Sample records for achieve high average

  1. High-Achieving and Average Students' Reading Growth: Contrasting School and Summer Trajectories

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rambo-Hernandez, Karen E.; McCoach, D. Betsy

    2015-01-01

    Much is unknown about how initially high-achieving students grow academically, especially given the measurement issues inherent in assessing growth for the highest performing students. This study compared initially high-achieving and average students' growth in reading (in a cohort of third-grade students from 2,000 schools) over 3 years.…

  2. An Analysis of Java Programming Behaviors, Affect, Perceptions, and Syntax Errors among Low-Achieving, Average, and High-Achieving Novice Programmers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodrigo, Ma. Mercedes T.; Andallaza, Thor Collin S.; Castro, Francisco Enrique Vicente G.; Armenta, Marc Lester V.; Dy, Thomas T.; Jadud, Matthew C.

    2013-01-01

    In this article we quantitatively and qualitatively analyze a sample of novice programmer compilation log data, exploring whether (or how) low-achieving, average, and high-achieving students vary in their grasp of these introductory concepts. High-achieving students self-reported having the easiest time learning the introductory programming…

  3. The impact of including children with intellectual disability in general education classrooms on the academic achievement of their low-, average-, and high-achieving peers.

    PubMed

    Sermier Dessemontet, Rachel; Bless, Gérard

    2013-03-01

    This study aimed at assessing the impact of including children with intellectual disability (ID) in general education classrooms with support on the academic achievement of their low-, average-, and high-achieving peers without disability. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with an experimental group of 202 pupils from classrooms with an included child with mild or moderate ID, and a control group of 202 pupils from classrooms with no included children with special educational needs (matched pairs sample). The progress of these 2 groups in their academic achievement was compared over a period of 1 school year. No significant difference was found in the progress of the low-, average-, or high-achieving pupils from classrooms with or without inclusion. The results suggest that including children with ID in primary general education classrooms with support does not have a negative impact on the progress of pupils without disability.

  4. What Happens to the Fish's Achievement in a Little Pond? A Simultaneous Analysis of Class-Average Achievement Effects on Achievement and Academic Self-Concept

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stäbler, Franziska; Dumont, Hanna; Becker, Michael; Baumert, Jürgen

    2017-01-01

    Empirical studies have demonstrated that students who are taught in a group of students with higher average achievement benefit in terms of their achievement. However, there is also evidence showing that being surrounded by high-achieving students has a negative effect on students' academic self-concept, also known as the big-fish--little-pond…

  5. Explanations for Success and Failure by Low and Average School Achievers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bond, Lynne A.; Johnson, Jeannette L.

    Low and average school achievers in grades 1 and 2 and grades 4 and 5 made attributions for successes and failures on school related and unrelated tasks. Students in the low achievement group were participants of the Title I program, and tested a year below their age-mates on reading and math achievement. Students were given two booklets of four…

  6. Psychosocial Keys to African American Achievement? Examining the Relationship between Achievement and Psychosocial Variables in High Achieving African Americans

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dixson, Dante D.; Roberson, Cyrell C. B.; Worrell, Frank C.

    2017-01-01

    Grit, growth mindset, ethnic identity, and other group orientation are four psychosocial variables that have been associated with academic achievement in adolescent populations. In a sample of 105 high achieving African American high school students (cumulative grade point average [GPA] > 3.0), we examined whether these four psychosocial…

  7. Attitudes and Opinions from the Nation's High Achieving Teens: 26th Annual Survey of High Achievers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Who's Who among American High School Students, Lake Forest, IL.

    A national survey of 3,351 high achieving high school students (junior and senior level) was conducted. All students had A or B averages. Topics covered include lifestyles, political beliefs, violence and entertainment, education, cheating, school violence, sexual violence and date rape, peer pressure, popularity, suicide, drugs and alcohol,…

  8. Attitudes and Opinions from the Nation's High Achieving Teens. 24th Annual Survey of High Achievers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Who's Who among American High School Students, Lake Forest, IL.

    This survey represents information compiled by the largest national survey of adolescent leaders and high achievers. Of the 5,000 students selected demographically from "Who's Who Among American High School Students," 1,957 responded. All students surveyed had "A" or "B" averages, and 98% planned on attending college. Questions were asked about…

  9. The Relationship between Self-Esteem and Academic Achievement in a Group of High, Medium, and Low Secondary Public High School Achievers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas-Brantley, Betty J.

    This study investigated the relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement in a group of 150 high, medium, and low achievers at a large midwestern public high school. Correlating data from the Coopersmith Inventory of self-esteem with grades, cumulative grade point averages, and class rank, the study disclosed a positive correlation…

  10. High-throughput machining using a high-average power ultrashort pulse laser and high-speed polygon scanner

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schille, Joerg; Schneider, Lutz; Streek, André; Kloetzer, Sascha; Loeschner, Udo

    2016-09-01

    High-throughput ultrashort pulse laser machining is investigated on various industrial grade metals (aluminum, copper, and stainless steel) and Al2O3 ceramic at unprecedented processing speeds. This is achieved by using a high-average power picosecond laser in conjunction with a unique, in-house developed polygon mirror-based biaxial scanning system. Therefore, different concepts of polygon scanners are engineered and tested to find the best architecture for high-speed and precision laser beam scanning. In order to identify the optimum conditions for efficient processing when using high-average laser powers, the depths of cavities made in the samples by varying the processing parameter settings are analyzed and, from the results obtained, the characteristic removal values are specified. For overlapping pulses of optimum fluence, the removal rate is as high as 27.8 mm3/min for aluminum, 21.4 mm3/min for copper, 15.3 mm3/min for stainless steel, and 129.1 mm3/min for Al2O3, when a laser beam of 187 W average laser powers irradiates. On stainless steel, it is demonstrated that the removal rate increases to 23.3 mm3/min when the laser beam is very fast moving. This is thanks to the low pulse overlap as achieved with 800 m/s beam deflection speed; thus, laser beam shielding can be avoided even when irradiating high-repetitive 20-MHz pulses.

  11. High-throughput machining using high average power ultrashort pulse lasers and ultrafast polygon scanner

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schille, Joerg; Schneider, Lutz; Streek, André; Kloetzer, Sascha; Loeschner, Udo

    2016-03-01

    In this paper, high-throughput ultrashort pulse laser machining is investigated on various industrial grade metals (Aluminium, Copper, Stainless steel) and Al2O3 ceramic at unprecedented processing speeds. This is achieved by using a high pulse repetition frequency picosecond laser with maximum average output power of 270 W in conjunction with a unique, in-house developed two-axis polygon scanner. Initially, different concepts of polygon scanners are engineered and tested to find out the optimal architecture for ultrafast and precision laser beam scanning. Remarkable 1,000 m/s scan speed is achieved on the substrate, and thanks to the resulting low pulse overlap, thermal accumulation and plasma absorption effects are avoided at up to 20 MHz pulse repetition frequencies. In order to identify optimum processing conditions for efficient high-average power laser machining, the depths of cavities produced under varied parameter settings are analyzed and, from the results obtained, the characteristic removal values are specified. The maximum removal rate is achieved as high as 27.8 mm3/min for Aluminium, 21.4 mm3/min for Copper, 15.3 mm3/min for Stainless steel and 129.1 mm3/min for Al2O3 when full available laser power is irradiated at optimum pulse repetition frequency.

  12. High-power picosecond laser with 400W average power for large scale applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Du, Keming; Brüning, Stephan; Gillner, Arnold

    2012-03-01

    Laser processing is generally known for low thermal influence, precise energy processing and the possibility to ablate every type of material independent on hardness and vaporisation temperature. The use of ultra-short pulsed lasers offers new possibilities in the manufacturing of high end products with extra high processing qualities. For achieving a sufficient and economical processing speed, high average power is needed. To scale the power for industrial uses the picosecond laser system has been developed, which consists of a seeder, a preamplifier and an end amplifier. With the oscillator/amplifier system more than 400W average power and maximum pulse energy 1mJ was obtained. For study of high speed processing of large embossing metal roller two different ps laser systems have been integrated into a cylinder engraving machine. One of the ps lasers has an average power of 80W while the other has 300W. With this high power ps laser fluencies of up to 30 J/cm2 at pulse repetition rates in the multi MHz range have been achieved. Different materials (Cu, Ni, Al, steel) have been explored for parameters like ablation rate per pulse, ablation geometry, surface roughness, influence of pulse overlap and number of loops. An enhanced ablation quality and an effective ablation rate of 4mm3/min have been achieved by using different scanning systems and an optimized processing strategy. The max. achieved volume rate is 20mm3/min.

  13. High-energy, high-average-power laser with Nd:YLF rods corrected by magnetorheological finishing.

    PubMed

    Bagnoud, Vincent; Guardalben, Mark J; Puth, Jason; Zuegel, Jonathan D; Mooney, Ted; Dumas, Paul

    2005-01-10

    A high-energy, high-average-power laser system, optimized to efficiently pump a high-performance optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier at 527 nm, has been demonstrated. The crystal large-aperture ring amplifier employs two flash-lamp-pumped, 25.4-mm-diameter Nd:YLF rods. The transmitted wave front of these rods is corrected by magnetorheological finishing to achieve nearly diffraction-limited output performance with frequency-doubled pulse energies up to 1.8 J at 5 Hz.

  14. High average power pockels cell

    DOEpatents

    Daly, Thomas P.

    1991-01-01

    A high average power pockels cell is disclosed which reduces the effect of thermally induced strains in high average power laser technology. The pockels cell includes an elongated, substantially rectangular crystalline structure formed from a KDP-type material to eliminate shear strains. The X- and Y-axes are oriented substantially perpendicular to the edges of the crystal cross-section and to the C-axis direction of propagation to eliminate shear strains.

  15. The Impact of Developmental Advising for High-Achieving Minority Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Novels, Alphonse N.; Ender, Steven C.

    1988-01-01

    The impact of developmental advising activities with high-achieving Black students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania was investigated. Results indicate that involvement in developmental advising had a positive impact on participating students' cumulative grade point average. (Author/MLW)

  16. Predicting College Success: Achievement, Demographic, and Psychosocial Predictors of First-Semester College Grade Point Average

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saltonstall, Margot

    2013-01-01

    This study seeks to advance and expand research on college student success. Using multinomial logistic regression analysis, the study investigates the contribution of psychosocial variables above and beyond traditional achievement and demographic measures to predicting first-semester college grade point average (GPA). It also investigates if…

  17. Thermal effects in an ultrafast BiB 3O 6 optical parametric oscillator at high average powers

    DOE PAGES

    Petersen, T.; Zuegel, J. D.; Bromage, J.

    2017-08-15

    An ultrafast, high-average-power, extended-cavity, femtosecond BiB 3O 6 optical parametric oscillator was constructed as a test bed for investigating the scalability of infrared parametric devices. Despite the high pulse energies achieved by this system, the reduction in slope efficiency near the maximum-available pump power prompted the investigation of thermal effects in the crystal during operation. Furthermore, the local heating effects in the crystal were used to determine the impact on both phase matching and thermal lensing to understand limitations that must be overcome to achieve microjoule-level pulse energies at high repetition rates.

  18. Thermal effects in an ultrafast BiB 3O 6 optical parametric oscillator at high average powers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Petersen, T.; Zuegel, J. D.; Bromage, J.

    An ultrafast, high-average-power, extended-cavity, femtosecond BiB 3O 6 optical parametric oscillator was constructed as a test bed for investigating the scalability of infrared parametric devices. Despite the high pulse energies achieved by this system, the reduction in slope efficiency near the maximum-available pump power prompted the investigation of thermal effects in the crystal during operation. Furthermore, the local heating effects in the crystal were used to determine the impact on both phase matching and thermal lensing to understand limitations that must be overcome to achieve microjoule-level pulse energies at high repetition rates.

  19. Effects of Video-Based and Applied Problems on the Procedural Math Skills of Average- and Low-Achieving Adolescents.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bottge, Brian A.; Heinrichs, Mary; Chan, Shih-Yi; Mehta, Zara Dee; Watson, Elizabeth

    2003-01-01

    This study examined effects of video-based, anchored instruction and applied problems on the ability of 11 low-achieving (LA) and 26 average-achieving (AA) eighth graders to solve computation and word problems. Performance for both groups was higher during anchored instruction than during baseline, but no differences were found between instruction…

  20. Development of high-average-power DPSSL with high beam quality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakai, Sadao; Kanabe, Tadashi; Kawashima, Toshiyuki; Yamanaka, Masanobu; Izawa, Yasukazu; Nakatuka, Masahiro; Kandasamy, Ranganathan; Kan, Hirofumi; Hiruma, Teruo; Niino, Masayuki

    2000-08-01

    The recent progress of high power diode laser is opening new fields of laser and its application. We are developing high average power diode pumped solid state laser DPSSL for laser fusion power plant, for space propulsion and for various applications in industry. The common features or requirements of our High Average-power Laser for Nuclear-fusion Application (HALNA) are large pulse energy with relatively low repetition of few tens Hz, good beam quality of order of diffraction limit and high efficiency more than 10%. We constructed HALNA 10 (10J X 10 Hz) and tested the performance to clarify the scalability to higher power system. We have obtained in a preliminary experiment a 8.5 J output energy at 0.5 Hz with beam quality of 2 times diffraction limited far-field pattern.

  1. High average power scaleable thin-disk laser

    DOEpatents

    Beach, Raymond J.; Honea, Eric C.; Bibeau, Camille; Payne, Stephen A.; Powell, Howard; Krupke, William F.; Sutton, Steven B.

    2002-01-01

    Using a thin disk laser gain element with an undoped cap layer enables the scaling of lasers to extremely high average output power values. Ordinarily, the power scaling of such thin disk lasers is limited by the deleterious effects of amplified spontaneous emission. By using an undoped cap layer diffusion bonded to the thin disk, the onset of amplified spontaneous emission does not occur as readily as if no cap layer is used, and much larger transverse thin disks can be effectively used as laser gain elements. This invention can be used as a high average power laser for material processing applications as well as for weapon and air defense applications.

  2. Predicting Early Academic Failure in High School from Prior Academic Achievement, Psychosocial Characteristics, and Behavior

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Casillas, Alex; Robbins, Steve; Allen, Jeff; Kuo, Yi-Lung; Hanson, Mary Ann; Schmeiser, Cynthia

    2012-01-01

    The authors examined the differential effects of prior academic achievement, psychosocial, behavioral, demographic, and school context factors on early high school grade point average (GPA) using a prospective study of 4,660 middle-school students from 24 schools. The findings suggest that (a) prior grades and standardized achievement are the…

  3. Applications of high average power nonlinear optics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Velsko, S.P.; Krupke, W.F.

    1996-02-05

    Nonlinear optical frequency convertors (harmonic generators and optical parametric oscillators are reviewed with an emphasis on high average power performance and limitations. NLO materials issues and NLO device designs are discussed in reference to several emerging scientific, military and industrial commercial applications requiring {approx} 100 watt average power level in the visible and infrared spectral regions. Research efforts required to enable practical {approx} 100 watt class NLO based laser systems are identified.

  4. Academic Identity Status, Goal Orientation, and Academic Achievement among High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hejazi, Elaheh; Lavasani, Masoud Gholamali; Amani, Habib; Was, Christopher A.

    2012-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between academic identity status, goal orientations and academic achievement. 301 first year high school students completed the Academic Identity Measure and Goal Orientation Questionnaire. The average of 10 exam scores in the final semester was used as an index of academic…

  5. A Comparison of the Effects of LOGO Use and Teacher-Directed Problem-Solving Instruction on the Problem-Solving Skills, Achievement, and Attitudes of Low, Average, and High Achieving Junior High School Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dalton, David W.

    This comparison of the effects of LOGO use with the use of teacher-directed problem-solving instruction, and with conventional mathematics instruction, focused on the problem-solving ability, basic skills achievement, and attitudes of junior high school learners. Students (N=97) in five seventh grade mathematics classes were systematically…

  6. High Achievers: 23rd Annual Survey. Attitudes and Opinions from the Nation's High Achieving Teens.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Who's Who among American High School Students, Northbrook, IL.

    This report presents data from an annual survey of high school student leaders and high achievers. It is noted that of the nearly 700,000 high achievers featured in this edition, 5,000 students were sent the survey and 2,092 questionnaires were completed. Subjects were high school juniors and seniors selected for recognition by their principals or…

  7. Calculating High Speed Centrifugal Compressor Performance from Averaged Measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lou, Fangyuan; Fleming, Ryan; Key, Nicole L.

    2012-12-01

    To improve the understanding of high performance centrifugal compressors found in modern aircraft engines, the aerodynamics through these machines must be experimentally studied. To accurately capture the complex flow phenomena through these devices, research facilities that can accurately simulate these flows are necessary. One such facility has been recently developed, and it is used in this paper to explore the effects of averaging total pressure and total temperature measurements to calculate compressor performance. Different averaging techniques (including area averaging, mass averaging, and work averaging) have been applied to the data. Results show that there is a negligible difference in both the calculated total pressure ratio and efficiency for the different techniques employed. However, the uncertainty in the performance parameters calculated with the different averaging techniques is significantly different, with area averaging providing the least uncertainty.

  8. 1.5-μm high-average power laser amplifier using a Er,Yb:glass planar waveguide for coherent Doppler lidar

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakimura, Takeshi; Watanabe, Yojiro; Ando, Toshiyuki; Kameyama, Shumpei; Asaka, Kimio; Tanaka, Hisamichi; Yanagisawa, Takayuki; Hirano, Yoshihito; Inokuchi, Hamaki

    2012-11-01

    We have developed a 1.5-μm eye-safe wavelength high average power laser amplifier using an Er,Yb:glass planar waveguide for coherent Doppler LIDAR. Large cooling surface of the planar waveguide enabled high average power pumping for Er,Yb:glass which has low thermal fracture limit. Nonlinear effects are suppressed by the large beam size which is designed by the waveguide thickness and the beam width of the planar direction. Multi-bounce optical path configuration and high-intensity pumping provide high-gain and high-efficient operation using three-level laser material. With pulsed operation, the maximum pulse energy of 1.9 mJ was achieved at the repetition rate of 4 kHz. Output average power of the amplified signal was 7.6W with the amplified gain of more than 20dB. This amplifier is suitable for coherent Doppler LIDAR to enhance the measurable range.

  9. Poor Results for High Achievers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bui, Sa; Imberman, Scott; Craig, Steven

    2012-01-01

    Three million students in the United States are classified as gifted, yet little is known about the effectiveness of traditional gifted and talented (G&T) programs. In theory, G&T programs might help high-achieving students because they group them with other high achievers and typically offer specially trained teachers and a more advanced…

  10. 16th Annual Survey of High Achievers: Attitudes and Opinions from the Nation's High Achieving Teens.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Who's Who among American High School Students, Northbrook, IL.

    The report presents data from 2,043 questionnaires completed by secondary student leaders and high achievers. Ss were selected for recognition in "Who's Who Among American High School Students" by their principals or guidance counselors, national youth organizations, or the publishing company because of high achievement in academics, activities,…

  11. High order cell-centered scheme totally based on cell average

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Ze-Yu; Cai, Qing-Dong

    2018-05-01

    This work clarifies the concept of cell average by pointing out the differences between cell average and cell centroid value, which are averaged cell-centered value and pointwise cell-centered value, respectively. Interpolation based on cell averages is constructed and high order QUICK-like numerical scheme is designed for such interpolation. A new approach of error analysis is introduced in this work, which is similar to Taylor’s expansion.

  12. Mathematics Achievement in High- and Low-Achieving Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mohammadpour, Ebrahim; Shekarchizadeh, Ahmadreza

    2015-01-01

    This paper identifies the amount of variance in mathematics achievement in high- and low-achieving schools that can be explained by school-level factors, while controlling for student-level factors. The data were obtained from 2679 Iranian eighth graders who participated in the 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. Of the…

  13. Heat input and accumulation for ultrashort pulse processing with high average power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Finger, Johannes; Bornschlegel, Benedikt; Reininghaus, Martin; Dohrn, Andreas; Nießen, Markus; Gillner, Arnold; Poprawe, Reinhart

    2018-05-01

    Materials processing using ultrashort pulsed laser radiation with pulse durations <10 ps is known to enable very precise processing with negligible thermal load. However, even for the application of picosecond and femtosecond laser radiation, not the full amount of the absorbed energy is converted into ablation products and a distinct fraction of the absorbed energy remains as residual heat in the processed workpiece. For low average power and power densities, this heat is usually not relevant for the processing results and dissipates into the workpiece. In contrast, when higher average powers and repetition rates are applied to increase the throughput and upscale ultrashort pulse processing, this heat input becomes relevant and significantly affects the achieved processing results. In this paper, we outline the relevance of heat input for ultrashort pulse processing, starting with the heat input of a single ultrashort laser pulse. Heat accumulation during ultrashort pulse processing with high repetition rate is discussed as well as heat accumulation for materials processing using pulse bursts. In addition, the relevance of heat accumulation with multiple scanning passes and processing with multiple laser spots is shown.

  14. When high achievers and low achievers work in the same group: the roles of group heterogeneity and processes in project-based learning.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Rebecca Wing-yi; Lam, Shui-fong; Chan, Joanne Chung-yan

    2008-06-01

    There has been an ongoing debate about the inconsistent effects of heterogeneous ability grouping on students in small group work such as project-based learning. The present research investigated the roles of group heterogeneity and processes in project-based learning. At the student level, we examined the interaction effect between students' within-group achievement and group processes on their self- and collective efficacy. At the group level, we examined how group heterogeneity was associated with the average self- and collective efficacy reported by the groups. The participants were 1,921 Hong Kong secondary students in 367 project-based learning groups. Student achievement was determined by school examination marks. Group processes, self-efficacy and collective efficacy were measured by a student-report questionnaire. Hierarchical linear modelling was used to analyse the nested data. When individual students in each group were taken as the unit of analysis, results indicated an interaction effect of group processes and students' within-group achievement on the discrepancy between collective- and self-efficacy. When compared with low achievers, high achievers reported lower collective efficacy than self-efficacy when group processes were of low quality. However, both low and high achievers reported higher collective efficacy than self-efficacy when group processes were of high quality. With 367 groups taken as the unit of analysis, the results showed that group heterogeneity, group gender composition and group size were not related to the discrepancy between collective- and self-efficacy reported by the students. Group heterogeneity was not a determinant factor in students' learning efficacy. Instead, the quality of group processes played a pivotal role because both high and low achievers were able to benefit when group processes were of high quality.

  15. The Impact of a Language Learning Task on Instructional Outcomes in Two Student Populations: High-Ability and Average-Ability Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nikolova, Ofelia; Taylor, Gregory

    2003-01-01

    High-ability (n=97) and average-ability students (n=84) were asked to read a Spanish passage on a computer and use glosses provided for certain words to aid in comprehension or create glosses using a Spanish-English dictionary and annotation software (experimental task). High-ability students performed significantly better after the experimental…

  16. Unfulfilled Potential: High-Achieving Minority Students and the High School Achievement Gap in Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kotok, Stephen

    2017-01-01

    This study uses multilevel modeling to examine a subset of the highest performing 9th graders and explores the extent that achievement gaps in math widen for high performing African American and Latino students and their high performing White and Asian peers during high school. Using nationally representative data from the High School Longitudinal…

  17. Counterstereotypic Identity among High-Achieving Black Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harpalani, Vinay

    2017-01-01

    This article examines how racial stereotypes affect achievement and identity formation among low income, urban Black adolescents. Specifically, the major question addressed is: how do high-achieving Black students succeed academically despite negative stereotypes of their intellectual abilities? Results indicate that high-achieving Black youth,…

  18. Self Regulated Learning of High Achievers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rathod, Ami

    2010-01-01

    The study was conducted on high achievers of Senior Secondary school. Main objectives were to identify the self regulated learners among the high achievers, to find out dominant components and characteristics operative in self regulated learners and to compare self regulated learning of learners with respect to their subject (science and non…

  19. Thermooptics of magnetoactive media: Faraday isolators for high average power lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khazanov, E. A.

    2016-09-01

    The Faraday isolator, one of the key high-power laser elements, provides optical isolation between a master oscillator and a power amplifier or between a laser and its target, for example, a gravitational wave detector interferometer. However, the absorbed radiation inevitably heats the magnetoactive medium and leads to thermally induced polarization and phase distortions in the laser beam. This self-action process limits the use of Faraday isolators in high average power lasers. A unique property of magnetoactive medium thermooptics is that parasitic thermal effects arise on the background of circular birefringence rather than in an isotropic medium. Also, even insignificant polarization distortions of the radiation result in a worse isolation ratio, which is the key characteristic of the Faraday isolator. All possible laser beam distortions are analyzed for their deteriorating effect on the Faraday isolator parameters. The mechanisms responsible for and key physical parameters associated with different kinds of distortions are identified and discussed. Methods for compensating and suppressing parasitic thermal effects are described in detail, the published experimental data are systematized, and avenues for further research are discussed based on the results achieved.

  20. Development of a 33 kV, 20 A long pulse converter modulator for high average power klystron

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Reghu, T.; Mandloi, V.; Shrivastava, Purushottam

    Research, design, and development of high average power, long pulse modulators for the proposed Indian Spallation Neutron Source are underway at Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology. With this objective, a prototype of long pulse modulator capable of delivering 33 kV, 20 A at 5 Hz repetition rate has been designed and developed. Three Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) based switching modules driving high frequency, high voltage transformers have been used to generate high voltage output. The IGBT based switching modules are shifted in phase by 120° with respect to each other. The switching frequency is 25 kHz. Pulses ofmore » 1.6 ms pulse width, 80 μs rise time, and 70 μs fall time have been achieved at the modulator output. A droop of ±0.6% is achieved using a simple segmented digital droop correction technique. The total fault energy transferred to the load during fault has been measured by conducting wire burn tests and is found to be within 3.5 J.« less

  1. Development of a 33 kV, 20 A long pulse converter modulator for high average power klystron

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reghu, T.; Mandloi, V.; Shrivastava, Purushottam

    2014-05-01

    Research, design, and development of high average power, long pulse modulators for the proposed Indian Spallation Neutron Source are underway at Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology. With this objective, a prototype of long pulse modulator capable of delivering 33 kV, 20 A at 5 Hz repetition rate has been designed and developed. Three Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) based switching modules driving high frequency, high voltage transformers have been used to generate high voltage output. The IGBT based switching modules are shifted in phase by 120° with respect to each other. The switching frequency is 25 kHz. Pulses of 1.6 ms pulse width, 80 μs rise time, and 70 μs fall time have been achieved at the modulator output. A droop of ±0.6% is achieved using a simple segmented digital droop correction technique. The total fault energy transferred to the load during fault has been measured by conducting wire burn tests and is found to be within 3.5 J.

  2. Active cooling of pulse compression diffraction gratings for high energy, high average power ultrafast lasers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Alessi, David A.; Rosso, Paul A.; Nguyen, Hoang T.

    Laser energy absorption and subsequent heat removal from diffraction gratings in chirped pulse compressors poses a significant challenge in high repetition rate, high peak power laser development. In order to understand the average power limitations, we have modeled the time-resolved thermo-mechanical properties of current and advanced diffraction gratings. We have also developed and demonstrated a technique of actively cooling Petawatt scale, gold compressor gratings to operate at 600W of average power - a 15x increase over the highest average power petawatt laser currently in operation. As a result, combining this technique with low absorption multilayer dielectric gratings developed in ourmore » group would enable pulse compressors for petawatt peak power lasers operating at average powers well above 40kW.« less

  3. Active cooling of pulse compression diffraction gratings for high energy, high average power ultrafast lasers

    DOE PAGES

    Alessi, David A.; Rosso, Paul A.; Nguyen, Hoang T.; ...

    2016-12-26

    Laser energy absorption and subsequent heat removal from diffraction gratings in chirped pulse compressors poses a significant challenge in high repetition rate, high peak power laser development. In order to understand the average power limitations, we have modeled the time-resolved thermo-mechanical properties of current and advanced diffraction gratings. We have also developed and demonstrated a technique of actively cooling Petawatt scale, gold compressor gratings to operate at 600W of average power - a 15x increase over the highest average power petawatt laser currently in operation. As a result, combining this technique with low absorption multilayer dielectric gratings developed in ourmore » group would enable pulse compressors for petawatt peak power lasers operating at average powers well above 40kW.« less

  4. Android worksheet application based on discovery learning on students' achievement for vocational high school: Mechanical behavior of materials topics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nanto, Dwi; Aini, Anisa Nurul; Mulhayatiah, Diah

    2017-05-01

    This research reports a study of student worksheet based on discovery learning on Mechanical Behavior of Materials topics under Android application (Android worksheet application) for vocational high school. The samples are Architecture class X students of SMKN 4 (a public vocational high school) in Tangerang Selatan City, province of Banten, Indonesia. We made 3 groups based on Intellectual Quotient (IQ). They are average IQ group, middle IQ group and high IQ group. The method of research is used as a quasi-experimental design with nonequivalent control group design. The technique of sampling is purposive sampling. Instruments used in this research are test instruments and non-test instruments. The test instruments are IQ test and test of student's achievement. For the test of student's achievement (pretest and posttest) we provide 25 multiple choice problems. The non-test instruments are questionnaire responses by the students and the teacher. Without IQ categorized, the result showed that there is an effect of Android worksheet application on student's achievement based on cognitive aspects of Revised Bloom's Taxonomy. However, from the IQ groups point of view, only the middle IQ group and the high IQ group showed a significant effect from the Android worksheet application on student's achievement meanwhile for the average IQ group there was no effect.

  5. High-Average Power Broadband 18-Beam Klystron Circuit and Collector Designs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-04-01

    high -average power S - band multiple-beam klystron are presented. The klystron will be powered by the recently completed 41.6 A, 42...al., “ High - power Four-cavity S - band multiple-beam klystron design,” IEEE Trans. Plasma Science, vol. 33, pp. 1119-1135, April 2005. [3] D.K Abe, et...APR 2008 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2008 to 00-00-2008 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE High -average Power Broadband 18-beam

  6. 152 W average power Tm-doped fiber CPA system.

    PubMed

    Stutzki, Fabian; Gaida, Christian; Gebhardt, Martin; Jansen, Florian; Wienke, Andreas; Zeitner, Uwe; Fuchs, Frank; Jauregui, Cesar; Wandt, Dieter; Kracht, Dietmar; Limpert, Jens; Tünnermann, Andreas

    2014-08-15

    A high-power thulium (Tm)-doped fiber chirped-pulse amplification system emitting a record compressed average output power of 152 W and 4 MW peak power is demonstrated. This result is enabled by utilizing Tm-doped photonic crystal fibers with mode-field diameters of 35 μm, which mitigate detrimental nonlinearities, exhibit slope efficiencies of more than 50%, and allow for reaching a pump-power-limited average output power of 241 W. The high-compression efficiency has been achieved by using multilayer dielectric gratings with diffraction efficiencies higher than 98%.

  7. Performance study of highly efficient 520 W average power long pulse ceramic Nd:YAG rod laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choubey, Ambar; Vishwakarma, S. C.; Ali, Sabir; Jain, R. K.; Upadhyaya, B. N.; Oak, S. M.

    2013-10-01

    We report the performance study of a 2% atomic doped ceramic Nd:YAG rod for long pulse laser operation in the millisecond regime with pulse duration in the range of 0.5-20 ms. A maximum average output power of 520 W with 180 J maximum pulse energy has been achieved with a slope efficiency of 5.4% using a dual rod configuration, which is the highest for typical lamp pumped ceramic Nd:YAG lasers. The laser output characteristics of the ceramic Nd:YAG rod were revealed to be nearly equivalent or superior to those of high-quality single crystal Nd:YAG rod. The laser pump chamber and resonator were designed and optimized to achieve a high efficiency and good beam quality with a beam parameter product of 16 mm mrad (M2˜47). The laser output beam was efficiently coupled through a 400 μm core diameter optical fiber with 90% overall transmission efficiency. This ceramic Nd:YAG laser will be useful for various material processing applications in industry.

  8. Online High School Achievement versus Traditional High School Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blohm, Katherine E.

    2017-01-01

    The following study examined the question of student achievement in online charter schools and how the achievement scores of students at online charter schools compare to achievement scores of students at traditional schools. Arizona has seen explosive growth in charter schools and online charter schools. A study comparing how these two types of…

  9. RF Design of a High Average Beam-Power SRF Electron Source

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sipahi, Nihan; Biedron, Sandra; Gonin, Ivan

    2016-06-01

    There is a significant interest in developing high-average power electron sources, particularly in the area of electron sources integrated with Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) systems. For these systems, the electron gun and cathode parts are critical components for stable intensity and high-average powers. In this initial design study, we will present the design of a 9-cell accelerator cavity having a frequency of 1.3 GHz and the corresponding field optimization studies.

  10. Negotiating new literacies in science: An examination of at-risk and average-achieving ninth-grade readers' online reading comprehension strategies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sevensma, Kara

    In today's digital world the Internet is becoming an increasingly predominant resource for science information, rapidly eclipsing the traditional science textbook in content area classrooms (Lawless & Schrader, 2008). The shift challenges researchers, educators, administrators, and policy makers to reconsider what it means to read and comprehend online science information. The research on digital literacy is still in its infancy and little is known about the strategies and processes students use when reading science content on the Internet. Even less is known about how at-risk readers comprehend digital science content. Therefore, this study addresses three research questions: (1) What strategies and processes do at-risk and average-achieving readers use as they locate information and generate meaning from science websites? (2) What navigational profiles emerge as at-risk and average-achieving readers construct traversals (unique online paths of information) they locate information and generate meaning from science websites? (3) What individual characteristics influenced students' strategies as they locate information and generate meaning from science websites? Participants were six ninth-grade students in general education biology classrooms. Three were average-achieving readers and three were at-risk readers based on assessments of reading comprehension in traditional print-based texts. The students engaged in a three-day research project about the rainforest biome, locating information online, taking notes, and constructing an information brochure about the rainforest for peers. Data measures prior to and during the research included an Internet use survey, verbal protocols, screen captures of online activity, oral reading fluency assessments, and prior knowledge and topic engagement surveys. Quantitative descriptive and univariate analyses as well as qualitative abductive coding were employed over multiple phases to analyze the data. First, the results suggest

  11. Attitudes and Opinions from the Nation's High Achieving Teens. 18th Annual Survey of High Achievers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Educational Communications, Inc., Lake Forest, IL.

    This document contains factsheets and news releases which cite findings from a national survey of 1,985 high achieving high school students. Factsheets describe the Who's Who Among American High School Students recognition and service program for high school students and explain the Who's Who survey. A summary report of this eighteenth annual…

  12. What factors determine academic achievement in high achieving undergraduate medical students? A qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Abdulghani, Hamza M; Al-Drees, Abdulmajeed A; Khalil, Mahmood S; Ahmad, Farah; Ponnamperuma, Gominda G; Amin, Zubair

    2014-04-01

    Medical students' academic achievement is affected by many factors such as motivational beliefs and emotions. Although students with high intellectual capacity are selected to study medicine, their academic performance varies widely. The aim of this study is to explore the high achieving students' perceptions of factors contributing to academic achievement. Focus group discussions (FGD) were carried out with 10 male and 9 female high achieving (scores more than 85% in all tests) students, from the second, third, fourth and fifth academic years. During the FGDs, the students were encouraged to reflect on their learning strategies and activities. The discussion was audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed qualitatively. Factors influencing high academic achievement include: attendance to lectures, early revision, prioritization of learning needs, deep learning, learning in small groups, mind mapping, learning in skills lab, learning with patients, learning from mistakes, time management, and family support. Internal motivation and expected examination results are important drivers of high academic performance. Management of non-academic issues like sleep deprivation, homesickness, language barriers, and stress is also important for academic success. Addressing these factors, which might be unique for a given student community, in a systematic manner would be helpful to improve students' performance.

  13. Thermal effects in high average power optical parametric amplifiers.

    PubMed

    Rothhardt, Jan; Demmler, Stefan; Hädrich, Steffen; Peschel, Thomas; Limpert, Jens; Tünnermann, Andreas

    2013-03-01

    Optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs) have the reputation of being average power scalable due to the instantaneous nature of the parametric process (zero quantum defect). This Letter reveals serious challenges originating from thermal load in the nonlinear crystal caused by absorption. We investigate these thermal effects in high average power OPAs based on beta barium borate. Absorption of both pump and idler waves is identified to contribute significantly to heating of the nonlinear crystal. A temperature increase of up to 148 K with respect to the environment is observed and mechanical tensile stress up to 40 MPa is found, indicating a high risk of crystal fracture under such conditions. By restricting the idler to a wavelength range far from absorption bands and removing the crystal coating we reduce the peak temperature and the resulting temperature gradient significantly. Guidelines for further power scaling of OPAs and other nonlinear devices are given.

  14. Perspectives of High-Achieving Women on Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snodgrass, Helen

    2010-01-01

    High-achieving women are significantly less likely to enter the teaching profession than they were just 40 years ago. Why? While the social and economic reasons for this decline have been well documented in the literature, what is lacking is a discussion with high-achieving women, as they make their first career decisions, about their perceptions…

  15. Modeling stability of growth between mathematics and science achievement during middle and high school.

    PubMed

    Ma, Xin; Ma, Lingling

    2004-04-01

    In this study, the authors introduced a multivariate multilevel model to estimate the consistency among students and schools in the rates of growth between mathematics and science achievement during the entire middle and high school years with data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY). There was no evident consistency in the rates of growth between mathematics and science achievement among students, and this inconsistency was not much influenced by student characteristics and school characteristics. However, there was evident consistency in the average rates of growth between mathematics and science achievement among schools, and this consistency was influenced by student characteristics and school characteristics. Major school-level variables associated with parental involvement did not show any significant impacts on consistency among either students or schools. Results call for educational policies that promote collaboration between mathematics and science departments or teachers.

  16. Achieving High Performance Perovskite Solar Cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Yang

    2015-03-01

    Recently, metal halide perovskite based solar cell with the characteristics of rather low raw materials cost, great potential for simple process and scalable production, and extreme high power conversion efficiency (PCE), have been highlighted as one of the most competitive technologies for next generation thin film photovoltaic (PV). In UCLA, we have realized an efficient pathway to achieve high performance pervoskite solar cells, where the findings are beneficial to this unique materials/devices system. Our recent progress lies in perovskite film formation, defect passivation, transport materials design, interface engineering with respect to high performance solar cell, as well as the exploration of its applications beyond photovoltaics. These achievements include: 1) development of vapor assisted solution process (VASP) and moisture assisted solution process, which produces perovskite film with improved conformity, high crystallinity, reduced recombination rate, and the resulting high performance; 2) examination of the defects property of perovskite materials, and demonstration of a self-induced passivation approach to reduce carrier recombination; 3) interface engineering based on design of the carrier transport materials and the electrodes, in combination with high quality perovskite film, which delivers 15 ~ 20% PCEs; 4) a novel integration of bulk heterojunction to perovskite solar cell to achieve better light harvest; 5) fabrication of inverted solar cell device with high efficiency and flexibility and 6) exploration the application of perovskite materials to photodetector. Further development in film, device architecture, and interfaces will lead to continuous improved perovskite solar cells and other organic-inorganic hybrid optoelectronics.

  17. 22nd Annual Survey of High Achievers: Attitudes and Opinions from the Nation's High Achieving Teens.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Who's Who among American High School Students, Northbrook, IL.

    This study surveyed high school students (N=1,879) who were student leaders or high achievers in the spring of 1991 for the purpose of determining their attitudes. Students were members of the junior or senior high school class during the 1990-91 academic year and were selected for recognition by their principals or guidance counselors, other…

  18. Understanding the mathematics and science achievement and growth trajectories of high ability high school students using hierarchical linear modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belen-Ferrer, Bellasanta

    2009-12-01

    This study used longitudinal data and individual, family, and academic-related matriculation variables to examine trends in initial status and growth trajectories in overall academics, mathematics, and science achievement among 224 high ability high school Asian students. Results indicate that females have an advantage in both initial status and growth rates in overall academics and science. None of the family variables entered in the models were found to be significantly related to overall academics grade point average. All available matriculation variables entered into the models explained less than or at most about half the variance in initial achievement status and growth rate in overall academics and science but not in mathematics. These results strongly imply that other factors, notably family and school and/or classroom-related variables, not measured by the ones used in the models could explain the expected variance in initial status and growth rate of the students especially in Mathematics.

  19. 21st Annual Survey of High Achievers: Attitudes and Opinions from the Nation's High Achieving Teens.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Who's Who among American High School Students, Lake Forest, IL.

    This survey was conducted by Who's Who Among American High School Students during the spring of 1990, to determine the attitudes of student leaders in U.S. high schools. A survey of high achievers sent to 5,000 students was completed and returned by approximately 2,000 students. All students were members of the junior or senior class during the…

  20. The Effect of Poverty on the Achievement of Urban African American Male Students Successfully Completing High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Welch, Amy L.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of poverty on the achievement of African American male high school students attending the same large Midwest urban school district. Cumulative grade point average (GPA) at the tenth grade level were compared to the level of poverty provided through census data of African American male tenth…

  1. Student Perceptions of High-Achieving Classmates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Händel, Marion; Vialle, Wilma; Ziegler, Albert

    2013-01-01

    The reported study investigated students' perceptions of their high-performing classmates in terms of intelligence, social skills, and conscientiousness in different school subjects. The school subjects for study were examined with regard to cognitive, physical, and gender-specific issues. The results show that high academic achievements in…

  2. Dissociating Averageness and Attractiveness: Attractive Faces Are Not Always Average

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeBruine, Lisa M.; Jones, Benedict C.; Unger, Layla; Little, Anthony C.; Feinberg, David R.

    2007-01-01

    Although the averageness hypothesis of facial attractiveness proposes that the attractiveness of faces is mostly a consequence of their averageness, 1 study has shown that caricaturing highly attractive faces makes them mathematically less average but more attractive. Here the authors systematically test the averageness hypothesis in 5 experiments…

  3. Self-Concept and Achievement Motivation of High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawrence, A. S. Arul; Vimala, A.

    2013-01-01

    The present study "Self-concept and Achievement Motivation of High School Students" was investigated to find the relationship between Self-concept and Achievement Motivation of High School Students. Data for the study were collected using Self-concept Questionnaire developed by Raj Kumar Saraswath (1984) and Achievement Motive Test (ACMT)…

  4. High-efficiency high-reliability optical components for a large, high-average-power visible laser system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, John R.; Stolz, Christopher J.

    1993-08-01

    Laser system performance and reliability depends on the related performance and reliability of the optical components which define the cavity and transport subsystems. High-average-power and long transport lengths impose specific requirements on component performance. The complexity of the manufacturing process for optical components requires a high degree of process control and verification. Qualification has proven effective in ensuring confidence in the procurement process for these optical components. Issues related to component reliability have been studied and provide useful information to better understand the long term performance and reliability of the laser system.

  5. High-efficiency high-reliability optical components for a large, high-average-power visible laser system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, J. R.; Stolz, C. J.

    1992-12-01

    Laser system performance and reliability depends on the related performance and reliability of the optical components which define the cavity and transport subsystems. High-average-power and long transport lengths impose specific requirements on component performance. The complexity of the manufacturing process for optical components requires a high degree of process control and verification. Qualification has proven effective in ensuring confidence in the procurement process for these optical components. Issues related to component reliability have been studied and provide useful information to better understand the long term performance and reliability of the laser system.

  6. Review of "High-Achieving Students in the Era of NCLB"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Camilli, Gregory

    2008-01-01

    A recent report from the Fordham Institute considers potential instructional policies for high-achieving students that should be considered in the forthcoming reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act. The report finds: 1) achievement growth among high-achieving students has been slower than that of low-achieving students; 2) this trend can…

  7. High-average-power CTH:YAG for the medical environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wright, Sidney P.; Adamkiewicz, Edward J.; Moulton, Peter F.

    1992-06-01

    Medical procedures such as arthroscopy have placed increasing demands on the output performance of the CTH:YAG laser at 2.1 micrometers . Intensive research has been conducted to improve the average power, pulse energies, and rep rates while reducing any failure mechanisms. The results of this work is reported along with a discussion of the important engineering parameters concerning the design of a high power medical CTH:YAG laser.

  8. Average spectral efficiency analysis of FSO links over turbulence channel with adaptive transmissions and aperture averaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aarthi, G.; Ramachandra Reddy, G.

    2018-03-01

    In our paper, the impact of adaptive transmission schemes: (i) optimal rate adaptation (ORA) and (ii) channel inversion with fixed rate (CIFR) on the average spectral efficiency (ASE) are explored for free-space optical (FSO) communications with On-Off Keying (OOK), Polarization shift keying (POLSK), and Coherent optical wireless communication (Coherent OWC) systems under different turbulence regimes. Further to enhance the ASE we have incorporated aperture averaging effects along with the above adaptive schemes. The results indicate that ORA adaptation scheme has the advantage of improving the ASE performance compared with CIFR under moderate and strong turbulence regime. The coherent OWC system with ORA excels the other modulation schemes and could achieve ASE performance of 49.8 bits/s/Hz at the average transmitted optical power of 6 dBm under strong turbulence. By adding aperture averaging effect we could achieve an ASE of 50.5 bits/s/Hz under the same conditions. This makes ORA with Coherent OWC modulation as a favorable candidate for improving the ASE of the FSO communication system.

  9. Important learning factors in high- and low-achieving students in undergraduate biomechanics.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, ChengTu; Knudson, Duane

    2017-07-21

    The purpose of the present study was to document crucial factors associated with students' learning of biomechanical concepts, particularly between high- and-low achieving students. Students (N = 113) from three introductory biomechanics classes at two public universities volunteered for the study. Two measures of students' learning were obtained, final course grade and improvement on the Biomechanics Concept Inventory version 3 administered before and after the course. Participants also completed a 15-item questionnaire documenting student learning characteristics, effort, and confidence. Partial correlations controlling for all other variables in the study, confirmed previous studies that students' grade point average (p < 0.01), interest in biomechanics, (p < 0.05), and physics credits passed (p < 0.05) are factors uniquely associated with learning biomechanics concepts. Students' confidence when encountering difficult biomechanics concepts was also significantly (p < 0.05) associated with final grade. There were significant differences between top 15% and bottom 15% achievers on these variables (p < 0.05), as well as on readings completed, work to pay for college per week, and learning epistemology. Consequently, instructors should consider strategies to promote students' interest in biomechanics and confidence in solving relevant professional problems in order to improve learning for both low- and high-ability students.

  10. High-Average-Power Diffraction Pulse-Compression Gratings Enabling Next-Generation Ultrafast Laser Systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Alessi, D.

