Albion College

About: Albion College is a education organization based out in Albion, Michigan, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Higher education. The organization has 485 authors who have published 754 publications receiving 20907 citations.

Model Matching Theory: A Framework for Examining the Alignment between Game Mechanics and Mental Models

Abstract: The primary aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review and elaboration of model matching and its theoretical propositions. Model matching explains and predicts individuals’ outcomes related to gameplay by focusing on the interrelationships among games’ systems of mechanics, relevant situations external to the game, and players’ mental models. Formalizing model matching theory in this way provides researchers a unified explanation for game-based learning, game performance, and related gameplay outcomes while also providing a theory-based direction for advancing the study of games more broadly. The propositions explicated in this article are intended to serve as the primary tenets of model matching theory. Considerations for how these propositions may be tested in future games studies research are discussed.

People Strategy in Human Resources: Lessons for Mentoring in Higher Education

Abstract: In this article, I offer the notion of alignment, a human resources framework, as a conceptual tool for better informing the development of mentoring programming and policy in higher education. Alignment accounts for both individual and organizational factors as means for providing the necessary connections among human resources and organizational policies and outcomes. The three types of alignment: Vertical (connection between people strategy and business goals), horizontal (connection among individual HR policy areas), and implementation (the degree to which action is taken to put the people strategy into effect) have the potential to improve the efficacy of mentorships, the contextual factors that influences them, and the intended outcomes of these relationships.

Isolation, characterization and community diversity of indigenous putative toluene-degrading bacterial populations with catechol-2,3-dioxygenase genes in contaminated soils.

Abstract: Indigenous bacterial assemblages with putative hydrocarbon-degrading capabilities were isolated, characterized and screened for the presence of the catechol-2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) gene after exposure to toluene in two different (i.e., pristine and conditioned) soil communities. The indigenous bacterial populations were exposed to the hydrocarbon substrate by the addition of toluene concentrations, ranging from 0.5 % to 10 % V/W in 10 g of each soil and incubated at 30 °C for upwards of 12 days. In total, 25 isolates (11 in pristine soil and 14 in conditioned soil) were phenotypically characterized according to standard microbiological methods and also screened for the 238-bp C23O gene fragment. Additionally, 16S rRNA analysis of the isolates identified some of them as belonging to the genera Bacillus, Exiguobacterium, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas and Stenotrophomonas. Furthermore, the two clone libraries that were constructed from these toluene-contaminated soils also revealed somewhat disparate phylotypes (i.e., 70 % Actinobacteria and Firmicutes to 30 % Proteobacteria in conditioned soil, whereas in pristine soil: 66 % Actinobacteria and Firmicutes; 21 % Proteobacteria and 13 % Bacteroidetes). The differences observed in bacterial phylotypes between these two soil communities may probably be associated with previous exposure to hydrocarbon sources by indigenous populations in the conditioned soil as compared to the pristine soil.

Value of Children, Child Labor, and Fertility Preferences in Urban Nigeria

Abstract: This paper examines the value of children as perceived by parents and explores the link between child labor and fertility preferences in urban Nigeria. We provide a unique perspective to utilize the Caldwell’s Wealth Flow Theory by considering the connection between current economic benefit of children and parent’s fertility intentions. This is a departure from previous studies that tend to relate future benefit of children at parent’s old age to current or future fertility behavior. Findings indicate that sons are valued for their future patriarchal status and their kinship role in continuing the family name. Daughters are more likely than sons to be relied upon for financial support at old age, and are cherished for their potential roles as future mothers. The results also suggest that labor contribution of children has become a central part of the fertility equation in urban areas. Indeed, a significant proportion of parents had children because of expected labor contribution of those children. Parents wanted more children because of the financial support of current children. Others would expect additional children yet to be born to contribute to the household income. Findings have implications for regulating child labor and fertility in Nigeria.