Stress facilitates memory formation, but only when the stressor is closely linked to the learning context. These effects are, at least in part, mediated by corticosteroid hormones. Here we demonstrate that corticosterone rapidly facilitates synaptic potentiation in the mouse hippocampal CA1 area when high levels of the hormone and high-frequency…

Understanding the function of the distinct amygdaloid nuclei in learning comprises a major challenge. In the two studies described herein, we used c-Fos immunolabeling to compare the engagement of various nuclei of the amygdala in appetitive and aversive instrumental training procedures. In the first experiment, rats that had already acquired a…

Cannabinoid receptors type 1 (CB1) play a central role in both short-term and long-term extinction of auditory-cued fear memory. The molecular mechanisms underlying this function remain to be clarified. Several studies indicated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase with its downstream effector AKT, and…

At University High School, an alternative high school for students who failed in the Boston Public Schools system, everyone is learning to implement the more dynamic, socially conscious, and relevant way of learning by doing. Students, teachers, and staff are learning how to develop an educational philosophy and practice that is predicated on…

The aim of this study is to reveal the differences in the process of learning reading strategies by EFL learners whose English proficiency levels differ. For this purpose, portfolios made by 10 Japanese female college students learning English (five in the higher proficiency group and the other five in the lower) were analyzed. The results found…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to consider whether the shift from training to learning is related to employment categories using a categorisation popularised by Robert Reich. Design/methodology/approach: Collation and analysis of existing CIPD research information and assessment of labour statistics. Findings: An examination of the national…

Two CD-ROMs from a series dealing with various major aspects of cell biology are evaluated in this paper using quantitative and qualitative approaches. The findings delimit similarities and differences of the two CD-ROMs and shed light on how the programs could be used in the learning process and how they should not be. The overall impression, as…

As online collaborative technologies become easier to use, an increasing range of "virtual communities" are being established, often for educational purposes. This report stresses that an efficient technology is only part of the process underlying a successful online community. It considers the social process on which an online learning community…

An artfully designed, 3-D computer-generated video story was created to demonstrate the mixing of primary colors to obtain secondary colors. Two research questions were explored in this research: Do artfully designed 3-D computer-generated video stories enhance learning or are such entertaining works a distraction from learning? And, do children…

Learning object design currently leads the instructional technologist towards more effective instructional design, development, and delivery of learning content. There is a considerable amount of literature discussing the potential use of learning object in e-learning. However, most of the works were mainly focused on the standard forms of…

This article outlines a conceptualization of personality as a cognitive-affective processing system (CAPS) and explores its implications for understanding disorders and pursuing therapeutic change. The CAPS conception of personality was proposed in 1995 in order to resolve a long-standing paradox in personality and social psychology, namely, the…

Background and Objectives: At McMaster University, the birthplace of problem-based learning (PBL), administrators and curriculum planners have begun the process of renewing the undergraduate MD curriculum. One step has been to conduct an environmental scan that includes input from medical residents. Methods: Individual interviews with 17 medical…

In 2002-03, a qualitative study examined the experiences of 70 stakeholders connected to two community-based adult literacy programs in Manitoba, Canada. Self-directed learning was one of several elements that these research participants considered essential to the learning process. These literacy stakeholders defined self-directed learning as a…

Critics of Invitational Education and other self-concept approaches to learning have long argued that there is a lack of empirical data to support the claims that approaches to student instruction based on self-concept theory are central to effective learning. Ellis (2001) examines a number of these analyses where self-concept, self-esteem, and…

In architecture courses, the bridging of design learning and construction is a constant challenge for educators. When designing the construction details of a building, students lack the field/site experience of the construction process and an understanding of the problems and solutions associated with erecting a building. The degree of…