An object oriented Python interface for atomistic simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hynninen, T.; Himanen, L.; Parkkinen, V.; Musso, T.; Corander, J.; Foster, A. S.

2016-01-01

Programmable simulation environments allow one to monitor and control calculations efficiently and automatically before, during, and after runtime. Environments directly accessible in a programming environment can be interfaced with powerful external analysis tools and extensions to enhance the functionality of the core program, and by incorporating a flexible object based structure, the environments make building and analysing computational setups intuitive. In this work, we present a classical atomistic force field with an interface written in Python language. The program is an extension for an existing object based atomistic simulation environment.

Theoretical Value Belief, Cognitive Ability, and Personality as Predictors of Student Performance in Object-Oriented Programming Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Dianne J.; Cegielski, Casey G.; Wade, James N.

2006-01-01

The research described in this article reports the results of a study designed to evaluate the relationship among object-oriented (OO) computer programming task performance and a student's (1) theoretical value belief, (2) cognitive ability, and (3) personality. The results of this study do not support the assertion that cognitive ability is a…

An Object-Oriented Software Architecture for the Explorer-2 Knowledge Management Environment

PubMed Central

Tarabar, David B.; Greenes, Robert A.; Slosser, Eric T.

1989-01-01

Explorer-2 is a workstation based environment to facilitate knowledge management. It provides consistent access to a broad range of knowledge on the basis of purpose, not type. We have developed a software architecture based on Object-Oriented programming for Explorer-2. We have defined three classes of program objects: Knowledge ViewFrames, Knowledge Resources, and Knowledge Bases. This results in knowledge management at three levels: the screen level, the disk level and the meta-knowledge level. We have applied this design to several knowledge bases, and believe that there is a broad applicability of this design.

A user-oriented and computerized model for estimating vehicle ride quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leatherwood, J. D.; Barker, L. M.

1984-01-01

A simplified empirical model and computer program for estimating passenger ride comfort within air and surface transportation systems are described. The model is based on subjective ratings from more than 3000 persons who were exposed to controlled combinations of noise and vibration in the passenger ride quality apparatus. This model has the capability of transforming individual elements of a vehicle's noise and vibration environment into subjective discomfort units and then combining the subjective units to produce a single discomfort index typifying passenger acceptance of the environment. The computational procedures required to obtain discomfort estimates are discussed, and a user oriented ride comfort computer program is described. Examples illustrating application of the simplified model to helicopter and automobile ride environments are presented.

Effect of the essentials of critical care orientation (ECCO) program on the development of nurses' critical thinking skills.

PubMed

Kaddoura, Mahmoud A

2010-09-01

It is essential for nurses to develop critical thinking skills to ensure their ability to provide safe and effective care to patients with complex and variable needs in ever-changing clinical environments. To date, very few studies have been conducted to examine how nursing orientation programs develop the critical thinking skills of novice critical care nurses. Strikingly, no research studies could be found about the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Essentials of Critical Care Orientation (ECCO) program and specifically its effect on the development of nurses' critical thinking skills. This study explored the perceptions of new graduate nurses regarding factors that helped to develop their critical thinking skills throughout their 6-month orientation program in the intensive care unit. A convenient non-probability sample of eight new graduates was selected from a hospital that used the ECCO program. Data were collected with demographic questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. An exploratory qualitative research method with content analysis was used to analyze the data. The study findings showed that new graduate nurses perceived that they developed critical thinking skills that improved throughout the orientation period, although there were some challenges in the ECCO program. This study provides data that could influence the development and implementation of future nursing orientation programs. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

Practice-Oriented Teachers' Training: Innovative Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shukshina, Tatjana I.; Gorshenina, Svetlana N.; Buyanova, Irina B.; Neyasova, Irina A.

2016-01-01

Modernization of Russian education meets the global trend of professionalization of teachers' training which assumes strengthening the practical orientation of educational programs as a significant factor in increasing the competitiveness of the teacher in the modern educational environment. The purpose of the article is to identify and…

Interviews with College Students: Evaluating Computer Programming Environments for Introductory Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uysal, Murat Pasa

2014-01-01

Different methods, strategies, or tools have been proposed for teaching Object Oriented Programming (OOP). However, it is still difficult to introduce OOP to novice learners. The problem may be not only adopting a method or language, but also use of an appropriate integrated development environment (IDE). Therefore, the focus should be on the…

Program/Project Management of Sponsored Programs in a University Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Research Foundation.

Management is a future-oriented decision process that relates resources into a total functional system for the accomplishment of a set of objectives. As a rule, universities do not have a management system, and there is no understanding of their environments in terms of the inputs, outputs, objectives, and organizational relationships of line and…

Using an Online Curriculum Design and a Cooperative Instructional Approach to Orientate Adjunct Faculty to the Online Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Emily; Wang, Chihhsuan

2015-01-01

The focus of this study was to develop an orientation program that would assist adjunct faculty to gain specific competencies to facilitate an online course. The orientation curriculum employed a set of guiding questions that focused on the intellectual, cognitive, and applicable skills adjunct faculty would need to facilitate an online course. To…

A Survey of Object-Oriented Database Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

now mention briefly the various security and autho- rization schemes provided by GEMSTONE. 1. Login Authorization. There are two ways to login to...GemStone- through the OPAL programming environment or through the GemStone C interface. A user ID and password is required in both cases to login . 2. Name...lIlj A. Black. Object structure in the Emerald system. Proc. Ist Intl. Conf. on Objcct- Oriented Programming Systems, Languages and Applications, pp

The growing importance of costs and ways to maintain cost control on a large program in today's competitive environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, J. J.; Grimes, D. W.; Gaetano, F. W.

1973-01-01

Discussion of management techniques that make it possible to overcome inflationary and developmental cost rises while holding schedule and performance fixed in scientific space programs. The techniques reviewed pertain to high personnel motivation, continual review of contract rigidity for de facto modification by senior judgment, standardization vs design innovation, cooperative customer/contractor goal orientation vs task orientation, and deep real-time management visibility.

Program of policy studies in science and technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayo, L. H.

1973-01-01

The application of an interdisciplinary, problem-oriented capability to the performance of total social impact evaluations is discussed. The consequences of introducing new configurations, technological or otherwise into future social environments are presented. The primary characteristics of the program are summarized: (1) emphasis on interdisciplinary, problem-oriented analysis; (2) development of intra- and inter-institutional arrangements for the purpose of analyzing social problems, evaluating existing programs, and assessing the social impacts of prospective policies, programs, and other public actions; (3) focus on methodological approaches to the projection of alternative future social environments, the identification of the effects of the introduction of new policies, programs, or other actions into the social system, and the evaluation of the social impacts of such effects; (4) availability of analytical resources for advisory and research tasks, and provision for use of program facilities as a neutral forum for the discussion of public issues involving involving the impact of advancing technology on social value-institutional processes.

Web-based courses. More than curriculum.

PubMed

Mills, M E; Fisher, C; Stair, N

2001-01-01

Online program development depends on an educationally and technologically sound curriculum supported by a solid infrastructure. Creation of a virtual environment through design of online registration and records, financial aid, orientation, advisement, resources, and evaluation and assessment provides students with access and program integrity.The planning of an academic support system as an electronic environment provides challenges and institutional issues requiring systematic analysis.

Design-Based Research Principles for Student Orientation to Online Study: Capturing the Lessons Learnt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wozniak, Helen; Pizzica, Jenny; Mahony, Mary Jane

2012-01-01

Few institutions have reported research on students' "use" of orientation programs designed for mature students returning to study in contemporary learning environments now regularly amalgamating distance and online strategies. We report within a design-based research framework the student experience of "GetLearning," the third…

Object-Oriented Algorithm For Evaluation Of Fault Trees

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson-Hine, F. A.; Koen, B. V.

1992-01-01

Algorithm for direct evaluation of fault trees incorporates techniques of object-oriented programming. Reduces number of calls needed to solve trees with repeated events. Provides significantly improved software environment for such computations as quantitative analyses of safety and reliability of complicated systems of equipment (e.g., spacecraft or factories).

How Does Early Feedback in an Online Programming Course Change Problem Solving?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebrahimi, Alireza

2012-01-01

How does early feedback change the programming problem solving in an online environment and help students choose correct approaches? This study was conducted in a sample of students learning programming in an online course entitled Introduction to C++ and OOP (Object Oriented Programming) using the ANGEL learning management system platform. My…

Theoretical, Developmental & Cultural Orientations of School-Based Prevention Programs for Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphries, Marisha L.; Keenan, Kate E.

2006-01-01

Schools are the primary environment in which to conduct prevention programs for school-age children. Educators, policy makers, and psychologist argue that prevention efforts should begin as early as possible to maximize their effectiveness. Surprisingly, there are relatively few school-based prevention programs targeted for preschoolers. Given the…

Chips: A Tool for Developing Software Interfaces Interactively.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-10-01

of the application through the objects on the screen. Chips makes this easy by supplying simple and direct access to the source code and data ...object-oriented programming, user interface management systems, programming environments. Typographic Conventions Technical terms appearing in the...creating an environment in which we could do our work. This project could not have happened without him. Jeff Bonar started and managed the Chips

A Family-Oriented Policy and Treatment Program for Female Juvenile Status Offenders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Druckman, Joan M.

1979-01-01

Families of female juvenile status offenders were administered the Moos Family Environment Scale. The families could be described as moderately cohesive and adaptive. Results suggest that the dysfunctioning family may not be the primary cause of status offenses and that family-oriented treatment is possibly not the choice treatment for status…

A Meta System for Generating Software Engineering Environments.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-01-01

CI/NR-85-710 UNCLSSIFIED F/ G 9/2 NL 1.0 2-8! j~j~ 1s 3-15 jjll !2 __ L__ ILlh 1121 ,.., - - NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS MSCRCOPY RESOLUMIN TEST CHART...34 ". " ....-.... .......-... . . - ...-............’. . -...... -.--..-..-.. : 23 H4eta Dt: t-o (Knowled&e Base) Attributed G raoonr form ___ lepresenta tion of a Kethod...implements a programming environment on a relational database. The IDEOSY system 38’ is a graph-oriented language programming environment. I l t . G = o

Quality management and the work environment: an empirical investigation in a public sector organization.

PubMed

Taveira, Alvaro D; James, Craig A; Karsh, Ben -Tzion; Sainfort, François

2003-07-01

The integration of quality management initiatives, particularly total quality management (TQM), and ergonomics has received increasing attention from scholars and practitioners. Above all, the question of how TQM programs relate to ergonomic aspects of organizational design and culture is at the center of this discussion. This study examines how elements of a "typical", Deming-inspired, TQM program in the public sector interact with the work environment. Elements of the TQM program were defined and measured using the Malcom Baldridge Award criteria. The specific elements examined were "Management Support of Quality", "Information and Analysis", "Human Resources", "Processes and Quality Results", and "Customer Focus and Satisfaction". The relationship between these TQM elements and the work environment were defined through five separate hypotheses. The work environment was described by the constructs "Supervisor Support", "Task Clarity", "Task Orientation", and "Innovation". Data were obtained through survey questionnaires administered to employees of four departments in a municipal government organization. Results supported three of the hypotheses, but produced some unanticipated outcomes with regard to the other two. Namely, "Management Support of Quality" was significantly related to "Supervisor Support", "Task Orientation", "Task Clarity" and "Innovation"; "Human Resources" was significantly related to "Supervisor Support"; "Processes and Quality Results" was significantly related to "Task Orientation" and "Innovation". Contrary to predicted "Information and Analysis" was negatively related to "Innovation", and "Customer Focus" was unrelated to any of the outcome variables. The relationships between these TQM elements and work environment dimensions are discussed. Implications for TQM and ergonomic practice are analyzed, and directions for future research proposed.

Active Participation of Integrated Development Environments in the Teaching of Object-Oriented Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Depradine, Colin; Gay, Glenda

2004-01-01

With the strong link between programming and the underlying technology, the incorporation of computer technology into the teaching of a programming language course should be a natural progression. However, the abstract nature of programming can make such integration a difficult prospect to achieve. As a result, the main development tool, the…

[Youth in Transition Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McManus, Marilyn C., Ed.

1987-01-01

This issue focuses on assisting adolescents with serious emotional handicaps to make transitions from youth serving systems into society. A framework for developing transition-oriented programs is prevented that incorporates into the specific service goals of the current environment the skills required to function in the projected environment.…

Using Cross-Sectional Imaging to Convey Organ Relationships: An Integrated Learning Environment for Students of Gross Anatomy

PubMed Central

Forman, Bruce H.; Eccles, Randy; Piggins, Judith; Raila, Wayne; Estey, Greg; Barnett, G. Octo

1990-01-01

We have developed a visually oriented, computer-controlled learning environment designed for use by students of gross anatomy. The goals of this module are to reinforce the concepts of organ relationships and topography by using computed axial tomographic (CAT) images accessed from a videodisc integrated with color graphics and to introduce students to cross-sectional radiographic anatomy. We chose to build the program around CAT scan images because they not only provide excellent structural detail but also offer an anatomic orientation (transverse) that complements that used in the dissection laboratory (basically a layer-by-layer, anterior-to-posterior, or coronal approach). Our system, built using a Microsoft Windows-386 based authoring environment which we designed and implemented, integrates text, video images, and graphics into a single screen display. The program allows both user browsing of information, facilitated by hypertext links, and didactic sessions including mini-quizzes for self-assessment.

Students' Views about the Problem Based Collaborative Learning Environment Supported by Dynamic Web Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ünal, Erhan; Çakir, Hasan

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to design a problem based collaborative learning environment supported by dynamic web technologies and to examine students' views about this learning environment. The study was designed as a qualitative research. Some 36 students who took an Object Oriented Programming I-II course at the department of computer…

Supporting New Scholars: A Learner-Centered Approach to New Faculty Orientation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullen, Roxanne; Harris, Michael

2008-01-01

A new generation of faculty is entering the academic workforce and they are increasingly dissatisfied with current working environments. Institutions must begin to address the changing nature of this new generation. This article reports on a New Faculty Orientation program based on elements of the learner-centered pedagogy. The goal was to achieve…

Designing Online Instruction for Success: Future Oriented Motivation and Self-Regulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Joel T.; Werner, Christian H.

2007-01-01

Given the high rate of student drop-out and withdrawal from courses and programs using an online learning format, it is important to consider innovative ways to foster and encourage student success in online environments. One such way is to incorporate aspects of student future orientation into the design of online instruction. This paper presents…

From Orientation Needs to Developmental Realities: The Honors First-Year Seminar in a National Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vander Zee, Anton; Folds-Bennett, Trisha; Meyer-Bernstein, Elizabeth; Reardon, Brendan

2016-01-01

The transition into college remains one of the most formative and complex phases in an individual's life. Institutions of higher learning have responded to the challenges facing first-year students in myriad ways, most often by offering summer orientation programs, dynamic living-learning environments, tailored academic and psychological support…

Indigenous health: designing a clinical orientation program valued by learners.

PubMed

Huria, Tania; Palmer, Suetonia; Beckert, Lutz; Lacey, Cameron; Pitama, Suzanne

2017-10-05

Indigenous health programs are seen as a curriculum response to addressing health disparities and social accountability. Several interrelated teaching approaches to cultural competency curricula have been recommended, however evidence of the impact of these on learner outcomes including engagement and self-reported competencies is limited. We aimed to explore undergraduate medical student perspectives of an indigenous health orientation program to inform curriculum strategies that promote learning and development of clinical skills. We analyzed quantitative and qualitative student evaluations (n = 602) of a three-day immersed indigenous health orientation program between 2006 and 2014 based on Likert-scale responses and open-text comments. We conducted a thematic analysis of narrative student experiences (n = 426). Overall, 509 of 551 respondents (92%) rated the indigenous health orientation program as extremely or highly valuable and most (87%) reported that the course strongly increased their interest in indigenous health. The features of the clinical course that enhanced value for learners included situated learning (learning environment; learning context); teaching qualities (enthusiasm and passion for Māori health; role-modelling); curriculum content (re-presenting Māori history; exploring Māori beliefs, values and practices; using a Māori health framework in clinical practice); teaching methodologies (multiple teaching methods; simulated patient interview); and building relationships with peers (getting to know the student cohort; developing professional working relationships). Undergraduate medical students valued an indigenous health program delivered in an authentic indigenous environment and that explicitly reframed historical notions of indigenous health to contextualize learning. Content relevant to clinical practice, faculty knowledge, and strengthened peer interactions combined to build learner confidence and self-reported indigenous health competencies. These findings suggest empirical evidence to support a curriculum approach to indigenous health teaching that enhances clinical learning.

Creating a Campus Climate in Which Diversity Is Truly Valued.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, Evelyn

2000-01-01

Highlights the development and implementation of a multifaceted program at Middlesex Community College in Massachusetts. The program, which includes curriculum changes, new student organizations, international student fellowships, and orientation activities, was designed to create a more inclusive campus environment. Presents findings concerning…

Reuseable Objects Software Environment (ROSE): Introduction to Air Force Software Reuse Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cottrell, William L.

1994-01-01

The Reusable Objects Software Environment (ROSE) is a common, consistent, consolidated implementation of software functionality using modern object oriented software engineering including designed-in reuse and adaptable requirements. ROSE is designed to minimize abstraction and reduce complexity. A planning model for the reverse engineering of selected objects through object oriented analysis is depicted. Dynamic and functional modeling are used to develop a system design, the object design, the language, and a database management system. The return on investment for a ROSE pilot program and timelines are charted.

Montana Health Enhancement...An Expanded Concept: Assessment and Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montana State Dept. of Public Instruction, Helena.

Comprehensive health enhancement programs (CHEPs) are a curricular area required by new Montana accreditation standards. The curriculum combines the disciplines of health and physical education into an integrated, holistic, health-oriented program. A CHEP incorporates an expanded concept of health services--healthy school environment, employee…

SIMPLE: An Introduction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Endres, Frank L.

Symbolic Interactive Matrix Processing Language (SIMPLE) is a conversational matrix-oriented source language suited to a batch or a time-sharing environment. The two modes of operation of SIMPLE are conversational mode and programing mode. This program uses a TAURUS time-sharing system and cathode ray terminals or teletypes. SIMPLE performs all…

An Analysis of Factors Influencing Urbanite Woman Learner-Participation in Functional Literacy Programs in Selected Christian Churches, Accra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saah, Albert Amoah

2013-01-01

The promotion of adult functional literacy programs per se, neither creates the necessary motivation for learning, nor enhances the participation of adult learners in work-oriented or socio-cultural functional literacy programs. The task in learning-teaching transaction is to create the enabling environment for harnessing and enhancing…

Community-Oriented Primary Care in Action: A Dallas Story

PubMed Central

Pickens, Sue; Boumbulian, Paul; Anderson, Ron J.; Ross, Samuel; Phillips, Sharon

2002-01-01

Dallas County, Texas, is the site of the largest urban application of the community-oriented primary care (COPC) model in the United States. We summarize the development and implementation of Dallas’s Parkland Health & Hospital System COPC program. The complexities of implementing and managing this comprehensive community-based program are delineated in terms of Dallas County’s political environment and the components of COPC (assessment, prioritization, community collaboration, health care system, evaluation, and financing). Steps to be taken to ensure the future growth and development of the Dallas program are also considered. The COPC model, as implemented by Parkland, is replicable in other urban areas. PMID:12406794

A Linguistic Model in Component Oriented Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crăciunean, Daniel Cristian; Crăciunean, Vasile

2016-12-01

It is a fact that the component-oriented programming, well organized, can bring a large increase in efficiency in the development of large software systems. This paper proposes a model for building software systems by assembling components that can operate independently of each other. The model is based on a computing environment that runs parallel and distributed applications. This paper introduces concepts as: abstract aggregation scheme and aggregation application. Basically, an aggregation application is an application that is obtained by combining corresponding components. In our model an aggregation application is a word in a language.

Virtual Environments for People Who Are Visually Impaired Integrated into an Orientation and Mobility Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lahav, Orly; Schloerb, David W.; Srinivasan, Mandayam A.

2015-01-01

Introduction: The BlindAid, a virtual system developed for orientation and mobility (O&M) training of people who are blind or have low vision, allows interaction with different virtual components (structures and objects) via auditory and haptic feedback. This research examined if and how the BlindAid that was integrated within an O&M…

Nesting in an Object Oriented Language is NOT for the Birds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buhr, P. A.; Zarnke, C. R.

The notion of nested blocks has come into disfavour or has been ignored in recent program language design. Many of the current object oriented programming languages use subclassing as the sole mechanism to establish relationships between classes and have no general notion of nesting. We argue that nesting (and, more generally, hierarchical organization) is a powerful mechanism that provides facilities that are not otherwise possible in a class based programming language. We agree that traditional block structure and its associated nesting have severe problems, and we suggest several extensions to the notion of blocks and block structure that indirectly make nesting a useful and powerful mechanism, particularly in an object oriented programming system. The main extension is to allow references to definitions from outside of the containing block, thereby making the contained definitions available in a larger scope. References are made using either the name of the containing entity or an instance of the containing entity. The extensions suggest a way to organize the programming environment for a large, multi-user system. These facilities are not available with subclassing, and subclassing provides facilities not available by nesting; hence, an object oriented language can benefit by providing nesting as well.

Achieving diversity in nursing through multicontextual learning environments.

PubMed

Giddens, Jean Foret

2008-01-01

Attempts to increase diversity within the nursing profession have resulted in the admission of more ethnically diverse students into nursing education programs. However, traditional curricular and pedagogical practices seen in many nursing programs do not accommodate the learning needs of diverse learners. Nurse educators are encouraged to adopt learner-centered pedagogical approaches and embrace multicontextual learning environments. The purpose of this article is to describe the concept of multicontextuality and to introduce an exemplar of a multicontextual learning environment that has been recently developed and implemented in an undergraduate nursing program. The virtual community, known as The Neighborhood, presents nursing concepts in a rich personal and community context through stories and supplemental multimedia. The perceived benefit is enhancement of conceptual learning in a student-oriented learning environment.

Change@ucsc.edu: Managing a Comprehensive Change Effort.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coate, L. Edwin

This monograph describes how team- and process-oriented change techniques such as Total Quality Management (TQM) and Business Process Reengineering (BPR), were adapted to an academic environment to effect a comprehensive change program at the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC). The $3 million program, begun in 1993, produced radical…

College Warm-Up: Innovative Preparation for College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Benny

A summer program offered by Eastern Kentucky University to ease the transition to the college environment for high school seniors is described. The six-week program, called "College Warm-Up," involves seven hours of credit classes in English composition, academic orientation, and college reading and study skills. The academic orientation…

DICE: An Object Oriented Programming Environment for Cooperative Engineering Design

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-20

environment called PARMENIDES /FRULEKIT; PARMENIDES /FRULEKIT supports programming in frames and rules and was developed in LISP at Carnegie-Mellon...the domain of building design and construction. The Blackboard in DICEY-BUILDER is represented as frames in PARMENIDES , while the KMs are implemented... PARMENIDES fo rart omat format d a b C /envelope BLACKBOAR D machine to machine (’BLACKBOARD l m message f il transfer message p read •d message format J

Understanding the Roles of Online Meetings in a Net-Based Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berge, O.; Fjuk, A.

2006-01-01

It is argued elsewhere that online learning environments constitute new conditions for carrying out collaborative learning activities. This article explores the roles of a series of online meetings in such an environment. The online meetings are arranged as part of a net-based course on object-oriented programming, and constitute a recurring…

Custom controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butell, Bart

1996-02-01

Microsoft's Visual Basic (VB) and Borland's Delphi provide an extremely robust programming environment for delivering multimedia solutions for interactive kiosks, games and titles. Their object oriented use of standard and custom controls enable a user to build extremely powerful applications. A multipurpose, database enabled programming environment that can provide an event driven interface functions as a multimedia kernel. This kernel can provide a variety of authoring solutions (e.g. a timeline based model similar to Macromedia Director or a node authoring model similar to Icon Author). At the heart of the kernel is a set of low level multimedia components providing object oriented interfaces for graphics, audio, video and imaging. Data preparation tools (e.g., layout, palette and Sprite Editors) could be built to manage the media database. The flexible interface for VB allows the construction of an infinite number of user models. The proliferation of these models within a popular, easy to use environment will allow the vast developer segment of 'producer' types to bring their ideas to the market. This is the key to building exciting, content rich multimedia solutions. Microsoft's VB and Borland's Delphi environments combined with multimedia components enable these possibilities.

Implementing a Cardiac Skills Orientation and Simulation Program.

PubMed

Hemingway, Maureen W; Osgood, Patrice; Mannion, Mildred

2018-02-01

Patients with cardiac morbidities admitted for cardiac surgical procedures require perioperative nurses with a high level of complex nursing skills. Orienting new cardiac team members takes commitment and perseverance in light of variable staffing levels, high-acuity patient populations, an active cardiac surgical schedule, and the unpredictability of scheduling patients undergoing cardiac transplantation. At an academic medical center in Boston, these issues presented opportunities to orient new staff members to the scrub person role, but hampered efforts to provide active learning opportunities in a safe environment. As a result, facility personnel created a program to increase new staff members' skills, confidence, and proficiency, while also increasing the number of staff members who were proficient at scrubbing complex cardiac procedures. To address the safe learning requirement, personnel designed a simulation program to provide scrubbing experience, decrease orientees' supervision time, and increase staff members' confidence in performing the scrub person role. © AORN, Inc, 2018.

Relationships among constructivist learning environment perceptions, motivational beliefs, self-regulation and science achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kingir, Sevgi; Tas, Yasemin; Gok, Gulsum; Sungur Vural, Semra

2013-11-01

Background. There are attempts to integrate learning environment research with motivation and self-regulation research that considers social context influences an individual's motivation, self-regulation and, in turn, academic performance. Purpose. This study explored the relationships among constructivist learning environment perception variables (personal relevance, uncertainty, shared control, critical voice, student negotiation), motivational beliefs (self-efficacy, intrinsic interest, goal orientation), self-regulation, and science achievement. Sample. The sample for this study comprised 802 Grade 8 students from 14 public middle schools in a district of Ankara in Turkey. Design and methods. Students were administered 4 instruments: Constructivist Learning Environment Survey, Goal Achievement Questionnaire, Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and Science Achievement Test. LISREL 8.7 program with SIMPLIS programming language was used to test the conceptual model. Providing appropriate fit indices for the proposed model, the standardized path coefficients for direct effects were examined. Results. At least one dimension of the constructivist learning environment was associated with students' intrinsic interest, goal orientation, self-efficacy, self-regulation, and science achievement. Self-efficacy emerged as the strongest predictor of both mastery and performance avoidance goals rather than the approach goals. Intrinsic value was found to be significantly linked to science achievement through its effect on self-regulation. The relationships between self-efficacy and self-regulation and between goal orientation and science achievement were not significant. Conclusion. In a classroom environment supporting student autonomy and control, students tend to develop higher interest in tasks, use more self-regulatory strategies, and demonstrate higher academic performance. Science teachers are highly recommended to consider these findings when designing their lessons. For the creation of such a learning environment, teachers can design open-ended inquiry activities in which students have opportunities to take responsibility, reflect on their views, and accomplish challenging tasks.

Investigating the application of AOP methodology in development of Financial Accounting Software using Eclipse-AJDT Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Amita; Sarangdevot, S. S.

2010-11-01

Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) methodology has been investigated in development of real world business application software—Financial Accounting Software. Eclipse-AJDT environment has been used as open source enhanced IDE support for programming in AOP language—Aspect J. Crosscutting concerns have been identified and modularized as aspects. This reduces the complexity of the design considerably due to elimination of code scattering and tangling. Improvement in modularity, quality and performance is achieved. The study concludes that AOP methodology in Eclipse-AJDT environment offers powerful support for modular design and implementation of real world quality business software.

A Formal Approach to Domain-Oriented Software Design Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lowry, Michael; Philpot, Andrew; Pressburger, Thomas; Underwood, Ian; Lum, Henry, Jr. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

This paper describes a formal approach to domain-oriented software design environments, based on declarative domain theories, formal specifications, and deductive program synthesis. A declarative domain theory defines the semantics of a domain-oriented specification language and its relationship to implementation-level subroutines. Formal specification development and reuse is made accessible to end-users through an intuitive graphical interface that guides them in creating diagrams denoting formal specifications. The diagrams also serve to document the specifications. Deductive program synthesis ensures that end-user specifications are correctly implemented. AMPHION has been applied to the domain of solar system kinematics through the development of a declarative domain theory, which includes an axiomatization of JPL's SPICELIB subroutine library. Testing over six months with planetary scientists indicates that AMPHION's interactive specification acquisition paradigm enables users to develop, modify, and reuse specifications at least an order of magnitude more rapidly than manual program development. Furthermore, AMPHION synthesizes one to two page programs consisting of calls to SPICELIB subroutines from these specifications in just a few minutes. Test results obtained by metering AMPHION's deductive program synthesis component are examined. AMPHION has been installed at JPL and is currently undergoing further refinement in preparation for distribution to hundreds of SPICELIB users worldwide. Current work to support end-user customization of AMPHION's specification acquisition subsystem is briefly discussed, as well as future work to enable domain-expert creation of new AMPHION applications through development of suitable domain theories.

IMPETUS - Interactive MultiPhysics Environment for Unified Simulations.

PubMed

Ha, Vi Q; Lykotrafitis, George

2016-12-08

We introduce IMPETUS - Interactive MultiPhysics Environment for Unified Simulations, an object oriented, easy-to-use, high performance, C++ program for three-dimensional simulations of complex physical systems that can benefit a large variety of research areas, especially in cell mechanics. The program implements cross-communication between locally interacting particles and continuum models residing in the same physical space while a network facilitates long-range particle interactions. Message Passing Interface is used for inter-processor communication for all simulations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Shallow Roots Require Constant Watering: The Challenge of Sustained Impact in Educational Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosen, Yigal; Perkins, David

2013-01-01

Socially-oriented educational programs often face societal barriers. Peace education in a region of prolonged conflict faces a negative socio-political environment that works against its effects. The media, leadership, educational system and other societal institutions continue to express a culture of conflict. Recent studies show that the effects…

Framework for Development of Object-Oriented Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perez-Poveda, Gus; Ciavarella, Tony; Nieten, Dan

2004-01-01

The Real-Time Control (RTC) Application Framework is a high-level software framework written in C++ that supports the rapid design and implementation of object-oriented application programs. This framework provides built-in functionality that solves common software development problems within distributed client-server, multi-threaded, and embedded programming environments. When using the RTC Framework to develop software for a specific domain, designers and implementers can focus entirely on the details of the domain-specific software rather than on creating custom solutions, utilities, and frameworks for the complexities of the programming environment. The RTC Framework was originally developed as part of a Space Shuttle Launch Processing System (LPS) replacement project called Checkout and Launch Control System (CLCS). As a result of the framework s development, CLCS software development time was reduced by 66 percent. The framework is generic enough for developing applications outside of the launch-processing system domain. Other applicable high-level domains include command and control systems and simulation/ training systems.

EChem++--an object-oriented problem solving environment for electrochemistry. 2. The kinetic facilities of Ecco--a compiler for (electro-)chemistry.

PubMed

Ludwig, Kai; Speiser, Bernd

2004-01-01

We describe a modeling software component Ecco, implemented in the C++ programming language. It assists in the formulation of physicochemical systems including, in particular, electrochemical processes within general geometries. Ecco's kinetic part then translates any user defined reaction mechanism into an object-oriented representation and generates the according mathematical model equations. The input language, its grammar, the object-oriented design of Ecco, based on design patterns, and its integration into the open source software project EChem++ are discussed. Application Strategies are given.

A progress report on a NASA research program for embedded computer systems software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foudriat, E. C.; Senn, E. H.; Will, R. W.; Straeter, T. A.

1979-01-01

The paper presents the results of the second stage of the Multipurpose User-oriented Software Technology (MUST) program. Four primary areas of activities are discussed: programming environment, HAL/S higher-order programming language support, the Integrated Verification and Testing System (IVTS), and distributed system language research. The software development environment is provided by the interactive software invocation system. The higher-order programming language (HOL) support chosen for consideration is HAL/S mainly because at the time it was one of the few HOLs with flight computer experience and it is the language used on the Shuttle program. The overall purpose of IVTS is to provide a 'user-friendly' software testing system which is highly modular, user controlled, and cooperative in nature.

Knowledge-based simulation using object-oriented programming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sidoran, Karen M.

