This work proposes Dynamic Linear Epsilon-Greedy, a novel contextual multi-armed bandit algorithm that can adaptively assign personalized content to users while enabling unbiased statistical analysis. Traditional A/B testing and reinforcement learning approaches have trade-offs between empirical investigation and maximal impact on users. Our…

This paper studies the use of Reinforcement Learning (RL) policies for optimizing the sequencing of online learning materials to students. Our approach provides an end to end pipeline for automatically deriving and evaluating robust representations of students' interactions and policies for content sequencing in online educational settings. We…

This experiment was designed to assess whether the expected and actual performance of black and white students on an academic task would be differentially affected by the race of the successful models observed. Since males and females might not be equally influenced by the modeling effects, separate analyses were planned for males and females of…

This study of self-reinforcement in children's learning looks at two key variables in the self-reinforcement process: the type of reward available and the level of achievement requisite for reward. The study was conducted to clarify the relative efficacy of self-dispensed verbal and tangible rewards for learning. The study also attempted to…

Patterns of learning by five infants with Down's syndrome (3.5 to 12.5 months old) were studied. The children were visited at home 2 to 3 times per week for periods ranging from 1 to 8 months. Two of the children were reinforced for pulling a string attached around their wrist. Consequences included tape recordings of music or their mother's…

A model of student learning processes is presented, based on the theory originally set forth by Benjamin Bloom that as much as three quarters of the differences in achievement among students is dependent on the attitudes, knowledge, and skills which students bring to a learning task. The model focuses on a specific learner approaching a specific…

This paper explores the possibility of integrating cognitive theory into an established instructional development model, i.e., Gagne's nine events of instruction. Based on the third edition of Gagne's book, this paper describes the most up-to-date notions of how cognitive theory impacts on this development framework. Each of the nine events is…

Objective love can alter the learning process. The person who has habitually encountered success in his/her first and formative responses to the world tends to develop a positive-orientation (an attitude of objective love) toward novelty itself and may actually seek out new problems, new challenges, in anticipation of future success. (RM)

The author states that learning theory is useful for economic educators because it enables them to develop instructional theory for economic education. The paper is arranged into five parts. Part 1 focuses on the historical learning theory perspective of economics education. Part 2 defines instructional theory, states its relationship to learning…

The hypothesis that feedback in programmed instruction is an important variable in the learning of novel, but not familiar, content was investigated. A linear, constructed response program dealing with the Sabbath rituals in the synagogue was chosen due to wide variability in student familiarity with this topic. Subjects were randomly assigned to…

The effects of different schedules of noncontingent reward on subsequent learning in children were investigated. In the first phase of the experiment subjects performed a block-design matching task and received one of three schedules of noncontingent reward, i.e., continuous reward (Group CRF), random reward on 50% of the trials (Group 50R), or no…

A study investigated the effect of providing students with varying forms of feedback during reading on students' estimates of understanding, actual comprehension scores, and students' use of rereading and reading rate adjustment. The 67 subjects were presented with passages to read, and their reading behavior was monitored via computer. Although…

This paper reviews self-efficacy research with special emphasis on students in school. Bandura's emphasis on domain-specific assessment is useful for understanding student learning and fits well with current research on instructional processes. A self-efficacy model of student learning is presented, comprising entry characteristics, self-efficacy…

Modern psychological theory implies that behavior and neural function are correlated. Models of the operation of the nervous system can be used to predict and explain behavioral events. The purposes of this paper are to briefly outline a model at the biopsychological level that leads to predictions about the retention of verbal material, to show…

Case studies were conducted to assess the personal learning styles and behaviors of elementary school children to provide teachers the opportunity of using prescribed teaching techniques to match students' styles. Six groups of behaviors were identified: (1) students demonstrate little internal control and are likely to act out and create…