Perceptual Learning Research Articles

Predictive coding with spiking neurons and feedforward gist signaling.

Predictive coding (PC) is an influential theory in neuroscience, which suggests the existence of a cortical architecture that is constantly generating and updating predictive representations of sensory inputs. Owing to its hierarchical and generative nature, PC has inspired many computational models of perception in the literature. However, the biological plausibility of existing models has not been sufficiently explored due to their use of artificial neurons that approximate neural activity with firing rates in the continuous time domain and propagate signals synchronously. Therefore, we developed a spiking neural network for predictive coding (SNN-PC), in which neurons communicate using event-driven and asynchronous spikes. Adopting the hierarchical structure and Hebbian learning algorithms from previous PC neural network models, SNN-PC introduces two novel features: (1) a fast feedforward sweep from the input to higher areas, which generates a spatially reduced and abstract representation of input (i.e., a neural code for the gist of a scene) and provides a neurobiological alternative to an arbitrary choice of priors; and (2) a separation of positive and negative error-computing neurons, which counters the biological implausibility of a bi-directional error neuron with a very high baseline firing rate. After training with the MNIST handwritten digit dataset, SNN-PC developed hierarchical internal representations and was able to reconstruct samples it had not seen during training. SNN-PC suggests biologically plausible mechanisms by which the brain may perform perceptual inference and learning in an unsupervised manner. In addition, it may be used in neuromorphic applications that can utilize its energy-efficient, event-driven, local learning, and parallel information processing nature.

Preliminary study on building practitioners’ compliance behaviour with 7-star house energy ratings in Australia: perceptions of industry experts

PurposeFrom May 2024, Victoria (Australia) will mandatorily raise the minimum house energy rating standards from 6 to 7 stars. However, the latest data shows that only 5.73% of new Victorian houses were designed beyond 7-star. While previous literature indicates the issue’s link to the compliance behaviour of building practitioners in the design phase, the underlying behavioural determinants are rarely explored. This study thus preliminarily examines building practitioners’ compliance behaviour with 7-star Australian house energy ratings and beyond.Design/methodology/approachUsing a widely-applied method to initially examine an under-explored phenomenon, eight expert interviews were conducted with building practitioners, a state-level industry regulator and a leading national building energy policy researcher. The study triangulated the data with government-led research reports.FindingsThe experts indicate that most building practitioners involved in mainstream volume projects do not go for 7 stars, mainly due to perceived compliance costs and reliance on standardized designs. In contrast, those who work on custom projects are more willing to go beyond 7-star mostly due to the moral norms for a low-carbon environment. The experts further agree that four behavioural determinants (attitudes towards compliance, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and personal norms) co-shape building practitioners’ compliance behaviour. Interventions targeting these behavioural determinants are recommended for achieving 7 stars and beyond.Originality/valueThis study demonstrates the behavioural determinants that influence building practitioners’ compliance decisions, and offers insight regarding how far they will go to meet 7 stars. It can facilitate the transition to 7 stars by informing policymakers of customized interventions to trigger behaviour change.

The time course of stimulus-specific perceptual learning.

Practice on perceptual tasks can lead to long-lasting, stimulus-specific improvements. Rapid stimulus-specific learning, assessed 24hours after practice, has been found with just 105 practice trials in a face identification task. However, a much longer time course for stimulus-specific learning has been found in other tasks. Here, we examined 1) whether rapid stimulus-specific learning occurs for unfamiliar, non-face stimuli in a texture identification task; 2) the effects of varying practice across a range from just 21 trials up to 840 trials; and 3) if rapid, stimulus-specific learning persists over a 1-week, as well as a 1-day, interval. Observers performed a texture identification task in two sessions separated by one day (Experiment 1) or 1 week (Experiment 2). Observers received varying amounts of practice (21, 63, 105, or 840 training trials) in session 1 and completed 840 trials in session 2. In session 2, one-half of the observers in each group performed the task with the same textures as in session 1, and one-half switched to novel textures (same vs.novel conditions). In both experiments we found that stimulus-specific learning - defined as the difference in response accuracy in the same and novel conditions - increased as a linear function of the log number of session 1 training trials and was statistically significant after approximately 100 training trials. The effects of stimulus novelty did not differ across experiments. These results support the idea that stimulus-specific learning in our task arises gradually and continuously through practice, perhaps concurrently with general learning.