1993-01-01

Simulations have become a powerful mechanism for understanding and modeling complex phenomena. Their results have had substantial impact on a broad range of decisions in the military, government, and industry. Because of this, new techniques are continually being explored and developed to make them even more useful, understandable, extendable, and efficient. One such area of research is the application of the knowledge-based methods of artificial intelligence (AI) to the computer simulation field. The goal of knowledge-based simulation is to facilitate building simulations of greatly increased power and comprehensibility by making use of deeper knowledge about the behavior of the simulated world. One technique for representing and manipulating knowledge that has been enhanced by the AI community is object-oriented programming. Using this technique, the entities of a discrete-event simulation can be viewed as objects in an object-oriented formulation. Knowledge can be factual (i.e., attributes of an entity) or behavioral (i.e., how the entity is to behave in certain circumstances). Rome Laboratory's Advanced Simulation Environment (RASE) was developed as a research vehicle to provide an enhanced simulation development environment for building more intelligent, interactive, flexible, and realistic simulations. This capability will support current and future battle management research and provide a test of the object-oriented paradigm for use in large scale military applications.

[Cost-benefit analysis of primary prevention programs for mental health at the workplace in Japan].

PubMed

Yoshimura, Kensuke; Kawakami, Norito; Tsusumi, Akizumi; Inoue, Akiomi; Kobayashi, Yuka; Takeuchi, Ayano; Fukuda, Takashi

2013-01-01

To determine the cost-benefits of primary prevention programs for mental health at the workplace, we conducted a meta-analysis of published studies in Japan. We searched the literature, published as of 16 November 2011, using the Pubmed database and relevant key words. The inclusion criteria were: conducted in the workplace in Japan; primary prevention focus; quasi-experimental studies or controlled trials; and outcomes including absenteeism or presenteeism. Four studies were identified: one participatory work environment improvement, one individual-oriented stress management, and two supervisor education programs. Costs and benefits in yen were estimated for each program, based on the description of the programs in the literature, and additional information from the authors. The benefits were estimated based on each program's effect on work performance (measured using the WHO Health and Work Performance Questionnaire in all studies), as well as sick leave days, if available. The estimated relative increase in work performance (%) in the intervention group compared to the control group was converted into labor cost using the average bonus (18% of the total annual salary) awarded to employees in Japan as a base. Sensitive analyses were conducted using different models of time-trend of intervention effects and 95% confidence limits of the relative increase in work performance. For the participatory work environment improvement program, the cost was estimated as 7,660 yen per employee, and the benefit was 15,200-22,800 yen per employee. For the individual-oriented stress management program, the cost was 9,708 yen per employee, and the benefit was 15,200-22,920 yen per employee. For supervisor education programs, the costs and benefits were respectively 5,209 and 4,400-6,600 yen per employee, in one study, 2,949 and zero yen per employee in the other study. The 95% confidence intervals were wide for all these studies. For the point estimates based on these cases, the participatory work environment improvement program and the individual-oriented stress management program showed better cost-benefits. For the supervisor education programs, the costs were almost equal to or greater than the benefits. The results of the present study suggest these primary prevention programs for mental health at the workplace are economically advantageous to employers. Because the 95% confidence intervals were wide, further research is needed to clarify if these interventions yield statistically significant cost-benefits.

Real-Time MENTAT programming language and architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grimshaw, Andrew S.; Silberman, Ami; Liu, Jane W. S.

1989-01-01

Real-time MENTAT, a programming environment designed to simplify the task of programming real-time applications in distributed and parallel environments, is described. It is based on the same data-driven computation model and object-oriented programming paradigm as MENTAT. It provides an easy-to-use mechanism to exploit parallelism, language constructs for the expression and enforcement of timing constraints, and run-time support for scheduling and exciting real-time programs. The real-time MENTAT programming language is an extended C++. The extensions are added to facilitate automatic detection of data flow and generation of data flow graphs, to express the timing constraints of individual granules of computation, and to provide scheduling directives for the runtime system. A high-level view of the real-time MENTAT system architecture and programming language constructs is provided.

School food environment: Quality and advertisement frequency of child-oriented packaged products within walking distance of public schools.

PubMed

Missbach, Benjamin; Pachschwöll, Caterina; Kuchling, Daniel; König, Jürgen

2017-06-01

Food marketing for children is a major concern for public health nutrition and many schools make efforts to increase healthy eating. Food environments surrounding schools in urban areas may undermine these efforts for healthy nutrition within school programs. Our study aim is to describe the nutrition environment within walking distance of schools in terms of food quality and food marketing and to explore the degree to which elements of the nutrition environment varies by proximity to schools. In a cross-sectional study, we analyzed the surrounding food environments of a convenience sample of 46 target schools within 950m walking distance in 7 different urban districts across Vienna, Austria. In total, we analyzed data from 67 fast food outlets and 54 supermarkets analyzing a total of 43.129 packaged snack food and beverage products, from which 85% were for adults and 15% of the products were child-oriented. Proximity to the schools did not affect the availability of child-oriented products and dedicated food advertisements for children. After applying nutrient profiling using the Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) on child-oriented products, results showed that 15.8% of the packaged snack food were categorized as "healthy" foods and 84.2% as "less healthy"; for beverages 65.7% were categorized as "healthy" and 34.3% as "less healthy". In conclusion, our results show that child-oriented snacks are not more frequently advertised around schools but substantially lack in nutritional quality with the potential to undermine efforts for promoting healthy eating practices within schools.

A software bus for thread objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callahan, John R.; Li, Dehuai

1995-01-01

The authors have implemented a software bus for lightweight threads in an object-oriented programming environment that allows for rapid reconfiguration and reuse of thread objects in discrete-event simulation experiments. While previous research in object-oriented, parallel programming environments has focused on direct communication between threads, our lightweight software bus, called the MiniBus, provides a means to isolate threads from their contexts of execution by restricting communications between threads to message-passing via their local ports only. The software bus maintains a topology of connections between these ports. It routes, queues, and delivers messages according to this topology. This approach allows for rapid reconfiguration and reuse of thread objects in other systems without making changes to the specifications or source code. A layered approach that provides the needed transparency to developers is presented. Examples of using the MiniBus are given, and the value of bus architectures in building and conducting simulations of discrete-event systems is discussed.

NOW: A Workflow Language for Orchestration in Nomadic Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philips, Eline; van der Straeten, Ragnhild; Jonckers, Viviane

Existing workflow languages for nomadic or mobile ad hoc networks do not offer adequate support for dealing with the volatile connections inherent to these environments. Services residing on mobile devices are exposed to (temporary) network failures, which should be considered the rule rather than the exception. This paper proposes a nomadic workflow language built on top of an ambient-oriented programming language which supports dynamic service discovery and communication primitives resilient to network failures. Our proposed language provides high level workflow abstractions for control flow and supports rich network and service failure detection and handling through compensating actions. Moreover, we introduce a powerful variable binding mechanism which enables dynamic data flow between services in a nomadic environment. By adding this extra layer of abstraction on top of an ambient-oriented programming language, the application programmer is offered a flexible way to develop applications for nomadic networks.

Self-attitude awareness training: An aid to effective performance in microgravity and virtual environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, Donald E.; Harm, D. L.; Florer, Faith L.

1993-01-01

This paper describes ongoing development of training procedures to enhance self-attitude awareness in astronaut trainees. The procedures are based on observations regarding self-attitude (perceived self-orientation and self-motion) reported by astronauts. Self-attitude awareness training is implemented on a personal computer system and consists of lesson stacks programmed using Hypertalk with Macromind Director movie imports. Training evaluation will be accomplished by an active search task using the virtual Spacelab environment produced by the Device for Orientation and Motion Environments Preflight Adaptation Trainer (DOME-PAT) as well as by assessment of astronauts' performance and sense of well-being during orbital flight. The general purpose of self-attitude awareness training is to use as efficiently as possible the limited DOME-PAT training time available to astronauts prior to a space mission. We suggest that similar training procedures may enhance the performance of virtual environment operators.

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Engineering Model Powerplant. Test Report: Benchmark Tests in Three Spatial Orientations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loyselle, Patricia; Prokopius, Kevin

2011-01-01

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology is the leading candidate to replace the aging alkaline fuel cell technology, currently used on the Shuttle, for future space missions. This test effort marks the final phase of a 5-yr development program that began under the Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Program, transitioned into the Next Generation Launch Technologies (NGLT) Program, and continued under Constellation Systems in the Exploration Technology Development Program. Initially, the engineering model (EM) powerplant was evaluated with respect to its performance as compared to acceptance tests carried out at the manufacturer. This was to determine the sensitivity of the powerplant performance to changes in test environment. In addition, a series of tests were performed with the powerplant in the original standard orientation. This report details the continuing EM benchmark test results in three spatial orientations as well as extended duration testing in the mission profile test. The results from these tests verify the applicability of PEM fuel cells for future NASA missions. The specifics of these different tests are described in the following sections.

MOO in Your Face: Researching, Designing, and Programming a User-Friendly Interface.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haas, Mark; Gardner, Clinton

1999-01-01

Suggests the learning curve of a multi-user, object-oriented domain (MOO) blockades effective use. Discusses use of an IBM/PC-compatible interface that allows developers to modify the interface to provide a sense of presence for the user. Concludes that work in programming a variety of interfaces has led to a more intuitive environment for…

Preceptorship planning is essential to perioperative nursing retention: matching teaching and learning styles.

PubMed

Willemsen-McBride, Tara

2010-03-01

Current nursing shortages along with unsuccessful nursing orientation programs have been a major concern for the past decade because they result in poor retention, reduced quality of patient care, decreased job satisfaction and high financial costs to the organization. Specialty areas, such as the Operating Room (OR), are even more vulnerable due to the stressful working environment and critical care skill set. It has been estimated that approximately 35-65% of new graduates will leave their work place within the first year of employment, lending to the 55% nursing turnover rate. The cost of orientating a new nurse to the perioperative role is estimated to cost between $50,000 and $59,000 U.S. Thus, it is imperative to improve the orientation experience for both new and senior perioperative nurses. Matching preceptor/preceptee learning styles is one way to enhance job satisfaction levels. This paper revisits the literature on preceptorship and provides suggestions on how to enhance existing orientation programs.

Technology Enhanced Learning in Programming Courses--International Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivanovic, Mirjana; Xinogalos, Stelios; Pitner, Tomáš; Savic, Miloš

2017-01-01

Technology enhanced learning (TEL) is increasingly influencing university education, mainly in overcoming disadvantages of direct instruction teaching approaches, and encouraging creativity, problem solving and critical thinking in student-centered, interactive learning environments. In this paper, experiences from object-oriented programming…

TAE Plus: Transportable Applications Environment Plus tools for building graphic-oriented applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szczur, Martha R.

1989-01-01

The Transportable Applications Environment Plus (TAE Plus), developed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, is a portable User Interface Management System (UIMS), which provides an intuitive WYSIWYG WorkBench for prototyping and designing an application's user interface, integrated with tools for efficiently implementing the designed user interface and effective management of the user interface during an application's active domain. During the development of TAE Plus, many design and implementation decisions were based on the state-of-the-art within graphics workstations, windowing system and object-oriented programming languages. Some of the problems and issues experienced during implementation are discussed. A description of the next development steps planned for TAE Plus is also given.

A rural Appalachian faith-placed smoking cessation intervention.

PubMed

Schoenberg, Nancy E; Bundy, Henry E; Baeker Bispo, Jordan A; Studts, Christina R; Shelton, Brent J; Fields, Nell

2015-04-01

Although health promotion programming in faith institutions is promising, most faith-based or placed health projects focus on diet, exercise, or cancer screening and many have been located in urban environments. This article addresses the notable absence of faith programming for smoking cessation among underserved rural US residents who experience tobacco-related health inequities. In this article, we describe our faith-oriented smoking cessation program in rural Appalachia, involving 590 smokers in 26 rural churches randomized to early and delayed intervention groups. We present three main themes that account for participants' positive evaluation of the program; the program's ability to leverage social connections; the program's convenience orientation; and the program's financial support for smoking cessation. We also present themes on the roles of faith and church in smoking cessation programming, including some mixed perceptions on smoking stigma and comfort in church settings; challenges in faith-placed smoking cessation recruitment; and the positive perception of such programming by church leaders. We conclude that faith-placed smoking cessation programs offer great potential, although they must be administered with great sensitivity to individual and community norms.

Synthetic environment employing a craft for providing user perspective reference

DOEpatents

Maples, Creve; Peterson, Craig A.

1997-10-21

A multi-dimensional user oriented synthetic environment system allows application programs to be programmed and accessed with input/output device independent, generic functional commands which are a distillation of the actual functions performed by any application program. A shared memory structure allows the translation of device specific commands to device independent, generic functional commands. Complete flexibility of the mapping of synthetic environment data to the user is thereby allowed. Accordingly, synthetic environment data may be provided to the user on parallel user information processing channels allowing the subcognitive mind to act as a filter, eliminating irrelevant information and allowing the processing of increase amounts of data by the user. The user is further provided with a craft surrounding the user within the synthetic environment, which craft, imparts important visual referential an motion parallax cues, enabling the user to better appreciate distances and directions within the synthetic environment. Display of this craft in close proximity to the user's point of perspective may be accomplished without substantially degrading the image resolution of the displayed portions of the synthetic environment.

PCG: A prototype incremental compilation facility for the SAGA environment, appendix F

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kimball, Joseph John

1985-01-01

A programming environment supports the activity of developing and maintaining software. New environments provide language-oriented tools such as syntax-directed editors, whose usefulness is enhanced because they embody language-specific knowledge. When syntactic and semantic analysis occur early in the cycle of program production, that is, during editing, the use of a standard compiler is inefficient, for it must re-analyze the program before generating code. Likewise, it is inefficient to recompile an entire file, when the editor can determine that only portions of it need updating. The pcg, or Pascal code generation, facility described here generates code directly from the syntax trees produced by the SAGA syntax directed Pascal editor. By preserving the intermediate code used in the previous compilation, it can limit recompilation to the routines actually modified by editing.

Distance Learning in a Multimedia Networks Project: Main Results.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruokamo, Heli; Pohjolainen, Seppo

2000-01-01

Discusses a goal-oriented project, focused on open learning environments using computer networks, called Distance Learning in Multimedia Networks that was part of the Finnish Multimedia Program. Describes the combined efforts of Finnish telecommunications companies, content providers, publishing houses, hardware companies, and educational…

Publishing Webs of Information at Brown University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahn, Paul

1990-01-01

Describes the Intermedia software, an integrated environment that supports the creation, display, and linking of text and graphics on a network of workstations. Making links, navigation and orientation, and presenting information using the program are addressed. Two publications created with Intermedia and techniques employed for these…

An object-oriented approach to nested data parallelism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheffler, Thomas J.; Chatterjee, Siddhartha

1994-01-01

This paper describes an implementation technique for integrating nested data parallelism into an object-oriented language. Data-parallel programming employs sets of data called 'collections' and expresses parallelism as operations performed over the elements of a collection. When the elements of a collection are also collections, then there is the possibility for 'nested data parallelism.' Few current programming languages support nested data parallelism however. In an object-oriented framework, a collection is a single object. Its type defines the parallel operations that may be applied to it. Our goal is to design and build an object-oriented data-parallel programming environment supporting nested data parallelism. Our initial approach is built upon three fundamental additions to C++. We add new parallel base types by implementing them as classes, and add a new parallel collection type called a 'vector' that is implemented as a template. Only one new language feature is introduced: the 'foreach' construct, which is the basis for exploiting elementwise parallelism over collections. The strength of the method lies in the compilation strategy, which translates nested data-parallel C++ into ordinary C++. Extracting the potential parallelism in nested 'foreach' constructs is called 'flattening' nested parallelism. We show how to flatten 'foreach' constructs using a simple program transformation. Our prototype system produces vector code which has been successfully run on workstations, a CM-2, and a CM-5.

An engineering approach to automatic programming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rubin, Stuart H.

1990-01-01

An exploratory study of the automatic generation and optimization of symbolic programs using DECOM - a prototypical requirement specification model implemented in pure LISP was undertaken. It was concluded, on the basis of this study, that symbolic processing languages such as LISP can support a style of programming based upon formal transformation and dependent upon the expression of constraints in an object-oriented environment. Such languages can represent all aspects of the software generation process (including heuristic algorithms for effecting parallel search) as dynamic processes since data and program are represented in a uniform format.

Motion sickness and development of synergy within the spatial orientation system. A hypothetical unifying concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guedry, F. E.; Rupert, A. R.; Reschke, M. F.

1998-01-01

Adaptation to research paradigms such as rotating rooms and optical alteration of visual feedback during movement results in development of perceptual-motor programs that provide the reflexive assistance that is necessary to skilled control of movement and balance. The discomfort and stomach awareness that occur during the adaptation process has been attributed to conflicting sensory information about the state of motion. Vestibular signals depend on the kinematics of head movements irrespective of the presence or absence of signals from other senses. We propose that sensory conflict when vestibular signals are at least one component of the conflict are innately disturbing and unpleasant. This innate reaction is part of a continuum that operates early in life to prevent development of inefficient perceptual-motor programs. This reaction operates irrespective of and in addition to reward and punishment from parental guidance or goal attainment to yield efficient control of whole body movement in the operating environment of the individual. The same mechanism is involved in adapting the spatial orientation system to strange environments. This conceptual model "explains" why motion sickness is associated with adaptation to novel environments and is in general consistent with motion sickness literature.

Digital Equipment Corporation VAX/VMS Version 4.3

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-30

operating system performs process-oriented paging that allows execution of programs that may be larger than the physical memory allocated to them... to higher privileged modes. (For an explanation of how the four access modes provide memory access protection see page 9, "Memory Management".) A... to optimize program performance for real-time applications or interactive environments. July 30, 1986 - 4 - Final Evaluation Report Digital VAX/VMS

A Survey of Object Oriented Languages in Programming Environments.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

subset of natural languages might be more effective , and make the human-computer interface more friendly. 19 .. .. . . -.. -, " ,. o...and complexty of Ada. He meant that the language contained too many features that made it complicated to use effectively . Much of the complexity comes...by sending messages to a class instance. A small subset of the methods in Smalltalk-80 are not expressed in the !-’ Smalhalk-80 programming language

The Simulation of Vibrations of Railway Beam Bridges in the Object-oriented Environment Delphi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raspopov, Alexander; Artyomov, Vitaly; Rusu, Sergey

2010-01-01

The peculiarities of combination of finite-element method and equations of solid dynamics, the basic stages of development of the program complex Belinda for calculation of statics and dynamics of the rods constructions as applied to railway bridges are described.

A structural equation model on the attributes of a skills enhancement program affecting clinical competence of pre-graduate nursing students.

PubMed

Rebueno, Ma Carina D R; Tiongco, Dyan Dee D; Macindo, John Rey B

2017-02-01

Clinical competence remains an issue in nursing and has received greater emphasis than academic competence. Although skill enhancement programs are recommended and beneficial, there is limited evidence on its influence on the clinical competence of pre-graduate nursing students. This study explored the attributes of a skills enhancement program that affect the perceived clinical competence of pre-graduate nursing students. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a private higher education institution in the Philippines from April to May 2016. A total of 245 pre-graduate nursing students participated and completed a three-part survey composed of the respondent's robotfoto, the Skills Enhancement Program Questionnaire, and the Clinical Competence Questionnaire. Factor analysis explicated the attributes of the skills enhancement program while structural equation modeling and path analysis analyzed the variables' relationship. Findings showed that a skills enhancement program has 4 attributes: supportive clinical instructor, comprehensive orientation, formative goals and objectives, and conducive learning environment. Although all attributes of the program positively affected clinical competence, a supportive clinical instructor had the strongest influence on all clinical competency dimensions. A skills enhancement program that has a supportive clinical instructor, comprehensive orientation, formative goals and objectives, and conducive learning environment facilitates clinical competency development among pre-graduate nursing students. This knowledge provides momentum for nursing educators to review and refine their skills and the existing design of their skills enhancement program to further develop clinical competency among pre-graduate nursing students. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ProperCAD: A portable object-oriented parallel environment for VLSI CAD

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramkumar, Balkrishna; Banerjee, Prithviraj

1993-01-01

Most parallel algorithms for VLSI CAD proposed to date have one important drawback: they work efficiently only on machines that they were designed for. As a result, algorithms designed to date are dependent on the architecture for which they are developed and do not port easily to other parallel architectures. A new project under way to address this problem is described. A Portable object-oriented parallel environment for CAD algorithms (ProperCAD) is being developed. The objectives of this research are (1) to develop new parallel algorithms that run in a portable object-oriented environment (CAD algorithms using a general purpose platform for portable parallel programming called CARM is being developed and a C++ environment that is truly object-oriented and specialized for CAD applications is also being developed); and (2) to design the parallel algorithms around a good sequential algorithm with a well-defined parallel-sequential interface (permitting the parallel algorithm to benefit from future developments in sequential algorithms). One CAD application that has been implemented as part of the ProperCAD project, flat VLSI circuit extraction, is described. The algorithm, its implementation, and its performance on a range of parallel machines are discussed in detail. It currently runs on an Encore Multimax, a Sequent Symmetry, Intel iPSC/2 and i860 hypercubes, a NCUBE 2 hypercube, and a network of Sun Sparc workstations. Performance data for other applications that were developed are provided: namely test pattern generation for sequential circuits, parallel logic synthesis, and standard cell placement.

The Infrastructure of an Integrated Virtual Reality Environment for International Space Welding Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Peter Hor-Ching

1996-01-01

This study is a continuation of the summer research of 1995 NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program. This effort is to provide the infrastructure of an integrated Virtual Reality (VR) environment for the International Space Welding Experiment (ISWE) Analytical Tool and Trainer and the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Analytical Tool study. Due to the unavailability of the MSG CAD files and the 3D-CAD converter, little was done to the MSG study. However, the infrastructure of the integrated VR environment for ISWE is capable of performing the MSG study when the CAD files become available. Two primary goals are established for this research. First, the essential peripheral devices for an integrated VR environment will be studied and developed for the ISWE and MSG studies. Secondly, the training of the flight crew (astronaut) in general orientation, procedures, and location, orientation, and sequencing of the welding samples and tools are built into the VR system for studying the welding process and training the astronaut.

A Rural Appalachian Faith-Placed Smoking Cessation Intervention

PubMed Central

Schoenberg, Nancy E.; Bundy, Henry E.; Baeker Bispo, Jordan A.; Studts, Christina R.; Shelton, Brent J.; Fields, Nell

2014-01-01

Although health promotion programming in faith institutions is promising, most faith-based or placed health projects focus on diet, exercise, or cancer screening and many have been located in urban environments. This article addresses the notable absence of faith programming for smoking cessation among underserved rural US residents who experience tobacco-related health inequities. In this article, we describe our faith-oriented smoking cessation program in rural Appalachia, involving 590 smokers in 26 rural churches randomized to early and delayed intervention groups. We present three main themes that account for participants’ positive evaluation of the program; the program’s ability to leverage social connections; the program’s convenience orientation; and the program’s financial support for smoking cessation. We also present themes on the roles of faith and church in smoking cessation programming, including some mixed perceptions on smoking stigma and comfort in church settings; challenges in faith-placed smoking cessation recruitment; and the positive perception of such programming by church leaders. We conclude that faith-placed smoking cessation program offer great potential, although they must be administered with great sensitivity to individual and community norms. PMID:24691565

Precision orbit raising trajectories. [solar electric propulsion orbital transfer program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flanagan, P. F.; Horsewood, J. L.; Pines, S.

1975-01-01

A precision trajectory program has been developed to serve as a test bed for geocentric orbit raising steering laws. The steering laws to be evaluated have been developed using optimization methods employing averaging techniques. This program provides the capability of testing the steering laws in a precision simulation. The principal system models incorporated in the program are described, including the radiation environment, the solar array model, the thrusters and power processors, the geopotential, and the solar system. Steering and array orientation constraints are discussed, and the impact of these constraints on program design is considered.

A new approach in the design of an interactive environment for teaching Hamiltonian digraphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iordan, A. E.; Panoiu, M.

2014-03-01

In this article the authors present the necessary steps in object orientated design of an interactive environment that is dedicated to the process of acquaintances assimilation in Hamiltonian graphs theory domain, especially for the simulation of algorithms which determine the Hamiltonian trails and circuits. The modelling of the interactive environment is achieved through specific UML diagrams representing the steps of analysis, design and implementation. This interactive environment is very useful for both students and professors, because computer programming domain, especially digraphs theory domain is comprehended and assimilated with difficulty by students.

An asynchronous learning approach for the instructional component of a dual-campus pharmacy resident teaching program.

PubMed

Garrison, Gina Daubney; Baia, Patricia; Canning, Jacquelyn E; Strang, Aimee F

2015-03-25

To describe the shift to an asynchronous online approach for pedagogy instruction within a pharmacy resident teaching program offered by a dual-campus college. The pedagogy instruction component of the teaching program (Part I) was redesigned with a focus on the content, delivery, and coordination of the learning environment. Asynchronous online learning replaced distance technology or lecture capture. Using a pedagogical content knowledge framework, residents participated in self-paced online learning using faculty recordings, readings, and discussion board activities. A learning management system was used to assess achievement of learning objectives and participation prior to progressing to the teaching experiences component of the teaching program (Part II). Evaluation of resident pedagogical knowledge development and participation in Part I of the teaching program was achieved through the learning management system. Participant surveys and written reflections showed general satisfaction with the online learning environment. Future considerations include addition of a live orientation session and increased faculty presence in the online learning environment. An online approach framed by educational theory can be an effective way to provide pedagogy instruction within a teaching program.

Data management in an object-oriented distributed aircraft conceptual design environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Zhijie

In the competitive global market place, aerospace companies are forced to deliver the right products to the right market, with the right cost, and at the right time. However, the rapid development of technologies and new business opportunities, such as mergers, acquisitions, supply chain management, etc., have dramatically increased the complexity of designing an aircraft. Therefore, the pressure to reduce design cycle time and cost is enormous. One way to solve such a dilemma is to develop and apply advanced engineering environments (AEEs), which are distributed collaborative virtual design environments linking researchers, technologists, designers, etc., together by incorporating application tools and advanced computational, communications, and networking facilities. Aircraft conceptual design, as the first design stage, provides major opportunity to compress design cycle time and is the cheapest place for making design changes. However, traditional aircraft conceptual design programs, which are monolithic programs, cannot provide satisfactory functionality to meet new design requirements due to the lack of domain flexibility and analysis scalability. Therefore, we are in need of the next generation aircraft conceptual design environment (NextADE). To build the NextADE, the framework and the data management problem are two major problems that need to be addressed at the forefront. Solving these two problems, particularly the data management problem, is the focus of this research. In this dissertation, in light of AEEs, a distributed object-oriented framework is firstly formulated and tested for the NextADE. In order to improve interoperability and simplify the integration of heterogeneous application tools, data management is one of the major problems that need to be tackled. To solve this problem, taking into account the characteristics of aircraft conceptual design data, a robust, extensible object-oriented data model is then proposed according to the distributed object-oriented framework. By overcoming the shortcomings of the traditional approach of modeling aircraft conceptual design data, this data model makes it possible to capture specific detailed information of aircraft conceptual design without sacrificing generality, which is one of the most desired features of a data model for aircraft conceptual design. Based upon this data model, a prototype of the data management system, which is one of the fundamental building blocks of the NextADE, is implemented utilizing the state of the art information technologies. Using a general-purpose integration software package to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed framework and the data management system, the NextADE is initially implemented by integrating the prototype of the data management system with other building blocks of the design environment, such as disciplinary analyses programs and mission analyses programs. As experiments, two case studies are conducted in the integrated design environments. One is based upon a simplified conceptual design of a notional conventional aircraft; the other is a simplified conceptual design of an unconventional aircraft. As a result of the experiments, the proposed framework and the data management approach are shown to be feasible solutions to the research problems.

Alpha 97: Basic Education and Institutional Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hautecoeur, Jean-Paul, Ed.

This document was published by Alpha, a research program specializing in alternative, experimental approaches to adult basic education. It is an attempt to widen the field and examine the relationship between the micro and macro levels, between the diversity of different practices and the major policy orientations that foster or limit this…

Surprising Beauty in Technical Photography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidhazy, Andrew

2009-01-01

The Imaging and Photographic Technology area, in which the author teaches, is an applications- and technology-oriented photography program designed to prepare students for work in technical, corporate, industrial, and scientific environments. One day, the author received an e-mail message from an editor who had found his Web site and thought he…

Ideas without Words--Internationalizing Business Presentations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sondak, Norman; Sondak, Eileen

This paper presents elements of the computer graphics environment including information on: Lotus 1-2-3; Apple Macintosh; Desktop Publishing; Object-Oriented Programming; and Microsoft's Windows 3. A brief scenario illustrates the use of the minimization principle in presenting a new product to a group of international financiers. A taxonomy of…

Continuing Education for Managers from Small and Medium Sized German Companies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fub, Jorg

1995-01-01

An international trade school in southern Germany, which is a highly export-oriented environment, has established a vocational and professional continuing education program for personnel of small- and medium-size companies. Offerings include a graduate course in international marketing, seminars for export companies, distance education in…

Outcomes of a Spiritually Focused Wilderness Orientation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bobilya, Andrew J.; Akey, Lynn; Mitchell, Donald, Jr.

2009-01-01

Researchers have been studying the conditions that matter in supporting the successful transition and persistence of students to the collegiate environment for more than three decades (Astin, 1997; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, Whitt & Associates, 2005; Upcraft, Gardner & Associates, 1989). As first suggested by Sanford (1962,…

The Social Climate Scales: An Annotated Bibliography. April, 1977.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moos, Rudolf, Comp.; Max, Wendy, Comp.

The Social Climate Scales were designed to assess the dimensions of four types of environments: treatment, total institutions, school, and community settings. This report provides abstracts of recent research projects in which the scales have been used. The projects involved use of the Ward Atmosphere Scale, Community-Oriented Programs Environment…

Blind Children in Nurseries with Sighted Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preisler, Gunilla M.

1993-01-01

This paper describes the integration of nine preschool children with blindness into a regular preschool program in Sweden. It focuses on the first introductory period; the children's strategies in orienting within the environment and exploring objects and toys; their participation in play; and their social interaction with sighted peers and…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Music, High School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in this teacher's guide for grades 10-12 are lesson plans and ideas for integrating music and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives and suggested…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Art, Grade 7-9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in this teacher's guide for grades seven through nine are lesson plans and ideas for integrating art and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives and…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Music, Grade 7-9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in this teacher's guide for grades seven through nine are lesson plans and ideas for integrating music and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives and…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Mathematics, Grade 5-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in these teacher's guides for grades five and six are lesson plans and ideas for integrating mathematics and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Art, Grade 4-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in this teacher's guide for grades four through six are lesson plans and ideas for integrating art and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives and…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Mathematics, Grade 2-4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in these teacher's guides for grades two through four are lesson plans and ideas for integrating mathematics and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Mathematics, Grade K-1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in these teacher's guides for grades K-1 are lesson plans and ideas for integrating mathematics and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives and…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Mathematics, Grade 10-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in this teacher's guide for grades 10-12 are lesson plans and ideas for integrating mathematics and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives and…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Music, Grade 1-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in this teacher's guide for grades one through six are lesson plans and ideas for integrating music and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives and…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Mathematics, Grade 7-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in these teacher's guides for grades seven and eight are lesson plans and ideas for integrating mathematics and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Art, Grade K-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in this teacher's guide for grades K-3 are lesson plans and ideas for integrating art and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives and suggested…

A New Concept for a Business Ethics Program and the Development of a Monitoring Method for the Engineering Ethics Environment of a Corporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okita, Yuji; Hayase, Kenichi; Oba, Kyoko; Fudano, Jun

For most modern corporations, engineering is an essential element. While the public increasingly demands social responsibility in business activities, the importance of the interweaving relationship between business ethics and engineering ethics has been recognized. In this paper, firstly the change in the business environment is overviewed. Then, a new concept for designing and implementing a business ethics program, named the EAB (Ethics Across the Business) approach, is proposed. The EAB approach is highly adaptable for engineering-oriented corporations in their business ethics program activities because it derives from a process approach which has been much used by many companies to perform such activities as quality assurance and environment management. Finally, a newly developed method to monitor employee consciousness in terms of engineering ethics is introduced together with trial results.

Object oriented studies into artificial space debris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adamson, J. M.; Marshall, G.

1988-01-01

A prototype simulation is being developed under contract to the Royal Aerospace Establishment (RAE), Farnborough, England, to assist in the discrimination of artificial space objects/debris. The methodology undertaken has been to link Object Oriented programming, intelligent knowledge based system (IKBS) techniques and advanced computer technology with numeric analysis to provide a graphical, symbolic simulation. The objective is to provide an additional layer of understanding on top of conventional classification methods. Use is being made of object and rule based knowledge representation, multiple reasoning, truth maintenance and uncertainty. Software tools being used include Knowledge Engineering Environment (KEE) and SymTactics for knowledge representation. Hooks are being developed within the SymTactics framework to incorporate mathematical models describing orbital motion and fragmentation. Penetration and structural analysis can also be incorporated. SymTactics is an Object Oriented discrete event simulation tool built as a domain specific extension to the KEE environment. The tool provides facilities for building, debugging and monitoring dynamic (military) simulations.

