Coding Theory Research Articles

ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ЗДАТНОСТІ ДО СХЕМАТИЗАЦІЇ ЗДОБУВАЧІВ СТУПЕНЯ ДОКТОРА ФІЛОСОФІЇ (Ph.D.) ЯК МЕХАНІЗМУ ЇХ ПРОФЕСІЙНОГО МИСЛЕННЯ ТА МИСЛЕКОМУНІКАЦІЇ

Статтю присвячено дослідженню здатності до схематизації здобувачів ступеня доктора філософії (Ph.D.) як механізму їх професійного мислення і мислекомунікації. Проаналізовано основні положення сучасної психологічної науки щодо розуміння сутності схематизації, як інструменту мислення і комунікації, засобу спільного проєктування і розвитку миследіяльності, а здатності до схематизації – як провідної професійної якості науковця, що має формуватися на етапі його професійної підготовки. Методи дослідження: теоретичні (аналіз: теоретичний, термінологічний; узагальнення, систематизація, класифікація); емпіричні (методи діагностики, адаптовані до завдань дослідження – самооцінювання, опитування, тестування); математичної статистики (метод середніх величин, кореляційного аналізу за допомогою IBM SPSS Statistics v.23). За результатами проведеного емпіричного дослідження визначено, що більшість здобувачів ступеня доктора філософії, які взяли участь у діагностиці, мають недостатній рівень знань (на рівні інтуїтивного знання) щодо сутності схем, усвідомлення їх місця серед інших методів візуалізації інформації, а також типів та принципів побудови, що унеможливлює актуалізацію їх здатності до схематизації як усвідомленої, відрефлексованої. Крім того, більшість здобувачів ступеня доктора філософії мають недостатній рівень розвитку уміння схематизації як об’єктів, так і процесів, порушують їх родо-видову організацію, існуючі правила символічної, графічної презентації. Попри це, оцінюють рівень розвитку власних умінь переважно на середньому та високому рівнях і кожен третій з них має низький рівень індивідуальної актуалізованості парціальної рефлексії діяльності, що забезпечує осмислення, оцінку їх миследіяльності й мислекомунікації. Встановлено, що актуальним завданням вітчизняної вищої освіти є цілеспрямований розвиток здатності до схематизації здобувачів ступеня доктора філософії, що забезпечується реалізацією у змісті освітньо-наукових програм таких принципів, як: забезпечення усвідомленості сутності схематизації, вбудованості в існуючий досвід, вербалізації, колективної миследіяльності, актуалізації різнорівневої рефлексії та мисленнєвої діяльності, поступового ускладнення побудованих схем, єдності конструктів, згорнутості інформації, етапності схематизаційного руху.
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Designing a rubric for reflection in nursing: a Legitimation Code Theory and systemic functional linguistics-informed framework

This paper reports on an interdisciplinary pedagogical research project involving academic literacy experts and lecturers at a School of Nursing. Specifically, the paper focusses on the development of a data-driven analytical rubric to teach and assess critical reflections in year-one nursing. The purpose of the project was to support the teaching and evaluating of critical reflections of nursing students after their initial clinical placement. Rather than focusing on inter-rater reliability or on pedagogical uses of rubrics, this paper is concerned with the ways the criteria that constitute these rubrics were devised. The data involved 200 student assignments, the existing marking criteria and two focus groups with the nursing lecturers. We analysed the data using aspects of a linguistic theory, systemic functional linguistics, and elements of a sociological framework, Legitimation Code Theory, to understand what constitutes ‘deep reflection’ in clinical nursing practice. Our findings led to a revised analytical rubric which makes visible what is highly valued in nursing reflection tasks. We conclude with a data-driven analytical rubric design framework which involves the analysis of student assignments at various levels of achievement to reveal academic literacy and knowledge practices requirements of reflection tasks.