    Pulse compressors for ultrafast lasers have been identified as a technology gap in the push towards high peak power systems with high average powers for industrial and scientific applications. Gratings for ultrashort (sub-150fs) pulse compressors are metallic and can absorb a significant percentage of laser energy resulting in up to 40% loss as well as thermal issues which degrade on-target performance. We have developed a next generation gold grating technology which we have scaled to the petawatt-size. This resulted in improvements in efficiency, uniformity and processing as compared to previous substrate etched gratings for high average power. This new designmore » has a deposited dielectric material for the grating ridge rather than etching directly into the glass substrate. It has been observed that average powers as low as 1W in a compressor can cause distortions in the on-target beam. We have developed and tested a method of actively cooling diffraction gratings which, in the case of gold gratings, can support a petawatt peak power laser with up to 600W average power. We demonstrated thermo-mechanical modeling of a grating in its use environment and benchmarked with experimental measurement. Multilayer dielectric (MLD) gratings are not yet used for these high peak power, ultrashort pulse durations due to their design challenges. We have designed and fabricated broad bandwidth, low dispersion MLD gratings suitable for delivering 30 fs pulses at high average power. This new grating design requires the use of a novel Out Of Plane (OOP) compressor, which we have modeled, designed, built and tested. This prototype compressor yielded a transmission of 90% for a pulse with 45 nm bandwidth, and free of spatial and angular chirp. In order to evaluate gratings and compressors built in this project we have commissioned a joule-class ultrafast Ti:Sapphire laser system. Combining the grating cooling and MLD technologies developed here could enable petawatt laser

  11. Academic attainment and the high school science experiences among high-achieving African American males

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trice, Rodney Nathaniel

    This study examines the educational experiences of high achieving African American males. More specifically, it analyzes the influences on their successful navigation through high school science. Through a series of interviews, observations, questionnaires, science portfolios, and review of existing data the researcher attempted to obtain a deeper understanding of high achieving African American males and their limitations to academic attainment and high school science experiences. The investigation is limited to ten high achieving African American male science students at Woodcrest High School. Woodcrest is situated at the cross section of a suburban and rural community located in the southeastern section of the United States. Although this investigation involves African American males, all of whom are successful in school, its findings should not be generalized to this nor any other group of students. The research question that guided this study is: What are the limitations to academic attainment and the high school science experiences of high achieving African American males? The student participants expose how suspension and expulsion, special education placement, academic tracking, science instruction, and teacher expectation influence academic achievement. The role parents play, student self-concept, peer relationships, and student learning styles are also analyzed. The anthology of data rendered three overarching themes: (1) unequal access to education, (2) maintenance of unfair educational structures, and (3) authentic characterizations of African American males. Often the policies and practices set in place by school officials aid in creating hurdles to academic achievement. These policies and practices are often formed without meaningful consideration of the unintended consequences that may affect different student populations, particularly the most vulnerable. The findings from this study expose that high achieving African American males face major

  12. Setting Educational Priorities: High Achievers Speak Out. White Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dickeson, Robert C.

    Noting that high achieving Indiana high school students can provide important insights into the educational system in the state, this study examined the opinions of recipients of Ameritchieve recognition, National Merit finalists, African-American students who were National Achievement finalists, and national Hispanic Scholar finalists, all from…

  13. Selling students short: Racial differences in teachers’ evaluations of high, average, and low performing students

    PubMed Central

    Irizarry, Yasmiyn

    2015-01-01

    Education scholars document notable racial differences in teachers’ perceptions of students’ academic skills. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort, this study advances research on teacher perceptions by investigating whether racial differences in teachers’ evaluations of first grade students’ overall literacy skills vary for high, average, and low performing students. Results highlight both the overall accuracy of teachers’ perceptions, and the extent and nature of possible inaccuracies, as demonstrated by remaining racial gaps net literacy test performance. Racial differences in teachers’ perceptions of Black, non-White Latino, and Asian students (compared to White students) exist net teacher and school characteristics and vary considerably across literacy skill levels. Skill specific literacy assessments appear to explain the remaining racial gap for Asian students, but not for Black and non-White Latino students. Implications of these findings for education scholarship, gifted education, and the achievement gap are discussed. PMID:26004478

  14. Closing the Achievement Gap: Views from Nine Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh. Div. of Accountability.

    This study examined North Carolina schools serving large numbers of poor and minority students, emphasizing nine schools where black student achievement was especially high, where black students had made strong gains, or where the black-white achievement gap was closing faster than the state average. Between 1999-00, research teams visited each…

  15. High average power magnetic modulator for metal vapor lasers

    DOEpatents

    Ball, Don G.; Birx, Daniel L.; Cook, Edward G.; Miller, John L.

    1994-01-01

    A three-stage magnetic modulator utilizing magnetic pulse compression designed to provide a 60 kV pulse to a copper vapor laser at a 4.5 kHz repetition rate is disclosed. This modulator operates at 34 kW input power. The circuit includes a step up auto transformer and utilizes a rod and plate stack construction technique to achieve a high packing factor.

  16. The Effects of Concealing Academic Achievement Information on Adolescents' Self-Concept

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Baoshan; Wang, Mo; Li, Juan; Yu, Guoliang; Bi, Yan-Ling

    2011-01-01

    Using an experimental design, the effect of concealing academic achievement information on adolescents' self-concept was examined in the current study. Specifically, adolescents with low academic achievement and adolescents with average to high academic achievement (N = 129) were randomly assigned to different interview contexts wherein…

  17. Development of a high average current polarized electron source with long cathode operational lifetime

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    C. K. Sinclair; P. A. Adderley; B. M. Dunham

    Substantially more than half of the electromagnetic nuclear physics experiments conducted at the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility of the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Laboratory) require highly polarized electron beams, often at high average current. Spin-polarized electrons are produced by photoemission from various GaAs-based semiconductor photocathodes, using circularly polarized laser light with photon energy slightly larger than the semiconductor band gap. The photocathodes are prepared by activation of the clean semiconductor surface to negative electron affinity using cesium and oxidation. Historically, in many laboratories worldwide, these photocathodes have had short operational lifetimes at high average current, and havemore » often deteriorated fairly quickly in ultrahigh vacuum even without electron beam delivery. At Jefferson Lab, we have developed a polarized electron source in which the photocathodes degrade exceptionally slowly without electron emission, and in which ion back bombardment is the predominant mechanism limiting the operational lifetime of the cathodes during electron emission. We have reproducibly obtained cathode 1/e dark lifetimes over two years, and 1/e charge density and charge lifetimes during electron beam delivery of over 2?105???C/cm2 and 200 C, respectively. This source is able to support uninterrupted high average current polarized beam delivery to three experimental halls simultaneously for many months at a time. Many of the techniques we report here are directly applicable to the development of GaAs photoemission electron guns to deliver high average current, high brightness unpolarized beams.« less

  18. High peak and high average radiofrequency power transmit/receive switch for thermal magnetic resonance.

    PubMed

    Ji, Yiyi; Hoffmann, Werner; Pham, Michal; Dunn, Alexander E; Han, Haopeng; Özerdem, Celal; Waiczies, Helmar; Rohloff, Michael; Endemann, Beate; Boyer, Cyrille; Lim, May; Niendorf, Thoralf; Winter, Lukas

    2018-04-01

    To study the role of temperature in biological systems, diagnostic contrasts and thermal therapies, RF pulses for MR spin excitation can be deliberately used to apply a thermal stimulus. This application requires dedicated transmit/receive (Tx/Rx) switches that support high peak powers for MRI and high average powers for RF heating. To meet this goal, we propose a high-performance Tx/Rx switch based on positive-intrinsic-negative diodes and quarter-wavelength (λ/4) stubs. The λ/4 stubs in the proposed Tx/Rx switch design route the transmitted RF signal directly to the RF coil/antenna without passing through any electronic components (e.g., positive-intrinsic-negative diodes). Bench measurements, MRI, MR thermometry, and RF heating experiments were performed at f = 297 MHz (B 0  = 7 T) to examine the characteristics and applicability of the switch. The proposed design provided an isolation of -35.7dB/-41.5dB during transmission/reception. The insertion loss was -0.41dB/-0.27dB during transmission/reception. The switch supports high peak (3.9 kW) and high average (120 W) RF powers for MRI and RF heating at f = 297 MHz. High-resolution MRI of the wrist yielded image quality competitive with that obtained with a conventional Tx/Rx switch. Radiofrequency heating in phantom monitored by MR thermometry demonstrated the switch applicability for thermal modulation. Upon these findings, thermally activated release of a model drug attached to thermoresponsive polymers was demonstrated. The high-power Tx/Rx switch enables thermal MR applications at 7 T, contributing to the study of the role of temperature in biological systems and diseases. All design files of the switch will be made available open source at www.opensourceimaging.org. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

  19. Links among Social Status, Service Delivery Mode, and Service Delivery Preference in LD, Low-Achieving, and Normally Achieving Elementary-Aged Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Le Mare, Lucy; de la Ronde, Marie

    2000-01-01

    Relations among social status, current service delivery, and service delivery preferences were examined in 42 students with learning disabilities (LD), 40 low-achieving, and 42 average/high-achieving students in grades 2-4 and 6-7. Most students preferred pullout service to in-class service. Only among LD students were self- and peer-rated social…

  20. Selling students short: Racial differences in teachers' evaluations of high, average, and low performing students.

    PubMed

    Irizarry, Yasmiyn

    2015-07-01

    Education scholars document notable racial differences in teachers' perceptions of students' academic skills. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort, this study advances research on teacher perceptions by investigating whether racial differences in teachers' evaluations of first grade students' overall literacy skills vary for high, average, and low performing students. Results highlight both the overall accuracy of teachers' perceptions, and the extent and nature of possible inaccuracies, as demonstrated by remaining racial gaps net literacy test performance. Racial differences in teachers' perceptions of Black, non-White Latino, and Asian students (compared to White students) exist net teacher and school characteristics and vary considerably across literacy skill levels. Skill specific literacy assessments appear to explain the remaining racial gap for Asian students, but not for Black and non-White Latino students. Implications of these findings for education scholarship, gifted education, and the achievement gap are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Classroom Learning Environment Differences between Resilient, Average, and Nonresilient Middle School Students in Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Padrón, Yolanda N.; Waxman, Hersh C.; Lee, Yuan-Hsuan

    2014-01-01

    The lack of achievement of students from high-risk and high-poverty environments necessitates changes in today's middle school environments to create a caring, supportive environment where all middle school students can succeed. This study investigated the classroom learning environments of resilient, average, and nonresilient minority students in…

  2. High-Ability Grouping: Benefits for Gifted Students' Achievement Development Without Costs in Academic Self-Concept.

    PubMed

    Preckel, Franzis; Schmidt, Isabelle; Stumpf, Eva; Motschenbacher, Monika; Vogl, Katharina; Scherrer, Vsevolod; Schneider, Wolfgang

    2017-11-23

    Effects of full-time ability grouping on students' academic self-concept (ASC) and mathematics achievement were investigated in the first 3 years of secondary school (four waves of measurement; students' average age at first wave: 10.5 years). Students were primarily from middle and upper class families living in southern Germany. The study sample comprised 148 (60% male) students from 14 gifted classes and 148 (57% male) students from 25 regular classes (matched by propensity score matching). Data analyses involved multilevel and latent growth curve analyses. Findings revealed no evidence for contrast effects of class-average achievement or assimilation effects of class type on students' ASC. ASC remained stable over time. Students in gifted classes showed higher achievement gains than students in regular classes. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

  3. Experiences of High-Achieving High School Students Who Have Taken Multiple Concurrent Advanced Placement Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milburn, Kristine M.

    2011-01-01

    Problem: An increasing number of high-achieving American high school students are enrolling in multiple Advanced Placement (AP) courses. As a result, high schools face a growing need to understand the impact of taking multiple AP courses concurrently on the social-emotional lives of high-achieving students. Procedures: This phenomenological…

  4. High-average-power laser medium based on silica glass

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujimoto, Yasushi; Nakatsuka, Masahiro

    2000-01-01

    Silica glass is one of the most attractive materials for a high-average-power laser. We have developed a new laser material base don silica glass with zeolite method which is effective for uniform dispersion of rare earth ions in silica glass. High quality medium, which is bubbleless and quite low refractive index distortion, must be required for realization of laser action. As the main reason of bubbling is due to hydroxy species remained in the gelation same, we carefully choose colloidal silica particles, pH value of hydrochloric acid for hydrolysis of tetraethylorthosilicate on sol-gel process, and temperature and atmosphere control during sintering process, and then we get a bubble less transparent rare earth doped silica glass. The refractive index distortion of the sample also discussed.

  5. Big Fish in Little Ponds Aspire More: Mediation and Cross-Cultural Generalizability of School-Average Ability Effects on Self-Concept and Career Aspirations in Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nagengast, Benjamin; Marsh, Herbert W.

    2012-01-01

    Being schooled with other high-achieving peers has a detrimental influence on students' self-perceptions: School-average and class-average achievement have a negative effect on academic self-concept and career aspirations--the big-fish-little-pond effect. Individual achievement, on the other hand, predicts academic self-concept and career…

  6. Scientific Temper among Academically High and Low Achieving Adolescent Girls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kour, Sunmeet

    2015-01-01

    The present study was undertaken to compare the scientific temper of high and low achieving adolescent girl students. Random sampling technique was used to draw the sample from various high schools of District Srinagar. The sample for the present study consisted of 120 school going adolescent girls (60 high and 60 low achievers). Data was…

  7. Predicting Different Grades in Different Ways for Selective Admission: Disentangling the First-Year Grade Point Average

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steenman, Sebastiaan C.; Bakker, Wieger E.; van Tartwijk, Jan W. F.

    2016-01-01

    The first-year grade point average (FYGPA) is the predominant measure of student success in most studies on university admission. Previous cognitive achievements measured with high school grades or standardized tests have been found to be the strongest predictors of FYGPA. For this reason, standardized tests measuring cognitive achievement are…

  8. Exploring High-Achieving Students' Images of Mathematicians

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aguilar, Mario Sánchez; Rosas, Alejandro; Zavaleta, Juan Gabriel Molina; Romo-Vázquez, Avenilde

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study is to describe the images that a group of high-achieving Mexican students hold of mathematicians. For this investigation, we used a research method based on the Draw-A-Scientist Test (DAST) with a sample of 63 Mexican high school students. The group of students' pictorial and written descriptions of mathematicians assisted us…

  9. High average power diode pumped solid state laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Yue; Wang, Yanjie; Chan, Amy; Dawson, Murray; Greene, Ben

    2017-03-01

    A new generation of high average power pulsed multi-joule solid state laser system has been developed at EOS Space Systems for various space related tracking applications. It is a completely diode pumped, fully automated multi-stage system consisting of a pulsed single longitudinal mode oscillator, three stages of pre-amplifiers, two stages of power amplifiers, completely sealed phase conjugate mirror or stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) cell and imaging relay optics with spatial filters in vacuum cells. It is capable of generating pulse energy up to 4.7 J, a beam quality M 2 ~ 3, pulse width between 10-20 ns, and a pulse repetition rate between 100-200 Hz. The system has been in service for more than two years with excellent performance and reliability.

  10. Reproducing multi-model ensemble average with Ensemble-averaged Reconstructed Forcings (ERF) in regional climate modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erfanian, A.; Fomenko, L.; Wang, G.

    2016-12-01

    Multi-model ensemble (MME) average is considered the most reliable for simulating both present-day and future climates. It has been a primary reference for making conclusions in major coordinated studies i.e. IPCC Assessment Reports and CORDEX. The biases of individual models cancel out each other in MME average, enabling the ensemble mean to outperform individual members in simulating the mean climate. This enhancement however comes with tremendous computational cost, which is especially inhibiting for regional climate modeling as model uncertainties can originate from both RCMs and the driving GCMs. Here we propose the Ensemble-based Reconstructed Forcings (ERF) approach to regional climate modeling that achieves a similar level of bias reduction at a fraction of cost compared with the conventional MME approach. The new method constructs a single set of initial and boundary conditions (IBCs) by averaging the IBCs of multiple GCMs, and drives the RCM with this ensemble average of IBCs to conduct a single run. Using a regional climate model (RegCM4.3.4-CLM4.5), we tested the method over West Africa for multiple combination of (up to six) GCMs. Our results indicate that the performance of the ERF method is comparable to that of the MME average in simulating the mean climate. The bias reduction seen in ERF simulations is achieved by using more realistic IBCs in solving the system of equations underlying the RCM physics and dynamics. This endows the new method with a theoretical advantage in addition to reducing computational cost. The ERF output is an unaltered solution of the RCM as opposed to a climate state that might not be physically plausible due to the averaging of multiple solutions with the conventional MME approach. The ERF approach should be considered for use in major international efforts such as CORDEX. Key words: Multi-model ensemble, ensemble analysis, ERF, regional climate modeling

  11. Achieving high performance on the Intel Paragon

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Greenberg, D.S.; Maccabe, B.; Riesen, R.

    1993-11-01

    When presented with a new supercomputer most users will first ask {open_quotes}How much faster will my applications run?{close_quotes} and then add a fearful {open_quotes}How much effort will it take me to convert to the new machine?{close_quotes} This paper describes some lessons learned at Sandia while asking these questions about the new 1800+ node Intel Paragon. The authors conclude that the operating system is crucial to both achieving high performance and allowing easy conversion from previous parallel implementations to a new machine. Using the Sandia/UNM Operating System (SUNMOS) they were able to port a LU factorization of dense matrices from themore » nCUBE2 to the Paragon and achieve 92% scaled speed-up on 1024 nodes. Thus on a 44,000 by 44,000 matrix which had required over 10 hours on the previous machine, they completed in less than 1/2 hour at a rate of over 40 GFLOPS. Two keys to achieving such high performance were the small size of SUNMOS (less than 256 kbytes) and the ability to send large messages with very low overhead.« less

  12. The Meaning High-Achieving African-American Males in an Urban High School Ascribe to Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thompson, LaTasha; Davis, Julius

    2013-01-01

    Many researchers, educators, administrators, policymakers and members of the general public doubt the prevalence of high-achieving African-American males in urban high schools capable of excelling in mathematics. As part of a larger study, the current study explored the educational experiences of four high-achieving African-American males…

  13. Development of a High Average Current Thermionic Injector for Free-Electron Lasers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-02-11

    high   average   power   FEL   should   produce   high ...The  cathode  heater   is   powered  by  a  60  Hz  AC   feed  that  floats  on  the   high  voltage  pulse... high -­‐voltage   power  supply  for  the  IOT  gun  is  a  70  kV  Rockwell  hard  tube   modulator   with  

  14. Teacher expectations, classroom context, and the achievement gap.

    PubMed

    McKown, Clark; Weinstein, Rhona S

    2008-06-01

    In two independent datasets with 1872 elementary-aged children in 83 classrooms, Studies 1 and 2 examined the role of classroom context in moderating the relationship between child ethnicity and teacher expectations. For Study 1 overall and Study 2 mixed-grade classrooms, in ethnically diverse classrooms where students reported high levels of differential teacher treatment (PDT) towards high and low achieving students, teacher expectations of European American and Asian American students were between .75 and 1.00 standard deviations higher than teacher expectations of African American and Latino students with similar records of achievement. In highly diverse low-PDT classrooms in Study 1 and highly diverse low-PDT mixed-grade classrooms in Study 2, teachers held similar expectations for all students with similar records of achievement. Study 3 estimated the contribution of teacher expectations to the year-end ethnic achievement gap in high- and low-bias classrooms. In high-bias classrooms, teacher expectancy effects accounted for an average of .29 and up to .38 standard deviations of the year-end ethnic achievement gap.

  15. A high-average-power FEL for industrial applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dylla, H.F.; Benson, S.; Bisognano, J.

    1995-12-31

    CEBAF has developed a comprehensive conceptual design of an industrial user facility based on a kilowatt UV (150-1000 nm) and IR (2-25 micron) FEL driven by a recirculating, energy-recovering 200 MeV superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) accelerator. FEL users{endash}CEBAF`s partners in the Laser Processing Consortium, including AT&T, DuPont, IBM, Northrop-Grumman, 3M, and Xerox{endash}plan to develop applications such as polymer surface processing, metals and ceramics micromachining, and metal surface processing, with the overall effort leading to later scale-up to industrial systems at 50-100 kW. Representative applications are described. The proposed high-average-power FEL overcomes limitations of conventional laser sources in available power, cost-effectiveness, tunabilitymore » and pulse structure. 4 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.« less

  16. High-Achieving High School Students and Not so High-Achieving College Students: A Look at Lack of Self-Control, Academic Ability, and Performance in College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Honken, Nora B.; Ralston, Patricia A. S.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship among lack of self-control, academic ability, and academic performance for a cohort of freshman engineering students who were, with a few exceptions, extremely high achievers in high school. Structural equation modeling analysis led to the conclusion that lack of self-control in high school, as measured by…

  17. High Achievement in Mathematics Education in India: A Report from Mumbai

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raman, Manya

    2010-01-01

    This paper reports a study aimed at characterizing the conditions that lead to high achievement in mathematics in India. The study involved eight schools in the greater Mumbai region. The main result of the study is that the notion of high achievement itself is problematic, as reflected in the reports about mathematics achievement within and…

  18. High Involvement Mothers of High Achieving Children: Potential Theoretical Explanations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hunsaker, Scott L.

    2013-01-01

    In American society, parents who have high aspirations for the achievements of their children are often viewed by others in a negative light. Various pejoratives such as "pushy parent," "helicopter parent," "stage mother," and "soccer mom" are used in the common vernacular to describe these parents. Multiple…

  19. Gender Differences in Attitudes toward Mathematics between Low-Achieving and High-Achieving Fifth Grade Elementary Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rathbone, A. Sue

    Possible gender differences in attitudes toward mathematics were studied between low-achieving and high-achieving fifth-grade students in selected elementary schools within a large, metropolitan area. The attitudes of pre-adolescent children at an intermediate grade level were assessed to determine the effects of rapidly emerging gender-related…

  20. Effects of Partner's Ability on the Achievement and Conceptual Organization of High-Achieving Fifth-Grade Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Glenda; Jones, M. Gail; Rua, Melissa

    2003-01-01

    Investigates high-achieving fifth-grade students' achievement gains and conceptual reorganization on convection. Features an instructional sequence of three dyadic inquiry investigations related to convection currents as well as pre- and post-assessment consisting of a multiple-choice test, a card sorting task, construction of a concept map, and…

  1. A Comparative Study of Creativity and Cognitive Problem-Solving Strategies of High-IQ and Average Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Russo, Christine Fiorella

    2004-01-01

    This study assessed the creative thinking abilities of high-IQ and average students on fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. Seventeen high-IQ fifth and sixth graders and 20 average fifth and sixth graders were given 4 batteries of Torrance's Verbal and Figural Tests (A and B) as pretests and posttests and three Future Problem…

  2. Achieving High Reliability with People, Processes, and Technology.

    PubMed

    Saunders, Candice L; Brennan, John A

    2017-01-01

    High reliability as a corporate value in healthcare can be achieved by meeting the "Quadruple Aim" of improving population health, reducing per capita costs, enhancing the patient experience, and improving provider wellness. This drive starts with the board of trustees, CEO, and other senior leaders who ingrain high reliability throughout the organization. At WellStar Health System, the board developed an ambitious goal to become a top-decile health system in safety and quality metrics. To achieve this goal, WellStar has embarked on a journey toward high reliability and has committed to Lean management practices consistent with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's definition of a high-reliability organization (HRO): one that is committed to the prevention of failure, early identification and mitigation of failure, and redesign of processes based on identifiable failures. In the end, a successful HRO can provide safe, effective, patient- and family-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care through a convergence of people, processes, and technology.

  3. Vocational interests of intellectually gifted and highly achieving young adults.

    PubMed

    Vock, Miriam; Köller, Olaf; Nagy, Gabriel

    2013-06-01

    Vocational interests play a central role in the vocational decision-making process and are decisive for the later job satisfaction and vocational success. Based on Ackerman's (1996) notion of trait complexes, specific interest profiles of gifted high-school graduates can be expected. Vocational interests of gifted and highly achieving adolescents were compared to those of their less intelligent/achieving peers according to Holland's (1997) RIASEC model. Further, the impact of intelligence and achievement on interests were analysed while statistically controlling for potentially influencing variables. Changes in interests over time were investigated. N= 4,694 German students (age: M= 19.5, SD= .80; 54.6% females) participated in the study (TOSCA; Köller, Watermann, Trautwein, & Lüdtke, 2004). Interests were assessed in participants' final year at school and again 2 years later (N= 2,318). Gifted participants reported stronger investigative and realistic interests, but lower social interests than less intelligent participants. Highly achieving participants reported higher investigative and (in wave 2) higher artistic interests. Considerable gender differences were found: gifted girls had a flat interest profile, while gifted boys had pronounced realistic and investigative and low social interests. Multilevel multiple regression analyses predicting interests by intelligence and school achievement revealed stable interest profiles. Beyond a strong gender effect, intelligence and school achievement each contributed substantially to the prediction of vocational interests. At the time around graduation from high school, gifted young adults show stable interest profiles, which strongly differ between gender and intelligence groups. These differences are relevant for programmes for the gifted and for vocational counselling. ©2012 The British Psychological Society.

  4. Calculations of High-Temperature Jet Flow Using Hybrid Reynolds-Average Navier-Stokes Formulations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Abdol-Hamid, Khaled S.; Elmiligui, Alaa; Giriamaji, Sharath S.

    2008-01-01

    Two multiscale-type turbulence models are implemented in the PAB3D solver. The models are based on modifying the Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes equations. The first scheme is a hybrid Reynolds-averaged- Navier Stokes/large-eddy-simulation model using the two-equation k(epsilon) model with a Reynolds-averaged-Navier Stokes/large-eddy-simulation transition function dependent on grid spacing and the computed turbulence length scale. The second scheme is a modified version of the partially averaged Navier Stokes model in which the unresolved kinetic energy parameter f(sub k) is allowed to vary as a function of grid spacing and the turbulence length scale. This parameter is estimated based on a novel two-stage procedure to efficiently estimate the level of scale resolution possible for a given flow on a given grid for partially averaged Navier Stokes. It has been found that the prescribed scale resolution can play a major role in obtaining accurate flow solutions. The parameter f(sub k) varies between zero and one and is equal to one in the viscous sublayer and when the Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes turbulent viscosity becomes smaller than the large-eddy-simulation viscosity. The formulation, usage methodology, and validation examples are presented to demonstrate the enhancement of PAB3D's time-accurate turbulence modeling capabilities. The accurate simulations of flow and turbulent quantities will provide a valuable tool for accurate jet noise predictions. Solutions from these models are compared with Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes results and experimental data for high-temperature jet flows. The current results show promise for the capability of hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes and large eddy simulation and partially averaged Navier Stokes in simulating such flow phenomena.

  5. Stationary average consensus protocol for a class of heterogeneous high-order multi-agent systems with application for aircraft

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rezaei, Mohammad Hadi; Menhaj, Mohammad Bagher

    2018-01-01

    This paper investigates the stationary average consensus problem for a class of heterogeneous-order multi-agent systems. The goal is to bring the positions of agents to the average of their initial positions while letting the other states converge to zero. To this end, three different consensus protocols are proposed. First, based on the auxiliary variables information among the agents under switching directed networks and state-feedback control, a protocol is proposed whereby all the agents achieve stationary average consensus. In the second and third protocols, by resorting to only measurements of relative positions of neighbouring agents under fixed balanced directed networks, two control frameworks are presented with two strategies based on state-feedback and output-feedback control. Finally, simulation results are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed protocols.

  6. Recent developments in high average power driver technology

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Prestwich, K.R.; Buttram, M.T.; Rohwein, G.J>

    1979-01-01

    Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) reactors will require driver systems operating with tens to hundreds of megawatts of average power. The pulse power technology that will be required to build such drivers is in a primitive state of development. Recent developments in repetitive pulse power are discussed. A high-voltage transformer has been developed and operated at 3 MV in a single pulse experiment and is being tested at 1.5 MV, 5 kj and 10 pps. A low-loss, 1 MV, 10 kj, 10 pps Marx generator is being tested. Test results from gas-dynamic spark gaps that operate both in the 100 kVmore » and 700 kV range are reported. A 250 kV, 1.5 kA/cm/sup 2/, 30 ns electron beam diode has operated stably for 1.6 x 10/sup 5/ pulses.« less

  7. A high-efficiency real-time digital signal averager for time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yinan; Xu, Hui; Li, Qingjiang; Li, Nan; Huang, Zhengxu; Zhou, Zhen; Liu, Husheng; Sun, Zhaolin; Xu, Xin; Yu, Hongqi; Liu, Haijun; Li, David D-U; Wang, Xi; Dong, Xiuzhen; Gao, Wei

    2013-05-30

    Analog-to-digital converter (ADC)-based acquisition systems are widely applied in time-of-flight mass spectrometers (TOFMS) due to their ability to record the signal intensity of all ions within the same pulse. However, the acquisition system raises the requirement for data throughput, along with increasing the conversion rate and resolution of the ADC. It is therefore of considerable interest to develop a high-performance real-time acquisition system, which can relieve the limitation of data throughput. We present in this work a high-efficiency real-time digital signal averager, consisting of a signal conditioner, a data conversion module and a signal processing module. Two optimization strategies are implemented using field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to enhance the efficiency of the real-time processing. A pipeline procedure is used to reduce the time consumption of the accumulation strategy. To realize continuous data transfer, a high-efficiency transmission strategy is developed, based on a ping-pong procedure. The digital signal averager features good responsiveness, analog bandwidth and dynamic performance. The optimal effective number of bits reaches 6.7 bits. For a 32 µs record length, the averager can realize 100% efficiency with an extraction frequency below 31.23 kHz by modifying the number of accumulation steps. In unit time, the averager yields superior signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared with data accumulation in a computer. The digital signal averager is combined with a vacuum ultraviolet single-photon ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (VUV-SPI-TOFMS). The efficiency of the real-time processing is tested by analyzing the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from ordinary printed materials. In these experiments, 22 kinds of compounds are detected, and the dynamic range exceeds 3 orders of magnitude. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Generation of 180 W average green power from a frequency-doubled picosecond rod fiber amplifier

    DOE PAGES

    Zhao, Zhi; Sheehy, Brian; Minty, Michiko

    2017-03-29

    Here, we report on the generation of 180 W average green power from a frequency-doubled picosecond rod fiber amplifier. In an Yb-doped fiber master-oscillator-power-amplifier system, 2.3-ps 704 MHz pulses are first amplified in small-core fibers and then in large-mode-area rod fibers to produce 270 W average infrared power with a high polarization extinction ratio and diffraction-limited beam quality. By carrying out frequency doubling in a lithium triborate (LBO) crystal, 180 W average green power is generated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average green power achieved in fiber-based laser systems.

  9. Simulations of thermal lensing of a Ti:Sapphire crystal end-pumped with high average power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wagner, Gerd; Shiler, Max; Wulfmeyer, Volker

    2005-10-01

    A detailed 3-dimensional calculation of the temperature field of a laser crystal pumped with high average power is presented. The pump configuration, the anisotropy of a Brewster-angle-cut Ti:Sapphire crystal, and the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity are taken into account. The corresponding focal length of the thermal lens is calculated for pump levels up to 100 W. This refined thermal model is the basis for a optimized resonator design of a high-average power differential absorption lidar system transmitter.

  10. Simulations of thermal lensing of a Ti:Sapphire crystal end-pumped with high average power.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Gerd; Shiler, Max; Wulfmeyer, Volker

    2005-10-03

    A detailed 3-dimensional calculation of the temperature field of a laser crystal pumped with high average power is presented. The pump configuration, the anisotropy of a Brewster-angle-cut Ti:Sapphire crystal, and the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity are taken into account. The corresponding focal length of the thermal lens is calculated for pump levels up to 100 W. This refined thermal model is the basis for a optimized resonator design of a high-average power differential absorption lidar system transmitter.

  11. An Analysis of Alternative School Effectiveness on Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moger, Scott Douglas

    2010-01-01

    This study is a comparative analysis investigating student achievement, attendance rates, grade point average and credit earned by at-risk students attending an alternative high school of choice, at-risk students attending a traditional high school and at-risk students attending a Disciplinary Alternative Education Placement Campus within the same…

  12. The ETA-II induction linac as a high-average-power FEL driver

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nexsen, W. E.; Atkinson, D. P.; Barrett, D. M.; Chen, Y.-J.; Clark, J. C.; Griffith, L. V.; Kirbie, H. C.; Newton, M. A.; Paul, A. C.; Sampayan, S.; Throop, A. L.; Turner, W. C.

    1990-10-01

    The Experimental Test Accelerator II (ETA-II) is the first induction linac designed specifically to FEL requirements. It is primarily intended to demonstrate induction accelerator technology for high-average-power, high-brightness electron beams, and will be used to drive a 140 and 250 GHz microwave FEL for plasma heating experiments in the Microwave Tokamak Experiment (MTX) at LLNL. Its features include high-vacuum design which allows the use of an intrinsically bright dispenser cathode, induction cells designed to minimize BBU growth rate, and careful attention to magnetic alignment to minimize radial sweep due to beam corkscrew. The use of magnetic switches allows high-average-power operation. At present ETA-II is being used to drive 140 GHz plasma heating experiments. These experiments require nominal beam parameters of 6 MeV energy, 2 kA current, 20 ns pulse width and a brightness of 1 × 108 A/(m rad)2 at the wiggler with a pulse repetition frequency (prf) of 0.5 Hz. Future 250 GHz experiments require beam parameters of 10 MeV energy, 3 kA current, 50 ns pulse width and a brightness of 1 × 108 A/(m rad)2 with a 5 kHz prf for 0.5 s. In this paper we discuss the present status of ETA-II parameters and the phased development program necessary to satisfy these future requirements.

  13. High average power, diode pumped petawatt laser systems: a new generation of lasers enabling precision science and commercial applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haefner, C. L.; Bayramian, A.; Betts, S.; Bopp, R.; Buck, S.; Cupal, J.; Drouin, M.; Erlandson, A.; Horáček, J.; Horner, J.; Jarboe, J.; Kasl, K.; Kim, D.; Koh, E.; Koubíková, L.; Maranville, W.; Marshall, C.; Mason, D.; Menapace, J.; Miller, P.; Mazurek, P.; Naylon, A.; Novák, J.; Peceli, D.; Rosso, P.; Schaffers, K.; Sistrunk, E.; Smith, D.; Spinka, T.; Stanley, J.; Steele, R.; Stolz, C.; Suratwala, T.; Telford, S.; Thoma, J.; VanBlarcom, D.; Weiss, J.; Wegner, P.

    2017-05-01

    Large laser systems that deliver optical pulses with peak powers exceeding one Petawatt (PW) have been constructed at dozens of research facilities worldwide and have fostered research in High-Energy-Density (HED) Science, High-Field and nonlinear physics [1]. Furthermore, the high intensities exceeding 1018W/cm2 allow for efficiently driving secondary sources that inherit some of the properties of the laser pulse, e.g. pulse duration, spatial and/or divergence characteristics. In the intervening decades since that first PW laser, single-shot proof-of-principle experiments have been successful in demonstrating new high-intensity laser-matter interactions and subsequent secondary particle and photon sources. These secondary sources include generation and acceleration of charged-particle (electron, proton, ion) and neutron beams, and x-ray and gamma-ray sources, generation of radioisotopes for positron emission tomography (PET), targeted cancer therapy, medical imaging, and the transmutation of radioactive waste [2, 3]. Each of these promising applications requires lasers with peak power of hundreds of terawatt (TW) to petawatt (PW) and with average power of tens to hundreds of kW to achieve the required secondary source flux.

  14. How the Leaders of One High-Achieving, Large, Urban High School Communicate with Latino Families about Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kittelson, Andrea

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this instrumental case study was to understand the ways in which the leaders of one high-achieving, large, urban high school communicate with Latino families about math with the intent to shine a light on the issue of communication with families as it relates to student achievement and the persistent math achievement gap among…

  15. Reliability achievement in high technology space systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lindstrom, D. L.

    1981-01-01

    The production of failure-free hardware is discussed. The elements required to achieve such hardware are: technical expertise to design, analyze, and fully understand the design; use of high reliability parts and materials control in the manufacturing process; and testing to understand the system and weed out defects. The durability of the Hughes family of satellites is highlighted.

  16. The Role of Principal Leadership in Achievement beyond Test Scores: An Examination of Leadership, Differentiated Curriculum and High-Achieving Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Else, Danielle F.

    2013-01-01

    Though research has validated a link between principal leadership and student achievement, questions remain regarding the specific relationship between the principal and high-achieving learners. This association facilitates understanding about forming curricular decisions for high ability learners. The study was conducted to examine the perceived…

  17. A Study of Impulsivity in Low-Achieving and High-Achieving Boys from Lower Income Homes. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cohen, Shirley

    The purpose of this study was to explore the concept of impulsivity as a stylistic dimension affecting cognitive behavior, and whether impulsivity operates as a comprehensive, inflexible orientation in low achievers more than in high achievers. The Matching Familiar Figures Test, the Porteus Maze Test, and the Stroop Color-Word Test were used to…

  18. An Examination of Achievement Related Behavior of High and Low Achieving Inner City Pupils.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Derevensky, Jeffrey L.; And Others

    This study investigated the behavioral differences between high and low achieving students in two Canadian inner city schools. One school consisted predominantly of first generation Portuguese, Greek, and Chinese children, while the other served a predominantly second or third generation population of English speaking Canadians. An academic…

  19. High average/peak power linearly polarized all-fiber picosecond MOPA seeded by mode-locked noise-like pulses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, H. L.; Ma, P. F.; Tao, R. M.; Wang, X. L.; Zhou, P.; Chen, J. B.

    2015-06-01

    The characteristics of mode-locked noise-like pulses generated from a passively mode-locked fiber oscillator are experimentally investigated. By carefully adjusting the two polarization controllers, stable mode-locked noise-like pulse emission with a high radio frequency signal/noise ratio of  >55 dB is successfully achieved, ensuring the safety and possibility of high power amplification. To investigate the amplification characteristics of such pulses, one all-fiber master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) is built to boost the power and energy of such pulses. Amplified noise-like pulses with average output power of 423 W, repetition rate of 18.71 MHz, pulse energy of 22.61 μJ, pulse duration of 72.1 ps and peak power of 314 kW are obtained. Near diffraction-limited beam is also demonstrated with M2 factor measured at full power operation of ~1.2 in the X and Y directions. The polarization extinction ratio at output power of 183 W is measured to be ~13 dB. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of high-power amplification of noise-like pulses and the highest peak power ever reported in all-fiber picosecond MOPAs. The temporal self-compression process of such pulses and high peak power when amplified make it an ideal pump source for generation of high-power supercontinuum. Other potential applications, such as material processing and optical coherent tomography, could also be foreseen.

  20. The ETA-2 induction linac as a high average power FEL driver

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nexsen, W.E.; Atkinson, D.P.; Barrett, D.M.

    1989-10-16

    The Experimental Test Accelerator-II (ETA-II) is the first induction linac designed specifically to FEL requirements. It primarily is intended to demonstrate induction accelerator technology for high average power, high brightness electron beams, and will be used to drive a 140 and 250 GHz microwave FEL for plasma heating experiments in the Microwave Tokamak Experiment (MTX) at LLNL. Its features include high vacuum design which allows the use of an intrinsically bright dispenser cathode, induction cells designed to minimize BBU growth rate, and careful attention to magnetic alignment to minimize radial sweep due to beam corkscrew. The use of magnetic switchesmore » allows high average power operation. At present ETA-II is being used to drive 140 GHz plasma heating experiments. These experiments require nominal beam parameters of 6 Mev energy, 2kA current, 20ns pulse width and a brightness of 1 {times} 10{sup 8} A/(m-rad){sup 2} at the wiggler with a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 0.5 Hz. Future 250 GHz experiments require beam parameters of 10 Mev energy, 3kA current, 50ns pulse width and a brightness of 1 {times} 10{sup 8} A/(m-rad){sup 2} with a 5 kHz PRF for 0.5 sec. In this paper we discuss the present status of ETA-II parameters and the phased development program necessary to satisfy these future requirements. 13 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.« less

  1. Effects of Within-Class Ability Grouping on Social Interaction, Achievement, and Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saleh, Mohammad; Lazonder, Ard W.; De Jong, Ton

    2005-01-01

    This study examined how grouping arrangements affect students' achievement, social interaction, and motivation. Students of high, average and low ability were randomly assigned to homogeneous or heterogeneous ability groups. All groups attended the same plant biology course. The main results indicate that low-ability students achieve more and are…

  2. Biculturalism and Academic Achievement of African American High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rust, Jonathan P.; Jackson, Margo A.; Ponterotto, Joseph G.; Blumberg, Fran C.

    2011-01-01

    Biculturalism was examined as a factor that may positively affect the academic achievement of African American high school students, beyond cultural identity and self-esteem. Hierarchical regression analyses determined that cultural identity and academic self-esteem were important factors for academic achievement, but not biculturalism.…

  3. Self-concept mediates the relation between achievement and emotions in mathematics.

    PubMed

    Van der Beek, Jojanneke P J; Van der Ven, Sanne H G; Kroesbergen, Evelyn H; Leseman, Paul P M

    2017-09-01

    Mathematics achievement is related to positive and negative emotions. Pekrun's control-value theory of achievement emotions suggests that students' self-concept (i.e., self-appraisal of ability) may be an important mediator of the relation between mathematics achievement and emotions. The aims were (1) to investigate the mediating role of mathematical self-concept in the relation between mathematics achievement and the achievement emotions of enjoyment and anxiety in a comprehensive model, and (2) to test possible differences in this mediating role between low-, average-, and high-achieving students. Participants were ninth-grade students (n = 1,014) from eight secondary schools in the Netherlands. Through an online survey including mathematical problems, students were asked to indicate their levels of mathematics enjoyment, anxiety, and self-concept. Structural equation modelling was used to test the mediating role of self-concept in the relation between mathematics achievement and emotions. Multigroup analyses were performed to compare these relations across the three achievement groups. Results confirmed full mediation of the relation between mathematics achievement and emotions by mathematical self-concept. Furthermore, we found higher self-concepts, more enjoyment and less math anxiety in high-achieving students compared to their average and low-achieving peers. No differences across these achievement groups were found in the relations in the mediational model. Mathematical self-concept plays a pivotal role in students' appraisal of mathematics. Mathematics achievement is only one factor explaining students' self-concept. Likely also classroom instruction and teachers' feedback strategies help to shape students' self-concept. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

  4. The Chinese High School Student's Stress in the School and Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Yangyang; Lu, Zuhong

    2011-01-01

    In a sample of 466 Chinese high school students, we examined the relationships between Chinese high school students' stress in the school and their academic achievements. Regression mixture modelling identified two different classes of the effects of Chinese high school students' stress on their academic achievements. One class contained 87% of…

  5. A Comparison of Emotional-Motivational (A-R-D Theory) Personality Characteristics in Learning Disabled, Normal Achieving, and High Achieving Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hufano, Linda D.

    The study examined emotional-motivational personality characteristics of 15 learning disabled, 15 normal achieving, and 15 high achieving students (grades 3-5). The study tested the hypothesis derived from the A-R-D (attitude-reinforcer-discriminative) theory of motivation that learning disabled (LD) children differ from normal and high achieving…

  6. Parenting Style, Perfectionism, and Creativity in High-Ability and High-Achieving Young Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Angie L.; Lambert, Amber D.; Speirs Neumeister, Kristie L.

    2012-01-01

    The current study explores the potential relationships among perceived parenting style, perfectionism, and creativity in a high-ability and high-achieving young adult population. Using data from 323 honors college students at a Midwestern university, bivariate correlations suggested positive relationships between (a) permissive parenting style and…

  7. Gender, Student Motivation and Academic Achievement in a Midsized Wisconsin High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lutzke, Steven Ronald

    2013-01-01

    This mixed-methods study investigated relationships among gender, academic motivation and achievement in a mid-sized Wisconsin high school. A questionnaire was developed that focused on perceived ability, achievement motives and achievement goals. Interviews with teachers focused on relationships among academic motivation and gender achievement.…

  8. Effects of individualized assignments on biology achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kremer, Philip L.

    A pretest-posttest, randomized, two groups, experimental, factorial design compared effects of detailed and nondetailed assignments on biology achievement over seven and a half months. Detailed assignments (favoring field independence and induction) employed block diagrams and stepwise directions. Nondetailed assignments (favoring field dependence and deduction) virtually lacked these. The accessible population was 101 tenth grade preparatory school male students. The 95 students enrolled in first year biology constituted the sample. Two by three ANOVA was done on residualized posttest score means of the students. Totally, the detailed students achieved significantly higher than the nondetailed students. This significantly higher achievement was only true of detailed students in the middle thirds of the deviation intelligence quotient (DIQ) range and of the grade point average (G.P.A.) range after the breakdown into upper, middle, and lower thirds of intellectual capability (ability and achievement). The upper third detailed DIQ grouping indirectly achieved higher than its peers, whereas the lower detailed DIQ third achieved lower than its peers. Thus, high capability students apparently benefit from flow and block diagrams, inductions, field independence, and high structure, whereas low capability students may be hindered by these.

  9. Premigration School Quality, Time Spent in the United States, and the Math Achievement of Immigrant High School Students.

    PubMed

    Bozick, Robert; Malchiodi, Alessandro; Miller, Trey

    2016-10-01

    Using a nationally representative sample of 1,189 immigrant youth in American high schools, we examine whether the quality of education in their country of origin is related to post-migration math achievement in the 9th grade. To measure the quality of their education in the country of origin, we use country-specific average test scores from two international assessments: the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). We find that the average PISA or TIMSS scores for immigrant youth's country of origin are positively associated with their performance on the 9th grade post-migration math assessment. We also find that each year spent in the United States is positively associated with performance on the 9th grade post-migration math assessment, but this effect is strongest for immigrants from countries with low PISA/TIMSS scores.

  10. A system dynamics optimization framework to achieve population desired of average weight target

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abidin, Norhaslinda Zainal; Zulkepli, Jafri Haji; Zaibidi, Nerda Zura

    2017-11-01

    Obesity is becoming a serious problem in Malaysia as it has been rated as the highest among Asian countries. The aim of the paper is to propose a system dynamics (SD) optimization framework to achieve population desired weight target based on the changes in physical activity behavior and its association to weight and obesity. The system dynamics approach of stocks and flows diagram was used to quantitatively model the impact of both behavior on the population's weight and obesity trends. This work seems to bring this idea together and highlighting the interdependence of the various aspects of eating and physical activity behavior on the complex of human weight regulation system. The model was used as an experimentation vehicle to investigate the impacts of changes in physical activity on weight and prevalence of obesity implications. This framework paper provides evidence on the usefulness of SD optimization as a strategic decision making approach to assist in decision making related to obesity prevention. SD applied in this research is relatively new in Malaysia and has a high potential to apply to any feedback models that address the behavior cause to obesity.

  11. Success Despite Socioeconomics: A Case Study of a High-Achieving, High-Poverty School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tilley, Thomas Brent; Smith, Samuel J.; Claxton, Russell L.

