Learning Horizon Research Articles

Experiencing Elderhostel as Lifelong Learners

This is the conclusion of a three-part feature on leisure and lifelong learning. In the February issue, after an introduction by feature editors Randy Swedburg and Lisa Ostiguy, R. D. MacNeil gave a conceptual overview of leisure, lifelong learning, and the older adult. In the March issue, Nancy Arsenault and Gary Anderson presented an article on “New Learning Horizons for Older Adults,” and N. Linnehan and C. Naturale discussed “The Joy of Learning in Retirement.”

New Learning Horizons for Older Adults

New Learning Horizons for Older Adults

Stabilizing distributed queuing systems using feedback based on diversity

The Huberman-Hogg model of computational ecosystems is applied to resources with queues. The previous theoretical results indicate that instabilities, due to delayed information, can be controlled by adaptive mechanisms, particularly schemes which employ diverse past horizons. A stochastic learning automaton, with rewards based on queuing parameters, is implemented to test the theoretical results. The effects of the learning step size and horizon are shown for systems with various delays and traffic intensities. The instabilities are controlled with appropriate choices of parameters and reward mechanism. Long horizons permit nonadaptive agents to achieve similar results, with the possible loss of responsiveness to dynamic environments.

Being-in-the-world and the horizons of learning : Heidegger, Wittgenstein, and cognition

The work of Heidegger and Wittgenstein still influences research and development in such areas as sociology of science, cognitive science, and design of computer-based work environments. The purpose of this article is to show how the writings of Heidegger and Wittgenstein can be used to: (a) throw new light on studies of real-time learning in school science, (b) understand the situated nature of cognition during science activities, and (c) inform the design of new learning environments. Two case studies are used to illustrate the fruitfulness of such an approach.

Local time horizons in Pavlovian learning.

Responding to a conditioned stimulus (CS) is impaired if the CS is trained in the presence of excitatory local context cues. Four lick suppression experiments with rats explored whether this local context effect arises from the influence of excitatory cues that precede or that follow a reinforced target CS. Pretrained nontarget stimuli served as local context cues that occurred (a) immediately before and after the target CS trial, (b) immediately before or after the target CS trial, or (c) only before or after the target CS trial with varying intervals between the nontarget stimulus and target CS. Results indicated similar control over responding to the target CS by the preceding and following nontarget cues. This outcome implies a symmetrical window of memory integration (local time horizon) for a Pavlovian CS. Possible mechanisms underlying the detrimental effect of embedding a CS in an excitatory local context are discussed.