An object-oriented software for fate and exposure assessments.

PubMed

Scheil, S; Baumgarten, G; Reiter, B; Schwartz, S; Wagner, J O; Trapp, S; Matthies, M

1995-07-01

The model system CemoS(1) (Chemical Exposure Model System) was developed for the exposure prediction of hazardous chemicals released to the environment. Eight different models were implemented involving chemicals fate simulation in air, water, soil and plants after continuous or single emissions from point and diffuse sources. Scenario studies are supported by a substance and an environmental data base. All input data are checked on their plausibility. Substance and environmental process estimation functions facilitate generic model calculations. CemoS is implemented in a modular structure using object-oriented programming.

The use of COSMIC NASTRAN in an integrated conceptual design environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Gil

1989-01-01

Changes in both software and hardware are rapidly bringing conceptual engineering tools like finite element analysis into mainstream mechanical design. Systems that integrate all phases of the manufacturing process provide the most cost benefits. The application of programming concepts like object oriented programming allow for the encapsulation of intelligent data within the design geometry. This combined with declining cost in per seat hardware bring new alternatives to the user.

Testing and evaluation of a wearable augmented reality system for natural outdoor environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, David; Menozzi, Alberico; Cook, James; Sherrill, Todd; Snarski, Stephen; Russler, Pat; Clipp, Brian; Karl, Robert; Wenger, Eric; Bennett, Matthew; Mauger, Jennifer; Church, William; Towles, Herman; MacCabe, Stephen; Webb, Jeffrey; Lupo, Jasper; Frahm, Jan-Michael; Dunn, Enrique; Leslie, Christopher; Welch, Greg

2013-05-01

This paper describes performance evaluation of a wearable augmented reality system for natural outdoor environments. Applied Research Associates (ARA), as prime integrator on the DARPA ULTRA-Vis (Urban Leader Tactical, Response, Awareness, and Visualization) program, is developing a soldier-worn system to provide intuitive `heads-up' visualization of tactically-relevant geo-registered icons. Our system combines a novel pose estimation capability, a helmet-mounted see-through display, and a wearable processing unit to accurately overlay geo-registered iconography (e.g., navigation waypoints, sensor points of interest, blue forces, aircraft) on the soldier's view of reality. We achieve accurate pose estimation through fusion of inertial, magnetic, GPS, terrain data, and computer-vision inputs. We leverage a helmet-mounted camera and custom computer vision algorithms to provide terrain-based measurements of absolute orientation (i.e., orientation of the helmet with respect to the earth). These orientation measurements, which leverage mountainous terrain horizon geometry and mission planning landmarks, enable our system to operate robustly in the presence of external and body-worn magnetic disturbances. Current field testing activities across a variety of mountainous environments indicate that we can achieve high icon geo-registration accuracy (<10mrad) using these vision-based methods.

Generational differences among newly licensed registered nurses.

PubMed

Keepnews, David M; Brewer, Carol S; Kovner, Christine T; Shin, Juh Hyun

2010-01-01

Responses of 2369 newly licensed registered nurses from 3 generational cohorts-Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y-were studied to identify differences in their characteristics, work-related experiences, and attitudes. These responses revealed significant differences among generations in: job satisfaction, organizational commitment, work motivation, work-to-family conflict, family-to-work conflict, distributive justice, promotional opportunities, supervisory support, mentor support, procedural justice, and perceptions of local job opportunities. Health organizations and their leaders need to anticipate intergenerational differences among newly licensed nurses and should provide for supportive working environments that recognize those differences. Orientation and residency programs for newly licensed nurses should be tailored to the varying needs of different generations. Future research should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of orientation and residency programs with regard to different generations so that these programs can be tailored to meet the varying needs of newly licensed nurses at the start of their careers. Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

An object programming based environment for protein secondary structure prediction.

PubMed

Giacomini, M; Ruggiero, C; Sacile, R

1996-01-01

The most frequently used methods for protein secondary structure prediction are empirical statistical methods and rule based methods. A consensus system based on object-oriented programming is presented, which integrates the two approaches with the aim of improving the prediction quality. This system uses an object-oriented knowledge representation based on the concepts of conformation, residue and protein, where the conformation class is the basis, the residue class derives from it and the protein class derives from the residue class. The system has been tested with satisfactory results on several proteins of the Brookhaven Protein Data Bank. Its results have been compared with the results of the most widely used prediction methods, and they show a higher prediction capability and greater stability. Moreover, the system itself provides an index of the reliability of its current prediction. This system can also be regarded as a basis structure for programs of this kind.

[Advancement of the medical doctorate].

PubMed

Baum, C; Förster, R; Schmidt, R E

2009-08-01

The medical doctorate and the subsequent advanced research qualification in medicine have an exceptional position within the natural sciences. While, in the German system, graduation to the degree of a medical doctor is often an initiation into scientific practice, the in-depth scientific education of medical doctors may be achieved in various configurations. In recent years, structured programs for doctorates in medicine and natural sciences have found increasing acceptance, following recommendations of national scientific councils ("Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft" and "Hochschulrat"). Hannover Medical School has been offering such programs for a number of years. The StrucMed program increases the quality of medical doctorate studies, typically performed in the third and fourth years of university studies. The Hannover Biomedical Research School (HBRS) combines several programs for a doctorate in natural sciences, creating a platform for an internationally oriented education of post-graduates in various disciplines of life sciences. Evaluating the achievements and career paths of the trainees will contribute to the successful integration of research work in an efficiency-oriented clinical environment.

Bioenvironmental Engineering: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Training Environmental Engineers at Rutgers University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchrin, Christoph; Krogmann, Uta; Gimenez, Daniel

2010-05-01

It is becoming increasingly apparent that environmental problems have become extremely complex, involving inter- and multidisciplinary expertise. Furthermore, the nature of environmental episodes requires practitioners who are flexible in designing appropriate solution approaches. As a result, there is a high demand for environmental engineering graduates in the professional sector as well as graduate schools. At Rutgers University, we have designed and are now delivering an undergraduate curriculum that melds a strong background in basic and applied sciences with a rigorous sequence of design oriented engineering courses, all focused on producing graduates who view the environment in a holistic sense, rather than a narrow, medium oriented manner. Since the implementation of the program in 2004 student numbers have doubled and half of the students graduate with honors. The undergraduate program is complemented by the new Environmental Engineering option of the Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences. The undergraduate program and the graduate option are served by a highly committed faculty of seven full-time members and one part-time member.

Development of visual 3D virtual environment for control software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hirose, Michitaka; Myoi, Takeshi; Amari, Haruo; Inamura, Kohei; Stark, Lawrence

1991-01-01

Virtual environments for software visualization may enable complex programs to be created and maintained. A typical application might be for control of regional electric power systems. As these encompass broader computer networks than ever, construction of such systems becomes very difficult. Conventional text-oriented environments are useful in programming individual processors. However, they are obviously insufficient to program a large and complicated system, that includes large numbers of computers connected to each other; such programming is called 'programming in the large.' As a solution for this problem, the authors are developing a graphic programming environment wherein one can visualize complicated software in virtual 3D world. One of the major features of the environment is the 3D representation of concurrent process. 3D representation is used to supply both network-wide interprocess programming capability (capability for 'programming in the large') and real-time programming capability. The authors' idea is to fuse both the block diagram (which is useful to check relationship among large number of processes or processors) and the time chart (which is useful to check precise timing for synchronization) into a single 3D space. The 3D representation gives us a capability for direct and intuitive planning or understanding of complicated relationship among many concurrent processes. To realize the 3D representation, a technology to enable easy handling of virtual 3D object is a definite necessity. Using a stereo display system and a gesture input device (VPL DataGlove), our prototype of the virtual workstation has been implemented. The workstation can supply the 'sensation' of the virtual 3D space to a programmer. Software for the 3D programming environment is implemented on the workstation. According to preliminary assessments, a 50 percent reduction of programming effort is achieved by using the virtual 3D environment. The authors expect that the 3D environment has considerable potential in the field of software engineering.

The ward atmosphere important for the psychosocial work environment of nursing staff in psychiatric in-patient care

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The nursing staff working in psychiatric care have a demanding work situation, which may be reflected in how they view their psychosocial work environment and the ward atmosphere. The aims of the present study were to investigate in what way different aspects of the ward atmosphere were related to the psychosocial work environment, as perceived by nursing staff working in psychiatric in-patient care, and possible differences between nurses and nurse assistants. Methods 93 nursing staff working at 12 general psychiatric in-patient wards in Sweden completed two questionnaires, the Ward Atmosphere Scale and the QPSNordic 34+. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U-test, Spearman rank correlations and forward stepwise conditional logistic regression analyses. Results The data revealed that there were no differences between nurses and nurse assistants concerning perceptions of the psychosocial work environment and the ward atmosphere. The ward atmosphere subscales Personal Problem Orientation and Program Clarity were associated with a psychosocial work environment characterized by Empowering Leadership. Program Clarity was related to the staff's perceived Role Clarity, and Practical Orientation and Order and Organization were positively related to staff perceptions of the Organizational Climate. Conclusions The results from the present study indicate that several ward atmosphere subscales were related to the nursing staff's perceptions of the psychosocial work environment in terms of Empowering Leadership, Role Clarity and Organizational Climate. Improvements in the ward atmosphere could be another way to accomplish improvements in the working conditions of the staff, and such improvements would affect nurses and nurse assistants in similar ways. PMID:21679430

Development of a StrengthsQuest-based Online Orientation Course for the Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farmer, J.

2009-12-01

MESA Programs have been established in over 30 community colleges in California. A critical component of the Program is the development of a course that helps new students in the community college and MESA environment to adjust to both college life and begin preparing for a professional career in the math- or science-based fields. To date, programs have developed an eclectic mix of courses to orient their students to their programs and to the college. This includes actual college courses that are credit or non-credit, usually 1 or 2 college units, as well as others that are offered only from within their MESA program that meet several times during the students’ first semester in the MESA Program. At College of the Desert (COD), a one unit orientation course was developed and approved by the Curriculum committee and was offered for the first time in Fall 2001. This class met once per week and consisted of several activities to help the student succeed and provided an opportunity for them to investigate future careers.. A StrengthsQuest assessment was added to this course in Fall 2004 and more and more of the course was impacted by the knowledge that the students gained about themselves from the assessment. One ongoing problem that was experienced with this course was scheduling a time so most of the new students could attend this important class at the beginning of their participation in the MESA Program. A pilot program to offer an online orientation course has been implemented at COD for the past two semesters that utilizes the StrengthsQuest as the initial student assessment and provides several experiences that build on those results. An outline of the components of the course will be presented and its potential will be discussed.

Insects. Hawaii Nature Study Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawaii Univ., Honolulu. Curriculum Research and Development Group.

This teaching guide is one of a series developed by the Curriculum Research and Development Group at the University of Hawaii. The program is laboratory and field oriented for elementary students. The focus of study for the project is the plant and animal life and the physical components of the Hawaiian environment, and their ecological…

Man's Impact on the Environment: The City as an Ecosystem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brevard County School Board, Cocoa, FL.

This environmental education program emphasizes the cause and effect of change in a city ecosystem with special attention given to man and his role in environmental change. Concepts are employed from the natural and social sciences to investigate environmental problems. Unit activities are inquiry oriented and answer these questions: (1) What is…

Man's Impact on the Environment: The Freshwater Marsh as an Ecosystem. Update.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brevard County School Board, Cocoa, FL.

This environmental education program emphasizes the cause and effect of change in a freshwater marsh ecosystem with special attention given to man and his role in environmental change. Concepts are employed from the natural and social sciences to investigate environmental problems. Unit activities are inquiry oriented and answer these questions:…

The Effectiveness of Screencasts and Cognitive Tools as Scaffolding for Novice Object-Oriented Programmers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Mark J. W.; Pradhan, Sunam; Dalgarno, Barney

2008-01-01

Modern information technology and computer science curricula employ a variety of graphical tools and development environments to facilitate student learning of introductory programming concepts and techniques. While the provision of interactive features and the use of visualization can enhance students' understanding and assist them in grasping…

Parts of Plants. Hawaii Nature Study Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawaii Univ., Honolulu. Curriculum Research and Development Group.

This teaching guide is one of a series developed by the Curriculum Research and Development Group at the University of Hawaii. The program is laboratory and field oriented for elementary students. The focus of study for the project is the plant and animal life and the physical components of the Hawaiian environment, and their ecological…

Proposal for Implementing Multi-User Database (MUD) Technology in an Academic Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Filby, A. M. Iliana

1996-01-01

Explores the use of MOO (multi-user object oriented) virtual environments in academic libraries to enhance reference services. Highlights include the development of multi-user database (MUD) technology from gaming to non-recreational settings; programming issues; collaborative MOOs; MOOs as distinguished from other types of virtual reality; audio…

In Search of Teaching Quality of EFL Student Teachers through Teaching Practicum: Lessons from a Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azkiyah, Siti Nurul; Mukminin, Amirul

2017-01-01

This study was intended to investigate the teaching quality of student teachers when they conducted their teaching practicum. Teaching quality is conceptualised based on eight classroom factors (orientation, structuring, modelling, application, questioning, building classroom as a learning environment, assessment, and time management) of the…

Ground Operations Aerospace Language (GOAL)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

GOAL, is a test engineer oriented language designed to be used to standardize procedure terminology and as the test programming language to be used for ground checkout operations in a space vehicle launch environment. The material presented concerning GOAL includes: (1) a historical review, (2) development objectives and requirements, (3) language scope and format, and (4) language capabilities.

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Language Arts, Grades K Through 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in these 13 teacher's guides for grades K-12 are lesson plans and ideas for integrating language arts and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives and…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Social Studies, Grades 1 Through 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in these 12 teacher's guides for grades 1-12 are lesson plans and ideas for integrating social studies and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives and…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Industrial Arts, Grade 7-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in this teacher's guide for grades 7-12 are lesson plans and ideas for integrating industrial arts (drafting, woodworking, and metals) and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following…

A Supplementary Program for Environmental Education, Science, Grades K Through 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warpinski, Robert

Presented in these 13 teacher's guides for grades K-12 are lesson plans and ideas for integrating science and environmental education. Each lesson originates with a fundamental concept pertaining to the environment and states, in addition, its discipline area, subject area, and problem orientation. Following this, behavioral objectives and…

Reef and Shore. Hawaii Nature Study Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawaii Univ., Honolulu. Curriculum Research and Development Group.

This teaching guide is one of a series developed by the Curriculum Research and Development Group at the University of Hawaii. The program is laboratory and field oriented for elementary students. The focus of study for the project is the plant and animal life and the physical components of the Hawaiian environment, and their ecological…

An Educational Strategy for the Environment in the National Park System of Venezuela.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanco, Nila C. Pellegrini

2002-01-01

Describes policies and basic concepts that may sustain environmental education in protected areas. Includes a summary of principles that may orient the development of environmental education programs, and areas of action that will help achieve the goals of protected areas. Discusses some educational experiences, their objectives, methods, results,…

WaveJava: Wavelet-based network computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Kun; Jiao, Licheng; Shi, Zhuoer

1997-04-01

Wavelet is a powerful theory, but its successful application still needs suitable programming tools. Java is a simple, object-oriented, distributed, interpreted, robust, secure, architecture-neutral, portable, high-performance, multi- threaded, dynamic language. This paper addresses the design and development of a cross-platform software environment for experimenting and applying wavelet theory. WaveJava, a wavelet class library designed by the object-orient programming, is developed to take advantage of the wavelets features, such as multi-resolution analysis and parallel processing in the networking computing. A new application architecture is designed for the net-wide distributed client-server environment. The data are transmitted with multi-resolution packets. At the distributed sites around the net, these data packets are done the matching or recognition processing in parallel. The results are fed back to determine the next operation. So, the more robust results can be arrived quickly. The WaveJava is easy to use and expand for special application. This paper gives a solution for the distributed fingerprint information processing system. It also fits for some other net-base multimedia information processing, such as network library, remote teaching and filmless picture archiving and communications.

PyEPL: a cross-platform experiment-programming library.

PubMed

Geller, Aaron S; Schlefer, Ian K; Sederberg, Per B; Jacobs, Joshua; Kahana, Michael J

2007-11-01

PyEPL (the Python Experiment-Programming Library) is a Python library which allows cross-platform and object-oriented coding of behavioral experiments. It provides functions for displaying text and images onscreen, as well as playing and recording sound, and is capable of rendering 3-D virtual environments forspatial-navigation tasks. It is currently tested for Mac OS X and Linux. It interfaces with Activewire USB cards (on Mac OS X) and the parallel port (on Linux) for synchronization of experimental events with physiological recordings. In this article, we first present two sample programs which illustrate core PyEPL features. The examples demonstrate visual stimulus presentation, keyboard input, and simulation and exploration of a simple 3-D environment. We then describe the components and strategies used in implementing PyEPL.

PyEPL: A cross-platform experiment-programming library

PubMed Central

Geller, Aaron S.; Schleifer, Ian K.; Sederberg, Per B.; Jacobs, Joshua; Kahana, Michael J.

2009-01-01

PyEPL (the Python Experiment-Programming Library) is a Python library which allows cross-platform and object-oriented coding of behavioral experiments. It provides functions for displaying text and images onscreen, as well as playing and recording sound, and is capable of rendering 3-D virtual environments for spatial-navigation tasks. It is currently tested for Mac OS X and Linux. It interfaces with Activewire USB cards (on Mac OS X) and the parallel port (on Linux) for synchronization of experimental events with physiological recordings. In this article, we first present two sample programs which illustrate core PyEPL features. The examples demonstrate visual stimulus presentation, keyboard input, and simulation and exploration of a simple 3-D environment. We then describe the components and strategies used in implementing PyEPL. PMID:18183912

Teacher change and professional development: A case study of teachers engaged in an innovative constructivist science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akura, Okong'o. Gabriel

This study examined both the changes that elementary school teachers experienced when they implemented a reform-based science curriculum and the impact of professional development on this transformation. The research involved a case study of three purposefully selected teachers implementing the Linking Food and the Environment (LIFE) program during the 2002--2003 school year. The LIFE program is a curriculum designed to enhance science literacy among learners from high poverty urban environments. While the study was grounded in the tradition of critical theory (Carspecken, 1996), the theoretical perspective of hermeneutic phenomenology (van Manen, 1990) guided data collection and analysis. Extensive observations of the teachers were made in order to capture and record the teacher change phenomenon. Data were recorded by means of field notes, audio and videotapes, semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and video Stimulated Recall (SR) interviews. Emerging themes relating to teacher change, knowledge interests, constructivist pedagogy, and professional development illustrated how teachers grapple with various aspects of implementing a reform-based science curriculum. The teachers in this study were similar to those in earlier investigations, which found that sustained professional development programs involving mentoring and constant reflection enable elementary science teachers to change their instructional strategies from the technical-realist orientation towards the practical-hermeneutic and emancipatory-liberatory orientations. The study has implications for science curriculum developers and designers of professional development programs.

Dr.LiTHO: a development and research lithography simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fühner, Tim; Schnattinger, Thomas; Ardelean, Gheorghe; Erdmann, Andreas

2007-03-01

This paper introduces Dr.LiTHO, a research and development oriented lithography simulation environment developed at Fraunhofer IISB to flexibly integrate our simulation models into one coherent platform. We propose a light-weight approach to a lithography simulation environment: The use of a scripting (batch) language as an integration platform. Out of the great variety of different scripting languages, Python proved superior in many ways: It exhibits a good-natured learning-curve, it is efficient, available on virtually any platform, and provides sophisticated integration mechanisms for existing programs. In this paper, we will describe the steps, required to provide Python bindings for existing programs and to finally generate an integrated simulation environment. In addition, we will give a short introduction into selected software design demands associated with the development of such a framework. We will especially focus on testing and (both technical and user-oriented) documentation issues. Dr.LiTHO Python files contain not only all simulation parameter settings but also the simulation flow, providing maximum flexibility. In addition to relatively simple batch jobs, repetitive tasks can be pooled in libraries. And as Python is a full-blown programming language, users can add virtually any functionality, which is especially useful in the scope of simulation studies or optimization tasks, that often require masses of evaluations. Furthermore, we will give a short overview of the numerous existing Python packages. Several examples demonstrate the feasibility and productiveness of integrating Python packages into custom Dr.LiTHO scripts.

The Map in Our Head Is Not Oriented North: Evidence from a Real-World Environment.

PubMed

Brunyé, Tad T; Burte, Heather; Houck, Lindsay A; Taylor, Holly A

2015-01-01

Like most physical maps, recent research has suggested that cognitive maps of familiar environments may have a north-up orientation. We demonstrate that north orientation is not a necessary feature of cognitive maps and instead may arise due to coincidental alignment between cardinal directions and the built and natural environment. Experiment 1 demonstrated that pedestrians have difficulty pointing north while navigating a familiar real-world environment with roads, buildings, and green spaces oriented oblique to cardinal axes. Instead, north estimates tended to be parallel or perpendicular to roads. In Experiment 2, participants did not demonstrate privileged memory access when oriented toward north while making relative direction judgments. Instead, retrieval was fastest and most accurate when orientations were aligned with roads. In sum, cognitive maps are not always oriented north. Rather, in some real-world environments they can be oriented with respect to environment-specific features, serving as convenient reference systems for organizing and using spatial memory.

Validation of a method for real time foot position and orientation tracking with Microsoft Kinect technology for use in virtual reality and treadmill based gait training programs.

PubMed

Paolini, Gabriele; Peruzzi, Agnese; Mirelman, Anat; Cereatti, Andrea; Gaukrodger, Stephen; Hausdorff, Jeffrey M; Della Croce, Ugo

2014-09-01

The use of virtual reality for the provision of motor-cognitive gait training has been shown to be effective for a variety of patient populations. The interaction between the user and the virtual environment is achieved by tracking the motion of the body parts and replicating it in the virtual environment in real time. In this paper, we present the validation of a novel method for tracking foot position and orientation in real time, based on the Microsoft Kinect technology, to be used for gait training combined with virtual reality. The validation of the motion tracking method was performed by comparing the tracking performance of the new system against a stereo-photogrammetric system used as gold standard. Foot position errors were in the order of a few millimeters (average RMSD from 4.9 to 12.1 mm in the medio-lateral and vertical directions, from 19.4 to 26.5 mm in the anterior-posterior direction); the foot orientation errors were also small (average %RMSD from 5.6% to 8.8% in the medio-lateral and vertical directions, from 15.5% to 18.6% in the anterior-posterior direction). The results suggest that the proposed method can be effectively used to track feet motion in virtual reality and treadmill-based gait training programs.

Open Integrated Personal Learning Environment: Towards a New Conception of the ICT-Based Learning Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conde, Miguel Ángel; García-Peñalvo, Francisco José; Casany, Marià José; Alier Forment, Marc

Learning processes are changing related to technological and sociological evolution, taking this in to account, a new learning strategy must be considered. Specifically what is needed is to give an effective step towards the eLearning 2.0 environments consolidation. This must imply the fusion of the advantages of the traditional LMS (Learning Management System) - more formative program control and planning oriented - with the social learning and the flexibility of the web 2.0 educative applications.

MoCog1: A computer simulation of recognition-primed human decision making, considering emotions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gevarter, William B.

1992-01-01

The successful results of the first stage of a research effort to develop a versatile computer model of motivated human cognitive behavior are reported. Most human decision making appears to be an experience-based, relatively straightforward, largely automatic response to situations, utilizing cues and opportunities perceived from the current environment. The development, considering emotions, of the architecture and computer program associated with such 'recognition-primed' decision-making is described. The resultant computer program (MoCog1) was successfully utilized as a vehicle to simulate earlier findings that relate how an individual's implicit theories orient the individual toward particular goals, with resultant cognitions, affects, and behavior in response to their environment.

MoCog1: A computer simulation of recognition-primed human decision making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gevarter, William B.

1991-01-01

The results of the first stage of a research effort to develop a 'sophisticated' computer model of human cognitive behavior are described. Most human decision making is an experience-based, relatively straight-forward, largely automatic response to internal goals and drives, utilizing cues and opportunities perceived from the current environment. The development of the architecture and computer program (MoCog1) associated with such 'recognition-primed' decision making is discussed. The resultant computer program was successfully utilized as a vehicle to simulate earlier findings that relate how an individual's implicit theories orient the individual toward particular goals, with resultant cognitions, affects, and behavior in response to their environment.

An Asynchronous Learning Approach for the Instructional Component of a Dual-Campus Pharmacy Resident Teaching Program

PubMed Central

Baia, Patricia; Canning, Jacquelyn E.; Strang, Aimee F.

2015-01-01

Objective. To describe the shift to an asynchronous online approach for pedagogy instruction within a pharmacy resident teaching program offered by a dual-campus college. Design. The pedagogy instruction component of the teaching program (Part I) was redesigned with a focus on the content, delivery, and coordination of the learning environment. Asynchronous online learning replaced distance technology or lecture capture. Using a pedagogical content knowledge framework, residents participated in self-paced online learning using faculty recordings, readings, and discussion board activities. A learning management system was used to assess achievement of learning objectives and participation prior to progressing to the teaching experiences component of the teaching program (Part II). Assessment. Evaluation of resident pedagogical knowledge development and participation in Part I of the teaching program was achieved through the learning management system. Participant surveys and written reflections showed general satisfaction with the online learning environment. Future considerations include addition of a live orientation session and increased faculty presence in the online learning environment. Conclusion. An online approach framed by educational theory can be an effective way to provide pedagogy instruction within a teaching program. PMID:25861110

Object-oriented Tools for Distributed Computing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adler, Richard M.

1993-01-01

Distributed computing systems are proliferating, owing to the availability of powerful, affordable microcomputers and inexpensive communication networks. A critical problem in developing such systems is getting application programs to interact with one another across a computer network. Remote interprogram connectivity is particularly challenging across heterogeneous environments, where applications run on different kinds of computers and operating systems. NetWorks! (trademark) is an innovative software product that provides an object-oriented messaging solution to these problems. This paper describes the design and functionality of NetWorks! and illustrates how it is being used to build complex distributed applications for NASA and in the commercial sector.

Evaluating the Fabreville Heart Health Program in Laval, Canada: a dialogue between two paradigms, positivism and constructivism.

PubMed

Nguyen, Minh Nguyet; Otis, Joanne

2003-06-01

As part of the Canadian Federal-Provincial Initiative in Heart Health, the goal of the Fabreville Heart Health Program was to sensitize a district of Laval, Quebec's second most populous city, to heart-healthy behaviours. The program was planned and implemented by a committee composed of Fabreville community leaders and professionals from the Public Health Department. Between 1992 and 1994, intervention objectives were defined by the department in terms of changing individual behaviours associated with cardiovascular risk factors, namely diet, sedentariness and smoking, as well as adapting physical and social environments to facilitate these changes. However, from 1994 to its conclusion in 1997, the program was re-oriented to engage the population in mobilizing their own community and taking charge of interventions themselves. Actions then became dependent on the interests and motivation of Fabreville residents to transform their lifestyles and aspects of their physical environment. The initial evaluation process, based on the positivist paradigm, was designed to measure changes in individual behaviours and certain physical environments, such as an increase in designated non-smoking areas. However, following the re-orientation towards community mobilization, it was decided that evaluation should go beyond the professional production of data to include a process of the collective construction of knowledge. Evaluation methodology then became based on the constructivist paradigm. Yet field constraints such as lack of community involvement in both leadership and process evaluation, and the need to ensure evaluation standards and fulfil sponsor obligations, compelled the Public Health Department to return to using a certain number of positivist methods. The ensuing inter-paradigm dialogue helped broaden the scope of evaluation and contributed to gaining a more in-depth understanding of the processes and outcomes of community mobilization.

iVirtualWorld: A Domain-Oriented End-User Development Environment for Building 3D Virtual Chemistry Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhong, Ying

2013-01-01

Virtual worlds are well-suited for building virtual laboratories for educational purposes to complement hands-on physical laboratories. However, educators may face technical challenges because developing virtual worlds requires skills in programming and 3D design. Current virtual world building tools are developed for users who have programming…

Providing the Tools for Information Sharing: Net-Centric Enterprise Services

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-07-01

The Department of Defense (DoD) is establishing a net-centric environment that increasingly leverages shared services and Service-Oriented...transformational program that delivers a set of shared services as part of the DoD’s common infrastructure to enable networked joint force capabilities, improved interoperability, and increased information sharing across mission area services.

Commuter Chronicle: An Effort to Enhance Commuter Communication in a Traditional Residential Campus Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henckler, Joyce D.

1982-01-01

In an effort to inform commuter students of services and programs on a regular basis, the University of Maine at Orono launched a campaign consisting of a newsletter and orientation sessions targeted directly at commuter students. The newsletter included topics of special interest to commuter students such as housing services, ridesharing, child…

The Value of Wilderness Orientation Programs at Colleges and Universities in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gass, Michael A.

A 1983 mail survey identified 34 universities and colleges utilizing the wilderness environment as a means to indoctrinate students into a school setting and resulted in: (1) the creation of a networking system of these institutions; (2) the identification of the University of Missouri at Columbia, Cornell University, Towson State University,…

Transition of the Course Programs in the 40 Years History of Hitachi Institute of Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miura, Osamu; Katsura, Koyo; Takahashi, Masahiko

In 2010, the Hitachi Institute of Technology reached the 40th anniversary. In the beginning, the institute stood at the product-out-oriented view point and carried out extensive technical education from basis to advanced technology. After the 1990s, transition of the business environment with the globalization caused that the needs of the engineer education required by the business sections have been transformed. As the result, the changes of needs have been reflected for course program of the institute. Nowadays, in addition to the conventional course programs, the engineer education programs for the business competency and human skill have also been focused.

Communications oriented programming of parallel iterative solutions of sparse linear systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patrick, M. L.; Pratt, T. W.

1986-01-01

Parallel algorithms are developed for a class of scientific computational problems by partitioning the problems into smaller problems which may be solved concurrently. The effectiveness of the resulting parallel solutions is determined by the amount and frequency of communication and synchronization and the extent to which communication can be overlapped with computation. Three different parallel algorithms for solving the same class of problems are presented, and their effectiveness is analyzed from this point of view. The algorithms are programmed using a new programming environment. Run-time statistics and experience obtained from the execution of these programs assist in measuring the effectiveness of these algorithms.

Exploring the Educational Benefits of Introducing Aspect-Oriented Programming Into a Programming Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boticki, I.; Katic, M.; Martin,S.

2013-01-01

This paper explores the educational benefits of introducing the aspect-oriented programming paradigm into a programming course in a study on a sample of 75 undergraduate software engineering students. It discusses how using the aspect-oriented paradigm, in addition to the object-oriented programming paradigm, affects students' programs, their exam…

OAST space power technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mullin, J. P.

1978-01-01

The current research and technology (R and T) base program is first described, then special attention is directed toward outlining a new system technology specifically oriented toward providing the utility power plant technology base for semi-permanent earth orbital facilities expected to be needed in the middle to late 1980's. The R and T program involves five areas of research: (1) photovoltaic energy conversion; (2) chemical energy conversion and storage; (3) thermal-to-electric conversion; (4) environment interactions; and (5) power systems management and distribution. The general objectives and planned direction of efforts in each of these areas is summarized.

Cardiological database management system as a mediator to clinical decision support.

PubMed

Pappas, C; Mavromatis, A; Maglaveras, N; Tsikotis, A; Pangalos, G; Ambrosiadou, V

1996-03-01

An object-oriented medical database management system is presented for a typical cardiologic center, facilitating epidemiological trials. Object-oriented analysis and design were used for the system design, offering advantages for the integrity and extendibility of medical information systems. The system was developed using object-oriented design and programming methodology, the C++ language and the Borland Paradox Relational Data Base Management System on an MS-Windows NT environment. Particular attention was paid to system compatibility, portability, the ease of use, and the suitable design of the patient record so as to support the decisions of medical personnel in cardiovascular centers. The system was designed to accept complex, heterogeneous, distributed data in various formats and from different kinds of examinations such as Holter, Doppler and electrocardiography.

Implementation effect of productive 4-stage field orientation on the student technopreneur skill in vocational schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, Edy; Samsudi, Widjanarko, Dwi; Joyce, Peter; Stearns, Roman

2018-03-01

This model integrates project base learning by creating a product based on environmental needs. The Produktif Orientasi Lapangan 4 Tahap (POL4T) combines technical skills and entrepreneurial elements together in the learning process. This study is to implement the result of technopreneurship learning model development which is environment-oriented by combining technology and entrepreneurship components on Machining Skill Program. This study applies research and development design by optimizing experimental subject. Data were obtained from questionnaires, learning material validation, interpersonal, intrapersonal observation forms, skills, product, teachers and students' responses, and cognitive tasks. Expert validation and t-test calculation are applied to see how effective POL4T learning model. The result of the study is in the form of 4 steps learning model to enhance interpersonal and intrapersonal attitudes, develop practical products which orient to society and appropriate technology so that the products can have high selling value. The model is effective based on the students' post test result, which is better than the pre-test. The product obtained from POL4T model is proven to be better than the productive learning. POL4T model is recommended to be implemented for XI grade students. This is can develop entrepreneurial attitudes that are environment oriented, community needs and technical competencies students.