    2012-01-01

    This case study of a high-achieving, high-poverty school describes the school's leadership, culture, and programs that contributed to its success. Data were collected from two surveys (the School Culture Survey and the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education), observations at the school site, and interviews with school personnel. The…

  12. Academic Self-Efficacy of High Achieving Students in Mexico

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Camelo-Lavadores, Ana Karen; Sánchez-Escobedo, Pedro; Pinto-Sosa, Jesus

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore for differences in the academic self-efficacy of Mexican high school students. A gird questionnaire was administered to 1,460 students form private and public schools. As expected, high achieving students showed significantly higher academic self-efficacy that their peers. However, interesting gender…

  13. Parent-Child Interaction Processes Related to Scholastic Achievement in Urban Elementary Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Portes, Pedro R.; And Others

    In an attempt to identify parent-child interaction patterns that might differentiate bright from below-average elementary students, 16 high achievers and 16 low achievers were paired with their mothers and then videotaped whilst engaged in 3 sets of task situations, which involved copying of Block Design models and categorization of words and…

  14. The role of chronotype, gender, test anxiety, and conscientiousness in academic achievement of high school students.

    PubMed

    Rahafar, Arash; Maghsudloo, Mahdis; Farhangnia, Sajedeh; Vollmer, Christian; Randler, Christoph

    2016-01-01

    Previous findings have demonstrated that chronotype (morningness/intermediate/eveningness) is correlated with cognitive functions, that is, people show higher mental performance when they do a test at their preferred time of day. Empirical studies found a relationship between morningness and higher learning achievement at school and university. However, only a few of them controlled for other moderating and mediating variables. In this study, we included chronotype, gender, conscientiousness and test anxiety in a structural equation model (SEM) with grade point average (GPA) as academic achievement outcome. Participants were 158 high school students and results revealed that boys and girls differed in GPA and test anxiety significantly, with girls reporting better grades and higher test anxiety. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between conscientiousness and GPA (r = 0.17) and morningness (r = 0.29), respectively, and a negative correlation between conscientiousness and test anxiety (r = -0.22). The SEM demonstrated that gender was the strongest predictor of academic achievement. Lower test anxiety predicted higher GPA in girls but not in boys. Additionally, chronotype as moderator revealed a significant association between gender and GPA for evening types and intermediate types, while intermediate types showed a significant relationship between test anxiety and GPA. Our results suggest that gender is an essential predictor of academic achievement even stronger than low or absent test anxiety. Future studies are needed to explore how gender and chronotype act together in a longitudinal panel design and how chronotype is mediated by conscientiousness in the prediction of academic achievement.

  15. Longitudinal study of low and high achievers in early mathematics.

    PubMed

    Navarro, Jose I; Aguilar, Manuel; Marchena, Esperanza; Ruiz, Gonzalo; Menacho, Inmaculada; Van Luit, Johannes E H

    2012-03-01

    Longitudinal studies allow us to identify, which specific maths skills are weak in young children, and whether there is a continuing weakness in these areas throughout their school years. This 2-year study investigated whether certain socio-demographic variables affect early mathematical competency in children aged 5-7 years. A randomly selected sample of 127 students (64 female; 63 male) participated. At the start of the study, the students were approximately 5 years old (M= 5.2; SD= 0.28; range = 4.5-5.8). The students were assessed using the Early Numeracy Test and then allocated to a high (n= 26), middle (n= 76), or low (n= 25) achievers group. The same children were assessed again with the Early Numeracy Test at 6 and 7 years old, respectively. Eight socio-demographic characteristics were also evaluated: family model, education of the parent(s), job of the parent(s), number of family members, birth order, number of computers at home, frequency of teacher visits, and hours watching television. Early Numeracy Test scores were more consistent for the high-achievers group than for the low-achievers group. Approximately 5.5% of low achievers obtained low scores throughout the study. A link between specific socio-demographic characteristics and early achievement in mathematics was only found for number of computers at home. The level of mathematical ability among students aged 5-7 years remains relatively stable regardless of the initial level of achievement. However, early screening for mathematics learning disabilities could be useful in helping low-achieving students overcome learning obstacles. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

  16. What Does Quality Programming Mean for High Achieving Students?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Samudzi, Cleo

    2008-01-01

    The Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics and Computing (Missouri Academy) is a two-year accelerated, early-entrance-to-college, residential school that matches the level, complexity and pace of the curriculum with the readiness and motivation of high achieving high school students. The school is a part of Northwest Missouri State University…

  17. Distributing Federal Education Aid to Low Achievement Pupils: The Predicted Achievement Method.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feldstein, Martin

    This paper examines the feasibility of distributing Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I aid among school districts according to the educational achievement of pupils in each district. The "predicted achievement method" would permit the distribution of aid on the basis of population characteristics in a way that, on average,…

  18. Relationship of Elementary and Secondary School Achievement Test Scores to Later Academic Success.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loyd, Brenda H.; And Others

    1980-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between achievement test scores on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) and Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED), and high school and college grade point average. Support for the predictive validity of the ITBS and ITED achievement test batteries is provided. (Author/GK)

  19. Cloud-based design of high average power traveling wave linacs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kutsaev, S. V.; Eidelman, Y.; Bruhwiler, D. L.; Moeller, P.; Nagler, R.; Barbe Welzel, J.

    2017-12-01

    The design of industrial high average power traveling wave linacs must accurately consider some specific effects. For example, acceleration of high current beam reduces power flow in the accelerating waveguide. Space charge may influence the stability of longitudinal or transverse beam dynamics. Accurate treatment of beam loading is central to the design of high-power TW accelerators, and it is especially difficult to model in the meter-scale region where the electrons are nonrelativistic. Currently, there are two types of available codes: tracking codes (e.g. PARMELA or ASTRA) that cannot solve self-consistent problems, and particle-in-cell codes (e.g. Magic 3D or CST Particle Studio) that can model the physics correctly but are very time-consuming and resource-demanding. Hellweg is a special tool for quick and accurate electron dynamics simulation in traveling wave accelerating structures. The underlying theory of this software is based on the differential equations of motion. The effects considered in this code include beam loading, space charge forces, and external magnetic fields. We present the current capabilities of the code, provide benchmarking results, and discuss future plans. We also describe the browser-based GUI for executing Hellweg in the cloud.

  20. International note: between-domain relations of Chinese high school students' academic achievements.

    PubMed

    Yangyang, Liu

    2012-08-01

    The present study examined the between-domain relations of Chinese high school students' academic achievements. In a sample of 1870 Chinese 10th grade students, the results indicated that Chinese high school students' academic achievements were correlated across nine subjects. In line with the previous Western findings, the findings suggested that academic achievement was largely domain-general in nature. Copyright © 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. The Effect of a Zoo-Based Experiential Academic Science Program on High School Students' Math and Science Achievement and Perceptions of School Climate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mulkerrin, Elizabeth A.

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an 11th-grade and 12th-grade zoo-based academic high school experiential science program compared to a same school-district school-based academic high school experiential science program on students' pretest and posttest science, math, and reading achievement, and student perceptions of program relevance, rigor, and relationships. Science coursework delivery site served as the study's independent variable for the two naturally formed groups representing students (n = 18) who completed a zoo-based experiential academic high school science program and students (n = 18) who completed a school-based experiential academic high school science program. Students in the first group, a zoo-based experiential academic high school science program, completed real world, hands-on projects at the zoo while students in the second group, those students who completed a school-based experiential academic high school science program, completed real world, simulated projects in the classroom. These groups comprised the two research arms of the study. Both groups of students were selected from the same school district. The study's two dependent variables were achievement and school climate. Achievement was analyzed using norm-referenced 11th-grade pretest PLAN and 12th-grade posttest ACT test composite scores. Null hypotheses were rejected in the direction of improved test scores for both science program groups---students who completed the zoo-based experiential academic high school science program (p < .001) and students who completed the school-based experiential academic high school science program (p < .001). The posttest-posttest ACT test composite score comparison was not statistically different ( p = .93) indicating program equipoise for students enrolled in both science programs. No overall weighted grade point average score improvement was observed for students in either science group, however, null hypotheses were

  2. Threatened and Placed at Risk: High Achieving African American Males in Urban High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGee, Ebony O.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the risk and protective factors of 11 high-achieving African American males attending 4 urban charter high schools in a Midwestern city to determine what factors account for their resilience and success in mathematics courses, and in high school more generally. This research was guided by a Phenomenological Variant of…

  3. The Impact of Formative Assessment on Students in a High Achieving Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toungette, William Thomas

    2012-01-01

    With the passage of the No Child Left Behind mandate, school systems clamored to ensure that all students showed academic growth. For schools with a high-achieving population, this could be a daunting task. This analysis examined the impact formative assessment had on student achievement in a high-achieving, middle school by measuring three…

  4. The effects of a science intervention program on the attitudes and achievement of high school girls in science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Steakley, Carrie Capers

    This study investigated the effects of a high school science intervention program that included hands-on activities, science-related career information and exposure, and real-world experiences on girls' attitudes and achievement in science. Eighty-four girls, 44 ninth-graders and 40 tenth-graders, and 105 parents participated in the study. Survey data was collected to assess the girls' attitudes toward science in seven distinct areas: social implications of science, normality of scientists, attitude toward scientific inquiry, adoption of scientific attitudes, enjoyment of science lessons, leisure interest in science, and career interest in science. Additional questionnaires were used to determine the extent of the girls' participation in sports and the attitudes of their parents toward science. The girls' cumulative science semester grade point averages since the seventh grade were used to assess academic science achievement. This study found no evidence that participation in the program improved the girls' attitudes or achievement in science. Parent attitudes and years of participation in sports were not accurate predictors of science achievement. Additionally, no significant relationship was detected between the girls' and their parents' perceptions of science. However, the study did suggest that extended participation in sports may positively affect science achievement for girls. This study holds implications for educational stakeholders who seek to implement intervention methods and programs that may improve student attitudes and achievement in science and attract more youth to future science-related careers.

  5. Brain Hemisphericity and Mathematics Achievement of High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fernandez, Sanny F.

    2011-01-01

    This study aimed to find out the brain hemisphericity and mathematics achievement of high school students. The respondents of the study were the 168 first year high school students of Colegio de San Jose, during school year 2010-2011 who were chosen through stratified random sampling. The descriptive and interview methods of research were used in…

  6. Music Achievement and Academic Achievement: Isolating the School as a Unit of Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frey-Clark, Marta

    2015-01-01

    Music participation and academic achievement have long been of interest to educators, researchers and policy makers. The literature is replete with studies linking music participation to higher state assessment scores, grade point averages, and Standardized Achievement Test (SAT) scores. If students from quality music programs academically…

  7. High average-power 2 μm radiation generated by intracavity KTP OPO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Guangyuan; Guo, Jing; Jiao, Zhongxing; Wang, Biao

    2015-09-01

    A high average-power 2 μm laser with good beam quality based on an intracavity potassium titanium oxide phosphate (KTP) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is demonstrated. A concave lens is used in the 1064 nm Nd:YAG pumped laser cavity to compensate for the thermal lensing of the laser rod. The cavity length of the KTP OPO is enlarged to improve the 2 μm beam quality. The maximum average output of the 2 μm laser is up to 18 W at 7 kHz with M 2 less than 6 and pulse width of 70 ns. The FWHM of the signal and idle lights are both less than 3 nm.

  8. Professional Competences of Teachers for Fostering Creativity and Supporting High-Achieving Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoth, Jessica; Kaiser, Gabriele; Busse, Andreas; Döhrmann, Martina; König, Johannes; Blömeke, Sigrid

    2017-01-01

    This paper addresses an important task teachers face in class: the identification and support of creative and high-achieving students. In particular, we examine whether primary teachers (1) have acquired professional knowledge during teacher education that is necessary to foster creativity and to teach high-achieving students, and whether they (2)…

  9. High average power, highly brilliant laser-produced plasma source for soft X-ray spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Mantouvalou, Ioanna; Witte, Katharina; Grötzsch, Daniel; Neitzel, Michael; Günther, Sabrina; Baumann, Jonas; Jung, Robert; Stiel, Holger; Kanngiesser, Birgit; Sandner, Wolfgang

    2015-03-01

    In this work, a novel laser-produced plasma source is presented which delivers pulsed broadband soft X-radiation in the range between 100 and 1200 eV. The source was designed in view of long operating hours, high stability, and cost effectiveness. It relies on a rotating and translating metal target and achieves high stability through an on-line monitoring device using a four quadrant extreme ultraviolet diode in a pinhole camera arrangement. The source can be operated with three different laser pulse durations and various target materials and is equipped with two beamlines for simultaneous experiments. Characterization measurements are presented with special emphasis on the source position and emission stability of the source. As a first application, a near edge X-ray absorption fine structure measurement on a thin polyimide foil shows the potential of the source for soft X-ray spectroscopy.

  10. The Effect of Music Participation on Mathematical Achievement and Overall Academic Achievement of High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cox, H. A.; Stephens, L. J.

    2006-01-01

    A study was conducted on high school students, comparing those with some music credits to those with none. No statistically significant difference was found in their mean math grade point averages (GPA) or their mean cumulative GPAs. Students were then separated into two groups based on the number of music credits. Students who had earned at least…

  11. Best Practices for Achieving High, Rapid Reading Gains

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carbo, Marie

    2008-01-01

    The percentage of students who read at the proficient level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has not improved, and is appallingly low. In order for students to achieve high reading gains and become life-long readers, reading comprehension and reading enjoyment must be the top two goals. This article presents several…

  12. Bullying and Victimization Rates among Gifted and High-Achieving Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peters, Megan Parker; Bain, Sherry K.

    2011-01-01

    Bullying and victimization rates among 90 gifted and nongifted, high-achieving (HA) high school students were assessed by using the Reynolds Bully Victimization Scale (BVS; W. M. Reynolds, 2003). The mean scores indicate that gifted and HA high school students bully others and are victimized by others generally at unelevated rates based on BVS…

  13. Average power scaling of UV excimer lasers drives flat panel display and lidar applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herbst, Ludolf; Delmdahl, Ralph F.; Paetzel, Rainer

    2012-03-01

    Average power scaling of 308nm excimer lasers has followed an evolutionary path over the last two decades driven by diverse industrial UV laser microprocessing markets. Recently, a new dual-oscillator and beam management concept for high-average power upscaling of excimer lasers has been realized, for the first time enabling as much as 1.2kW of stabilized UV-laser average output power at a UV wavelength of 308nm. The new dual-oscillator concept enables low temperature polysilicon (LTPS) fabrication to be extended to generation six glass substrates. This is essential in terms of a more economic high-volume manufacturing of flat panel displays for the soaring smartphone and tablet PC markets. Similarly, the cost-effective production of flexible displays is driven by 308nm excimer laser power scaling. Flexible displays have enormous commercial potential and can largely use the same production equipment as is used for rigid display manufacturing. Moreover, higher average output power of 308nm excimer lasers aids reducing measurement time and improving the signal-to-noise ratio in the worldwide network of high altitude Raman lidar stations. The availability of kW-class 308nm excimer lasers has the potential to take LIDAR backscattering signal strength and achievable altitude to new levels.

  14. Industrial applications of high-average power high-peak power nanosecond pulse duration Nd:YAG lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harrison, Paul M.; Ellwi, Samir

    2009-02-01

    Within the vast range of laser materials processing applications, every type of successful commercial laser has been driven by a major industrial process. For high average power, high peak power, nanosecond pulse duration Nd:YAG DPSS lasers, the enabling process is high speed surface engineering. This includes applications such as thin film patterning and selective coating removal in markets such as the flat panel displays (FPD), solar and automotive industries. Applications such as these tend to require working spots that have uniform intensity distribution using specific shapes and dimensions, so a range of innovative beam delivery systems have been developed that convert the gaussian beam shape produced by the laser into a range of rectangular and/or shaped spots, as required by demands of each project. In this paper the authors will discuss the key parameters of this type of laser and examine why they are important for high speed surface engineering projects, and how they affect the underlying laser-material interaction and the removal mechanism. Several case studies will be considered in the FPD and solar markets, exploring the close link between the application, the key laser characteristics and the beam delivery system that link these together.

  15. The Importance of Average: Playing the Game of School to Increase Success and Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farenga, Stephen; Ness, Daniel; Johnson, Dale D.; Johnson, Bonnie

    2010-01-01

    This book calls attention to the policies and practices that discriminate against the silent majority of students in the American educational system. Arguments presented emphasize the collateral damage caused to average students by legislative mandates, administrative policies, teaching practices, parenting beliefs, and adherence to strict…

  16. Improving sensitivity in micro-free flow electrophoresis using signal averaging

    PubMed Central

    Turgeon, Ryan T.; Bowser, Michael T.

    2009-01-01

    Microfluidic free-flow electrophoresis (μFFE) is a separation technique that separates continuous streams of analytes as they travel through an electric field in a planar flow channel. The continuous nature of the μFFE separation suggests that approaches more commonly applied in spectroscopy and imaging may be effective in improving sensitivity. The current paper describes the S/N improvements that can be achieved by simply averaging multiple images of a μFFE separation; 20–24-fold improvements in S/N were observed by averaging the signal from 500 images recorded for over 2 min. Up to an 80-fold improvement in S/N was observed by averaging 6500 images. Detection limits as low as 14 pM were achieved for fluorescein, which is impressive considering the non-ideal optical set-up used in these experiments. The limitation to this signal averaging approach was the stability of the μFFE separation. At separation times longer than 20 min bubbles began to form at the electrodes, which disrupted the flow profile through the device, giving rise to erratic peak positions. PMID:19319908

  17. 2×2 dominant achievement goal profiles in high-level swimmers.

    PubMed

    Fernandez-Rio, Javier; Cecchini Estrada, Jose A; Mendez-Giménez, Antonio; Fernández-Garcia, Benjamín; Saavedra, Pablo

    2014-01-01

    The goal of this study was to assess achievement goal dominance, self-determined situational motivation and competence in high-level swimmers before and after three training sessions set at different working intensities (medium, sub-maximal and maximal). Nineteen athletes (males, n=9, 18.00±2.32 years; females, n=10, 16.30±2.01 years, range = 14-18) agreed to participate. They completed a questionnaire that included the Dominant Achievement Goal assessment instrument, the 2×2 Achievement Goals Questionnaire for Sport (AGQ-S), The Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS) and the Competence subscale of the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise questionnaire (BPNES). Results indicated that participants overwhelmingly showed mastery-approach achievement goal dominance, and it remained stable at the conclusion of the different training sessions under all intensity levels. This profile was positively correlated to self-determined situational motivation and competence. However, swimmers' feelings of competence increased only after the medium intensity level training session. After the completion of the maximal intensity training session, swimmers' self-determined motivation was significantly lower compared to the other two training sessions, which could be caused by a temporary period of burnout. Results indicated that high-level swimmers had a distinct mastery-approach dominant achievement goal profile that was not affected by the workload of the different training sessions. They also showed high levels of self-determined situational motivation and competence. However, heavy workloads should be controlled because they can cause transitory burnout.

  18. High Stakes for High Achievers: State Accountability in the Age of ESSA

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petrilli, Michael J.; Griffith, David; Wright, Brandon L.; Kim, Audrey

    2016-01-01

    In this report, the authors examine the extent to which states' current (or planned) accountability systems for elementary and middle schools attend to the needs of high-achieving students, and how these systems might be redesigned under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to better serve all students. In their view, states can and should take…

  19. Virtual Averaging Making Nonframe-Averaged Optical Coherence Tomography Images Comparable to Frame-Averaged Images.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chieh-Li; Ishikawa, Hiroshi; Wollstein, Gadi; Bilonick, Richard A; Kagemann, Larry; Schuman, Joel S

    2016-01-01

    Developing a novel image enhancement method so that nonframe-averaged optical coherence tomography (OCT) images become comparable to active eye-tracking frame-averaged OCT images. Twenty-one eyes of 21 healthy volunteers were scanned with noneye-tracking nonframe-averaged OCT device and active eye-tracking frame-averaged OCT device. Virtual averaging was applied to nonframe-averaged images with voxel resampling and adding amplitude deviation with 15-time repetitions. Signal-to-noise (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR), and the distance between the end of visible nasal retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and the foveola were assessed to evaluate the image enhancement effect and retinal layer visibility. Retinal thicknesses before and after processing were also measured. All virtual-averaged nonframe-averaged images showed notable improvement and clear resemblance to active eye-tracking frame-averaged images. Signal-to-noise and CNR were significantly improved (SNR: 30.5 vs. 47.6 dB, CNR: 4.4 vs. 6.4 dB, original versus processed, P < 0.0001, paired t -test). The distance between the end of visible nasal RNFL and the foveola was significantly different before (681.4 vs. 446.5 μm, Cirrus versus Spectralis, P < 0.0001) but not after processing (442.9 vs. 446.5 μm, P = 0.76). Sectoral macular total retinal and circumpapillary RNFL thicknesses showed systematic differences between Cirrus and Spectralis that became not significant after processing. The virtual averaging method successfully improved nontracking nonframe-averaged OCT image quality and made the images comparable to active eye-tracking frame-averaged OCT images. Virtual averaging may enable detailed retinal structure studies on images acquired using a mixture of nonframe-averaged and frame-averaged OCT devices without concerning about systematic differences in both qualitative and quantitative aspects.

  20. Virtual Averaging Making Nonframe-Averaged Optical Coherence Tomography Images Comparable to Frame-Averaged Images

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Chieh-Li; Ishikawa, Hiroshi; Wollstein, Gadi; Bilonick, Richard A.; Kagemann, Larry; Schuman, Joel S.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose Developing a novel image enhancement method so that nonframe-averaged optical coherence tomography (OCT) images become comparable to active eye-tracking frame-averaged OCT images. Methods Twenty-one eyes of 21 healthy volunteers were scanned with noneye-tracking nonframe-averaged OCT device and active eye-tracking frame-averaged OCT device. Virtual averaging was applied to nonframe-averaged images with voxel resampling and adding amplitude deviation with 15-time repetitions. Signal-to-noise (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR), and the distance between the end of visible nasal retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and the foveola were assessed to evaluate the image enhancement effect and retinal layer visibility. Retinal thicknesses before and after processing were also measured. Results All virtual-averaged nonframe-averaged images showed notable improvement and clear resemblance to active eye-tracking frame-averaged images. Signal-to-noise and CNR were significantly improved (SNR: 30.5 vs. 47.6 dB, CNR: 4.4 vs. 6.4 dB, original versus processed, P < 0.0001, paired t-test). The distance between the end of visible nasal RNFL and the foveola was significantly different before (681.4 vs. 446.5 μm, Cirrus versus Spectralis, P < 0.0001) but not after processing (442.9 vs. 446.5 μm, P = 0.76). Sectoral macular total retinal and circumpapillary RNFL thicknesses showed systematic differences between Cirrus and Spectralis that became not significant after processing. Conclusion The virtual averaging method successfully improved nontracking nonframe-averaged OCT image quality and made the images comparable to active eye-tracking frame-averaged OCT images. Translational Relevance Virtual averaging may enable detailed retinal structure studies on images acquired using a mixture of nonframe-averaged and frame-averaged OCT devices without concerning about systematic differences in both qualitative and quantitative aspects. PMID:26835180

  1. Practically Perfect in Every Way: Can Reframing Perfectionism for High-Achieving Undergraduates Impact Academic Resilience?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dickinson, Mary J.; Dickinson, David A. G.

    2015-01-01

    This study focuses on a pan-disciplinary scheme that targeted high-achieving undergraduate students. Earlier research from the scheme argued that high achievers have discernibly different learning and personal development support needs. One of the most frequent self-reported challenges within this high-achieving group is perfectionism. This…

  2. The Relationship between Parental Involvement and Student Achievement in a Rural Florida High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, Willie A.

    2011-01-01

    Parental involvement is viewed as critical to the development of effective schools and student achievement. The relationship between parental involvement and achievement test scores at a rural high school in Florida was not known. This high school has not met the state standards as determined by the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT)…

  3. Relationships among Stress, Coping, and Mental Health in High-Achieving High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suldo, Shannon M.; Shaunessy, Elizabeth; Hardesty, Robin

    2008-01-01

    This study investigates the relationships among stress, coping, and mental health in 139 students participating in an International Baccalaureate (IB) high school diploma program. Mental health was assessed using both positive indicators (life satisfaction, academic achievement, academic self-efficacy) and negative indicators (psychopathology) of…

  4. The Relationship between Frustration Intolerance and Academic Achievement in College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilde, Jerry

    2012-01-01

    Traditional measures of predicting academic achievement in college such as high school grades and standardized test scores account for approximately 25% of the difference between predicted and actual grade point average (GPA). Researchers have also examined the relationship between psychological factors and academic self-efficacy which may account…

  5. Expanding Opportunities for High Academic Achievement: An International Baccalaureate Diploma Program in an Urban High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mayer, Anysia P.

    2008-01-01

    Students of color are consistently underrepresented in honors and gifted programs nationwide, and even high-achieving students share many of the risk factors with their low-achieving peers. The study presented in this paper employed mixed methods to investigate the relationship between the design of a rigorous college preparatory program, the…

  6. Achieving high aspect ratio wrinkles by modifying material network stress.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yu-Cheng; Wang, Yan; McCarthy, Thomas J; Crosby, Alfred J

    2017-06-07

    Wrinkle aspect ratio, or the amplitude divided by the wavelength, is hindered by strain localization transitions when an increasing global compressive stress is applied to synthetic material systems. However, many examples from living organisms show extremely high aspect ratios, such as gut villi and flower petals. We use three experimental approaches to demonstrate that these high aspect ratio structures can be achieved by modifying the network stress in the wrinkle substrate. We modify the wrinkle stress and effectively delay the strain localization transition, such as folding, to larger aspect ratios by using a zero-stress initial wavy substrate, creating a secondary network with post-curing, or using chemical stress relaxation materials. A wrinkle aspect ratio as high as 0.85, almost three times higher than common values of synthetic wrinkles, is achieved, and a quantitative framework is presented to provide understanding the different strategies and predictions for future investigations.

  7. The Effects of Various High School Scheduling Models on Student Achievement in Michigan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pickell, Russell E.

    2017-01-01

    This study reviews research and data to determine whether student achievement is affected by the high school scheduling model, and whether changes in scheduling models result in statistically significant changes in student achievement, as measured by the ACT Composite, ACT English Language Arts, and ACT Math scores. The high school scheduling…

  8. Antecedents to High Educational Achievement Among Southwestern Mexican Americans.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Amodeo, Luiza B.; Martin, Jeanette

    The study examined antecedents to high educational achievement of 42 selected Mexican Americans (university professors, third-year law students, and third- and fourth-year medical students) in 5 southwestern universities (4 in California and 1 in New Mexico). Two related considerations prompted the investigation: failure of many Mexican Americans…

  9. Learning styles and academic achievement among undergraduate medical students in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Jiraporncharoen, Wichuda; Angkurawaranon, Chaisiri; Chockjamsai, Manoch; Deesomchok, Athavudh; Euathrongchit, Juntima

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to explore the associations between learning styles and high academic achievement and to ascertain whether the factors associated with high academic achievement differed between preclinical and clinical students. A survey was conducted among undergraduate medical students in Chiang Mai University, Thailand. The Index of Learning Styles questionnaire was used to assess each student's learning style across four domains. High academic achievement was defined as a grade point average of at least 3.0. Of the 1,248 eligible medical students, 1,014 (81.3%) participated. Learning styles differed between the preclinical and clinical students in the active/reflective domain. A sequential learning style was associated with high academic achievement in both preclinical and clinical students. A reflective learning style was only associated with high academic achievement among preclinical students. The association between learning styles and academic achievement may have differed between preclinical and clinical students due to different learning content and teaching methods. Students should be encouraged to be flexible in their own learning styles in order to engage successfully with various and changing teaching methods across the curriculum. Instructors should be also encouraged to provide a variety of teaching materials and resources to suit different learning styles.

  10. Learning styles and academic achievement among undergraduate medical students in Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Jiraporncharoen, Wichuda; Angkurawaranon, Chaisiri; Chockjamsai, Manoch; Deesomchok, Athavudh; Euathrongchit, Juntima

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This study aimed to explore the associations between learning styles and high academic achievement and to ascertain whether the factors associated with high academic achievement differed between preclinical and clinical students. Methods: A survey was conducted among undergraduate medical students in Chiang Mai University, Thailand. The Index of Learning Styles questionnaire was used to assess each student’s learning style across four domains. High academic achievement was defined as a grade point average of at least 3.0. Results: Of the 1,248 eligible medical students, 1,014 (81.3%) participated. Learning styles differed between the preclinical and clinical students in the active/reflective domain. A sequential learning style was associated with high academic achievement in both preclinical and clinical students. A reflective learning style was only associated with high academic achievement among preclinical students. Conclusion: The association between learning styles and academic achievement may have differed between preclinical and clinical students due to different learning content and teaching methods. Students should be encouraged to be flexible in their own learning styles in order to engage successfully with various and changing teaching methods across the curriculum. Instructors should be also encouraged to provide a variety of teaching materials and resources to suit different learning styles. PMID:26165948

  11. A satellite snow depth multi-year average derived from SSM/I for the high latitude regions

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Biancamaria, S.; Mognard, N.M.; Boone, A.; Grippa, M.; Josberger, E.G.

    2008-01-01

    The hydrological cycle for high latitude regions is inherently linked with the seasonal snowpack. Thus, accurately monitoring the snow depth and the associated aerial coverage are critical issues for monitoring the global climate system. Passive microwave satellite measurements provide an optimal means to monitor the snowpack over the arctic region. While the temporal evolution of snow extent can be observed globally from microwave radiometers, the determination of the corresponding snow depth is more difficult. A dynamic algorithm that accounts for the dependence of the microwave scattering on the snow grain size has been developed to estimate snow depth from Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) brightness temperatures and was validated over the U.S. Great Plains and Western Siberia. The purpose of this study is to assess the dynamic algorithm performance over the entire high latitude (land) region by computing a snow depth multi-year field for the time period 1987-1995. This multi-year average is compared to the Global Soil Wetness Project-Phase2 (GSWP2) snow depth computed from several state-of-the-art land surface schemes and averaged over the same time period. The multi-year average obtained by the dynamic algorithm is in good agreement with the GSWP2 snow depth field (the correlation coefficient for January is 0.55). The static algorithm, which assumes a constant snow grain size in space and time does not correlate with the GSWP2 snow depth field (the correlation coefficient with GSWP2 data for January is - 0.03), but exhibits a very high anti-correlation with the NCEP average January air temperature field (correlation coefficient - 0.77), the deepest satellite snow pack being located in the coldest regions, where the snow grain size may be significantly larger than the average value used in the static algorithm. The dynamic algorithm performs better over Eurasia (with a correlation coefficient with GSWP2 snow depth equal to 0.65) than over North America

  12. Average variograms to guide soil sampling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kerry, R.; Oliver, M. A.

    2004-10-01

    To manage land in a site-specific way for agriculture requires detailed maps of the variation in the soil properties of interest. To predict accurately for mapping, the interval at which the soil is sampled should relate to the scale of spatial variation. A variogram can be used to guide sampling in two ways. A sampling interval of less than half the range of spatial dependence can be used, or the variogram can be used with the kriging equations to determine an optimal sampling interval to achieve a given tolerable error. A variogram might not be available for the site, but if the variograms of several soil properties were available on a similar parent material and or particular topographic positions an average variogram could be calculated from these. Averages of the variogram ranges and standardized average variograms from four different parent materials in southern England were used to suggest suitable sampling intervals for future surveys in similar pedological settings based on half the variogram range. The standardized average variograms were also used to determine optimal sampling intervals using the kriging equations. Similar sampling intervals were suggested by each method and the maps of predictions based on data at different grid spacings were evaluated for the different parent materials. Variograms of loss on ignition (LOI) taken from the literature for other sites in southern England with similar parent materials had ranges close to the average for a given parent material showing the possible wider application of such averages to guide sampling.

  13. Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activities in Electrochemistry: High School Students' Achievements and Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sesen, Burcin Acar; Tarhan, Leman

    2013-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the effects of inquiry-based laboratory activities on high school students' understanding of electrochemistry and attitudes towards chemistry and laboratory work. The participants were 62 high school students (average age 17 years) in an urban public high school in Turkey. Students were assigned to experimental (N =…

  14. Achievementrap: How America is Failing Millions of High-Achieving Students from Lower-Income Families

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wyner, Joshua S.; Bridgeland, John M.; DiIulio, John J., Jr.

    2007-01-01

    This report chronicles the experiences of high-achieving lower-income students during elementary school, high school, college, and graduate school. Millions of high-achieving lower-income students are found in urban, suburban, and rural communities all across America, reflecting the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of the nation's schools,…

  15. School factors affecting postsecondary career pursuits of high-achieving girls in mathematics and science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoo, Hyunsil

    This study examined the influences of secondary school experiences of high-achieving girls in math and science on their postsecondary career pursuits in science fields. Specifically, using the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88), the study investigated how science class experiences in high school affect science career persistence of high-achieving girls over and above personal and family factors. Selecting the top 10% on the 8 th grade math and science achievement tests from two panel samples of 1988--1994 and 1988--2000, this study examined which science instructional experiences (i.e., lecture-oriented, experiment-oriented, and student-oriented) best predicted college major choices and postsecondary degree attainments in the fields of science after controlling for personal and family factors. A two-stage test was employed for the analysis of each panel sample. The first test examined the dichotomous career pursuits between science careers and non-science careers and the second test examined the dichotomous pursuits within science careers: "hard" science and "soft" science. Logistic regression procedures were used with consideration of panel weights and design effects. This study identified that experiment-oriented and student-oriented instructional practices seem to positively affect science career pursuits of high-achieving females, while lecture-oriented instruction negatively affected their science career pursuits, and that the longitudinal effects of the two positive instructional contributors to science career pursuits appear to be differential between major choice and degree attainment. This study also found that the influences of instructional practices seem to be slight for general females, while those for high-achieving females were highly considerable, regardless of whether negative or positive. Another result of the study found that only student-oriented instruction seemed to have positive effects for high-achieving males. In

  16. Properties of model-averaged BMDLs: a study of model averaging in dichotomous response risk estimation.

    PubMed

    Wheeler, Matthew W; Bailer, A John

    2007-06-01

    Model averaging (MA) has been proposed as a method of accounting for model uncertainty in benchmark dose (BMD) estimation. The technique has been used to average BMD dose estimates derived from dichotomous dose-response experiments, microbial dose-response experiments, as well as observational epidemiological studies. While MA is a promising tool for the risk assessor, a previous study suggested that the simple strategy of averaging individual models' BMD lower limits did not yield interval estimators that met nominal coverage levels in certain situations, and this performance was very sensitive to the underlying model space chosen. We present a different, more computationally intensive, approach in which the BMD is estimated using the average dose-response model and the corresponding benchmark dose lower bound (BMDL) is computed by bootstrapping. This method is illustrated with TiO(2) dose-response rat lung cancer data, and then systematically studied through an extensive Monte Carlo simulation. The results of this study suggest that the MA-BMD, estimated using this technique, performs better, in terms of bias and coverage, than the previous MA methodology. Further, the MA-BMDL achieves nominal coverage in most cases, and is superior to picking the "best fitting model" when estimating the benchmark dose. Although these results show utility of MA for benchmark dose risk estimation, they continue to highlight the importance of choosing an adequate model space as well as proper model fit diagnostics.

  17. Influences on Academic Achievement Across High and Low Income Countries: A Re-Analysis of IEA Data.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heyneman, S.; Loxley, W.

    Previous international studies of science achievement put the data through a process of winnowing to decide which variables to keep in the final regressions. Variables were allowed to enter the final regressions if they met a minimum beta coefficient criterion of 0.05 averaged across rich and poor countries alike. The criterion was an average…

  18. English Proficiency and Peer Interethnic Relations as Predictors of Math Achievement among Latino and Asian Immigrant Students

    PubMed Central

    Barrett, Alice N.; Barile, John P.; Malm, Esther K.; Weaver, Scott R.

    2013-01-01

    Studies show math achievement to be the best predictor of entering post-secondary education. However, less is known about the predictors of math achievement, particularly among immigrant youth. This study examined English proficiency and peer interethnic relations as predictors of mathematics achievement among Latino and Asian high school students, postulating an interaction between the predictors and mediation by academic motivation. A multilevel moderated-mediation model was used to analyze data from a national sample of 2,113 non-native English speaking Latino and Asian students attending high school in the U.S. We found that higher academic motivation mediated the relationship between English proficiency during their sophomore year and gains in senior math achievement scores for both Asian and Latino students. For Latino students however, this indirect path was only significant for students whose perceptions of positive peer interethnic relations at school were average or above average. PMID:22959129

  19. Need for Achievement, Curiosity and Sense of Control: Pilot Study for a Large-Scale Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenberger, Ellen; Entwisle, Doris R.

    The introduction reviews a number of findings and problems in the measurement of achievement motivation and raises some questions concerning the possible friction between motivation to achieve and curiosity. Subjects for the two pilot studies es were ninth graders of average (95-113) and high IQ (128 +) from a predominantly upper middle-class…

  20. Self-Esteem and Academic Achievement of High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moradi Sheykhjan, Tohid; Jabari, Kamran; Rajeswari, K.

    2014-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of self-esteem on academic achievement among high school students in Miandoab City of Iran. The methodology of the research is descriptive and correlation that descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Statistical Society includes male and female high…

  1. Supplementary Education: The Hidden Curriculum of High Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gordon, Edmund W., Ed.; Bridglall, Beatrice L., Ed.; Meroe, Aundra Saa, Ed.

    2004-01-01

    In this book, the editors argue that while access to schools that enable and expect academic achievement is a necessary ingredient for the education of students, schools alone may not be sufficient to ensure universally high levels of academic development. Supplemental educational experiences may also be needed. The idea of supplementary education…

  2. Achieving High Performance on the i860 Microprocessor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lee, King; Kutler, Paul (Technical Monitor)

    1998-01-01

    The i860 is a high performance microprocessor used in the Intel Touchstone project. This paper proposes a paradigm for programming the i860 that is modelled on the vector instructions of the Cray computers. Fortran callable assembler subroutines were written that mimic the concurrent vector instructions of the Cray. Cache takes the place of vector registers. Using this paradigm we have achieved twice the performance of compiled code on a traditional solve.

  3. Experimental Investigation of the Differences Between Reynolds-Averaged and Favre-Averaged Velocity in Supersonic Jets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Panda, J.; Seasholtz, R. G.

    2005-01-01

    Recent advancement in the molecular Rayleigh scattering based technique allowed for simultaneous measurement of velocity and density fluctuations with high sampling rates. The technique was used to investigate unheated high subsonic and supersonic fully expanded free jets in the Mach number range of 0.8 to 1.8. The difference between the Favre averaged and Reynolds averaged axial velocity and axial component of the turbulent kinetic energy is found to be small. Estimates based on the Morkovin's "Strong Reynolds Analogy" were found to provide lower values of turbulent density fluctuations than the measured data.

  4. The effects of modeling instruction on high school physics academic achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wright, Tiffanie L.

    The purpose of this study was to explore whether Modeling Instruction, compared to traditional lecturing, is an effective instructional method to promote academic achievement in selected high school physics classes at a rural middle Tennessee high school. This study used an ex post facto , quasi-experimental research methodology. The independent variables in this study were the instructional methods of teaching. The treatment variable was Modeling Instruction and the control variable was traditional lecture instruction. The Treatment Group consisted of participants in Physical World Concepts who received Modeling Instruction. The Control Group consisted of participants in Physical Science who received traditional lecture instruction. The dependent variable was gains scores on the Force Concepts Inventory (FCI). The participants for this study were 133 students each in both the Treatment and Control Groups (n = 266), who attended a public, high school in rural middle Tennessee. The participants were administered the Force Concepts Inventory (FCI) prior to being taught the mechanics of physics. The FCI data were entered into the computer-based Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS). Two independent samples t-tests were conducted to answer the research questions. There was a statistically significant difference between the treatment and control groups concerning the instructional method. Modeling Instructional methods were found to be effective in increasing the academic achievement of students in high school physics. There was no statistically significant difference between FCI gains scores for gender. Gender was found to have no effect on the academic achievement of students in high school physics classes. However, even though there was not a statistically significant difference, female students' gains scores were higher than male students' gains scores when Modeling Instructional methods of teaching were used. Based on these findings, it is recommended

  5. High-risk population health management--achieving improved patient outcomes and near-term financial results.

    PubMed

    Lynch, J P; Forman, S A; Graff, S; Gunby, M C

    2000-07-01

    A managed care organization sought to achieve efficiencies in care delivery and cost savings by anticipating and better caring for its frail and least stable members. Time sequence case study of program intervention across an entire managed care population in its first year compared with the prior baseline year. Key attributes of the intervention included predictive registries of at-risk members based on existing data, relentless focus on the high-risk group, an integrated clinical and psychosocial approach to assessments and are planning, a reengineered care management process, secured Internet applications enabling rapid implementation and broad connectivity, and population-based outcomes metrics derived from widely used measures of resource utilization and functional status. Concentrating on the highest-risk group, which averaged just 1.1% prevalence in the total membership, yielded bottom line results. When the year before program implementation (July 1997 through June 1998) was compared with the subsequent year, the total population's annualized commercial admission rate was reduced 5.3%, and seniors' was reduced 3.0%. A claims-paid analysis exclusively of the highest-risk group revealed that their efficiencies and savings overwhelmingly contributed to the membershipwide effect. This subgroup's costs dropped 35.7% from preprogram levels of $2590 per member per month (excluding pharmaceuticals). During the same time, patient-derived cross-sectional functional status rose 12.5%. A sharply focused, Internet-deployed case management strategy achieved economic and functional status results on a population basis and produced systemwide savings in its first year of implementation.

  6. Early College High School: Closing the Latino Achievement Gap

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beall, Kristen Ann

    2016-01-01

    The population of United States Latino students is growing at a rapid rate but their academic achievement lags behind white and Asian students. This issue has significant consequences for the nation's economy, as the job market continues to demand more education and better skills. Early College High School programs have the potential to improve…

  7. Achievement as Resistance: The Development of a Critical Race Achievement Ideology among Black Achievers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Dorinda J.

    2008-01-01

    In this article, Dorinda Carter examines the embodiment of a critical race achievement ideology in high-achieving black students. She conducted a yearlong qualitative investigation of the adaptive behaviors that nine high-achieving black students developed and employed to navigate the process of schooling at an upper-class, predominantly white,…

  8. Student Academic Achievement in Rural vs. Non-Rural High Schools in Wisconsin

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Droessler Mersch, Rebecca L.

    2012-01-01

    This study analyzed how Wisconsin rural public high schools' academic achievement compared to their city, suburb and town peers while controlling for ten factors. The Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination (WKCE) measured academic achievement for tenth graders including reading, language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. The ten…

  9. Motivation and Achievement of Gifted Children in East Asia and the United States.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stevenson, Harold W.; And Others

    1993-01-01

    Analysis of both cross-sectional and longitudinal data from five studies on the academic achievement and cognitive abilities of the top 10% and the most average 10% of students in grades 1, 5, and 11 found high-ability Asian students outperformed high-ability U.S. students in mathematics but not in reading. (DB)

  10. Parent Involvement Practices of High-Achieving Elementary Science Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Waller, Samara Susan

    This study addressed a prevalence of low achievement in science courses in an urban school district in Georgia. National leaders and educators have identified the improvement of science proficiency as critical to the future of American industry. The purpose of this study was to examine parent involvement in this school district and its contribution to the academic achievement of successful science students. Social capital theory guided this study by suggesting that students achieve best when investments are made into their academic and social development. A collective case study qualitative research design was used to interview 9 parent participants at 2 elementary schools whose children scored in the exceeds category on the Science CRCT. The research questions focused on what these parents did at home to support their children's academic achievement. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview protocol and analyzed through the categorical aggregation of transcribed interviews. Key findings revealed that the parents invested time and resources in 3 practices: communicating high expectations, supporting and developing key skills, and communicating with teachers. These findings contribute to social change at both the local and community level by creating a starting point for teachers, principals, and district leaders to reexamine the value of parent input in the educational process, and by providing data to support the revision of current parent involvement policies. Possibilities for further study building upon the findings of this study may focus on student perceptions of their parents' parenting as it relates to their science achievement.

  11. Incidence Rates of Clinical Mastitis among Canadian Holsteins Classified as High, Average, or Low Immune Responders

    PubMed Central

    Miglior, Filippo; Mallard, Bonnie A.

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the incidence rate of clinical mastitis (IRCM) between cows classified as high, average, or low for antibody-mediated immune responses (AMIR) and cell-mediated immune responses (CMIR). In collaboration with the Canadian Bovine Mastitis Research Network, 458 lactating Holsteins from 41 herds were immunized with a type 1 and a type 2 test antigen to stimulate adaptive immune responses. A delayed-type hypersensitivity test to the type 1 test antigen was used as an indicator of CMIR, and serum antibody of the IgG1 isotype to the type 2 test antigen was used for AMIR determination. By using estimated breeding values for these traits, cows were classified as high, average, or low responders. The IRCM was calculated as the number of cases of mastitis experienced over the total time at risk throughout the 2-year study period. High-AMIR cows had an IRCM of 17.1 cases per 100 cow-years, which was significantly lower than average and low responders, with 27.9 and 30.7 cases per 100 cow-years, respectively. Low-AMIR cows tended to have the most severe mastitis. No differences in the IRCM were noted when cows were classified based on CMIR, likely due to the extracellular nature of mastitis-causing pathogens. The results of this study demonstrate the desirability of breeding dairy cattle for enhanced immune responses to decrease the incidence and severity of mastitis in the Canadian dairy industry. PMID:23175290

  12. Incidence rates of clinical mastitis among Canadian Holsteins classified as high, average, or low immune responders.

    PubMed

    Thompson-Crispi, Kathleen A; Miglior, Filippo; Mallard, Bonnie A

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the incidence rate of clinical mastitis (IRCM) between cows classified as high, average, or low for antibody-mediated immune responses (AMIR) and cell-mediated immune responses (CMIR). In collaboration with the Canadian Bovine Mastitis Research Network, 458 lactating Holsteins from 41 herds were immunized with a type 1 and a type 2 test antigen to stimulate adaptive immune responses. A delayed-type hypersensitivity test to the type 1 test antigen was used as an indicator of CMIR, and serum antibody of the IgG1 isotype to the type 2 test antigen was used for AMIR determination. By using estimated breeding values for these traits, cows were classified as high, average, or low responders. The IRCM was calculated as the number of cases of mastitis experienced over the total time at risk throughout the 2-year study period. High-AMIR cows had an IRCM of 17.1 cases per 100 cow-years, which was significantly lower than average and low responders, with 27.9 and 30.7 cases per 100 cow-years, respectively. Low-AMIR cows tended to have the most severe mastitis. No differences in the IRCM were noted when cows were classified based on CMIR, likely due to the extracellular nature of mastitis-causing pathogens. The results of this study demonstrate the desirability of breeding dairy cattle for enhanced immune responses to decrease the incidence and severity of mastitis in the Canadian dairy industry.

  13. The Strengths of High-Achieving Black High School Students in a Racially Diverse Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marsh, Kris; Chaney, Cassandra; Jones, Derrick

    2012-01-01

    Robert Hill (1972) identified strengths of Black families: strong kinship bonds, strong work orientation, adaptability of family roles, high achievement orientation, and religious orientation. Some suggest these strengths sustain the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of Blacks. This study used narratives and survey data from a…

  14. High fat diet promotes achievement of peak bone mass in young rats

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Malvi, Parmanand; Piprode, Vikrant; Chaube, Balkrishna

    Highlights: • High fat diet helps in achieving peak bone mass at younger age. • Shifting from high fat to normal diet normalizes obese parameters. • Bone parameters are sustained even after withdrawal of high fat diet. - Abstract: The relationship between obesity and bone is complex. Epidemiological studies demonstrate positive as well as negative correlation between obesity and bone health. In the present study, we investigated the impact of high fat diet-induced obesity on peak bone mass. After 9 months of feeding young rats with high fat diet, we observed obesity phenotype in rats with increased body weight, fatmore » mass, serum triglycerides and cholesterol. There were significant increases in serum total alkaline phosphatase, bone mineral density and bone mineral content. By micro-computed tomography (μ-CT), we observed a trend of better trabecular bones with respect to their microarchitecture and geometry. This indicated that high fat diet helps in achieving peak bone mass and microstructure at younger age. We subsequently shifted rats from high fat diet to normal diet for 6 months and evaluated bone/obesity parameters. It was observed that after shifting rats from high fat diet to normal diet, fat mass, serum triglycerides and cholesterol were significantly decreased. Interestingly, the gain in bone mineral density, bone mineral content and trabecular bone parameters by HFD was retained even after body weight and obesity were normalized. These results suggest that fat rich diet during growth could accelerate achievement of peak bone mass that is sustainable even after withdrawal of high fat diet.« less

  15. 40 CFR 63.7522 - Can I use emissions averaging to comply with this subpart?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... monitored for each averaging group; (iii) The specific control technology or pollution prevention measure to... section. You may not include new boilers or process heaters in an emissions average. (b) For a group of... heater in the averaging group, the emission rate achieved during the initial compliance test for the HAP...

