This research aims to examine the affective aspect of text-based communication. The subjects are 42 university students, who were randomly paired and asked to participate in a series of e-mail communication. Right after each e-mail communication, those who received e-mails were asked to answer the questions that concern how they felt (their affective states) and how they interpreted the message senders' affective states (affective interpretation). The subjects were divided into 3 groups in terms of their inherent affective traits determined by the established questionnaire, Discrete Emotions Scale IV ('Negative-affection oriented group', 'Positive-affection oriented group', and 'Hostility-affection oriented group'). Then, the correlation between the message receivers' interpretation of the message senders' affective states and the message receivers' affective states, together with the correlation between the message senders' affective states and the message receivers' interpretation of the message senders' affective states was compared among the three groups. The results showed that the two relationships were influenced by message receivers' inherent affective traits, based on which the causes of the affective problems faced in text-based communication were discussed.

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This research investigated the effect of avatar's facial expression function on users' motivation for engaging in conversation and understanding a partner's emotion in online chat communication and attempted to improve the chat system based on the usability ratings of that function. In Experiment 1, 15 pairs of university students chatted in English using both the smiley-based and the non-facial expression systems and evaluated their usability. Results showed that the smiley-based system was not found to be superior to the non-facial expression system. Based on those results, the smiley-based system was modified into an icon-based system to improve its usability. In Experiment 2, 16 pairs of students chatted in Japanese using both the icon-based and the non-facial expression systems and guessed their partner's emotional states during the chat. Participants found it easier to guess their partner's emotions when using the facial expression system. The outcomes and limitations of the experiments for future research were discussed.

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Sports instruction entails bodily movements undertaken by students and teachers in spacious settings. For this reason, sports instructors are required to possess greater spatial cognition, physical cognition of students, cognition of the level of energy present in lessons and predictive cognition in physical education classes than they do in classroom lessons. In this context, we investigated situational cognition in this paper by recruiting a university soccer club coach who also served as a J-League youth team coach and had him observe a J-League game from pitch level while imagining that he was the coach. The subject was instructed to orally relate what he was seeing as a coach from pitch level in real time and sketch whatever image he was seeing or processing in his head in real time, whereupon a cognitive review of the narration and supporting sketches was conducted after the game. As a result, it became clear that the space visually perceived as a horizontal plane from pitch level was understood in terms of representations based on a bird's-eye view of the pitch from above and in terms of representations based on a wide-angle depth-conveying view of the pitch from a slightly elevated location and that predictions of what would occur next were being made through a process that involved the successive overlaying of representations onto representations.

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The cases to give a lecture using electronic slides through a projector are increasing. We proposed a method to create VOD (Video On Demand) contents, and evaluated its usage for the lecture that uses electronic slides. The proposed system shows a superimposed lecturer image on an electric slide. The questionnaire showed that the use of the proposed system is easier for the students to locate the position where the lecturer explains right at the moment.

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The purpose of this study is to clarify characteristic cognitions of the expert practitioner in the design process of workshops. In this study, I performed the experiment that I used Think Aloud Method for two pairs consists of expert practitioners and beginners who belonged to the each same groups of them. At first I performed comparison between expert practitioners and beginners, and, the analysis examined a characteristic to be common to two expert practitioners. As a result, it became clear that the expert practitioner practice family drew up the concept while performing recollection for confirmation and interpretation and the practice experience of request contents. In addition, the study clarified five characteristics of the expert practitioner on designing a workshop; (1) Performing wide confirmation for request contents, (2) Using of their own design models, (3) Mix flexible decision in a design, (4) Having high consciousness about staff upbringing, (5) Design a workshop with custom built by experience of the their own. Furthermore, an expert practitioner seemed to have "the Personal Practice Theory".

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In this paper, we propose a double loop instructional design process model which takes into account in-class modifications of instructional plan. In order to cope with unexpected in-class learners' reactions, differ from existing models, our model prescribes the modifications and redesigns next class with the result of them. Experimental classes for evaluating validity and effectiveness of our model confirmed that the instructions which are modified during a class are planned for next class, and they did not tend to be modified as compared with other instructions. Thus, it seems to reflect the actuality further more.

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In this study, we made and tested web-based self-directed learning materials with two environmental posters, which are so-called cool media that are highly participatory and complementary. They consist of five steps, that is, 'introduction with input of attributes of learners', 'inference of an environmental issue on each environmental poster', 'doing assignments related to the environmental issue shown on each poster', 're-inference of an environmental issue on each poster' and 'questions on learners' interests in the environmental issues and existing knowledge of them on the posters.' As a result of the evaluation tests, it was found that (1) more learners made a correct inference of what the environmental issue on each poster was after they tackled assignments related to it; (2) not a few learners with the knowledge of the environmental issue shown on the poster could not make a correct inference of what it was even after they tackled assignments because their knowledge was ambiguous; (3) learners got more interested in environmental issues and/or relevant matters shown on the posters. In conclusion, the web-based self-directed learning materials with inference activities of cool media such as environmental posters were found effective as a tool to realize environmental education, which derives spontaneous interests and discovery of learners.

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Though many faculty members increasingly use information and communication technology (ICT) in their classes, they are not sufficiently informed about effective and appropriate ways to use ICT. To diffuse effective teaching skills, the Center for the Studies of Higher Education at Nagoya University developed a booklet of "Seven Suggestions for Good Teaching and Learning at Nagoya University". It describes effective and appropriate ways to use ICT, including seven principles and forty-nine practical teaching tips. Findings from the analysis of the development process of the booklet and reactions to it can be summarized as follows: First, the booklet clarifies relationship between uses of ICT and teaching enhancement, because teaching tips are categorized into seven effective learning principles. Second, contents of the booklet are generally accepted by faculty members and they are found as learning materials for faculty development as well as for promoting ICT enhanced teaching in universities.

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We conducted a field study of the utilization of digital camera to support sweeping work of five persons with mental retardation. The procedures were follows. (I) They took pictures of litter and fallen leaves on the sweeping route with a digital camera. (II) They attached the pictures to a map showing sites to sweep. (III) They had several meetings to share some information of litter-strewn areas by looking at the pictures and the map. As they got used to this routine, they came to take pictures containing more important information than before. Attaching pictures to the route map prompted them to think about where leaves fell from and to discuss how to work on it. Sharing some information with work mates was also effective to develop a flexible collaboration between the workers. After the meetings, they voluntarily checked the amount and location of fallen leaves and focused on the areas covered with large piles of leaves. This practice eventually improved their work efficiency. These results demonstrated that digital camera is a useful tool for supporting persons with mental retardation.

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Still picture teaching materials have been developed with the aim of promoting "reflection" by all trainees who participate in practical teacher training at graduate schools for teacher training. "Reflection" on classes promotes teacher growth, and forms the core of teacher development. In "reflection" on practical teacher training, the purpose is for the trainee to reflect, after the fact, on his or her own teaching, and for trainees to deepen mutual understanding with respect to personal "reflection". To achieve that, it is necessary to develop visual aids which are effective for enabling mutual confirmation and mutual understanding by trainees of each other's experiences with regard to each action which is the object of "reflection". Previously, video has been frequently used in "reflection" on classes, but video has a very large amount of information, and thus it is difficult to extract individual actions from it, and achieve mutual confirmation among many people. Thus, in this research, we devised still picture instructional materials in which a series of images of the subject scene were captured from video, and then captioned with simple explanations by the university teachers. These still picture instructional materials were actually used in practical teacher training, and as a result, it was determined that they are more effective than video.

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