HiRel: Hybrid Automated Reliability Predictor (HARP) integrated reliability tool system, (version 7.0). Volume 3: HARP Graphics Oriented (GO) input user's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bavuso, Salvatore J.; Rothmann, Elizabeth; Mittal, Nitin; Koppen, Sandra Howell

1994-01-01

The Hybrid Automated Reliability Predictor (HARP) integrated Reliability (HiRel) tool system for reliability/availability prediction offers a toolbox of integrated reliability/availability programs that can be used to customize the user's application in a workstation or nonworkstation environment. HiRel consists of interactive graphical input/output programs and four reliability/availability modeling engines that provide analytical and simulative solutions to a wide host of highly reliable fault-tolerant system architectures and is also applicable to electronic systems in general. The tool system was designed at the outset to be compatible with most computing platforms and operating systems, and some programs have been beta tested within the aerospace community for over 8 years. This document is a user's guide for the HiRel graphical preprocessor Graphics Oriented (GO) program. GO is a graphical user interface for the HARP engine that enables the drawing of reliability/availability models on a monitor. A mouse is used to select fault tree gates or Markov graphical symbols from a menu for drawing.

[Influence of poor factors of airports on human health].

PubMed

Pochekaeva, E I

2008-01-01

The hygienic study conducted in Rostov-on-Don has shown that air transport and airports are important sources of physical and chemical pollution of the environment. Human health examinations served to illustrate the adverse impact of airports on the environmental and hygienic living conditions of the population. The performed studies provided the basis for purpose-oriented program to enhance the environment and to reduce morbidity rates in accordance with the National Environmental Hygiene Program. The developed algorithm of the assessment and reduction of a risk for diseases under the influence of poor factors associated with the activities of airports is designed to provide the authorities and concerned organizations with information, to make managerial decisions, and to work out health-improving measures.

Issues related to line-oriented flight training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lauber, J. K.

1981-01-01

The use of a training simulator along with carefully structured, detailed, line trip scenarios was envisioned by NASA as a means of providing a controllable, repeatable way to observe line crews in a highly realistic simulation of their working environment and obtain better understanding operationally significant human factors problems and issues. Relevant research done by the agency and the results of full-mission simulation scenarios revealed potential implications for flight training. Aspects to be considered in creating training programs closely related to the actual line environment with a total crew application in real world incident experiences include: (1) operational, environmental, equipment, and crew problems in scenario design; (2) real time line oriented flight training operation; (3) performance assessment and debriefing; (4) instructor qualification and training; and (5) other issues such as ub un initial, transition, and upgrade training; procedures developent and evaluation, and equipment evaluation.

Virtual reality in neurologic rehabilitation of spatial disorientation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Topographical disorientation (TD) is a severe and persistent impairment of spatial orientation and navigation in familiar as well as new environments and a common consequence of brain damage. Virtual reality (VR) provides a new tool for the assessment and rehabilitation of TD. In VR training programs different degrees of active motor control over navigation may be implemented (i.e. more passive spatial navigation vs. more active). Increasing demands of active motor control may overload those visuo-spatial resources necessary for learning spatial orientation and navigation. In the present study we used a VR-based verbally-guided passive navigation training program to improve general spatial abilities in neurologic patients with spatial disorientation. Methods Eleven neurologic patients with focal brain lesions, which showed deficits in spatial orientation, as well as 11 neurologic healthy controls performed a route finding training in a virtual environment. Participants learned and recalled different routes for navigation in a virtual city over five training sessions. Before and after VR training, general spatial abilities were assessed with standardized neuropsychological tests. Results Route finding ability in the VR task increased over the five training sessions. Moreover, both groups improved different aspects of spatial abilities after VR training in comparison to the spatial performance before VR training. Conclusions Verbally-guided passive navigation training in VR enhances general spatial cognition in neurologic patients with spatial disorientation as well as in healthy controls and can therefore be useful in the rehabilitation of spatial deficits associated with TD. PMID:23394289

Making time for learning-oriented leadership in multidisciplinary hospital management groups.

PubMed

Singer, Sara J; Hayes, Jennifer E; Gray, Garry C; Kiang, Mathew V

2015-01-01

Although the clinical requirements of health care delivery imply the need for interdisciplinary management teams to work together to promote frontline learning, such interdisciplinary, learning-oriented leadership is atypical. We designed this study to identify behaviors enabling groups of diverse managers to perform as learning-oriented leadership teams on behalf of quality and safety. We randomly selected 12 of 24 intact groups of hospital managers from one hospital to participate in a Safety Leadership Team Training program. We collected primary data from March 2008 to February 2010 including pre- and post-staff surveys, multiple interviews, observations, and archival data from management groups. We examined the level and trend in frontline perceptions of managers' learning-oriented leadership following the intervention and ability of management groups to achieve objectives on targeted improvement projects. Among the 12 intervention groups, we identified higher- and lower-performing intervention groups and behaviors that enabled higher performers to work together more successfully. Management groups that achieved more of their performance goals and whose staff perceived more and greater improvement in their learning-oriented leadership after participation in Safety Leadership Team Training invested in structures that created learning capacity and conscientiously practiced prescribed learning-oriented management and problem-solving behaviors. They made the time to do these things because they envisioned the benefits of learning, valued the opportunity to learn, and maintained an environment of mutual respect and psychological safety within their group. Learning in management groups requires vision of what learning can accomplish; will to explore, practice, and build learning capacity; and mutual respect that sustains a learning environment.

Examining the Relationships Between Acculturation Orientations, Perceived and Actual Norms, and Drinking Behaviors of Short-Term American Sojourners in Foreign Environments

PubMed Central

Cruz, Rick A.; LaBrie, Joseph W.; Hummer, Justin F.

2013-01-01

As little research has examined factors influencing increased and heavy drinking behavior among American sojourners abroad, this study was designed to examine how acculturation orientations (i.e., separation versus assimilation), host country per capita drinking rates, and perceptions about the drinking behavior among other sojourners and natives in the host country predicted alcohol risk abroad. A sample of 216 American college students completing study abroad programs completed a pre-abroad questionnaire to document their pre-abroad drinking levels, followed by a post-return questionnaire to assess drinking while abroad, acculturation orientations and perceived norms of drinking behavior within the foreign environment. A dichotomous variable was created to compare United States (U.S.) per capita drinking rates with those of the host country. Hierarchical repeated-measures ANOVAs examined the changes in drinking from pre-abroad to abroad levels. Participants studying in countries with higher drinking rates than the U.S. and those with higher perceptions about the drinking behavior in the country increased their drinking to a greater extent. Those with higher separation acculturation orientations and greater perceptions drank at heavier levels while abroad. Participants with a greater assimilation orientation and higher perceptions about native drinking, as well as those with a greater separation orientation and higher perceptions about other students’ alcohol use drank the heaviest while abroad. These findings have implications for future preventive work with American students and other sojourning groups to promote pre-abroad knowledge of more accurate drinking norms and greater engagement in the culture to potentially prevent increased and heavier drinking. PMID:21720781

A Chronicle of Global Environmental Education Concept Development in the Social Studies Curriculum: 1970-1985.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Richard

If the nation and world community are to control population growth, better manage finite resources, provide adequate quantities of food and water, improve the quality of the atmosphere, and prevent further extinction of plant and animal species, then a program to educate a generation of quality environment-oriented people must be initiated.…

Compilation of annual reports of the Navy ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) communications system ecological monitoring program (1983). Volume 2: Tabs F-J

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, R. L.; Beaver, D. L.; Asher, J. H.; Hill, R. W.; Burton, T. M.

1984-07-01

The climatic factors which are known to impinge upon the biological behavior patterns of the megachilid bees were measured. Statistical testing of man-made influences such as ELF into the environment were pursued, with emphasis on nest architecture, pollen collection, and ability to orient to nest sites.

The Implementation of an Individualized Curriculum in Periodontology at the Temple University School of Dentistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salkin, Leslie M.; And Others

An individualized, self-paced curriculum at Temple University Dental School is being used to break the lock-step pattern of the lecture-oriented system and to help students reach the clinical learning environment more quickly. Freshmen begin work in periodontology with 12 programed lessons studied in a Learning Resources Center open 75 hours a…

Computer modeling of high-voltage solar array experiment using the NASCAP/LEO (NASA Charging Analyzer Program/Low Earth Orbit) computer code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichl, Karl O., Jr.

1987-06-01

The relationship between the Interactions Measurement Payload for Shuttle (IMPS) flight experiment and the low Earth orbit plasma environment is discussed. Two interactions (parasitic current loss and electrostatic discharge on the array) may be detrimental to mission effectiveness. They result from the spacecraft's electrical potentials floating relative to plasma ground to achieve a charge flow equilibrium into the spacecraft. The floating potentials were driven by external biases applied to a solar array module of the Photovoltaic Array Space Power (PASP) experiment aboard the IMPS test pallet. The modeling was performed using the NASA Charging Analyzer Program/Low Earth Orbit (NASCAP/LEO) computer code which calculates the potentials and current collection of high-voltage objects in low Earth orbit. Models are developed by specifying the spacecraft, environment, and orbital parameters. Eight IMPS models were developed by varying the array's bias voltage and altering its orientation relative to its motion. The code modeled a typical low Earth equatorial orbit. NASCAP/LEO calculated a wide variety of possible floating potential and current collection scenarios. These varied directly with both the array bias voltage and with the vehicle's orbital orientation.

An Object-Oriented Network-Centric Software Architecture for Physical Computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmer, Richard

1997-08-01

Recent developments in object-oriented computer languages and infrastructure such as the Internet, Web browsers, and the like provide an opportunity to define a more productive computational environment for scientific programming that is based more closely on the underlying mathematics describing physics than traditional programming languages such as FORTRAN or C++. In this talk I describe an object-oriented software architecture for representing physical problems that includes classes for such common mathematical objects as geometry, boundary conditions, partial differential and integral equations, discretization and numerical solution methods, etc. In practice, a scientific program written using this architecture looks remarkably like the mathematics used to understand the problem, is typically an order of magnitude smaller than traditional FORTRAN or C++ codes, and hence easier to understand, debug, describe, etc. All objects in this architecture are ``network-enabled,'' which means that components of a software solution to a physical problem can be transparently loaded from anywhere on the Internet or other global network. The architecture is expressed as an ``API,'' or application programmers interface specification, with reference embeddings in Java, Python, and C++. A C++ class library for an early version of this API has been implemented for machines ranging from PC's to the IBM SP2, meaning that phidentical codes run on all architectures.

SimpleITK Image-Analysis Notebooks: a Collaborative Environment for Education and Reproducible Research.

PubMed

Yaniv, Ziv; Lowekamp, Bradley C; Johnson, Hans J; Beare, Richard

2018-06-01

Modern scientific endeavors increasingly require team collaborations to construct and interpret complex computational workflows. This work describes an image-analysis environment that supports the use of computational tools that facilitate reproducible research and support scientists with varying levels of software development skills. The Jupyter notebook web application is the basis of an environment that enables flexible, well-documented, and reproducible workflows via literate programming. Image-analysis software development is made accessible to scientists with varying levels of programming experience via the use of the SimpleITK toolkit, a simplified interface to the Insight Segmentation and Registration Toolkit. Additional features of the development environment include user friendly data sharing using online data repositories and a testing framework that facilitates code maintenance. SimpleITK provides a large number of examples illustrating educational and research-oriented image analysis workflows for free download from GitHub under an Apache 2.0 license: github.com/InsightSoftwareConsortium/SimpleITK-Notebooks .

An object oriented generic controller using CLIPS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nivens, Cody R.

1990-01-01

In today's applications, the need for the division of code and data has focused on the growth of object oriented programming. This philosophy gives software engineers greater control over the environment of an application. Yet the use of object oriented design does not exclude the need for greater understanding by the application of what the controller is doing. Such understanding is only possible by using expert systems. Providing a controller that is capable of controlling an object by using rule-based expertise would expedite the use of both object oriented design and expert knowledge of the dynamic of an environment in modern controllers. This project presents a model of a controller that uses the CLIPS expert system and objects in C++ to create a generic controller. The polymorphic abilities of C++ allow for the design of a generic component stored in individual data files. Accompanying the component is a set of rules written in CLIPS which provide the following: the control of individual components, the input of sensory data from components and the ability to find the status of a given component. Along with the data describing the application, a set of inference rules written in CLIPS allows the application to make use of sensory facts and status and control abilities. As a demonstration of this ability, the control of the environment of a house is provided. This demonstration includes the data files describing the rooms and their contents as far as devices, windows and doors. The rules used for the home consist of the flow of people in the house and the control of devices by the home owner.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues in dental school environments: dental student leaders' perceptions.

PubMed

Anderson, Joan I; Patterson, April N; Temple, Henry J; Inglehart, Marita Rohr

2009-01-01

The objectives of the study reported in this article were to assess dental student leaders' perceptions of educational efforts concerning lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) topics and the cultural climate concerning LGBT issues in dental schools in the United States and Canada. In addition, the perceptions of student leaders who self-identified as belonging to the LGBT community and of students with a heterosexual orientation were compared. Data were collected from 113 dental student leaders from twenty-seven dental schools in the United States and three in Canada. Fifty student leaders were females, and sixty-two were males. Only 13.3 percent of the respondents agreed that their dental education prepared them well to treat patients from LGBT backgrounds. The more the student leaders believed that their university has an honest interest in diversity, the better they felt prepared by their dental school program to treat patients from LGBT backgrounds (r=.327; p<.001). The better they felt prepared, the more they perceived the clinic environment as sensitive and affirming for patients with different sexual orientations (r=.464; p<.001). The more they reported that dental schools' administrations create a positive environment for students with LGBT orientations, the more they agreed that persons can feel comfortable regardless of their sexual orientation (r=.585; p<.001). In conclusion, the findings indicate that dental school administrators play an important role in ensuring that future care providers are well prepared to treat patients from LGBT backgrounds and that staff, faculty, students, and patients from these backgrounds are not discriminated against.

A SCILAB Program for Computing Rotating Magnetic Compact Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papasotiriou, P. J.; Geroyannis, V. S.

We implement the so-called ``complex-plane iterative technique'' (CIT) to the computation of classical differentially rotating magnetic white dwarf and neutron star models. The program has been written in SCILAB (© INRIA-ENPC), a matrix-oriented high-level programming language, which can be downloaded free of charge from the site http://www-rocq.inria.fr/scilab. Due to the advanced capabilities of this language, the code is short and understandable. Highlights of the program are: (a) time-saving character, (b) easy use due to the built-in graphics user interface, (c) easy interfacing with Fortran via online dynamic link. We interpret our numerical results in various ways by extensively using the graphics environment of SCILAB.

Kaiser Permanente-Sandia National Health Care Model: Phase 1 prototype final report. Part 2 -- Domain analysis

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

Edwards, D.; Yoshimura, A.; Butler, D.

This report describes the results of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between Sandia National Laboratories and Kaiser Permanente Southern California to develop a prototype computer model of Kaiser Permanente`s health care delivery system. As a discrete event simulation, SimHCO models for each of 100,000 patients the progression of disease, individual resource usage, and patient choices in a competitive environment. SimHCO is implemented in the object-oriented programming language C{sup 2}, stressing reusable knowledge and reusable software components. The versioned implementation of SimHCO showed that the object-oriented framework allows the program to grow in complexity in an incremental way. Furthermore, timingmore » calculations showed that SimHCO runs in a reasonable time on typical workstations, and that a second phase model will scale proportionally and run within the system constraints of contemporary computer technology.« less

Exploring the effect of organizational culture on consumer perceptions of agency support for mental health recovery.

PubMed

Clossey, Laurene; Rheinheimer, David

2014-05-01

This research explores the impact of mental health agency culture on consumers' perceptions of agency support for their recovery. This study hypothesized that a constructive organizational culture must be present for consumers to perceive agency support for recovery. A sample of 12 mental health agencies in rural Pennsylvania participated in the research. Agency administrators completed an instrument called the recovery oriented service environment, which measured the number of recovery model program components offered by the agency. Consumers completed the recovery oriented services indicators, which taps into their perception of agency support for recovery. Direct service staff completed the organizational social context, which measured their agency's culture. Results showed that in this sample stronger consumer perceptions of agency support for recovery were correlated with higher ratings of agency constructive culture. The results suggest that agency culture is an important variable to target when implementing recovery model programming.

The nature of an object-oriented program: How do practitioners understand the nature of what they are creating?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Errol; Kinshuk

2011-09-01

Object-oriented programming is seen as a difficult skill to master. There is considerable debate about the most appropriate way to introduce novice programmers to object-oriented concepts. Is it possible to uncover what the critical aspects or features are that enhance the learning of object-oriented programming? Practitioners have differing understandings of the nature of an object-oriented program. Uncovering these different ways of understanding leads to agreater understanding of the critical aspects and their relationship tothe structure of the program produced. A phenomenographic studywas conducted to uncover practitioner understandings of the nature of an object-oriented program. The study identified five levels of understanding and three dimensions of variation within these levels. These levels and dimensions of variation provide a framework for fostering conceptual change with respect to the nature of an object-oriented program.

The State of Knowledge of Outdoor Orientation Programs: Current Practices, Research, and Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Brent J.; Gass, Michael A.; Nafziger, Christopher S.; Starbuck, J. David

2014-01-01

Outdoor orientation programs represent a prominent area of experiential education with over 25,000 participants annually. More than 191 outdoor orientation programs currently operate in the United States and Canada. The research examining outdoor orientation programs consists of 25 peer-reviewed published studies and 11 dissertations. A new theory…

Attention to memory: orienting attention to sound object representations.

PubMed

Backer, Kristina C; Alain, Claude

2014-01-01

Despite a growing acceptance that attention and memory interact, and that attention can be focused on an active internal mental representation (i.e., reflective attention), there has been a paucity of work focusing on reflective attention to 'sound objects' (i.e., mental representations of actual sound sources in the environment). Further research on the dynamic interactions between auditory attention and memory, as well as its degree of neuroplasticity, is important for understanding how sound objects are represented, maintained, and accessed in the brain. This knowledge can then guide the development of training programs to help individuals with attention and memory problems. This review article focuses on attention to memory with an emphasis on behavioral and neuroimaging studies that have begun to explore the mechanisms that mediate reflective attentional orienting in vision and more recently, in audition. Reflective attention refers to situations in which attention is oriented toward internal representations rather than focused on external stimuli. We propose four general principles underlying attention to short-term memory. Furthermore, we suggest that mechanisms involved in orienting attention to visual object representations may also apply for orienting attention to sound object representations.

Data communication between Panasonic PLC and PC using SerialPort control in C#.NET environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Ting; Gan, Xiaochuan; Ma, Liqun

2015-02-01

With the gradual promotion of Microsoft.NET platform, C# as an object-oriented programming language based on the platform has been widely used. Therefore, more attention is concentrated on how to achieve the communication between Panasonic PLC and PC efficiently and fast in C#.NET environment. In this paper, a method of using SerialPort control which could be used for achieving communication between PLC and PC is introduced. Meanwhile, the reason of abnormal thread when displayed the receiving data in form is analyzed and the programming method to solve the problem of thread safety is designed. Achieving the communication of Panasonic PLC and PC in C#.NET environment can give full play to the advantages of the .NET framework. It is practical, easy communication, high reliability and can combine with other measurement and calibration procedures effectively and conveniently. Configuration software is expensive and can only communicate with PLC separately, but these shortcomings can be solved in C#.NET environment. A well-designed user interface realized real-time monitoring of PLC parameters and achieved management and control integration. The experiment show that this method of data transfer is accurate and the program' running is stable.

An intelligent CNC machine control system architecture

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

Miller, D.J.; Loucks, C.S.

1996-10-01

Intelligent, agile manufacturing relies on automated programming of digitally controlled processes. Currently, processes such as Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machining are difficult to automate because of highly restrictive controllers and poor software environments. It is also difficult to utilize sensors and process models for adaptive control, or to integrate machining processes with other tasks within a factory floor setting. As part of a Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program, a CNC machine control system architecture based on object-oriented design and graphical programming has been developed to address some of these problems and to demonstrate automated agile machining applications usingmore » platform-independent software.« less

Establishing a scientific and technical information program: Planning and resource management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blados, Walter R.

1992-01-01

In the last 50 years, technological advances have accelerated at a rate unprecedented in history. We are experiencing a tremendous expansion of scientific and technological effort in many directions, and the result is a fantastic increase in the accumulation of scientific and technical information (STI) and knowledge. An integral part of the research and development (R&D) process is the STI associated with it. STI is both a raw material (input) and a product (output) of this process. The topics addressed include the following: the value of STI, management of an STI program, program policy and guidance, organizational structure, data sources, training/orientation, and the current information environment.

Summary of Technical Operations, 1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

exploit commonality. The project is using the Feature-Oriented Domain Analysis ( FODA ) method, developed by the project in 1990, to perform this...the development of new movement control software. The analysis will also serve as a means of improving the FODA method. The results of this analysis ...STARS environment. The NASA Program Office has officially decided to expand the use of Rate Monotonic Analysis (RMA), which was originally isolated to

Effect of task-oriented training and high-variability practice on gross motor performance and activities of daily living in children with spastic diplegia.

PubMed

Kwon, Hae-Yeon; Ahn, So-Yoon

2016-10-01

[Purpose] This study investigates how a task-oriented training and high-variability practice program can affect the gross motor performance and activities of daily living for children with spastic diplegia and provides an effective and reliable clinical database for future improvement of motor performances skills. [Subjects and Methods] This study randomly assigned seven children with spastic diplegia to each intervention group including that of a control group, task-oriented training group, and a high-variability practice group. The control group only received neurodevelopmental treatment for 40 minutes, while the other two intervention groups additionally implemented a task-oriented training and high-variability practice program for 8 weeks (twice a week, 60 min per session). To compare intra and inter-relationships of the three intervention groups, this study measured gross motor performance measure (GMPM) and functional independence measure for children (WeeFIM) before and after 8 weeks of training. [Results] There were statistically significant differences in the amount of change before and after the training among the three intervention groups for the gross motor performance measure and functional independence measure. [Conclusion] Applying high-variability practice in a task-oriented training course may be considered an efficient intervention method to improve motor performance skills that can tune to movement necessary for daily livelihood through motor experience and learning of new skills as well as change of tasks learned in a complex environment or similar situations to high-variability practice.

The development of a dynamic software for the user interaction from the geographic information system environment with the database of the calibration site of the satellite remote electro-optic sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zyelyk, Ya. I.; Semeniv, O. V.

2015-12-01

The state of the problem of the post-launch calibration of the satellite electro-optic remote sensors and its solutions in Ukraine is analyzed. The database is improved and dynamic services for user interaction with database from the environment of open geographical information system Quantum GIS for information support of calibration activities are created. A dynamic application under QGIS is developed, implementing these services in the direction of the possibility of data entering, editing and extraction from the database, using the technology of object-oriented programming and of modern complex program design patterns. The functional and algorithmic support of this dynamic software and its interface are developed.

MoCog1: A computer simulation of recognition-primed human decision making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gevarter, William B.

1991-01-01

This report describes the successful results of the first stage of a research effort to develop a 'sophisticated' computer model of human cognitive behavior. Most human decision-making is of the experience-based, relatively straight-forward, largely automatic, type of response to internal goals and drives, utilizing cues and opportunities perceived from the current environment. This report describes the development of the architecture and computer program associated with such 'recognition-primed' decision-making. The resultant computer program was successfully utilized as a vehicle to simulate findings that relate how an individual's implicit theories orient them toward particular goals, with resultant cognitions, affects, and behavior in response to their environment. The present work is an expanded version and is based on research reported while the author was an employee of NASA ARC.

Constructing of Research-Oriented Learning Mode Based on Network Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Ying; Li, Bing; Xie, Bai-zhi

2007-01-01

Research-oriented learning mode that based on network is significant to cultivate comprehensive-developing innovative person with network teaching in education for all-around development. This paper establishes a research-oriented learning mode by aiming at the problems existing in research-oriented learning based on network environment, and…

Practical ways to facilitate ergonomics improvements in occupational health practice.

PubMed

Kogi, Kazutaka

2012-12-01

Recent advances in participatory programs for improving workplace conditions are discussed to examine practical ways to facilitate ergonomics improvements. Participatory training programs are gaining importance, particularly in promoting occupational health and safety in small-scale workplaces. These programs have led to many improvements that can reduce work-related risks in varied situations. Recent experiences in participatory action-oriented training programs in small workplaces and agriculture are reviewed.The emphasis of the review is on training steps, types of improvements achieved, and the use of action tools by trainers and training participants. Immediate improvements in multiple technical areas are targeted, including materials handling,workstation design, physical environment, welfare facilities, and work organization. In facilitating ergonomics improvements in each local situation, it is important to focus on (a) building on local good practices; (b) applying practical, simple improvements that apply the basic principles of ergonomics; and (c) developing action-oriented toolkits for direct use by workers and managers. This facilitation process is effective when locally designed action toolkits are used by trainers, including local good examples, action checklists, and illustrated how-to guides. Intervention studies demonstrate the effectiveness of participatory steps that use these toolkits in promoting good practices and reducing work-related risks. In facilitating ergonomics improvements in small-scale workplaces, it is important to focus on practical, low-cost improvements that build on local good practices. The use of action-oriented toolkits reflecting basic ergonomics principles is helpful.The promotion of the intercountry networking of positive experiences in participatory training is suggested.

Promoting the Geosciences for Minority Students in the Urban Coastal Environment of New York City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou-Mark, J.; Blake, R.

2013-12-01

The 'Creating and Sustaining Diversity in the Geo-Sciences among Students and Teachers in the Urban Coastal Environment of New York City' project was awarded to New York City College of Technology (City Tech) by the National Science Foundation to promote the geosciences for students in middle and high schools and for undergraduates, especially for those who are underrepresented minorities in STEM. For the undergraduate students at City Tech, this project: 1) created and introduced geoscience knowledge and opportunities to its diverse undergraduate student population where geoscience is not currently taught at City Tech; and 2) created geoscience articulation agreements. For the middle and high schools, this project: 1) provided inquiry-oriented geoscience experiences (pedagogical and research) for students; 2) provided standards-based professional development (pedagogical and research) in Earth Science for teachers; 3) developed teachers' inquiry-oriented instructional techniques through the GLOBE program; 4) increased teacher content knowledge and confidence in the geosciences; 5) engaged and intrigued students in the application of geoscience activities in a virtual environment; 6) provided students and teachers exposure in the geosciences through trip visitations and seminars; and 7) created community-based geoscience outreach activities. Results from this program have shown significant increases in the students (grades 6-16) understanding, participation, appreciation, and awareness of the geosciences. Geoscience modules have been created and new geosciences courses have been offered. Additionally, students and teachers were engaged in state-of-the-art geoscience research projects, and they were involved in many geoscience events and initiatives. In summary, the activities combined geoscience research experiences with a robust learning community that have produced holistic and engaging stimuli for the scientific and academic growth and development of grades 6 - 12 student and teacher participants and undergraduates. (This program is supported by NSF OEDG grant #1108281.)

Experimental and theoretical studies on the gas/solid/gas transformation cycle in extraterrestrial environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cottin, Hervé; Gazeau, Marie-Claire; Chaquin, Patrick; Raulin, François; Bénilan, Yves

2001-12-01

The ubiquity of molecular material in the universe, from hydrogen to complex organic matter, is the result of intermixed physicochemical processes that have occurred throughout history. In particular, the gas/solid/gas phase transformation cycle plays a key role in chemical evolution of organic matter from the interstellar medium to planetary systems. This paper focuses on two examples that are representative of the diversity of environments where such transformations occur in the Solar System: (1) the photolytic evolution from gaseous to solid material in methane containing planetary atmospheres and (2) the degradation of high molecular weight compounds into gas phase molecules in comets. We are currently developing two programs which couple experimental and theoretical studies. The aim of this research is to provide data necessary to build models in order to better understand (1) the photochemical evolution of Titan's atmosphere, through a laboratory program to determine quantitative spectroscopic data on long carbon chain molecules (polyynes) obtained in the SCOOP program (French acronym for Spectroscopy of Organic Compounds Oriented for Planetology), and (2) the extended sources in comets, through a laboratory program of quantitative studies of photochemical and thermal degradation processes on relevant polymers (e.g., Polyoxymethylene) by the SEMAPhOrE Cometaire program (French acronym for Experimental Simulation and Modeling Applied to Organic Chemistry in Cometary Environment).

A user interface development tool for space science systems Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) Plus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szczur, Martha R.

1990-01-01

The Transportable Applications Environment Plus (TAE PLUS), developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, is a portable What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) user interface development and management system. Its primary objective is to provide an integrated software environment that allows interactive prototyping and development that of user interfaces, as well as management of the user interface within the operational domain. Although TAE Plus is applicable to many types of applications, its focus is supporting user interfaces for space applications. This paper discusses what TAE Plus provides and how the implementation has utilized state-of-the-art technologies within graphic workstations, windowing systems and object-oriented programming languages.

TkPl_SU: An Open-source Perl Script Builder for Seismic Unix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenzo, J. M.

2017-12-01

TkPl_SU (beta) is a graphical user interface (GUI) to select parameters for Seismic Unix (SU) modules. Seismic Unix (Stockwell, 1999) is a widely distributed free software package for processing seismic reflection and signal processing. Perl/Tk is a mature, well-documented and free object-oriented graphical user interface for Perl. In a classroom environment, shell scripting of SU modules engages students and helps focus on the theoretical limitations and strengths of signal processing. However, complex interactive processing stages, e.g., selection of optimal stacking velocities, killing bad data traces, or spectral analysis requires advanced flows beyond the scope of introductory classes. In a research setting, special functionality from other free seismic processing software such as SioSeis (UCSD-NSF) can be incorporated readily via an object-oriented style to programming. An object oriented approach is a first step toward efficient extensible programming of multi-step processes, and a simple GUI simplifies parameter selection and decision making. Currently, in TkPl_SU, Perl 5 packages wrap 19 of the most common SU modules that are used in teaching undergraduate and first-year graduate student classes (e.g., filtering, display, velocity analysis and stacking). Perl packages (classes) can advantageously add new functionality around each module and clarify parameter names for easier usage. For example, through the use of methods, packages can isolate the user from repetitive control structures, as well as replace the names of abbreviated parameters with self-describing names. Moose, an extension of the Perl 5 object system, greatly facilitates an object-oriented style. Perl wrappers are self-documenting via Perl programming document markup language.

FabricS: A user-friendly, complete and robust software for particle shape-fabric analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno Chávez, G.; Castillo Rivera, F.; Sarocchi, D.; Borselli, L.; Rodríguez-Sedano, L. A.

2018-06-01

Shape-fabric is a textural parameter related to the spatial arrangement of elongated particles in geological samples. Its usefulness spans a range from sedimentary petrology to igneous and metamorphic petrology. Independently of the process being studied, when a material flows, the elongated particles are oriented with the major axis in the direction of flow. In sedimentary petrology this information has been used for studies of paleo-flow direction of turbidites, the origin of quartz sediments, and locating ignimbrite vents, among others. In addition to flow direction and its polarity, the method enables flow rheology to be inferred. The use of shape-fabric has been limited due to the difficulties of automatically measuring particles and analyzing them with reliable circular statistics programs. This has dampened interest in the method for a long time. Shape-fabric measurement has increased in popularity since the 1980s thanks to the development of new image analysis techniques and circular statistics software. However, the programs currently available are unreliable, old and are incompatible with newer operating systems, or require programming skills. The goal of our work is to develop a user-friendly program, in the MATLAB environment, with a graphical user interface, that can process images and includes editing functions, and thresholds (elongation and size) for selecting a particle population and analyzing it with reliable circular statistics algorithms. Moreover, the method also has to produce rose diagrams, orientation vectors, and a complete series of statistical parameters. All these requirements are met by our new software. In this paper, we briefly explain the methodology from collection of oriented samples in the field to the minimum number of particles needed to obtain reliable fabric data. We obtained the data using specific statistical tests and taking into account the degree of iso-orientation of the samples and the required degree of reliability. The program has been verified by means of several simulations performed using appropriately designed features and by analyzing real samples.

Best practices of formal new graduate nurse transition programs: an integrative review.

