The book discusses the analysis, comparison and integration of computational approaches to learning and research on human learning. Learning has for some time been an issue of minor importance in the cognitive sciences. It has, however, now become one of the most active research fields in psychology, the neurosciences, and computer science (machine learning).
The aim of this book is to provide the reader with an overview of the prolific research on learning throughout the disciplines.

The book will not only provide a general overview for those who are new to the field but will also provide specialist knowledge for those who want to learn more about alternative approaches and conceptualizations of learning in other disciplines. The contributing authors are all considered as leading experts in their field and come from the fields of cognitive, computer and educational science. They provide an assessment of the state-of-the-art of research, links between the disciplines, and they highlight the critically important research issues and methodologies, thus providing a basis for future research.

This books deals with computer-mediated cooperation and communication scenarios in teaching and learning situations, leisure activities (e.g. laypersons looking for expert information on the internet), and net-based communication at work. Such scenarios will become increasingly important. But the successful use of such computer-mediated settings is not trivial. Cooperative learning and work itself requires special skills and strategies. And the technical settings with sometimes restricted, sometimes new possibilities for communication add problems on top of the cooperation itself. What are the barriers in computer-mediated communication for cooperative learning and work? Which are the most relevant biases in computer-mediated information processing? Based on empirical research, the contributors from psychology, education and computer sciences offer different perspectives on the nature and causes of such barriers. The chapters also give an answer to the question as to how it might be possible to overcome these barriers and biases to fully gain advantage from the new technical opportunities. researchers in all fields related to the use and evaluation of computer software in communication settings.

Environmental risks are among the most serious challenges of today's societies. Virtually all environmental risks are anthropogenic. The consequences of past decisions made by individuals, business, and governments have already devastated many of the earth's ecological systems and there is an ongoing discussion about the potential effects of environmental change and whether the earth will still provide a livable environment for future generations. The past decade has seen a dramatic growth in publications that focus on environmental issues. However, this literature has been dominated by the natural sciences and research focuses on obtaining more accurate information about natural and ecological processes, with the tacit assumption that this information will prove useful to improve individual, organizational, and societal decision making. This volume focuses on the psychological, sociological, and cultural aspects of environmental risks that have not been given adequate and integrated attention in the past. Understanding of the psychological, social, cultural, and political forces will determine the successes and failures of environmental risk management. In particular, public policy could be improved by the integration of more accurate assumptions about people's cognitions, attitudes, and emotions towards environmental risks.

In October of 1992 an assembly of researchers in simulation and computer models for instruction convened in Bonas, France, to learn from one another in a non-automated environment. The event was the Advanced Research Workshop entitled The Use of Computer Models for Explication, Analysis, and Experiential Learning. Sponsored by the Scientific Affairs Division of NATO, this workshop brought together 29 leading experts in the field loosely described as instruction and learning in simulation environments. The three-day workshop was organized in a manner to maximize exchange of knowledge, of beliefs, and of issues. The participants came from six countries with experiences to share, with opinions to voice, and with questions to explore. Starting some weeks prior to the workshop, the exchange included presentation of the scientific papers, discussions immediately following each presentation, and informal discussions outside the scheduled meeting times. Naturally, the character and content of the workshop was determined by the backgrounds and interests of the participants. One objective in drawing together these particular specialists was to achieve a congress with coherent diversity, i.e., we sought individuals who could view an emerging area from different perspectives yet had produced work of interest to many. Major topic areas included theories of instruction being developed or tested, use of multiple domain models to enhance understanding, experiential learning environments, modelling diagnostic environments, tools for authoring complex models, and case studies from industry.

What are the barriers in computer-mediated communication for cooperative learning and work? Based on empirical research, the chapters of this book offer different perspectives on the nature and causes of such barriers for students and researchers in the field.