Increased cognitive load in immersive virtual reality during visuomotor adaptation is associated with decreased long-term retention and context transfer

Background: Complex motor tasks in immersive virtual reality using a head-mounted display (HMD-VR) have been shown to increase cognitive load and decrease motor performance compared to conventional computer screens (CS). Separately, visuomotor adaptation in HMD-VR has been shown to recruit more explicit, cognitive strategies, resulting in decreased implicit mechanisms thought to contribute to motor memory formation. However, it is unclear whether visuomotor adaptation in HMD-VR increases cognitive load and whether cognitive load is related to explicit mechanisms and long-term motor memory formation.Methods: We randomized 36 healthy participants into three equal groups. All groups completed an established visuomotor adaptation task measuring explicit and implicit mechanisms, combined with a dual-task probe measuring cognitive load. Then, all groups returned after 24-hours to measure retention of the overall adaptation. One group completed both training and retention tasks in CS (measuring long-term retention in a CS environment), one group completed both training and retention tasks in HMD-VR (measuring long-term retention in an HMD-VR environment), and one group completed the training task in HMD-VR and the retention task in CS (measuring context transfer from an HMD-VR environment). A Generalized Linear Mixed-Effect Model (GLMM) was used to compare cognitive load between CS and HMD-VR during visuomotor adaptation, t-tests were used to compare overall adaptation and explicit and implicit mechanisms between CS and HMD-VR training environments, and ANOVAs were used to compare group differences in long-term retention and context transfer.Results: Cognitive load was found to be greater in HMD-VR than in CS. This increased cognitive load was related to decreased use of explicit, cognitive mechanisms early in adaptation. Moreover, increased cognitive load was also related to decreased long-term motor memory formation. Finally, training in HMD-VR resulted in decreased long-term retention and context transfer.Conclusions: Our findings show that cognitive load increases in HMD-VR and relates to explicit learning and long-term motor memory formation during motor learning. Future studies should examine what factors cause increased cognitive load in HMD-VR motor learning and whether this impacts HMD-VR training and long-term retention in clinical populations.

Exploring the generalisation of affect across related experiences: A study of affective bleed and memory precision

When positive or negative events occur in a context, memory can be reflected in how positively or negatively we judge that context, and also by whether, upon later remembering that emotional event, we can bring to mind the specific context in which it occurred. We examined each of these forms of associative memory, comparing performance when positive, negative, or neutral stimuli were paired with a context. By doing so, we could contribute to debates about how emotion affects associative binding. Participants intentionally formed associations between famous places and positive, negative, or neutral pictures. In Experiment 1, we observed shifts in judgments for places as a function of associated valence; effects summated over accumulated experiences. In Experiment 2, memory precision was examined by manipulating whether lures on a five-alternative forced-choice recognition, included different places or alternate views of the target. Results revealed emotional impairments in associative memory and a selective decrease in precision for negative pairs. Eye-tracking showed more saccades between pictures for remembered pairs, but less of these inter-item saccades when pictures were emotional. Overall findings suggest that positive and negative affect are transferred similarly through episodic associations, although the specificity of context transfer may be lessened for negative content.

Vocational Education Systems in Germany and Turkey: Comparative Analysis

Globalization challenges, which affected the geopolitical and economic processes, labor market transformation and education internationalization have shaped the urgency of the problem. The purpose of the article is to compare vocational education systems in Germany and Turkey (using the dual system as an example) in order to identify the possibilities of transferring ideas and practices of the dual education system. A comparative analysis is the leading research method, which uses the context, transfer and forecasting methodology. Description and comparison of the context main elements allow determining the possibilities and conditions of the dual education system transfer. The findings provide an opportunity to identify transfer risks and predict the consequences of borrowing. The research results significance consists in context, transfer, and forecasting substantiating as the comparative analysis elements and applying this methodology to the processes of professional education.

Examining the role of work context, transfer design and transfer motivation on training transfer

Purpose Research on training transfer in India in general and insurance sector in specific adopting case study method is largely absent. This study aims to address this gap by adopting a case study method to explore the relationship between work context, transfer design and training transfer in an Indian Insurance company. It also examined the role of transfer motivation as a mediating variable between work context, transfer design and training transfer. Design/methodology/approach Data have been collected from a public sector insurance company using a first ever vernacularly translated learning transfer system inventory (LTSI), following the translation and back translation process. Learning and development practitioners and academicians have been consulted and suggestions related to changing the language to be compatible with the insurance industry have been incorporated. Structural equation modeling (Amos 16) has been used to test the suggested model. Findings The significant positive relationship of peer support, supervisory support and opportunity to use and transfer design with training transfer can be attributed to the business context of the sample organization. Interestingly, the role of performance coaching and the mediating role of transfer motivation have been rejected. This study has proved the mediating role of transfer design. Originality/value This study is the first ever study on training transfer in Indian insurance sector adopting case study method. This study has used LTSI translated in an Indian vernacular language following the translation and back translation process.

Efficient QoS based mobile multicast using context transfer

New challenging applications and scenarios for converged fixed and mobile Internet infrastructures, require efficient technologies adapting the multicast services for fixed IPv6 infrastructures to heterogeneous mobile environment. This paper discusses architecture aimed to support QoS based mobile multicast in heterogeneous mobile IPv6 environmentusing context transfer between access routers for seamlesshandover of mobile multicast applications. The architecture includes components for policy based QoS management of mobile multicast, reliable mobile multicast support at access routers and optimised handover based on learning of capabilities of access routers and networks.