PubMed

Rush, Kathy L; Adamack, Monica; Gordon, Jason; Lilly, Meredith; Janke, Robert

2013-03-01

The aim of this review was to identify best practices of formal new graduate nurse transition programs. This information would be useful for organizations in their support and development of formal transition programs for newly hired nurses. An integrative review of the nursing research literature (2000-2011). The literature search included PubMed (MEDLINE), the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and the Excerpta Medica Database (Embase). Studies that dealt with programs geared toward pre-registration nursing students were removed. At least two researchers evaluated the literature to determine if the article met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The final number of articles included in this review is 47. Cooper's (1989) five-stage approach to integrative review guided the process: problem formulation, data collection, evaluation of data points, data analysis and interpretation, presentation of results. Transition program literature was examined according to four major themes: Education (pre-registration and practice), Support/Satisfaction, Competency and Critical Thinking, and Workplace Environment. This included new graduates' retrospective accounts of their undergraduate education and examination of orientation and formal supports provided beyond the traditional unit orientation period. Transition programs included residencies, internships, mentorships, extended preceptorships, and generic programs. Common elements of programs were a specified resource person(s) for new graduates, mentor (mentorship), formal education, and peer support opportunities. The length, type of education, and supports provided varied considerably among programs, yet the presence of a transition program resulted in improved new graduate nurse retention and cost benefits. The variability in research designs limits the conclusions that can be drawn about best practices in transition programs for new graduate nurses. The presence of a formal new graduate transition program resulted in good retention and improved competency. The stronger evidence suggests that new graduate education should focus on practical skill development, preceptors should receive a level of formal training, formal support should be available at least through the difficult six to nine month post-hire period, opportunities for connection with their peers should be provided, and organizations should strive to ensure clinical units with healthy work environments. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brock BaseCamp--Outdoor Orientation Programs Come to Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connell, Tim

2011-01-01

What exactly is an "outdoor orientation program?" First offered in the United States in the 1930s by Dartmouth College, outdoor orientation programs (OOPs) use adventure programming to help incoming students adjust to university or college. Typically, these programs are conducted in a wilderness or backcountry setting, are several days…

Applications of AN OO Methodology and Case to a Daq System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bee, C. P.; Eshghi, S.; Jones, R.; Kolos, S.; Magherini, C.; Maidantchik, C.; Mapelli, L.; Mornacchi, G.; Niculescu, M.; Patel, A.; Prigent, D.; Spiwoks, R.; Soloviev, I.; Caprini, M.; Duval, P. Y.; Etienne, F.; Ferrato, D.; Le van Suu, A.; Qian, Z.; Gaponenko, I.; Merzliakov, Y.; Ambrosini, G.; Ferrari, R.; Fumagalli, G.; Polesello, G.

The RD13 project has evaluated the use of the Object Oriented Information Engineering (OOIE) method during the development of several software components connected to the DAQ system. The method is supported by a sophisticated commercial CASE tool (Object Management Workbench) and programming environment (Kappa) which covers the full life-cycle of the software including model simulation, code generation and application deployment. This paper gives an overview of the method, CASE tool, DAQ components which have been developed and we relate our experiences with the method and tool, its integration into our development environment and the spiral lifecycle it supports.

Computer Programming Games and Gender Oriented Cultural Forms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AlSulaiman, Sarah Abdulmalik

I present the design and evaluation of two games designed to help elementary and middle school students learn computer programming concepts. The first game was designed to be "gender neutral", aligning with might be described as a consensus opinion on best practices for computational learning environments. The second game, based on the cultural form of dress up dolls was deliberately designed to appeal to females. I recruited 70 participants in an international two-phase study to investigate the relationship between games, gender, attitudes towards computer programming, and learning. My findings suggest that while the two games were equally effective in terms of learning outcomes, I saw differences in motivation between players of the two games. Specifically, participants who reported a preference for female- oriented games were more motivated to learn about computer programming when they played a game that they perceived as designed for females. In addition, I describe how the two games seemed to encourage different types of social activity between players in a classroom setting. Based on these results, I reflect on the strategy of exclusively designing games and activities as "gender neutral", and suggest that employing cultural forms, including gendered ones, may help create a more productive experience for learners.

Outcomes of a College Wilderness Orientation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lien, Matt; Goldenberg, Marni

2012-01-01

Wilderness orientation programs have been utilized by colleges and universities in the United States for nearly 75 years. This study, using means-end theory, reveals the outcomes of a wilderness orientation program for incoming students. A retroactive study was conducted for all participants who had taken part in a wilderness orientation program…

High level language-based robotic control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Guillermo (Inventor); Kruetz, Kenneth K. (Inventor); Jain, Abhinandan (Inventor)

1994-01-01

This invention is a robot control system based on a high level language implementing a spatial operator algebra. There are two high level languages included within the system. At the highest level, applications programs can be written in a robot-oriented applications language including broad operators such as MOVE and GRASP. The robot-oriented applications language statements are translated into statements in the spatial operator algebra language. Programming can also take place using the spatial operator algebra language. The statements in the spatial operator algebra language from either source are then translated into machine language statements for execution by a digital control computer. The system also includes the capability of executing the control code sequences in a simulation mode before actual execution to assure proper action at execution time. The robot's environment is checked as part of the process and dynamic reconfiguration is also possible. The languages and system allow the programming and control of multiple arms and the use of inward/outward spatial recursions in which every computational step can be related to a transformation from one point in the mechanical robot to another point to name two major advantages.

High level language-based robotic control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Guillermo (Inventor); Kreutz, Kenneth K. (Inventor); Jain, Abhinandan (Inventor)

1996-01-01

This invention is a robot control system based on a high level language implementing a spatial operator algebra. There are two high level languages included within the system. At the highest level, applications programs can be written in a robot-oriented applications language including broad operators such as MOVE and GRASP. The robot-oriented applications language statements are translated into statements in the spatial operator algebra language. Programming can also take place using the spatial operator algebra language. The statements in the spatial operator algebra language from either source are then translated into machine language statements for execution by a digital control computer. The system also includes the capability of executing the control code sequences in a simulation mode before actual execution to assure proper action at execution time. The robot's environment is checked as part of the process and dynamic reconfiguration is also possible. The languages and system allow the programming and control of multiple arms and the use of inward/outward spatial recursions in which every computational step can be related to a transformation from one point in the mechanical robot to another point to name two major advantages.

Immigrant College Scholars in STEM: Generational Status, Family Achievement-Orientation, and Academic Outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beason, Tiffany S.

Previous research has demonstrated that higher academic achievement among children of immigrants is related to higher academic expectations and aspirations among immigrant parents as compared to U.S.-born parents. The current study sought to further explore how family environment impacts the relation between immigrant generational status and academic outcomes. Specifically, it was hypothesized that family achievement-orientation, or family attitudes towards success at work or school, mediates the relation between immigrant generational status and academic outcomes (i.e. college GPA and career choice as indicated by graduate program entry). Results indicate that family achievement-orientation is higher among African American/Black children of immigrants than African Americans with US-born parents. Furthermore, African American/Black children of immigrants pursue the M.D. over the Ph.D. more often than their counterparts with US-born parents. The study concludes with a discussion of implications for future research.

Peer Support in Full-Service Partnerships: A Multiple Case Study Analysis.

PubMed

Siantz, Elizabeth; Henwood, Benjamin; Gilmer, Todd

2017-07-01

Peer providers are integral to Full Service Partnerships (FSPs), which are team-based mental health service models. Peer providers use principles of recovery to engage clients, but FSPs can vary in their recovery orientation. Whether and how peer recovery orientation reflects the organizational environments of FSPs is unclear. This qualitative study explored peer provider attitudes towards recovery within the organizational contexts of FSPs where they are employed. Case study analysis was conducted on eight purposively sampled FSPs using qualitative interviews with peer providers and program directors. In two cases, peer recovery attitudes diverged from those of their organizational context. In these cases, peer providers were champions for recovery, and used practice-based strategies to promote client autonomy despite working in settings with lower recovery orientation. Peer providers could be uniquely positioned to promote client autonomy in settings where organizational factors limit consumer choice.

MSIX - A general and user-friendly platform for RAM analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Z. J.; Blemel, Peter

The authors present a CAD (computer-aided design) platform supporting RAM (reliability, availability, and maintainability) analysis with efficient system description and alternative evaluation. The design concepts, implementation techniques, and application results are described. This platform is user-friendly because of its graphic environment, drawing facilities, object orientation, self-tutoring, and access to the operating system. The programs' independency and portability make them generally applicable to various analysis tasks.

A study of human performance in a rotating environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, J. A.; Peacock, J. L.; Holm, A. P.

1971-01-01

Consideration is given to the lack of sufficient data relative to the response of man to the attendant oculovestibular stimulations induced by multi-directional movement of an individual within the rotating environment to provide the required design criteria. This was done to determine the overall impact of artificial gravity simulations on potential design configurations and crew operational procedures. Gross locomotion and fine motor performance were evaluated. Results indicate that crew orientation, rotational rates, vehicle design configurations, and operational procedures may be used to reduce the severity of the adverse effects of the Coriolis and cross-coupled angular accelerations acting on masses moving within a rotating environment. Results further indicate that crew selection, motivation, and short-term exposures to the rotating environment may be important considerations for future crew indoctrination and training programs.

Wilderness Orientation Programs. AEE White Papers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association for Experiential Education (NJ1), 2011

2011-01-01

Wilderness orientation programs (sometimes referred to as outdoor orientation programs) use adventure programming for incoming college/university students to aid students' adjustment to college. These experiences usually occur in the days or weeks immediately prior to the first semester of the students' college coursework. They are typically…

Adult Students' Achievement Goal Orientations and Evaluations of the Learning Environment: A Person-Centred Longitudinal Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pulkka, Antti-Tuomas; Niemivirta, Markku

2013-01-01

This study focused on the stability and change in students' achievement goal orientations and whether the students' perceptions of the learning environment vary as a function of their achievement goal orientations. Participants were 169 students of the Finnish National Defense University. The students' goal orientations and their evaluations of…

Have You Been Oriented? An Analysis of New Student Orientation and E-Orientation Programs at U.S. Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Matthew

2017-01-01

This study provides an overview and a snapshot of new student orientation (NSO) and new student e-orientation (NSEO) programs, with a focus on the content and feature analysis of the NSEOs. It offers an overview of currently available NSO programs of 100 randomly selected community colleges from a master list of nearly 900 community colleges in…

Cognitive characteristics of learning Java, an object-oriented programming language

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Garry Lynn

Industry and Academia are moving from procedural programming languages (e.g., COBOL) to object-oriented programming languages, such as Java for the Internet. Past studies in the cognitive aspects of programming have focused primarily on procedural programming languages. Some of the languages used have been Pascal, C, Basic, FORTAN, and COBOL. Object-oriented programming (OOP) represents a new paradigm for computing. Industry is finding that programmers are having difficulty shifting to this new programming paradigm. This instruction in OOP is currently starting in colleges and universities across the country. What are the cognitive aspects for this new OOP language Java? When is a student developmentally ready to handle the cognitive characteristics of the OOP language Java? Which cognitive teaching style is best for this OOP language Java? Questions such as the aforementioned are the focus of this research Such research is needed to improve understanding of the learning process and identify students' difficulties with OOP methods. This can enhance academic teaching and industry training (Scholtz, 1993; Sheetz, 1997; Rosson, 1990). Cognitive development as measured by the Propositional Logic Test, cognitive style as measured by the Hemispheric Mode Indicator, and physical hemispheric dominance as measured by a self-report survey were obtained from thirty-six university students studying Java programming. Findings reveal that physical hemispheric dominance is unrelated to cognitive and programming language variables. However, both procedural and object oriented programming require Piaget's formal operation cognitive level as indicated by the Propositional Logic Test. This is consistent with prior research A new finding is that object oriented programming also requires formal operation cognitive level. Another new finding is that object oriented programming appears to be unrelated to hemispheric cognitive style as indicated by the Hemispheric Mode Indicator (HMI). This research suggests that object oriented programming is hemispheric thinking style friendly, while procedural programming is left hemispheric cognitive style. The conclusion is that cognitive characteristics are not the cause for the difficulty in shifting from procedural to this new programming paradigm of object oriented programming. An alternative possibility to the difficulty is proactive interference. Prior learning of procedural programming makes it harder to learning object oriented programming. Further research is needed to determine if proactive interference is the cause for the difficulty in shifting from procedural programming to object oriented programming.

Competitive evaluation of failure detection algorithms for strapdown redundant inertial instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilcox, J. C.

1973-01-01

Algorithms for failure detection, isolation, and correction of redundant inertial instruments in the strapdown dodecahedron configuration are competitively evaluated in a digital computer simulation that subjects them to identical environments. Their performance is compared in terms of orientation and inertial velocity errors and in terms of missed and false alarms. The algorithms appear in the simulation program in modular form, so that they may be readily extracted for use elsewhere. The simulation program and its inputs and outputs are described. The algorithms, along with an eight algorithm that was not simulated, also compared analytically to show the relationships among them.

20 CFR 638.500 - Orientation program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Orientation program. 638.500 Section 638.500 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR JOB CORPS PROGRAM UNDER TITLE IV-B OF THE JOB TRAINING PARTNERSHIP ACT Center Operations § 638.500 Orientation program. The...

Feared, Forgotten, or Forbidden: Sexual Orientation Topics in Secondary Teacher Preparation Programs in the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherwin, Gary; Jennings, Todd

2006-01-01

This study examined the coverage of sexual orientation topics within 77 public university secondary teacher preparation programs across seven US states, and represented programs preparing 8,300-11,500 teachers annually. Findings indicated that 40% of programs did not address sexual orientation as a diversity topic. Further, even programs that did…

The Impact of an Outdoor Orientation Program on First-Year Student Perceptions of Life Effectiveness and Campus Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lathrop, Anna H.; O'Connell, Timothy S.; Howard, Ryan A.

2012-01-01

Although outdoor orientation programs, as a special type of orientation designed to enhance student retention, are relatively commonplace in the United States - we are not aware of any such campuswide initiatives in Canada. Research indicates that outdoor orientation programs impact students in a positive way, enhancing academic success, personal…

Supranormal orientation selectivity of visual neurons in orientation-restricted animals.

PubMed

Sasaki, Kota S; Kimura, Rui; Ninomiya, Taihei; Tabuchi, Yuka; Tanaka, Hiroki; Fukui, Masayuki; Asada, Yusuke C; Arai, Toshiya; Inagaki, Mikio; Nakazono, Takayuki; Baba, Mika; Kato, Daisuke; Nishimoto, Shinji; Sanada, Takahisa M; Tani, Toshiki; Imamura, Kazuyuki; Tanaka, Shigeru; Ohzawa, Izumi

2015-11-16

Altered sensory experience in early life often leads to remarkable adaptations so that humans and animals can make the best use of the available information in a particular environment. By restricting visual input to a limited range of orientations in young animals, this investigation shows that stimulus selectivity, e.g., the sharpness of tuning of single neurons in the primary visual cortex, is modified to match a particular environment. Specifically, neurons tuned to an experienced orientation in orientation-restricted animals show sharper orientation tuning than neurons in normal animals, whereas the opposite was true for neurons tuned to non-experienced orientations. This sharpened tuning appears to be due to elongated receptive fields. Our results demonstrate that restricted sensory experiences can sculpt the supranormal functions of single neurons tailored for a particular environment. The above findings, in addition to the minimal population response to orientations close to the experienced one, agree with the predictions of a sparse coding hypothesis in which information is represented efficiently by a small number of activated neurons. This suggests that early brain areas adopt an efficient strategy for coding information even when animals are raised in a severely limited visual environment where sensory inputs have an unnatural statistical structure.

Supranormal orientation selectivity of visual neurons in orientation-restricted animals

PubMed Central

Sasaki, Kota S.; Kimura, Rui; Ninomiya, Taihei; Tabuchi, Yuka; Tanaka, Hiroki; Fukui, Masayuki; Asada, Yusuke C.; Arai, Toshiya; Inagaki, Mikio; Nakazono, Takayuki; Baba, Mika; Kato, Daisuke; Nishimoto, Shinji; Sanada, Takahisa M.; Tani, Toshiki; Imamura, Kazuyuki; Tanaka, Shigeru; Ohzawa, Izumi

2015-01-01

Altered sensory experience in early life often leads to remarkable adaptations so that humans and animals can make the best use of the available information in a particular environment. By restricting visual input to a limited range of orientations in young animals, this investigation shows that stimulus selectivity, e.g., the sharpness of tuning of single neurons in the primary visual cortex, is modified to match a particular environment. Specifically, neurons tuned to an experienced orientation in orientation-restricted animals show sharper orientation tuning than neurons in normal animals, whereas the opposite was true for neurons tuned to non-experienced orientations. This sharpened tuning appears to be due to elongated receptive fields. Our results demonstrate that restricted sensory experiences can sculpt the supranormal functions of single neurons tailored for a particular environment. The above findings, in addition to the minimal population response to orientations close to the experienced one, agree with the predictions of a sparse coding hypothesis in which information is represented efficiently by a small number of activated neurons. This suggests that early brain areas adopt an efficient strategy for coding information even when animals are raised in a severely limited visual environment where sensory inputs have an unnatural statistical structure. PMID:26567927

Sexual differentiation of the human brain in relation to gender identity and sexual orientation.

PubMed

Savic, Ivanka; Garcia-Falgueras, Alicia; Swaab, Dick F

2010-01-01

It is believed that during the intrauterine period the fetal brain develops in the male direction through a direct action of testosterone on the developing nerve cells, or in the female direction through the absence of this hormone surge. According to this concept, our gender identity (the conviction of belonging to the male or female gender) and sexual orientation should be programmed into our brain structures when we are still in the womb. However, since sexual differentiation of the genitals takes place in the first two months of pregnancy and sexual differentiation of the brain starts in the second half of pregnancy, these two processes can be influenced independently, which may result in transsexuality. This also means that in the event of ambiguous sex at birth, the degree of masculinization of the genitals may not reflect the degree of masculinization of the brain. There is no proof that social environment after birth has an effect on gender identity or sexual orientation. Data on genetic and hormone independent influence on gender identity are presently divergent and do not provide convincing information about the underlying etiology. To what extent fetal programming may determine sexual orientation is also a matter of discussion. A number of studies show patterns of sex atypical cerebral dimorphism in homosexual subjects. Although the crucial question, namely how such complex functions as sexual orientation and identity are processed in the brain remains unanswered, emerging data point at a key role of specific neuronal circuits involving the hypothalamus. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantifying kinematic differences between land and water during squats, split squats, and single-leg squats in a healthy population.

PubMed

Severin, Anna C; Burkett, Brendan J; McKean, Mark R; Wiegand, Aaron N; Sayers, Mark G L

2017-01-01

Aquatic exercises can be used in clinical and sporting disciplines for both rehabilitation and sports training. However, there is limited knowledge on the influence of water immersion on the kinematics of exercises commonly used in rehabilitation and fitness programs. The aim of this study was to use inertial sensors to quantify differences in kinematics and movement variability of bodyweight squats, split squats, and single-leg squats performed on dry land and whilst immersed to the level of the greater trochanter. During two separate testing sessions, 25 active healthy university students (22.3±2.9 yr.) performed ten repetitions of each exercise, whilst tri-axial inertial sensors (100 Hz) recorded their trunk and lower body kinematics. Repeated-measures statistics tested for differences in segment orientation and speed, movement variability, and waveform patterns between environments, while coefficient of variance was used to assess differences in movement variability. Between-environment differences in segment orientation and speed were portrayed by plotting the mean difference ±95% confidence intervals (CI) throughout the tasks. The results showed that the depth of the squat and split squat were unaffected by the changed environment while water immersion allowed for a deeper single leg squat. The different environments had significant effects on the sagittal plane orientations and speeds for all segments. Water immersion increased the degree of movement variability of the segments in all exercises, except for the shank in the frontal plane, which showed more variability on land. Without compromising movement depth, the aquatic environment induces more upright trunk and shank postures during squats and split squats. The aquatic environment allows for increased squat depth during the single-leg squat, and increased shank motions in the frontal plane. Our observations therefore support the use of water-based squat tasks for rehabilitation as they appear to improve the technique without compromising movement depth.

Quantifying kinematic differences between land and water during squats, split squats, and single-leg squats in a healthy population

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Aquatic exercises can be used in clinical and sporting disciplines for both rehabilitation and sports training. However, there is limited knowledge on the influence of water immersion on the kinematics of exercises commonly used in rehabilitation and fitness programs. The aim of this study was to use inertial sensors to quantify differences in kinematics and movement variability of bodyweight squats, split squats, and single-leg squats performed on dry land and whilst immersed to the level of the greater trochanter. During two separate testing sessions, 25 active healthy university students (22.3±2.9 yr.) performed ten repetitions of each exercise, whilst tri-axial inertial sensors (100 Hz) recorded their trunk and lower body kinematics. Repeated-measures statistics tested for differences in segment orientation and speed, movement variability, and waveform patterns between environments, while coefficient of variance was used to assess differences in movement variability. Between-environment differences in segment orientation and speed were portrayed by plotting the mean difference ±95% confidence intervals (CI) throughout the tasks. The results showed that the depth of the squat and split squat were unaffected by the changed environment while water immersion allowed for a deeper single leg squat. The different environments had significant effects on the sagittal plane orientations and speeds for all segments. Water immersion increased the degree of movement variability of the segments in all exercises, except for the shank in the frontal plane, which showed more variability on land. Without compromising movement depth, the aquatic environment induces more upright trunk and shank postures during squats and split squats. The aquatic environment allows for increased squat depth during the single-leg squat, and increased shank motions in the frontal plane. Our observations therefore support the use of water-based squat tasks for rehabilitation as they appear to improve the technique without compromising movement depth. PMID:28767683

Investigations Into Internal and External Aspects of Dynamic Agent-Environment Couplings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dautenhahn, Kerstin

This paper originates from my work on `social agents'. An issue which I consider important to this kind of research is the dynamic coupling of an agent with its social and non-social environment. I hypothesize `internal dynamics' inside an agent as a basic step towards understanding. The paper therefore focuses on the internal and external dynamics which couple an agent to its environment. The issue of embodiment in animals and artifacts and its relation to `social dynamics' is discussed first. I argue that embodiment is linked to a concept of a body and is not necessarily given when running a control program on robot hardware. I stress the individual characteristics of an embodied cognitive system, as well as its social embeddedness. I outline the framework of a physical-psychological state space which changes dynamically in a self-modifying way as a holistic approach towards embodied human and artificial cognition. This framework is meant to discuss internal and external dynamics of an embodied, natural or artificial agent. In order to stress the importance of a dynamic memory I introduce the concept of an `autobiographical agent'. The second part of the paper gives an example of the implementation of a physical agent, a robot, which is dynamically coupled to its environment by balancing on a seesaw. For the control of the robot a behavior-oriented approach using the dynamical systems metaphor is used. The problem is studied through building a complete and co-adapted robot-environment system. A seesaw which varies its orientation with one or two degrees of freedom is used as the artificial `habitat'. The problem of stabilizing the body axis by active motion on a seesaw is solved by using two inclination sensors and a parallel, behavior-oriented control architecture. Some experiments are described which demonstrate the exploitation of the dynamics of the robot-environment system.

Is the racial composition of your surroundings associated with your levels of social dominance orientation?

PubMed

Radke, Helena R M; Hornsey, Matthew J; Sibley, Chris G; Thai, Michael; Barlow, Fiona Kate

2017-01-01

We investigate the extent to which minority group members are surrounded by outgroup members in their immediate environment as a predictor of social dominance orientation. Using a large representative sample of New Zealanders, we found that minority group members in outgroup dense environments reported lower levels of social dominance orientation (Study 1). In studies 2 and 3, Asian Australian and Black American participants who were surrounded by outgroup members reported lower social dominance orientation. For majority group (White) participants there was no association between social dominance orientation and outgroup density. Study 4 explained the overall pattern: Black Americans surrounded by outgroup members perceived their group to be of lower status in their immediate environment, and through this, reported lower social dominance orientation. This article adds to growing literature on contextual factors that predict social dominance orientation, especially among minority group members.

Development of a computer program data base of a navigation aid environment for simulated IFR flight and landing studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bergeron, H. P.; Haynie, A. T.; Mcdede, J. B.

1980-01-01

A general aviation single pilot instrument flight rule simulation capability was developed. Problems experienced by single pilots flying in IFR conditions were investigated. The simulation required a three dimensional spatial navaid environment of a flight navigational area. A computer simulation of all the navigational aids plus 12 selected airports located in the Washington/Norfolk area was developed. All programmed locations in the list were referenced to a Cartesian coordinate system with the origin located at a specified airport's reference point. All navigational aids with their associated frequencies, call letters, locations, and orientations plus runways and true headings are included in the data base. The simulation included a TV displayed out-the-window visual scene of country and suburban terrain and a scaled model runway complex. Any of the programmed runways, with all its associated navaids, can be referenced to a runway on the airport in this visual scene. This allows a simulation of a full mission scenario including breakout and landing.

NASULGC Council on Extension, Committee on Program Innovation and Action Oriented Research; 1968 Report. Part 1. Program Innovations. Part 2. Action Oriented Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, Washington, DC.

This report on extension activities of member institutions of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges describes 91 program innovations and action oriented research activities. Objectives, sponsorship, program evaluations, and other data are cited for program innovations in such areas as continuing medical education,…

ENGAGE: A Different New Nurse Orientation Program.

PubMed

Green, Vivian Barnes

2016-01-01

General new nurse orientation is often perceived as a program consisting of several long days of passively receiving information about an institution's policies, procedures, and other regulatory matters. As a result, orientation may be viewed as something to endure and not enjoy. The purpose of redesigning the new nurse orientation into ENGAGE (Essential Nursing Guidance and Growth Experience) was to make the general new nurse orientation program more engaging and meaningful, as well as fun. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

The Nature of an Object-Oriented Program: How Do Practitioners Understand the Nature of What They Are Creating?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Errol; Kinshuk

2011-01-01

Object-oriented programming is seen as a difficult skill to master. There is considerable debate about the most appropriate way to introduce novice programmers to object-oriented concepts. Is it possible to uncover what the critical aspects or features are that enhance the learning of object-oriented programming? Practitioners have differing…

Aspect-Oriented Subprogram Synthesizes UML Sequence Diagrams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barry, Matthew R.; Osborne, Richard N.

2006-01-01

The Rational Sequence computer program described elsewhere includes a subprogram that utilizes the capability for aspect-oriented programming when that capability is present. This subprogram is denoted the Rational Sequence (AspectJ) component because it uses AspectJ, which is an extension of the Java programming language that introduces aspect-oriented programming techniques into the language

A Multi-Level Assessment of the Impact of Orientation Programs on Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayhew, Matthew J.; Vanderlinden, Kim; Kim, Eun Kyung

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of orientation programs on student academic and social learning. Moving beyond previous studies, we examined how participation in orientation programming affected student learning and how the impact of these programs on learning varied by organizational characteristics (i.e., institutional…

The ropes and challenge course: a quasi-experimental examination.

PubMed

Meyer, B B

2000-06-01

In answering the call for empirical documentation of the effect of ropes and challenge course participation on the psychosocial function and sport performance of athletes and teams, exploratory studies have identified postcourse changes in group cohesion and approaches to sport competition. The purpose of the current study was to utilize a pretest-posttest comparison group design to expand knowledge in this area. 35 members of a girls' high school tennis team participated. The 16 individuals who participated in a preseason program and the 19 individuals who did not comprised the treatment and comparison groups, respectively. Team members completed the Group Environment Questionnaire and the Sport Orientation Questionnaire four days prior to and two days after the course experience. A series of 2 x 2 analyses of variance, (group x time) run on each of the scales, gave a significant group x time interaction on one social cohesion scale but none for scores on the Sport Orientation Questionnaire. The findings are discussed in relation to research and the implementation of these programs with athletes.

Job-Oriented Basic Skills (JOBS) Program: Administrator’s Guide.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-02-01

direction systems, in a clean, corn- target designation fortable shop-like systems, and electro- environment. FT. hydr- aulic fire con- usually work...situations, all types of guninery clean or dirty work, equipment from dadh or shop, and missiles to small any kind of climate arms. or temperature. They...string Their duties may wires, and install be carried out in transformers and tropical or arctic distribution panels, climates in many different work 3

Approaches in highly parameterized inversion - PEST++, a Parameter ESTimation code optimized for large environmental models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Welter, David E.; Doherty, John E.; Hunt, Randall J.; Muffels, Christopher T.; Tonkin, Matthew J.; Schreuder, Willem A.

2012-01-01

An object-oriented parameter estimation code was developed to incorporate benefits of object-oriented programming techniques for solving large parameter estimation modeling problems. The code is written in C++ and is a formulation and expansion of the algorithms included in PEST, a widely used parameter estimation code written in Fortran. The new code is called PEST++ and is designed to lower the barriers of entry for users and developers while providing efficient algorithms that can accommodate large, highly parameterized problems. This effort has focused on (1) implementing the most popular features of PEST in a fashion that is easy for novice or experienced modelers to use and (2) creating a software design that is easy to extend; that is, this effort provides a documented object-oriented framework designed from the ground up to be modular and extensible. In addition, all PEST++ source code and its associated libraries, as well as the general run manager source code, have been integrated in the Microsoft Visual Studio® 2010 integrated development environment. The PEST++ code is designed to provide a foundation for an open-source development environment capable of producing robust and efficient parameter estimation tools for the environmental modeling community into the future.

Home-based bimanual training based on motor learning principles in children with unilateral cerebral palsy and their parents (the COAD-study): rationale and protocols.

PubMed

Schnackers, Marlous; Beckers, Laura; Janssen-Potten, Yvonne; Aarts, Pauline; Rameckers, Eugène; van der Burg, Jan; de Groot, Imelda; Smeets, Rob; Geurts, Sander; Steenbergen, Bert

2018-04-18

Home-based training is considered an important intervention in rehabilitation of children with unilateral cerebral palsy. Despite consensus on the value of home-based upper limb training, no evidence-based best practice exists. Promoting compliance of children to adhere to an intensive program while keeping parental stress levels low is an important challenge when designing home-based training programs. Incorporating implicit motor learning principles emerges to be a promising method to resolve this challenge. Here we describe two protocols for home-based bimanual training programs, one based on implicit motor learning principles and one based on explicit motor learning principles, for children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy aged 2 through 7 years. Children receive goal-oriented, task-specific bimanual training in their home environment from their parents for 3.5 h/week for 12 weeks according to an individualized program. Parents will be intensively coached by a multidisciplinary team, consisting of a pediatric therapist and remedial educationalist. Both programs consist of a preparation phase (goal setting, introductory meetings with coaching professionals, design of individualized program, instruction of parents, home visit) and home-based training phase (training, video-recordings, registrations, and telecoaching and home visits by the coaching team). The programs contrast with respect to the teaching strategy, i.e. how the parents support their child during training. In both programs parents provide their child with instructions and feedback that focus on the activity (i.e. task-oriented) or the result of the activity (i.e. result-oriented). However, in the explicit program parents are in addition instructed to give exact instructions and feedback on the motor performance of the bimanual activities, whereas in the implicit program the use of both hands and the appropriate motor performance of the activity are elicited via manipulation of the organization of the activities. With the protocols described here, we aim to take a next step in the development of much needed evidence-based home-based training programs for children with unilateral cerebral palsy.

Developing Flexible Discrete Event Simulation Models in an Uncertain Policy Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miranda, David J.; Fayez, Sam; Steele, Martin J.

2011-01-01

On February 1st, 2010 U.S. President Barack Obama submitted to Congress his proposed budget request for Fiscal Year 2011. This budget included significant changes to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), including the proposed cancellation of the Constellation Program. This change proved to be controversial and Congressional approval of the program's official cancellation would take many months to complete. During this same period an end-to-end discrete event simulation (DES) model of Constellation operations was being built through the joint efforts of Productivity Apex Inc. (PAl) and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) teams under the guidance of NASA. The uncertainty in regards to the Constellation program presented a major challenge to the DES team, as to: continue the development of this program-of-record simulation, while at the same time remain prepared for possible changes to the program. This required the team to rethink how it would develop it's model and make it flexible enough to support possible future vehicles while at the same time be specific enough to support the program-of-record. This challenge was compounded by the fact that this model was being developed through the traditional DES process-orientation which lacked the flexibility of object-oriented approaches. The team met this challenge through significant pre-planning that led to the "modularization" of the model's structure by identifying what was generic, finding natural logic break points, and the standardization of interlogic numbering system. The outcome of this work resulted in a model that not only was ready to be easily modified to support any future rocket programs, but also a model that was extremely structured and organized in a way that facilitated rapid verification. This paper discusses in detail the process the team followed to build this model and the many advantages this method provides builders of traditional process-oriented discrete event simulations.