  16. 40 CFR 63.7522 - Can I use emissions averaging to comply with this subpart?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... monitored for each averaging group; (iii) The specific control technology or pollution prevention measure to... section. You may not include new boilers or process heaters in an emissions average. (b) For a group of... heater in the averaging group, the emission rate achieved during the initial compliance test for the HAP...

  17. Error Patterns with Fraction Calculations at Fourth Grade as a Function of Students' Mathematics Achievement Status

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schumacher, Robin F.; Malone, Amelia S.

    2017-01-01

    The goal of this study was to describe fraction-calculation errors among fourth-grade students and to determine whether error patterns differed as a function of problem type (addition vs. subtraction; like vs. unlike denominators), orientation (horizontal vs. vertical), or mathematics-achievement status (low-, average-, or high-achieving). We…

  18. Examining Organizational Practices That Predict Persistence among High-Achieving Black Males in High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Kenneth Alonzo

    2016-01-01

    Background/Context: This article summarizes an increasing trend of antideficit Black male research in mathematics and highlights opportunities to add to the research. A review of the literature shows that antideficit researchers often examine relationships between individual traits and persistence of high-achieving Black males in mathematics.…

  19. Sex and Training Differences in Mental Rotation: A Behavioral and Neurophysiological Comparison of Gifted Achievers, Gifted Underachievers and Average Intelligent Achievers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bergner, Sabine; Neubauer, Aljoscha C.

    2011-01-01

    A male advantage in spatial abilities is assumed to underlie their superior performance in complex mathematical problems. In this study we investigated whether sex differences in mental rotation (MR) tasks are related to female underachievement and whether training effects of a MR training can be generalized across achievers and underachievers.…

  20. Working and Non-Working University Students: Anxiety, Depression, and Grade Point Average

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mounsey, Rebecca; Vandehey, Michael A.; Diekhoff, George M.

    2013-01-01

    This study explored the differences between 110 working and non-working students in terms of mental health, academic achievement, and perceptions about student employment. Anxiety and depression were measured by the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Academic achievement was measured by grade point average. Perceptions of…

  1. Toward achieving flexible and high sensitivity hexagonal boron nitride neutron detectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maity, A.; Grenadier, S. J.; Li, J.; Lin, J. Y.; Jiang, H. X.

    2017-07-01

    Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) detectors have demonstrated the highest thermal neutron detection efficiency to date among solid-state neutron detectors at about 51%. We report here the realization of h-BN neutron detectors possessing one order of magnitude enhancement in the detection area but maintaining an equal level of detection efficiency of previous achievement. These 3 mm × 3 mm detectors were fabricated from 50 μm thick freestanding and flexible 10B enriched h-BN (h-10BN) films, grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition followed by mechanical separation from sapphire substrates. Mobility-lifetime results suggested that holes are the majority carriers in unintentionally doped h-BN. The detectors were tested under thermal neutron irradiation from californium-252 (252Cf) moderated by a high density polyethylene moderator. A thermal neutron detection efficiency of ˜53% was achieved at a bias voltage of 200 V. Conforming to traditional solid-state detectors, the realization of h-BN epilayers with enhanced electrical transport properties is the key to enable scaling up the device sizes. More specifically, the present results revealed that achieving an electrical resistivity of greater than 1014 Ωṡcm and a leakage current density of below 3 × 10-10 A/cm2 is needed to fabricate large area h-BN detectors and provided guidance for achieving high sensitivity solid state neutron detectors based on h-BN.

  2. High School Readers: A Profile of above Average Readers and Readers with Learning Disabilities Reading Expository Text

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wigent, Catherine Ann

    2011-01-01

    High school students are challenged to meet higher standards in order to ensure that they are prepared to face the literacy demands of our twenty-first century society (Beaufort, 2009; A. S. Erickson, Kleinhammer-Tramill, & Thurlow, 2007; Vernon, Baytops, McMahon, Padden, & Walther-Thomas, 2003). This study examined both above average high school…

  3. Skill Achievement and Returns in Developing Countries: Evidence from Adult Skills Surveys

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chua, Kenn

    2017-01-01

    Using novel adult skills surveys, this article analyses cross-country patterns in skill achievement and labour market returns, comparing the outcomes for a subset of developing countries with the results previously found for high-income economies. Apart from displaying lower average cognitive skills, developing countries also exhibit wider…

  4. Development and significance of a fetal electrocardiogram recorded by signal-averaged high-amplification electrocardiography.

    PubMed

    Hayashi, Risa; Nakai, Kenji; Fukushima, Akimune; Itoh, Manabu; Sugiyama, Toru

    2009-03-01

    Although ultrasonic diagnostic imaging and fetal heart monitors have undergone great technological improvements, the development and use of fetal electrocardiograms to evaluate fetal arrhythmias and autonomic nervous activity have not been fully established. We verified the clinical significance of the novel signal-averaged vector-projected high amplification ECG (SAVP-ECG) method in fetuses from 48 gravidas at 32-41 weeks of gestation and in 34 neonates. SAVP-ECGs from fetuses and newborns were recorded using a modified XYZ-leads system. Once noise and maternal QRS waves were removed, the P, QRS, and T wave intervals were measured from the signal-averaged fetal ECGs. We also compared fetal and neonatal heart rates (HRs), coefficients of variation of heart rate variability (CV) as a parasympathetic nervous activity, and the ratio of low to high frequency (LF/HF ratio) as a sympathetic nervous activity. The rate of detection of a fetal ECG by SAVP-ECG was 72.9%, and the fetal and neonatal QRS and QTc intervals were not significantly different. The neonatal CVs and LF/HF ratios were significantly increased compared with those in the fetus. In conclusion, we have developed a fetal ECG recording method using the SAVP-ECG system, which we used to evaluate autonomic nervous system development.

  5. Error Patterns with Fraction Calculations at Fourth Grade as a Function of Students' Mathematics Achievement Status

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schumacher, Robin F.; Malone, Amelia S.

    2017-01-01

    The goal of the present study was to describe fraction-calculation errors among 4th-grade students and determine whether error patterns differed as a function of problem type (addition vs. subtraction; like vs. unlike denominators), orientation (horizontal vs. vertical), or mathematics-achievement status (low- vs. average- vs. high-achieving). We…

  6. A Comparison of Brain Wave Patterns of High and Low Grade Point Average Students During Rest, Problem Solving, and Stress Situations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Montor, Karel

    The purpose of this study was to compare brain wave patterns produced by high and low grade point average students, while they were resting, solving problems, and subjected to stress situations. The study involved senior midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy. The high group was comprised of those whose cumulative grade point average was…

  7. Beyond Academic Reputation: Factors that Influence the College of First Choice for High Achieving Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schoenherr, Holly J.

    2009-01-01

    Studies that have investigated college choice factors for high-achieving students repeatedly cite academic reputation as one of the top indicators of choice but have not indicated why some high-achieving students choose to attend universities with a less prestigious reputation than the more highly prestigious options available to them. The purpose…

  8. Quaternion Averaging

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Markley, F. Landis; Cheng, Yang; Crassidis, John L.; Oshman, Yaakov

    2007-01-01

    Many applications require an algorithm that averages quaternions in an optimal manner. For example, when combining the quaternion outputs of multiple star trackers having this output capability, it is desirable to properly average the quaternions without recomputing the attitude from the the raw star tracker data. Other applications requiring some sort of optimal quaternion averaging include particle filtering and multiple-model adaptive estimation, where weighted quaternions are used to determine the quaternion estimate. For spacecraft attitude estimation applications, derives an optimal averaging scheme to compute the average of a set of weighted attitude matrices using the singular value decomposition method. Focusing on a 4-dimensional quaternion Gaussian distribution on the unit hypersphere, provides an approach to computing the average quaternion by minimizing a quaternion cost function that is equivalent to the attitude matrix cost function Motivated by and extending its results, this Note derives an algorithm that deterniines an optimal average quaternion from a set of scalar- or matrix-weighted quaternions. Rirthermore, a sufficient condition for the uniqueness of the average quaternion, and the equivalence of the mininiization problem, stated herein, to maximum likelihood estimation, are shown.

  9. Does High School Facility Quality Affect Student Achievement? A Two-Level Hierarchical Linear Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowers, Alex J.; Urick, Angela

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to isolate the independent effects of high school facility quality on student achievement using a large, nationally representative U.S. database of student achievement and school facility quality. Prior research on linking school facility quality to student achievement has been mixed. Studies that relate overall…

  10. The Impact of Averaging Window Length on the “Desaturation” Indexes Obtained Via Overnight Pulse Oximetry at High Altitude

    PubMed Central

    Cross, Troy J.; Keller-Ross, Manda; Issa, Amine; Wentz, Robert; Taylor, Bryan; Johnson, Bruce

    2015-01-01

    Study Objectives: To determine the impact of averaging window-length on the “desaturation” indexes (DIs) obtained via overnight pulse oximetry (SpO2) at high altitude. Design: Overnight SpO2 data were collected during a 10-day sojourn at high altitude. SpO2 was obtained using a commercial wrist-worn finger oximeter whose firmware was modified to store unaveraged beat-to-beat data. Simple moving averages of window lengths spanning 2 to 20 cardiac beats were retrospectively applied to beat-to-beat SpO2 datasets. After SpO2 artifacts were removed, the following DIs were then calculated for each of the averaged datasets: oxygen desaturation index (ODI); total sleep time with SpO2 < 80% (TST < 80), and the lowest SpO2 observed during sleep (SpO2 low). Setting: South Base Camp, Mt. Everest (5,364 m elevation). Participants: Five healthy, adult males (35 ± 5 y; 180 ± 1 cm; 85 ± 4 kg). Interventions: N/A. Measurements and Results: 49 datasets were obtained from the 5 participants, totalling 239 hours of data. For all window lengths ≥ 2 beats, ODI and TST < 80 were lower, and SpO2 low was higher than those values obtained from the beat-to-beat SpO2 time series data (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that increasing oximeter averaging window length progressively underestimates the frequency and magnitude of sleep disordered breathing events at high altitude, as indirectly assessed via the desaturation indexes. Citation: Cross TJ, Keller-Ross M, Issa A, Wentz R, Taylor B, Johnson B. The impact of averaging window length on the “desaturation” indexes obtained via overnight pulse oximetry at high altitude. SLEEP 2015;38(8):1331–1334. PMID:25581919

  11. It's not just average faces that are attractive: computer-manipulated averageness makes birds, fish, and automobiles attractive.

    PubMed

    Halberstadt, Jamin; Rhodes, Gillian

    2003-03-01

    Average faces are attractive. We sought to distinguish whether this preference is an adaptation for finding high-quality mates (the direct selection account) or whether it reflects more general information-processing mechanisms. In three experiments, we examined the attractiveness of birds, fish, and automobiles whose averageness had been manipulated using digital image manipulation techniques common in research on facial attractiveness. Both manipulated averageness and rated averageness were strongly associated with attractiveness in all three stimulus categories. In addition, for birds and fish, but not for automobiles, the correlation between subjective averageness and attractiveness remained significant when the effect of subjective familiarity was partialled out. The results suggest that at least two mechanisms contribute to the attractiveness of average exemplars. One is a general preference for familiar stimuli, which contributes to the appeal of averageness in all three categories. The other is a preference for averageness per se, which was found for birds and fish, but not for automobiles, and may reflect a preference for features signaling genetic quality in living organisms, including conspecifics.

  12. Achieving Literacy Excellence through Identifying and Utilizing High Yield Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hardison, Ashley

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to delve into the literacy instructional strategies of selected high-performing K-2 teachers in a Clark County, Nevada school district. The study assessed the efficacy of teachers using five core literacy components: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension for student achievement. High…

  13. Pulse Repetition Frequency Effects In A High Average Power X-Ray Preionised Excimer Laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fontaine, Bernard L.; Forestier, Bernard M.; Delaporte, Philippe C.; Canarelli, Patrick

    1989-10-01

    Experimental study of waves damping in a high repetition rate excimer laser is undertaken. Excitation of laser active medium in a subsonic loop is achieved by means of a classical discharge, through transfer capacitors. The discharge stability is controlled by a wire ion plasma (w.i.p.) X-rays gun. The strong acoustic waves induced by the active medium excitation may lead to a decrease, at high PRF, of the energy per pulse. First results of the influence of a damping of induced density perturbations between two successive pulses are presented.

  14. High Achieving Girls in Mathematics: What's Wrong with Working Hard?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howe, Ann C.; Berenson, Sarah B.

    2003-01-01

    The participation of women in graduate studies and mathematics-related careers remains a social and economic problem in the United States. Part of a larger study to understand this lack of participation, here we present preliminary findings of girls who are high achievers in middle grades mathematics. This interpretive study documents girls'…

  15. Adolescents' academic achievement and life satisfaction: the role of parents' education.

    PubMed

    Crede, Julia; Wirthwein, Linda; McElvany, Nele; Steinmayr, Ricarda

    2015-01-01

    Drawing on the background of positive psychology, there has only recently been a focus on adolescents' life satisfaction (LS) in the context of education. Studies examining the relationship between adolescents' academic achievement and LS have shown conflicting results and the reasons are not fully understood. The present study investigated the role of parents' education as a potential moderator of the relationship between adolescents' academic achievement and LS. A sample of German high school students (N = 411) reported parents' educational attainment, as an indicator of family socio-economic status, and students' academic achievement was operationalized by grade point average in five subjects. Results indicated that only mothers' education functioned as a moderator of the relationship between academic achievement and students' LS. The association between academic achievement and LS was only found in the group of students whose mothers had achieved the same or a higher education (at least high school diploma) as their own children. Fathers' educational attainment, however, was not a significant moderator of the respective relationship. Directions for future research and the differential influences of fathers' and mothers' education are discussed with regard to potential underlying processes.

  16. Adolescents’ academic achievement and life satisfaction: the role of parents’ education

    PubMed Central

    Crede, Julia; Wirthwein, Linda; McElvany, Nele; Steinmayr, Ricarda

    2015-01-01

    Drawing on the background of positive psychology, there has only recently been a focus on adolescents’ life satisfaction (LS) in the context of education. Studies examining the relationship between adolescents’ academic achievement and LS have shown conflicting results and the reasons are not fully understood. The present study investigated the role of parents’ education as a potential moderator of the relationship between adolescents’ academic achievement and LS. A sample of German high school students (N = 411) reported parents’ educational attainment, as an indicator of family socio-economic status, and students’ academic achievement was operationalized by grade point average in five subjects. Results indicated that only mothers’ education functioned as a moderator of the relationship between academic achievement and students’ LS. The association between academic achievement and LS was only found in the group of students whose mothers had achieved the same or a higher education (at least high school diploma) as their own children. Fathers’ educational attainment, however, was not a significant moderator of the respective relationship. Directions for future research and the differential influences of fathers’ and mothers’ education are discussed with regard to potential underlying processes. PMID:25691877

  17. HiLASE: development of fully diode pumped disk lasers with high average power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Divoky, M.; Smrz, M.; Chyla, M.; Sikocinski, P.; Severova, P.; Novák, O.; Huynh, J.; Nagisetty, S. S.; Miura, T.; Liberatore, C.; Pilař, J.; Slezak, O.; Sawicka, M.; Jambunathan, V.; Gemini, L.; Vanda, J.; Svabek, R.; Endo, A.; Lucianetti, A.; Rostohar, D.; Mason, P. D.; Phillips, P. J.; Ertel, K.; Banerjee, S.; Hernandez-Gomez, C.; Collier, J. L.; Mocek, T.

    2015-02-01

    An overview of Czech national R&D project HiLASE (High average power pulsed LASEr) is presented. The HiLASE project aims at development of pulsed DPSSL for hi-tech industrial applications. HiLASE will be a user oriented facility with several laser systems with output parameters ranging from a few picosecond pulses with energy of 5 mJ to 0.5 J and repetition rate of 1-100 kHz (based on thin disk technology) to systems with 100 J output energy in nanosecond pulses with repetition rate of 10 Hz (based on multi-slab technology).

  18. Gender and High School Chemistry: Student Perceptions on Achievement in a Selective Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cousins, Andrew; Mills, Martin

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports on research undertaken in a middle-class Australian school. The focus of the research was on the relationship between gender and students' engagement with high school chemistry. Achievement data from many OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] countries suggest that middle-class girls are achieving equally…

  19. Kilohertz Pulse Repetition Frequency Slab Ti:sapphire Lasers with High Average Power (10 W)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wadsworth, William J.; Coutts, David W.; Webb, Colin E.

    1999-11-01

    High-average-power broadband 780-nm slab Ti:sapphire lasers, pumped by a kilohertz pulse repetition frequency copper vapor laser (CVL), were demonstrated. These lasers are designed for damage-free power scaling when pumped by CVL s configured for maximum output power (of order 100 W) but with poor beam quality ( M 2 300 ). A simple Brewster-angled slab laser side pumped by a CVL produced 10-W average power (1.25-mJ pulses at 8 kHz) with 4.2-ns FWHM pulse duration at an absolute efficiency of 15% (68-W pump power). Thermal lensing in the Brewster slab laser resulted in multitransverse mode output, and pump absorption was limited to 72% by the maximum doping level for commercially available Ti:sapphire (0.25%). A slab laser with a multiply folded zigzag path was therefore designed and implemented that produced high-beam-quality (TEM 00 -mode) output when operated with cryogenic cooling and provided a longer absorption path for the pump. Excessive scattering of the Ti:sapphire beam at the crystal surfaces limited the efficiency of operation for the zigzag laser, but fluorescence diagnostic techniques, gain measurement, and modeling suggest that efficient power extraction ( 15 W TEM 00 , 23% efficiency) from this laser would be possible for crystals with an optical quality surface polish.

  20. Benefits of Personality Characteristics and Self-Efficacy in the Perceived Academic Achievement of Medical Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guntern, Sabine; Korpershoek, Hanke; van der Werf, Greetje

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates the joint impact of personality characteristics and self-efficacy on the perceived academic achievement of medical students on top of their prior high school performance. The sample consisted of medical students in their pre-clinical years. The students' grade point average scores at high school were included as control…

  1. The High Trust Classroom: Raising Achievement from the Inside Out

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Lonnie

    2009-01-01

    This book provides a roadmap to developing a high-trust classroom, a classroom: (1) With increased student achievement; (2) With few discipline problems; (3) Where students are intrinsically motivated; and (4) Where the teacher can confidently use creative lesson planning. The author presents a simple step by step approach to earning the trust of…

  2. A High-Average-Power Free Electron Laser for Microfabrication and Surface Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dylla, H. F.; Benson, S.; Bisognano, J.; Bohn, C. L.; Cardman, L.; Engwall, D.; Fugitt, J.; Jordan, K.; Kehne, D.; Li, Z.; hide

    1995-01-01

    CEBAF has developed a comprehensive conceptual design of an industrial user facility based on a kilowatt ultraviolet (UV) (160-1000 mm) and infrared (IR) (2-25 micron) free electron laser (FEL) driven by a recirculating, energy recovering 200 MeV superconducting radio frequency (SRF) accelerator. FEL users, CEBAF's partners in the Lase Processing Consortium, including AT&T, DuPont, IBM, Northrop Grumman, 3M, and Xerox, are developing applications such as metal, ceramic, and electronic material micro-fabrication and polymer and metal surface processing, with the overall effort leading to later scale-up to industrial systems at 50-100 kW. Representative applications are described. The proposed high-average-power FEL overcomes limitations of conventional laser sources in available power, cost-effectiveness, tunability, and pulse structure.

  3. A Longitudinal Investigation of Project-Based Instruction and Student Achievement in High School Social Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Summers, Emily J.; Dickinson, Gail

    2012-01-01

    This longitudinal study focused on how project-based instruction (PBI) influenced secondary social studies students' academic achievement and promoted College and Career Readiness (CCR). We explored and compared student achievement in a PBI high school versus a traditional instruction high school within the same rural school district. While…

  4. Green-diode-pumped femtosecond Ti:Sapphire laser with up to 450 mW average power.

    PubMed

    Gürel, K; Wittwer, V J; Hoffmann, M; Saraceno, C J; Hakobyan, S; Resan, B; Rohrbacher, A; Weingarten, K; Schilt, S; Südmeyer, T

    2015-11-16

    We investigate power-scaling of green-diode-pumped Ti:Sapphire lasers in continuous-wave (CW) and mode-locked operation. In a first configuration with a total pump power of up to 2 W incident onto the crystal, we achieved a CW power of up to 440 mW and self-starting mode-locking with up to 200 mW average power in 68-fs pulses using semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) as saturable absorber. In a second configuration with up to 3 W of pump power incident onto the crystal, we achieved up to 650 mW in CW operation and up to 450 mW in 58-fs pulses using Kerr-lens mode-locking (KLM). The shortest pulse duration was 39 fs, which was achieved at 350 mW average power using KLM. The mode-locked laser generates a pulse train at repetition rates around 400 MHz. No complex cooling system is required: neither the SESAM nor the Ti:Sapphire crystal is actively cooled, only air cooling is applied to the pump diodes using a small fan. Because of mass production for laser displays, we expect that prices for green laser diodes will become very favorable in the near future, opening the door for low-cost Ti:Sapphire lasers. This will be highly attractive for potential mass applications such as biomedical imaging and sensing.

  5. Accelerated Mathematics and High-Ability Students' Math Achievement in Grades Three and Four

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stanley, Ashley M.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the use of a computer-managed integrated learning system entitled Accelerated Math (AM) as a supplement to traditional mathematics instruction on achievement as measured by TerraNova achievement tests of third and fourth grade high-ability students. Gender, socioeconomic status, and…

  6. Low and High Mathematics Achievement in Japanese, Chinese, and American Elementary-School Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uttal, David H.; And Others

    1988-01-01

    First and fifth grade students who scored high or low on a mathematics test were tested for intellectual ability and reading achievement. Students and their mothers were interviewed. Results indicated that factors associated with levels of achievement in mathematics operate in a similar fashion across three cultures that differ greatly in their…

  7. Dynamic testing and test anxiety amongst gifted and average-ability children.

    PubMed

    Vogelaar, Bart; Bakker, Merel; Elliott, Julian G; Resing, Wilma C M

    2017-03-01

    Dynamic testing has been proposed as a testing approach that is less disadvantageous for children who may be potentially subject to bias when undertaking conventional assessments. For example, those who encounter high levels of test anxiety, or who are unfamiliar with standardized test procedures, may fail to demonstrate their true potential or capabilities. While dynamic testing has proven particularly useful for special groups of children, it has rarely been used with gifted children. We investigated whether it would be useful to conduct a dynamic test to measure the cognitive abilities of intellectually gifted children. We also investigated whether test anxiety scores would be related to a progression in the children's test scores after dynamic training. Participants were 113 children aged between 7 and 8 years from several schools in the western part of the Netherlands. The children were categorized as either gifted or average-ability and split into an unguided practice or a dynamic testing condition. The study employed a pre-test-training-post-test design. Using linear mixed modelling analysis with a multilevel approach, we inspected the growth trajectories of children in the various conditions and examined the impact of ability and test anxiety on progression and training benefits. Dynamic testing proved to be successful in improving the scores of the children, although no differences in training benefits were found between gifted and average-ability children. Test anxiety was shown to influence the children's rate of change across all test sessions and their improvement in performance accuracy after dynamic training. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

  8. Using Large Data to Analyze the Effect of Learning Attitude for Cooperative Learning between the High Achievement Students and the Low Achievement Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chia-Ling, Hsu; Ya-Fung, Chang

    2017-01-01

    This study is to investigate the effect of the cooperation learning between the high achievement students and the low achievement students. Nowadays, the influences of the flipped classroom are all over the world in the secondary school education. Therefore, the cooperative learning becomes hot teaching strategies again. However, the learning…

  9. Total Quality Management (TQM) Practices and School Climate amongst High, Average and Low Performance Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ismail, Siti Noor

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: This study attempted to determine whether the dimensions of TQM practices are predictors of school climate. It aimed to identify the level of TQM practices and school climate in three different categories of schools, namely high, average and low performance schools. The study also sought to examine which dimensions of TQM practices…

  10. NEO-LISP: Deflecting near-Earth objects using high average power, repetitively pulsed lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phipps, C. R.; Michaelis, M. M.

    Several kinds of Near-Earth objects exist for which one would like to cause modest orbit perturbations, but which are inaccessible to normal means of interception because of their number, distance or the lack of early warning. For these objects, LISP (Laser Impulse Space Propulsion) is an appropriate technique for rapidly applying the required mechanical impulse from a ground-based station. In order of increasing laser energy required, examples are: (1) repositioning specially prepared geosynchronous satellites for an enhanced lifetime; (2) causing selected items of space junk to re-enter and burn up in the atmosphere on a computed trajectory; and (3) safely deflecting Earth-directed comet nuclei and earth-crossing asteroids (ECA's) a few tens of meters in size (the most hazardous size). They will discuss each of these problems in turn and show that each application is best matched by its own matrix of LISP laser pulse width, pulse repetition rate, wavelength and average power. The latter ranges from 100W to 3GW for the cases considered. They will also discuss means of achieving the active beam phase error correction during passage through the atmosphere and very large exit pupil in the optical system which are required in each of these cases.

  11. "It's a Way of Life for Us": High Mobility and High Achievement in Department of Defense Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smrekar, Claire E.; Owens, Debra E.

    2003-01-01

    Examines the academic performance of students in U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools, which have high student mobility. Some observers contend that these students' high achievement is a function of their middle class family and community characteristics. Asserts that DoDEA schools simultaneously "do the right…

  12. Mo' Money, Mo' Problems? High-Achieving Black High School Students' Experiences with Resources, Racial Climate, and Resilience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Walter; Griffin, Kimberly

    2006-01-01

    A multi-site case study analyzed the college preparatory processes of nine African American high achievers attending a well-resourced, suburban high school and eight academically successful African Americans attending a low-resourced urban school. Students at both schools experienced barriers, that is, racial climate and a lack of resources, that…

  13. Picosecond laser system with 30-W average power via cavity dumping and amplifying

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fu, J.; Pang, Q. S.; Chang, L.; Bai, Z. A.; Ai, Q. K.; Chen, L. Y.; Chen, M.; Li, G.; Ma, Y. F.; Fan, Z. W.; Niu, G.; Yu, J.; Liu, Y.; Zhang, X.; Kang, W. Y.; He, K.

    2011-06-01

    We present a picosecond laser system with high energy by technologies of cavity dumping and amplifying. Firstly, pulses with 10 ps and ˜520 nJ were obtained by cavity-dumped mode-locked laser at 10 kHz repetition rate. Secondly those pulses were seeded into a side-pumped regenerative amplifier (RA). Then pulses output from the regenerative amplifier were amplified by two four-pass post amplifiers. From the laser system pulses with an average power of 30 W corresponding to 3 mJ pulse energy were achieved with the pulse-width of 25.4 ps at repetition rate of 10 kHz.

  14. Teacher Support, Instructional Practices, Student Motivation, and Mathematics Achievement in High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yu, Rongrong; Singh, Kusum

    2018-01-01

    The authors examined the relationships among teacher classroom practices, student motivation, and mathematics achievement in high school. The data for this study was drawn from the base-year data of High School Longitudinal Study of 2009. Structural equation modeling method was used to estimate the relationships among variables. The results…

  15. Instructional, Transformational, and Managerial Leadership and Student Achievement: High School Principals Make a Difference

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valentine, Jerry W.; Prater, Mike

    2011-01-01

    This statewide study examined the relationships between principal managerial, instructional, and transformational leadership and student achievement in public high schools. Differences in student achievement were found when schools were grouped according to principal leadership factors. Principal leadership behaviors promoting instructional and…

  16. Testing of optical components to assure performance in a high-average-power environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chow, Robert; Taylor, John R.; Eickelberg, William K.; Primdahl, Keith A.

    1997-11-01

    Evaluation and testing of the optical components used in the atomic vapor laser isotope separation plant is critical for qualification of suppliers, developments of new optical multilayer designs and manufacturing processes, and assurance of performance in the production cycle. The range of specifications requires development of specialized test equipment and methods which are not routine or readily available in industry. Specifications are given on material characteristics such as index homogeneity, subsurface damage left after polishing, microscopic surface defects and contamination, coating absorption, and high average power laser damage. The approach to testing these performance characteristics and assuring the quality throughout the production cycle is described.

  17. High-average-power 2-kHz laser for generation of ultrashort x-ray pulses.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Yan; Lee, Taewoo; Li, Wei; Ketwaroo, Gyanprakash; Rose-Petruck, Christoph G

    2002-06-01

    We describe a Ti:sapphire-based laser-x-ray system specifically designed for generation of ultrafast x-ray pulses in the tenths-of-nanometers spectral range at a 2-kHz repetition rate. To obtain high-contrast laser pulses we divide the laser system into a section for generation of microjoule, high-contrast pulses with pulse cleaning and a subsequent section for chirped-pulse amplification and pulse compression. This laser section operates in conjunction with an x-ray-generation section based on a moving copper wire in a He atmosphere. The high reliability of the entire system permits maintenance-free production of x-ray pulses over tens of hours. Average x-ray fluxes of 10(13) photons/(s 4pi sr 1 keV) at 3 keV and 10(9) photons/(s 4pi sr) above 5 keV of photon energy are produced.

  18. High-average-power 2 μm few-cycle optical parametric chirped pulse amplifier at 100 kHz repetition rate.

    PubMed

    Shamir, Yariv; Rothhardt, Jan; Hädrich, Steffen; Demmler, Stefan; Tschernajew, Maxim; Limpert, Jens; Tünnermann, Andreas

    2015-12-01

    Sources of long wavelengths few-cycle high repetition rate pulses are becoming increasingly important for a plethora of applications, e.g., in high-field physics. Here, we report on the realization of a tunable optical parametric chirped pulse amplifier at 100 kHz repetition rate. At a central wavelength of 2 μm, the system delivered 33 fs pulses and a 6 W average power corresponding to 60 μJ pulse energy with gigawatt-level peak powers. Idler absorption and its crystal heating is experimentally investigated for a BBO. Strategies for further power scaling to several tens of watts of average power are discussed.

  19. Striving for Excellence Sometimes Hinders High Achievers: Performance-Approach Goals Deplete Arithmetical Performance in Students with High Working Memory Capacity

    PubMed Central

    Crouzevialle, Marie; Smeding, Annique; Butera, Fabrizio

    2015-01-01

    We tested whether the goal to attain normative superiority over other students, referred to as performance-approach goals, is particularly distractive for high-Working Memory Capacity (WMC) students—that is, those who are used to being high achievers. Indeed, WMC is positively related to high-order cognitive performance and academic success, a record of success that confers benefits on high-WMC as compared to low-WMC students. We tested whether such benefits may turn out to be a burden under performance-approach goal pursuit. Indeed, for high achievers, aiming to rise above others may represent an opportunity to reaffirm their positive status—a stake susceptible to trigger disruptive outcome concerns that interfere with task processing. Results revealed that with performance-approach goals—as compared to goals with no emphasis on social comparison—the higher the students’ WMC, the lower their performance at a complex arithmetic task (Experiment 1). Crucially, this pattern appeared to be driven by uncertainty regarding the chances to outclass others (Experiment 2). Moreover, an accessibility measure suggested the mediational role played by status-related concerns in the observed disruption of performance. We discuss why high-stake situations can paradoxically lead high-achievers to sub-optimally perform when high-order cognitive performance is at play. PMID:26407097

  20. The Relation of High-Achieving Adolescents' Social Perceptions and Motivation to Teachers' Nominations for Advanced Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barber, Carolyn; Torney-Purta, Judith

    2008-01-01

    The discrepancies between test-based and teacher-based criteria of high achievement are well-documented for students of all ages. This study seeks to determine whether certain high school students who score high on tests of academic achievement are more likely than others to be nominated for advanced academic programs by their teachers. Using…

  1. Achieving High Resolution Timer Events in Virtualized Environment.

    PubMed

    Adamczyk, Blazej; Chydzinski, Andrzej

    2015-01-01

    Virtual Machine Monitors (VMM) have become popular in different application areas. Some applications may require to generate the timer events with high resolution and precision. This however may be challenging due to the complexity of VMMs. In this paper we focus on the timer functionality provided by five different VMMs-Xen, KVM, Qemu, VirtualBox and VMWare. Firstly, we evaluate resolutions and precisions of their timer events. Apparently, provided resolutions and precisions are far too low for some applications (e.g. networking applications with the quality of service). Then, using Xen virtualization we demonstrate the improved timer design that greatly enhances both the resolution and precision of achieved timer events.

  2. Highly accurate prediction of protein self-interactions by incorporating the average block and PSSM information into the general PseAAC.

    PubMed

    Zhai, Jing-Xuan; Cao, Tian-Jie; An, Ji-Yong; Bian, Yong-Tao

    2017-11-07

    It is a challenging task for fundamental research whether proteins can interact with their partners. Protein self-interaction (SIP) is a special case of PPIs, which plays a key role in the regulation of cellular functions. Due to the limitations of experimental self-interaction identification, it is very important to develop an effective biological tool for predicting SIPs based on protein sequences. In the study, we developed a novel computational method called RVM-AB that combines the Relevance Vector Machine (RVM) model and Average Blocks (AB) for detecting SIPs from protein sequences. Firstly, Average Blocks (AB) feature extraction method is employed to represent protein sequences on a Position Specific Scoring Matrix (PSSM). Secondly, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method is used to reduce the dimension of AB vector for reducing the influence of noise. Then, by employing the Relevance Vector Machine (RVM) algorithm, the performance of RVM-AB is assessed and compared with the state-of-the-art support vector machine (SVM) classifier and other exiting methods on yeast and human datasets respectively. Using the fivefold test experiment, RVM-AB model achieved very high accuracies of 93.01% and 97.72% on yeast and human datasets respectively, which are significantly better than the method based on SVM classifier and other previous methods. The experimental results proved that the RVM-AB prediction model is efficient and robust. It can be an automatic decision support tool for detecting SIPs. For facilitating extensive studies for future proteomics research, the RVMAB server is freely available for academic use at http://219.219.62.123:8888/SIP_AB. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Challenges to achievement of metal sustainability in our high-tech society

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Izatt, Reed M.; Izatt, Steven R.; Bruening, Ronald L.

    Achievement of sustainability in metal life cycles from mining of virgin ore to consumer and industrial devices to end-of-life products requires greatly increased recycling and improved processing of metals. Electronic and other high-tech products containing precious, toxic, and specialty metals usually have short lifetimes and low recycling rates. Products containing these metals generally are incinerated, discarded as waste in landfills, or dismantled in informal recycling using crude and environmentally irresponsible procedures. Low metal recycling rates coupled with increasing demand for products containing them necessitate increased mining with attendant environmental, health, energy, water, and carbon-footprint consequences. In this tutorial review, challengesmore » to achieving metal sustainability in present high-tech society are presented; health, environmental, and economic incentives for various stakeholders to improve metal sustainability are discussed; a case for technical improvements in separations technology, especially employing molecular recognition, is given; and global consequences of continuing on the present path are examined.« less

  4. Development of a High-Average-Power Compton Gamma Source for Lepton Colliders

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pogorelsky, Igor; Polyanskiy, Mikhail N.; Yakimenko, Vitaliy; Platonenko, Viktor T.

    2009-01-01

    Gamma- (γ-) ray beams of high average power and peak brightness are of demand for a number of applications in high-energy physics, material processing, medicine, etc. One of such examples is gamma conversion into polarized positrons and muons that is under consideration for projected lepton colliders. A γ-source based on the Compton backscattering from the relativistic electron beam is a promising candidate for this application. Our approach to the high-repetition γ-source assumes placing the Compton interaction point inside a CO2 laser cavity. A laser pulse interacts with periodical electron bunches on each round-trip inside the laser cavity producing the corresponding train of γ-pulses. The round-trip optical losses can be compensated by amplification in the active laser medium. The major challenge for this approach is in maintaining stable amplification rate for a picosecond CO2-laser pulse during multiple resonator round-trips without significant deterioration of its temporal and transverse profiles. Addressing this task, we elaborated on a computer code that allows identifying the directions and priorities in the development of such a multi-pass picosecond CO2 laser. Proof-of-principle experiments help to verify the model and show the viability of the concept. In these tests we demonstrated extended trains of picosecond CO2 laser pulses circulating inside the cavity that incorporates the Compton interaction point.

  5. Error Patterns with Fraction Calculations at Fourth Grade as a Function of Students' Mathematics Achievement Status.

    PubMed

    Schumacher, Robin F; Malone, Amelia S

    2017-09-01

    The goal of the present study was to describe fraction-calculation errors among 4 th -grade students and determine whether error patterns differed as a function of problem type (addition vs. subtraction; like vs. unlike denominators), orientation (horizontal vs. vertical), or mathematics-achievement status (low- vs. average- vs. high-achieving). We specifically addressed whether mathematics-achievement status was related to students' tendency to operate with whole number bias. We extended this focus by comparing low-performing students' errors in two instructional settings that focused on two different types of fraction understandings: core instruction that focused on part-whole understanding vs. small-group tutoring that focused on magnitude understanding. Results showed students across the sample were more likely to operate with whole number bias on problems with unlike denominators. Students with low or average achievement (who only participated in core instruction) were more likely to operate with whole number bias than students with low achievement who participated in small-group tutoring. We suggest instruction should emphasize magnitude understanding to sufficiently increase fraction understanding for all students in the upper elementary grades.

  6. Searching for the Golden Model of Education: Cross-National Analysis of Math Achievement

    PubMed Central

    Bodovski, Katerina; Byun, Soo-yong; Chykina, Volha; Chung, Hee Jin

    2017-01-01

    We utilized four waves of TIMSS data in addition to the information we have collected on countries’ educational systems to examine whether different degrees of standardization, differentiation, proportion of students in private schools and governmental spending on education influence students’ math achievement, its variation and socioeconomic status (SES) gaps in math achievement. Findings: A higher level of standardization of educational systems was associated with higher average math achievement. Greater expenditure on education (as % of total government expenditure) was associated with a lower level of dispersion of math achievement and smaller SES gaps in math achievement. Wealthier countries exhibited higher average math achievement and a narrower variation. Higher income inequality (measured by Gini index) was associated with a lower average math achievement and larger SES gaps. Further, we found that higher level of standardization alleviates the negative effects of differentiation in the systems with more rigid tracking. PMID:29151667

  7. Motivation and academic achievement in medical students.

    PubMed

    Yousefy, Alireza; Ghassemi, Gholamreza; Firouznia, Samaneh

    2012-01-01

    Despite their ascribed intellectual ability and achieved academic pursuits, medical students' academic achievement is influenced by motivation. This study is an endeavor to examine the role of motivation in the academic achievement of medical students. In this cross-sectional correlational study, out of the total 422 medical students, from 4th to final year during the academic year 2007-2008, at School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 344 participated in completion of the Inventory of School Motivation (ISM), comprising 43 items and measuring eight aspects of motivation. The gold standard for academic achievement was their average academic marks at pre-clinical and clinical levels. Data were computer analyzed by running a couple of descriptive and analytical tests including Pearson Correlation and Student's t-student. Higher motivation scores in areas of competition, effort, social concern, and task were accompanied by higher average marks at pre-clinical as well as clinical levels. However, the latter ones showed greater motivation for social power as compared to the former group. Task and competition motivation for boys was higher than for girls. In view of our observations, students' academic achievement requires coordination and interaction between different aspects of motivation.

  8. Robust Speech Enhancement Using Two-Stage Filtered Minima Controlled Recursive Averaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghourchian, Negar; Selouani, Sid-Ahmed; O'Shaughnessy, Douglas

    In this paper we propose an algorithm for estimating noise in highly non-stationary noisy environments, which is a challenging problem in speech enhancement. This method is based on minima-controlled recursive averaging (MCRA) whereby an accurate, robust and efficient noise power spectrum estimation is demonstrated. We propose a two-stage technique to prevent the appearance of musical noise after enhancement. This algorithm filters the noisy speech to achieve a robust signal with minimum distortion in the first stage. Subsequently, it estimates the residual noise using MCRA and removes it with spectral subtraction. The proposed Filtered MCRA (FMCRA) performance is evaluated using objective tests on the Aurora database under various noisy environments. These measures indicate the higher output SNR and lower output residual noise and distortion.

  9. Self-Efficacy, Goal Orientations and Learning Strategies as Mediators between Preceding and Subsequent Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diseth, Age

    2011-01-01

    High school grade point average (HSGPA), self-efficacy, goal orientations, learning strategies, and examination grade were measured in a sample of Norwegian undergraduate psychology students in order to investigate motives and strategies as mediators between preceding and subsequent academic achievement. Correlation analysis showed strong…

  10. High fat diet promotes achievement of peak bone mass in young rats.

    PubMed

    Malvi, Parmanand; Piprode, Vikrant; Chaube, Balkrishna; Pote, Satish T; Mittal, Monika; Chattopadhyay, Naibedya; Wani, Mohan R; Bhat, Manoj Kumar

    2014-12-05

    The relationship between obesity and bone is complex. Epidemiological studies demonstrate positive as well as negative correlation between obesity and bone health. In the present study, we investigated the impact of high fat diet-induced obesity on peak bone mass. After 9 months of feeding young rats with high fat diet, we observed obesity phenotype in rats with increased body weight, fat mass, serum triglycerides and cholesterol. There were significant increases in serum total alkaline phosphatase, bone mineral density and bone mineral content. By micro-computed tomography (μ-CT), we observed a trend of better trabecular bones with respect to their microarchitecture and geometry. This indicated that high fat diet helps in achieving peak bone mass and microstructure at younger age. We subsequently shifted rats from high fat diet to normal diet for 6 months and evaluated bone/obesity parameters. It was observed that after shifting rats from high fat diet to normal diet, fat mass, serum triglycerides and cholesterol were significantly decreased. Interestingly, the gain in bone mineral density, bone mineral content and trabecular bone parameters by HFD was retained even after body weight and obesity were normalized. These results suggest that fat rich diet during growth could accelerate achievement of peak bone mass that is sustainable even after withdrawal of high fat diet.

  11. Average Treatment Effect of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports on School-Level Academic Achievement in Florida

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gage, Nicholas A.; Leite, Walter; Childs, Karen; Kincaid, Don

    2017-01-01

    The relationship between school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) and school-level academic achievement has not been established. Most experimental research has found little to no evidence that SWPBIS has a distal effect on school-level achievement. Yet, an underlying assumption of SWPBIS is that improving social…

  12. Evaluative and Behavioral Correlates to Intrarehearsal Achievement in High School Bands

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Montemayor, Mark

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships of teaching effectiveness, ensemble performance quality, and selected rehearsal procedures to various measures of intrarehearsal achievement (i.e., musical improvement exhibited by an ensemble during the course of a single rehearsal). Twenty-nine high school bands were observed in two…

  13. Spatial Experiences of High Academic Achievers: Insights from a Developmental Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weckbacher, Lisa Marie; Okamoto, Yukari

    2012-01-01

    The study explored the relationship between types of spatial experiences and spatial abilities among 13- to 14-year-old high academic achievers. Each participant completed two spatial tasks and a survey assessing favored spatial activities across five categories (computers, toys, sports, music, and art) and three developmental periods (early…

  14. Impact of Physical Environment on Academic Achievement of High School Youth.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burkhalter, Bettye B.

    1983-01-01

    To study the relationship of the physical environment to high school students' academic achievement, 60 students participated in an experiential career exploration program at the Alabama Space and Rocket Center while 108 students participated in a traditional careers program. Tests indicated the former group improved more in career choice…

  15. Academic achievement and career choice in science: Perceptions of African American urban high school students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jones, Sheila Kay

    2007-12-01

    Low test scores in science and fewer career choices in science among African American high school students than their White counterparts has resulted in lower interest during high school and an underrepresentation of African Americans in science and engineering fields. Reasons for this underachievement are not known. This qualitative study used a grounded theory methodology to examine what influence parental involvement, ethnic identity, and early mentoring had on the academic achievement in science and career choice in science of African American urban high school 10th grade students. Using semi-structured open-ended questions in individual interviews and focus groups, twenty participants responded to questions about African American urban high school student achievement in science and their career choice in science. The median age of participants was 15 years; 85% had passed either high school biology or physical science. The findings of the study revealed influences and interactions of selected factors on African American urban high school achievement in science. Sensing potential emerged as the overarching theme with six subthemes; A Taste of Knowledge, Sounds I Hear, Aromatic Barriers, What Others See, The Touch of Others, and The Sixth Sense. These themes correlate to the natural senses of the human body. A disconnect between what science is, their own individual learning and success, and what their participation in science could mean for them and the future of the larger society. Insight into appropriate intervention strategies to improve African American urban high school achievement in science was gained.

  16. High sustained average power cw and ultrafast Yb:YAG near-diffraction-limited cryogenic solid-state laser.

    PubMed

    Brown, David C; Singley, Joseph M; Kowalewski, Katie; Guelzow, James; Vitali, Victoria

    2010-11-22

    We report what we believe to be record performance for a high average power Yb:YAG cryogenic laser system with sustained output power. In a CW oscillator-single-pass amplifier configuration, 963 W of output power was measured. In a second configuration, a two amplifier Yb:YAG cryogenic system was driven with a fiber laser picosecond ultrafast oscillator at a 50 MHz repetition rate, double-passed through the first amplifier and single-passed through the second, resulting in 758 W of average power output. Pulses exiting the system have a FWHM pulsewidth of 12.4 ps, an energy/pulse of 15.2 μJ, and a peak power of 1.23 MW. Both systems are force convection-cooled with liquid nitrogen and have been demonstrated to run reliably over long time periods.

  17. The effects of guided inquiry instruction on student achievement in high school biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vass, Laszlo

    The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to measure the effect of a student-centered instructional method called guided inquiry on the achievement of students in a unit of study in high school biology. The study used a non-random sample of 109 students, the control group of 55 students enrolled in high school one, received teacher centered instruction while the experimental group of 54 students enrolled at high school two received student-centered, guided inquiry instruction. The pretest-posttest design of the study analyzed scores using an independent t-test, a dependent t-test (p = <.001), an ANCOVA (p = .007), mixed method ANOVA (p = .024) and hierarchical linear regression (p = <.001). The experimental group that received guided inquiry instruction had statistically significantly higher achievement than the control group.

