moderating role of dots number

Background It has been proposed that numerosity perception is the cognitive underpinning of mathematics ability. However, the existence of the association between numerosity perception and mathematics ability is still under debate, especially in adults. The present study examined the relationship between numerosity perception and mathematics ability and the moderating role of dots number (i.e., the numerosity of items in dot set) in adults. Methods Sixty-four adult participants from Anshun University completed behavioral measures that tested numerosity perception of small numbers and large numbers, mathematics ability, inhibition ability, visual-spatial memory, and set-switching ability. Results We found that numerosity perception of small numbers correlated significantly with mathematics ability after controlling the influence of inhibition ability, visual-spatial memory, and set-switching ability, but numerosity perception of large numbers was not related to mathematics ability in adults. Conclusions These findings suggest that the dots number moderates the relationship between numerosity perception and mathematics ability in adults and may contribute to explaining the contradictory findings in the previous literature about the link between numerosity perception and mathematics ability.

Interdisciplinary, International Exploration to Strengthen Creativity, Giftedness and Leadership

Creativity, giftedness, and leadership are complex, important phenomena, especially in the threatening turbulence of 21st-century conditions; consequently, there is an increasing need to understand how to strengthen them. We can learn much about these phenomena from within the borders of specialized disciplines; however, they are too complex and multifaceted to fit within the walls of disciplinary silos. Interdisciplinary explorations can reveal theories and research findings that expand our knowledge bases about creativity, giftedness, and leadership. This analysis includes the rationale for engaging in interdisciplinary investigations for these purposes. It includes examples of the ways in which interdisciplinary thinking invigorates creativity and cognitive diversity; illuminates the benefits of visual–spatial gifts that strengthen the development of important talents in gifted students who can go on to become creative leaders; and shows how human rights can be strengthened by constraining economic and political corruption. It also describes the benefits of using interdisciplinary navigation through different levels of analysis, each of which includes a number of academic disciplines.

Efektivitas LKPD Berbasis Blended Learning Berbantuan Multimedia Interaktif untuk Melatih Visual Spasial Peserta Didik

<p><strong>Abstrak </strong></p><p class="abstrak">Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui keefektifan Lembar Kerja Peserta Didik (LKPD) berbasis <em>blended learning</em> berbantuan multimedia interaktif dalam melatih kemampuan visual spasial peserta didik pada materi Ikatan Kovalen. Metode penelitian menggunakan <em>one group pretest-posttest design</em> dengan melakukan uji coba terbatas pada peserta didik Jurusan Kimia Analisis SMK Negeri 1 Cerme Gresik yang dipilih berdasarkan kemampuan peserta didik dari kemampuan rendah, sedang, dan tinggi sebanyak 15 orang. <em>Pretest</em> dan <em>posttest</em> digunakan sebagai instrumen untuk mengetahui kemampuan visual spasial peserta didik. Data dianalisis secara deskriptif kuantitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa data <em>pretest</em> dan <em>posttest</em> berdistribusi normal dan hasil rata-rata <em>N-Gain</em> pada kategori tinggi sehingga disimpulkan bahwa LKPD berbasis <em>blended learning</em> berbantuan multimedia interaktif dalam melatih kemampuan visual spasial peserta didik pada materi Ikatan Kovalen efektif sebagai bahan ajar.</p><p class="abstrak"> </p><p><strong><em>Abstract</em></strong></p><p class="abstrak"><em>The research aimed to determine the effectiveness of the Student Worksheet (LKPD) based on blended learning assisted by interactive multimedia in training students' visual-spatial skills in the Covalent Bond material. The research method used a one group pretest-posttest design by conducting a limited trial on students of the Analytical Chemistry Department at SMK Negeri 1 Cerme Gresik who were selected based on the ability of students from low, medium, and high abilities as many as 15 people. Pretest and posttest are used as instruments to determine the visual-spatial ability of students. Data were analyzed descriptively quantitatively. The results showed that the pretest and posttest data were normally distributed with the average N-Gain in the high category, so it can be concluded that the LKPD based on blended learning assisted by interactive multimedia in training students' visual-spatial abilities on the Covalent Bond material is effective as teaching material.</em></p>