Vision-state Fusion: Improving Deep Neural Networks for Autonomous Robotics

AbstractVision-based deep learning perception fulfills a paramount role in robotics, facilitating solutions to many challenging scenarios, such as acrobatic maneuvers of autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and robot-assisted high-precision surgery. Control-oriented end-to-end perception approaches, which directly output control variables for the robot, commonly take advantage of the robot’s state estimation as an auxiliary input. When intermediate outputs are estimated and fed to a lower-level controller, i.e., mediated approaches, the robot’s state is commonly used as an input only for egocentric tasks, which estimate physical properties of the robot itself. In this work, we propose to apply a similar approach for the first time – to the best of our knowledge – to non-egocentric mediated tasks, where the estimated outputs refer to an external subject. We prove how our general methodology improves the regression performance of deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) on a broad class of non-egocentric 3D pose estimation problems, with minimal computational cost. By analyzing three highly-different use cases, spanning from grasping with a robotic arm to following a human subject with a pocket-sized UAV, our results consistently improve the R$$^{2}$$ 2 regression metric, up to +0.51, compared to their stateless baselines. Finally, we validate the in-field performance of a closed-loop autonomous cm-scale UAV on the human pose estimation task. Our results show a significant reduction, i.e., 24% on average, on the mean absolute error of our stateful CNN, compared to a State-of-the-Art stateless counterpart.

Cyber-physical metaverse learning in cultural sustainable education

PurposeEducation for sustainable development (ESD) is a developing educational concept that aims to achieve economic, social and environmental sustainability through education. Cultural sustainability education aims to cultivate awareness and protection of cultural assets, promote sustainable development and foster environmental responsibility. This study establishes a cyber-physical metaverse of cultural sustainability learning to cultivate students' motivation, multicultural identity, critical thinking and sustainability thinking.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, virtual reality (VR) and 3D printing technologies were utilized to create a cyber-physical metaverse learning environment. This learning environment is designed to allow elementary school children to learn about indigenous cultures and the architecture of slate houses, as well as socio-architectural issues. Learners will be able to experience first-hand the plight of the indigenous tribal areas and the exploration of related cultural knowledge.FindingsThe study collected pre- and post-test data through questionnaires, using covariates to analyze learners' perceptions of learning. The results of this study showed that cyber-physical metaverse learning environment had a significant impact on learning motivation, multicultural identity and sustainability thinking for culturally sustainable education. However, this study’s impact on critical thinking skills in students remains to be confirmed.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a quasi-experimental study of a single country’s elementary school children in the indigenous area, so its findings cannot be extrapolated to other areas or to learners of different ages.Originality/valueThis study introduces a framework for incorporating both virtual and real cultures to promote sustainable learning. The cyber-physical metaverse learning is used to supplement teaching activities to enhance learners' motivation in learning multicultural knowledge. Students were able to recognize and protect cultural assets, as well as emphasize the importance of sustainable development.

Risk of eating disorders among nursing students at Duy Tan university 2023

Objectives: Describe the proportion of the risk of eating disorders among nursing students and identify some factors related to the risk of eating disorders among nursing students at Duy Tan University in 2023.  Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 200 nursing students at Duy Tan University.  Results: The percentage of nursing students at risk of eating disorders accounted for 23.5%. Some factors related to the risk of eating disorders were academic year, living status, perception of learning, time spent using the internet, stress, anxiety, and depression (p < 0.05).  Conclusion: The proportion of nursing students at risk of eating disorders was relatively high, so it is necessary to have interventions to prevent the risk of eating disorders for students, especially final-year students and those living alone. In addition, students with mental health problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression also need a screening program to prevent the risk of eating disorders.

Rehabilitation of amblyopia using a digital platform for visual training combined with patching in children: a prospective study.

To assess the possible benefits of the use of perceptual learning and dichoptic therapy combined with patching in children with amblyopia over the use of only patching. Quasi-experimental multicentric study including 52 amblyopic children. Patients who improved their visual acuity (VA) by combining spectacles and patching were included in patching group (PG: 20 subjects), whereas those that did not improved with patching performed visual training (perceptual learning + dichoptic therapy) combined with patching, being assigned to the visual treatment group (VT: 32 subjects). Changes in VA, contrast sensitivity (CS), and stereopsis were monitored during a 6-month follow-up in each group. Significant improvements in VA were found in both groups at 1month (p < 0.01). The total improvement of VA was 0.18 ± 0.16 and 0.31 ± 0.35 logMAR in PG and VT groups, respectively (p = 0.317). The Wilcoxon effect size was slightly higher in VT (0.48 vs. 0.54) at 6months. An enhancement in CS was observed in the amblyopic eye of the VT group for all spatial frequencies at 1month (p < 0.001). Likewise, the binocular function score also increased significantly in VT group (p = 0.002). A prediction equation of VA improvement at 1month in VT group was obtained by multiple linear regression analysis (p < 0.001, R2 = 0.747). A combined treatment of visual training and patching is effective for obtaining a predictable improvement of VA, CS, and binocularity in patching-resistant amblyopic children.