  18. Achieving High Resolution Timer Events in Virtualized Environment

    PubMed Central

    Adamczyk, Blazej; Chydzinski, Andrzej

    2015-01-01

    Virtual Machine Monitors (VMM) have become popular in different application areas. Some applications may require to generate the timer events with high resolution and precision. This however may be challenging due to the complexity of VMMs. In this paper we focus on the timer functionality provided by five different VMMs—Xen, KVM, Qemu, VirtualBox and VMWare. Firstly, we evaluate resolutions and precisions of their timer events. Apparently, provided resolutions and precisions are far too low for some applications (e.g. networking applications with the quality of service). Then, using Xen virtualization we demonstrate the improved timer design that greatly enhances both the resolution and precision of achieved timer events. PMID:26177366

  19. Creativity and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gajda, Aleksandra; Karwowski, Maciej; Beghetto, Ronald A.

    2017-01-01

    This article reports on a meta-analysis of 120 studies (total N = 52,578; 782 effects) examining the relationship between creativity and academic achievement in research conducted since the 1960s. Average correlation between creativity and academic achievement was r = 0.22, 95% CI [0.19, 0.24]. An analysis of moderators revealed that this…

  20. The relationship between twelve-month home stimulation and school achievement.

    PubMed

    van Doorninck, W J; Caldwell, B M; Wright, C; Frankenburg, W K

    1981-09-01

    Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) was designed to reflect parental support of early cognitive and socioemotional development. 12-month HOME scores were correlated with elementary school achievement, 5--9 years later. 50 low-income children were rank ordered by a weighted average of centile estimates of achievement test scores, letter grades, and curriculum levels in reading and math. 24 children were classified as having significant school achievement problems. The HOME total score correlated significantly, r = .37, with school centile scores among the low-income families. The statistically more appropriate contingency table analysis revealed a 68% correct classification rate and a significantly reduced error rate over random or blanket prediction. The results supported the predictive value of the 12-month HOME for school achievement among low-income families. In an additional sample of 21 middle-income families, there was insufficient variability among HOME scores to allow prediction. The HOME total scores were highly correlated, r = .86, among siblings tested at least 10 months apart.

  1. The Effect of Technology Integration on High School Students' Literacy Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Kara

    2016-01-01

    This literature review presents a critical appraisal of current research on the role technology integration plays in high school students' literacy achievement. It identifies the gaps within the research through comprehensive analysis. The review develops an argument that the use of laptops in secondary English classrooms has a significant impact…

  2. Generating high temperature tolerant transgenic plants: Achievements and challenges.

    PubMed

    Grover, Anil; Mittal, Dheeraj; Negi, Manisha; Lavania, Dhruv

    2013-05-01

    Production of plants tolerant to high temperature stress is of immense significance in the light of global warming and climate change. Plant cells respond to high temperature stress by re-programming their genetic machinery for survival and reproduction. High temperature tolerance in transgenic plants has largely been achieved either by over-expressing heat shock protein genes or by altering levels of heat shock factors that regulate expression of heat shock and non-heat shock genes. Apart from heat shock factors, over-expression of other trans-acting factors like DREB2A, bZIP28 and WRKY proteins has proven useful in imparting high temperature tolerance. Besides these, elevating the genetic levels of proteins involved in osmotic adjustment, reactive oxygen species removal, saturation of membrane-associated lipids, photosynthetic reactions, production of polyamines and protein biosynthesis process have yielded positive results in equipping transgenic plants with high temperature tolerance. Cyclic nucleotide gated calcium channel proteins that regulate calcium influxes across the cell membrane have recently been shown to be the key players in induction of high temperature tolerance. The involvement of calmodulins and kinases in activation of heat shock factors has been implicated as an important event in governing high temperature tolerance. Unfilled gaps limiting the production of high temperature tolerant transgenic plants for field level cultivation are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Implementation of a cryo-electron tomography tilt-scheme optimized for high resolution subtomogram averaging.

    PubMed

    Hagen, Wim J H; Wan, William; Briggs, John A G

    2017-02-01

    Cryo-electron tomography (cryoET) allows 3D structural information to be obtained from cells and other biological samples in their close-to-native state. In combination with subtomogram averaging, detailed structures of repeating features can be resolved. CryoET data is collected as a series of images of the sample from different tilt angles; this is performed by physically rotating the sample in the microscope between each image. The angles at which the images are collected, and the order in which they are collected, together are called the tilt-scheme. Here we describe a "dose-symmetric tilt-scheme" that begins at low tilt and then alternates between increasingly positive and negative tilts. This tilt-scheme maximizes the amount of high-resolution information maintained in the tomogram for subsequent subtomogram averaging, and may also be advantageous for other applications. We describe implementation of the tilt-scheme in combination with further data-collection refinements including setting thresholds on acceptable drift and improving focus accuracy. Requirements for microscope set-up are introduced, and a macro is provided which automates the application of the tilt-scheme within SerialEM. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Moving to higher ground: Closing the high school science achievement gap

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mebane, Joyce Graham

    The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of West High School constituents (students, parents, teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors) about the readiness and interest of African American students at West High School to take Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) science courses as a strategy for closing the achievement gap. This case study utilized individual interviews and questionnaires for data collection. The participants were selected biology students and their parents, teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors at West High School. The results of the study indicated that just over half the students and teachers, most parents, and all guidance counselors thought African American students were prepared to take AP science courses. Only one of the three administrators thought the students were prepared to take AP science courses. Between one-half and two-thirds of the students, parents, teachers, and administrators thought students were interested in taking an AP science course. Only two of the guidance counselors thought there was interest among the African American students in taking AP science courses. The general consensus among the constituents about the readiness and interest of African American students at West High School to take IB science courses was that it is too early in the process to really make definitive statements. West is a prospective IB school and the program is new and not yet in place. Educators at the West High School community must find reasons to expect each student to succeed. Lower expectations often translate into lower academic demands and less rigor in courses. Lower academic demands and less rigor in courses translate into less than adequate performance by students. When teachers and administrators maintain high expectations, they encourage students to aim high rather than slide by with mediocre effort (Lumsden, 1997). As a result of the study, the following suggestions should

  5. Status of HiLASE project: High average power pulsed DPSSL systems for research and industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mocek, T.; Divoky, M.; Smrz, M.; Sawicka, M.; Chyla, M.; Sikocinski, P.; Vohnikova, H.; Severova, P.; Lucianetti, A.; Novak, J.; Rus, B.

    2013-11-01

    We introduce the Czech national R&D project HiLASE which focuses on strategic development of advanced high-repetition rate, diode pumped solid state laser (DPSSL) systems that may find use in research, high-tech industry and in the future European large-scale facilities such as HiPER and ELI. Within HiLASE we explore two major concepts: thin-disk and cryogenically cooled multislab amplifiers capable of delivering average output powers above 1 kW level in picosecond-to-nanosecond pulsed regime. In particular, we have started a programme of technology development to demonstrate the scalability of multislab concept up to the kJ level at repetition rate of 1-10 Hz.

  6. High gain signal averaged electrocardiogram combined with 24 hour monitoring in patients early after myocardial infarction for bedside prediction of arrhythmic events.

    PubMed Central

    Cripps, T; Bennett, E D; Camm, A J; Ward, D E

    1988-01-01

    The value of the high gain, signal averaged electrocardiogram combined with 24 hour electrocardiographic monitoring in the prediction of arrhythmic events was assessed in 159 patients in the first week after myocardial infarction. Eleven patients (7%) suffered arrhythmic events during a mean (SD) of 12 (6) months of follow up (range 2-22, median 13 months). The combination of high gain, signal averaged electrocardiography and 24 hour electrocardiographic monitoring was more accurate than either technique alone or than clinical information collected during admission in predicting these events. The combination identified a high risk group of 13 (8%) patients, with an arrhythmic event rate of 62% and a low risk group with an event rate of 2%. The combination of high gain, signal averaged electrocardiography and 24 hour electrocardiographic monitoring in the first week after myocardial infarction provides a rapid, cheap, and non-invasive bedside method for the prediction of arrhythmias. PMID:3179133

  7. Method and system for modulation of gain suppression in high average power laser systems

    DOEpatents

    Bayramian, Andrew James [Manteca, CA

    2012-07-31

    A high average power laser system with modulated gain suppression includes an input aperture associated with a first laser beam extraction path and an output aperture associated with the first laser beam extraction path. The system also includes a pinhole creation laser having an optical output directed along a pinhole creation path and an absorbing material positioned along both the first laser beam extraction path and the pinhole creation path. The system further includes a mechanism operable to translate the absorbing material in a direction crossing the first laser beam extraction laser path and a controller operable to modulate the second laser beam.

  8. Cognitive Capitalism: Economic Freedom Moderates the Effects of Intellectual and Average Classes on Economic Productivity.

    PubMed

    Coyle, Thomas R; Rindermann, Heiner; Hancock, Dale

    2016-10-01

    Cognitive ability stimulates economic productivity. However, the effects of cognitive ability may be stronger in free and open economies, where competition rewards merit and achievement. To test this hypothesis, ability levels of intellectual classes (top 5%) and average classes (country averages) were estimated using international student assessments (Programme for International Student Assessment; Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study; and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) (N = 99 countries). The ability levels were correlated with indicators of economic freedom (Fraser Institute), scientific achievement (patent rates), innovation (Global Innovation Index), competitiveness (Global Competitiveness Index), and wealth (gross domestic product). Ability levels of intellectual and average classes strongly predicted all economic criteria. In addition, economic freedom moderated the effects of cognitive ability (for both classes), with stronger effects at higher levels of freedom. Effects were particularly robust for scientific achievements when the full range of freedom was analyzed. The results support cognitive capitalism theory: cognitive ability stimulates economic productivity, and its effects are enhanced by economic freedom. © The Author(s) 2016.

  9. Explaining Achievement in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jansen, Ellen P. W. A.; Bruinsma, Marjon

    2005-01-01

    This research project investigated the relationship between students' pre-entry characteristics, perceptions of the learning environment, reported work discipline, the use of deep information processing strategies, and academic achievement. Ability measured by grade-point average in pre-university education was the most important predictor of…

  10. Consequences of the Confucian Culture: High Achievement but Negative Psychological Attributes?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ho, Irene T.; Hau, Kit-Tai

    2010-01-01

    In "Unforgiving Confucian culture: A breeding ground for high academic achievement, test anxiety and self-doubt?" Stankov (in press) provides three reasons for caution against over-glorifying the academic excellence of Confucian Asian learners, namely that it may lead to a reluctance to change their rote learning approach which is not conducive to…

  11. High-Stakes Testing and Student Achievement: Updated Analyses with NAEP Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nichols, Sharon L.; Glass, Gene V.; Berliner, David C.

    2012-01-01

    The present research is a follow-up study of earlier published analyses that looked at the relationship between high-stakes testing pressure and student achievement in 25 states. Using the previously derived Accountability Pressure Index (APR) as a measure of state-level policy pressure for performance on standardized tests, a series of…

  12. Growing into Equity: Professional Learning and Personalization in High-Achieving Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gleason, Sonia Caus; Gerzon, Nancy

    2013-01-01

    What makes a Title I school high-achieving, and what can we all learn from that experience? Professional learning and leadership that supports personalized instruction makes the difference, as captured in the ground-breaking research of authors Sonia Caus Gleason and Nancy Gerzon. This illuminating book shows how four outstanding schools are…

  13. High School Success: An Effective Intervention for Achievement and Dropout Prevention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lowder, Christopher Michael

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this mixed-design study was to use quantitative and qualitative research to explore the effects of High School Success (a course for at-risk ninth graders) and its effectiveness on student achievement, attendance, and dropout prevention. The research questions address whether there is a significant difference between at-risk ninth…

  14. Benchmarking statistical averaging of spectra with HULLAC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klapisch, Marcel; Busquet, Michel

    2008-11-01

    Knowledge of radiative properties of hot plasmas is important for ICF, astrophysics, etc When mid-Z or high-Z elements are present, the spectra are so complex that one commonly uses statistically averaged description of atomic systems [1]. In a recent experiment on Fe[2], performed under controlled conditions, high resolution transmission spectra were obtained. The new version of HULLAC [3] allows the use of the same model with different levels of details/averaging. We will take advantage of this feature to check the effect of averaging with comparison with experiment. [1] A Bar-Shalom, J Oreg, and M Klapisch, J. Quant. Spectros. Rad. Transf. 65, 43 (2000). [2] J. E. Bailey, G. A. Rochau, C. A. Iglesias et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 265002-4 (2007). [3]. M. Klapisch, M. Busquet, and A. Bar-Shalom, AIP Conference Proceedings 926, 206-15 (2007).

  15. Working Memory Load and Reminder Effect on Event-Based Prospective Memory of High- and Low-Achieving Students in Math.

    PubMed

    Chen, Youzhen; Lian, Rong; Yang, Lixian; Liu, Jianrong; Meng, Yingfang

    The effects of working memory (WM) demand and reminders on an event-based prospective memory (PM) task were compared between students with low and high achievement in math. WM load (1- and 2-back tasks) was manipulated as a within-subject factor and reminder (with or without reminder) as a between-subject factor. Results showed that high-achieving students outperformed low-achieving students on all PM and n-back tasks. Use of a reminder improved PM performance and thus reduced prospective interference; the performance of ongoing tasks also improved for all students. Both PM and n-back performances in low WM load were better than in high WM load. High WM load had more influence on low-achieving students than on high-achieving students. Results suggest that low-achieving students in math were weak at PM and influenced more by high WM load. Thus, it is important to train these students to set up an obvious reminder for their PM and improve their WM.

  16. How Achievement Error Patterns of Students with Mild Intellectual Disability Differ from Low IQ and Low Achievement Students without Diagnoses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Root, Melissa M.; Marchis, Lavinia; White, Erica; Courville, Troy; Choi, Dowon; Bray, Melissa A.; Pan, Xingyu; Wayte, Jessica

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the differences in error factor scores on the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement-Third Edition between individuals with mild intellectual disabilities (Mild IDs), those with low achievement scores but average intelligence, and those with low intelligence but without a Mild ID diagnosis. The two control groups were…

  17. Edge-facet pumped, multi-aperture, thin-disk laser geometry for very high average power output scaling

    DOEpatents

    Zapata, Luis E.

    2004-12-21

    The average power output of a laser is scaled, to first order, by increasing the transverse dimension of the gain medium while increasing the thickness of an index matched light guide proportionately. Strategic facets cut at the edges of the laminated gain medium provide a method by which the pump light introduced through edges of the composite structure is trapped and passes through the gain medium repeatedly. Spontaneous emission escapes the laser volume via these facets. A multi-faceted disk geometry with grooves cut into the thickness of the gain medium is optimized to passively reject spontaneous emission generated within the laser material, which would otherwise be trapped and amplified within the high index composite disk. Such geometry allows the useful size of the laser aperture to be increased, enabling the average laser output power to be scaled.

  18. Mindmapping: Its effects on student achievement in high school biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cunningham, Glennis Edge

    The primary goal of schools is to promote the highest degree of learning possible. Yet teachers spend the majority of their time engaged in lecturing while students spend the majority of their time passively present (Cawelti, 1997, Grinder, 1991; Jackson & Davis, 2000; Jenkins, 1996). Helping students develop proficiency in learning, which translates into using that expertise to construct knowledge in subject domains, is a crucial goal of education. Students need exposure to teaching and learning practices that prepare them for both the classroom and their places in the future workforce (Ettinger, 1998; Longley, Goodchild, Maguire, & Rhind, 2001; NRC, 1996; Texley & Wild, 1996). The purpose of this study was to determine if achievement in high school science courses could be enhanced utilizing mindmapping. The subjects were primarily 9th and 10th graders (n = 147) at a suburban South Texas high school. A pretest-posttest control group design was selected to determine the effects of mindmapping on student achievement as measured by a teacher-developed, panel-validated instrument. Follow-up interviews were conducted with the teacher and a purposive sample of students (n = 7) to determine their perceptions of mindmapping and its effects on teaching and learning. Mindmapping is a strategy for visually displaying large amounts of conceptual, hierarchical information in a concise, organized, and accessible format. Mindmaps arrange information similar to that found on the traditional topic outline into colorful spatial displays that offer the user a view of the "forest" as well as the "trees" (Hyerle, 1996; Wandersee, 1990b). An independent samples t-test and a one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) determined no significant difference in achievement between the groups. The experimental group improved in achievement at least as much as the control group. Several factors may have played a role in the lack of statistically significant results. These factors include the

  19. Effects of Full-Time and Part-Time High-Ability Programs on Developments in Students' Achievement Emotions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hornstra, Lisette; van der Veen, Ineke; Peetsma, Thea

    2017-01-01

    This study focused on effects of high-ability programs on students' achievement emotions, i.e. emotions that students experience that are associated with achievement activities. Participants were students in grade 4-6 of primary education: 218 students attended full-time high-ability programs, 245 attended part-time high-ability programs (i.e.…

  20. The Impact of Reading Success Academy on High School Reading Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burlison, Kelly; Chave, Josh

    2014-01-01

    The study explores the effectiveness of the Reading Success Academy on the reading achievement of the selected group of ninth-grade students in a comprehensive high school. We examine in what ways the Reading Success Academy may improve the reading proficiency rates and amount of reading growth of ninth-grade students. The results indicate that…

  1. An Examination of High-Achieving First-Generation College Students from Low-Income Backgrounds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hébert, Thomas P.

    2018-01-01

    Experiences of 10 high-achieving first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds were the focus of this qualitative research study. Family adversity and difficult personal experiences during adolescence were major themes; however, students benefitted from emotionally supportive K-12 educators and academic rigor in high school.…

  2. The Relationship between Principals' Instructional Focus and Academic Achievement of High Poverty Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aste, Mahri

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between teacher perceptions of the frequency and effectiveness of principal instructional leadership behaviors and student achievement in high-poverty elementary schools. In order to accomplish the purpose, survey methodology was employed. Teachers from six high-poverty elementary schools…

  3. The English-Language and Reading Achievement of a Cohort of Deaf Students Speaking and Signing Standard English: A Preliminary Study.

    PubMed

    Nielsen, Diane Corcoran; Luetke, Barbara; McLean, Meigan; Stryker, Deborah

    2016-01-01

    Research suggests that English-language proficiency is critical if students who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) are to read as their hearing peers. One explanation for the traditionally reported reading achievement plateau when students are D/HH is the inability to hear insalient English morphology. Signing Exact English can provide visual access to these features. The authors investigated the English morphological and syntactic abilities and reading achievement of elementary and middle school students at a school using simultaneously spoken and signed Standard American English facilitated by intentional listening, speech, and language strategies. A developmental trend (and no plateau) in language and reading achievement was detected; most participants demonstrated average or above-average English. Morphological awareness was prerequisite to high test scores; speech was not significantly correlated with achievement; language proficiency, measured by the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-4 (Semel, Wiig, & Secord, 2003), predicted reading achievement.

  4. The Relationship between Birth Order and Academic Achievement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cherry, Crystal M.

    This paper reviews the literature on the relationship between birth order and several variables, especially academic achievement. One study found a relationship between leadership skills and birth order for males. Several studies found no relationship between birth order and academic achievement; grade point average; self-esteem; locus of control…

  5. Internet gaming disorder in Lebanon: Relationships with age, sleep habits, and academic achievement.

    PubMed

    Hawi, Nazir S; Samaha, Maya; Griffiths, Mark D

    2018-03-01

    Background and aims The latest (fifth) edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders included Internet gaming disorder (IGD) as a disorder that needs further research among different general populations. In line with this recommendation, the primary objective of this was to explore the relationships between IGD, sleep habits, and academic achievement in Lebanese adolescents. Methods Lebanese high-school students (N = 524, 47.9% males) participated in a paper survey that included the Internet Gaming Disorder Test and demographic information. The sample's mean average age was 16.2 years (SD = 1.0). Results The pooled prevalence of IGD was 9.2% in the sample. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis demonstrated that IGD was associated with being younger, lesser sleep, and lower academic achievement. While more casual online gamers also played offline, all the gamers with IGD reported playing online only. Those with IGD slept significantly less hours per night (5 hr) compared with casual online gamers (7 hr). The school grade average of gamers with IGD was the lowest among all groups of gamers, and below the passing school grade average. Conclusions These findings shed light on sleep disturbances and poor academic achievement in relation to Lebanese adolescents identified with IGD. Students who are not performing well at schools should be monitored for their IGD when assessing the different factors behind their low academic performance.

  6. The development of science achievement in middle and high school. Individual differences and school effects.

    PubMed

    Ma, Xin; Wilkins, Jesse L M

    2002-08-01

    Using data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY), hierarchical linear models (HLMs) were used to model the growth of student science achievement in three areas (biology, physical science, and environmental science) during middle and high school. Results showed significant growth in science achievement across all areas. The growth was quadratic across all areas, with rapid growth at the beginning grades of middle school but slow growth at the ending grades of high school. At the student level, socioeconomic status (SES) and age were related to the rate of growth in all areas. There were no gender differences in the rate of growth in any of the three areas. At the school level, variables associated with school context (school mean SES and school size) and variables associated with school climate (principal leadership, academic expectation, and teacher autonomy) were related to the growth in science achievement. Initial (Grade 7) status in science achievement was not associated with the rate of growth in science achievement among either students or schools in any of the three areas.

  7. The High-Potential Fast-Flying Achiever: Themes from the English Language Literature 1976-1995.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Altman, Yochanan

    1997-01-01

    Review of business management literature from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada identified the following: the images of high flyer, fast track, and high achiever; the meaning of success; emphasis on performance; corporate rites of passage; and opportunities for women to be high flyers. (SK)

  8. The Effect of the Time Management Art on Academic Achievement among High School Students in Jordan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Zoubi, Maysoon

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed at recognizing the effect of the Time Management Art on academic achievement among high school students in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The researcher employed the descriptive-analytic research to achieve the purpose of the study where he chose a sample of (2000) high school female and male students as respondents to the…

  9. One-to-One Computing and Student Achievement in Ohio High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Nancy L.; Larwin, Karen H.

    2016-01-01

    This study explores the impact of one-to-one computing on student achievement in Ohio high schools as measured by performance on the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT). The sample included 24 treatment schools that were individually paired with a similar control school. An interrupted time series methodology was deployed to examine OGT data over a period…

  10. The Role of Teachers at University: What Do High Achiever Students Look for?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Monteiro, Silvia; Almeida, Leandro S.; Vasconcelos, Rosa M.

    2012-01-01

    The perceptions of students about their teachers have interested the academic and scientific community, regarding the improvement of the quality of higher education. This paper presents data obtained from interviews conducted with ten high achiever engineering students and focuses on the characteristics of teachers that are highly valued by the…

  11. Incremental Theory of Intelligence Moderated the Relationship between Prior Achievement and School Engagement in Chinese High School Students

    PubMed Central

    Li, Ping; Zhou, Nan; Zhang, Yuchi; Xiong, Qing; Nie, Ruihong; Fang, Xiaoyi

    2017-01-01

    School engagement plays a prominent role in promoting academic accomplishments. In contrast to the relative wealth of research that examined the impact of students’ school engagement on their academic achievement, considerably less research has investigated the effect of high school students’ prior achievement on their school engagement. The present study examined the relationship between prior achievement and school engagement among Chinese high school students. Based on the Dweck’s social-cognitive theory of motivation, we further examined the moderating effect of students’ theories of intelligence (TOIs) on this relationship. A total of 4036 (2066 girls) students from five public high school enrolled in grades 10 reported their high school entrance exam achievement in Chinese, Math and English, school engagement, and TOIs. Results showed that (a) students’ prior achievement predicted their behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement, respectively, and (b) the association between prior achievement and behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement is strong for students with an incremental theory but not for those with an entity theory in the emotional and cognitive engagement. These findings suggest that prior achievement and incremental theory were implicated in relation to adolescents’ school engagement. Implications and future research directions were discussed. PMID:29021772

  12. The effects of chronic achievement motivation and achievement primes on the activation of achievement and fun goals.

    PubMed

    Hart, William; Albarracín, Dolores

    2009-12-01

    This research examined the hypothesis that situational achievement cues can elicit achievement or fun goals depending on chronic differences in achievement motivation. In 4 studies, chronic differences in achievement motivation were measured, and achievement-denoting words were used to influence behavior. The effects of these variables were assessed on self-report inventories, task performance, task resumption following an interruption, and the pursuit of means relevant to achieving or having fun. Findings indicated that achievement priming (vs. control priming) activated a goal to achieve and inhibited a goal to have fun in individuals with chronically high-achievement motivation but activated a goal to have fun and inhibited a goal to achieve in individuals with chronically low-achievement motivation.

  13. The Effects of Chronic Achievement Motivation and Achievement Primes on the Activation of Achievement and Fun Goals

    PubMed Central

    Hart, William; Albarracín, Dolores

    2013-01-01

    This research examined the hypothesis that situational achievement cues can elicit achievement or fun goals depending on chronic differences in achievement motivation. In 4 studies, chronic differences in achievement motivation were measured, and achievement-denoting words were used to influence behavior. The effects of these variables were assessed on self-report inventories, task performance, task resumption following an interruption, and the pursuit of means relevant to achieving or having fun. Findings indicated that achievement priming (vs. control priming) activated a goal to achieve and inhibited a goal to have fun in individuals with chronically high-achievement motivation but activated a goal to have fun and inhibited a goal to achieve in individuals with chronically low-achievement motivation. PMID:19968423

  14. Achieving high coverage in Rwanda's national human papillomavirus vaccination programme.

    PubMed

    Binagwaho, Agnes; Wagner, Claire M; Gatera, Maurice; Karema, Corine; Nutt, Cameron T; Ngabo, Fidele

    2012-08-01

    Virtually all women who have cervical cancer are infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Of the 275,000 women who die from cervical cancer every year, 88% live in developing countries. Two vaccines against the HPV have been approved. However, vaccine implementation in low-income countries tends to lag behind implementation in high-income countries by 15 to 20 years. In 2011, Rwanda's Ministry of Health partnered with Merck to offer the Gardasil HPV vaccine to all girls of appropriate age. The Ministry formed a "public-private community partnership" to ensure effective and equitable delivery. Thanks to a strong national focus on health systems strengthening, more than 90% of all Rwandan infants aged 12-23 months receive all basic immunizations recommended by the World Health Organization. In 2011, Rwanda's HPV vaccination programme achieved 93.23% coverage after the first three-dose course of vaccination among girls in grade six. This was made possible through school-based vaccination and community involvement in identifying girls absent from or not enrolled in school. A nationwide sensitization campaign preceded delivery of the first dose. Through a series of innovative partnerships, Rwanda reduced the historical two-decade gap in vaccine introduction between high- and low-income countries to just five years. High coverage rates were achieved due to a delivery strategy that built on Rwanda's strong vaccination system and human resources framework. Following the GAVI Alliance's decision to begin financing HPV vaccination, Rwanda's example should motivate other countries to explore universal HPV vaccine coverage, although implementation must be tailored to the local context.

  15. The Use of Group Activities in Introductory Biology Supports Learning Gains and Uniquely Benefits High-Achieving Students†

    PubMed Central

    Marbach-Ad, Gili; Rietschel, Carly H.; Saluja, Neeti; Carleton, Karen L.; Haag, Eric S.

    2016-01-01

    This study describes the implementation and effectiveness of small-group active engagement (GAE) exercises in an introductory biology course (BSCI207) taught in a large auditorium setting. BSCI207 (Principles of Biology III—Organismal Biology) is the third introductory core course for Biological Sciences majors. In fall 2014, the instructors redesigned one section to include GAE activities to supplement lecture content. One section (n = 198) employed three lectures per week. The other section (n = 136) replaced one lecture per week with a GAE class. We explored the benefits and challenges associated with implementing GAE exercises and their relative effectiveness for unique student groups (e.g., minority students, high- and low-grade point average [GPA] students). Our findings show that undergraduates in the GAE class exhibited greater improvement in learning outcomes than undergraduates in the traditional class. Findings also indicate that high-achieving students experienced the greatest benefit from GAE activities. Some at-risk student groups (e.g., two-year transfer students) showed comparably low learning gains in the course, despite the additional support that may have been afforded by active learning. Collectively, these findings provide valuable feedback that may assist other instructors who wish to revise their courses and recommendations for institutions regarding prerequisite coursework approval policies. PMID:28101262

  16. The Use of Group Activities in Introductory Biology Supports Learning Gains and Uniquely Benefits High-Achieving Students.

    PubMed

    Marbach-Ad, Gili; Rietschel, Carly H; Saluja, Neeti; Carleton, Karen L; Haag, Eric S

    2016-12-01

    This study describes the implementation and effectiveness of small-group active engagement (GAE) exercises in an introductory biology course (BSCI207) taught in a large auditorium setting. BSCI207 (Principles of Biology III-Organismal Biology) is the third introductory core course for Biological Sciences majors. In fall 2014, the instructors redesigned one section to include GAE activities to supplement lecture content. One section ( n = 198) employed three lectures per week. The other section ( n = 136) replaced one lecture per week with a GAE class. We explored the benefits and challenges associated with implementing GAE exercises and their relative effectiveness for unique student groups (e.g., minority students, high- and low-grade point average [GPA] students). Our findings show that undergraduates in the GAE class exhibited greater improvement in learning outcomes than undergraduates in the traditional class. Findings also indicate that high-achieving students experienced the greatest benefit from GAE activities. Some at-risk student groups (e.g., two-year transfer students) showed comparably low learning gains in the course, despite the additional support that may have been afforded by active learning. Collectively, these findings provide valuable feedback that may assist other instructors who wish to revise their courses and recommendations for institutions regarding prerequisite coursework approval policies.

  17. Strategies to achieve high-solids enzymatic hydrolysis of dilute-acid pretreated corn stover.

    PubMed

    Geng, Wenhui; Jin, Yongcan; Jameel, Hasan; Park, Sunkyu

    2015-01-01

    Three strategies were presented to achieve high solids loading while maximizing carbohydrate conversion, which are fed-batch, splitting/thickening, and clarifier processes. Enzymatic hydrolysis was performed at water insoluble solids (WIS) of 15% using washed dilute-acid pretreated corn stover. The carbohydrate concentration increased from 31.8 to 99.3g/L when the insoluble solids content increased from 5% to 15% WIS, while the final carbohydrate conversion was decreased from 78.4% to 73.2%. For the fed-batch process, a carbohydrate conversion efficiency of 76.8% was achieved when solid was split into 60:20:20 ratio, with all enzymes added first. For the splitting/thickening process, a carbohydrate conversion of 76.5% was realized when the filtrate was recycled to simulate a steady-state process. Lastly, the clarifier process was evaluated and the highest carbohydrate conversion of 81.4% was achieved. All of these results suggests the possibility of enzymatic hydrolysis at high solids to make the overall conversion cost-competitive. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Raising the stakes: How students' motivation for mathematics associates with high- and low-stakes test achievement.

    PubMed

    Simzar, Rahila M; Martinez, Marcela; Rutherford, Teomara; Domina, Thurston; Conley, AnneMarie M

    2015-04-01

    This study uses data from an urban school district to examine the relation between students' motivational beliefs about mathematics and high- versus low-stakes math test performance. We use ordinary least squares and quantile regression analyses and find that the association between students' motivation and test performance differs based on the stakes of the exam. Students' math self-efficacy and performance avoidance goal orientation were the strongest predictors for both exams; however, students' math self-efficacy was more strongly related to achievement on the low-stakes exam. Students' motivational beliefs had a stronger association at the low-stakes exam proficiency cutoff than they did at the high-stakes passing cutoff. Lastly, the negative association between performance avoidance goals and high-stakes performance showed a decreasing trend across the achievement distribution, suggesting that performance avoidance goals are more detrimental for lower achieving students. These findings help parse out the ways motivation influences achievement under different stakes.

  19. An Examination of Home, School, and Community Experiences of High-Achieving Deaf Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tanner, Kara Kunst

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study investigated the academic, community, and family experiences of adults who are profoundly deaf. The deaf adults were categorized as high-achieving by having attended college post-high school. The intent of this study is to give teachers, parents, and other deaf students, insight into the factors responsible for contributing…

  20. The Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Achievement in At-Risk High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gold, Jarrett Graham

    2010-01-01

    The focus of this quantitative survey study was the examination of the relationship between self-efficacy and academic achievement in 164 at-risk high school students. The study used Bandura's self-efficacy as the theoretical framework. The research questions involved understanding the levels of self-efficacy in at-risk high school students and…

  1. The Relationship between Thinking Style Differences and Career Choices for High-Achieving Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Mihyeon

    2011-01-01

    The intent of this study was to present information about high-achieving students' career decision making associated with thinking styles. We gathered data from two International Baccalaureate (IB) programs and a Governor's School Program with a sample of 209 high-school students. The findings of this study demonstrated that the effect of program…

  2. An Emerging Professional Identity: Influences on the Achievement of High-Ability First-Generation College Females

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Speirs Neumeister, Kristie L.; Rinker, Julie

    2006-01-01

    Using a qualitative interview design, this study examined factors contributing to the academic achievement of gifted first-generation college females. Findings indicated an emerging professional identity as the primary influence on achievement. The participants' high ability served as a passport to accessing coursework, extracurricular…

  3. Teachers' Conceptions of Gifted and Average-Ability Students on Achievement-Relevant Dimensions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baudson, Tanja Gabriele; Preckel, Franzis

    2016-01-01

    Stereotyping of gifted students may not only hinder identification and actualization of potential but also personality development ("stigma of giftedness"). This is obvious in the case of negative stereotyping (e.g., the disharmony hypothesis, which sees gifted students as intellectually strong, but emotionally and socially inferior),…

  4. Cohort versus Non-Cohort High School Students' Math Performance: Achievement Test Scores and Coursework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parke, Carol S.; Keener, Dana

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to compare multiple measures of mathematics achievement for 1,378 cohort students who attended the same high school in a district from 9th to 12th grade with non-cohort students in each grade level. Results show that mobility had an impact on math achievement. After accounting for gender, ethnicity, and SES, adjusted…

  5. Multi-session complex averaging for high resolution high SNR 3T MR visualization of ex vivo hippocampus and insula

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stamm, Aymeric; Singh, Jolene M.; Scherrer, Benoit; Afacan, Onur; Warfield, Simon K.

    2015-03-01

    The hippocampus and the insula are responsible for episodic memory formation and retrieval. Hence, visualization of the cytoarchitecture of such structures is of primary importance to understand the underpinnings of conscious experience. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) offers an opportunity to non-invasively image these crucial structures. However, current clinical MR imaging operates at the millimeter scale while these anatomical landmarks are organized into sub-millimeter structures. For instance, the hippocampus contains several layers, including the CA3-dentate network responsible for encoding events and experiences. To investigate whether memory loss is a result of injury or degradation of CA3/dentate, spatial resolution must exceed one hundred micron, isotropic, voxel size. Going from one millimeter voxels to one hundred micron voxels results in a 1000× signal loss, making the measured signal close to or even way below the precision of the receiving coils. Consequently, the signal magnitude that forms the structural images will be biased and noisy, which results in inaccurate contrast and less than optimal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In this paper, we propose a strategy to perform high spatial resolution MR imaging of the hippocampus and insula with 3T scanners that enables accurate contrast (no systematic bias) and arbitrarily high SNR. This requires the collection of additional repeated measurements of the same image and a proper averaging of the k-space data in the complex domain. This comes at the cost of additional scan time, but long single-session scan times are not practical for obvious reasons. Hence, we also develop an approach to combine k-space data from multiple sessions, which enables the total scan time to be split into arbitrarily short sessions, where the patient is allowed to move and rest in-between. For validation, we hereby illustrate our multi-session complex averaging strategy by providing high spatial resolution 3T MR visualization

  6. Characterization and optimization of a new high-average power laser glass

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bayramian, A.

    A new High-Average Power laser glass with favorable thermal-mechanical properties was recently developed by Schott Glass Technologies. We refer to this glass as APG-2, although it does not have an official designation. Fracture studies were conducted which verified the thermomechanical utility of the glass. Consequently, the glass was a promising candidate for a variety of applications such as a Kerr-lens mode-locked short-pulse laser. As a result, cavity designs and optical parameters were calculated to test this hypothesis, and characterization of the lasing properties began. The glass was lased for the first time, and laser slope efficiencies were measured at variousmore » output couplings. Laser efficiencies were observed to drop radically when the pump light duty cycle was increased from 10% to unity. When the new laser glass was compared to commercially available laser glasses LG-750 and APG-1, something appeared to be inhibiting smooth laser action. Further investigations indicated that the thermal lens in the new glass was much larger than in the other glasses making the laser resonator unstable. This thermal lens was then modeled and quantified in a separate experiment.« less

  7. A new Faraday rotator for high average power lasers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Khazanov, E A

    2001-04-30

    The new design of a Faraday rotator is proposed which allows one to compensate partially the radiation depolarisation in magneto-optical elements induced by heating due to the laser radiation absorption. The new design is compared analytically and numerically with a conventional design for the cases of glass and crystal magneto-optical media. It is shown that a rotator, which provides the compensation for birefringence in active elements with the accuracy up to 1 % at the average laser radiation power of 1 kW in the rotator, can be created. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

  8. Heterogeneity in High Math Achievement across Schools: Evidence from the American Mathematics Competitions. NBER Working Paper No. 18277

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellison, Glenn; Swanson, Ashley

    2012-01-01

    This paper explores differences in the frequency with which students from different schools reach high levels of math achievement. Data from the American Mathematics Competitions is used to produce counts of high-scoring students from more than two thousand public, coeducational, non-magnet, non-charter U.S. high schools. High-achieving students…

  9. Mathematics Achievement with Digital Game-Based Learning in High School Algebra 1 Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferguson, Terri Lynn Kurley

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the impact of digital game-based learning (DGBL) on mathematics achievement in a rural high school setting in North Carolina. A causal comparative research design was used in this study to collect data to determine the effectiveness of DGBL in high school Algebra 1 classes. Data were collected from the North Carolina…

  10. Racial-ethnic identity in mid-adolescence: content and change as predictors of academic achievement.

    PubMed

    Altschul, Inna; Oyserman, Daphna; Bybee, Deborah

    2006-01-01

    Three aspects of racial-ethnic identity (REI)-feeling connected to one's racial-ethnic group (Connectedness), being aware that others may not value the in-group (Awareness of Racism), and feeling that one's in-group is characterized by academic attainment (Embedded Achievement)-were hypothesized to promote academic achievement. Youth randomly selected from 3 low-income, urban schools (n=98 African American, n=41 Latino) reported on their REI 4 times over 2 school years. Hierarchical linear modeling shows a small increase in REI and the predicted REI-grades relationship. Youth high in both REI Connectedness and Embedded Achievement attained better grade point average (GPA) at each point in time; youth high in REI Connectedness and Awareness of Racism at the beginning of 8th grade attained better GPA through 9th grade. Effects are not moderated by race-ethnicity.

  11. Achieving High-Energy-High-Power Density in a Flexible Quasi-Solid-State Sodium Ion Capacitor.

    PubMed

    Li, Hongsen; Peng, Lele; Zhu, Yue; Zhang, Xiaogang; Yu, Guihua

    2016-09-14

    Simultaneous integration of high-energy output with high-power delivery is a major challenge for electrochemical energy storage systems, limiting dual fine attributes on a device. We introduce a quasi-solid-state sodium ion capacitor (NIC) based on a battery type urchin-like Na2Ti3O7 anode and a capacitor type peanut shell derived carbon cathode, using a sodium ion conducting gel polymer as electrolyte, achieving high-energy-high-power characteristics in solid state. Energy densities can reach 111.2 Wh kg(-1) at power density of 800 W kg(-1), and 33.2 Wh kg(-1) at power density of 11200 W kg(-1), which are among the best reported state-of-the-art NICs. The designed device also exhibits long-term cycling stability over 3000 cycles with capacity retention ∼86%. Furthermore, we demonstrate the assembly of a highly flexible quasi-solid-state NIC and it shows no obvious capacity loss under different bending conditions.

  12. Averaging Models: Parameters Estimation with the R-Average Procedure

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vidotto, G.; Massidda, D.; Noventa, S.

    2010-01-01

    The Functional Measurement approach, proposed within the theoretical framework of Information Integration Theory (Anderson, 1981, 1982), can be a useful multi-attribute analysis tool. Compared to the majority of statistical models, the averaging model can account for interaction effects without adding complexity. The R-Average method (Vidotto &…

  13. Conflicts and Communication between High-Achieving Chinese American Adolescents and Their Parents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Qin, Desiree Baolian; Chang, Tzu-Fen; Han, Eun-Jin; Chee, Grace

    2012-01-01

    Drawing on in-depth interview data collected on 18 high-achieving Chinese American students, the authors examine domains of acculturation-based conflicts, parent and child internal conflicts, and conflict resolution in their families. Their analyses show that well-established negative communication patterns in educational expectations, divergent…

  14. Predicting Academic Success in First-Year Mathematics Courses Using ACT Mathematics Scores and High School Grade Point Average

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mayo, Sandra Sims

    2012-01-01

    Improving college performance and retention is a daunting task for colleges and universities. Many institutions are taking action to increase retention rates by exploring their academic programs. Regression analysis was used to compare the effectiveness of ACT mathematics scores, high school grade point averages (HSGPA), and demographic factors…

  15. Unforgiving Confucian Culture: A Breeding Ground for High Academic Achievement, Test Anxiety and Self-Doubt?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stankov, Lazar

    2010-01-01

    This paper reviews findings from several studies that contribute to our understanding of cross-cultural differences in academic achievement, anxiety and self-doubt. The focus is on comparisons between Confucian Asian and European regions. Recent studies indicate that high academic achievement of students from Confucian Asian countries is…

  16. Closing the Mathematics Achievement Gap in High-Poverty Middle Schools: Enablers and Constraints

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balfanz, Robert; Byrnes, Vaughan

    2006-01-01

    The mathematics achievement levels of U.S. students fall far behind those of other developed nations; within the United States itself, the students who are falling behind come predominantly from high-poverty and high-minority areas. This article reports on a series of analyses that followed 4 cohorts of students from 3 such schools through the 5th…

  17. The value of time-averaged serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in prediction of mortality and dropout in peritoneal dialysis patients.

    PubMed

    Liu, Shou-Hsuan; Chen, Chao-Yu; Li, Yi-Jung; Wu, Hsin-Hsu; Lin, Chan-Yu; Chen, Yung-Chang; Chang, Ming-Yang; Hsu, Hsiang-Hao; Ku, Cheng-Lung; Tian, Ya-Chung

    2017-01-01

    C-reactive protein (CRP) is a useful biomarker for prediction of long-term outcomes in patients undergoing chronic dialysis. This observational cohort study evaluated whether the time-averaged serum high-sensitivity CRP (HS-CRP) level was a better predictor of clinical outcomes than a single HS-CRP level in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). We classified 335 patients into three tertiles according to the time-averaged serum HS-CRP level and followed up regularly from January 2010 to December 2014. Clinical outcomes such as cardiovascular events, infection episodes, newly developed malignancy, encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS), dropout (death plus conversion to hemodialysis), and mortality were assessed. During a 5-year follow-up, 164 patients (49.0%) ceased PD; this included 52 patient deaths (15.5%), 100 patients (29.9%) who converted to hemodialysis, and 12 patients (3.6%) who received a kidney transplantation. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank test revealed a significantly worse survival accumulation in patients with high time-average HS-CRP levels. A multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that a higher time-averaged serum HS-CRP level, older age, and the occurrence of cardiovascular events were independent mortality predictors. A higher time-averaged serum HS-CRP level, the occurrence of cardiovascular events, infection episodes, and EPS were important predictors of dropout. The receiver operating characteristic analysis verified that the value of the time-average HS-CRP level in predicting the 5-year mortality and dropout was superior to a single serum baseline HS-CRP level. This study shows that the time-averaged serum HS-CRP level is a better marker than a single baseline measurement in predicting the 5-year mortality and dropout in PD patients.

  18. Examining School Improvement through the Lens of Principal and Teacher Flow of Influence in High-Achieving, High-Poverty Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murley, Lisa Downing; Keedy, John L.; Welsh, John F.

    2008-01-01

    Based on the social exchange theory of Homans, Gouldner, and Malinowski, this sociocultural analysis of three elementary schools focused on principal-teacher and teacher-teacher exchanges of instructional influence. Two questions were asked: (a) In what ways, if any, do principals and teachers in high-achieving, high-poverty schools exchange…

  19. Quantized Average Consensus on Gossip Digraphs with Reduced Computation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cai, Kai; Ishii, Hideaki

    The authors have recently proposed a class of randomized gossip algorithms which solve the distributed averaging problem on directed graphs, with the constraint that each node has an integer-valued state. The essence of this algorithm is to maintain local records, called “surplus”, of individual state updates, thereby achieving quantized average consensus even though the state sum of all nodes is not preserved. In this paper we study a modified version of this algorithm, whose feature is primarily in reducing both computation and communication effort. Concretely, each node needs to update fewer local variables, and can transmit surplus by requiring only one bit. Under this modified algorithm we prove that reaching the average is ensured for arbitrary strongly connected graphs. The condition of arbitrary strong connection is less restrictive than those known in the literature for either real-valued or quantized states; in particular, it does not require the special structure on the network called balanced. Finally, we provide numerical examples to illustrate the convergence result, with emphasis on convergence time analysis.

  20. Exploring the relations among physical fitness, executive functioning, and low academic achievement.

    PubMed

    de Bruijn, A G M; Hartman, E; Kostons, D; Visscher, C; Bosker, R J

    2018-03-01

    Physical fitness seems to be related to academic performance, at least when taking the role of executive functioning into account. This assumption is highly relevant for the vulnerable population of low academic achievers because their academic performance might benefit from enhanced physical fitness. The current study examined whether physical fitness and executive functioning are independent predictors of low mathematics and spelling achievement or whether the relation between physical fitness and low achievement is mediated by specific executive functions. In total, 477 students from second- and third-grade classes of 12 primary schools were classified as either low or average-to-high achievers in mathematics and spelling based on their scores on standardized achievement tests. Multilevel structural equation models were built with direct paths between physical fitness and academic achievement and added indirect paths via components of executive functioning: inhibition, verbal working memory, visuospatial working memory, and shifting. Physical fitness was only indirectly related to low achievement via specific executive functions, depending on the academic domain involved. Verbal working memory was a mediator between physical fitness and low achievement in both domains, whereas visuospatial working memory had a mediating role only in mathematics. Physical fitness interventions aiming to improve low academic achievement, thus, could potentially be successful. The mediating effect of executive functioning suggests that these improvements in academic achievement will be preceded by enhanced executive functions, either verbal working memory (in spelling) or both verbal and visuospatial working memory (in mathematics). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Balancing Dreams and Realities: The College Choice Process for High-Achieving Latinas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hernández, Ebelia

    2015-01-01

    This study's narratives of 17 high-achieving Latinas revealed how their college choice was a constant balancing of individual and family expectations, being "close, but far enough away," and "getting your money's worth." With the use of critical race theory, further analysis revealed the influence of "familismo" on…

  2. Student Achievement and Attitude in a Satellite-Delivered High School Science Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Elaine D.; Rainey, Larry

    1993-01-01

    Discusses results of a study of high school students that was conducted to determine, through measures of student achievement, the educational effectiveness of interactive satellite delivery compared with traditional classroom instruction in anatomy and physiology and to compare the attitudes toward anatomy and physiology of distance students and…

  3. High-Stakes Testing and Student Achievement: Does Accountability Pressure Increase Student Learning?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nichols, Sharon L.; Glass, Gene V.; Berliner, David C.

