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One of the central questions in cognitive science is to understand how conceptual knowledge is represented in the human mind. The classical answer to this question is the assumption of a separate semantic module in which knowledge is stored through abstract symbolic representations. The semantic module is separate from other systems, such as modules for perception and action. In the last twenty years, an alternative approach, known as embodied or grounded cognition, has been developed and intensively studied, starting from the assumption that conceptual knowledge is in constant interaction with perception and action, and that conceptual knowledge is grounded in them through the mechanism of perceptual simulation. The aim of this paper is to review different theoretical perspectives on embodied cognition and to evaluate them. The theory of perceptual symbol systems, the model of the immersed experiencer and the indexical hypothesis are presented in detail, as well as empirical findings that support or refute these models. Then, critiques of embodied cognition related to the understanding of abstract concepts are presented, as well as responses to these critiques. The idea of degrees or continuum of embodiment is also considered. Finally, directions for future research are outlined, to try to shed light on the question of what exactly is the role of embodiment in the representation of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this survey is on the analysis of two modalities of multimodal deep learning: image and text. Unlike classic reviews of deep learning where monomodal image classifiers such as VGG, ResNet and Inception module are central topics, this paper will examine recent multimodal deep models and structures, including auto-encoders, generative adversarial nets and their variants. These models go beyond the simple image classifiers in which they can do uni-directional (e.g. image captioning, image generation) and bi-directional (e.g. cross-modal retrieval, visual question answering) multimodal tasks. Besides, we analyze two aspects of the challenge in terms of better content understanding in deep multimodal applications. We then introduce current ideas and trends in deep multimodal feature learning, such as feature embedding approaches and objective function design, which are crucial in overcoming the aforementioned challenges. Finally, we include several promising directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes with a better understanding of recreational landscapes as a conceptual coupling that lacks clarity and cementation as a legitimate and integrated concept in landscape and outdoor recreation-related disciplines, especially within Nordic landscape and outdoor recreation research. The approach in the paper is an explorative-theoretical one with a base in a literature review. The results show 294 identified texts using the conceptual coupling 'recreation(al) landscape(s)' in any of its variants and published in 155 different journals. Only a few of the texts offer detailed description of its meaning. Consequently, in an attempt to further the understanding of recreational landscapes, the conceptual coupling is explored and discussed in more detail with special attention given to different landscape relations, human-nature encounters and the relationship between landscape and place. A conclusion is that recreational landscapes must receive more attention and better anchoring in various landscape and outdoor recreation-related disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the common understanding of the variety of simplifications in LCA, by reviewing what simplification approaches are described in LCA and propose how these simplifications can be categorised. Such an overview can give guidance to researchers/practitioners as to how they should document simplifications and explain their implications to decision-makers. Methods: The basis for this study is a systematic literature review of simplification approaches in LCA, including both previously published overviews of categories of LCA simplification approaches and LCA case studies using different simplification approaches. The PRISMA statement protocol (Moher et al. 2009) was used to minimise the risk of bias, increase scientific validity and provide guidelines for conducting the review. Results and discussion: In all, ten categories of simplification were identified in the literature. Initially, six simplification approaches were identified based on previous categories. However, not all approaches found in case studies fit into these six previously published categories; these were therefore examined and grouped with regard to what was simplified and how, and four additional categories were identified. The identified simplification categories were mapped and explained in terms of their role in the different stages of the LCA framework. Our results support the idea that simplifications in LCA are most often motivated by a lack of data. Most simplifications target the inventory analysis step, with an aim to reduce the inventory analysis effort. Conclusions and recommendations: There is a need for a common simplification terminology and reporting standard. As this study shows, the categories of simplification from early studies remain relevant despite the development in LCA over the years, but additional categories are needed to cover the different types of simplification being applied in LCAs. What this study also highlights is despite recommendations that have been around for decades, there is still a lack of clear documentation of simplification with consistent terminology. One way, to ensure more transparent documentation of simplified studies and to improve the ability to interpret them and compare results, could be to include the development of a communication standard, with clear terminology as well as investigation of the applicability of different simplification approaches for different product systems and application areas. Due to the wide variety of purposes, scenarios and products assessed, it is impossible to devise a one-size-fits-all approach for simplifications. LCA practitioners need to describe, explain and evaluate the simplifications