Impact of Interactive Learning Environments on Learning and Cognitive Development of Children With Special Educational Needs: A Literature Review

Children with special educational needs (SEN) achieve lower educational levels than their peers without special needs, leading to a higher risk of social exclusion in the future. Inclusive education aims to promote learning and to benefit the cognitive development of these students, and numerous research studies have indicated that interactive environments benefit inclusion. However, it is necessary to know how these inclusive environments can positively impact the academic improvement and development of these students' cognitive skills. This article provides a review of the scientific literature from Web of Science, SCOPUS, ERIC, and PsychINFO to understand the impact of interactive environments on the academic learning and cognitive skill development of children with SEN. A total of 17 studies were selected. Those studies showed the effectiveness of interactive learning environments in promoting instrumental learning, increasing academic involvement, and improving the cognitive development of children with disabilities. Based on these results, it can be concluded that interaction-based interventions with an inclusive approach nurture the learning and cognitive development of students with SEN.

Axiomatic Results for Weighted Allocation Rules under Multiattribute Situations

In many interactive environments, operators may have to deal with different work objectives at the same time. In a realistic context, such as differences in the target type to be addressed, or changes in the behavior of other operators, operators may therefore have to cope with by adopting different work levels (strategies) at any given time. On the other hand, the importance or influence brought by operators may vary depending on many subjective and objective factors, such as the size of the constituency represented by a congressman, and the bargaining power of a business personnel which may vary. Therefore, it is reasonable that weights are apportioned to operators and arbitrary usability should be distributed according to these weights under various working levels and multiattribute situations. In pre-existing results for allocation rules, weights might be always apportioned to the “operators” or the “levels” to modify the differences among the operators or its working levels respectively. By applying weights to the operators and its working levels (strategies) simultaneously, we adopt the maximal marginal variations among working level (strategy) vectors to propose an allocation rule under multiattribute situations. Furthermore, we introduce some axiomatic outcomes to display the rationality for this weighted allocation rule. By replacing weights to be maximal marginal variations, a generalized index is also introduced.

Designing Tasks for Introducing Functions and Graphs within Dynamic Interactive Environments

In this paper, we elaborate on theoretical and methodological considerations for designing a sequence of tasks for introducing middle and high school students to functions and their graphs. In particular, we present didactical activities with an artifact realized within a dynamic interactive environment and having the semiotic potential for embedding mathematical meanings of covariation of independent and dependent variables. After laying down the theoretical grounds, we formulate the design principles that emerged as the result of bringing the theory into a dialogue with the didactical aims. Finally, we present a teaching sequence, designed and implemented on the basis of the design principles and we show how students’ efforts in describing and manipulating the different graphs of functions can promote their production of specific signs that can progressively evolve towards mathematical meanings.

Exploring viewers' experiences of parasocial interaction with videogame streamers on Twitch

Research on parasocial interaction (PSI) has a long tradition in non-interactive environments such as watching TV or listening to radio speakers. In the last years, researchers have started to apply PSI on videogame streaming environments, where the audience can interact with the observed media persona and get immediate feedback on their messages and requests. In a 3×2 online experiment (N = 251), we manipulated how a streamer addressed participants (individual vs. collective vs. no addressing) and whether he paid attention to and answered messages in the chat (attention vs. no attention to the chat). Findings show that the more individually participants were addressed and whether the streamer reacted to messages in the chat affected experiences of PSI. Further, alongside their overall enjoyment, PSI predicted viewers’ commitment to social norms. We discuss these findings regarding their implications for the conceptualization of PSI in light of interactive novel technologies.