Learners' Attitude and Perceptions on Flipped Classroom Approach on Academic Performance of Postgraduate Diploma in Education Students in Kenyatta University

Learners' Attitude and Perceptions on Flipped Classroom Approach on Academic Performance of Postgraduate Diploma in Education Students in Kenyatta University

Perceptual learning changes the amplitude not the shape of the temporal window of visual processing.

Perceptual learning (PL) can significantly improve human performance in perceptual tasks primarily through template reweighting. Previous studies have documented how PL changes perceptual template in stimulus feature space. We investigated how PL reweights visual information in time. With a dynamic external noise paradigm and the elaborated perceptual template model (ePTM) analysis, we found that training with an orientation identification task in the zero external noise condition reduced contrast thresholds in both zero and high external noise conditions, whereas training in the high external noise condition only reduced contrast thresholds in high external noise conditions. The ePTM analysis showed that training in both zero and high external noise changed the overall amplitude, but not the shape of the temporal window of the perceptual template to exclude external noise across time, and training in zero external noise additionally reduced additive internal noise. Our results provided additional constraints for models of PL. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

How is race perceived during adolescence? A meta-analysis of the own-race bias.

Adolescence is a critical developmental period that is marked by drastic changes in face recognition, which are reflected in patterns of bias (i.e., superior recognition for some individuals compared to others). Here, we evaluate how race is perceived during face recognition and whether adolescents exhibit an own-race bias (ORB). We conducted a Bayesian meta-analysis to estimate the summary effect size of the ORB across 16 unique studies (38 effect sizes) with 1,321 adolescent participants between the ages of ∼10-22 years of age. This meta-analytic approach allowed us to inform the analysis with prior findings from the adult literature and evaluate how well they fit the adolescent literature. We report a positive, small ORB (Hedges's g = 0.24) that was evident under increasing levels of uncertainty in the analysis. The magnitude of the ORB was not systematically impacted by participant age or race, which is inconsistent with predictions from perceptual expertise and social cognitive theories. Critically, our findings are limited in generalizability by the study samples, which largely include White adolescents in White-dominant countries. Future longitudinal studies that include racially diverse samples and measure social context, perceiver motivation, peer reorientation, social network composition, and ethnic-racial identity development are critical for understanding the presence, magnitude, and relative flexibility of the ORB in adolescence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Relationships between online self-regulation skills, satisfaction, and perceived learning among distance education learners

Distance Learning or Distance Education is one of the approaches of education to connect learners and educators or instructors with geographical barriers by using technologies. The nexus between learners’ online self-regulation skills, satisfaction and perceived learning continues to be an ongoing debate in distance education for developing countries. No study has looked at the relationships between online self-regulation skills, satisfaction, and perceived learning among postgraduate distance education learners in Ghana. This study purposed to identify the connections between self-regulation skills, learner satisfaction, and learning perceptions. The survey included a total of 1142 postgraduate distance education learners. The structural linkages were investigated using structural equation modelling analysis. The fit index values obtained from the analysis were X2/df = 2.60, CFI = 0.92, TLI = 0.91, and RMSEA = 0.059, all of which were satisfactory. Learners' online self-regulation skills are thought to be a predictor of their satisfaction. Also, learners' online self-regulation skills are recognised as a predictor of their perceived learning. Learners' satisfaction with the online distance learning setting or environment is considered a strong indicator of perceived learning.

PUPPET MAGIC: TRANSFORMING STORYTELLING INTO ENGLISH EXCELLENCE FOR ENGLISH YOUNG LEARNERS

The purpose of this project is to investigate how well puppetry works as a storytelling media for young learners, by focusing on what opinions do the students have about using puppets to present stories. knowing how puppetry functions in language learning can lead to more interesting and successful teaching strategies.This study used a qualitative way to answer the question.This research was carried out in SD Negeri 1 Muhammadiyah Banda Aceh.The writers believed that an interview was the best instrument to utilize because this study involved first-grade elementary school studentsUsing puppets as a medium takes advantage of first-graders’ receptiveness to multimodal experiences while acknowledging their developmental stage. The goal is to create a more dynamic and productive learning environment where the use of puppets stimulates students’ attention and helps them comprehend the stories that are being told.The overall perception of the young learners who involved in this study is that they enjoyed actively listening to the narrative story and closely paying attention when it incorporated media- puppet - into the story. This finding implies that it is crucial for English teachers working with young students to vary their concrete media, and using puppets is just one way to do this.