    2006-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between high-stakes testing pressure and student achievement across 25 states. Standardized portfolios were created for each study state. Each portfolio contained a range of documents that told the "story" of accountability implementation and impact in that state. Using the "law of comparative…

  4. Development of the Los Alamos continuous high average-power microsecond pulser ion accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bitteker, L. J.; Wood, B. P.; Davis, H. A.; Waganaar, W. J.; Boyd, I. D.; Lovberg, R. H.

    2000-10-01

    The continuous high average-power microsecond pulser (CHAMP) ion accelerator is being constructed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Progress on the testing of the CHAMP diode is discussed. A direct simulation Monte Carlo computer code is used to investigate the puffed gas fill of the CHAMP anode. High plenum pressures and low plenum volumes are found to be desirable for effective gas puffs. The typical gas fill time is 150-180 μs from initiation of valve operation to end of fill. Results of anode plasma production at three stages of development are discussed. Plasma properties are monitored with electric and magnetic field probes. From this data, the near coil plasma density under nominal conditions is found to be on the order of 1×1016 cm-3. Large error is associated with this calculation due to inconsistencies between tests and the limitations of the instrumentation used. The diode insulating magnetic field is observed to result in lower density plasma with a more diffuse structure than for the cases when the insulating field is not applied. The importance of these differences in plasma quality on the beam production is yet to be determined.

  5. Thermally induced distortion of high average power laser system by an optical transport system

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ault, L; Chow, R; Taylor, Jedlovec, D

    1999-03-31

    The atomic vapor laser isotope separation process uses high-average power lasers that have the commercial potential to enrich uranium for the electric power utilities. The transport of the laser beam through the laser system to the separation chambers requires high performance optical components, most of which have either fused silica or Zerodur as the substrate material. One of the requirements of the optical components is to preserve the wavefront quality of the laser beam that propagate over long distances. Full aperture tests with the high power process lasers and finite element analysis (FEA) have been performed on the transport optics.more » The wavefront distortions of the various sections of the transport path were measured with diagnostic Hartmann sensor packages. The FEA results were derived from an in-house thermal-structural-optical code which is linked to the commercially available CodeV program. In comparing the measured and predicted results, the bulk absorptance of fused silica was estimated to about 50 ppm/cm in the visible wavelength regime. Wavefront distortions are reported on optics made from fused silica and Zerodur substrate materials.« less

  6. Metacognitive Strategy Use in Reading of Gifted High Achieving and Gifted Underachieving Middle School Students in New York City

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berkowitz, Esther; Cicchelli, Terry

    2004-01-01

    High achieving and underachieving gifted New York City adolescent students were compared in their use of metacognitive reading strategies. A stratified sample was used to identify extreme groups of achievers, 5 consistent high achievers and 5 consistent underachievers. Data were collected from three sources: (a) the Metacognitive Awareness of…

  7. Peace of Mind, Academic Motivation, and Academic Achievement in Filipino High School Students.

    PubMed

    Datu, Jesus Alfonso D

    2017-04-09

    Recent literature has recognized the advantageous role of low-arousal positive affect such as feelings of peacefulness and internal harmony in collectivist cultures. However, limited research has explored the benefits of low-arousal affective states in the educational setting. The current study examined the link of peace of mind (PoM) to academic motivation (i.e., amotivation, controlled motivation, and autonomous motivation) and academic achievement among 525 Filipino high school students. Findings revealed that PoM was positively associated with academic achievement β = .16, p < .05, autonomous motivation β = .48, p < .001, and controlled motivation β = .25, p < .01. As expected, PoM was negatively related to amotivation β = -.19, p < .05, and autonomous motivation was positively associated with academic achievement β = .52, p < .01. Furthermore, the results of bias-corrected bootstrap analyses at 95% confidence interval based on 5,000 bootstrapped resamples demonstrated that peace of mind had an indirect influence on academic achievement through the mediating effects of autonomous motivation. In terms of the effect sizes, the findings showed that PoM explained about 1% to 18% of the variance in academic achievement and motivation. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are elucidated.

  8. Does Recreational Computer Use Affect High School Achievement?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowers, Alex J.; Berland, Matthew

    2013-01-01

    Historically, the relationship between student academic achievement and use of computers for fun and video gaming has been described from a multitude of perspectives, from positive, to negative, to neutral. However, recent research has indicated that computer use and video gaming may be positively associated with achievement, yet these studies…

  9. Enhancement of the Comb Filtering Selectivity Using Iterative Moving Average for Periodic Waveform and Harmonic Elimination

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Yan; Aarts, Ronald M.

    2018-01-01

    A recurring problem regarding the use of conventional comb filter approaches for elimination of periodic waveforms is the degree of selectivity achieved by the filtering process. Some applications, such as the gradient artefact correction in EEG recordings during coregistered EEG-fMRI, require a highly selective comb filtering that provides effective attenuation in the stopbands and gain close to unity in the pass-bands. In this paper, we present a novel comb filtering implementation whereby the iterative filtering application of FIR moving average-based approaches is exploited in order to enhance the comb filtering selectivity. Our results indicate that the proposed approach can be used to effectively approximate the FIR moving average filter characteristics to those of an ideal filter. A cascaded implementation using the proposed approach shows to further increase the attenuation in the filter stopbands. Moreover, broadening of the bandwidth of the comb filtering stopbands around −3 dB according to the fundamental frequency of the stopband can be achieved by the novel method, which constitutes an important characteristic to account for broadening of the harmonic gradient artefact spectral lines. In parallel, the proposed filtering implementation can also be used to design a novel notch filtering approach with enhanced selectivity as well. PMID:29599955

  10. What Can Teacher Education Programs Do to Prepare Teachers to Teach High-Achieving Culturally Diverse Male Students?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milner, H. Richard; Tenore, F. Blake; Laughter, Judson

    2008-01-01

    In this article, the authors discuss what teacher education programs can do to prepare teachers to teach high-achieving culturally diverse male students. They suggest that special attention needs to be directed at the educational experiences of high-achieving Black male students. They also believe that diverse male learners, and especially high…

  11. An Electrochemical Capacitor with Applicable Energy Density of 7.4 Wh/kg at Average Power Density of 3000 W/kg.

    PubMed

    Zhai, Teng; Lu, Xihong; Wang, Hanyu; Wang, Gongming; Mathis, Tyler; Liu, Tianyu; Li, Cheng; Tong, Yexiang; Li, Yat

    2015-05-13

    Electrochemical capacitors represent a new class of charge storage devices that can simultaneously achieve high energy density and high power density. Previous reports have been primarily focused on the development of high performance capacitor electrodes. Although these electrodes have achieved excellent specific capacitance based on per unit mass of active materials, the gravimetric energy densities calculated based on the weight of entire capacitor device were fairly small. This is mainly due to the large mass ratio between current collector and active material. We aimed to address this issue by a 2-fold approach of minimizing the mass of current collector and increasing the electrode performance. Here we report an electrochemical capacitor using 3D graphene hollow structure as current collector, vanadium sulfide and manganese oxide as anode and cathode materials, respectively. 3D graphene hollow structure provides a lightweight and highly conductive scaffold for deposition of pseudocapacitive materials. The device achieves an excellent active material ratio of 24%. Significantly, it delivers a remarkable energy density of 7.4 Wh/kg (based on the weight of entire device) at the average power density of 3000 W/kg. This is the highest gravimetric energy density reported for asymmetric electrochemical capacitors at such a high power density.

  12. Interrelationships of Study Habits and Attitudes, Locus of Control, Motivation Achievement Tendencies and Academic Achievement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gadzella, Bernadette M.; And Others

    The study investigated (a) relationships between measures on study habits and attitudes, locus of control, achieving tendency, and semester grade-point averages (SGPA), (b) differences between the sexes on the above mentioned variables, and (c) best predictor of SGPA. The subjects were 39 males and 81 females. There were a number of significant…

  13. The Link Between Nutrition and Physical Activity in Increasing Academic Achievement.

    PubMed

    Asigbee, Fiona M; Whitney, Stephen D; Peterson, Catherine E

    2018-06-01

    Research demonstrates a link between decreased cognitive function in overweight school-aged children and improved cognitive function among students with high fitness levels and children engaging in regular physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to examine whether regular PA and proper nutrition together had a significant effect on academic achievement. Using the seventh wave of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class 1998-99 (ECLS-K) dataset, linear regression analysis with a Jackknife resampling correction was conducted to analyze the relationship among nutrition, PA, and academic achievement, while controlling for socioeconomic status, age, and sex. A nonactive, unhealthy nutrition group and a physically active, healthy nutrition group were compared on standardized tests of academic achievement. Findings indicated that PA levels and proper nutrition significantly predicted achievement scores. Thus, the active, healthy nutrition group scored higher on reading, math, and science standardized achievement tests scores. There is a strong connection between healthy nutrition and adequate PA, and the average performance within the population. Thus, results from this study suggest a supporting relationship between students' health and academic achievement. Findings also provide implications for school and district policy changes. © 2018, American School Health Association.

  14. Universal Factors of Student Achievement in High-Performing Eastern and Western Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Jihyun

    2014-01-01

    This study investigates whether a common set of student attitudes and behavioral tendencies can account for academic achievement across different, especially high-performing, countries via analysis of the PISA 2009 international data set. The 13 countries examined are 5 of the top-performing Eastern countries/systems, namely Shanghai China, South…

  15. Personalized Opportunities To Learn (POTL): Achieving to High Standards for All Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gervais, J. Donna; Baker, Mona

    This paper describes Maine's high standards for all students and a model for personalizing instruction and assessment to fit student needs, thus providing fair opportunities for all children to achieve the standards. Maine's academic standards, the Learning Results, are structured in three levels: broad performance goals for all students (guiding…

  16. The College-Choice Process of High Achieving Freshmen: A Comparative Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dale, Amanda

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the college-choice process of high achieving students. Employing current literature and previous research, it combined current models of college choice and the influential factors identified throughout the literature while utilizing the concept of bounded rationality to create a conceptual framework to…

  17. The Classroom Ratio of High- and Low-aptitude Students and Its Effect on Achievement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beckerman, Terrill M.; Good, Thomas L.

    1981-01-01

    This study examined the effect of the ratio of high-aptitude to low-aptitude students in a classroom upon mathematics achievement. The hypothesis tested was that both high- and low-aptitude students in "more favorable" classrooms would outperform similar students in "less favorable" classrooms. (Author/GK)

  18. Micro-engineered first wall tungsten armor for high average power laser fusion energy systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharafat, Shahram; Ghoniem, Nasr M.; Anderson, Michael; Williams, Brian; Blanchard, Jake; Snead, Lance; HAPL Team

    2005-12-01

    The high average power laser program is developing an inertial fusion energy demonstration power reactor with a solid first wall chamber. The first wall (FW) will be subject to high energy density radiation and high doses of high energy helium implantation. Tungsten has been identified as the candidate material for a FW armor. The fundamental concern is long term thermo-mechanical survivability of the armor against the effects of high temperature pulsed operation and exfoliation due to the retention of implanted helium. Even if a solid tungsten armor coating would survive the high temperature cyclic operation with minimal failure, the high helium implantation and retention would result in unacceptable material loss rates. Micro-engineered materials, such as castellated structures, plasma sprayed nano-porous coatings and refractory foams are suggested as a first wall armor material to address these fundamental concerns. A micro-engineered FW armor would have to be designed with specific geometric features that tolerate high cyclic heating loads and recycle most of the implanted helium without any significant failure. Micro-engineered materials are briefly reviewed. In particular, plasma-sprayed nano-porous tungsten and tungsten foams are assessed for their potential to accommodate inertial fusion specific loads. Tests show that nano-porous plasma spray coatings can be manufactured with high permeability to helium gas, while retaining relatively high thermal conductivities. Tungsten foams where shown to be able to overcome thermo-mechanical loads by cell rotation and deformation. Helium implantation tests have shown, that pulsed implantation and heating releases significant levels of implanted helium. Helium implantation and release from tungsten was modeled using an expanded kinetic rate theory, to include the effects of pulsed implantations and thermal cycles. Although, significant challenges remain micro-engineered materials are shown to constitute potential

  19. Initial Beam Dynamics Simulations of a High-Average-Current Field-Emission Electron Source in a Superconducting RadioFrequency Gun

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mohsen, O.; Gonin, I.; Kephart, R.

    High-power electron beams are sought-after tools in support to a wide array of societal applications. This paper investigates the production of high-power electron beams by combining a high-current field-emission electron source to a superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavity. We especially carry out beam-dynamics simulations that demonstrate the viability of the scheme to formmore » $$\\sim$$ 300 kW average-power electron beam using a 1+1/2-cell SRF gun.« less

  20. A Quantitative Comparison of Pennsylvania High School Student Achievement by Middle States Association's Accreditation Status

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Christopher A.

    2012-01-01

    As public school accountability for student achievement has continued to increase, prior to and as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, schools have sought ways of bringing new instructional services to their students to raise their levels of achievement. Some Pennsylvania public high schools have attempted to improve student…

  1. Achieving high energy absorption capacity in cellular bulk metallic glasses

    PubMed Central

    Chen, S. H.; Chan, K. C.; Wu, F. F.; Xia, L.

    2015-01-01

    Cellular bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) have exhibited excellent energy-absorption performance by inheriting superior strength from the parent BMGs. However, how to achieve high energy absorption capacity in cellular BMGs is vital but mysterious. In this work, using step-by-step observations of the deformation evolution of a series of cellular BMGs, the underlying mechanisms for the remarkable energy absorption capacity have been investigated by studying two influencing key factors: the peak stress and the decay of the peak stress during the plastic-flow plateau stages. An analytical model of the peak stress has been proposed, and the predicted results agree well with the experimental data. The decay of the peak stress has been attributed to the geometry change of the macroscopic cells, the formation of shear bands in the middle of the struts, and the “work-softening” nature of BMGs. The influencing factors such as the effect of the strut thickness and the number of unit cells have also been investigated and discussed. Strategies for achieving higher energy absorption capacity in cellular BMGs have been proposed. PMID:25973781

  2. Factors Implicated in High Mathematics Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forgasz, Helen J.; Hill, Janelle C.

    2013-01-01

    The most recent Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) (2009) mathematical literacy results provide evidence that in Western English-speaking countries, including Australia, the gender gap in achievement appears to be widening in favour of males. In the study reported in this article, the aim was to explore the effects of gender,…

  3. High-Quality GaN Epilayers Achieved by Facet-Controlled Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth on Sputtered AlN/PSS Templates.

    PubMed

    He, Chenguang; Zhao, Wei; Zhang, Kang; He, Longfei; Wu, Hualong; Liu, Ningyang; Zhang, Shan; Liu, Xiaoyan; Chen, Zhitao

    2017-12-13

    It is widely believed that the lack of high-quality GaN wafers severely hinders the progress in GaN-based devices, especially for defect-sensitive devices. Here, low-cost AlN buffer layers were sputtered on cone-shaped patterned sapphire substrates (PSSs) to obtain high-quality GaN epilayers. Without any mask or regrowth, facet-controlled epitaxial lateral overgrowth was realized by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The uniform coating of the sputtered AlN buffer layer and the optimized multiple modulation guaranteed high growth selectivity and uniformity of the GaN epilayer. As a result, an extremely smooth surface was achieved with an average roughness of 0.17 nm over 3 × 3 μm 2 . It was found that the sputtered AlN buffer layer could significantly suppress dislocations on the cones. Moreover, the optimized three-dimensional growth process could effectively promote dislocation bending. Therefore, the threading dislocation density (TDD) of the GaN epilayer was reduced to 4.6 × 10 7 cm -2 , which is about an order of magnitude lower than the case of two-step GaN on the PSS. In addition, contamination and crack in the light-emitting diode fabricated on the obtained GaN were also effectively suppressed by using the sputtered AlN buffer layer. All of these advantages led to a high output power of 116 mW at 500 mA with an emission wavelength of 375 nm. This simple, yet effective growth technique is believed to have great application prospects in high-performance TDD-sensitive optoelectronic and electronic devices.

  4. High School Students' Cognitive Flexibility Is Predicted by Self-Efficacy and Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Esen, Binnaz Kiran; Özcan, H. Duygu; Sezgin, Mehtap

    2017-01-01

    In this research, the prediction cognitive flexibility obtained by general self-efficacy, academic self-efficacy, social self-efficacy, emotional self-efficacy and achievement is examined. This study is executed in 2014-2015 academic year on 760 high school students who are between ages 15 and 18. Cognitive flexibility Scale is developed by Bilgin…

  5. What Is High School Economics? Factors Contributing to Student Achievement and Attitudes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walstad, William B.; Soper, John C.

    1989-01-01

    Presents study which extends the analysis of economic understanding and attitudes of high school students using a national data set of the Test of Economic Literacy (TEL). Using matched pre- and posttest scores, the study investigated factors that explained level of posttest economic achievement or attitudes and analyzed reasons for gains in…

  6. Perfectionism in High-Ability Students: Relational Precursors and Influences on Achievement Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Speirs Neumeister, Kristie L.; Finch, Holmes

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to create and test a model that (a) illustrated variables influencing the development of perfectionism, and (b) demonstrated how different types of perfectionism may influence the achievement goals of high-ability students. Using a multiple groups path analysis, the researchers found that parenting style was…

  7. Achievement Emotions as Predictors of High School Science Success Among African-American and European American Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bowe, Marilyn Louise Simmons

    The literature includes few studies of the interrelations of achievement goals and achievement emotions with respect to minority students and science achievement. The objective of this study was to test the control-value theory (CVT) of achievement emotions to determine if the eight discrete achievement emotions would be predictive of test scores on the High School Graduation Test (GHSGT)-Science for African-American compared to European-American science students. Convenience cluster sampling was employed to select 160 students who were all juniors in the same public high school at the time that they took the GHSGT-Science. The central research question for this study aimed to uncover whether any of the eight achievement emotions identified in CVT would contribute significantly to the predictability of science achievement as measured by GHSGT-Science scores. Data were collected using a nonexperimental, cross sectional design survey. Data were analyzed using a hierarchal, forced entry, multiple regression analysis. Key results indicated that the eight achievement emotions were predictive of GHSGT-Science score outcomes. Positive social change at the individual level could reflect a boost in confidence for African American science students and help decrease the achievement gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) endeavors between European Americans and African-American students. Educators may consider the importance of achievement emotions in science outcomes by including social emotional learning (SEL) as a part of the regular science curriculum. Future researchers should repeat the study in a school district where the population is available to support the desired cluster sample of equal parts European Americans to African Americans and male to female students.

  8. What Works Clearinghouse Quick Review: "Expanding College Opportunities for High-Achieving, Low Income Students"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the effects of providing low-income, high-achieving high school seniors with college application guidance and information about the costs of college. The "application guidance" included information about deadlines and requirements for college applications at nearby institutions, at the state's flagship institution, and at in-…

  9. A Study of Gifted High, Moderate, and Low Achievers in Their Personal Characteristics and Attitudes toward School and Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abu-Hamour, Bashir; Al-Hmouz, Hanan

    2013-01-01

    This study examines the problem of underachievement among gifted high school students. Low achievers were compared to high and moderate achievers on their motivation, self-regulation, and attitudes toward their school and teachers. Participants were all highly able students from grades 10 and 11 in an academically selective gifted high school in…

  10. Achievement Outcomes among High School Graduates in College and Career Readiness Programs of Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castellano, Marisa; Ewart Sundell, Kirsten; Richardson, George B.

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the relationships between completing the high school portion of a college- and career-preparatory program of study and high school achievement outcomes in a large urban district in the West. Programs of study are secondary-to-postsecondary educational programs mandated by the federal legislation (Perkins IV) governing…

  11. Effects of a Collaborative Science Intervention on High Achieving Students' Learning Anxiety and Attitudes toward Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hong, Zuway-R.

    2010-10-01

    This study investigated the effects of a collaborative science intervention on high achieving students' learning anxiety and attitudes toward science. Thirty-seven eighth-grade high achieving students (16 boys and 21 girls) were selected as an experimental group who joined a 20-week collaborative science intervention, which integrated and utilized an innovative teaching strategy. Fifty-eight eighth-grade high achieving students were selected as the comparison group. The Secondary School Student Questionnaire was conducted to measure all participants' learning anxiety and attitudes toward science. In addition, 12 target students from the experimental group (i.e., six active and six passive students) were recruited for weekly classroom observations and follow-up interviews during the intervention. Both quantitative and qualitative findings revealed that experimental group students experienced significant impact as seen through increased attitudes and decreased anxiety of learning science. Implications for practice and research are provided.

  12. The high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence

    PubMed Central

    Krapohl, Eva; Rimfeld, Kaili; Shakeshaft, Nicholas G.; Trzaskowski, Maciej; McMillan, Andrew; Pingault, Jean-Baptiste; Asbury, Kathryn; Harlaar, Nicole; Kovas, Yulia; Dale, Philip S.; Plomin, Robert

    2014-01-01

    Because educational achievement at the end of compulsory schooling represents a major tipping point in life, understanding its causes and correlates is important for individual children, their families, and society. Here we identify the general ingredients of educational achievement using a multivariate design that goes beyond intelligence to consider a wide range of predictors, such as self-efficacy, personality, and behavior problems, to assess their independent and joint contributions to educational achievement. We use a genetically sensitive design to address the question of why educational achievement is so highly heritable. We focus on the results of a United Kingdom-wide examination, the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), which is administered at the end of compulsory education at age 16. GCSE scores were obtained for 13,306 twins at age 16, whom we also assessed contemporaneously on 83 scales that were condensed to nine broad psychological domains, including intelligence, self-efficacy, personality, well-being, and behavior problems. The mean of GCSE core subjects (English, mathematics, science) is more heritable (62%) than the nine predictor domains (35–58%). Each of the domains correlates significantly with GCSE results, and these correlations are largely mediated genetically. The main finding is that, although intelligence accounts for more of the heritability of GCSE than any other single domain, the other domains collectively account for about as much GCSE heritability as intelligence. Together with intelligence, these domains account for 75% of the heritability of GCSE. We conclude that the high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence. PMID:25288728

  13. The high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence.

    PubMed

    Krapohl, Eva; Rimfeld, Kaili; Shakeshaft, Nicholas G; Trzaskowski, Maciej; McMillan, Andrew; Pingault, Jean-Baptiste; Asbury, Kathryn; Harlaar, Nicole; Kovas, Yulia; Dale, Philip S; Plomin, Robert

    2014-10-21

    Because educational achievement at the end of compulsory schooling represents a major tipping point in life, understanding its causes and correlates is important for individual children, their families, and society. Here we identify the general ingredients of educational achievement using a multivariate design that goes beyond intelligence to consider a wide range of predictors, such as self-efficacy, personality, and behavior problems, to assess their independent and joint contributions to educational achievement. We use a genetically sensitive design to address the question of why educational achievement is so highly heritable. We focus on the results of a United Kingdom-wide examination, the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), which is administered at the end of compulsory education at age 16. GCSE scores were obtained for 13,306 twins at age 16, whom we also assessed contemporaneously on 83 scales that were condensed to nine broad psychological domains, including intelligence, self-efficacy, personality, well-being, and behavior problems. The mean of GCSE core subjects (English, mathematics, science) is more heritable (62%) than the nine predictor domains (35-58%). Each of the domains correlates significantly with GCSE results, and these correlations are largely mediated genetically. The main finding is that, although intelligence accounts for more of the heritability of GCSE than any other single domain, the other domains collectively account for about as much GCSE heritability as intelligence. Together with intelligence, these domains account for 75% of the heritability of GCSE. We conclude that the high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence.

  14. Thermally induced distortion of a high-average-power laser system by an optical transport system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chow, Robert; Ault, Linda E.; Taylor, John R.; Jedlovec, Don

    1999-11-01

    The atomic vapor laser isotope separation process uses high- average power lasers that have the commercial potential to enrich uranium for the electric power utilities. The transport of the laser beam through the laser system to the separation chambers requires high performance optical components, most of which have either fused silica or Zerodur as the substrate material. One of the requirements of the optical components is to preserve the wavefront quality of the laser beam that propagate over long distances. Full aperture tests with the high power process lasers and finite element analysis (FEA) have been performed on the transport optics. The wavefront distortions of the various sections of the transport path were measured with diagnostic Hartmann sensor packages. The FEA results were derived from an in-house thermal-structural- optical code which is linked to the commercially available CodeV program. In comparing the measured and predicted results, the bulk absorptance of fused silica was estimated to about 50 ppm/cm in the visible wavelength regime. Wavefront distortions will be reported on optics made from fused silica and Zerodur substrate materials.

  15. Influence of Averaging Preprocessing on Image Analysis with a Markov Random Field Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakamoto, Hirotaka; Nakanishi-Ohno, Yoshinori; Okada, Masato

    2018-02-01

    This paper describes our investigations into the influence of averaging preprocessing on the performance of image analysis. Averaging preprocessing involves a trade-off: image averaging is often undertaken to reduce noise while the number of image data available for image analysis is decreased. We formulated a process of generating image data by using a Markov random field (MRF) model to achieve image analysis tasks such as image restoration and hyper-parameter estimation by a Bayesian approach. According to the notions of Bayesian inference, posterior distributions were analyzed to evaluate the influence of averaging. There are three main results. First, we found that the performance of image restoration with a predetermined value for hyper-parameters is invariant regardless of whether averaging is conducted. We then found that the performance of hyper-parameter estimation deteriorates due to averaging. Our analysis of the negative logarithm of the posterior probability, which is called the free energy based on an analogy with statistical mechanics, indicated that the confidence of hyper-parameter estimation remains higher without averaging. Finally, we found that when the hyper-parameters are estimated from the data, the performance of image restoration worsens as averaging is undertaken. We conclude that averaging adversely influences the performance of image analysis through hyper-parameter estimation.

  16. The Impact of High School Exit Exams on Graduation Rates and Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caves, Katherine; Balestra, Simone

    2018-01-01

    The authors examined the short- and long-term effects of high school exit exams (HSEEs) on graduation rates and achievement using an interrupted time series approach. There is a positive overall effect of HSEE introduction for graduation rate trends, which is heterogeneous over time. HSEEs have a negative impact on graduation rates in the year of…

  17. Family Processes Affect Students' Motivation, and Science and Math Achievement in Cypriot High Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koutsoulis, Michalis K.; Campbell, James Reed

    2001-01-01

    Studied the influence of home environment on male and female high school students' motivation and achievement. Results for 737 Cypriot high school students and their parents show the importance of student self-concept and negative effects for parental pressure. Results suggest the need for closer lines of communication between home and school.…

  18. Causes of Nonattendance and Its Effect on Student Achievement at the High School Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bracht, Kelly D.

    2010-01-01

    Many high schools in America have issues with student nonattendance. The researcher designed this mixed methods study to determine the affect of nonattendance on student achievement and to ascertain whether home-related factors or school-related factors were more significant causes of nonattendance. Both the high school in this study and other…

  19. An Analysis of Mathematics Course Sequences for Low Achieving Students at a Comprehensive Technical High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edge, D. Michael

    2011-01-01

    This non-experimental study attempted to determine how the different prescribed mathematic tracks offered at a comprehensive technical high school influenced the mathematics performance of low-achieving students on standardized assessments of mathematics achievement. The goal was to provide an analysis of any statistically significant differences…

  20. Achievement Motivation of the High School Students: A Case Study among Different Communities of Goalpara District of Assam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sarangi, C.

    2015-01-01

    Achievement motivation is a consistent striving force of an individual to achieve success to a certain standard of excellence in competing situation. In this study an attempt was made to study the effect of achievement motivation on the academic achievement of the high school students of tribal and non tribal communities in relation to their sex…

  1. Ultra-stable high average power femtosecond laser system tunable from 1.33 to 20  μm.

    PubMed

    Steinle, Tobias; Mörz, Florian; Steinmann, Andy; Giessen, Harald

    2016-11-01

    A highly stable 350 fs laser system with a gap-free tunability from 1.33 to 2.0 μm and 2.13 to 20 μm is demonstrated. Nanojoule-level pulse energy is achieved in the mid-infrared at a 43 MHz repetition rate. The system utilizes a post-amplified fiber-feedback optical parametric oscillator followed by difference frequency generation between the signal and idler. No locking or synchronization electronics are required to achieve outstanding free-running output power and spectral stability of the whole system. Ultra-low intensity noise, close to the pump laser's noise figure, enables shot-noise limited measurements.

  2. Robust and Fragile Mathematical Identities: A Framework for Exploring Racialized Experiences and High Achievement among Black College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGee, Ebony O.

    2015-01-01

    I introduce the construct of fragile and robust identities for the purpose of exploring the experiences that influenced the mathematical and racial identities of high-achieving Black college students in mathematics and engineering. These students maintained high levels of academic achievement in these fields while enduring marginalization,…

  3. School Achievement and Performance in Chilean High Schools: The Mediating Role of Subjective Wellbeing in School-Related Evaluations

    PubMed Central

    López, Verónica; Oyanedel, Juan C.; Bilbao, Marian; Torres, Javier; Oyarzún, Denise; Morales, Macarena; Ascorra, Paula; Carrasco, Claudia

    2017-01-01

    School achievement gaps and school failure are problematic issues in Latin America, and are mainly explained by the socio-economic status (SES) of the students. What schools can do to improve school achievement and reduce school failure is a critical issue, both for school management and teacher training. In this study, we present the association of individual and school-related socio-emotional variables with school achievement and performance, controlling for the effects of SES. A probabilistic sample of 4,964 students, drawn from 191 schools enrolled in year 10 in urban areas of Chile, answered questionnaires assessing subjective wellbeing, social wellbeing in school, school climate, school social wellbeing and students’ perceptions of teachers’ wellbeing. Using structural equation modeling, and controlling for SES, we modeled subjective wellbeing as a mediator of the relationship between school-related variables, such as school climate and perception of teacher’s wellbeing, and (a) school achievement, and (b) school performance. School achievement was computed as a product of (a) the probability of passing the school year, and (b) the percentage of yearly attendance at school. Data on school achievement was drawn from administrative registries from the Chilean Ministry of Education. School performance was computed as the estimated grade point average (GPA) at the end of the school year, based on the students’ previous 5-year GPAs, and was also obtained through administrative data of the last 5 years. Findings reveal the mediating role of subjective wellbeing in the relationship between school-related evaluations (students’ social wellbeing at school, their perception of teachers’ wellbeing and school climate) and school achievement. For school achievement, two variables were mediated (students’ social wellbeing at school and school climate). However, for school performance, no significant mediations were found. We conclude that, on the one hand

  4. School Achievement and Performance in Chilean High Schools: The Mediating Role of Subjective Wellbeing in School-Related Evaluations.

    PubMed

    López, Verónica; Oyanedel, Juan C; Bilbao, Marian; Torres, Javier; Oyarzún, Denise; Morales, Macarena; Ascorra, Paula; Carrasco, Claudia

    2017-01-01

    School achievement gaps and school failure are problematic issues in Latin America, and are mainly explained by the socio-economic status (SES) of the students. What schools can do to improve school achievement and reduce school failure is a critical issue, both for school management and teacher training. In this study, we present the association of individual and school-related socio-emotional variables with school achievement and performance, controlling for the effects of SES. A probabilistic sample of 4,964 students, drawn from 191 schools enrolled in year 10 in urban areas of Chile, answered questionnaires assessing subjective wellbeing, social wellbeing in school, school climate, school social wellbeing and students' perceptions of teachers' wellbeing. Using structural equation modeling, and controlling for SES, we modeled subjective wellbeing as a mediator of the relationship between school-related variables, such as school climate and perception of teacher's wellbeing, and (a) school achievement, and (b) school performance. School achievement was computed as a product of (a) the probability of passing the school year, and (b) the percentage of yearly attendance at school. Data on school achievement was drawn from administrative registries from the Chilean Ministry of Education. School performance was computed as the estimated grade point average (GPA) at the end of the school year, based on the students' previous 5-year GPAs, and was also obtained through administrative data of the last 5 years. Findings reveal the mediating role of subjective wellbeing in the relationship between school-related evaluations (students' social wellbeing at school, their perception of teachers' wellbeing and school climate) and school achievement. For school achievement, two variables were mediated (students' social wellbeing at school and school climate). However, for school performance, no significant mediations were found. We conclude that, on the one hand, after

  5. The effect of inquiry-flipped classroom model toward students' achievement on chemical reaction rate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paristiowati, Maria; Fitriani, Ella; Aldi, Nurul Hanifah

    2017-08-01

    The aim of this research is to find out the effect of Inquiry-Flipped Classroom Models toward Students' Achievement on Chemical Reaction Rate topic. This study was conducted at SMA Negeri 3 Tangerang in Eleventh Graders. The Quasi Experimental Method with Non-equivalent Control Group design was implemented in this study. 72 students as the sample was selected by purposive sampling. Students in experimental group were learned through inquiry-flipped classroom model. Meanwhile, in control group, students were learned through guided inquiry learning model. Based on the data analysis, it can be seen that there is significant difference in the result of the average achievement of the students. The average achievement of the students in inquiry-flipped classroom model was 83,44 and the average achievement of the students in guided inquiry learning model was 74,06. It can be concluded that the students' achievement with inquiry-flipped classroom better than guided inquiry. The difference of students' achievement were significant through t-test which is tobs 3.056 > ttable 1.994 (α = 0.005).

  6. Strategies to Achieve High-Performance White Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Lirong; Li, Xiang-Long; Luo, Dongxiang; Xiao, Peng; Xiao, Wenping; Song, Yuhong; Ang, Qinshu; Liu, Baiquan

    2017-01-01

    As one of the most promising technologies for next-generation lighting and displays, white organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs) have received enormous worldwide interest due to their outstanding properties, including high efficiency, bright luminance, wide viewing angle, fast switching, lower power consumption, ultralight and ultrathin characteristics, and flexibility. In this invited review, the main parameters which are used to characterize the performance of WOLEDs are introduced. Subsequently, the state-of-the-art strategies to achieve high-performance WOLEDs in recent years are summarized. Specifically, the manipulation of charges and excitons distribution in the four types of WOLEDs (fluorescent WOLEDs, phosphorescent WOLEDs, thermally activated delayed fluorescent WOLEDs, and fluorescent/phosphorescent hybrid WOLEDs) are comprehensively highlighted. Moreover, doping-free WOLEDs are described. Finally, issues and ways to further enhance the performance of WOLEDs are briefly clarified. PMID:29194426

  7. Early Reading Skills and Academic Achievement Trajectories of Students Facing Poverty, Homelessness, and High Residential Mobility

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herbers, Janette E.; Cutuli, J. J.; Supkoff, Laura M.; Heistad, David; Chan, Chi-Keung; Hinz, Elizabeth; Masten, Ann S.

    2012-01-01

    This investigation tested the importance of early academic achievement for later achievement trajectories among 18,011 students grouped by level of socioeconomic risk. Students considered to be at highest risk were those who experienced homelessness or high residential mobility (HHM). HHM students were compared with students eligible for free…

  8. Engineering the Pores of Biomass-Derived Carbon: Insights for Achieving Ultrahigh Stability at High Power in High-Energy Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Thangavel, Ranjith; Kaliyappan, Karthikeyan; Ramasamy, Hari Vignesh; Sun, Xueliang; Lee, Yun-Sung

    2017-07-10

    Electrochemical supercapacitors with high energy density are promising devices due to their simple construction and long-term cycling performance. The development of a supercapacitor based on electrical double-layer charge storage with high energy density that can preserve its cyclability at higher power presents an ongoing challenge. Herein, we provide insights to achieve a high energy density at high power with an ultrahigh stability in an electrical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) system by using carbon from a biomass precursor (cinnamon sticks) in a sodium ion-based organic electrolyte. Herein, we investigated the dependence of EDLC performance on structural, textural, and functional properties of porous carbon engineered by using various activation agents. The results demonstrate that the performance of EDLCs is not only dependent on their textural properties but also on their structural features and surface functionalities, as is evident from the electrochemical studies. The electrochemical results are highly promising and revealed that the porous carbon with poor textural properties has great potential to deliver high capacitance and outstanding stability over 300 000 cycles compared with porous carbon with good textural properties. A very low capacitance degradation of around 0.066 % per 1000 cycles, along with high energy density (≈71 Wh kg -1 ) and high power density, have been achieved. These results offer a new platform for the application of low-surface-area biomass-derived carbons in the design of highly stable high-energy supercapacitors. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Increased fMRI Sensitivity at Equal Data Burden Using Averaged Shifted Echo Acquisition

    PubMed Central

    Witt, Suzanne T.; Warntjes, Marcel; Engström, Maria

    2016-01-01

    There is growing evidence as to the benefits of collecting BOLD fMRI data with increased sampling rates. However, many of the newly developed acquisition techniques developed to collect BOLD data with ultra-short TRs require hardware, software, and non-standard analytic pipelines that may not be accessible to all researchers. We propose to incorporate the method of shifted echo into a standard multi-slice, gradient echo EPI sequence to achieve a higher sampling rate with a TR of <1 s with acceptable spatial resolution. We further propose to incorporate temporal averaging of consecutively acquired EPI volumes to both ameliorate the reduced temporal signal-to-noise inherent in ultra-fast EPI sequences and reduce the data burden. BOLD data were collected from 11 healthy subjects performing a simple, event-related visual-motor task with four different EPI sequences: (1) reference EPI sequence with TR = 1440 ms, (2) shifted echo EPI sequence with TR = 700 ms, (3) shifted echo EPI sequence with every two consecutively acquired EPI volumes averaged and effective TR = 1400 ms, and (4) shifted echo EPI sequence with every four consecutively acquired EPI volumes averaged and effective TR = 2800 ms. Both the temporally averaged sequences exhibited increased temporal signal-to-noise over the shifted echo EPI sequence. The shifted echo sequence with every two EPI volumes averaged also had significantly increased BOLD signal change compared with the other three sequences, while the shifted echo sequence with every four EPI volumes averaged had significantly decreased BOLD signal change compared with the other three sequences. The results indicated that incorporating the method of shifted echo into a standard multi-slice EPI sequence is a viable method for achieving increased sampling rate for collecting event-related BOLD data. Further, consecutively averaging every two consecutively acquired EPI volumes significantly increased the measured BOLD signal change and the

  10. Equity in Mathematics and Science Outcomes: Characteristics Associated with High and Low Achievement on PISA 2006 in Ireland

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gilleece, Lorraine; Cosgrove, Jude; Sofroniou, Nick

    2010-01-01

    Equity in education is a key concern internationally; however, it is rare that this issue is examined separately for low- and high-achieving students and concurrently across different subject domains. This study examines student and school background characteristics associated with low and high achievement in mathematics and science on the…

  11. From Great to Good: Principals' Sensemaking of Student Performance Decline in Formerly High Achieving High Poverty Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Darbonne, Deborah

    2016-01-01

    School level leadership is second only to effective instruction as essential to high student achievement (Leithwood, Louis, Anderson & Wahlstrom, 2004). Although factors such as socioeconomic levels and parental involvement contribute to the academic success of students, school leadership outweighs the impact of those factors. In the era of…

  12. Career Preparedness and School Achievement of Portuguese Children: Longitudinal Trend Articulations

    PubMed Central

    Oliveira, Íris M.; Taveira, Maria do Céu; Porfeli, Erik J.

    2017-01-01

    Social Cognitive Career Theory suggests that students' preparedness for the school-to-work transition is a developmental process. Middle school children explore various careers, obtain feedback about their academic progress, and develop career self-efficacy and outcome expectations. These processes advance provisional educational/occupational goals. The literature has suggested articulations between career and academic development and how both vary across demographic characteristics, but longitudinal studies linking these processes are scarce. This study tested articulations between career preparedness and academic achievement during middle school years and employed gender and geographical location as potential moderators affecting the linkage between career and school domains. Participants included 429 children (47.8% girls) from northern (69.5%) and central Portugal (30.5%) followed across four occasions of measurement (MageWave1 = 10.23, SD = 0.50). Data was collected with school records, the Multidimensional Scales of Perceived Self-Efficacy, Career Exploratory Outcome Expectations Scale, Childhood Career Exploration Inventory and Childhood Career Development Scale. Average and orthnormalized linear, quadratic and cubic trends were computed. Pearson correlation coefficients suggested positive and statistically significant associations between career exploratory outcome expectations and academic achievement average trends. Career planning and self-efficacy expectations were negatively associated with academic achievement quadratic trends. Multiple linear regression models suggested that career exploratory outcome expectations and career planning were respectively statistically significant predictors of the average and quadratic trends of academic achievement. Gender moderated the association between the career variables and academic achievement linear trends as well as the relation of career planning and self-efficacy with academic achievement cubic trends

  13. Career Preparedness and School Achievement of Portuguese Children: Longitudinal Trend Articulations.

    PubMed

    Oliveira, Íris M; Taveira, Maria do Céu; Porfeli, Erik J

    2017-01-01

    Social Cognitive Career Theory suggests that students' preparedness for the school-to-work transition is a developmental process. Middle school children explore various careers, obtain feedback about their academic progress, and develop career self-efficacy and outcome expectations. These processes advance provisional educational/occupational goals. The literature has suggested articulations between career and academic development and how both vary across demographic characteristics, but longitudinal studies linking these processes are scarce. This study tested articulations between career preparedness and academic achievement during middle school years and employed gender and geographical location as potential moderators affecting the linkage between career and school domains. Participants included 429 children (47.8% girls) from northern (69.5%) and central Portugal (30.5%) followed across four occasions of measurement ( M ageWave1 = 10.23, SD = 0.50). Data was collected with school records, the Multidimensional Scales of Perceived Self-Efficacy, Career Exploratory Outcome Expectations Scale, Childhood Career Exploration Inventory and Childhood Career Development Scale. Average and orthnormalized linear, quadratic and cubic trends were computed. Pearson correlation coefficients suggested positive and statistically significant associations between career exploratory outcome expectations and academic achievement average trends. Career planning and self-efficacy expectations were negatively associated with academic achievement quadratic trends. Multiple linear regression models suggested that career exploratory outcome expectations and career planning were respectively statistically significant predictors of the average and quadratic trends of academic achievement. Gender moderated the association between the career variables and academic achievement linear trends as well as the relation of career planning and self-efficacy with academic achievement cubic trends

  14. High School Completion Longitudinal Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alberta Education, 2009

    2009-01-01

    While Alberta enjoys proven high, world-class results in student achievement, raising high school completion rates is one of the top priorities in improving the provincial education system. The 2011-12 targeted high school completion rate is 82% five years after entering Grade 10--a 2.5% increase from the current average rate of 79.5%. The purpose…

  15. Short communication: Prevalence of digital dermatitis in Canadian dairy cattle classified as high, average, or low antibody- and cell-mediated immune responders.

    PubMed

    Cartwright, S L; Malchiodi, F; Thompson-Crispi, K; Miglior, F; Mallard, B A

    2017-10-01

    Lameness is a major animal welfare issue affecting Canadian dairy producers, and it can lead to production, reproduction, and health problems in dairy cattle herds. Although several different lesions affect dairy cattle hooves, studies show that digital dermatitis is the most common lesion identified in Canadian dairy herds. It has also been shown that dairy cattle classified as having high immune response (IR) have lower incidence of disease compared with those animals with average and low IR; therefore, it has been hypothesized that IR plays a role in preventing infectious hoof lesions. The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of digital dermatitis in Canadian dairy cattle that were classified for antibody-mediated (AMIR) and cell-mediated (CMIR) immune response. Cattle (n = 329) from 5 commercial dairy farms in Ontario were evaluated for IR using a patented test protocol that captures both AMIR and CMIR. Individuals were classified as high, average, or low responders based on standardized residuals for AMIR and CMIR. Residuals were calculated using a general linear model that included the effects of herd, parity, stage of lactation, and stage of pregnancy. Hoof health data were collected from 2011 to 2013 by the farm's hoof trimmer using Hoof Supervisor software (KS Dairy Consulting Inc., Dresser, WI). All trim events were included for each animal, and lesions were assessed as a binary trait at each trim event. Hoof health data were analyzed using a mixed model that included the effects of herd, stage of lactation (at trim date), parity (at trim date), IR category (high, average, and low), and the random effect of animal. All data were presented as prevalence within IR category. Results showed that cows with high AMIR had significantly lower prevalence of digital dermatitis than cattle with average and low AMIR. No significant difference in prevalence of digital dermatitis was observed between high, average, and low CMIR cows. These results

  16. Statistical average estimates of high latitude field-aligned currents from the STARE and SABRE coherent VHF radar systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kosch, M. J.; Nielsen, E.

    Two bistatic VHF radar systems, STARE and SABRE, have been employed to estimate ionospheric electric fields in the geomagnetic latitude range 61.1 - 69.3° (geographic latitude range 63.8 - 72.6°) over northern Scandinavia. 173 days of good backscatter from all four radars have been analysed during the period 1982 to 1986, from which the average ionospheric divergence electric field versus latitude and time is calculated. The average magnetic field-aligned currents are computed using an AE-dependent empirical model of the ionospheric conductance. Statistical Birkeland current estimates are presented for high and low values of the Kp and AE indices as well as positive and negative orientations of the IMF B z component. The results compare very favourably to other ground-based and satellite measurements.

  17. Comparing the Reading Performance of High-Achieving Adolescents: Computer-Based Testing versus Paper/Pencil

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eno, Linda Peet

    2011-01-01

    Literacy is moving into the digital context. Many of the literacy tasks associated with higher education, the workplace, and civic life now take place in the digital world. Literacy in high school, however, languishes in the text world. This study compared the text literacy of a group of high-achieving 10th-grade students, to their digital…

  18. High-Achieving, Low Income, First-Generation Latino Community College Students: Cultural Capital, Social Capital, Self-Perceptions, and College Choice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalez, Veronica Ventura

    2013-01-01

    Though an increasing number of Latino students is attending college upon graduation from high school, the vast majority of these students, even if they are high-achieving students who could attend a four-year college or university, choose to enroll into two-year community colleges. This study discusses the process by which high-achieving,…

  19. Computer simulations in the high school: students' cognitive stages, science process skills and academic achievement in microbiology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huppert, J.; Michal Lomask, S.; Lazarowitz, R.

    2002-08-01

    Computer-assisted learning, including simulated experiments, has great potential to address the problem solving process which is a complex activity. It requires a highly structured approach in order to understand the use of simulations as an instructional device. This study is based on a computer simulation program, 'The Growth Curve of Microorganisms', which required tenth grade biology students to use problem solving skills whilst simultaneously manipulating three independent variables in one simulated experiment. The aims were to investigate the computer simulation's impact on students' academic achievement and on their mastery of science process skills in relation to their cognitive stages. The results indicate that the concrete and transition operational students in the experimental group achieved significantly higher academic achievement than their counterparts in the control group. The higher the cognitive operational stage, the higher students' achievement was, except in the control group where students in the concrete and transition operational stages did not differ. Girls achieved equally with the boys in the experimental group. Students' academic achievement may indicate the potential impact a computer simulation program can have, enabling students with low reasoning abilities to cope successfully with learning concepts and principles in science which require high cognitive skills.