Axiological constellations in literary response writing: Critical SFL praxis in an ELA classroom

To engage in critical praxis, teachers of literary response writing need concepts and methods for understanding the efficacy of teaching practices in helping students develop particular dispositions towards texts and the social issues they represent. In this article, the author uses concepts from Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) and Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) to reveal the value positions constructed by 8th grade English language arts (ELA) students in essays produced in a critical literary analysis unit. After reading excerpts from two Harry Potter novels, students compared the main characters’ views on elvish enslavement as evidenced by the passages. This study uses axiological constellation analysis to explore the language choices in essays that constructed contrasting stances towards Harry’s character and the representation of elvish enslavement in the texts. The study contributes to understanding how values are constructed in literary response writing and how these relate to broader sociopolitical discourses, with implications for critical praxis in subject English education.

Priors Bias Perceptual Decisions in Autism, But Are Less Flexibly Adjusted to the Context.

According to the predictive coding framework, percepts emerge from combinations of sensory input and prior knowledge, whose relative contributions depend on their reliability. Recent predictive coding theories suggest that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) could be characterized by an atypical weighting of priors. Here, we assessed whether individuals with ASD can flexibly adjust the weight (precision) of the prior to the context. Thirty-one neurotypical adults (NT) and 26 adults with ASD participated in a visual discrimination task designed to elicit a time-order effect (TOE). The TOE reflects the integration of priors with sensory estimates. We used two experimental contexts: a narrow stimulus range (Narrow condition) and a broader range (Broad condition) in order to induce a prior with a higher and lower precision, respectively. Both groups learned a prior that biased their perception, as shown with the TOE. As expected, the NT group had a larger TOE in the Narrow condition than in the Broad condition, revealing a contextual adjustment of the prior precision. In contrast, ASD participants were more inflexible: the extent of the TOE was not modulated by the context. In addition, the accuracy increased when the stimulus range decreased in both group, which may be interpreted as a contextual adjustment of the sensory precision. To conclude, adults with and without ASD implicitly learned a prior mean, but ASD participants failed to flexibly adjust the prior precision to the context. This increased inflexibility in ASD could account for many symptoms, such as their intolerance of uncertainty. LAY SUMMARY: Based on our experience, we have expectations about our environment. Theories suggest that the symptoms encountered in autism could be due to atypical expectations, leading to an impression of an unpredictable world. Using a visual discrimination task, we showed that adults with and without autism were biased by their expectations. Yet, the extent to which expectations biased perception did not depend on the context in autism. This higher inflexibility found in autism may explain symptoms such as resistance to change.

AGRAMMATIC PATIENT’S DUAL CODING PROCESS IN SENTENCE COMPREHENSION

This paper reports on a study on the dual coding process involved in an agrammatic patient when comprehending sentences using a sentence to picture matching test. The test was undertaken at The National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NASAM), Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. The current study employs the theory of Paivio’s (1991) Dual Coding Theory (DCT) as an explanation for the agrammatic patient’s ability to comprehend active and passive sentences and adopts an influential hypothesis by Grodzinsky’s (1990) Trace Deletion Hypothesis (TDH) concerning agrammatism that characterises agrammatic patients as a good comprehender of Subject Verb Object (SVO) sentence structure, the active sentence but as bad comprehenders of Object Verb Subject (OVS) sentence structure, the passive sentences. A comprehension test, the Sentence to Picture Matching Test designed by Christensen (2001) has been adopted in this study to examine the suitability of dual coding theory as an explanation for the agrammatic patient’s comprehension ability. The performance of the patient’s comprehension pattern in this study supports the account of TDH and in general, the findings of this study suggest that sentence to picture matching test could be used to investigate the dual coding process of the agrammatic patient.

Problem-based learning training and implementation: An analysis using semantics in Legitimation Code Theory

This article focuses on Problem-based Learning (PBL) training within a Teaching Development Programme (TDP) and the subsequent application of PBL by candidates, as respondents in this study. An analysis of the training, which followed a medical model approach, is provided, as is the implementation of PBL within the various disciplinary contexts of the respondents. Legitimation Code Theory (LCT), specifically semantics, was applied as a conceptual tool in the analyses. The data for the study was gathered through: face-to-face interviews with alumni of the TDP; document analysis and reflective journal entries of the researcher. The findings are explained in terms of strengthening and weakening of semantic density (SD) and semantic gravity (SG). It was found that the adoption of the medical model for training academics, who came from various disciplines, might have resulted in over-contextualisation, which could have compromised the re-contextualisation of knowledge within the various disciplines. The findings also showed that respondents found it challenging to implement PBL in its pure form and needed to adapt the application of PBL to meet the unique requirements of their discipline. Therefore, it is important to consider the diverse nature of disciplines when implementing PBL.

