PROGRAM AND OBJECTIVES
Milano, 26-30 August 2019
Deadline: 29 July 2019 (subject to availability)
Measurement in psychology and social science always has been a significant challenge. Research in quantitative science has developed several methods and techniques to improve our understanding of humans. Over the last few decades, the rapid advancement of technology had led to more extensive study of human cognition, including both the emotional and behavioral aspects. Psychology and social science methods have integrated very advanced mathematical and statistical techniques into the analyses. The long tradition of using self-reported questionnaires is still of high interest, but it is not enough in the twenty-first century.
Goal of the Summer School is to stress the use of innovative methods and technologies as psychology and social science tools, where one of the most significant challenges concerns the integration of technologies and computational techniques into current standards. This reflects the current vision in Computational Psychometrics, Psychology, and Educational Measurement.
The idea of the summer school is to provide easy and free tools to be used in a practical context, across the following program.
• Educational Measurement: Models for Learning and Assessment Systems (LAS)
• Psychophysiology and Biofeedback
• Virtual and Augmented Reality
• Complex Networks and Social Network Analysis
• From Computation to Simulations
• Practice: psychologists, social and computational scientists together
At the end of the summer school, participants will be able to:
- use advanced tools for educational measurement;
- analyze psychophysiological recording, manipulating easily millions data with free tools by cutting, triggering and calculating indexes, such as galvanic skin responses, heart rate variability indexes, electroencephalographic bands, and virtually any biosignals, but also telemetry from the interactions of the learner with a learning and assessment system and game-based assessments;
- use biofeedback tools and techniques for managing physiological indexes to be shown in effective training for clinical and other uses;
- creating virtual environments and settings, manipulating 3D objects, 3D body scanned, and media to be effectively included in social and psychological ecological experiments in a low cost lab, by using PC and mobile devices;
- analyze complex network data by using social network analysis techniques on data collected from self-reported questionnaires, social networking sites or other sources (such as email, data base, or other)
- create social, psychological, behavioral, economic and other models following simple rules for systemic emergence to be found with simulations and other tools;
- understand the similarities and differences between the models for learning and models for assessment
- apply tools on the lessons learnt and professional practice, by using free and easy tools for an effective use in the daily practice.
Who should attend: This Summer School is open to PhD students, post-docs, researchers, mental health professionals, psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists and social scientists. The course attendance is limited to 30 participants. Selection of candidates will be based on excellence, balancing all the research and application fields.
Prerequisite knowledge: The summer school is open for anyone with any job and academic background. No prior computer programming experience is necessary but is an asset. Familiarity working with computers, high school basic math, communication and presentation skills. For some concept knowledge of Calculus and Linear Algebra is an asset but not an absolute requirement. Academicians and professionals with previous training and experience in psychology and social science are welcome, as much as computer and data scientists who want to understand the mechanisms underpinning psychological and social interpretations.