SPICE Module for the Satellite Orbit Analysis Program (SOAP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coggi, John; Carnright, Robert; Hildebrand, Claude

2008-01-01

A SPICE module for the Satellite Orbit Analysis Program (SOAP) precisely represents complex motion and maneuvers in an interactive, 3D animated environment with support for user-defined quantitative outputs. (SPICE stands for Spacecraft, Planet, Instrument, Camera-matrix, and Events). This module enables the SOAP software to exploit NASA mission ephemeris represented in the JPL Ancillary Information Facility (NAIF) SPICE formats. Ephemeris types supported include position, velocity, and orientation for spacecraft and planetary bodies including the Sun, planets, natural satellites, comets, and asteroids. Entire missions can now be imported into SOAP for 3D visualization, playback, and analysis. The SOAP analysis and display features can now leverage detailed mission files to offer the analyst both a numerically correct and aesthetically pleasing combination of results that can be varied to study many hypothetical scenarios. The software provides a modeling and simulation environment that can encompass a broad variety of problems using orbital prediction. For example, ground coverage analysis, communications analysis, power and thermal analysis, and 3D visualization that provide the user with insight into complex geometric relations are included. The SOAP SPICE module allows distributed science and engineering teams to share common mission models of known pedigree, which greatly reduces duplication of effort and the potential for error. The use of the software spans all phases of the space system lifecycle, from the study of future concepts to operations and anomaly analysis. It allows SOAP software to correctly position and orient all of the principal bodies of the Solar System within a single simulation session along with multiple spacecraft trajectories and the orientation of mission payloads. In addition to the 3D visualization, the user can define numeric variables and x-y plots to quantitatively assess metrics of interest.

The Usefulness of Learning Objects in Industry Oriented Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernando, Shantha; Sol, Henk; Dahanayake, Ajantha

2012-01-01

A model is presented to evaluate the usefulness of learning objects for industry oriented learning environments that emphasise training university graduates for job opportunities in a competitive industry oriented economy. Knowledge workers of the industry seek continuous professional development to keep their skills and knowledge up to date. Many…

Reentry Orientation and Alumni Networking in U.S. Colleges and Universities with Agriculture and Natural Resources Programs. Survey Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huntsberger, Paul E.

This report presents results of a survey of U.S. postsecondary institutions with agriculture and natural resources programs, concerning institutional support for reentry orientation and alumni networking programs. Reentry orientation" involves programs that help international students become aware of the adjustment aspects of returning home,…

Selected issues of the universal communication environment implementation for CII standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zagoździńska, Agnieszka; Poźniak, Krzysztof T.; Drabik, Paweł K.

2011-10-01

In the contemporary FPGA market there is the wide assortment of structures, integrated development environments, and boards of different producers. The variety allows to fit resources to requirements of the individual designer. There is the need of standardization of the projects to make it useful in research laboratories equipped with different producers tools. Proposed solution is CII standardization of VHDL components. This paper contains specification of the universal communication environment for CII standard. The link can be used in different FPGA structures. Implementation of the link enables object oriented VHDL programming with the use of CII standardization. The whole environment contains FPGA environment and PC software. The paper contains description of the selected issues of FPGA environment. There is description of some specific solutions that enables environment usage in structures of different producers. The flexibility of different size data transmissions with the use of CII is presented. The specified tool gives the opportunity to use FPGA structures variety fully and design faster and more effectively.

Tailoring Software Inspections for Aspect-Oriented Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Charlette Ward

2009-01-01

Aspect-Oriented Software Development (AOSD) is a new approach that addresses limitations inherent in conventional programming, especially the principle of separation of concerns by emphasizing the encapsulation and modularization of crosscutting concerns through a new abstraction, the "aspect." Aspect-oriented programming is an emerging AOSD…

Gender differences among prisoners in drug treatment.

PubMed

Langan, N P; Pelissier, B M

2001-01-01

Nearly all prison-based substance abuse treatment programs have been designed with male prisoners in mind. Administering these male-oriented programs to women prisoners has been the standard correctional practice. Recently, this practice has received considerable criticism. Critics argue that female prisoners have special needs that are not met by programs originally designed for male prisoners. However, most of the empirical support for the existence of such special needs rely on two inappropriate samples: prisoners who are not in treatment and treatment participants who are not incarcerated. Findings from these two different groups may not be generalizable to the population of prisoners in treatment. This paper directly addresses this generalizability problem with an examination of gender differences among 1,326 male and 318 female federal prisoners who were enrolled in a substance abuse treatment program. Women used drugs more frequently, used harder drugs, and used them for different reasons than men. Women also confronted more difficulties than men in areas linked to substance abuse such as educational background, childhood family environment, adult social environment, mental health, and physical health. We find support for the argument that substance abuse treatment programs which were originally designed for men may be inappropriate for the treatment of women.

Neighborhood walkability and walking behavior: the moderating role of action orientation.

PubMed

Friederichs, Stijn A H; Kremers, Stef P J; Lechner, Lilian; de Vries, Nanne K

2013-05-01

In promoting physical activity, it is important to gain insight into environmental factors that facilitate or hinder physical activity and factors that may influence this environment-behavior relationship. As the personality factor of action orientation reflects an individual's capacity to regulate behavior it may act as a moderator in the environment-behavior relationship. The current study addressed the relationship between neighborhood walkability and walking behavior and the influence of action orientation on this relationship. Three hundred and forty-seven Dutch inhabitants [mean age 43.1 (SD 17.1)] completed a web based questionnaire assessing demographic variables, neighborhood walkability (Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale), variables of the Theory of Planned Behavior, action orientation, and walking behavior. The results show that high levels of neighborhood walkability are positively associated with walking behavior and that this influence is largely unmediated by cognitive processes. A positive influence of neighborhood walkability on walking behavior was identified in the action-oriented subpopulation, whereas in the state-oriented part of the population, this influence was absent. The findings suggest that the influence of neighborhood environment on walking behavior has a relatively large unconscious, automatic component. In addition, the results suggest that the walkability-walking relationship is moderated by action orientation.

Effects and feasibility of a multi-disciplinary orientation program for newly registered cancer patients: design of a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Chan, Raymond; Webster, Joan; Bennett, Linda

2009-11-11

Diagnosis and treatment of cancer can contribute to psychological distress and anxiety amongst patients. Evidence indicates that information giving can be beneficial in reducing patient anxiety, so oncology specific information may have a major impact on this patient group. This study investigates the effects of an orientation program on levels of anxiety and self-efficacy amongst newly registered cancer patients who are about to undergo chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy in the cancer care centre of a large tertiary Australian hospital. The concept of interventions for orienting new cancer patients needs revisiting due to the dynamic health care system. Historically, most orientation programs at this cancer centre were conducted by one nurse. A randomised controlled trial has been designed to test the effectiveness of an orientation program with bundled interventions; a face-to-face program which includes introduction to the hospital facilities, introduction to the multi-disciplinary team and an overview of treatment side effects and self care strategies. The aim is to orientate patients to the cancer centre and to meet the health care team. We hypothesize that patients who receive this orientation will experience lower levels of anxiety and distress, and a higher level of self-efficacy. An orientation program is a common health care service provided by cancer care centres for new cancer patients. Such programs aim to give information to patients at the beginning of their encounter at a cancer care centre. It is clear in the literature that interventions that aim to improve self-efficacy in patients may demonstrate potential improvement in health outcomes. Yet, evidence on the effects of orientation programs for cancer patients on self-efficacy remains scarce, particularly with respect to the use of multidisciplinary team members. This paper presents the design of a randomised controlled trial that will evaluate the effects and feasibility of a multidisciplinary orientation program for new cancer patients. Current Controlled Trials ACTRN12609000018213.

PAL: an object-oriented programming library for molecular evolution and phylogenetics.

PubMed

Drummond, A; Strimmer, K

2001-07-01

Phylogenetic Analysis Library (PAL) is a collection of Java classes for use in molecular evolution and phylogenetics. PAL provides a modular environment for the rapid construction of both special-purpose and general analysis programs. PAL version 1.1 consists of 145 public classes or interfaces in 13 packages, including classes for models of character evolution, maximum-likelihood estimation, and the coalescent, with a total of more than 27000 lines of code. The PAL project is set up as a collaborative project to facilitate contributions from other researchers. AVAILIABILTY: The program is free and is available at http://www.pal-project.org. It requires Java 1.1 or later. PAL is licensed under the GNU General Public License.

BioSmalltalk: a pure object system and library for bioinformatics.

PubMed

Morales, Hernán F; Giovambattista, Guillermo

2013-09-15

We have developed BioSmalltalk, a new environment system for pure object-oriented bioinformatics programming. Adaptive end-user programming systems tend to become more important for discovering biological knowledge, as is demonstrated by the emergence of open-source programming toolkits for bioinformatics in the past years. Our software is intended to bridge the gap between bioscientists and rapid software prototyping while preserving the possibility of scaling to whole-system biology applications. BioSmalltalk performs better in terms of execution time and memory usage than Biopython and BioPerl for some classical situations. BioSmalltalk is cross-platform and freely available (MIT license) through the Google Project Hosting at http://code.google.com/p/biosmalltalk hernan.morales@gmail.com Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

What do junior doctors want in start-of-term orientation?

PubMed

Mulroy, Seonaid; Rogers, Ian R; Janakiramanan, Neela; Rodrigues, Michelle

2007-04-02

A comprehensive but succinct orientation is vital for junior doctors as they rotate through jobs during the early postgraduate years. The orientation process will become increasingly relevant in Australia with the change of work patterns to shorter hours and rotating shift rosters. Although orientation is often thought to be suboptimal, there is limited research published on this important process. Feedback from junior doctors suggests that formalised orientation programs at the start of term are highly valued. Junior doctors themselves should be involved in the development and delivery of the orientation program. Junior doctors appreciate the participation of senior staff in the orientation program, but much of it can be overseen by registrars, nursing staff and allied health staff. Use of a standardised proforma with peer-to-peer delivery can facilitate a smooth orientation.

A component-based software environment for visualizing large macromolecular assemblies.

PubMed

Sanner, Michel F

2005-03-01

The interactive visualization of large biological assemblies poses a number of challenging problems, including the development of multiresolution representations and new interaction methods for navigating and analyzing these complex systems. An additional challenge is the development of flexible software environments that will facilitate the integration and interoperation of computational models and techniques from a wide variety of scientific disciplines. In this paper, we present a component-based software development strategy centered on the high-level, object-oriented, interpretive programming language: Python. We present several software components, discuss their integration, and describe some of their features that are relevant to the visualization of large molecular assemblies. Several examples are given to illustrate the interoperation of these software components and the integration of structural data from a variety of experimental sources. These examples illustrate how combining visual programming with component-based software development facilitates the rapid prototyping of novel visualization tools.

Black churches and HIV/AIDS: factors influencing congregations’ responsiveness to social issues.

PubMed

Fulton, Brad R

2011-01-01

The ambivalent response of many black churches to current social issues has caused some scholars to question the centrality of black churches within African-American communities. Using a nationally representative sample of black congregations, this study engages the debate about the institutional centrality of black churches by focusing on their response to HIV/AIDS. Although many congregational studies treat black churches as a monolithic whole, this analysis identifies heterogeneity among black churches that shapes their responsiveness to social issues. Contrary to prior claims, a congregation's liberal-conservative ideological orientation does not significantly affect its likelihood of having an HIV/AIDS program. Beyond assessing churches’ internal characteristics, this study uses institutional theory to analyze churches as open systems that can be influenced by their surrounding environment. It demonstrates that externally engaged congregations are significantly more likely to have a program. These results indicate that black churches maintain institutional centrality by engaging their external environment.

George Washington High School. Bilingual Academic and Career Orientation Program, 1981-1982. O.E.E. Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotayo, Armando; And Others

The Bilingual Academic and Career Orientation Program (BACOP) at George Washington High School in New York City is a basic bilingual secondary education program with a career orientation focus. In 1981-82, the program offered bilingual instructional and supportive services to 250 Hispanic students of limited English proficiency in grades nine…

THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF THREE TYPES OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR EDUCABLE MENTALLY RETARDED BOYS. FINAL REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GOHEEN, ROYAL L.

THREE PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, SKILL-ORIENTED, PLAY- ORIENTED, AND FREE-PLAY ORIENTED WERE DEVELOPED. THESE PROGRAMS WERE EXAMINED, INITIALLY, BY SEVEN EXPERTS AND THEN SUBJECTED TO A PILOT STUDY. THE REVISED PROGRAMS WERE TAUGHT BY RESEARCH ASSISTANTS TO SIX EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS WHICH INCLUDED 82 BOYS AT TWO STATE SCHOOLS FOR THE MENTALLY…

Short educational programs in optical design and engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voznesenskaya, Anna; Romanova, Galina; Bakholdin, Alexey; Tolstoba, Nadezhda; Ezhova, Kseniia

2016-09-01

Globalization and diversification of education in optical engineering causes a number of new phenomena in students' learning paths. Many students have an interest to get some courses in other universities, to study in international environment, to broaden not only professional skills but social links and see the sights as well etc. Participation in short educational programs (e.g. summer / winter schools, camps etc.) allows students from different universities to learn specific issues in their or in some neighbor field and also earn some ECTS for the transcript of records. ITMO University provides a variety of short educational programs in optical design and engineering oriented for different background level, such are: Introduction into optical engineering, Introduction into applied and computer optics, Optical system design, Image modeling and processing, Design of optical devices and components. Depending on students' educational background these programs are revised and adopted each time. Usually the short educational programs last 4 weeks and provide 4 ECTS. The short programs utilize a set of out-of date educational technologies like problem-based learning, case-study and distance-learning and evaluation. Practically, these technologies provide flexibility of the educational process and intensive growth of the learning outcomes. Students are satisfied with these programs very much. In their feedbacks they point a high level of practical significance, experienced teaching staff, scholarship program, excellent educational environment, as well as interesting social program and organizational support.

The Relation of Prosocial Orientation to Peer Interactions, Family Social Environment and Personality of Chinese Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Hing Keung; Cheung, Ping Chung; Shek, Daniel T. L.

2007-01-01

This study investigated the relation of peer interactions, family social environment and personality to prosocial orientation in Chinese adolescents. The results indicated no sex differences in general prosocial orientation and inclination to help others, but sex differences in inclination to maintain an affective relationship and inclination to…

Myria: Scalable Analytics as a Service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howe, B.; Halperin, D.; Whitaker, A.

2014-12-01

At the UW eScience Institute, we're working to empower non-experts, especially in the sciences, to write and use data-parallel algorithms. To this end, we are building Myria, a web-based platform for scalable analytics and data-parallel programming. Myria's internal model of computation is the relational algebra extended with iteration, such that every program is inherently data-parallel, just as every query in a database is inherently data-parallel. But unlike databases, iteration is a first class concept, allowing us to express machine learning tasks, graph traversal tasks, and more. Programs can be expressed in a number of languages and can be executed on a number of execution environments, but we emphasize a particular language called MyriaL that supports both imperative and declarative styles and a particular execution engine called MyriaX that uses an in-memory column-oriented representation and asynchronous iteration. We deliver Myria over the web as a service, providing an editor, performance analysis tools, and catalog browsing features in a single environment. We find that this web-based "delivery vector" is critical in reaching non-experts: they are insulated from irrelevant effort technical work associated with installation, configuration, and resource management. The MyriaX backend, one of several execution runtimes we support, is a main-memory, column-oriented, RDBMS-on-the-worker system that supports cyclic data flows as a first-class citizen and has been shown to outperform competitive systems on 100-machine cluster sizes. I will describe the Myria system, give a demo, and present some new results in large-scale oceanographic microbiology.

Outdoor Orientation Programs: A Critical Review of Program Impacts on Retention and Graduation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Brent J.; Chang, Hong

2017-01-01

Outdoor orientation programs have a growing literature demonstrating positive impacts with students transitioning to college (Bell, Gass, Nafizer, & Starbuck, 2014). One of the most valued outcomes for colleges and universities is retention of students until successful graduation. This is an outcome few outdoor orientation researchers have…

A Comprehensive Cultural Orientation Program for Refugees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archer, Carol M.

This paper presents the various components of the cultural orientation program as it has developed at the Bilingual Educational Institute (BEI), the organization that is currently awarded the grant for RSS in the Houston area by the state of Texas. This cultural orientation program's topics include the following: employment; healthcare; community…

Assessing New Employee Orientation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acevedo, Jose M.; Yancey, George B.

2011-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the importance of new employee orientation (NEO) programs, the quality of typical NEOs, and how to improve NEOs. Design/methodology/approach: The paper provides a viewpoint of the importance of new employee orientation programs, the quality of typical NEOs, and how to improve NEOs. Findings: Although western…

Program Evaluation: Two Management-Oriented Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alford, Kenneth Ray

2010-01-01

Two Management-Oriented Samples details two examples of the management-oriented approach to program evaluation. Kenneth Alford, a doctorate candidate at the University of the Cumberlands, details two separate program evaluations conducted in his school district and seeks to compare and contrast the two evaluations based upon the characteristics of…

“We wouldn’t of made friends if we didn’t come to Football United”: the impacts of a football program on young people’s peer, prosocial and cross-cultural relationships

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Sport as a mechanism to build relationships across cultural boundaries and to build positive interactions among young people has often been promoted in the literature. However, robust evaluation of sport-for-development program impacts is limited. This study reports on an impact evaluation of a sport-for-development program in Australia, Football United®. Methods A quasi-experimental mixed methods design was employed using treatment partitioning (different groups compared had different levels of exposure to Football United). A survey was undertaken with 142 young people (average age of 14.7 years with 22.5% of the sample comprising girls) in four Australian schools. These schools included two Football United and two Comparison schools where Football United was not operating. The survey instrument was composed of previously validated measures, including emotional symptoms, peer problems and relationships, prosocial behaviour, other-group orientation, feelings of social inclusion and belonging and resilience. Face to face interviews were undertaken with a purposeful sample (n = 79) of those who completed the survey. The participants in the interviews were selected to provide a diversity of age, gender and cultural backgrounds. Results Young people who participated in Football United showed significantly higher levels of other-group orientation than a Comparison Group (who did not participate in the program). The Football United boys had significantly lower scores on the peer problem scale and significantly higher scores on the prosocial scale than boys in the Comparison Group. Treatment partitioning analyses showed positive, linear associations between other-group orientation and total participation in the Football United program. A lower score on peer problems and higher scores on prosocial behaviour in the survey were associated with regularity of attendance at Football United. These quantitative results are supported by qualitative data analysed from interviews. Conclusions The study provides evidence of the effects of Football United on key domains of peer and prosocial relationships for boys and other-group orientation for young people in the program sites studied. The effects on girls, and the impacts of the program on the broader school environment and at the community level, require further investigation. PMID:23621898

Conditional Mediation of Absorptive Capacity and Environment in International Entrepreneurial Orientation of Family Businesses

PubMed Central

Hernández-Perlines, Felipe; Xu, Wenkai

2018-01-01

This study analyzes the effect of conditional mediation of environment-absorptive capacity in international entrepreneurial orientation of family businesses. Results involve data from 218 Spanish family businesses, analyzed with SmartPLS 3.2.7 software. This paper presents a relevant contribution both to the academic field and the performance of family firms, helping to understand the process of transforming international entrepreneurial orientation into a better international performance through absorptive capacity while family businesses invest their efforts in aligning international entrepreneurial orientation and absorptive capacity with international results, bearing in mind the positive moderator effect of environment. The most relevant contribution of this work is to integrate in the same model the mediating effect of the absorption capacity and the moderating effect of the environment: the effect of the international entrepreneurial orientation on the international performance of family businesses improves with the mediation of the absorptive capacity (the variability of international performance goes from 32.5 to 40.6%) and the moderation of the environment (to variability of international performance goes from 40.6 to 45.3%). PMID:29472881

Conditional Mediation of Absorptive Capacity and Environment in International Entrepreneurial Orientation of Family Businesses.

PubMed

Hernández-Perlines, Felipe; Xu, Wenkai

2018-01-01

This study analyzes the effect of conditional mediation of environment-absorptive capacity in international entrepreneurial orientation of family businesses. Results involve data from 218 Spanish family businesses, analyzed with SmartPLS 3.2.7 software. This paper presents a relevant contribution both to the academic field and the performance of family firms, helping to understand the process of transforming international entrepreneurial orientation into a better international performance through absorptive capacity while family businesses invest their efforts in aligning international entrepreneurial orientation and absorptive capacity with international results, bearing in mind the positive moderator effect of environment. The most relevant contribution of this work is to integrate in the same model the mediating effect of the absorption capacity and the moderating effect of the environment: the effect of the international entrepreneurial orientation on the international performance of family businesses improves with the mediation of the absorptive capacity (the variability of international performance goes from 32.5 to 40.6%) and the moderation of the environment (to variability of international performance goes from 40.6 to 45.3%).

Assimilating Foreign-Born Employees into Organizations through Effective Orientation Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stull, James B.; And Others

Since research suggests that a direct relationship exists between effective orientation and employee productivity, careful consideration must be given to content, design, and delivery issues when developing orientation training programs for foreign-born employees. The United States typically does not provide adequate employee orientation.…

Object-Oriented Programming When Developing Software in Geology and Geophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadulin, R. K.; Bakanovskaya, L. N.

2017-01-01

The paper reviews the role of object-oriented programming when developing software in geology and geophysics. Main stages have been identified at which it is worthwhile to apply principles of object-oriented programming when developing software in geology and geophysics. The research was based on a number of problems solved in Geology and Petroleum Production Institute. Distinctive features of these problems are given and areas of application of the object-oriented approach are identified. Developing applications in the sphere of geology and geophysics has shown that the process of creating such products is simplified due to the use of object-oriented programming, firstly when designing structures for data storage and graphical user interfaces.

Strategic Mobility 21. Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Reference Model - Global Transportation Management System Architecture

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-07

SECTION A. BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT 1 INTRODUCTION The Strategic Mobility 21 (SM21) program is currently in the process of developing the Joint...Platform ( BPP ) which enables the ability to rapidly compose new business processes and expand the core TMS feature-set to adapt to the challenges...Reference: Strategic Mobility 21 Contract N00014-06-C-0060 Dear Paul, In accordance with the requirements of referenced contract, we are pleased to

Physical Sciences Research Priorities and Plans in OBPR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trinh, Eugene

2002-01-01

This paper presents viewgraphs of physical sciences research priorities and plans at the Office of Biological and Physical Sciences Research (OBPR). The topics include: 1) Sixth Microgravity Fluid Physics and Transport Phenomena Conference; 2) Beneficial Characteristics of the Space Environment; 3) Windows of Opportunity for Research Derived from Microgravity; 4) Physical Sciences Research Program; 5) Fundamental Research: Space-based Results and Ground-based Applications; 6) Nonlinear Oscillations; and 7) Fundamental Research: Applications to Mission-Oriented Research.

CLARA: CLAS12 Reconstruction and Analysis Framework

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

Gyurjyan, Vardan; Matta, Sebastian Mancilla; Oyarzun, Ricardo

2016-11-01

In this paper we present SOA based CLAS12 event Reconstruction and Analyses (CLARA) framework. CLARA design focus is on two main traits: real-time data stream processing, and service-oriented architecture (SOA) in a flow based programming (FBP) paradigm. Data driven and data centric architecture of CLARA presents an environment for developing agile, elastic, multilingual data processing applications. The CLARA framework presents solutions capable of processing large volumes of data interactively and substantially faster than batch systems.

Implementation of an object oriented track reconstruction model into multiple LHC experiments*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaines, Irwin; Gonzalez, Saul; Qian, Sijin

2001-10-01

An Object Oriented (OO) model (Gaines et al., 1996; 1997; Gaines and Qian, 1998; 1999) for track reconstruction by the Kalman filtering method has been designed for high energy physics experiments at high luminosity hadron colliders. The model has been coded in the C++ programming language and has been successfully implemented into the OO computing environments of both the CMS (1994) and ATLAS (1994) experiments at the future Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. We shall report: how the OO model was adapted, with largely the same code, to different scenarios and serves the different reconstruction aims in different experiments (i.e. the level-2 trigger software for ATLAS and the offline software for CMS); how the OO model has been incorporated into different OO environments with a similar integration structure (demonstrating the ease of re-use of OO program); what are the OO model's performance, including execution time, memory usage, track finding efficiency and ghost rate, etc.; and additional physics performance based on use of the OO tracking model. We shall also mention the experience and lessons learned from the implementation of the OO model into the general OO software framework of the experiments. In summary, our practice shows that the OO technology really makes the software development and the integration issues straightforward and convenient; this may be particularly beneficial for the general non-computer-professional physicists.

Graduate nurse internship program: a formalized orientation program.

PubMed

Phillips, Tracy; Hall, Mellisa

2014-01-01

The graduate nurse internship program was developed on the basis of Watson's Human Caring Theory. In this article, the author discusses how an orientation program was formalized into an internship program and how the theory was applied.

High Performance Object-Oriented Scientific Programming in Fortran 90

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norton, Charles D.; Decyk, Viktor K.; Szymanski, Boleslaw K.

1997-01-01

We illustrate how Fortran 90 supports object-oriented concepts by example of plasma particle computations on the IBM SP. Our experience shows that Fortran 90 and object-oriented methodology give high performance while providing a bridge from Fortran 77 legacy codes to modern programming principles. All of our object-oriented Fortran 90 codes execute more quickly thatn the equeivalent C++ versions, yet the abstraction modelling capabilities used for scentific programming are comparably powereful.

The Administrator's Role in Insuring Quality in Off-Campus Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massey, T. Benjamin

The administrator's role in insuring off-campus program quality is considered. An essential difference between administrators and leaders is noted: administrators are status quo oriented, crisis oriented, reactive, and less flexible; leaders are change oriented, planning oriented, proactive, and less flexible. When such factors as new technology…

Sexual differentiation of the human brain: relation to gender identity, sexual orientation and neuropsychiatric disorders.

PubMed

Bao, Ai-Min; Swaab, Dick F

2011-04-01

During the intrauterine period a testosterone surge masculinizes the fetal brain, whereas the absence of such a surge results in a feminine brain. As sexual differentiation of the brain takes place at a much later stage in development than sexual differentiation of the genitals, these two processes can be influenced independently of each other. Sex differences in cognition, gender identity (an individual's perception of their own sexual identity), sexual orientation (heterosexuality, homosexuality or bisexuality), and the risks of developing neuropsychiatric disorders are programmed into our brain during early development. There is no evidence that one's postnatal social environment plays a crucial role in gender identity or sexual orientation. We discuss the relationships between structural and functional sex differences of various brain areas and the way they change along with any changes in the supply of sex hormones on the one hand and sex differences in behavior in health and disease on the other. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Redesigning Orientation in an Intensive Care Unit Using 2 Theoretical Models.

PubMed

Kozub, Elizabeth; Hibanada-Laserna, Maribel; Harget, Gwen; Ecoff, Laurie

2015-01-01

To accommodate a higher demand for critical care nurses, an orientation program in a surgical intensive care unit was revised and streamlined. Two theoretical models served as a foundation for the revision and resulted in clear clinical benchmarks for orientation progress evaluation. The purpose of the project was to integrate theoretical frameworks into practice to improve the unit orientation program. Performance improvement methods served as a framework for the revision, and outcomes were measured before and after implementation. The revised orientation program increased 1- and 2-year nurse retention and decreased turnover. Critical care knowledge increased after orientation for both the preintervention and postintervention groups. Incorporating a theoretical basis for orientation has been shown to be successful in increasing the number of nurses completing orientation and improving retention, turnover rates, and knowledge gained.

A Hybrid Parachute Simulation Environment for the Orion Parachute Development Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, James W.

2011-01-01

A parachute simulation environment (PSE) has been developed that aims to take advantage of legacy parachute simulation codes and modern object-oriented programming techniques. This hybrid simulation environment provides the parachute analyst with a natural and intuitive way to construct simulation tasks while preserving the pedigree and authority of established parachute simulations. NASA currently employs four simulation tools for developing and analyzing air-drop tests performed by the CEV Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) Project. These tools were developed at different times, in different languages, and with different capabilities in mind. As a result, each tool has a distinct interface and set of inputs and outputs. However, regardless of the simulation code that is most appropriate for the type of test, engineers typically perform similar tasks for each drop test such as prediction of loads, assessment of altitude, and sequencing of disreefs or cut-aways. An object-oriented approach to simulation configuration allows the analyst to choose models of real physical test articles (parachutes, vehicles, etc.) and sequence them to achieve the desired test conditions. Once configured, these objects are translated into traditional input lists and processed by the legacy simulation codes. This approach minimizes the number of sim inputs that the engineer must track while configuring an input file. An object oriented approach to simulation output allows a common set of post-processing functions to perform routine tasks such as plotting and timeline generation with minimal sensitivity to the simulation that generated the data. Flight test data may also be translated into the common output class to simplify test reconstruction and analysis.

Housing environment and mental health outcomes: A levels of analysis perspective

PubMed Central

Wright, Patricia Ann; Kloos, Bret

2008-01-01

This study examines the effects of perceived housing environment on selected well-being outcomes of a seriously mentally ill population in supported housing programs. Individuals live independently in their own apartments and use supportive mental health services as needed. The study conceptualizes one’s housing environment as existing at the apartment, neighborhood and the surrounding community levels of analysis that, taken together, form a multi-dimensional construct of housing environment. Self-report data from interviews with a sample of seriously mentally ill adults is paired with (a) observer ratings of housing environments, (b) census profiles of the surrounding community and (c) case manager ratings of clients’ functioning in order to explore the effects of supported housing environments on well-being outcomes. Well-being is operationalized here as levels of psychiatric distress, recovery orientation, residential satisfaction, and adaptive functioning. Hierarchical regression models posit that apartment, neighborhood and census tract level variables are unique predictors of these domains of well-being. Results show that neighborhood level variables, especially those relating to the social environment, are the most influential predictors for understanding variance in well-being, with apartment level variables also contributing to understanding of housing environment effects. The census tract level predictors did not contribute a significant amount of explanation of the variance in well-being outcomes. Implications for supported housing programs and the role of ecological levels of analysis in conceptualizing and measuring housing environment influence are discussed. PMID:19183703

Leading Change through Professional Development: An Exploration of a New Faculty Orientation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Shawn W.

2013-01-01

This study explored new faculty satisfaction with participation in a professional development orientation program at a New England-based graduate-level, military institution of higher education. The new faculty orientation program had not been previously explored. The purpose of this study was to describe participant satisfaction with an ultimate…

Orienting in Virtual Environments: How Are Surface Features and Environmental Geometry Weighted in an Orientation Task?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Debbie M.; Bischof, Walter F.

2008-01-01

We investigated how human adults orient in enclosed virtual environments, when discrete landmark information is not available and participants have to rely on geometric and featural information on the environmental surfaces. In contrast to earlier studies, where, for women, the featural information from discrete landmarks overshadowed the encoding…

JSpOC Mission System Application Development Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luce, R.; Reele, P.; Sabol, C.; Zetocha, P.; Echeverry, J.; Kim, R.; Golf, B.

2012-09-01

The Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) Mission System (JMS) is the program of record tasked with replacing the legacy Space Defense Operations Center (SPADOC) and Astrodynamics Support Workstation (ASW) capabilities by the end of FY2015 as well as providing additional Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Command and Control (C2) capabilities post-FY2015. To meet the legacy replacement goal, the JMS program is maturing a government Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) infrastructure that supports the integration of mission applications while acquiring mature industry and government mission applications. Future capabilities required by the JSpOC after 2015 will require development of new applications and procedures as well as the exploitation of new SSA data sources. To support the post FY2015 efforts, the JMS program is partnering with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to build a JMS application development environment. The purpose of this environment is to: 1) empower the research & development community, through access to relevant tools and data, to accelerate technology development, 2) allow the JMS program to communicate user capability priorities and requirements to the developer community, 3) provide the JMS program with access to state-of-the-art research, development, and computing capabilities, and 4) support market research efforts by identifying outstanding performers that are available to shepherd into the formal transition process. The application development environment will consist of both unclassified and classified environments that can be accessed over common networks (including the Internet) to provide software developers, scientists, and engineers everything they need (e.g., building block JMS services, modeling and simulation tools, relevant test scenarios, documentation, data sources, user priorities/requirements, and SOA integration tools) to develop and test mission applications. The developed applications will be exercised in these relevant environments with representative data sets to help bridge the gap between development and integration into the operational JMS enterprise.

IWSSA 2009 PC Co-chairs' Message

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Lawrence; Noguera, Manuel; Subramanian, Nary; Garrido, José Luis

Important changes in society are being predicted for the very near future. In many countries, governments look ahead by increasing reserve funds and budgets for strategically critical areas in order to identify key issues and find effective solutions. Not surprisingly, many institutions are launching research and development programs focused on health-care, elderly people, quality of life, social inclusion, energy, education, ecology, etc. Innovation is required for systems supporting such a new assisted, interactive and collaborative world. System and software designers have to be able to address how to reflect in the same system/software architecture a great amount of (sometimes conflicting) requirements. In particular, user-oriented nonfunctional requirements and developer-oriented non-functional requirements (or design constraints) gain special relevance due to the new environments in which the systems have to operate.