  20. The Effects of Cooperative Learning on Student Achievement and Motivation in a High School Geometry Class.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nichols, Joe D.; Hall, Neff

    In this study, the effects of a form of cooperative group instruction (Student Teams Achievement Divisions) on student motivation and achievement in a high school geometry class were examined. Ninety (mostly 10th-grade) students were randomly assigned to either a control group receiving traditional instruction or one of two treatment groups…

  1. Investigation of the thermal and optical performance of a spatial light modulator with high average power picosecond laser exposure for materials processing applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, G.; Whitehead, D.; Perrie, W.; Allegre, O. J.; Olle, V.; Li, Q.; Tang, Y.; Dawson, K.; Jin, Y.; Edwardson, S. P.; Li, L.; Dearden, G.

    2018-03-01

    Spatial light modulators (SLMs) addressed with computer generated holograms (CGHs) can create structured light fields on demand when an incident laser beam is diffracted by a phase CGH. The power handling limitations of these devices based on a liquid crystal layer has always been of some concern. With careful engineering of chip thermal management, we report the detailed optical phase and temperature response of a liquid cooled SLM exposed to picosecond laser powers up to 〈P〉  =  220 W at 1064 nm. This information is critical for determining device performance at high laser powers. SLM chip temperature rose linearly with incident laser exposure, increasing by only 5 °C at 〈P〉  =  220 W incident power, measured with a thermal imaging camera. Thermal response time with continuous exposure was 1-2 s. The optical phase response with incident power approaches 2π radians with average power up to 〈P〉  =  130 W, hence the operational limit, while above this power, liquid crystal thickness variations limit phase response to just over π radians. Modelling of the thermal and phase response with exposure is also presented, supporting experimental observations well. These remarkable performance characteristics show that liquid crystal based SLM technology is highly robust when efficiently cooled. High speed, multi-beam plasmonic surface micro-structuring at a rate R  =  8 cm2 s-1 is achieved on polished metal surfaces at 〈P〉  =  25 W exposure while diffractive, multi-beam surface ablation with average power 〈P〉  =100 W on stainless steel is demonstrated with ablation rate of ~4 mm3 min-1. However, above 130 W, first order diffraction efficiency drops significantly in accord with the observed operational limit. Continuous exposure for a period of 45 min at a laser power of 〈P〉  =  160 W did not result in any detectable drop in diffraction efficiency, confirmed afterwards by the efficient

  2. Constrained Optimization of Average Arrival Time via a Probabilistic Approach to Transport Reliability

    PubMed Central

    Namazi-Rad, Mohammad-Reza; Dunbar, Michelle; Ghaderi, Hadi; Mokhtarian, Payam

    2015-01-01

    To achieve greater transit-time reduction and improvement in reliability of transport services, there is an increasing need to assist transport planners in understanding the value of punctuality; i.e. the potential improvements, not only to service quality and the consumer but also to the actual profitability of the service. In order for this to be achieved, it is important to understand the network-specific aspects that affect both the ability to decrease transit-time, and the associated cost-benefit of doing so. In this paper, we outline a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of proposed changes to average transit-time, so as to determine the optimal choice of average arrival time subject to desired punctuality levels whilst simultaneously minimizing operational costs. We model the service transit-time variability using a truncated probability density function, and simultaneously compare the trade-off between potential gains and increased service costs, for several commonly employed cost-benefit functions of general form. We formulate this problem as a constrained optimization problem to determine the optimal choice of average transit time, so as to increase the level of service punctuality, whilst simultaneously ensuring a minimum level of cost-benefit to the service operator. PMID:25992902

  3. Teaching Practices in Grade 5 Mathematics Classrooms with High-Achieving English Learner Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merritt, Eileen G.; Palacios, Natalia; Banse, Holland; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E.; Leis, Micela

    2017-01-01

    Teachers need more clarity about effective teaching practices as they strive to help their low-achieving students understand mathematics. Our study describes the instructional practices used by two teachers who, by value-added metrics, would be considered "highly effective teachers" in classrooms with a majority of students who were…

  4. What Attracts High-Achieving Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students to the Physical Sciences and Engineering?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Conrad, Sarah; Canetto, Silvia Sara; MacPhee, David; Farro, Samantha

    2009-01-01

    Socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) students are less likely to major in physical sciences or engineering. To guide recruitment and retention of a diversity of talent, this study examined what attracts high-achieving SED students to these fields. Participants were 50 undergraduates majoring in physical sciences or engineering enrolled in the…

  5. Rural Adolescents' Reading Motivation, Achievement and Behavior across Transition to High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cantrell, Susan Chambers; Rintamaa, Margaret; Anderman, Eric M.; Anderman, Lynley H.

    2018-01-01

    The authors examined 1,781 rural students' reading motivation and behavior across the transition from middle to high school. Using expectancy-value theory, they investigated how motivational variables predicted changes in reading behavior and achievement across the transition in terms of their expectancies, values, and out-of-school reading…

  6. Academic Achievement and Risk Factors for Adolescents with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Middle School and Early High School.

    PubMed

    Zendarski, Nardia; Sciberras, Emma; Mensah, Fiona; Hiscock, Harriet

    Examine academic achievement of students with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during the early high school period and identify potentially modifiable risk factors for low achievement. Data were collected through surveys (adolescent, parent, and teacher) and direct assessment of Australian adolescents (12-15 yr; n = 130) with ADHD in early high school (i.e., US middle and high school grades). Academic achievement outcomes were measured by linking to individual performance on the National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests, direct assessment of reading and math, and teacher report of academic competence. Linear regression models examined associations between adolescent, parent/family, and school factors and NAPLAN domain scores. Students with ADHD had lower NAPLAN scores on all domains and fewer met minimum academic standards in comparison with state benchmarks. The poorest results were for persuasive writing. Poor achievement was associated with lower intelligence quotient across all academic domains. Adolescent inattention, bullying, poor family management, male sex, and attending a low socioeconomic status school were associated with lower achievement on specific domains. Students with ADHD are at increased academic risk during the middle school and early high school period. In addition to academic support, interventions targeting modifiable factors including inattention, bullying, and poor family management may improve academic achievement across this critical period.

  7. Relations between early family risk, children’s behavioral regulation, and academic achievement

    PubMed Central

    Sektnan, Michaella; McClelland, Megan M.; Acock, Alan; Morrison, Frederick J.

    2010-01-01

    This study examined relations among early family risk, children’s behavioral regulation at 54 months and kindergarten, and academic achievement in first grade using data on 1,298 children from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Family risk was indexed by ethnic minority status, low maternal education, low average family income from 1 – 54 months, and high maternal depressive symptoms from 1 - 54 months. Results of structural equation modeling indicated that minority status, low maternal education, and low family income had significant negative effects on reading, math, and vocabulary achievement in first grade. Modest indirect effects were also found from ethnicity, maternal education, and maternal depressive symptoms, through 54-month and kindergarten behavioral regulation to first-grade achievement. Discussion focuses on the importance of behavioral regulation for school success especially for children facing early risk. PMID:20953343

  8. FY2005 Progress Summary and FY2006 Program Plan Statement of Work and Deliverables for Development of High Average Power Diode-Pumped Solid State Lasers, and Complementary Technologies, for Applications in Energy and Defense

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ebbers, C

    The primary focus this year was to operate the system with two amplifiers populated with and pumped by eight high power diode arrays. The system was operated for extended run periods which enabled average power testing of components, diagnostics, and controls. These tests were highly successful, with a demonstrated energy level of over 55 joules for 4 cumulative hours at a repetition rate of 10 Hz (average power 0.55 kW). In addition, high average power second harmonic generation was demonstrated, achieving 227 W of 523.5 nm light (22.7 J, 10 Hz, 15 ns, 30 minutes) Plans to achieve higher energymore » levels and average powers are in progress. The dual amplifier system utilizes a 4-pass optical arrangement. The Yb:S-FAP slabs were mounted in aerodynamic aluminum vane structures to allow turbulent helium gas flow across the faces. Diagnostic packages that monitored beam performance were deployed during operation. The laser experiments involved injecting a seed beam from the front end into the system and making four passes through both amplifiers. Beam performance diagnostics monitored the beam on each pass to assess system parameters such as gain and nearfield intensity profiles. This year, an active mirror and wavefront sensor were procured and demonstrated in an off-line facility. The active mirror technology can correct for low order phase distortions at user specified operating conditions (such as repetition rates different than 10 Hz) and is a complementary technology to the static phase plates used in the system for higher order distortions. A picture of the laser system with amplifier No.2 (foreground) and amplifier No.1 (background) is shown in Fig. 1.0.1.1. The control system and diagnostics were recently enhanced for faster processing and allow remote operation of the system. The growth and fabrication of the Yb:S-FAP slabs constituted another major element of our program objectives. Our goal was to produce at least fourteen 4x6 cm2 crystalline slabs

  9. Multiple enface image averaging for enhanced optical coherence tomography angiography imaging.

    PubMed

    Uji, Akihito; Balasubramanian, Siva; Lei, Jianqin; Baghdasaryan, Elmira; Al-Sheikh, Mayss; Borrelli, Enrico; Sadda, SriniVas R

    2018-05-31

    To investigate the effect of multiple enface image averaging on image quality of the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Twenty-one normal volunteers were enrolled in this study. For each subject, one eye was imaged with 3 × 3 mm scan protocol, and another eye was imaged with the 6 × 6 mm scan protocol centred on the fovea using the ZEISS Angioplex™ spectral-domain OCTA device. Eyes were repeatedly imaged to obtain nine OCTA cube scan sets, and nine superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) were individually averaged after registration. Eighteen eyes with a 3 × 3 mm scan field and 14 eyes with a 6 × 6 mm scan field were studied. Averaged images showed more continuous vessels and less background noise in both the SCP and the DCP as the number of frames used for averaging increased, with both 3 × 3 and 6 × 6 mm scan protocols. The intensity histogram of the vessels dramatically changed after averaging. Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and subjectively assessed image quality scores also increased as the number of frames used for averaging increased in all image types. However, the additional benefit in quality diminished when averaging more than five frames. Averaging only three frames achieved significant improvement in CNR and the score assigned by certified grades. Use of multiple image averaging in OCTA enface images was found to be both objectively and subjectively effective for enhancing image quality. These findings may of value for developing optimal OCTA imaging protocols for future studies. © 2018 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Exposure to School and Classroom Racial Segregation in Charlotte-Mecklenburg High Schools and Students' College Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Giersch, Jason; Bottia, Martha Cecilia; Mickelson, Roslyn Arlin; Stearns, Elizabeth

    2016-01-01

    In this study we investigate Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) high school graduates' academic performance in the first year of college and test whether their exposure to racial segregation in high school at both the school and classroom levels affected their college freshman grade point averages. Utilizing administrative data from the Roots of…

  11. Predicting Student Achievement and Attrition in a Proprietary Technical College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taube, Sylvia R.; Taube, Paul M.

    1991-01-01

    Analysis of data on 101 entering proprietary college students found that (1) predictors of initial achievement were entrance exam scores, gender, race, age, grade point average, and expectations; (2) dropout predictors were marital status, work hours, prior achievement, absences, and faculty interaction; and (3) age, gender, race, and children did…

  12. Further Evidence of an Engagement-Achievement Paradox among U.S. High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shernoff, David J.; Schmidt, Jennifer A.

    2008-01-01

    Achievement, engagement, and students' quality of experience were compared by racial and ethnic group in a sample of students (N = 586) drawn from 13 high schools with diverse ethnic and socioeconomic student populations. Using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), 3,529 samples of classroom experiences were analyzed along with self-reported…

  13. Low- and High-Achieving Sixth-Grade Students' Access to Participation during Mathematics Discourse

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lack, Brian; Swars, Susan Lee; Meyers, Barbara

    2014-01-01

    A descriptive, holistic, multiple-case methodology was applied to examine the nature of participation in discourse of two low- and two high-achieving grade 6 students while solving mathematical tasks in a standards-based classroom. Data collected via classroom observations and student interviews were analyzed through a multiple-cycle coding…

  14. The Relationship between Illinois School District Superintendent Longevity and High School Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Libka, Robert J.

    2012-01-01

    Frequent changes in school district superintendents may be having a detrimental impact on student achievement. Rapid changes in leadership today parallel the present (NCLB) era of high stakes state assessments. The goal of the study was to provide correlation research that would have a positive effect on school district management, superintendent…

  15. Student Perception of Academic Achievement Factors at High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bahar, Mustafa

    2016-01-01

    Measuring the quality of the "product" is elemental in education, and most studies depend on observational data about student achievement factors, focusing overwhelmingly on quantitative data namely achievement scores, school data like attendance, facilities, expenditure class size, etc. But there is little evidence of learner…

  16. Academic self-concept in high school: predictors and effects on adjustment in higher education.

    PubMed

    Wouters, Sofie; Germeijs, Veerle; Colpin, Hilde; Verschueren, Karine

    2011-12-01

    Academic self-concept is considered a relevant psychological construct influencing many educational outcomes directly or indirectly. Therefore, the major focus of the current study is on the predictors and effects of academic self-concept in late adolescence. First, we studied the simultaneous effects of individual, class-average and school-average achievement (i.e., assessed by school grades) on academic self-concept in the final year of high school, thereby replicating and extending previous research on the big-fish-little-pond effect model. Second, the predictive value of high school academic self-concept for academic adjustment and success in the first year of higher education was examined. The sample comprised 536 twelfth grade students (44% boys) recruited from 24 schools (67 classes) that were representative with regard to geographical region and educational network in Flanders. Structural equation modeling showed that, when examining the joint contribution of school- and class-average achievement, only class-average achievement was significantly and negatively associated with academic self-concept. Furthermore, a significant effect of academic self-concept in high school on academic adjustment and success in higher education (in addition to any effects of high school academic achievement) was found. These results highlight the importance of considering academic self-concept in educational research and policy. © 2011 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2011 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

  17. CognitiveGenesis (CG): Assessing Academic Achievement and Cognitive Ability in Adventist Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thayer, Jerome; Kido, Elissa

    2012-01-01

    CognitiveGenesis collected achievement and ability test data from 2006-2009 for all students in Seventh-day Adventist schools in North America. Students were above average in achievement compared to national norms and achieved above that predicted by their ability scores. The more years students attended Adventist schools, the higher they…

  18. Signal-averaged P wave in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

    PubMed

    Rosenheck, S

    1997-10-01

    The theoretical and experimental rational of atrial signal-averaged ECG in patients with AF is delay in the intra-atrial and interatrial conduction. Similar to the ventricular signal-averaged ECG, the atrial signal-averaged ECG is an averaging of a high number of consecutive P waves that match the template created earlier P wave triggering is preferred over QRS triggering because of more accurate aligning. However, the small amplitude of the atrial ECG and its gradual increase from the isoelectric line may create difficulties in defining the start point if P wave triggering is used. Studies using P wave triggering and those using QRS triggering demonstrate a prolonged P wave duration in patients with paroxysmal AF. The negative predictive value of this test is relatively high at 60%-80%. The positive predictive value of atrial signal-averaged ECGs in predicting the risk of AF is considerably lower than the negative predictive value. All the data accumulated prospectively on the predictive value of P wave signal-averaging was determined only in patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery or following MI; its value in other patients with paroxysmal AF is still not determined. The clinical role of frequency-domain analysis (alone or added to time-domain analysis) remains undefined. Because of this limited knowledge on the predictive value of P wave signal-averaging, it is still not clinical medicine, and further research is needed before atrial signal-averaged ECG will be part of clinical testing.

  19. Modern average global sea-surface temperature

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schweitzer, Peter N.

    1993-01-01

    The data contained in this data set are derived from the NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer Multichannel Sea Surface Temperature data (AVHRR MCSST), which are obtainable from the Distributed Active Archive Center at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. The JPL tapes contain weekly images of SST from October 1981 through December 1990 in nine regions of the world ocean: North Atlantic, Eastern North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Agulhas, Indian, Southeast Pacific, Southwest Pacific, Northeast Pacific, and Northwest Pacific. This data set represents the results of calculations carried out on the NOAA data and also contains the source code of the programs that made the calculations. The objective was to derive the average sea-surface temperature of each month and week throughout the whole 10-year series, meaning, for example, that data from January of each year would be averaged together. The result is 12 monthly and 52 weekly images for each of the oceanic regions. Averaging the images in this way tends to reduce the number of grid cells that lack valid data and to suppress interannual variability.

  20. ACT Average Composite by State: 2000 ACT-Tested Graduates.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American Coll. Testing Program, Iowa City, IA.

    This table contains average composite scores by state for high school graduates who took the ACT Assessment in 2000. For each state the percentage of graduates taking the ACT Assessment and the average composite score are given, with the same information for those who completed the recommended core curriculum and those who did not, as well as for…

  1. A Discrete-Time Average Model Based Predictive Control for Quasi-Z-Source Inverter

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, Yushan; Abu-Rub, Haitham; Xue, Yaosuo

    A discrete-time average model-based predictive control (DTA-MPC) is proposed for a quasi-Z-source inverter (qZSI). As a single-stage inverter topology, the qZSI regulates the dc-link voltage and the ac output voltage through the shoot-through (ST) duty cycle and the modulation index. Several feedback strategies have been dedicated to produce these two control variables, among which the most popular are the proportional–integral (PI)-based control and the conventional model-predictive control (MPC). However, in the former, there are tradeoffs between fast response and stability; the latter is robust, but at the cost of high calculation burden and variable switching frequency. Moreover, they require anmore » elaborated design or fine tuning of controller parameters. The proposed DTA-MPC predicts future behaviors of the ST duty cycle and modulation signals, based on the established discrete-time average model of the quasi-Z-source (qZS) inductor current, the qZS capacitor voltage, and load currents. The prediction actions are applied to the qZSI modulator in the next sampling instant, without the need of other controller parameters’ design. A constant switching frequency and significantly reduced computations are achieved with high performance. Transient responses and steady-state accuracy of the qZSI system under the proposed DTA-MPC are investigated and compared with the PI-based control and the conventional MPC. Simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach for the qZSI.« less

  2. A Discrete-Time Average Model Based Predictive Control for Quasi-Z-Source Inverter

    DOE PAGES

    Liu, Yushan; Abu-Rub, Haitham; Xue, Yaosuo; ...

    2017-12-25

    A discrete-time average model-based predictive control (DTA-MPC) is proposed for a quasi-Z-source inverter (qZSI). As a single-stage inverter topology, the qZSI regulates the dc-link voltage and the ac output voltage through the shoot-through (ST) duty cycle and the modulation index. Several feedback strategies have been dedicated to produce these two control variables, among which the most popular are the proportional–integral (PI)-based control and the conventional model-predictive control (MPC). However, in the former, there are tradeoffs between fast response and stability; the latter is robust, but at the cost of high calculation burden and variable switching frequency. Moreover, they require anmore » elaborated design or fine tuning of controller parameters. The proposed DTA-MPC predicts future behaviors of the ST duty cycle and modulation signals, based on the established discrete-time average model of the quasi-Z-source (qZS) inductor current, the qZS capacitor voltage, and load currents. The prediction actions are applied to the qZSI modulator in the next sampling instant, without the need of other controller parameters’ design. A constant switching frequency and significantly reduced computations are achieved with high performance. Transient responses and steady-state accuracy of the qZSI system under the proposed DTA-MPC are investigated and compared with the PI-based control and the conventional MPC. Simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach for the qZSI.« less

  3. (Re)Defining the Narrative: High-Achieving Nontraditional Black Male Undergraduates at a Historically Black College and University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goings, Ramon B.

    2016-01-01

    Using Harper's anti-deficit achievement framework as a theoretical guide, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the academic and social experiences of four nontraditional, high-achieving, Black male undergraduates attending one historically Black university. Findings show that the participants were intrinsically motivated…

  4. Development and evaluation of a hybrid averaged orbit generator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mcclain, W. D.; Long, A. C.; Early, L. W.

    1978-01-01

    A rapid orbit generator based on a first-order application of the Generalized Method of Averaging has been developed for the Research and Development (R&D) version of the Goddard Trajectory Determination System (GTDS). The evaluation of the averaged equations of motion can use both numerically averaged and recursively evaluated, analytically averaged perturbation models. These equations are numerically integrated to obtain the secular and long-period motion. Factors affecting efficient orbit prediction are discussed and guidelines are presented for treatment of each major perturbation. Guidelines for obtaining initial mean elements compatible with the theory are presented. An overview of the orbit generator is presented and comparisons with high precision methods are given.

  5. Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activities in Electrochemistry: High School Students' Achievements and Attitudes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Acar Sesen, Burcin; Tarhan, Leman

    2013-02-01

    This study aimed to investigate the effects of inquiry-based laboratory activities on high school students' understanding of electrochemistry and attitudes towards chemistry and laboratory work. The participants were 62 high school students (average age 17 years) in an urban public high school in Turkey. Students were assigned to experimental ( N = 30) and control groups ( N = 32). The experimental group was taught using inquiry-based laboratory activities developed by the researchers and the control group was instructed using traditional laboratory activities. The results of the study indicated that instruction based on inquiry-based laboratory activities caused a significantly better acquisition of scientific concepts related to electrochemistry, and produced significantly higher positive attitudes towards chemistry and laboratory. In the light of the findings, it is suggested that inquiry-based laboratory activities should be developed and applied to promote students' understanding in chemistry subjects and to improve their positive attitudes.

  6. An Exploratory Study Contrasting High- and Low-Achieving Students' Percent Word Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jitendra, Asha K.; Star, Jon R.

    2012-01-01

    This study evaluated whether schema-based instruction (SBI), a promising method for teaching students to represent and solve mathematical word problems, impacted the learning of percent word problems. Of particular interest was the extent that SBI improved high- and low-achieving students' learning and to a lesser degree on the indirect effect of…

  7. An Assessment of the Differences Between High and Low Achieving Students. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott, Ralph; Ford, Jon A.

    Primarily a longitudinal and quantitative analysis of achievement functioning, this experiment sought to identify factors which promote or impair the learning of individual children. The 683 Junior High students were divided into one of eight groups according to sex, race and whether their seventh grade Iowa Test of Basic Skills Composite score…

  8. Ring-averaged ion velocity distribution function probe for laboratory magnetized plasma experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kawamori, Eiichirou; Chen, Jinting; Lin, Chiahsuan; Lee, Zongmau

    2017-10-01

    Ring-averaged velocity distribution function of ions at a fixed guiding center position is a fundamental quantity in the gyrokinetic plasma physics. We have developed a diagnostic tool for the ring averaged velocity distribution function of ions for laboratory plasma experiments, which is named as the ring-averaged ion distribution function probe (RIDFP). The RIDFP is a set of ion collectors for different velocities. It is designed to be immersed in magnetized plasmas and achieves momentum selection of incoming ions by the selection of the ion Larmor radii. To nullify the influence of the sheath potential surrounding the RIDFP on the orbits of the incoming ions, the electrostatic potential of the RIDFP body is automatically adjusted to coincide with the space potential of the target plasma with the use of an emissive probe and a voltage follower. The developed RIDFP successfully measured the equilibrium ring-averaged velocity distribution function of a laboratory magnetized plasma, which was in accordance with the Maxwellian distribution having an ion temperature of 0.2 eV.

  9. Ring-averaged ion velocity distribution function probe for laboratory magnetized plasma experiment.

    PubMed

    Kawamori, Eiichirou; Chen, Jinting; Lin, Chiahsuan; Lee, Zongmau

    2017-10-01

    Ring-averaged velocity distribution function of ions at a fixed guiding center position is a fundamental quantity in the gyrokinetic plasma physics. We have developed a diagnostic tool for the ring averaged velocity distribution function of ions for laboratory plasma experiments, which is named as the ring-averaged ion distribution function probe (RIDFP). The RIDFP is a set of ion collectors for different velocities. It is designed to be immersed in magnetized plasmas and achieves momentum selection of incoming ions by the selection of the ion Larmor radii. To nullify the influence of the sheath potential surrounding the RIDFP on the orbits of the incoming ions, the electrostatic potential of the RIDFP body is automatically adjusted to coincide with the space potential of the target plasma with the use of an emissive probe and a voltage follower. The developed RIDFP successfully measured the equilibrium ring-averaged velocity distribution function of a laboratory magnetized plasma, which was in accordance with the Maxwellian distribution having an ion temperature of 0.2 eV.

  10. Systematic review of the relationship of Helicobacter pylori infection with geographical latitude, average annual temperature and average daily sunshine.

    PubMed

    Lu, Chao; Yu, Ye; Li, Lan; Yu, Chaohui; Xu, Ping

    2018-04-17

    Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a worldwide threat to human health with high prevalence. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between latitude, average annual temperature, average daily sunshine time and H. pylori infection. The PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov , EBSCO and Web of Science databases were searched to identify studies reporting H. pylori infection. Latitude 30° was the cut-off level for low and mid-latitude areas. We obtained information for latitude, average annual temperature, average daily sunshine, and Human Development Index (HDI) from reports of studies of the relationships with H. pylori infection. Of the 51 studies included, there was significant difference in H. pylori infection between the low- and mid-latitude areas (P = 0.05). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of H. pylori infection in each 15°-latitude zone analyzed (P = 0.061). Subgroup analysis revealed the highest and lowest H. pylori infection rates in the developing regions at > 30° latitude subgroup and the developed regions at < 30° latitude subgroup, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that average annual temperature, average daily sunshine time and HDI were significantly correlated with H. pylori infection (P = 0.009, P < 0.001, P < 0.001), while there was no correlation between H. pylori infection and latitude. Our analysis showed that higher average annual temperature was associated with lower H. pylori infection rates, while average daily sunshine time correlated positively with H. pylori infection. HDI was also found to be a significant factor, with higher HDI associated with lower infection rates. These findings provide evidence that can be used to devise strategies for the prevention and control of H. pylori.

  11. The Effect of the Flipped Classroom on Urban High School Students' Motivation and Academic Achievement in a High School Science Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dixon, Keshia L.

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of the flipped classroom on urban high school students' motivation and academic achievement in a high school science course. In this quantitative study, the sample population was comprised of North Star High School 12th grade students enrolled in human anatomy and physiology. A quasi-experimental,…

  12. High school students' science academic achievement: The effect of the Lemov positive framing trust-building technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gigliette, Linda Marie

    The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of a trust-building technique called "positive-framing" (Lemov, 2010, p. 204) on the level of student-teacher trust and students' science academic achievement. The existing literature was reviewed under the constructs of trust, types of trust, trust-building strategies, and student academic achievement. The identified problem is a lack of research into the effect of trust from the high school student perspective and the effect of trust on student academic achievement in science. In addition, there is no empirical evidence to support the effectiveness of the "positive-framing" (Lemov, 2010, p. 204) trust-building intervention. The study involved a volunteer, convenience sample of 9th-grade science students at one high school in Northern California (N=240). The study employed a quasi-experimental, pretest, posttest non-equivalent control group design to examine the level of student trust in the teacher, using the "Student trust in faculty scale" (Forsyth, Adams, & Hoy, 2011, p. 180), and the students' academic achievement, according to the Integrated Process Skills Test II (Okey, Wise, & Burns, 1982). The independent variable was the "positive-framing" (Lemov, 2010, p. 204) trust-building intervention; the two dependent variables were the level of student-teacher trust and student academic achievement. The composite data from the "Student trust in faculty scale" and the academic achievement test were evaluated by a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Results of this study indicated that the null hypothesis was accepted. The "positive-framing" (Lemov, 2010, p. 204) trust-building intervention did not have a significant effect on either the student-teacher trust level or academic achievement in science.

  13. A Test of Leading Explanations for the College Racial-Ethnic Achievement Gap: Evidence from a Longitudinal Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Nathan D.; Spenner, Kenneth I; Mustillo, Sarah A.

    2017-01-01

    In this study, we examined racial/ethnic differences in grade point average (GPA) among students at a highly selective, private university who were surveyed before matriculation and during the first, second and fourth college years, and assessed prominent explanations for the Black-White and Latino-White college achievement gap. We found that…

  14. The Relationship between Professional Learning Community Implementation and Academic Achievement and Graduation Rates in Georgia High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hardinger, Regina Gail

    2013-01-01

    Many educational administrators in Georgia continue to struggle with low student academic achievement and low high school graduation rates. DuFour's professional learning community (PLC) theory suggests a positive relationship between levels of PLC implementation and academic achievement and between levels of PLC implementation and graduation…

  15. Louisiana High School Weathers the Storm to Become a Leader in Student Achievement and High Graduation Rates. "High Schools That Work" Profile

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), 2011

    2011-01-01

    Warren Easton Charter High School in New Orleans, Louisiana, has weathered changes of many types, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005. After having to close for the 2005-2006 school year, the school reopened as a charter school with a board and stepped up its efforts to raise student achievement. Now the school is receiving attention for the…

  16. Ugandan Immigrant Students' Perceptions of Barriers to Academic Achievement in American High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ssekannyo, Denis

    2010-01-01

    In a world that is now a global village, enterprising individuals, especially from Third World countries, who make it to greener pastures do not leave their children behind. But with a long list of barriers to academic achievement associated with immigrant and minority students in American high schools, an understanding of the experiences and…

  17. Narrowing the Academic Achievement Gap among High School Latino Students through Parental Involvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parry, Douglas L.

    2010-01-01

    The low academic achievement among Latino students in many inner city high schools leads to higher failure, dropout, and absenteeism rates, as well as lower standardized test scores and graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to explore whether Latino parental attitudes toward and perceptions, level of, and form of involvement may be…

  18. Beating the Odds: High-Achieving Elementary Schools in High-Poverty Neighborhoods.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Connell, Noreen

    This report examines elementary schools serving poor neighborhoods in New York City that have been able to bring their students up to or above the average for the city on standardized tests in the 1996-1997 school year to see how teachers, parents, students, and principals have worked together. After eliminating schools with new principals and…

  19. A study of the relationships between "highly qualified" status, instructional practices, and students' science achievement in three high poverty Louisiana school systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clayton, Michelle

    Using a mixed methods research design, the author examined the relationships between "highly qualified" status, instructional practices, and students' science achievement for six third grade teachers in three high poverty Louisiana school systems. The study analyzed qualitative and quantitative data for three science classes taught by "highly qualified" teachers and three science classes taught by "non-highly qualified" teachers. The qualitative portion of the study was conducted through classroom observations, teacher interviews, and lesson plan reviews. The qualitative data was coded and triangulated to determine whether the instructional practices of each teacher were more "teacher-centered" or "student-centered." The qualitative data analysis indicated various patterns and consistencies in the instructional practices used by the "highly qualified" and "non-highly qualified" teachers selected for this study. The quantitative portion of the study involved analysis of the students' science achievement data for the six third grade science teachers selected for the study. Science achievement was measured by the third grade Integrated Louisiana Education Assessment Program (iLEAP) scores. A two-way ANOVA indicated that there were statistically significant differences in the mean scores of the three high poverty Louisiana school systems as well as the students taught by "highly qualified" and "non-highly qualified" teachers and the interactions between the two: F(2, 123) = 46.99, p < 0.01; F(1, 123) = 4.54, p = 0.035; F(2, 123) = 3.73, p = 0.027. A separate one-way ANOVA indicated that statistically significant differences existed between the six participating teachers in the study: F (5, 123) = 20.386, p < 0.01). Tukey's HSD post-hoc tests and homogeneous subset analyses were conducted in order to determine which teachers' scores significantly differed from each other.

  20. Is Early Ability Grouping Good for High-Achieving Students' Psychosocial Development? Effects of the Transition into Academically Selective Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Becker, Michael; Neumann, Marko; Tetzner, Julia; Böse, Susanne; Knoppick, Henrike; Maaz, Kai; Baumert, Jürgen; Lehmann, Rainer

    2014-01-01

    The present study investigates school context effects on psychosocial characteristics (academic self-concept, peer relations, school satisfaction, and school anxiety) of high-achieving and gifted students. Students who did or did not make an early transition from elementary to secondary schools for high-achieving and gifted students in 5th grade…

  1. Simulation of planar single-gate Si tunnel FET with average subthreshold swing of less than 60 mV/decade for 0.3 V operation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kukita, Kentaro; Uechi, Tadayoshi; Shimokawa, Junji; Goto, Masakazu; Yokota, Yoshinori; Kawanaka, Shigeru; Tanamoto, Tetsufumi; Tanimoto, Hiroyoshi; Takagi, Shinichi

    2018-04-01

    Planar single-gate (SG) silicon (Si) tunnel field effect transistors (TFETs) are attracting interest for ultra-low voltage operation and CMOS applications. For the achievement of subthreshold swing (S.S.) less than thermal limit of Si MOSFETs (S.S. = 60 mV/decade at 300 K), previous studies have proposed the formation of a pocket region, which needs very difficult implantation process. In this work, a planar SG Si TFET without pocket was proposed by using the technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations. An average S.S. of less than 60 mV/decade for 0.3 V (= V gs = V ds) operation was obtained. It is found that both low average S.S. (= 27.8 mV/decade) and high on-current I on (= 3.8 µA/µm) are achieved without pocket doping by scaling the equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) and increasing the gate-to-source overlap length L ov.

  2. Exploring high-achieving sixth grade students' erroneous answers and misconceptions on the angle concept

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bütüner, Suphi Önder; Filiz, Mehmet

    2017-05-01

    The aim of this research was to investigate high achievers' erroneous answers and misconceptions on the angle concept. The participants consisted of 233 grade 6 students drawn from eight classes in two well-established elementary schools of Trabzon, Turkey. All the participants were considered to be current achievers in mathematics, graded 4 or 5 out of 5, and selected via a purposive sampling method. Data were collected through six questions reflecting the learning competencies set out in the grade 6 curriculum in Turkey and the findings of previous studies that aimed to identify students' misconceptions of the angle concept. This questionnaire was then applied over a 40-minute period in each class. The findings were analysed by two researchers whose inter-rater agreement was computed as 0.97, or almost perfect. Thereafter, coding discrepancies were resolved, and consensus was established. We found that although the participants in this study were high achievers, they still held several misconceptions on the angle concept such as recognizing a straight angle or a right angle in different orientations. We also show how some of these misconceptions could have arisen due to the definitions or representations used in the textbook, and offer suggestions concerning their content in the future.

  3. An Examination of the Relationship among High School Size, Social Capital, and Adolescents' Mathematics Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carolan, Brian V.

    2012-01-01

    In an effort to enhance both adolescents' social capital and increase achievement, public school districts across the United States have created small high schools. Using data derived from a longitudinal and nationally representative study of U.S. high school students, the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, results show that when adolescents'…

  4. Achieving Hydrogen Storage Goals through High-Strength Fiber Glass - Final Technical Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li, Hong; Johnson, Kenneth I.; Newhouse, Norman L.

    Led by PPG and partnered with Hexagon Lincoln and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), the team recently carried out a project “Achieving Hydrogen Storage Goals through High-Strength Fiber Glass”. The project was funded by DOE’s Fuel Cell Technologies office within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, starting on September 1, 2014 as a two-year project to assess technical and commercial feasibilities of manufacturing low-cost, high-strength glass fibers to replace T700 carbon fibers with a goal of reducing the composite total cost by 50% of the existing, commercial 700 bar hydrogen storage tanks used in personal vehicles.

  5. High Titer and Yields Achieved with Novel, Low-Severity Pretreatment Strategy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NREL researchers obtained high concentration sugar syrups in enzymatic hydrolysis that are fermentable to ethanol and other advanced biofuels and intermediate products at high yields. The novel DMR process is simpler and bypasses all severe pretreatment methods, thus reducing the environmental impact. The results are unprecedented. Researchers achieved a high concentration of sugars (230g/L of monomeric sugar and 270 g/L total sugar) and this low toxicity, highly fermentable syrup yielded 86 g/L ethanol (> 90 percent conversion). In addition, the lignin streams from this process can readily be converted to jet or renewable diesel blendstocks through a hydrodeoxygenation step. Themore » NREL-developed, low severity DMR process may potentially replace higher severity chemical pretreatments and associated expensive reactors constructed of exotic alloys with a simpler process, using commercial-scale equipment commonly associated with the pulp and paper industry, to produce high concentration, low toxicity sugar streams and highly reactive lignin streams from non-food renewable biomass for biological and catalytic upgrading to advanced biofuels and chemicals. The simpler DMR process with black liquor recycling could reduce environmental and life-cycle impacts, and repurpose shuttered pulp and paper mills to help revitalize rural economies.« less

  6. Learning disabled and average readers' working memory and comprehension: does metacognition play a role?

    PubMed

    Swanson, H L; Trahan, M

    1996-09-01

    The present study investigates (a) whether learning disabled readers' working memory deficits that underlie poor reading comprehension are related to a general system, and (b) whether metacognition contributes to comprehension beyond what is predicted by working memory and word knowledge. To this end, performance between learning and disabled (N = 60) and average readers (N = 60) was compared on the reading comprehension, reading rate, and vocabulary subtests of the Nelson Skills Reading Test, Sentence Span test composed of high and low imagery words, and a Metacognitive Questionnaire. As expected, differences between groups in working memory, vocabulary, and reading measures emerged, whereas ability groups were statistically comparable on the Metacognitive Questionnaire. A within-group analysis indicated that the correlation patterns between working memory, vocabulary, metacognition, and reading comprehension were not the same between ability groups. For predicting reading comprehension, the metacognitive questionnaire best predicted learning disabled readers' performance, whereas the working memory span measure that included low-imagery words best predicted average achieving readers' comprehension. Overall, the results suggest that the relationship between learning disabled readers' generalised working memory deficits and poor reading comprehension may be mediated by metacognition.

  7. Efficacy of spatial averaging of infrasonic pressure in varying wind speeds.

    PubMed

    DeWolf, Scott; Walker, Kristoffer T; Zumberge, Mark A; Denis, Stephane

    2013-06-01

    Wind noise reduction (WNR) is important in the measurement of infrasound. Spatial averaging theory led to the development of rosette pipe arrays. The efficacy of rosettes decreases with increasing wind speed and only provides a maximum of ~20 dB WNR due to a maximum size limitation. An Optical Fiber Infrasound Sensor (OFIS) reduces wind noise by instantaneously averaging infrasound along the sensor's length. In this study two experiments quantify the WNR achieved by rosettes and OFISs of various sizes and configurations. Specifically, it is shown that the WNR for a circular OFIS 18 m in diameter is the same as a collocated 32-inlet pipe array of the same diameter. However, linear OFISs ranging in length from 30 to 270 m provide a WNR of up to ~30 dB in winds up to 5 m/s. The measured WNR is a logarithmic function of the OFIS length and depends on the orientation of the OFIS with respect to wind direction. OFISs oriented parallel to the wind direction achieve ~4 dB greater WNR than those oriented perpendicular to the wind. Analytical models for the rosette and OFIS are developed that predict the general observed relationships between wind noise reduction, frequency, and wind speed.

  8. Achieving ultra-high temperatures with a resistive emitter array

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Danielson, Tom; Franks, Greg; Holmes, Nicholas; LaVeigne, Joe; Matis, Greg; McHugh, Steve; Norton, Dennis; Vengel, Tony; Lannon, John; Goodwin, Scott

    2016-05-01

    The rapid development of very-large format infrared detector arrays has challenged the IR scene projector community to also develop larger-format infrared emitter arrays to support the testing of systems incorporating these detectors. In addition to larger formats, many scene projector users require much higher simulated temperatures than can be generated with current technology in order to fully evaluate the performance of their systems and associated processing algorithms. Under the Ultra High Temperature (UHT) development program, Santa Barbara Infrared Inc. (SBIR) is developing a new infrared scene projector architecture capable of producing both very large format (>1024 x 1024) resistive emitter arrays and improved emitter pixel technology capable of simulating very high apparent temperatures. During earlier phases of the program, SBIR demonstrated materials with MWIR apparent temperatures in excess of 1400 K. New emitter materials have subsequently been selected to produce pixels that achieve even higher apparent temperatures. Test results from pixels fabricated using the new material set will be presented and discussed. A 'scalable' Read In Integrated Circuit (RIIC) is also being developed under the same UHT program to drive the high temperature pixels. This RIIC will utilize through-silicon via (TSV) and Quilt Packaging (QP) technologies to allow seamless tiling of multiple chips to fabricate very large arrays, and thus overcome the yield limitations inherent in large-scale integrated circuits. Results of design verification testing of the completed RIIC will be presented and discussed.

  9. Successful outcomes achieved in assisted reproduction cycles using sperm with high levels of high DNA stainability.

    PubMed

    Speyer, Barbara E; Pizzey, Arnold R; Abramov, Benjamin; Saab, Wael; Doshi, Alpesh; Sarna, Urvashi; Harper, Joyce C; Serhal, Paul

    2015-01-01

    The sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) has been proposed as a useful addition to the battery of tests routinely used to explore semen quality and hence to give an indication of the likelihood of a successful pregnancy. As usually performed at present, the assay yields two main sperm variables, the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and the high DNA stainability (HDS). In the present study 275 patients undergoing 215 in vitro fertilization (IVF) and 215 intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were studied with the purpose of defining the clinical significance of HDS in IVF and ICSI cycles. Using the Spearman correlation test there were no significant statistical relationships between %HDS and fertilization rate, rate of embryo growth, blastocyst rate, implantation rate, or live birth rate. Rate of pregnancy loss showed a negative relationship significant at the 0.05 level which is unexplained. It is not known whether the normal practice of using processed sperm for fertilization plays any part in this lack of a negative effect of HDS level upon the stages of the cycle. A total of 16 patients with HDS levels >28% had an average live birth rate of 47.8% and an average pregnancy loss of 8.7%, which compared favourably with the group of patients as a whole.

  10. Applications of High-Resolution Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry to Measurements of Average Oxygen to Carbon Ratios in Secondary Organic Aerosols

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bateman, Adam P.; Laskin, Julia; Laskin, Alexander

    2012-07-02

    The applicability of high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR ESI-MS) to measurements of the average oxygen to carbon ratio (O/C) in organic aerosols was investigated. Solutions with known average O/C containing up to 10 standard compounds representative of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) were analyzed and corresponding electrospray ionization efficiencies were quantified. The assumption of equal ionization efficiency commonly used in estimating O/C ratios of organic aerosols was found to be reasonably accurate. We found that the accuracy of the measured O/C ratios increases by averaging the values obtained from both (+) and (-) modes. A correlation was found betweenmore » the ratio of the ionization efficiencies in the positive and negative ESI modes with the octanol-water partition constant, and more importantly, with the compound's O/C. To demonstrate the utility of this correlation for estimating average O/C values of unknown mixtures, we analyzed the ESI (+) and ESI (-) data for SOA produced by oxidation of limonene and isoprene and compared to online O/C measurements using an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS). This work demonstrates that the accuracy of the HR ESI-MS methods is comparable to that of the AMS, with the added benefit of molecular identification of the aerosol constituents.« less

  11. Impact of Principal Leadership on Catholic High School Students' Academic Achievement in Edo State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Imhangbe, Osayamen Samson

    2012-01-01

    Over the years, students of Catholic High/Senior secondary schools in Edo state, Nigeria have maintained a significantly higher level of academic achievement than their counterparts in public schools in the state. This development has not only been a cause of serious concern for parents of students who attend public High/Senior secondary schools…

  12. High Average Power Laser Gain Medium With Low Optical Distortion Using A Transverse Flowing Liquid Host

    DOEpatents

    Comaskey, Brian J.; Ault, Earl R.; Kuklo, Thomas C.

    2005-07-05

    A high average power, low optical distortion laser gain media is based on a flowing liquid media. A diode laser pumping device with tailored irradiance excites the laser active atom, ion or molecule within the liquid media. A laser active component of the liquid media exhibits energy storage times longer than or comparable to the thermal optical response time of the liquid. A circulation system that provides a closed loop for mixing and circulating the lasing liquid into and out of the optical cavity includes a pump, a diffuser, and a heat exchanger. A liquid flow gain cell includes flow straighteners and flow channel compression.

  13. Learning Mathematics with Technology: The Influence of Virtual Manipulatives on Different Achievement Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moyer-Packenham, Patricia; Suh, Jennifer

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the influence of virtual manipulatives on different achievement groups during a teaching experiment in four fifth-grade classrooms. During a two-week unit focusing on two rational number concepts (fraction equivalence and fraction addition with unlike denominators) one low achieving, two average achieving, and one high…

  14. Does High School Homework Increase Academic Achievement?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kalenkoski, Charlene Marie; Pabilonia, Sabrina Wulff

    2017-01-01

    Although previous research has shown that homework improves students' academic achievement, the majority of these studies use data on students' homework time from retrospective questionnaires, which may be less accurate than time-diary data. We use data from the combined Child Development Supplement (CDS) and the Transition to Adulthood Survey…

  15. A Stochastic Kinematic Model of Class Averaging in Single-Particle Electron Microscopy

    PubMed Central

    Park, Wooram; Midgett, Charles R.; Madden, Dean R.; Chirikjian, Gregory S.

    2011-01-01

    Single-particle electron microscopy is an experimental technique that is used to determine the 3D structure of biological macromolecules and the complexes that they form. In general, image processing techniques and reconstruction algorithms are applied to micrographs, which are two-dimensional (2D) images taken by electron microscopes. Each of these planar images can be thought of as a projection of the macromolecular structure of interest from an a priori unknown direction. A class is defined as a collection of projection images with a high degree of similarity, presumably resulting from taking projections along similar directions. In practice, micrographs are very noisy and those in each class are aligned and averaged in order to reduce the background noise. Errors in the alignment process are inevitable due to noise in the electron micrographs. This error results in blurry averaged images. In this paper, we investigate how blurring parameters are related to the properties of the background noise in the case when the alignment is achieved by matching the mass centers and the principal axes of the experimental images. We observe that the background noise in micrographs can be treated as Gaussian. Using the mean and variance of the background Gaussian noise, we derive equations for the mean and variance of translational and rotational misalignments in the class averaging process. This defines a Gaussian probability density on the Euclidean motion group of the plane. Our formulation is validated by convolving the derived blurring function representing the stochasticity of the image alignments with the underlying noiseless projection and comparing with the original blurry image. PMID:21660125

  16. A Case Study of 21st Century Skills in High Achieving Elementary Schools in Pennsylvania

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Egnor, Gregory P.

    2013-01-01

    This study examines if practices that advocate for 21st century skills are in conflict with the mandates of NCLB. Interviews with influential school leaders of high achieving elementary schools focused on collecting data about 21st century skills. This study was designed to (a) Determine if 21st century skills are addressed in high achieving…

  17. Leveraging Mechanism Simplicity and Strategic Averaging to Identify Signals from Highly Heterogeneous Spatial and Temporal Ozone Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brown-Steiner, B.; Selin, N. E.; Prinn, R. G.; Monier, E.; Garcia-Menendez, F.; Tilmes, S.; Emmons, L. K.; Lamarque, J. F.; Cameron-Smith, P. J.

    2017-12-01

    We summarize two methods to aid in the identification of ozone signals from underlying spatially and temporally heterogeneous data in order to help research communities avoid the sometimes burdensome computational costs of high-resolution high-complexity models. The first method utilizes simplified chemical mechanisms (a Reduced Hydrocarbon Mechanism and a Superfast Mechanism) alongside a more complex mechanism (MOZART-4) within CESM CAM-Chem to extend the number of simulated meteorological years (or add additional members to an ensemble) for a given modeling problem. The Reduced Hydrocarbon mechanism is twice as fast, and the Superfast mechanism is three times faster than the MOZART-4 mechanism. We show that simplified chemical mechanisms are largely capable of simulating surface ozone across the globe as well as the more complex chemical mechanisms, and where they are not capable, a simple standardized anomaly emulation approach can correct for their inadequacies. The second method uses strategic averaging over both temporal and spatial scales to filter out the highly heterogeneous noise that underlies ozone observations and simulations. This method allows for a selection of temporal and spatial averaging scales that match a particular signal strength (between 0.5 and 5 ppbv), and enables the identification of regions where an ozone signal can rise above the ozone noise over a given region and a given period of time. In conjunction, these two methods can be used to "scale down" chemical mechanism complexity and quantitatively determine spatial and temporal scales that could enable research communities to utilize simplified representations of atmospheric chemistry and thereby maximize their productivity and efficiency given computational constraints. While this framework is here applied to ozone data, it could also be applied to a broad range of geospatial data sets (observed or modeled) that have spatial and temporal coverage.