used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alphaviruses cause severe human illnesses including persistent arthritis and fatal encephalitis. As alphavirus entry into target cells is the first step in infection, intensive research efforts have focused on elucidating aspects of this pathway, including attachment, internalization, and fusion. Herein, we review recent developments in the molecular understanding of alphavirus entry both in vitro and in vivo and how these advances might enable the design of therapeutics targeting this critical step in the alphavirus life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information systems are intended to be faithful accounts of real-world applications. As an integral part of the development process, analysts create conceptual models in order to understand the application and communicate requirements. Failure to do so has been a prominent reason for IT projects' failure. Hence, improving the quality of models could have a major impact on the information systems' success. To guide the modeling process, researchers use ontology to create more expressive representations of reality. However, improving expressiveness can make the models complicated and cause cognitive hurdles for users. Therefore, the question is whether ontological guidance is worth the trade-off between expressiveness and complexity. This paper describes a meta-analysis of empirical research examining the impact of ontological guidance on users' understandability. The results show that ontological guidance can improve users' understanding of conceptual models, especially those requiring deeper understanding, thus providing support for ontological guidance in conceptual modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its discovery in the 1960s, the P300 has been contributing both directly and indirectly to language research. Perhaps most notably, it has been suggested that the P600, an ERP component that was first characterized in the context of syntactic processing, could be a variant of the P3b subcomponent of the P300. Here, we review studies on both sides of the debate. We also review the "semantic P600," a positivity with a similar time course and distribution to the P600 seen for syntactic manipulations but that is obtained in response to some types of semantic anomalies. Because most current theories of the P600 try to account for both the syntactic and the semantic variant, linking the syntactic P600 to the P3b might also imply a similar link for the semantic P600. However, we describe emerging research in our lab that casts doubt on the idea that the syntactic P600 and the semantic P600 are the same effect. We argue that grouping ERP responses primarily by domain (language vs. nonlanguage) is likely to be misleading and suggest alternative ways of determining whether ERP effects reflect similar or different processing mechanisms. ERP components are commonly categorized according to cognitive domain, such as language or memory. The current article discusses this convention in relation to the P300 component and the semantic and syntactic variants of the traditionally language‐related P600. Existing and emerging evidence is presented to support the idea that alternate categorization methods could inform extant lines of research and potentially open up new ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reading is a crucial skill for students to develop, not only as they enter school but also as they continue throughout K-12 education. Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is one means of providing supplemental support for students to build the foundational key areas of reading—so they can use reading to learn in later schooling years. One such CAI program that exists in the marketplace is Headsprout, which includes both an Early Reading and Reading Comprehension component. To date, no peer-reviewed studies have conducted a systematic review of the effectiveness of Headsprout on the five key areas of reading in the school setting. The most recent governmental review was completed almost a decade ago. As such, the purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the existing literature base to determine the level of evidence for each component's effectiveness on each of the key areas of reading and identify existing avenues of future research. Results indicated tentative support for both components in some of the key areas of reading based on effect sizes, though there were a limited number of studies and the methodological rigor of included studies did not always meet What Works Clearinghouse standards. Implications for educators and researchers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's understanding of death has been a topic of interest to researchers investigating the development of children's thinking and clinicians focusing on how children cope with the death of a loved one. Traditionally, researchers in cognitive development have studied death from a biological perspective. Current research suggests that exploring religious and spiritual conceptualizations might enrich our understanding of how children come to think about death. In this article, we review different methodological approaches that suggest that children form their understanding of death by engaging in conversations with and asking questions of family members, consuming cultural products, and participating in cultural rituals. We provide examples of how children combine different belief systems to form their understanding of death. We conclude by discussing recent research on how death‐related socialization might be related to coping and bereavement after the death of a loved one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This forum reviews a mix of resources to inform pedagogy and related educational practices that foreground representations of youths and their literacy practices within and outside of school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article evaluates the poem by Hoa Nyugen, "Living Room." Topics include that in order to understand the context of her poem lines, one has to repeat themselves or slow down, and read aloud; and the process with regard to sense-making is something of a mirror image of what is experienced in Hoa's poems.