The Layer-Oriented Approach to Declarative Languages for Biological Modeling

PubMed Central

Raikov, Ivan; De Schutter, Erik

2012-01-01

We present a new approach to modeling languages for computational biology, which we call the layer-oriented approach. The approach stems from the observation that many diverse biological phenomena are described using a small set of mathematical formalisms (e.g. differential equations), while at the same time different domains and subdomains of computational biology require that models are structured according to the accepted terminology and classification of that domain. Our approach uses distinct semantic layers to represent the domain-specific biological concepts and the underlying mathematical formalisms. Additional functionality can be transparently added to the language by adding more layers. This approach is specifically concerned with declarative languages, and throughout the paper we note some of the limitations inherent to declarative approaches. The layer-oriented approach is a way to specify explicitly how high-level biological modeling concepts are mapped to a computational representation, while abstracting away details of particular programming languages and simulation environments. To illustrate this process, we define an example language for describing models of ionic currents, and use a general mathematical notation for semantic transformations to show how to generate model simulation code for various simulation environments. We use the example language to describe a Purkinje neuron model and demonstrate how the layer-oriented approach can be used for solving several practical issues of computational neuroscience model development. We discuss the advantages and limitations of the approach in comparison with other modeling language efforts in the domain of computational biology and outline some principles for extensible, flexible modeling language design. We conclude by describing in detail the semantic transformations defined for our language. PMID:22615554

The layer-oriented approach to declarative languages for biological modeling.

PubMed

Raikov, Ivan; De Schutter, Erik

2012-01-01

We present a new approach to modeling languages for computational biology, which we call the layer-oriented approach. The approach stems from the observation that many diverse biological phenomena are described using a small set of mathematical formalisms (e.g. differential equations), while at the same time different domains and subdomains of computational biology require that models are structured according to the accepted terminology and classification of that domain. Our approach uses distinct semantic layers to represent the domain-specific biological concepts and the underlying mathematical formalisms. Additional functionality can be transparently added to the language by adding more layers. This approach is specifically concerned with declarative languages, and throughout the paper we note some of the limitations inherent to declarative approaches. The layer-oriented approach is a way to specify explicitly how high-level biological modeling concepts are mapped to a computational representation, while abstracting away details of particular programming languages and simulation environments. To illustrate this process, we define an example language for describing models of ionic currents, and use a general mathematical notation for semantic transformations to show how to generate model simulation code for various simulation environments. We use the example language to describe a Purkinje neuron model and demonstrate how the layer-oriented approach can be used for solving several practical issues of computational neuroscience model development. We discuss the advantages and limitations of the approach in comparison with other modeling language efforts in the domain of computational biology and outline some principles for extensible, flexible modeling language design. We conclude by describing in detail the semantic transformations defined for our language.

Interactive Forecasting with the National Weather Service River Forecast System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, George F.; Page, Donna

1993-01-01

The National Weather Service River Forecast System (NWSRFS) consists of several major hydrometeorologic subcomponents to model the physics of the flow of water through the hydrologic cycle. The entire NWSRFS currently runs in both mainframe and minicomputer environments, using command oriented text input to control the system computations. As computationally powerful and graphically sophisticated scientific workstations became available, the National Weather Service (NWS) recognized that a graphically based, interactive environment would enhance the accuracy and timeliness of NWS river and flood forecasts. Consequently, the operational forecasting portion of the NWSRFS has been ported to run under a UNIX operating system, with X windows as the display environment on a system of networked scientific workstations. In addition, the NWSRFS Interactive Forecast Program was developed to provide a graphical user interface to allow the forecaster to control NWSRFS program flow and to make adjustments to forecasts as necessary. The potential market for water resources forecasting is immense and largely untapped. Any private company able to market the river forecasting technologies currently developed by the NWS Office of Hydrology could provide benefits to many information users and profit from providing these services.

C-Language Integrated Production System, Version 5.1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, Gary; Donnell, Brian; Ly, Huyen-Anh VU; Culbert, Chris; Savely, Robert T.; Mccoy, Daniel J.; Giarratano, Joseph

1992-01-01

CLIPS 5.1 provides cohesive software tool for handling wide variety of knowledge with support for three different programming paradigms: rule-based, object-oriented, and procedural. Rule-based programming provides representation of knowledge by use of heuristics. Object-oriented programming enables modeling of complex systems as modular components. Procedural programming enables CLIPS to represent knowledge in ways similar to those allowed in such languages as C, Pascal, Ada, and LISP. Working with CLIPS 5.1, one can develop expert-system software by use of rule-based programming only, object-oriented programming only, procedural programming only, or combinations of the three.

A Planning Study for a Cooperative State-Wide Orientation and Mobility Program for the Blind in Oregon. Project Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Multnomah County Intermediate Education District, Portland, OR.

An introduction on blindness is followed by a summary of the initial planning grant proposal for cooperative statewide orientation and mobility program for blind children. Background, development, and utilization of mobility-orientation training are discussed in conjunction with educational programs, guide dogs, canes, mobility readiness,…

Aspects on Teaching/Learning with Object Oriented Programming for Entry Level Courses of Engineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Oliveira, Clara Amelia; Conte, Marcos Fernando; Riso, Bernardo Goncalves

This work presents a proposal for Teaching/Learning, on Object Oriented Programming for Entry Level Courses of Engineering and Computer Science, on University. The philosophy of Object Oriented Programming comes as a new pattern of solution for problems, where flexibility and reusability appears over the simple data structure and sequential…

Object-oriented programming with mixins in Ada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seidewitz, ED

1992-01-01

Recently, I wrote a paper discussing the lack of 'true' object-oriented programming language features in Ada 83, why one might desire them in Ada, and how they might be added in Ada 9X. The approach I took in this paper was to build the new object-oriented features of Ada 9X as much as possible on the basic constructs and philosophy of Ada 83. The object-oriented features proposed for Ada 9X, while different in detail, are based on the same kind of approach. Further consideration of this approach led me on a long reflection on the nature of object-oriented programming and its application to Ada. The results of this reflection, presented in this paper, show how a fairly natural object-oriented style can indeed be developed even in Ada 83. The exercise of developing this style is useful for at least three reasons: (1) it provides a useful style for programming object-oriented applications in Ada 83 until new features become available with Ada 9X; (2) it demystifies many of the mechanisms that seem to be 'magic' in most object-oriented programming languages by making them explicit; and (3) it points out areas that are and are not in need of change in Ada 83 to make object-oriented programming more natural in Ada 9X. In the next four sections I will address in turn the issues of object-oriented classes, mixins, self-reference and supertyping. The presentation is through a sequence of examples. This results in some overlap with that paper, but all the examples in the present paper are written entirely in Ada 83. I will return to considerations for Ada 9X in the last section of the paper.

SMART: Analyzing the Reuse Potential of Legacy Systems in Service- Oriented Architecture (SOA) Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-09

technical faculty for the Master in Software Engineering program at CMU. Grace holds a B.Sc. in Systems Engineering and an Executive MBA from Icesi...University in Cali, Colombia ; and a Master in Software Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. 3 Version 1.7.3—SEI Webinar—April 2009 © 2009 Carnegie...Resources and Training SMART Report • http://www.sei.cmu.edu/publications/documents/08.reports/08tn008.html Public Courses • Migration of Legacy

Board evaluation and effectiveness: models, components and perspectives.

PubMed

Scharf, M; Marty, D; Barnsley, J

1994-01-01

Health facility boards are being challenged to increase their effectiveness in the face of the changing health care environment. To this end, accreditation standards require boards to develop methods of evaluating their governing function and performance. During a survey of governance issues, the authors interviewed a group of health service executives with respect to board evaluation at their facilities. The responses yielded insights relating to models and components of evaluation, board missions and policies, mentoring programs and trustee education and orientation.

Software Management System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

A software management system, originally developed for Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) by Century Computing, Inc. has evolved from a menu and command oriented system to a state-of-the art user interface development system supporting high resolution graphics workstations. Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) was initially distributed through COSMIC and backed by a TAE support office at GSFC. In 1993, Century Computing assumed the support and distribution functions and began marketing TAE Plus, the system's latest version. The software is easy to use and does not require programming experience.

Using Interprofessional Learning for Continuing Education: Development and Evaluation of the Graduate Certificate Program in Health Professional Education for Clinicians.

PubMed

Henderson, Saras; Dalton, Megan; Cartmel, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Health professionals may be expert clinicians but do not automatically make effective teachers and need educational development. In response, a team of health academics at an Australian university developed and evaluated the continuing education Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education Program using an interprofessional learning model. The model was informed by Collins interactional expertise and Knowles adult learning theories. The team collaboratively developed and taught four courses in the program. Blended learning methods such as web-based learning, face-to-face workshops, and online discussion forums were used. Twenty-seven multidisciplinary participants enrolled in the inaugural program. Focus group interview, self-report questionnaires, and teacher observations were used to evaluate the program. Online learning motivated participants to learn in a collaborative virtual environment. The workshops conducted in an interprofessional environment promoted knowledge sharing and helped participants to better understand other discipline roles, so they could conduct clinical education within a broader health care team context. Work-integrated assessments supported learning relevance. The teachers, however, observed that some participants struggled because of lack of computer skills. Although the interprofessional learning model promoted collaboration and flexibility, it is important to note that consideration be given to participants who are not computer literate. We therefore conducted a library and computer literacy workshop in orientation week which helped. An interprofessional learning environment can assist health professionals to operate outside their "traditional silos" leading to a more collaborative approach to the provision of care. Our experience may assist other organizations in developing similar programs.

Measurement of user performance and attitudes assists the initial design of a computer user display and orientation method.

PubMed

Chase, C R; Ashikaga, T; Mazuzan, J E

1994-07-01

The objective of our study was to assess the acceptability of a proposed user interface to visually interfaced computer-assisted anesthesia record (VISI-CAARE), before the application was begun. The user interface was defined as the user display and its user orientation methods. We designed methods to measure user performance and attitude toward two different anesthesia record procedures: (1) the traditional pen and paper anesthetic record procedure of our hospital, and (2) VISI-CAARE. Performance measurements included the reaction speed (identifying the type and time of an event) and completion speed (describing the event). Performance also included accuracy of the recorded time of the event and accuracy of the description. User attitude was measured by (1) the physician's rating on a scale of 0 to 9 of the potential usefulness of computers in anesthesia care; (2) willingness to use the future application in the clinical environment; and (3) user suggestions for change. These measurements were used in a randomized trial of 21 physicians, of which data from 20 were available. After exposure to VISI-CAARE, the experimental subjects' ranking of computer usefulness in anesthesia care improved significantly (4.2 +/- 1.1 to 7.6 +/- 1.5, p = 0.0001), as did controls' (5.2 +/- 2.6 to 8 +/- 1.5, p = 0.0019). All the volunteers were willing to try the proposed prototype clinically, when it was ready. VISI-CAARE exposure was associated with faster and more accurate reaction to events over the traditional pen and paper machine, and slower and more accurate description of events in an artificial mock setting. VISI-CAARE 1.1 demonstrated significant improvements in both reaction speed and completion speed over VISI-CAARE 1.0, after changes were made to the user display and orientation methods. With graphic user interface prototyping environments, one can obtain preliminary user attitude and performance data, even before application programming is begun. This may be helpful in revising initial display and orientation methods, while obtaining user interest and commitment before actual programming and clinical testing.

Role Socialization: Designing a Web-Based Program to Orient New School Nurses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Tia B.

2009-01-01

Traditional orientation programs for school nurses may not meet the needs of nurses new to the specialty. In this era where technology is a major aspect of our daily lives, the Internet offers new school nurses an avenue where information can be accessed at anytime and from anyplace. This article explores a Web-based orientation program that has…

The Role of the Campus Visit and Summer Orientation Program in the Modification of Student Expectations about College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer, Wren

2003-01-01

Studied the messages being conveyed to prospective students in campus visits and summer orientation sessions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Findings for 497 prospective students show that the visit and orientation program may be effective, but programs are trying to communicate too much. Findings also show the importance of the campus…

Nurse manager orientation.

PubMed

Hawkins, Anne; Carter, Kelly; Nugent, Mary

2009-01-01

On the basis of the principles of management and leadership, our organization has worked over the years to formalize the orientation program for new nurse managers. This program meets the needs of new nurse managers and responds to today's complex health care system needs. This article describes the components of a nurse manager orientation program for the novice nurse manager and methods for evaluating nurse manager effectiveness.

Tiger LDRD final report

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

Steich, D J; Brugger, S T; Kallman, J S

2000-02-01

This final report describes our efforts on the Three-Dimensional Massively Parallel CEM Technologies LDRD project (97-ERD-009). Significant need exists for more advanced time domain computational electromagnetics modeling. Bookkeeping details and modifying inflexible software constitute a vast majority of the effort required to address such needs. The required effort escalates rapidly as problem complexity increases. For example, hybrid meshes requiring hybrid numerics on massively parallel platforms (MPPs). This project attempts to alleviate the above limitations by investigating flexible abstractions for these numerical algorithms on MPPs using object-oriented methods, providing a programming environment insulating physics from bookkeeping. The three major design iterationsmore » during the project, known as TIGER-I to TIGER-III, are discussed. Each version of TIGER is briefly discussed along with lessons learned during the development and implementation. An Application Programming Interface (API) of the object-oriented interface for Tiger-III is included in three appendices. The three appendices contain the Utilities, Entity-Attribute, and Mesh libraries developed during the project. The API libraries represent a snapshot of our latest attempt at insulated the physics from the bookkeeping.« less

Kaiser Permanente/Sandia National health care model. Phase I prototype final report. Part 1 - model overview

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

Edwards, D.; Yoshimura, A.; Butler, D.

1996-11-01

This report describes the results of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between Sandia National Laboratories and Kaiser Permanente Southern California to develop a prototype computer model of Kaiser Permanente`s health care delivery system. As a discrete event simulation, SimHCO models for each of 100,000 patients the progression of disease, individual resource usage, and patient choices in a competitive environment. SimHCO is implemented in the object-oriented programming language C++, stressing reusable knowledge and reusable software components. The versioned implementation of SimHCO showed that the object-oriented framework allows the program to grow in complexity in an incremental way. Furthermore, timing calculationsmore » showed that SimHCO runs in a reasonable time on typical workstations, and that a second phase model will scale proportionally and run within the system constraints of contemporary computer technology. This report is published as two documents: Model Overview and Domain Analysis. A separate Kaiser-proprietary report contains the Disease and Health Care Organization Selection Models.« less

Step tracking program for concentrator solar collectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciobanu, D.; Jaliu, C.

2016-08-01

The increasing living standards in developed countries lead to increased energy consumption. The fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas effect that accompany the energy production can be reduced by using renewable energy. For instance, the solar thermal systems can be used in temperate climates to provide heating during the transient period or cooling during the warmer months. Most used solar thermal systems contain flat plate solar collectors. In order to provide the necessary energy for the house cooling system, the cooling machine uses a working fluid with a high temperature, which can be supplied by dish concentrator collectors. These collectors are continuously rotated towards sun by biaxial tracking systems, process that increases the consumed power. An algorithm for a step tracking program to be used in the orientation of parabolic dish concentrator collectors is proposed in the paper to reduce the consumed power due to actuation. The algorithm is exemplified on a case study: a dish concentrator collector to be implemented in Brasov, Romania, a location with the turbidity factor TR equal to 3. The size of the system is imposed by the environment, the diameter of the dish reflector being of 3 meters. By applying the proposed algorithm, 60 sub-programs are obtained for the step orientation of the parabolic dish collector over the year. Based on the results of the numerical simulations for the step orientation, the efficiency of the direct solar radiation capture on the receptor is up to 99%, while the energy consumption is reduced by almost 80% compared to the continuous actuation of the concentrator solar collector.

Creative work environments in sport organizations: the influence of sexual orientation diversity and commitment to diversity.

PubMed

Cunningham, George B

2011-01-01

Drawing from creative capital theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which sexual orientation diversity and commitment to diversity were predictive of workplaces that fostered creativity. Data were collected from 653 senior level athletic administrators and aggregated to the athletic department level of analysis (n = 199). Moderated regression indicated that sexual orientation diversity did not influence the presence of a creative work environment. There was however, a significant sexual orientation diversity × commitment to diversity interaction. When commitment to diversity was high, there was a positive association between sexual orientation diversity and a creative work environment; on the other hand, when commitment to diversity was low, the aforementioned relationship was negative. Results provide support for the notion that all diversity forms can be a source of enrichment and understanding, thereby benefiting the workplace.

NASA Science Served Family Style

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noel-Storr, Jacob; Mitchell, S.; Drobnes, E.

2010-01-01

Family oriented innovative programs extend the reach of many traditional out-of-school venues to involve the entire family in learning in comfortable and fun environments. Research shows that parental involvement is key to increasing student achievement outcomes, and family-oriented programs have a direct impact on student performance. Because families have the greatest influence on children's attitudes towards education and career choices, we have developed a Family Science program that provides families a venue where they can explore the importance of science and technology in our daily lives by engaging in learning activities that change their perception and understanding of science. NASA Family Science Night strives to change the way that students and their families participate in science, within the program and beyond. After three years of pilot implementation and assessment, our evaluation data shows that Family Science Night participants have positive change in their attitudes and involvement in science.  Even after a single session, families are more likely to engage in external science-related activities and are increasingly excited about science in their everyday lives.  As we enter our dissemination phase, NASA Family Science Night will be compiling and releasing initial evaluation results, and providing facilitator training and online support resources. Support for NASA Family Science Nights is provided in part through NASA ROSES grant NNH06ZDA001N.

Ethics education in the consulting engineering environment: where do we start?

PubMed

Elder, Keith E

2004-04-01

As a result of in-house discussions stimulated by previous Gonzaga engineering ethics conferences, Coffman Engineers began the implementation of what is to be a company-wide ethics training program. While preparing a curriculum aimed at consulting engineers, we found very little guidance as to how to proceed with most available literature being oriented towards the academic environment. We consulted a number of resources that address the teaching of engineering ethics in higher education, but questioned their applicability for the Consulting Engineering environment. This lack of guidance led us to informal research into the ethical knowledge and attitudes of both consulting engineers and engineering students. Some of our findings were unexpected, and suggest that a simpler approach to teaching ethics to working professionals might be preferred to that typically promoted in higher education.

Designing Successful Transitions: A Guide for Orienting Students to College. 2nd Edition. The First-Year Experience Monograph Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward-Roof, Jeanine A., Ed.; Hatch, Cathie, Ed.

This monograph contains 15 papers on aspects of college and university student and family orientation programs. Following a prologue, "Reflections on the Future of Orientation," by M. Lee Upcraft, the papers are: (1) "Today's Students and Their Impact on Orientation and First-Year Programs" (Tony W. Cawthon and Michael Miller);…

Some Programs Should Not Run on Laptops - Providing Programmatic Access to Applications Via Web Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, V.; Gupta, N.; Gupta, S.; Field, E.; Maechling, P.

2003-12-01

Modern laptop computers, and personal computers, can provide capabilities that are, in many ways, comparable to workstations or departmental servers. However, this doesn't mean we should run all computations on our local computers. We have identified several situations in which it preferable to implement our seismological application programs in a distributed, server-based, computing model. In this model, application programs on the user's laptop, or local computer, invoke programs that run on an organizational server, and the results are returned to the invoking system. Situations in which a server-based architecture may be preferred include: (a) a program is written in a language, or written for an operating environment, that is unsupported on the local computer, (b) software libraries or utilities required to execute a program are not available on the users computer, (c) a computational program is physically too large, or computationally too expensive, to run on a users computer, (d) a user community wants to enforce a consistent method of performing a computation by standardizing on a single implementation of a program, and (e) the computational program may require current information, that is not available to all client computers. Until recently, distributed, server-based, computational capabilities were implemented using client/server architectures. In these architectures, client programs were often written in the same language, and they executed in the same computing environment, as the servers. Recently, a new distributed computational model, called Web Services, has been developed. Web Services are based on Internet standards such as XML, SOAP, WDSL, and UDDI. Web Services offer the promise of platform, and language, independent distributed computing. To investigate this new computational model, and to provide useful services to the SCEC Community, we have implemented several computational and utility programs using a Web Service architecture. We have hosted these Web Services as a part of the SCEC Community Modeling Environment (SCEC/CME) ITR Project (http://www.scec.org/cme). We have implemented Web Services for several of the reasons sited previously. For example, we implemented a FORTRAN-based Earthquake Rupture Forecast (ERF) as a Web Service for use by client computers that don't support a FORTRAN runtime environment. We implemented a Generic Mapping Tool (GMT) Web Service for use by systems that don't have local access to GMT. We implemented a Hazard Map Calculator Web Service to execute Hazard calculations that are too computationally intensive to run on a local system. We implemented a Coordinate Conversion Web Service to enforce a standard and consistent method for converting between UTM and Lat/Lon. Our experience developing these services indicates both strengths and weakness in current Web Service technology. Client programs that utilize Web Services typically need network access, a significant disadvantage at times. Programs with simple input and output parameters were the easiest to implement as Web Services, while programs with complex parameter-types required a significant amount of additional development. We also noted that Web services are very data-oriented, and adapting object-oriented software into the Web Service model proved problematic. Also, the Web Service approach of converting data types into XML format for network transmission has significant inefficiencies for some data sets.

9 CFR 161.5 - Specialization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... completion of an orientation or training program approved by APHIS. For certain accredited specializations, the cost of orientation or training may be borne by the accredited veterinarian. An accredited... completion of an additional orientation or training program approved by APHIS that focuses on the specific...

Diagram, a Learning Environment for Initiation to Object-Oriented Modeling with UML Class Diagrams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Py, Dominique; Auxepaules, Ludovic; Alonso, Mathilde

2013-01-01

This paper presents Diagram, a learning environment for object-oriented modelling (OOM) with UML class diagrams. Diagram an open environment, in which the teacher can add new exercises without constraints on the vocabulary or the size of the diagram. The interface includes methodological help, encourages self-correcting and self-monitoring, and…

Delivery system integration and health care spending and quality for Medicare beneficiaries.

PubMed

McWilliams, J Michael; Chernew, Michael E; Zaslavsky, Alan M; Hamed, Pasha; Landon, Bruce E

2013-08-12

The Medicare accountable care organization (ACO) programs rely on delivery system integration and health care provider risk sharing to lower spending while improving quality of care. To compare spending and quality between larger and smaller provider groups and examine how size-related differences vary by 2 factors considered central to ACO performance: group primary care orientation and financial risk sharing by health care providers. Using 2009 Medicare claims and linked American Medical Association Group Practice data, we assigned 4.29 million beneficiaries to health care provider groups based on primary care use. We categorized group size according to eligibility thresholds for the Shared Savings (≥5000 assigned beneficiaries) and Pioneer (≥15,000) ACO programs and distinguished hospital-based from independent groups. We assessed the primary care orientation of larger groups' specialty mix and used health maintenance organization market penetration and data from the Community Tracking Study to measure the extent of financial risk accepted by different types of provider groups in different areas for managed care patients. We estimated linear regression models comparing spending and quality between larger and smaller health care provider groups, allowing size-related differences to vary by measures of group primary care orientation and risk sharing. Spending and quality measures included total medical spending, spending by type of service, 5 process measures of quality, and 30-day readmissions, all adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Compared with smaller groups, larger hospital-based groups had higher total per-beneficiary spending in 2009 (mean difference, +$849), higher 30-day readmission rates (+1.3 percentage points), and similar performance on 4 of 5 process measures of quality. In contrast, larger independent physician groups performed better than smaller groups on all process measures and exhibited significantly lower per-beneficiary spending in counties where risk sharing by these groups was more common (-$426). Among all groups sufficiently large to participate in ACO programs, a strong primary care orientation was associated with lower spending, fewer readmissions, and better quality of diabetes care. Spending was lower and quality of care better for Medicare beneficiaries served by larger independent physician groups with strong primary care orientations in environments where health care providers accepted greater risk.

Effect of NICU Department Orientation Program on Mother’s Anxiety: a Randomized Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Valizadeh, Leila; Hosseini, Mohammad Bager; Heydarpoor Damanabad, Zhilla; Rahkar Farshi, Mahni; Asgari Jafarabadi, Mohammad; Ranjbar Kochaksaraie, Fatemeh

2016-01-01

Introduction: Neonatal intensive care unit induces the high level of anxiety for mothers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of NICU orientation program on the anxiety of mothers who had preterm newborns hospitalized in NICU. Methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial (three parallel groups). Participants included 99 mothers with preterm newborns hospitalized in NICU of Al- Zahra hospital, affiliated to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 2015. Mothers were randomly assigned to one of three groups (film, booklet, and control). Mothers completed the State- Trait Anxiety Inventory before entering to the NICU, and then mothers in the experiment groups became familiar with the NICU environment through watching a film or reading booklet. After the first NICU visit, all mothers completed the STAI and Cattell's Anxiety Questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 13 software. Results: There was no significant difference between three groups regarding state- trait anxiety before the intervention. After the first NICU visit, a significant reduction in maternal state anxiety was seen in the both experiment groups. There was no statistical significant difference regarding trait anxiety. Data obtained from Cattell's anxiety questionnaire after intervention, showed significant difference in state anxiety between groups. Conclusion: Employing film and booklet orientation strategy after preterm delivery can reduce the mother’s anxiety and beneficent for the mother, baby, family and health care system. PMID:27752486

Community College Pathways to the STEM Workforce: What Are They, Who Follows Them, and How?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Noy, Michelle; Zeidenberg, Matthew

2017-01-01

This chapter describes community college STEM programs, including transfer-oriented science and engineering (S&E) programs and workforce-oriented technician programs, and the characteristics and educational pathways of the students who enroll in these programs.

From recovery programs to recovery-oriented practice? A qualitative study of mental health professionals' experiences when facilitating a recovery-oriented rehabilitation program.

PubMed

Dalum, Helle Stentoft; Pedersen, Inge Kryger; Cunningham, Harry; Eplov, Lene Falgaard

2015-12-01

The recovery model has influenced mental health services and fostered new standards for best practice. However, knowledge about how mental health care professionals (HCPs) experience recovery-oriented programs is sparse. This paper explores HCPs' experiences when facilitating a recovery-oriented rehabilitation program. The research question is how do HCPs experience a change in their attitude and practice when applying recovery-oriented programs? This paper draws on semi-structured in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with 16 HCPs experienced in facilitating a recovery-oriented rehabilitation program in either the USA or Denmark. Three themes emerged from the HCPs' reflections on changes in attitudes and practices: "Hopeful Attitude" captures a change in the HCPs' attitude toward a more positive view on the future for clients' living with mental illness; "A New Focus in the Dialogue With Clients" thematizes how the HCPs focus more on the individual's own goal for recovery rather than disease-induced goals in the dialog with clients; "A Person-Centered Role" comprises a shift in the professional role whereby the HCPs value the client's own ideas in addition to the professional's standards. This study supports the theory of the recovery model by its empirical findings and indications that when facilitating a recovery-oriented program, HCPs experience recovery-oriented changes in their attitude toward life with mental illness, and it alters their professional practice toward a stronger focus on client's own goals during treatment. More studies are needed to further clarify how changes in HCPs' attitudes translate into changes in mental health practices. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strategies for fostering basic psychological needs support in high quality youth leadership programs.

PubMed

Bean, Corliss; Harlow, Meghan; Kendellen, Kelsey

2017-04-01

Youth leadership programming has become an increasingly common context to foster basic psychological needs and promote youth development. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore strategies involved in fostering youth needs support within six leadership programs. Two leaders and 30 youth participated in semi-structured interviews to better understand the strategies used to foster needs support. Findings revealed that leaders were able to foster a sense of relatedness among youth through building trusting adult-youth relationships and nurturing an inclusive environment. Maximizing choice and negotiating youth voice helped to foster youth's autonomy. Finally, creating a task-oriented climate and providing intentional opportunities for skill-building helped to foster youth's competence. Findings suggest that training for leaders is critical in understanding what, and how strategies should be employed to help foster youth needs support in leadership programming. Limitations and future directions are outlined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Millisecond timing on PCs and Macs.

PubMed

MacInnes, W J; Taylor, T L

2001-05-01

A real-time, object-oriented solution for displaying stimuli on Windows 95/98, MacOS and Linux platforms is presented. The program, written in C++, utilizes a special-purpose window class (GLWindow), OpenGL, and 32-bit graphics acceleration; it avoids display timing uncertainty by substituting the new window class for the default window code for each system. We report the outcome of tests for real-time capability across PC and Mac platforms running a variety of operating systems. The test program, which can be used as a shell for programming real-time experiments and testing specific processors, is available at http://www.cs.dal.ca/~macinnwj. We propose to provide researchers with a sense of the usefulness of our program, highlight the ability of many multitasking environments to achieve real time, as well as caution users about systems that may not achieve real time, even under optimal conditions.

Guest Editor's introduction: Selected papers from the 4th USENIX Conference on Object-Oriented Technologies and Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sventek, Joe

1998-12-01

Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, 1501 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA Introduction The USENIX Conference on Object-Oriented Technologies and Systems (COOTS) is held annually in the late spring. The conference evolved from a set of C++ workshops that were held under the auspices of USENIX, the first of which met in 1989. Given the growing diverse interest in object-oriented technologies, the C++ focus of the workshop eventually became too narrow, with the result that the scope was widened in 1995 to include object-oriented technologies and systems. COOTS is intended to showcase advanced R&D efforts in object-oriented technologies and software systems. The conference emphasizes experimental research and experience gained by using object-oriented techniques and languages to build complex software systems that meet real-world needs. COOTS solicits papers in the following general areas: application of, and experiences with, object-oriented technologies in particular domains (e.g. financial, medical, telecommunication); the architecture and implementation of distributed object systems (e.g. CORBA, DCOM, RMI); object-oriented programming and specification languages; object-oriented design and analysis. The 4th meeting of COOTS was held 27 - 30 April 1998 at the El Dorado Hotel, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. Several tutorials were given. The technical program proper consisted of a single track of six sessions, with three paper presentations per session. A keynote address and a provocative panel session rounded out the technical program. The program committee reviewed 56 papers, selecting the best 18 for presentation in the technical sessions. While we solicit papers across the spectrum of applications of object-oriented technologies, this year there was a predominance of distributed, object-oriented papers. The accepted papers reflected this asymmetry, with 15 papers on distributed objects and 3 papers on object-oriented languages. The papers in this special issue are the six best distributed object papers (in the opinion of the program committee). They represent the diversity of research in this particular area, and should give the reader a good idea of the types of papers presented at COOTS as well as the calibre of the work so presented. The papers The paper by Jain, Widoff and Schmidt explores the suitability of Java for writing performance-sensitive distributed applications. Despite the popularity of Java, there are many concerns about its efficiency; in particular, networking and computation performance are key concerns when considering the use of Java to develop performance-sensitive distributed applications. This paper makes three contributions to the study of Java for these applications: it describes an architecture using Java and the Web to develop MedJava, which is a distributed electronic medical imaging system with stringent networking and computation requirements; it presents benchmarks of MedJava image processing and compares the results to the performance of xv, which is an equivalent image processing application written in C; it presents performance benchmarks using Java as a transport interface to exchange large medical images over high-speed ATM networks. The paper by Little and Shrivastava covers the integration of several important topics: transactions, distributed systems, Java, the Internet and security. The usefulness of this paper lies in the synthesis of an effective solution applying work in different areas of computing to the Java environment. Securing applications constructed from distributed objects is important if these applications are to be used in mission-critical situations. Delegation is one aspect of distributed system security that is necessary for such applications. The paper by Nagaratnam and Lea describes a secure delegation model for Java-based, distributed object environments. The paper by Frølund and Koistinen addresses the topical issue of providing a common way for describing Quality-of-Service (QoS) features in distributed, object-oriented systems. They present a general QoS language, QML, that can be used to capture QoS properties as part of a design. They also show how to extend UML to support QML concepts. The paper by Szymaszek, Uszok and Zielinski discusses the important issue of efficient implementation and usage of fine-grained objects in CORBA-based applications. Fine-grained objects can have serious ramifications on overall application performance and scalability, and the paper suggests that such objects should not be treated as first-class CORBA objects, proposing instead the use of collections and smart proxies for efficient implementation. The paper by Milojicic, LaForge and Chauhan describes a mobile objects and agents infrastructure. Their particular research has focused on communication support across agent migration and extensive resource control. The paper also discusses issues regarding interoperation between agent systems. Acknowledgments The editor wishes to thank all of the authors, reviewers and publishers. Without their excellent work, and the contribution of their valuable time, this special issue would not have been possible.

Residential immersive life skills programs for youth with disabilities: service providers' perceptions of change processes.

