Perceptions on the role of practical and simulated learning in promoting successful entrepreneurship

Practical work-based learning (WBL) or simulated learning has been widely recognized as essential for developing desirable cognitive and behavioral qualities among university learners. Despite this recognition, most practical and simulated learning experiences have been directed to facilitate learners’ employability rather than to promote entrepreneurship. The study aimed to examine the perception of students on the usage of WBL to foster entrepreneurial intention at higher education institutions in South Africa. The study employed mixed research methods. The results show that opportunity recognition, desire to exploit entrepreneurial opportunities, increasing knowledge and skills, desire to be involved in starting a business, desire to own or manage a new business, desire to own or manage an old business, attitude towards entrepreneurship, motivation to be an entrepreneur, and fascination with entrepreneurship were key impacts of WBL among entrepreneurship students. Friedman test was carried out to compare the mean ranks of the nine impacts and test whether there were any significant differences in agreeableness to their impact. The test result was significant, and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance of 0.023 indicated no significant differences among the nine impact factors, which are not different in their strength as a key result of WBL. The study recommends the adoption of WBL strategies in entrepreneurial programs at universities.

Pitfalls in quantifying exploration in reward-based motor learning and how to avoid them

When learning a movement based on binary success information, one is more variable following failure than following success. Theoretically, the additional variability post-failure might reflect exploration of possibilities to obtain success. When average behavior is changing (as in learning), variability can be estimated from differences between subsequent movements. Can one estimate exploration reliably from such trial-to-trial changes when studying reward-based motor learning? To answer this question, we tried to reconstruct the exploration underlying learning as described by four existing reward-based motor learning models. We simulated learning for various learner and task characteristics. If we simply determined the additional change post-failure, estimates of exploration were sensitive to learner and task characteristics. We identified two pitfalls in quantifying exploration based on trial-to-trial changes. Firstly, performance-dependent feedback can cause correlated samples of motor noise and exploration on successful trials, which biases exploration estimates. Secondly, the trial relative to which trial-to-trial change is calculated may also contain exploration, which causes underestimation. As a solution, we developed the additional trial-to-trial change (ATTC) method. By moving the reference trial one trial back and subtracting trial-to-trial changes following specific sequences of trial outcomes, exploration can be estimated reliably for the three models that explore based on the outcome of only the previous trial. Since ATTC estimates are based on a selection of trial sequences, this method requires many trials. In conclusion, if exploration is a binary function of previous trial outcome, the ATTC method allows for a model-free quantification of exploration.

A Digital Micro-Game Approach to Improve the Learning of Hand-Weaving Art and History

This research focuses on the young people and an issue of national handicraft preservation in the form of southern style hand weaving. A game is used in the study on arts and cultures as a learning medium optimized for the young people who play an important role in preserving the traditional handicraft being at the verge of extinction. The “Exploring Na Muen Sri” was developed based on digital micro-game and Person-Artefact-Task model as well as the game production with the purpose of creating the learning media and a simulation containing new knowledge about hand-weaving art and history that is suitable for the young people. The case study was on the weaving history of Na Muen Sri Community located in the southern Thailand. An experiment was conducted with undergraduate students to explore the effectiveness of the proposed approach in the field of cultural study. The results show that the game can effectively enhance players’ cognitive growth along with cultural awareness. It can be concluded that the simulated learning environment created in the digital game enables to bring about comprehension supporting the lifelong learning of hand weaving art and history while simultaneously preserving the local wisdom of hand weaving of fabrics.