First Validation of the Referential Process Post-Session Scale - Therapist Version (RPPS-T).

ObjectiveBucci’s multiple code theory maintains that for a significant change the patient-therapist relationship should foster a referential process shaping in three alternating phases: arousal of emotion schemas, symbolizing/narrating emotional experiences, and reflecting/reorganizing the emotional meanings. Until now to monitor these phases clinicians and researchers have used several referential process computerized linguistic measures, which however need the sessions verbatim transcription. In order to have a less time-consuming method we developed and tested a therapist self-report questionnaire measuring the referential process phases.MethodWe asked eight psychotherapists in a first study and nine psychotherapists in a second study to complete the Referential Process Post-session Scale – Therapist version (RPPS-T) just after the end of their sessions. In a third study we transcribed 29 sessions conducted by three psychotherapists to calculate the correlations between the RPPS-T scores and the computerized linguistic measures of the referential process calculated on the session transcripts.ResultsIn the first study we collected 105 evaluations regarding 29 patients and an exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-factor pattern consistent with the hypothesized constructs. The analysis reduced the initial pool of 42 items to 12. In the second study 130 sessions with 25 different patients have been evaluated on the shortened version of the RPPS-T and a confirmatory factor analysis found that the four-factor model satisfactorily fitted the new data as well. In the third study we found that the factors of RPPS-T regarding the symbolizing phase correlated with the corresponding computerized linguistic measures calculated on the session transcripts.ConclusionsThe RPPS-T received a first validation as a concurrent measure of the referential process, especially for the symbolizing phase, and could be considered a useful instrument for research and supervision.

Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome-A Disorder of Action-Perception Integration.

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome is a multifaceted and complex neuropsychiatric disorder. Given that tics as motor phenomena are the defining and cardinal feature of Tourette syndrome, it has long been conceptualized as a motor/movement disorder. However, considering premonitory urges preceding tics, hypersensitivity to external stimuli and abnormalities in sensorimotor integration perceptual processes also seem to be relevant in the pathophysiology of Tourette syndrome. In addition, tic expression depends on attention and tics can, at least partly and transiently, be controlled, so that cognitive processes need to be considered as well. Against this background, explanatory concepts should encompass not only the motor phenomenon tic but also perceptual and cognitive processes. Representing a comprehensive theory of the processing of perceptions and actions paying particular attention to their interdependency and the role of cognitive control, the Theory of Event Coding seems to be a suitable conceptual framework for the understanding of Tourette syndrome. In fact, recent data suggests that addressing the relation between actions (i.e., tics) and perceptions (i.e., sensory phenomena like premonitory urges) in the context of event coding allows to gaining relevant insights into perception-action coding in Tourette syndrome indicating that perception action binding is abnormally strong in this disorder.

Hierarchical Predictive Coding-Based JND Estimation for Image Compression.

The human visual system (HVS) is a hierarchical system, in which visual signals are processed hierarchically. In this paper, the HVS is modeled as a three-level communication system and visual perception is divided into three stages according to the hierarchical predictive coding theory. Then, a novel just noticeable distortion (JND) estimation scheme is proposed. In visual perception, the input signals are predicted constantly and spontaneously in each hierarchy, and neural response is evoked by the central residue and inhibited by surrounding residues. These two types' residues are regarded as the positive and negative visual incentives which cause positive and negative perception effects, respectively. In neuroscience, the effect of incentive on observer is measured by the surprise of this incentive. Thus, we propose a surprise-based measurement method to measure both perception effects. Specifically, considering the biased competition of visual attention, we define the product of the residue self-information (i.e., surprise) and the competition biases as the perceptual surprise to measure the positive perception effect. As for the negative perception effect, it is measured by the average surprise (i.e., the local Shannon entropy). The JND threshold of each stage is estimated individually by considering both perception effects. The total JND threshold is finally obtained by non-linear superposition of three stage thresholds. Furthermore, the proposed JND estimation scheme is incorporated into the codec of Versatile Video Coding for image compression. Experimental results show that the proposed JND model outperforms the relevant existing ones, and over 16% of bit rate can be reduced without jeopardizing the perceptual quality.