A separate issue with the collection is that Kieran's essay on epistemic virtue and scientific practice stands out as not fitting with the I aesthetic i angle of the rest of the collection. Given that Ivanova and French properly diagnose the background scepticism over an aesthetics of science as arising from a positivist picture, it is regrettable that their introduction, along with several of the contributions to the collection, nevertheless maintains a positivist understanding of the distinction between "subjectivism" and "objectivism" about aesthetic values. Ivanova's and French's introduction to the collection provides a helpful and detailed synopsis of each of the essays, so I will not reproduce that here, except to give a very brief taste of each of them. [Extracted from the article]

Assessment is a notorious source of preoccupation for faculty and university governing bodies, especially when an institution initiates curricular reforms which shift the programme learning outcomes for knowledge to competencies. One obstacle to acceptance arises from a culture of quantitative assessment (often represented by a single mark), which is at odds with the concept of outcome assessment which is by essence subjective, qualitative and multidimensional. The method presented here is specifically concerned with learning activities where students need to demonstrate competency in learning outcomes of different natures. It describes a methodological framework that can be used in any programme that aims at developing multidimensional learners, but operates in a context where the final assessment product is a single quantitative grade. This method follows a classical approach to the evaluation of each learning outcome. It then proposes an innovative way of ranking students by categorising their overall performance based on conditions that reflect the integral nature of the learning process, to allow teaching staff to assign a range of marks for each student. Finally, a last step allows a quantitative ranking of students within each category, yielding a single quantitative mark for the course while remaining coherent with the learning goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the short story "The Man in the Well," by Ira Sher. It explores the interpretation of the short story relating its common misapprehension. It also notes the correlation between the concept of certainty by the children who decided not to aid the man out of the well and the uncertainty pertaining to the factors to their decision as discussed by the narrator. The author addresses the arrangement of the storyline.

The article reviews the book "The Value of Knowledge and the Pursuit of Understanding," by Jonathan Kvanvig.

The article reviews the book "The Tree of Knowledge: The Biological Roots of Human Understanding," by Humberto R. Maturana.

Reviews the book "Interpretation and Understanding," by Marcelo Dascal.

Reviews the book "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding," by J. Locke.

Reviews the book "Four Ages of Understanding," by John Deely.

Reviews the book "Reading Hume on Human Understanding: Essays on the First Enquiry," edited by Peter Millican.

Reviews the book "Reading Hume on Human Understanding," edited by Peter Millican.

This article reports that teaching and learning, like a bird or a human, are complex and evolutionary. This is because they involve living beings. By logical extension, schools are living systems. This fundamental consciousness informs the understanding of the dynamics at work in schools which require theories of complexity and evolution to explain what is happening in these institutions and how to continue to improve them. That is what so many teachers have been saying in different ways for decades.

The main charges that Benaji and Crowder (1989) made against everyday memory research are reviewed. First, by equating mental behavior with the actions of inert chemical processes, they have overlooked a critical difference; namely, living beings are active agents who not only adapt to contexts but also modify, select, and create them. Second, by equating the scientific method with the laboratory, Benaji and Crowder have misconstrued the core strategy of science, namely, "proof by disproof." Third, in asserting that no new principles have been discovered by everyday researchers, they have ignored substantial counter evidence. Fourth, although their claim that science is a search for invariant mechanisms is true, this does not imply that the processes to which the principles apply must be invariant. The search for principles that govern variation is a necessary scientific endeavor, one that requires the use of both laboratory and real-life investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Reviews the book "Human Understanding," Volume I, by Stephen Toulmin.

Reviews the book 'Understanding Skills: Thinking, Feeling, and Caring,' by Robin Barrow.

The article discusses the literary views of philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer in terms of understanding the meaning of a poem. The author notes that Gadamer's views of philosophical hermeneutics suggest that comprehension can never be finished, therefore it is impossible to truly understand the intent of a poet's work. Particular attention is given to perspectives on language from philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, who focused on the meaning of words and sentences. In addition, the author explores the theory of author authority.

Reviews the book 'Objectivity, Communication, and the Foundation of Understanding,' by Bruce Wayne McKinzie.

The article reviews the book "IMPROVING AURAL COMPREHENSION," by Joan Morley.