Alan F. Chow

Deal or No Deal: using games to improve student learning, retention and decision-making

Student understanding and retention can be enhanced and improved by providing alternative learning activities and environments. Education theory recognizes the value of incorporating alternative activities (games, exercises and simulations) to stimulate student interest in the educational environment, enhance transfer of knowledge and improve learned retention with meaningful repetition. In this case study, we investigate using an online version of the television game show, ‘Deal or No Deal’, to enhance student understanding and retention by playing the game to learn expected value in an introductory statistics course, and to foster development of critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in the modern business environment. Enhancing the thinking process of problem solving using repetitive games should also improve a students ability to follow non-mathematical problem-solving processes, which should improve the overall ability to process information and make logical decisions. Learning and retention are measured to evaluate the success of the students’ performance.

Training design and transfer: contributions of Six Sigma

Purpose - This paper aims to bring together the concepts of Six Sigma into the process of training design and training transfer. Design/methodology/approach - The concepts of the paper are supported with an actual example of their application to practice. The industrial example shows where the inclusion of the concepts of Six Sigma can make positive contributions to the design and transfer of training processes. Findings - The application of the concepts to training design and transfer showed a positive contribution through a more structured process. Including the concepts of Six Sigma within the process of training design and transfer will provide the organization with additional support and structure to improve the overall success of the training design process, and improve the impact and effectiveness of the training itself. Research limitations/implications - The single example of application may limit the successfulness of the overall concept to training design overall. Based on the successful application in one industrial training setting, the impression that the concepts will adequately translate to additional applications is favorable. Practical implications - The success of the application shown in this paper suggests that further success is likely in other similar industrial applications. Expanding the application to other job training design processes should improve the overall process of training design in other areas and industries. Originality/value - Training design and transfer are critical components to all areas of an organization that conducts any type of training. Application of these and other improvement methods and tools will improve the overall performance of the training process and the effectiveness of the training.

Utilization of needs‐based customer training

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to look at how customer input was used in a front‐end needs assessment to formulate a training package that covered the necessary elements of product use, and how the training material was presented in a manner best suited for the trainees and their perceived needs.Design/methodology/approach – A quasi‐experimental study was designed to compare the number of help desk calls for groups trained using the needs‐based training approach with the number of help desk calls from the most recent training groups that were trained with the standard training package.Findings – Groups trained using a training package developed around their initial perceived needs had significantly fewer help desk calls than those who received the standard training. The number of help desk calls was reduced by over 75 percent from previous training sessions.Research limitations/implications – Verification of transfer of training in other applications, with other products and other learner groups, ...

Perceptions of performance: do learners understand as well as they think

Purpose – Student/trainee perception of their performance can sometimes be inaccurate. This study aims to look at the accuracy of perception to actual performance in short‐term intervention style training/instruction.Design/methodology/approach – Two studies conducted using university students in problem solving exercises compared the performance of the students to their actual performance on the designated problems. Following the instructional intervention, the participants were asked to use a presented strategy in solving a target solution problem. Participants were then asked a short series of post‐study questions related to their perception of the learning outcomes. Perception accuracy was measured through analysis of scoring on the target solution problem and the corresponding answers to the post‐study questionnaire.Findings – In both studies, there was a positive relationship between the score on the target solution problem and the responses to the post‐study questionnaire.Research limitations/impli...

Comparison of Robust Estimators of Standard Deviation in Normal Distributions Within the Context of Quality Control

Pitman criterion is used in simulation to determine the “closer” estimator of the standard deviation among selected choices. The initial simulation utilizes a standard normal distribution from which samples are taken of specific sizes. Popular and commonly used estimators of standard deviation are compared with the known population standard deviation in this study. Closeness criterion is calculated for each comparison and sample size. A secondary simulation applies the findings to variables control charts, in order to verify the ability of each estimator to identify out-of-control conditions.

A comparison of energy stock return models using Pitman closeness criterion

This paper compares the performance of stock return models for firms in the energy and various other industries. Using Pitman closeness criterion, we evaluate the performance of several popular pricing models, in an effort to determine if one outperforms the others. Consistent with previous literature, a review of the models and their performance over time, indicate that the Fama–French three–factor model and the Carhart four–factor models alternate as better predictors of cross–sectional stocks returns. When the study is restricted to more recent data, the Carhart model outperforms the other models for more portfolios. Additionally, by using a shock in the energy industry, we found that the model choice is indeed sensitive to the industry.