Detecting (Un)seen Change: The Neural Underpinnings of (Un)conscious Prediction Errors.

Detecting changes in the environment is fundamental for our survival. According to predictive coding theory, detecting these irregularities relies both on incoming sensory information and our top–down prior expectations (or internal generative models) about the world. Prediction errors (PEs), detectable in event-related potentials (ERPs), occur when there is a mismatch between the sensory input and our internal model (i.e., a surprise event). Many changes occurring in our environment are irrelevant for survival and may remain unseen. Such changes, even if subtle, can nevertheless be detected by the brain without emerging into consciousness. What remains unclear is how these changes are processed in the brain at the network level. Here, we used a visual oddball paradigm in which participants engaged in a central letter task during electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings while presented with task-irrelevant high- or low-coherence background, random-dot motion. Critically, once in a while, the direction of the dots changed. After the EEG session, we confirmed that changes in motion direction at high- and low-coherence were visible and invisible, respectively, using psychophysical measurements. ERP analyses revealed that changes in motion direction elicited PE regardless of the visibility, but with distinct spatiotemporal patterns. To understand these responses, we applied dynamic causal modeling (DCM) to the EEG data. Bayesian Model Averaging showed visible PE relied on a release from adaptation (repetition suppression) within bilateral MT+, whereas invisible PE relied on adaptation at bilateral V1 (and left MT+). Furthermore, while feedforward upregulation was present for invisible PE, the visible change PE also included downregulation of feedback between right MT+ to V1. Our findings reveal a complex interplay of modulation in the generative network models underlying visible and invisible motion changes.

Effect of Top-Down Connections in Hierarchical Sparse Coding

Hierarchical sparse coding (HSC) is a powerful model to efficiently represent multidimensional, structured data such as images. The simplest solution to solve this computationally hard problem is to decompose it into independent layer-wise subproblems. However, neuroscientific evidence would suggest interconnecting these subproblems as in predictive coding (PC) theory, which adds top-down connections between consecutive layers. In this study, we introduce a new model, 2-layer sparse predictive coding (2L-SPC), to assess the impact of this interlayer feedback connection. In particular, the 2L-SPC is compared with a hierarchical Lasso (Hi-La) network made out of a sequence of independent Lasso layers. The 2L-SPC and a 2-layer Hi-La networks are trained on four different databases and with different sparsity parameters on each layer. First, we show that the overall prediction error generated by 2L-SPC is lower thanks to the feedback mechanism as it transfers prediction error between layers. Second, we demonstrate that the inference stage of the 2L-SPC is faster to converge and generates a refined representation in the second layer compared to the Hi-La model. Third, we show that the 2L-SPC top-down connection accelerates the learning process of the HSC problem. Finally, the analysis of the emerging dictionaries shows that the 2L-SPC features are more generic and present a larger spatial extension.

General Approach to Poset and Additive Metrics

Let $P=([n],\leq _{P})$ be a poset on $[n] = \{1,2,\ldots,n\}$ , $\mathbb {F}_{q}^{n}$ be the linear space of $n$ -tuples over a finite field $\mathbb {F}_{q}$ and $w$ be a weight on $\mathbb {F}_{q}$ . In this paper we consider metrics on $\mathbb {F}_{q}^{n}$ which are induced by posets over $[n]$ and weights over $\mathbb {F}_{q}$ . Such family of metrics extend both the additive metric induced by the weight $w$ (when the poset is an anti-chain) and the poset metrics (when the weight is the Hamming weight). Furthermore, the pomset metrics is also a particular case of our construction, consequently, we provide a simpler approach to these metrics without using the multiset structure originally proposed. For the general case, we provide a complete description of the groups of linear isometries of these metric spaces in terms of a semi-direct product, which turns out to be similar to the case of poset metric spaces. In particular, we (re)obtain the groups of linear isometries of the poset, pomset and additive metric spaces. When considering a chain order, we develop, for codes on these spaces, several of the invariants and properties found in the classical coding theory. Our construction of metrics based on partial orders and any weight over the base field, highlights the dependence of the poset metric over $\mathbb {F}_{q}^{n}$ with the Hamming metric on $\mathbb {F}_{q}$ and the additive property of its extension on $\mathbb {F}_{q}^{n}$ .