Persepsi Guru terhadap Model Pembelajaran Sinektik untuk Mengembangkan Keterampilan Menulis Bahasa Asing

The synectic learning model can enhance students' creativity, especially in writing skills, involving the use of analogies, metaphors, and creative thinking techniques such as brainstorming. Researchers tried to examine teachers' perceptions of synectic learning for writing skills in foreign languages through open interviews. The interview results and discussions will be presented in this article.

Simulation of e-learning visualization technology based on image enhancement in the communication mode of public performance art videos

With the simulation of public performing arts video communication modes, this study aims to explore the application of image-enhanced electronic learning visualization techniques in this field. Through the introduction of this technology, it aims to improve the effect of e-learning and enhance learners' understanding and perception of public performing arts videos. Through the acquisition and processing of public performing arts videos, the image enhancement technology is used to improve the image clarity and color saturation. Based on the e-learning platform, the enhanced video will be transmitted online, so that learners can watch through electronic devices and carry out corresponding learning operations. Finally, the learning effect of traditional learning and image-based e-learning. The results show that e-learning visualization technology based on image enhancement can significantly improve learners' understanding and feelings of public performing arts videos. Through the enhanced video images, learners can more clearly observe the actors' performance movements, facial expressions and other details, so as to better understand the connotation and communication meaning of the public performing arts.

Expert survey on real-world data utilization and real-world evidence generation for regulatory decision-making in drug lifecycle in Korea.

As the importance of utilizing real-world data (RWD)/real-world evidence (RWE) for supporting regulatory scientific decision-making continues to grow, experiences and inputs from experts become crucial for developing a systematic and practice-oriented plan for the use of fit-for-purpose RWD/RWE. This study aimed to survey relevant experts from government agencies, industries, and academia to identify prerequisites for the drug life cycle in Korea. The questionnaire comprised the following: (A) the definition and categories of RWD/RWE, (B) the suitability and feasibility of using RWD/RWE at each authorization stage by the types of RWD, and (C) the challenges and solutions for the use of RWD/RWE. A total of 46 respondents completed the online survey, with 89.1% of them having prior experience with RWD/RWE usage. A majority of respondents agreed that RWD can be obtained from various sources. Among these sources, the registry was the most suitable source. It is suitable to compensate for the limitations of randomized control trials and ensure quality in data collection. Though there was consensus among the respondents for the use of RWD/RWE in post-marketing surveillance, the use of such data in new drug application (NDA) was disagreeable. Respondents considered it necessary to write a protocol in advance for RWD collection and RWE generation, for all RWD types. In conclusion, this study examined the perceptions of experts for RWD/RWE use at each approval stage of drugs. The results suggest that guidelines for the fit-for-purpose use of RWD/RWE should be developed via careful deliberation among experts in the future.

Problem-based life situational issues exploration–Taking the learning effectiveness of artificial intelligence in natural sciences

This research focuses on problem-based learning (PBL) teaching methods and designs artificial intelligence (AI) in facial recognition systems, smart streetlights, and drone as teaching materials. To integrate teaching materials of life situation issues into the natural general curriculum and develop a learning perception questionnaire (LPQ) with validity and reliability to evaluate students’ perception of the curriculum. Based on a valid assessment tool, 56 college students were assessed on their learning of emerging technology contextual issues to evaluate their satisfaction, learning situation, and learning effectiveness. The results of the study are, as follows:&lt;br /&gt; (1) construct teaching materials for AI application in face recognition systems, street lights, and drone situations; (2) develop an LPQ with reliability and validity; (3) most students are satisfied with the integration of AI into PBL teaching; (4) most students believe that the integration of cross-domain learning in different subjects can help improve self-learning effectiveness and ensure continuous learning interest; and (5) many students agree that this course can improve learning outcomes. In the future, the focus will be on teaching practice, incorporating easy-to-use AI textbook content, and enhancing the opportunities for interactive learning; in addition, increasing the number of effective samples in the research to improve the depth of the experiment and the breadth of research.