  18. Relationships of cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies to mathematics achievement in four high-performing East Asian education systems.

    PubMed

    Areepattamannil, Shaljan; Caleon, Imelda S

    2013-01-01

    The authors examined the relationships of cognitive (i.e., memorization and elaboration) and metacognitive learning strategies (i.e., control strategies) to mathematics achievement among 15-year-old students in 4 high-performing East Asian education systems: Shanghai-China, Hong Kong-China, Korea, and Singapore. In all 4 East Asian education systems, memorization strategies were negatively associated with mathematics achievement, whereas control strategies were positively associated with mathematics achievement. However, the association between elaboration strategies and mathematics achievement was a mixed bag. In Shanghai-China and Korea, elaboration strategies were not associated with mathematics achievement. In Hong Kong-China and Singapore, on the other hand, elaboration strategies were negatively associated with mathematics achievement. Implications of these findings are briefly discussed.

  19. High-power highly stable passively Q-switched fiber laser based on monolayer graphene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Hanshuo; Song, Jiaxin; Wu, Jian; Xu, Jiangming; Xiao, Hu; Leng, Jinyong; Zhou, Pu

    2018-03-01

    We demonstrate a monolayer graphene-based passively Q-switched fiber laser with three-stage amplifiers that can deliver an average power of over 80 W at 1064 nm. The highest average power achieved is 84.1 W, with a pulse energy of 1.67 mJ. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of a high-power passively Q-switched fiber laser in the 1 µm range. More importantly, the Q-switched fiber laser operated stably during a week of tests for a few hours per day, which proves the stability and practical application potential of graphene in high-power pulsed fiber lasers.

  20. The Relationship between Professional Learning Communities, Personal Teacher Efficacy, and Student Achievement at the High School Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brooks, Sherri L.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this correlational study was to determine if there was a relationship between professional learning community (PLC), personal teacher efficacy (PTE), and student achievement. The study examined teacher perception of PLC implementation and PET as it related to student achievement at the high school level on the Virginia End-of Course…

  1. Longitudinal follow-up of academic achievement in children with autism from age 2 to 18.

    PubMed

    Kim, So Hyun; Bal, Vanessa H; Lord, Catherine

    2018-03-01

    This study examined early predictors of and changes in school-age academic achievement and class placement in children referred for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at age 2. Of 111 ASD referrals, 74 were diagnosed with ASD at age 18. Regression analyses were performed to identify age 3 predictors of achievement in arithmetic, passage comprehension, word reading, and spelling at ages 9 and 18. Linear Mixed Models were used to examine predictors of academic growth between ages 9 and 18. Academic skills varied widely at 9 and 18, but were mostly commensurate with or higher than expected given cognitive levels. However, 22% (age 9) and 32% (age 18) of children with average/above average IQ showed below/low average achievement in at least one academic domain. Children who remained in general education/inclusion classrooms had higher achievement than those who moved to special education classrooms. Stronger cognitive skills at age 3 and 9 predicted better academic achievement and faster academic growth from age 9 to 18. Parent participation in intervention by age 3 predicted better achievement at age 9 and 18. Many children with ASD achieve basic academic skills commensurate with or higher than their cognitive ability. However, more rigorous screening for learning difficulties may be important for those with average cognitive skills because a significant minority show relative academic delays. Interventions targeting cognitive skills and parent participation in early treatment may have cascading effects on long-term academic development. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

  2. Spatially averaged flow over a wavy boundary revisited

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McLean, S.R.; Wolfe, S.R.; Nelson, J.M.

    1999-01-01

    Vertical profiles of streamwise velocity measured over bed forms are commonly used to deduce boundary shear stress for the purpose of estimating sediment transport. These profiles may be derived locally or from some sort of spatial average. Arguments for using the latter procedure are based on the assumption that spatial averaging of the momentum equation effectively removes local accelerations from the problem. Using analogies based on steady, uniform flows, it has been argued that the spatially averaged velocity profiles are approximately logarithmic and can be used to infer values of boundary shear stress. This technique of using logarithmic profiles is investigated using detailed laboratory measurements of flow structure and boundary shear stress over fixed two-dimensional bed forms. Spatial averages over the length of the bed form of mean velocity measurements at constant distances from the mean bed elevation yield vertical profiles that are highly logarithmic even though the effect of the bottom topography is observed throughout the water column. However, logarithmic fits of these averaged profiles do not yield accurate estimates of the measured total boundary shear stress. Copyright 1999 by the American Geophysical Union.

  3. An Investigation of High School Students' and Teachers' Perceptions of Academic Achievement and Underachievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morales, Natalie Ann

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated high school students' and teachers' perceptions of academic self perception, environmental perceptions, goal valuation, and motivation/self-regulation as factors affecting students' academic achievement. A two-way MANOVA was conducted to determine if high school students' gender and academic programs,…

  4. 40 CFR 86.1862-04 - Maintenance of records and submittal of information relevant to compliance with fleet average NOX...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Control of Air Pollution From New and In-Use Light-Duty Vehicles, Light-Duty Trucks, and Complete Otto... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF... NOX value achieved; and (iv) All values used in calculating the fleet average NOX value achieved. (2...

  5. 40 CFR 86.1862-04 - Maintenance of records and submittal of information relevant to compliance with fleet average NOX...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Control of Air Pollution From New and In-Use Light-Duty Vehicles, Light-Duty Trucks, and Complete Otto... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF... NOX value achieved; and (iv) All values used in calculating the fleet average NOX value achieved. (2...

  6. 40 CFR 86.1862-04 - Maintenance of records and submittal of information relevant to compliance with fleet average NOX...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Control of Air Pollution From New and In-Use Light-Duty Vehicles, Light-Duty Trucks, and Complete Otto... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF... NOX value achieved; and (iv) All values used in calculating the fleet average NOX value achieved. (2...

  7. 40 CFR 86.1862-04 - Maintenance of records and submittal of information relevant to compliance with fleet average NOX...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Control of Air Pollution From New and In-Use Light-Duty Vehicles, Light-Duty Trucks, and Complete Otto... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF... NOX value achieved; and (iv) All values used in calculating the fleet average NOX value achieved. (2...

  8. Communication Satisfaction, Organizational Citizenship Behavior and the Relationship to Student Achievement in High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blanchard, Gayle A.

    2012-01-01

    This study used a correlational design that allowed the researcher to examine the relationship among communication satisfaction, organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) and student achievement. High school teachers were surveyed from a convenience sample of 12 school districts in Arizona. Established instruments were used to survey teachers'…

  9. Instruction, Teacher–Student Relations, and Math Achievement Trajectories in Elementary School

    PubMed Central

    Crosnoe, Robert; Morrison, Fred; Burchinal, Margaret; Pianta, Robert; Keating, Daniel; Friedman, Sarah L.; Clarke-Stewart, K. Alison

    2010-01-01

    Children enter elementary school with widely different skill levels in core subjects. Whether because of differences in aptitude or in preparedness, these initial skill differences often translate into systematic disparities in achievement over time. How can teachers reduce these disparities? Three possibilities are to offer basic skills training, to expose students to higher order instruction, or to provide socioemotional support. Repeated measures analyses of longitudinal data from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development revealed that children with low, average, or high math skills prior to elementary school followed different but parallel trajectories of math achievement up through fifth grade. When enrolled in classes with inference-based instruction, however, the initially least skilled children narrowed the achievement gap as long as they did not have conflictual relations with their teachers. They did not make this kind of progress if they were in classes focused exclusively on basic skills instruction or if they were in inference-focused classes but had conflictual relations with teachers. PMID:20657743

  10. Analysis of high-frequency energy in long-term average spectra of singing, speech, and voiceless fricatives.

    PubMed

    Monson, Brian B; Lotto, Andrew J; Story, Brad H

    2012-09-01

    The human singing and speech spectrum includes energy above 5 kHz. To begin an in-depth exploration of this high-frequency energy (HFE), a database of anechoic high-fidelity recordings of singers and talkers was created and analyzed. Third-octave band analysis from the long-term average spectra showed that production level (soft vs normal vs loud), production mode (singing vs speech), and phoneme (for voiceless fricatives) all significantly affected HFE characteristics. Specifically, increased production level caused an increase in absolute HFE level, but a decrease in relative HFE level. Singing exhibited higher levels of HFE than speech in the soft and normal conditions, but not in the loud condition. Third-octave band levels distinguished phoneme class of voiceless fricatives. Female HFE levels were significantly greater than male levels only above 11 kHz. This information is pertinent to various areas of acoustics, including vocal tract modeling, voice synthesis, augmentative hearing technology (hearing aids and cochlear implants), and training/therapy for singing and speech.

  11. Disentangling the Predictive Validity of High School Grades for Academic Success in University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vulperhorst, Jonne; Lutz, Christel; de Kleijn, Renske; van Tartwijk, Jan

    2018-01-01

    To refine selective admission models, we investigate which measure of prior achievement has the best predictive validity for academic success in university. We compare the predictive validity of three core high school subjects to the predictive validity of high school grade point average (GPA) for academic achievement in a liberal arts university…

  12. Comparative Associations Between Achieved Bicultural Identity, Achieved Ego Identity, and Achieved Religious Identity and Adaptation Among Australian Adolescent Muslims.

    PubMed

    Abu-Rayya, Hisham M; Abu-Rayya, Maram H; White, Fiona A; Walker, Richard

    2018-04-01

    This study examined the comparative roles of biculturalism, ego identity, and religious identity in the adaptation of Australian adolescent Muslims. A total of 504 high school Muslim students studying at high schools in metropolitan Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, took part in this study which required them to complete a self-report questionnaire. Analyses indicated that adolescent Muslims' achieved religious identity seems to play a more important role in shaping their psychological and socio-cultural adaptation compared to adolescents' achieved bicultural identity. Adolescents' achieved ego identity tended also to play a greater role in their psychological and socio-cultural adaptation than achieved bicultural identity. The relationships between the three identities and negative indicators of psychological adaptation were consistently indifferent. Based on these findings, we propose that the three identity-based forces-bicultural identity development, religious identity attainment, and ego identity formation-be amalgamated into one framework in order for researchers to more accurately examine the adaptation of Australian adolescent Muslims.

  13. Performance of MgO:PPLN, KTA, and KNbO₃ for mid-wave infrared broadband parametric amplification at high average power.

    PubMed

    Baudisch, M; Hemmer, M; Pires, H; Biegert, J

    2014-10-15

    The performance of potassium niobate (KNbO₃), MgO-doped periodically poled lithium niobate (MgO:PPLN), and potassium titanyl arsenate (KTA) were experimentally compared for broadband mid-wave infrared parametric amplification at a high repetition rate. The seed pulses, with an energy of 6.5 μJ, were amplified using 410 μJ pump energy at 1064 nm to a maximum pulse energy of 28.9 μJ at 3 μm wavelength and at a 160 kHz repetition rate in MgO:PPLN while supporting a transform limited duration of 73 fs. The high average powers of the interacting beams used in this study revealed average power-induced processes that limit the scaling of optical parametric amplification in MgO:PPLN; the pump peak intensity was limited to 3.8  GW/cm² due to nonpermanent beam reshaping, whereas in KNbO₃ an absorption-induced temperature gradient in the crystal led to permanent internal distortions in the crystal structure when operated above a pump peak intensity of 14.4  GW/cm².

  14. A cross-sectional study of mathematics achievement, estimation skills, and academic self-perception in students of varying ability.

    PubMed

    Montague, Marjorie; van Garderen, Delinda

    2003-01-01

    This study investigated students' mathematics achievement, estimation ability, use of estimation strategies, and academic self-perception. Students with learning disabilities (LD), average achievers, and intellectually gifted students (N = 135) in fourth, sixth, and eighth grade participated in the study. They were assessed to determine their mathematics achievement, ability to estimate discrete quantities, knowledge and use of estimation strategies, and perception of academic competence. The results indicated that the students with LD performed significantly lower than their peers on the math achievement measures, as expected, but viewed themselves to be as academically competent as the average achievers did. Students with LD and average achievers scored significantly lower than gifted students on all estimation measures, but they differed significantly from one another only on the estimation strategy use measure. Interestingly, even gifted students did not seem to have a well-developed understanding of estimation and, like the other students, did poorly on the first estimation measure. The accuracy of their estimates seemed to improve, however, when students were asked open-ended questions about the strategies they used to arrive at their estimates. Although students with LD did not differ from average achievers in their estimation accuracy, they used significantly fewer effective estimation strategies. Implications for instruction are discussed.

  15. Antecedent and Concurrent Psychosocial Skills That Support High Levels of Achievement within Talent Domains

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olszewski-Kubilius, Paula; Subotnik, Rena F.; Worrell, Frank C.

    2015-01-01

    Motivation and emotional regulation are important for the sustained focused study and practice required for high levels of achievement and creative productivity in adulthood. Using the talent development model proposed by the authors as a framework, the authors discuss several important psychosocial skills based on the psychological research…

  16. Teachers and Student Achievement in the Chicago Public High Schools. WP 2002-28. Revised

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aaronson, Daniel; Barrow, Lisa; Sander, William

    2003-01-01

    Using unique administrative data on Chicago public high school students and their teachers, we are able to estimate the importance of teachers on student mathematical achievement. We find that teachers are educationally and statistically important. To be sure, sampling variation and other measurement issues can strongly influence estimates of…

  17. Overall Findings: Common Practices and Procedures across Schools. High Achieving Schools Study. Synthesis Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mohajeri-Nelson, Nazanin; Bamberry, Lynn; Dunaway, Wendy; Hunter, Ellen; Klein, Jeff; Kuntz, Courtney; Negley, Tina; Singer, Robin; Ottenbreit, Rebekah; Young, Eric

    2015-01-01

    This report summarizes the factors that were commonly noted across five high achieving elementary schools in Colorado: (1) Burlington; (2) Canyon Creek; (3) Soaring Eagles; (4) South Lakewood; and (5) Tavelli. After 10 days of onsite visits to participating schools, noteworthy commonalities surfaced across the schools. Policies, practices, and…

  18. School Board-Superintendent Relations in Support of High Student Achievement. The Informed Educator Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Porch, Stephanie; Protheroe, Nancy

    The context of school district governance is changing and becoming more complex. The individual roles of school board members and superintendents, and the relationship between school board members and superintendents are becoming increasingly important in light of the recent mandates for high student achievement. This brief looks at issues…

  19. Body Type, Body Esteem, School, and Leisure: A Study of Overweight, Average, and Underweight Adolescents.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hendry, Leo B.; Gillies, Pamela

    1978-01-01

    The characteristics, sports and leisure involvement, and social relations of 15- to 16-year-old boys and girls categorized as "overweight,""underweight," or "average" were examined in terms of academic achievement, social class, and physical education teachers' perceptions. Overweight and underweight adolescents…

  20. Peer harassment, school connectedness, and academic achievement.

    PubMed

    Eisenberg, Marla E; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Perry, Cheryl L

    2003-10-01

    This study described peer harassment in a large, multiethnic sample of adolescents, and explored the relationship between experiencing peer harassment and both school connectedness and achievement. Survey data came from 4,746 students in grades 7-12 at 31 public schools in ethnically and socioeconomically diverse communities in a Midwestern state. Frequency of five types of harassment were analyzed with data on school connectedness and grades. Multivariate analysis controlled for gender, grade level, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Results indicate that most students periodically experience mistreatment; 10% to 17% report being treated disrespectfully, having others act superior, or being insulted at least once per week, and an additional 14% to 22% of students report suffering these behaviors a few times per month. Girls, Whites, Native Americans, and middle school students reported more harassment than boys, other ethnic groups, and high school students, respectively. Peer harassment related significantly to both aspects of school life; those who disliked school tended to suffer more mistreatment, and "B" students reported the least harassment on average. Young people mistreated by peers may not want to be in school and may thereby miss out on the benefits of school connectedness as well as educational advancement. The high prevalence of peer harassment and its association with school connectedness and school achievement provide justification for interventions aimed at prevention of peer harassment. A schoolwide approach using educational and policy components may provide an appropriate prevention strategy.

  1. The need for higher-order averaging in the stability analysis of hovering, flapping-wing flight.

    PubMed

    Taha, Haithem E; Tahmasian, Sevak; Woolsey, Craig A; Nayfeh, Ali H; Hajj, Muhammad R

    2015-01-05

    Because of the relatively high flapping frequency associated with hovering insects and flapping wing micro-air vehicles (FWMAVs), dynamic stability analysis typically involves direct averaging of the time-periodic dynamics over a flapping cycle. However, direct application of the averaging theorem may lead to false conclusions about the dynamics and stability of hovering insects and FWMAVs. Higher-order averaging techniques may be needed to understand the dynamics of flapping wing flight and to analyze its stability. We use second-order averaging to analyze the hovering dynamics of five insects in response to high-amplitude, high-frequency, periodic wing motion. We discuss the applicability of direct averaging versus second-order averaging for these insects.

  2. Comparison of region-of-interest-averaged and pixel-averaged analysis of DCE-MRI data based on simulations and pre-clinical experiments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Dianning; Zamora, Marta; Oto, Aytekin; Karczmar, Gregory S.; Fan, Xiaobing

    2017-09-01

    Differences between region-of-interest (ROI) and pixel-by-pixel analysis of dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI data were investigated in this study with computer simulations and pre-clinical experiments. ROIs were simulated with 10, 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 different pixels. For each pixel, a contrast agent concentration as a function of time, C(t), was calculated using the Tofts DCE-MRI model with randomly generated physiological parameters (K trans and v e) and the Parker population arterial input function. The average C(t) for each ROI was calculated and then K trans and v e for the ROI was extracted. The simulations were run 100 times for each ROI with new K trans and v e generated. In addition, white Gaussian noise was added to C(t) with 3, 6, and 12 dB signal-to-noise ratios to each C(t). For pre-clinical experiments, Copenhagen rats (n  =  6) with implanted prostate tumors in the hind limb were used in this study. The DCE-MRI data were acquired with a temporal resolution of ~5 s in a 4.7 T animal scanner, before, during, and after a bolus injection (<5 s) of Gd-DTPA for a total imaging duration of ~10 min. K trans and v e were calculated in two ways: (i) by fitting C(t) for each pixel, and then averaging the pixel values over the entire ROI, and (ii) by averaging C(t) over the entire ROI, and then fitting averaged C(t) to extract K trans and v e. The simulation results showed that in heterogeneous ROIs, the pixel-by-pixel averaged K trans was ~25% to ~50% larger (p  <  0.01) than the ROI-averaged K trans. At higher noise levels, the pixel-averaged K trans was greater than the ‘true’ K trans, but the ROI-averaged K trans was lower than the ‘true’ K trans. The ROI-averaged K trans was closer to the true K trans than pixel-averaged K trans for high noise levels. In pre-clinical experiments, the pixel-by-pixel averaged K trans was ~15% larger than the ROI-averaged K trans. Overall, with the Tofts model, the extracted

  3. The Transition Experiences of High-Achieving, Low-Income Undergraduates in an Elite College Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McLoughlin, Paul J., II

    2012-01-01

    This hermeneutic phenomenological study describes the lived experiences of high-achieving, low-income undergraduates and their transition into a college environment historically reserved for wealthy students. The results of this study indicate that these students are flourishing in full need-based financial aid programs as a result of their own…

  4. Brain Structure and Resting-State Functional Connectivity in University Professors with High Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Weiwei; Yang, Wenjing; Li, Wenfu; Li, Yadan; Wei, Dongtao; Li, Huimin; Qiu, Jiang; Zhang, Qinglin

    2015-01-01

    Creative persons play an important role in technical innovation and social progress. There is little research on the neural correlates with researchers with high academic achievement. We used a combined structural (regional gray matter volume, rGMV) and functional (resting-state functional connectivity analysis, rsFC) approach to examine the…

  5. Motivational profiles in high school students: Differences in behavioural and emotional homework engagement and academic achievement.

    PubMed

    Regueiro, Bibiana; Núñez, José C; Valle, Antonio; Piñeiro, Isabel; Rodríguez, Susana; Rosário, Pedro

    2016-12-12

    This work examined whether combinations of academic and non-academic goals generated different motivational profiles in high school students. Besides, differences in homework behavioural engagement (i.e. amount of homework, time spent in homework, homework time management), homework emotional engagement (i.e. homework anxiety) and academic achievement were analysed. Participants were 714 high school students (43.4% boys and 56.6% girls). The study of potential motivational profiles was conducted by latent profile analysis, and the differences between the motivational profiles regarding homework variables and academic achievement were analysed using multivariate analysis. The results indicate the existence of five groups of motivational profiles: a group of students with multiple goals, a group of unmotivated students, two groups of students with a predominance of learning goals and, finally, a group comprising students with a high fear of failure. Both the group with multiple goals and the learning goals-oriented groups reported to do more homework, spending more time on homework, making better use of that time and having a higher academic achievement than counterparts. The avoidance-failure group and the group with multiple goals showed higher levels of homework anxiety. Globally, these results provide support for a person-centred approach. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

  6. A method to achieve comparable thermal states of car brakes during braking on the road and on a high-speed roll-stand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wolff, Andrzej

    2010-01-01

    The temperature of a brake friction surface influences significantly the braking effectiveness. The paper describes a heat transfer process in car brakes. Using a developed program of finite element method, the temperature distributions in brake rotors (disc and drum brake) of a light truck have been calculated. As a preliminary consistency criterion of the brake thermal state in road and roll-stand braking conditions, a balance of the energy cumulated in the brake rotor has been taken into account. As the most reliable consistency criterion an equality of average temperatures of the friction surface has been assumed. The presented method allows to achieve on a roll-stand the analogical thermal states of automotive brakes, which are observed during braking in road conditions. Basing on this method, it is possible to calculate the braking time and force for a high-speed roll-stand. In contrast to the previous papers of the author, new calculation results have been presented.

  7. The effect of authentic leadership, organizational justice, and achievement motivation on teachers' performance in vocational high school seventeen Temanggung

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sugi, Slamet, Achmad; Martono, S.

    2018-03-01

    Teachers' performance in Temanggung in 2016 did not show maximal result. It was shown from many indicators. The low score of UN, UKG and PKB result. Individual performance was different. Achievement motivation could be seen through their attitude and behavior performances. The purpose of this research is to know the effect of authentic leadership, organizational justice, and achievement motivation on teachers' performance. The objects of this research are authentic leadership, organizational justice, achievement motivation and teachers' performance in Vocational High School Seventeen in Temanggung. The research method used is quantitative. Data collection was done by questioners. Then, the data were analyzed by using Path SPSS 16. The result of this research showed that authentic leadership, organizational justice, achievement motivation had significant effect on teachers' performance in Vocational High School Seventeen in Temanggung.

  8. Exploratory studies of new avenues to achieve high electromechanical response and high dielectric constant in polymeric materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Cheng

    High performance soft electronic materials are key elements in advanced electronic devices for broad range applications including capacitors, actuators, artificial muscles and organs, smart materials and structures, microelectromechanical (MEMS) and microfluidic devices, acoustic devices and sensors. This thesis exploits new approaches to improve the electromechanical response and dielectric response of these materials. By making use of novel material phenomena such as large anisotropy in dipolar response in liquid crystals (LCs) and all-organic composites in which high dielectric constant organic solids and conductive polymers are either physically blended into or chemically grafted to a polymer matrix, we demonstrate that high dielectric constant and high electromechanical conversion efficiency comparable to that in ceramic materials can be achieved. Nano-composite approach can also be utilized to improve the performance of the electronic electroactive polymers (EAPs) and composites, for example, exchange coupling between the fillers and matrix with very large dielectric contrast can lead to significantly enhance the dielectric response as well as electromechanical response when the heterogeneity size of the composite is comparable to the exchange length. In addition to the dielectric composites, in which high dielectric constant fillers raise the dielectric constant of composites, conductive percolation can also lead to high dielectric constant in polymeric materials. An all-polymer percolative composite is introduced which exhibits very high dielectric constant (>7,000). The flexible all-polymer composites with a high dielectric constant make it possible to induce a high electromechanical response under a much reduced electric field in the field effect electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators (a strain of 2.65% with an elastic energy density of 0.18 J/cm3 can be achieved under a field of 16 V/mum). Agglomeration of the particles can also be effectively prevented

  9. Locus of Control and Achievement of At-Risk Adolescent Black Males.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howerton, D. Lynn; And Others

    The relationship between locus of control and academic achievement was studied for 42 adolescent black males identified as at-risk by their teachers. The Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control scale (NS-LOC) for children was used as a measure of locus of control. School grade average and the Stanford Achievement Test (SFAT) battery composite provided…

  10. Dual Enrollment Programs: A Comparative Study of High School Students' College Academic Achievement at Different Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flores, Agnes L. Acker

    2012-01-01

    The "ex post facto" causal-comparative study examined the academic achievement of high school students who took their dual credit English or mathematics college credit-bearing course in two different environments, namely, the college setting and the high school setting. Due to non-experimental nature of the study, no causal inferences…

  11. The influence of achievement before, during and after medical school on physician job satisfaction.

    PubMed

    Schmit Jongbloed, Lodewijk J; Schönrock-Adema, Johanna; Borleffs, Jan C C; Stewart, Roy E; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke

    2014-10-01

    In this longitudinal study, we investigated the relationship between physicians' prior achievements (before, during and after medical school) and job satisfaction, and tested the two lines of reasoning that prior achievements influence job satisfaction positively or negatively, respectively. The participants were graduates who started their medical training in 1982 (n = 147), 1983 (n = 154), 1992 (n = 143) and 1993 (n = 153). We operationalised job satisfaction as satisfaction (on a 10-point scale) with 13 cognitive, affective and instrumental aspects of the participants' jobs. The measures of achievement before, during and after medical school included pre-university grade point average, study progress and a residency position in the specialty of first choice, respectively. We included the effect of curriculum type (problem-based learning versus traditional), gender and years of experience as moderator variables. Higher achievers before and during medical school were more satisfied about their income (β = .152, p < .01 and β = .149, p < .05), but less satisfied with their opportunities for personal development (β = -.159, p < .05). High achievers after medical school were more satisfied with professional accomplishments (β = .095, p < .05), with appreciation from support personnel (β = .154, p < .01) and from patients (β = .120, p < .05). Effect sizes were small. Prior achievements influenced job satisfaction. The direction of the influences depended on the job satisfaction aspect in question, which indicates that it is important to distinguish between aspects of job satisfaction. To optimize job satisfaction of high achievers, it is important for graduates to obtain their preferred specialty. Furthermore, it is vital to provide them with enough opportunities for further development.

  12. Strategies for achieving high-level expression of genes in Escherichia coli.

    PubMed Central

    Makrides, S C

    1996-01-01

    Progress in our understanding of several biological processes promises to broaden the usefulness of Escherichia coli as a tool for gene expression. There is an expanding choice of tightly regulated prokaryotic promoters suitable for achieving high-level gene expression. New host strains facilitate the formation of disulfide bonds in the reducing environment of the cytoplasm and offer higher protein yields by minimizing proteolytic degradation. Insights into the process of protein translocation across the bacterial membranes may eventually make it possible to achieve robust secretion of specific proteins into the culture medium. Studies involving molecular chaperones have shown that in specific cases, chaperones can be very effective for improved protein folding, solubility, and membrane transport. Negative results derived from such studies are also instructive in formulating different strategies. The remarkable increase in the availability of fusion partners offers a wide range of tools for improved protein folding, solubility, protection from proteases, yield, and secretion into the culture medium, as well as for detection and purification of recombinant proteins. Codon usage is known to present a potential impediment to high-level gene expression in E. coli. Although we still do not understand all the rules governing this phenomenon, it is apparent that "rare" codons, depending on their frequency and context, can have an adverse effect on protein levels. Usually, this problem can be alleviated by modification of the relevant codons or by coexpression of the cognate tRNA genes. Finally, the elucidation of specific determinants of protein degradation, a plethora of protease-deficient host strains, and methods to stabilize proteins afford new strategies to minimize proteolytic susceptibility of recombinant proteins in E. coli. PMID:8840785

  13. High Achievers from Low Socioeconomic Backgrounds: The Critical Role of Disciplinary Climate and Grit

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Haigen; Zhu, Hao

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine whether school disciplinary climate and grit predicted low socioeconomic status (SES) students being high achievers in mathematics and science with a representative sample of 15-year-old students in the United States. Our analysis, using a two-level logistic hierarchical linear model (HLM), indicated both…

  14. New Counter-School Cultures: Female Students' Drug Use at a High-Achieving Secondary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fletcher, Adam; Bonell, Chris; Rhodes, Tim

    2009-01-01

    We draw on case-study research at a high-achieving secondary school in London to illustrate how school experiences may influence drug use and reproduce inequalities in reconstructed ways in late modernity. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with students and teachers, and observations. We focus in particular on the…

  15. The Effect of Journal Writing on Mathematics Achievement among High-Ability Students in Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tan, Tracy; Garces-Bacsal, Rhoda Myra

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the effect of journal writing on mathematics achievement in high-ability students in Singapore. It assessed both the cognitive benefits of journal writing (as evidenced through gains in math test scores) and the socio-affective benefits of journal writing (as demonstrated in their personal reflections) as the students learned…

  16. Obesity, High-Calorie Food Intake, and Academic Achievement Trends among U.S. School Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Jian; O'Connell, Ann A.

    2012-01-01

    The authors investigated children's self-reported high-calorie food intake in Grade 5 and its relationship to trends in obesity status and academic achievement over the first 6 years of school. They used 3-level hierarchical linear models in the large-scale database (the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Kindergarten Cohort). Findings indicated…

  17. Achievement, School Integration, and Self-Efficacy in Single-Sex and Coeducational Parochial High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Micucci, Kara Hanson

    2014-01-01

    A structural model for prior achievement, school integration, and self-efficacy was developed using Tinto's theory of student attrition and Bandura's self-efficacy theory. The model was tested and revised using a sample of 1,452 males and females from single-sex and coeducational parochial high schools. Results indicated that the theoretically…

  18. Promising Practices for Achieving Patient-centered Hospital Care: A National Study of High-performing US Hospitals.

    PubMed

    Aboumatar, Hanan J; Chang, Bickey H; Al Danaf, Jad; Shaear, Mohammad; Namuyinga, Ruth; Elumalai, Sathyanarayanan; Marsteller, Jill A; Pronovost, Peter J

    2015-09-01

    Patient-centered care is integral to health care quality, yet little is known regarding how to achieve patient-centeredness in the hospital setting. The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey measures patients' reports on clinician behaviors deemed by patients as key to a high-quality hospitalization experience. We conducted a national study of hospitals that achieved the highest performance on HCAHPS to identify promising practices for improving patient-centeredness, common challenges met, and how those were addressed. We identified hospitals that achieved the top ranks or remarkable recent improvements on HCAHPS and surveyed key informants at these hospitals. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, we described the interventions used at these hospitals and developed an explanatory model for achieving patient-centeredness in hospital care. Fifty-two hospitals participated in this study. Hospitals used similar interventions that focused on improving responsiveness to patient needs, the discharge experience, and patient-clinician interactions. To improve responsiveness, hospitals used proactive nursing rounds (reported at 83% of hospitals) and executive/leader rounds (62%); for the discharge experience, multidisciplinary rounds (56%), postdischarge calls (54%), and discharge folders (52%) were utilized; for clinician-patient interactions, hospitals promoted specific desired behaviors (65%) and set behavioral standards (60%) for which employees were held accountable. Similar strategies were also used to achieve successful intervention implementation including HCAHPS data feedback, and employee and leader engagement and accountability. High-performing hospitals used a set of patient-centered care processes that involved both leaders and clinicians in ensuring that patient needs and preferences are addressed.

  19. Viewpoint: observations on scaled average bioequivalence.

    PubMed

    Patterson, Scott D; Jones, Byron

    2012-01-01

    The two one-sided test procedure (TOST) has been used for average bioequivalence testing since 1992 and is required when marketing new formulations of an approved drug. TOST is known to require comparatively large numbers of subjects to demonstrate bioequivalence for highly variable drugs, defined as those drugs having intra-subject coefficients of variation greater than 30%. However, TOST has been shown to protect public health when multiple generic formulations enter the marketplace following patent expiration. Recently, scaled average bioequivalence (SABE) has been proposed as an alternative statistical analysis procedure for such products by multiple regulatory agencies. SABE testing requires that a three-period partial replicate cross-over or full replicate cross-over design be used. Following a brief summary of SABE analysis methods applied to existing data, we will consider three statistical ramifications of the proposed additional decision rules and the potential impact of implementation of scaled average bioequivalence in the marketplace using simulation. It is found that a constraint being applied is biased, that bias may also result from the common problem of missing data and that the SABE methods allow for much greater changes in exposure when generic-generic switching occurs in the marketplace. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. American High School Students from Different Ethnic Backgrounds: The Role of Parents and the Classroom in Achievement Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Jung-In

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between ethnically diverse US high school students' (N = 331) perceptions of their parents' or classroom's motivating factors and their achievement motivation in their math class, connecting achievement goal orientation and self-determination theories. Two hypothesized path models were…

  1. Maximum likelihood estimation for periodic autoregressive moving average models

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vecchia, A.V.

    1985-01-01

    A useful class of models for seasonal time series that cannot be filtered or standardized to achieve second-order stationarity is that of periodic autoregressive moving average (PARMA) models, which are extensions of ARMA models that allow periodic (seasonal) parameters. An approximation to the exact likelihood for Gaussian PARMA processes is developed, and a straightforward algorithm for its maximization is presented. The algorithm is tested on several periodic ARMA(1, 1) models through simulation studies and is compared to moment estimation via the seasonal Yule-Walker equations. Applicability of the technique is demonstrated through an analysis of a seasonal stream-flow series from the Rio Caroni River in Venezuela.

  2. Differential Peer Effects, Student Achievement, and Student Absenteeism: Evidence From a Large-Scale Randomized Experiment.

    PubMed

    Eren, Ozkan

    2017-04-01

    Using data from a well-executed randomized experiment, I examine the effects of gender composition and peer achievement on high school students' outcomes in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Results show that having a higher proportion of female peers in the classroom improves girls' math test scores only in less-advanced courses. For male students, the estimated gender peer effects are positive but less precisely estimated. I also find no effect of average classroom achievement on female math test scores. Males, on the other hand, seem to benefit from a higher-achieving classroom. I propose mechanisms relating to lower gender stereotype influences and gender-specific attitudes toward competition as potential explanations for peer effects findings. Finally, having a higher proportion of female students in the classroom decreases student absenteeism among male students but has no impact on female attendance.

  3. Threaded average temperature thermocouple

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ward, Stanley W. (Inventor)

    1990-01-01

    A threaded average temperature thermocouple 11 is provided to measure the average temperature of a test situs of a test material 30. A ceramic insulator rod 15 with two parallel holes 17 and 18 through the length thereof is securely fitted in a cylinder 16, which is bored along the longitudinal axis of symmetry of threaded bolt 12. Threaded bolt 12 is composed of material having thermal properties similar to those of test material 30. Leads of a thermocouple wire 20 leading from a remotely situated temperature sensing device 35 are each fed through one of the holes 17 or 18, secured at head end 13 of ceramic insulator rod 15, and exit at tip end 14. Each lead of thermocouple wire 20 is bent into and secured in an opposite radial groove 25 in tip end 14 of threaded bolt 12. Resulting threaded average temperature thermocouple 11 is ready to be inserted into cylindrical receptacle 32. The tip end 14 of the threaded average temperature thermocouple 11 is in intimate contact with receptacle 32. A jam nut 36 secures the threaded average temperature thermocouple 11 to test material 30.

  4. What's in a country average? Wealth, gender, and regional inequalities in immunization in India.

    PubMed

    Pande, Rohini P; Yazbeck, Abdo S

    2003-12-01

    Recent attention to Millennium Development Goals by the international development community has led to the formation of targets to measure country-level achievements, including achievements on health status indicators such as childhood immunization. Using the example of immunization in India, this paper demonstrates the importance of disaggregating national averages for a better understanding of social disparities in health. Specifically, the paper uses data from the India National Family Health Survey 1992-93 to analyze socioeconomic, gender, urban-rural and regional inequalities in immunization in India for each of the 17 largest states. Results show that, on average, southern states have better immunization levels and lower immunization inequalities than many northern states. Wealth and regional inequalities are correlated with overall levels of immunization in a non-linear fashion. Gender inequalities persist in most states, including in the south, and seem unrelated to overall immunization or the levels of other inequalities measured here. This suggests that the gender differentials reflect deep-seated societal factors rather than health system issues per se. The disaggregated information and analysis used in this paper allows for setting more meaningful targets than country averages. Additionally, it helps policy makers and planners to understand programmatic constraints and needs by identifying disparities between sub-groups of the population, including strong and weak performers at the state and regional levels.

  5. The Difference in the Academic Achievement of Hispanic High School Students Based on the Theme of the Small Learning Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez, Beate M. Winter

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to describe the difference in the academic achievement of urban Hispanic high school students based on the small learning community theme. The study used a quantitative method of ex post facto research to examine how the academic achievement of Hispanic high school students differs across the themes of small…

  6. Model averaging in linkage analysis.

    PubMed

    Matthysse, Steven

    2006-06-05

    Methods for genetic linkage analysis are traditionally divided into "model-dependent" and "model-independent," but there may be a useful place for an intermediate class, in which a broad range of possible models is considered as a parametric family. It is possible to average over model space with an empirical Bayes prior that weights models according to their goodness of fit to epidemiologic data, such as the frequency of the disease in the population and in first-degree relatives (and correlations with other traits in the pleiotropic case). For averaging over high-dimensional spaces, Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) has great appeal, but it has a near-fatal flaw: it is not possible, in most cases, to provide rigorous sufficient conditions to permit the user safely to conclude that the chain has converged. A way of overcoming the convergence problem, if not of solving it, rests on a simple application of the principle of detailed balance. If the starting point of the chain has the equilibrium distribution, so will every subsequent point. The first point is chosen according to the target distribution by rejection sampling, and subsequent points by an MCMC process that has the target distribution as its equilibrium distribution. Model averaging with an empirical Bayes prior requires rapid estimation of likelihoods at many points in parameter space. Symbolic polynomials are constructed before the random walk over parameter space begins, to make the actual likelihood computations at each step of the random walk very fast. Power analysis in an illustrative case is described. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  7. Implementation of the C-Average Policy. 1987-1990. (Revised).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bland, June

    Student participation in athletics and other extracurricular activities has declined following the implementation of the C-Average Policy in Washington (District of Columbia) junior and senior high schools. However, few students and advisors attributed the lack of participation to the policy, particularly at the senior high school level. Intended…

  8. Moving on Up: Urban to Suburban Translocation Experiences of High-Achieving Black American Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yu, Xiaoqi; Seeberg, Vilma; Malone, Larissa

    2017-01-01

    Minority suburbanization has been a fast growing demographic shift in the United States during the first decade of the 21st century. This article examines the tapestry of the suburbanization experience of a group of high-achieving Black American students and their families as told by them. Departing from the all too common, deficit orientation…

  9. School Factors Related to Reading Achievement in Rural Schools with and without High Poverty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Seth W.

    2013-01-01

    This quantitative study identified how rural schools differ on five school-level factors related to student achievement according to their performance on Grade 3 reading. Through use of a MANOVA test, it was shown that principals of high-poverty rural schools that made AYP in Grade 3 reading reported significantly higher levels of guaranteed and…

  10. The Role of High-School Duration for University Students' Motivation, Abilities and Achievements

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meyer, Tobias; Thomsen, Stephan L.

    2018-01-01

    We study the effects of learning intensity and duration of high school on students' motivation, abilities and achievements at university. The empirical analysis is based on primary panel data from an education reform in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt that reduced university preparatory schooling from 13 to 12 years but left the curriculum…

  11. Beef steers with average dry matter intake and divergent average daily gain have altered gene expression in the jejunum

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The objective of this study was to determine the association of differentially expressed genes (DEG) in the jejunum of steers with average DMI and high or low ADG. Feed intake and growth were measured in a cohort of 144 commercial Angus steers consuming a finishing diet containing (on a DM basis) 67...

  12. Predicting Physics Achievement: Attitude towards Physics, Self-Efficacy of Learning Physics, and Mathematics Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kapucu, Serkan

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to explore the relationships among Turkish high school students' attitude towards physics, self-efficacy of learning physics, mathematics achievement, and physics achievement. To investigate the relationships, a unique questionnaire that identifies the attitude, self-efficacy and achievements were delivered to a total of 301 high…

  13. Patterns of Change in U.S. Gender Achievement Gaps during Elementary and Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fahle, Erin

    2016-01-01

    Research on gender achievement gaps shows they exist, and are largest in the tails of the distribution, starting as early as Kindergarten and persisting through eighth grade. In mathematics, studies find small average gender achievement gaps and larger systematically male-favoring gaps among the highest achieving students. This paper seeks to…

  14. The effects of school policies and practices on eighth-grade science achievement: A multilevel analysis of TIMSS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smyth, Carol Ann Mary

    Identifying the relative importance of both alterable school policies and fairly stable contextual factors as they relate to middle level science achievement, a domain of identified national concern, requires simultaneous investigation of multilevel predictors (i.e., student level and school level) specific to the grade level and academic subject area. The school level factors are predictors associated with both the school (e.g., average socioeconomic status, tracking, and instructional time) and the classroom (e.g., average academic press of peers, teacher collaboration, and instructional strategies). The current study assessed the effects of school policies, practices, and contextual factors on the science achievement of eighth grade students. These influences were considered to be both additive (i.e., influencing the mean achievement in a school after controlling for student characteristics) and interactive (i.e., affecting the relationships between student background characteristics and individual achievement). To account for the nested structure of predictors and cross level interactions among predictors, a multilevel model for middle level science achievement was estimated using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) with data collected from eighth grade students, science teachers, and administrators in 1995 as part of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The major findings of this research suggest that although average eighth grade science achievement in a school was primarily associated with the contextual characteristics of the classroom and the school (e.g., average socioeconomic status and average academic press), both the academic differentiating influence of prior achievement and the social differentiating influence of parental education on the science achievement of eighth grade students were related not only to contextual characteristics of the classroom and the school, but also to the instructional policies of the classroom

  15. Gender Differences in Self-Concept, Locus of Control, and Goal Orientation in Mexican High-Achieving Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valdés-Cuervo, Angel Alberto; Sánchez Escobedo, Pedro Antonio; Valadez-Sierra, María Dolores

    2015-01-01

    The study compares self-concept, locus of control, and goal orientation characteristics of male and female Mexican high school high-achieving students. Three scales were administered to 220 students; 106 (49%) were males and 114 (51%) females. By means of a discriminant analysis, both groups were compared in relation to the variables such as…

  16. High energy, high average power solid state green or UV laser

    DOEpatents

    Hackel, Lloyd A.; Norton, Mary; Dane, C. Brent

    2004-03-02

    A system for producing a green or UV output beam for illuminating a large area with relatively high beam fluence. A Nd:glass laser produces a near-infrared output by means of an oscillator that generates a high quality but low power output and then multi-pass through and amplification in a zig-zag slab amplifier and wavefront correction in a phase conjugator at the midway point of the multi-pass amplification. The green or UV output is generated by means of conversion crystals that follow final propagation through the zig-zag slab amplifier.

  17. An Examination of Paternal Influence on High-Achieving Gifted Males

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hebert, Thomas P.; Pagnani, Alexander R.; Hammond, Daniel R.

    2009-01-01

    The challenges facing contemporary boys are complex, highlighting the importance of positive paternal influence for young men to achieve success. This study examines the father-son relationships of 10 prominent gifted men of achievement to identify factors influencing talent development. Through biographical analysis, 6 significant themes were…

  18. Dynamo: a flexible, user-friendly development tool for subtomogram averaging of cryo-EM data in high-performance computing environments.

    PubMed

    Castaño-Díez, Daniel; Kudryashev, Mikhail; Arheit, Marcel; Stahlberg, Henning

    2012-05-01

    Dynamo is a new software package for subtomogram averaging of cryo Electron Tomography (cryo-ET) data with three main goals: first, Dynamo allows user-transparent adaptation to a variety of high-performance computing platforms such as GPUs or CPU clusters. Second, Dynamo implements user-friendliness through GUI interfaces and scripting resources. Third, Dynamo offers user-flexibility through a plugin API. Besides the alignment and averaging procedures, Dynamo includes native tools for visualization and analysis of results and data, as well as support for third party visualization software, such as Chimera UCSF or EMAN2. As a demonstration of these functionalities, we studied bacterial flagellar motors and showed automatically detected classes with absent and present C-rings. Subtomogram averaging is a common task in current cryo-ET pipelines, which requires extensive computational resources and follows a well-established workflow. However, due to the data diversity, many existing packages offer slight variations of the same algorithm to improve results. One of the main purposes behind Dynamo is to provide explicit tools to allow the user the insertion of custom designed procedures - or plugins - to replace or complement the native algorithms in the different steps of the processing pipeline for subtomogram averaging without the burden of handling parallelization. Custom scripts that implement new approaches devised by the user are integrated into the Dynamo data management system, so that they can be controlled by the GUI or the scripting capacities. Dynamo executables do not require licenses for third party commercial software. Sources, executables and documentation are freely distributed on http://www.dynamo-em.org. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Monetary incentives in support of academic achievement: results of a randomized field trial involving high-achieving, low-resource, ethnically diverse urban adolescents.

    PubMed

    Spencer, Margaret Beale; Noll, Elizabeth; Cassidy, Elaine

    2005-06-01

    Significant resources have been directed at understanding and alleviating the achievement gap in education. Most programs focused on this aim rely on a top-down approach, including funding for infrastructure improvement, curriculum development, class size, and teacher salaries. This article presents findings from a randomized field trial that evaluates a bottom-up approach in which high-achieving students of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds from poor families are given monetary incentives to maintain their academic standing. The evaluation was designed to explore the role of monetary incentives as a mechanism for promoting resiliency in the face of poverty-related challenge. Discussion of what motivates students to learn is framed as a function of normal cognitive and socioemotional development in challenging environments. Evaluation findings indicate that monetary incentives are effective in promoting academic success to different degrees and for different reasons depending on students' perception of the meaning of the incentive in relation to their emergent identity.

  20. Academic Achievement Trajectories of Homeless and Highly Mobile Students: Resilience in the Context of Chronic and Acute Risk

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cutuli, J. J.; Desjardins, Christopher David; Herbers, Janette E.; Long, Jeffrey D.; Heistad, David; Chan, Chi-Keung; Hinz, Elizabeth; Masten, Ann S.

    2013-01-01

    Analyses examined academic achievement data across third through eighth grades ("N" = 26,474), comparing students identified as homeless or highly mobile (HHM) with other students in the federal free meal program (FM), reduced price meals (RM), or neither (General). Achievement was lower as a function of rising risk status (General…