Comparison of Convolutional Sparse Coding Network and Convolutional Neural Network for Pavement Crack Classification: A Validation Study

Accurate and effective identification of pavement cracks can provide a reference for pavement performance evaluation and prediction. Inspired by recent outstanding performance of convolutional sparse coding theory in various research fields, we envision whether convolutional sparse coding can be beneficial for crack detection in complex environments. Therefore, based on the multi-layer convolutional sparse coding (ML-CSC) model, this paper combines multi-layer iterative soft threshold algorithm (ML-ISTA) and convolutional neural network (CNN) into recurrent neural networks (RNN) to identify crack images across the simulated experiments. And in different noise environments, different training cycles and different epochs, the ML-ISTA is compared with traditional CNN and the layered basis pursuit (LBP), which is another popular algorithm for ML-CSC. Experimental results showed that under the different training conditions with the same parameter setting, the stability and accuracy of the ML-ISTA is better than CNN and LBP. The ML-ISTA can achieve crack identification accuracy of 99.36% efficiently, which demonstrates the effectiveness of convolutional sparse coding in crack detection.

The Use of Different Translation Devices to Analyze Knowledge-Building in a University Chemistry Classroom

This research draws on Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) to understand the epistemic dimension of the higher education classroom discourse of a professor who is well evaluated by his students. In expository science classroom discourse, concepts are loaded with different meanings, a process that is called “condensation of meanings” in LCT, and are expressed using the concept of epistemic semantic density (ESD). The ESD can vary in classroom discourse, generating what is called a semantic wave in the LCT context. In this work, we initially compare two different translation devices, which are ways of systematically exploring the characteristics of the knowledge expressed in the classroom and how they vary, generating semantic waves. We were able to observe the strengths and weaknesses of both devices. They proved to be powerful tools in revealing how the complexity of science knowledge varies in a lesson. However, neither one demonstrates how meanings are connected in the lesson or how the semantic density of a particular concept changes over time. In this sense, we explore how everyday words at times become loaded with technical meaning when other concepts are connected to them. To achieve that, we use third device based on network science, an approach that analyzes and represents the systems of interactions of a wide range of physical and social phenomena. This allows us to evaluate how a term commonly used in everyday language, such as “lamp,” can play a central role in the construction of meanings related to the episteme of chemistry. In addition, while LCT assumes that semantic waves necessarily optimize learning, the results obtained herein revealed that constellation of meanings does not directly relate to semantic waves.

Immediate action effects motivate actions based on the stimulus\u2013response relationship

The theory of event coding, an influential framework for action planning, suggests that humans first integrate stimulus, response, and action effect into representation (an event file) via their contingencies, and then, the activation of expected action effects drives the associated response. While previous studies have typically examined such functions of action effects after, rather than before or during, the acquirement of the representation, Eitam et al. (Exp Brain Res 229:475–484, 2013a) demonstrated that the presence of immediate feedback to action (i.e., action effects) can instantly elicit faster responses than delayed feedback. However, the underlying mechanism of this faciliatory effect remains unclear. Specifically, while the response–effect relationship has been highlighted, the role of stimuli has not been investigated. To address this issue, the present study conducted four experiments. We first reproduced the faciliatory effects of immediate action effects with between- and within-participants design (Experiments 1 and 2, respectively). Then, we assessed whether immediate action effects facilitate response speed, when stimuli (Experiment 3) and a combination of stimuli and responses (Experiment 4) determined the delay of action effects. The identical response was executed faster when driven by stimuli associated with immediate effects than by those associated with lagged effects. This result indicates that immediate action effects do not reinforce the execution of specific motor actions itself, but facilitate actions depending on the stimulus–response relationship. We discuss the potential mechanism of the facilitation effect.

