Williams College

About: Williams College is a education organization based out in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Politics. The organization has 2257 authors who have published 5015 publications receiving 213160 citations. The organization is also known as: Williams.

Attempting to Answer a Meaningful Question Enhances Subsequent Learning Even When Feedback Is Delayed

Abstract: Attempting to retrieve information from memory enhances subsequent learning even if the retrieval attempt is unsuccessful. Recent evidence suggests that this benefit materializes only if subsequent study occurs immediately after the retrieval attempt. Previous studies have prompted retrieval using a cue (e.g., whale-???) that has no intrinsic answer. Experiment 1 replicated prior word pair studies, but in Experiment 2, when participants learned meaningful trivia questions, testing enhanced learning even when subsequent study was delayed. Even in Experiment 3, when subsequent study was delayed by up to 24 hr, tests enhanced learning on a final test another 24 hr later. These findings may give comfort to educators who worry that asking a question or giving a test, on which students inevitably make mistakes, impairs learning if feedback is not immediate. They also suggest that there is a consensus in the literature thus far: Questions with rich semantic content enhance subsequent learning even when feedback is delayed, but less meaningful questions without an intrinsic answer enhance learning only when feedback is immediate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Forests, poverty and equity in Africa: new perspectives on policy and practice

Abstract: This paper places forestry in the larger context of rural development and therefore in the current debates on poverty and inequality. While Africa has high levels of natural and human capital it is the poorest and most unequal region in the world. In order for natural assets to contribute to environmental, economic and empowerment outcomes four principle interlinked changes are needed: 1) Improve the recognition of the fundamental role of natural resources in economic growth of poor countries and poor populations and in the development of democracies and good governance; 2) Better distribute resource rights, both property and procedural, giving the poor greater security, access and control; 3) Develop and implement frameworks, regulations and enforcement to assure that natural resource markets work for the poor; 4) Redefine the role of science and technology, and associated planning and institutions.

Intelligent design enables architectural evolution

Abstract: What does it take for an Internet architecture to be evolvable? Despite our ongoing frustration with today's rigid IP-based architecture and the research community's extensive research on clean-slate designs, it remains unclear how to best design for architectural evolvability. We argue here that evolvability is far from mysterious. In fact, we claim that only a few "intelligent" design changes are needed to support evolvability. While these changes are definitely nonincremental (i.e., cannot be deployed in an incremental fashion starting with today's architecture), they follow directly from the well-known engineering principles of indirection, modularity, and extensibility.

Shakedown in Madagascar: Occurrence of lavakas (erosional gullies) associated with seismic activity

Abstract: Erosion via lavaka formation is widespread in Madagascar, but controls on why and where lavakas occur are not understood. Geographic information system analysis reveals a spatial correlation between lavaka abundance and the frequency of seismic events: most lavakas occur in or near areas where recorded earthquakes (magnitude 0.5–5.6) are most frequent. This correlation explains the unevenness of lavaka distribution in the Malagasy highlands, and highlights the importance of natural factors in lavaka formation. Seismic activity appears to precondition the landscape to lavaka formation, although the mechanism by which this happens is not yet known. Recognizing the connection, however, allows us to pinpoint areas prone to future lavaka development in zones of active deforestation. Areas with the greatest frequency of seismic events are most at risk for high-density lavaka development.