Investigating Kurdish EFL Learners' Perceptions of Cognitive Grammar Learning Strategies

English has become the language of science and technology, trade, instruction, politics, and tourism. A person who knows this language may have the opportunity for many jobs. Thus, it is crucial to motivate students to acquire this language in a suitable manner. This study aimed to investigate the strategies for learning English as a foreign language and learning grammar in particular. The aim was to update and adopt new strategies for learning English as a foreign language. The current study attempted at finding out why some Kurdish students make grammatical mistakes and errors despite the fact that they study English for a reasonable number of years. It investigated the perceptions of Kurdish learners of English as a foreign language in using grammar learning strategies with the variables of: gender, proficiency level, in public and private universities. It was conducted at three universities: Dohuk, Newroz, and Jihan. The population covered about 125 teachers and learners. This study used a mixed method: it utilized questionnaire and interviews as instruments and two different levels of proficiency were chosen: second- and fourth-year learners. The questionnaire included 100 learners of English as a foreign language. The interviews included 25 teachers and learners of English from public and private universities in Duhok city. The data analysis revealed that Kurdish English language learners use a number of strategies in learning and also in using grammatical structures. However, Kurdish English foreign language learners believed that strategies of grammar learning are important in the process of language learning. The findings showed differences in learning strategies between proficiency-levels, but no significant difference in terms of gender. The study ended up that grammar learning strategies have a significant effect in the spoken and written performance of learner.

SBAE teachers’ perceptions of science integration and inquiry-based learning

The integration of science within an agricultural education classroom is very important. This study explored the influences CASE professional development institutes had on the teacher-participant’s perceptions of science integration and inquiry-based instruction. This study utilized a pre and post-test comprised of the integrative science survey and the inquiry-based teaching techniques. We attempted a census of all (N = 38) high school agricultural educators who were participants in the Principles of Agricultural Science-Plant (ASP) and the Agricultural Power and Technology (APT) CASE institutes. Overall, respondents had more positive perceptions of science integration and IBI following the CASE institutes. Teacher educators should incorporate inquiry-based teaching techniques and examples of integrating science into preparation programs and offer professional development workshops to practicing teachers. Future research should take a deeper look into the impacts of CASE institutes on teachers’ attitudes towards science integration and implementation of IBI in their classrooms. A larger population of teachers needs to be studied with the study taking a longitudinal approach to focus on the long-term implementation of IBI in the agricultural education classroom.

Analysis of Learner Perceptions and Educational Effectiveness in Sports Capstone Design Courses Applying PBL

Analysis of Learner Perceptions and Educational Effectiveness in Sports Capstone Design Courses Applying PBL

Evaluating the Perception of Undergraduate Medical Students About the Educational Environment by Using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) Questionnaire.

Background This study uses the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire to investigate undergraduate medical students' perceptions regarding their educational environment. The study recognizes the pivotal role of the educational environment in shaping future healthcare professionals and aims to contribute valuable insights for continuous improvement. The DREEM questionnaire, a validated tool, provides a structured approach to assess various dimensions of the educational environment. The study explores teaching and learning, academic atmosphere, student self-perception, social support, and overall satisfaction, seeking to identify strengths and areas for enhancement. The overarching goal is to offer evidence-based recommendations for academic institutions, curriculum developers, and policymakers to foster an environment that optimally nurtures the learning experiences of undergraduate medical students. The study aspires to contribute to the ongoing efforts to refine and elevate medical education, ensuring the holistic development of future healthcare professionals. Aims & objectives Using the DREEMquestionnaire, evaluate undergraduate medical students' perceptions regarding their educational environment. Identifying thestrengths and weaknesses in the current educational environment, encompassing teaching and learning, academic atmosphere, student self-perception, and social support. Methodology All undergraduate medical students of C.U.Shah Medical College and Hospital, Surendranagar, Gujarat (India), were included in the study. DREEM questionnaire was introduced in classroom settings in digital form with the help of Google Forms. The perceptions were obtained and analyzed with the help of Google Sheets. Results The DREEM questionnaire mean scores (124.58/200) indicate an overall positive perception of the educational environment among medical students, with total scores falling within the 'More Positive than Negative' range. The domain-wise analysis reveals scores for Students' Perception of Learning (SPL) 30.09/48, Students' Perception of Teachers (SPT) 27.87/44, Students' Academic Self-Perceptions (SASP) 20.60/32, Students' Perception of Atmosphere (SPA) 30.31/48, and Students' Social Self-Perceptions (SSSP) 15.72/28, indicating varying perceptions across different aspects of the educational environment. Within the domains, the SPL scores range from 10 to 44 (mean: 29.91), with one response in the 'very poor' range. SPT scores vary from 4 to 44 (mean: 27.49), with three 'very poor' responses. SASP scores range from 6 to 32 (mean: 20.73), with one response in the 'Feelings of total failure' range. SPA scores range from 9 to 48 (mean: 30.29), with one response in the 'Very poor environment' range. SSSP scores vary from 6 to 28 (mean: 15.66), with five 'Miserable' responses. Conclusion The study using DREEM scores highlights a generally positive perception of the educational environment among medical students. Areas for improvement include addressing fatigue-related concerns and enhancing teacher-student interactions, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to ensure ongoing enhancement in the learning environment.