Shannon + Friston = Content: Intentionality in predictive signaling systems

What is the content of a mental state? This question poses the problem of intentionality: to explain how mental states can be about other things, where being about them is understood as representing them. A framework that integrates predictive coding and signaling systems theories of cognitive processing offers a new perspective on intentionality. On this view, at least some mental states are evaluations, which differ in function, operation, and normativity from representations. A complete naturalistic theory of intentionality must account for both types of intentional state.

Critical thinking in social work education. A case study of knowledge practices in students’ reflective writings using semantic gravity profiling

ABSTRACT The study explores how critical thinking can be practised and taught in the training of social work students. It investigates the nature and possible developments of critical thinking in an educational environment, asking which learning practices can be described as ‘critical thinking’ since this is not well defined or understood in an academic context or, particularly, in social work education. The approach, based on Legitimation Code Theory, allowed the creation of pedagogic interventions suitable for teaching skills and practices which clearly demonstrate what constitute examples of critical thinking. Students’ reflective writing showed a capability for recontextualising, generalising and assessing the meanings connected to the incident through weakening semantic gravity. High-achieving students produced ‘semantic waves’ by comparing different interpretations of knowledge, based on incident analysis, and successfully transforming these into a new form of individually ‘invented’ knowledge. Additionally, the study proved that mastering ‘semantic gravity’, the ability to manage knowledge which is to be decontextualised, transferred and recontextualised, may improve critical thinking skills. The analysis demonstrates how movements in semantic gravity in students’ writing assignments provide conditions for cumulative knowledge building that could be used in the future implementation of ‘semantic gravity’ in social work curricula.

Static infographics effects on the receptive knowledge of idiomatic expressions

Idiomatic expressions are essential components of EFL learners’ linguistic repertoire. Nevertheless, learning such inherently perplexing language constructs poses a challenge to learners. Therefore, the present study was motivated by examining a modern tool (infographics) that is relatively under-researched in EFL settings and potentially conducive to fruitful vocabulary learning. Grounded in dual coding (DCT) and cognitive load (CLT) theories, this study aims to examine the effectiveness of visualizing English idioms via static infographics. Data were collected using three instruments (a pre-/post-test, an attitude questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews) in a mixed-method design. The participants consisted of 78 Arabic speaking students at a Saudi university. Divided equally into two groups, these participants were instructed to learn 60 idioms in five computer-mediated sessions. Students in the control group studied the target idioms via online texts, whereas those in the experimental group studied them via online static infographics. The findings show that despite the significant increase in the post-test scores of both groups, the treatment group outperformed the control group as indicated by the statistically significant difference in scores. Consequently, the findings signify a high potential of static infographics to foster receptive knowledge of idioms. Moreover, the participants show positive attitudes toward the utility of static infographics on learning idioms. Meanwhile, the qualitative findings reveal a number of compelling factors induced by productive constituents and adequate content of the infographics. Those factors are conducive to effective learning and retention, triggering motivation and interests, promoting autonomous and efficient learning, and attracting learners’ attention.

Using an Epic Finale in Mathematics Classes

ABSTRACT In a recent article, Crider recommends ending a course with a memorable learning experience, called an epic finale, instead of a final exam. Here, we give the details of epic finales given in four mathematics courses: Discrete Mathematics, Information and Coding Theory, Real Analysis, and Complex Analysis. We describe how to reconfigure a course to allow for this type of closing activity and give suggestions for how to create an epic finale.

Gradient Coding From Cyclic MDS Codes and Expander Graphs

Gradient coding is a technique for straggler mitigation in distributed learning. In this paper we design novel gradient codes using tools from classical coding theory, namely, cyclic MDS codes, which compare favorably with existing solutions, both in the applicable range of parameters and in the complexity of the involved algorithms. Second, we introduce an approximate variant of the gradient coding problem, in which we settle for approximate gradient computation instead of the exact one. This approach enables graceful degradation, i.e., the ℓ <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> error of the approximate gradient is a decreasing function of the number of stragglers. Our main result is that normalized adjacency matrices of expander graphs yield excellent approximate gradient codes, which enable significantly less computation compared to exact gradient coding, and guarantee faster convergence than trivial solutions under standard assumptions. We experimentally test our approach on Amazon EC2, and show that the generalization error of approximate gradient coding is very close to the full gradient while requiring significantly less computation from the workers.