PubMed

King, Gillian; McPherson, Amy; Kingsnorth, Shauna; Stewart, Debra; Glencross-Eimantas, Tanya; Jones-Galley, Kimberlea; Morrison, Andrea; Isihi, Ana Maria; Gorter, Jan Willem

2015-05-01

Residential immersive life skills (RILS) programs are designed to equip youth with physical disabilities with the foundational life skills required to assume adult roles. The objective was to determine RILS service providers' perceptions of the active ingredients of the intervention change process. Thirty-seven service providers from various disciplines completed measures to assess expertise status and participated in qualitative interviews. Qualitative themes were derived, and similarities and differences in themes were identified for blinded groups of novices, intermediates, and experts. The three main themes, reflecting change processes, were: (a) creating a supportive program atmosphere with multiple opportunities for learning, (b) using strategies to support, encourage, and engage youth, and (c) intentionally fostering youth experiences of skill development, social interaction, and pride in accomplishment. In contrast to the novices, experts displayed a more holistic perspective and paid attention to higher-order issues such as providing opportunities and enabling youth. The findings indicate how RILS service providers work to create a program atmosphere and employ strategies to intentionally foster particular youth experiences. The findings explicate service providers' theories of practice, the intentional design of RILS program environments to bring about client change, and the value of service provider expertise. Implications for Rehabilitation Service providers of youth independence-oriented life skills programs can intentionally create a learning-oriented and supportive program atmosphere by using non-directive, coaching/guiding, and engagement strategies Youth experiences of skill development, shared experience with others, and pride in accomplishment can be cultivated by providing a range of learning opportunities, including choice making, problem-solving, and skill mastery Compared to more novice service providers, experts discussed managing the program conditions and context, creating opportunities for choice and new experiences, and adopting a facilitating and enabling role (coaching and capitalizing on teachable moments).

Virtual environment display for a 3D audio room simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapin, William L.; Foster, Scott

1992-06-01

Recent developments in virtual 3D audio and synthetic aural environments have produced a complex acoustical room simulation. The acoustical simulation models a room with walls, ceiling, and floor of selected sound reflecting/absorbing characteristics and unlimited independent localizable sound sources. This non-visual acoustic simulation, implemented with 4 audio ConvolvotronsTM by Crystal River Engineering and coupled to the listener with a Poihemus IsotrakTM, tracking the listener's head position and orientation, and stereo headphones returning binaural sound, is quite compelling to most listeners with eyes closed. This immersive effect should be reinforced when properly integrated into a full, multi-sensory virtual environment presentation. This paper discusses the design of an interactive, visual virtual environment, complementing the acoustic model and specified to: 1) allow the listener to freely move about the space, a room of manipulable size, shape, and audio character, while interactively relocating the sound sources; 2) reinforce the listener's feeling of telepresence into the acoustical environment with visual and proprioceptive sensations; 3) enhance the audio with the graphic and interactive components, rather than overwhelm or reduce it; and 4) serve as a research testbed and technology transfer demonstration. The hardware/software design of two demonstration systems, one installed and one portable, are discussed through the development of four iterative configurations. The installed system implements a head-coupled, wide-angle, stereo-optic tracker/viewer and multi-computer simulation control. The portable demonstration system implements a head-mounted wide-angle, stereo-optic display, separate head and pointer electro-magnetic position trackers, a heterogeneous parallel graphics processing system, and object oriented C++ program code.

Hip2Norm: an object-oriented cross-platform program for 3D analysis of hip joint morphology using 2D pelvic radiographs.

PubMed

Zheng, G; Tannast, M; Anderegg, C; Siebenrock, K A; Langlotz, F

2007-07-01

We developed an object-oriented cross-platform program to perform three-dimensional (3D) analysis of hip joint morphology using two-dimensional (2D) anteroposterior (AP) pelvic radiographs. Landmarks extracted from 2D AP pelvic radiographs and optionally an additional lateral pelvic X-ray were combined with a cone beam projection model to reconstruct 3D hip joints. Since individual pelvic orientation can vary considerably, a method for standardizing pelvic orientation was implemented to determine the absolute tilt/rotation. The evaluation of anatomically morphologic differences was achieved by reconstructing the projected acetabular rim and the measured hip parameters as if obtained in a standardized neutral orientation. The program had been successfully used to interactively objectify acetabular version in hips with femoro-acetabular impingement or developmental dysplasia. Hip(2)Norm is written in object-oriented programming language C++ using cross-platform software Qt (TrollTech, Oslo, Norway) for graphical user interface (GUI) and is transportable to any platform.

Wanted: A Developmentally Oriented Alcohol Prevention Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spoth, Richard; Rosenthal, David

1980-01-01

Describes an alcohol prevention program with a comprehensive developmental skills orientation. The program includes values clarification, decision making, career planning and communication skills, assertiveness and relaxation training, and relationship with parents and peers. (Author/JAC)

The Spiral-Interactive Program Evaluation Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khaleel, Ibrahim Adamu

1988-01-01

Describes the spiral interactive program evaluation model, which is designed to evaluate vocational-technical education programs in secondary schools in Nigeria. Program evaluation is defined; utility oriented and process oriented models for evaluation are described; and internal and external evaluative factors and variables that define each…

Orientation program for hospital-based nurse practitioners.

PubMed

Bahouth, Mona N; Esposito-Herr, Mary Beth

2009-01-01

The transition from student to practicing clinician is often a challenging and difficult period for many nurse practitioners. Newly graduated nurse practitioners commonly describe feelings of inadequacy in assuming clinical responsibilities, lack of support by team members, unclear expectations for the orientation period, and role isolation. This article describes the formal nurse practitioner orientation program implemented at the University of Maryland Medical Center, a large urban academic medical center, to facilitate the transition of new nurse practitioners into the workforce. This comprehensive program incorporates streamlined administrative activities, baseline didactic and simulation-based critical care education, ongoing and focused peer support, access to formalized resources, and individualized clinical preceptor programs. This formalized orientation program has proven to be one of the key variables to successful integration of nurse practitioners into our acute care clinical teams.

Navigations: The Road to a Better Orientation.

PubMed

Rizzo, Leah Heather

2016-01-01

A team of nursing professional development specialists from a large Magnet® healthcare network transformed new employee orientation using a themed, interdisciplinary, learner-centered approach. Guided by project management principles, the nursing professional development team created an engaging program that serves as an interactive guide for new hires' orientation journey. This unique approach differs from traditional orientation programs through its incorporation of gaming, video clips, and group discussions.

Overview of the LINCS architecture

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

Fletcher, J.G.; Watson, R.W.

1982-01-13

Computing at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has evolved over the past 15 years with a computer network based resource sharing environment. The increasing use of low cost and high performance micro, mini and midi computers and commercially available local networking systems will accelerate this trend. Further, even the large scale computer systems, on which much of the LLNL scientific computing depends, are evolving into multiprocessor systems. It is our belief that the most cost effective use of this environment will depend on the development of application systems structured into cooperating concurrent program modules (processes) distributed appropriately over differentmore » nodes of the environment. A node is defined as one or more processors with a local (shared) high speed memory. Given the latter view, the environment can be characterized as consisting of: multiple nodes communicating over noisy channels with arbitrary delays and throughput, heterogenous base resources and information encodings, no single administration controlling all resources, distributed system state, and no uniform time base. The system design problem is - how to turn the heterogeneous base hardware/firmware/software resources of this environment into a coherent set of resources that facilitate development of cost effective, reliable, and human engineered applications. We believe the answer lies in developing a layered, communication oriented distributed system architecture; layered and modular to support ease of understanding, reconfiguration, extensibility, and hiding of implementation or nonessential local details; communication oriented because that is a central feature of the environment. The Livermore Interactive Network Communication System (LINCS) is a hierarchical architecture designed to meet the above needs. While having characteristics in common with other architectures, it differs in several respects.« less

Creating environmental awareness among children.

PubMed

Nair, S M

1992-01-01

In India, most instruction in ecology and environment in schools and colleges comes from textbooks. Yet, this form of education rarely results in action. Children need to go into nature to study the flora, fauna, and ecosystems and into the environment to observe environmental problems, e.g., pollution, deforestation, and conservation processes. Educators need to first stir love and curiosity for nature so children can become aware of the environment and motivated to take action to preserve it. Well-conceived interpretive facilities with basic environmental information are needed in natural areas to help people identify plants and animals and learn about their characteristics and their interrelationships. They must incite joy and curiosity in what people can see rather than in what they cannot see. For example, many people go to national parks and sanctuaries to see a tiger or a leopard, but rarely see them. Nature study project material for children helps stir excitement about nature and their responsibility to respect it. Various groups have produced Joy of Learning, a handbook for environmental education activities. Environmental education depends on how educators can relate personal matters (e.g., wasteful use of paper to deforestation) to the environment. The National Museum of Natural History is committed to environmental education and to raising public awareness of conservation. It loans exhibits to classrooms. The Museum has a month-long summer program for teenagers called Exploring the Environment consisting of museum studies, nature field trips, urban field trips, and ecosystem observations in a national park or sanctuary. Its month-long program for younger children involves nature painting and animal modeling. The Touch, Feel, and Learn program benefits handicapped children. The Museum hosts 2-3 teacher workshops a year to orient them to museum resource materials and how to develop teaching aids. Other programs are outreach programs for children, college students, and teachers; temporary exhibits; and quiz and declamation contests.

Development of a framework for transit-oriented development (TOD) : research summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-01

Transit-oriented development is a type of development that encourages public : transit and a transit-friendly urban environment. In general TOD provides an : environment where residents live within walking distance of one or more major : transit stat...

A Cross-Case Analysis of Three Social Justice-Oriented Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Mariela A.; Chambers, Terah Venzant; Gonzalez, Maria Luisa; Scheurich, James Joseph

2010-01-01

This cross-case analysis was based on three main questions that addressed three social justice-oriented education programs. The three questions were: 1) What critical elements underlie programs that prepare professionals for social justice? 2) What can we learn from these programs in support of educational-leadership programs whose aim is to…

Assessing Students' Structured Programming Skills with Java: The "Blue, Berry, and Blueberry" Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Xihui

2010-01-01

Java is an object-oriented programming language. From a software engineering perspective, object-oriented design and programming is used at the architectural design, and structured design and programming is used at the detailed design within methods. As such, structured programming skills are fundamental to more advanced object-oriented…

The Relationship between Graduate Orientation Programs and Satisfaction with Institutional Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stiles, Carl G.

2012-01-01

This research study evaluated graduate orientation programs offered at private institutions of higher education in a New England state. Matriculated master's degree candidates participated in a survey to determine if participation in graduate orientation influenced first semester satisfaction with their college choice. Supporting the…

Employee Orientation: A Process, Not a Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zemke, Ron

1989-01-01

No or poor orientation can reduce new employees' effectiveness and contribute to dissatisfaction and turnover, costing the company money. The orientation programs of large companies such as Disney, Texas Instruments, and Corning Glass are successful due to high expectations, supervisor and senior management involvement, anxiety reduction, and…

Aspect-Oriented Programming is Quantification and Obliviousness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Filman, Robert E.; Friedman, Daniel P.; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

This paper proposes that the distinguishing characteristic of Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) systems is that they allow programming by making quantified programmatic assertions over programs written by programmers oblivious to such assertions. Thus, AOP systems can be analyzed with respect to three critical dimensions: the kinds of quantifications allowed, the nature of the actions that can be asserted, and the mechanism for combining base-level actions with asserted actions. Consequences of this perspective are the recognition that certain systems are not AOP and that some mechanisms are expressive enough to allow programming an AOP system within them. A corollary is that while AOP can be applied to Object-Oriented Programming, it is an independent concept applicable to other programming styles.

The Roles of Innate Information, Learning Rules and Plasticity in Migratory Bird Orientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Able, Kenneth P.; Able, Mary A.

This paper and the following three papers were presented at the RIN97 Conference held in Oxford under the auspices of the Animal Navigation Special Interest Group, April 1997. The full proceedings, under the title Orientation and Navigation - Birds, Humans and Other Animals, can be obtained from the Director (£30 to Members, £50 to non-Members).Studies of the compass mechanisms involved in the migratory orientation of birds have revealed a complex web of interactions, both during the development of orientation behaviour in young birds and in mature individuals exhibiting migratory activity. In young birds, the acquisition of compass orientation capabilities involves the interplay of apparently genetically programmed information with a suite of innate learning rules. The latter canalise the ways in which experience with relevant orientation information from the environment impinges on development. There are many general similarities with the development of singing behaviour in songbirds, although that system is more thoroughly understood, especially at the neuronal level.Here we shall attempt to synthesise what is known about the development of compass mechanisms in a framework of innate information and learning rules. The way in which orientation behaviour develops leaves open the possibility for plasticity that enables birds to compensate for variability in the environmental cues that form the basis of their compasses. For at least some components of the system, behavioural plasticity remains into adulthood, allowing the bird on migration to respond in apparently adaptive ways to spatial and temporal variability in orientation information that it may encounter while enroute. We have studied these questions in the Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), a medium-distance North American emberizine nocturnal migrant. We will focus on that species, relating the results of our work to relevant studies on others.

Freshman Student Perceptions of Academic Programs and Academic Advising. Report No. One. Freshman Appraisal of Pre-Registration Information and Summer Orientation. Freshman Study. Report No. Two.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zink, Mary S.

An effort was made to determine freshmen student perceptions of academic advisory programs, pre-registration material, and summer orientation. To ascertain these perceptions a questionnaire was sent to all freshmen on the Orono Campus of the University of Maine. Approximately half of the students found the summer orientation program to be helpful,…

Effects of Field and Job Oriented Technical Retraining on Manpower Utilization of the Unemployed. Vocational-Industrial Education Research Report. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bjorkquist, David C.

A job-oriented program emphasizing application to the specific occupation of tool design was compared with a field-oriented program intended to give a broad basic preparation for a variety of jobs in the field of mechanical technology. Both programs were conducted under the Manpower Development and Training Act (MDTA) for a period of 52 weeks.…

Dimensionality and construct validity of an instrument designed to measure the metacognitive orientation of science classroom learning environments.

PubMed

Thomas, Gregory P

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to establish the factorial construct validity and dimensionality of the Metacognitive Orientation Learning Environment Scale-Science (MOLES-S) which was designed to measure the metacognitive orientation of science classroom learning environments. The metacognitive orientation of a science classroom learning environment is the extent to which psychosocial conditions that are known to enhance students' metacognition are evident within that classroom. The development of items comprising this scale was based on a theoretical understanding of metacognition, learning environments and the development of previous learning environments instruments. Four possible hypothesized structure models, each consistent with the literature, were reviewed and their merits were compared on the basis of empirical data drawn from two populations of 1026 and 1223 Hong Kong secondary school students using confirmatory factor analysis procedures. The scale was calibrated using the Rasch rating scale model using data from the 1223 student sample. The results suggest that there is strong evidence to support the factorial construct validity of the MOLES-S but that, on the basis of the Rasch analysis, there are still suggestions for further refinement and improvement of the MOLES-S.

Factors Leading to Self-Removal from the Bariatric Surgery Program After Attending the Orientation Session.

PubMed

Yang, Kai; Zhang, Binghao; Kastanias, Patti; Wang, Wei; Okraniec, Allan; Sockalingam, Sanjeev

2017-01-01

Bariatric surgery orientation sessions are often the first point of contact and a recommended component of pre-bariatric surgery assessment. Self-removal rates after bariatric program orientation are as high as 25 % despite the proven efficacy of this procedure. The objective of this study was to identify factors contributing to patient self-removal after orientation using a mixed method approach. Patients who attended the Toronto Western Hospital Bariatric Surgery Program orientation between 2012 and 2013 and then self-removed from the program (N = 216) were included in the study. Subjects were interviewed via telephone using a semi-structured interview guide, generating both quantitative and qualitative data. Factors leading to discontinuation were rated on a five-point Likert scale. Qualitative data was analyzed using constant comparative methodology. The response rate was 59 % with a 40.7 % completion rate (N = 88). Concerns about potential surgical risks and complications and the ability to adapt to changes in eating and drinking post-operatively were identified as the top two factors for patients' self-removal from the program. Thematic analysis uncovered 11 major themes related to patient self-removal. Unexpected themes include perceived personal suitability for the surgery, family impact of surgery, miscommunication with the family physician, and fears related to the orientation information. This is one of the first studies examining barriers to bariatric surgery in the pre-operative setting and offers new insights into the reasons patients self-remove from bariatric surgery programs. This study may inform bariatric orientation program changes resulting in improved access to this effective surgical intervention.

PCSIM: A Parallel Simulation Environment for Neural Circuits Fully Integrated with Python

PubMed Central

Pecevski, Dejan; Natschläger, Thomas; Schuch, Klaus

2008-01-01

The Parallel Circuit SIMulator (PCSIM) is a software package for simulation of neural circuits. It is primarily designed for distributed simulation of large scale networks of spiking point neurons. Although its computational core is written in C++, PCSIM's primary interface is implemented in the Python programming language, which is a powerful programming environment and allows the user to easily integrate the neural circuit simulator with data analysis and visualization tools to manage the full neural modeling life cycle. The main focus of this paper is to describe PCSIM's full integration into Python and the benefits thereof. In particular we will investigate how the automatically generated bidirectional interface and PCSIM's object-oriented modular framework enable the user to adopt a hybrid modeling approach: using and extending PCSIM's functionality either employing pure Python or C++ and thus combining the advantages of both worlds. Furthermore, we describe several supplementary PCSIM packages written in pure Python and tailored towards setting up and analyzing neural simulations. PMID:19543450

Service-Oriented Security Framework for Remote Medical Services in the Internet of Things Environment

PubMed Central

Lee, Jae Dong; Yoon, Tae Sik; Chung, Seung Hyun

2015-01-01

Objectives Remote medical services have been expanding globally, and this is expansion is steadily increasing. It has had many positive effects, including medical access convenience, timeliness of service, and cost reduction. The speed of research and development in remote medical technology has been gradually accelerating. Therefore, it is expected to expand to enable various high-tech information and communications technology (ICT)-based remote medical services. However, the current state lacks an appropriate security framework that can resolve security issues centered on the Internet of things (IoT) environment that will be utilized significantly in telemedicine. Methods This study developed a medical service-oriented frame work for secure remote medical services, possessing flexibility regarding new service and security elements through its service-oriented structure. First, the common architecture of remote medical services is defined. Next medical-oriented secu rity threats and requirements within the IoT environment are identified. Finally, we propose a "service-oriented security frame work for remote medical services" based on previous work and requirements for secure remote medical services in the IoT. Results The proposed framework is a secure framework based on service-oriented cases in the medical environment. A com parative analysis focusing on the security elements (confidentiality, integrity, availability, privacy) was conducted, and the analysis results demonstrate the security of the proposed framework for remote medical services with IoT. Conclusions The proposed framework is service-oriented structure. It can support dynamic security elements in accordance with demands related to new remote medical services which will be diversely generated in the IoT environment. We anticipate that it will enable secure services to be provided that can guarantee confidentiality, integrity, and availability for all, including patients, non-patients, and medical staff. PMID:26618034

Service-Oriented Security Framework for Remote Medical Services in the Internet of Things Environment.

PubMed

Lee, Jae Dong; Yoon, Tae Sik; Chung, Seung Hyun; Cha, Hyo Soung

2015-10-01

Remote medical services have been expanding globally, and this is expansion is steadily increasing. It has had many positive effects, including medical access convenience, timeliness of service, and cost reduction. The speed of research and development in remote medical technology has been gradually accelerating. Therefore, it is expected to expand to enable various high-tech information and communications technology (ICT)-based remote medical services. However, the current state lacks an appropriate security framework that can resolve security issues centered on the Internet of things (IoT) environment that will be utilized significantly in telemedicine. This study developed a medical service-oriented frame work for secure remote medical services, possessing flexibility regarding new service and security elements through its service-oriented structure. First, the common architecture of remote medical services is defined. Next medical-oriented secu rity threats and requirements within the IoT environment are identified. Finally, we propose a "service-oriented security frame work for remote medical services" based on previous work and requirements for secure remote medical services in the IoT. The proposed framework is a secure framework based on service-oriented cases in the medical environment. A com parative analysis focusing on the security elements (confidentiality, integrity, availability, privacy) was conducted, and the analysis results demonstrate the security of the proposed framework for remote medical services with IoT. The proposed framework is service-oriented structure. It can support dynamic security elements in accordance with demands related to new remote medical services which will be diversely generated in the IoT environment. We anticipate that it will enable secure services to be provided that can guarantee confidentiality, integrity, and availability for all, including patients, non-patients, and medical staff.

Ontology driven integration platform for clinical and translational research

PubMed Central

Mirhaji, Parsa; Zhu, Min; Vagnoni, Mattew; Bernstam, Elmer V; Zhang, Jiajie; Smith, Jack W

2009-01-01

Semantic Web technologies offer a promising framework for integration of disparate biomedical data. In this paper we present the semantic information integration platform under development at the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSC-H) as part of our Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program. We utilize the Semantic Web technologies not only for integrating, repurposing and classification of multi-source clinical data, but also to construct a distributed environment for information sharing, and collaboration online. Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is used to modularize and distribute reusable services in a dynamic and distributed environment. Components of the semantic solution and its overall architecture are described. PMID:19208190

Effects of a College Outdoor Orientation Program on Trait Emotional Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Forrest; Belknap, C. J.

2017-01-01

In this research, we investigated the effects of participation in a college outdoor orientation program (OOP) on participants' trait emotional intelligence (TEI). Three hundred seventeen outdoor orientation participants completed the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) before and after participation in an OOP. Four…

GUI and Object Oriented Programming in COBOL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorents, Alden C.

Various schools are struggling with the introduction of Object Oriented (OO) programming concepts and GUI (graphical user interfaces) within the traditional COBOL sequence. OO programming has been introduced in some of the curricula with languages such as C++, Smalltalk, and Java. Introducing OO programming into a typical COBOL sequence presents…

Magnetically Actuated Propellant Orientation, Controlling Fluids in a Low-Gravity Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, James J.; Holt, James B.

2000-01-01

Cryogenic fluid management (CFM) is a technology area common to virtually every space transportation propulsion concept envisioned. Storage, supply, transfer and handling of sub-critical cryogenic fluids are basic capabilities that have long been needed by multiple programs and the need is expected to continue in the future. The use of magnetic fields provides another method, which could replace or augment current/traditional approaches, potentially simplifying vehicle operational constraints. The magnetically actuated propellant orientation (MAPO) program effort focused on the use of magnetic fields to control fluid motion as it relates to positioning (i.e. orientation and acquisition) of a paramagnetic substance such as LO2. Current CFM state- of-the-art systems used to control and acquire propellant in low gravity environments rely on liquid surface tension devices which employ vanes, fine screen mesh channels and baskets. These devices trap and direct propellant to areas where it's needed and have been used routinely with storable (non-cryogenic) propellants. However, almost no data exists r,egarding their operation in cryogenics and the use of such devices confronts designers with a multitude of significant technology issues. Typical problems include a sensitivity to screen dry out (due to thermal loads and pressurant gas) and momentary adverse accelerations (generated from either internal or external sources). Any of these problems can potentially cause the acquisition systems to ingest or develop vapor and fail. The use of lightweight high field strength magnets may offer a valuable means of augmenting traditional systems potentially mitigating or at least easing operational requirements. Two potential uses of magnetic fields include: 1) strategically positioning magnets to keep vent ports clear of liquid (enabling low G vented fill operations), and 2) placing magnets in the center or around the walls of the tank to create an insulating vapor pocket (between the liquid and the tank wall) which could effectively lower heat transfer to the liquid (enabling increased storage time).

Cardinal rules: Visual orientation perception reflects knowledge of environmental statistics

PubMed Central

Girshick, Ahna R.; Landy, Michael S.; Simoncelli, Eero P.

2011-01-01

Humans are remarkably good at performing visual tasks, but experimental measurements reveal substantial biases in the perception of basic visual attributes. An appealing hypothesis is that these biases arise through a process of statistical inference, in which information from noisy measurements is fused with a probabilistic model of the environment. But such inference is optimal only if the observer’s internal model matches the environment. Here, we provide evidence that this is the case. We measured performance in an orientation-estimation task, demonstrating the well-known fact that orientation judgements are more accurate at cardinal (horizontal and vertical) orientations, along with a new observation that judgements made under conditions of uncertainty are strongly biased toward cardinal orientations. We estimate observers’ internal models for orientation and find that they match the local orientation distribution measured in photographs. We also show how a neural population could embed probabilistic information responsible for such biases. PMID:21642976

Some Outcomes of an Employment-Oriented Post-Secondary Training Program for Educably Mentally Handicapped Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fahy, P.; McLean, A.

The Alberta Vocational Centre (AVC) Transitional Vocational (T-V) Program, in Edmonton, began in 1982. The program currently employs six instructors to provide a postsecondary employment-oriented program for mildly mentally disabled adults. The yearlong program is offered in two sessions and has an approximate enrollment of 30 incoming students…

A Prototyping Effort for the Integrated Spacecraft Analysis System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Raymond; Tung, Yu-Wen; Maldague, Pierre

2011-01-01

Computer modeling and simulation has recently become an essential technique for predicting and validating spacecraft performance. However, most computer models only examine spacecraft subsystems, and the independent nature of the models creates integration problems, which lowers the possibilities of simulating a spacecraft as an integrated unit despite a desire for this type of analysis. A new project called Integrated Spacecraft Analysis was proposed to serve as a framework for an integrated simulation environment. The project is still in its infancy, but a software prototype would help future developers assess design issues. The prototype explores a service oriented design paradigm that theoretically allows programs written in different languages to communicate with one another. It includes creating a uniform interface to the SPICE libraries such that different in-house tools like APGEN or SEQGEN can exchange information with it without much change. Service orientation may result in a slower system as compared to a single application, and more research needs to be done on the different available technologies, but a service oriented approach could increase long term maintainability and extensibility.

An object-oriented data reduction system in Fortran

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, J.

1992-01-01

A data reduction system for the AAO two-degree field project is being developed using an object-oriented approach. Rather than use an object-oriented language (such as C++) the system is written in Fortran and makes extensive use of existing subroutine libraries provided by the UK Starlink project. Objects are created using the extensible N-dimensional Data Format (NDF) which itself is based on the Hierarchical Data System (HDS). The software consists of a class library, with each class corresponding to a Fortran subroutine with a standard calling sequence. The methods of the classes provide operations on NDF objects at a similar level of functionality to the applications of conventional data reduction systems. However, because they are provided as callable subroutines, they can be used as building blocks for more specialist applications. The class library is not dependent on a particular software environment thought it can be used effectively in ADAM applications. It can also be used from standalone Fortran programs. It is intended to develop a graphical user interface for use with the class library to form the 2dF data reduction system.

Randomized Trial of Four Financial-Incentive Programs for Smoking Cessation

PubMed Central

Halpern, Scott D.; French, Benjamin; Small, Dylan S.; Saulsgiver, Kathryn; Harhay, Michael O.; Audrain-McGovern, Janet; Loewenstein, George; Brennan, Troyen A.; Asch, David A.; Volpp, Kevin G.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Financial incentives promote many health behaviors, but effective ways to deliver health incentives remain uncertain. METHODS We randomly assigned CVS Caremark employees and their relatives and friends to one of four incentive programs or to usual care for smoking cessation. Two of the incentive programs targeted individuals, and two targeted groups of six participants. One of the individual-oriented programs and one of the group-oriented programs entailed rewards of approximately $800 for smoking cessation; the others entailed refundable deposits of $150 plus $650 in reward payments for successful participants. Usual care included informational resources and free smoking-cessation aids. RESULTS Overall, 2538 participants were enrolled. Of those assigned to reward-based programs, 90.0% accepted the assignment, as compared with 13.7% of those assigned to deposit-based programs (P<0.001). In intention-to-treat analyses, rates of sustained abstinence from smoking through 6 months were higher with each of the four incentive programs (range, 9.4 to 16.0%) than with usual care (6.0%) (P<0.05 for all comparisons); the superiority of reward-based programs was sustained through 12 months. Group-oriented and individual-oriented programs were associated with similar 6-month abstinence rates (13.7% and 12.1%, respectively; P = 0.29). Reward-based programs were associated with higher abstinence rates than deposit-based programs (15.7% vs. 10.2%, P<0.001). However, in instrumental-variable analyses that accounted for differential acceptance, the rate of abstinence at 6 months was 13.2 percentage points (95% confidence interval, 3.1 to 22.8) higher in the deposit-based programs than in the reward-based programs among the estimated 13.7% of the participants who would accept participation in either type of program. CONCLUSIONS Reward-based programs were much more commonly accepted than deposit-based programs, leading to higher rates of sustained abstinence from smoking. Group-oriented incentive programs were no more effective than individual-oriented programs. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and CVS Caremark; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01526265.) PMID:25970009

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

Flood, A.M.

This study investigates the theoretical extension of moral development theory from the strictly human, anthropocentric context to the environmental or ecological context in terms of Care and Justice orientations of moral development theory. A theoretical conceptualization of moral orientation to the environment was developed, based on the framework of Lyons' conceptualization of self and morality, and designed to fit her scoring method. This allowed for the testing of moral orientations in an environmental context to determine if moral orientation would remain the same in spite of contextual differences. A new scoring method, the Flood Relative Presence Scoring Method, was developed.more » This research serves as the theoretical basis for this new scoring method, which is designed to more accurately assess the relative presence of moral orientations among subjects than previously reported methods of Predominance of Orientations or Presence of Orientations. Gender differences in moral orientation which were found in subjects' responses to Human dilemmas were also found in their responses to Environmental dilemmas. This research looked at contextual variations of moral orientations and contains strong evidence that the present view of moral development theory is incomplete, as well as unnecessarily limited to the human domain. These findings underlie the need for further research to (1) reconceptualize our models of moral development to include relationships not only to humans, but also to the environment; (2) empirically derive within a framework of moral considerations concerning the environment; (3) examine how these orientations may be related to each other within the context of environmentally responsive behavior; (4) determine whether and how the relationship between these orientations and environmental ethical behavior varies over the life cycle; (5) investigate cross-cultural differences between moral orientation and environmentally responsive behavior.« less

Resident designed intern orientation to address the new ACGME Common Program Requirements for resident supervision.

PubMed

Rialon, Kristy L; Barfield, Michael E; Elfenbein, Dawn M; Lunsford, Keri E; Tracy, Elisabeth T; Migaly, John

2013-01-01

To design an orientation for surgical interns to meet the new Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Common Program Requirements regarding supervision, to test patient-management competencies, and to assess confidence on skills and tasks pre-orientation and post-orientation. Twenty-seven incoming surgical interns participated in a two-day orientation to clinical duties. Activities included a pre-test, lectures, simulation, oral examination, intern shadowing, and a post-test. Incoming interns were surveyed before and after orientation and two months later for confidence in patient-management and surgical intern skills. Paired t-tests were used to determine if confidence improved pre-orientation and post-orientation, and two months following orientation. The study took place at an academic training hospital. All (n = 27) postgraduate year-1 (PGY-1) surgical residents at our institution, which included the categorical and nondesignated preliminary general surgery, urology, orthopedic surgery, otolaryngology, and neurosurgery programs. All interns passed the oral and written examinations, and were deemed able to be indirectly supervised, with direct supervision immediately available. They reported increased confidence in all areas of patient management addressed during orientation, and this confidence was retained after two months. In surgical and floor-related tasks and skills, interns reported no increase in confidence directly following orientation. However, after two months, they reported a significant increase in confidence, particularly in those tasks that are performed often. New requirements for resident supervision require creative ways of verifying resident competency in basic skills. This type of orientation is an effective way to address the new requirements of supervision and teach interns the tasks and skills that are necessary for internship. Copyright © 2013 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Virtual Workshop Environment (VWE): A Taxonomy and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Framework for Modularized Virtual Learning Environments (VLE)--Applying the Learning Object Concept to the VLE

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulsson, Fredrik; Naeve, Ambjorn

2006-01-01

Based on existing Learning Object taxonomies, this article suggests an alternative Learning Object taxonomy, combined with a general Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) framework, aiming to transfer the modularized concept of Learning Objects to modularized Virtual Learning Environments. The taxonomy and SOA-framework exposes a need for a clearer…

Nemo: an evolutionary and population genetics programming framework.

PubMed

Guillaume, Frédéric; Rougemont, Jacques

2006-10-15

Nemo is an individual-based, genetically explicit and stochastic population computer program for the simulation of population genetics and life-history trait evolution in a metapopulation context. It comes as both a C++ programming framework and an executable program file. Its object-oriented programming design gives it the flexibility and extensibility needed to implement a large variety of forward-time evolutionary models. It provides developers with abstract models allowing them to implement their own life-history traits and life-cycle events. Nemo offers a large panel of population models, from the Island model to lattice models with demographic or environmental stochasticity and a variety of already implemented traits (deleterious mutations, neutral markers and more), life-cycle events (mating, dispersal, aging, selection, etc.) and output operators for saving data and statistics. It runs on all major computer platforms including parallel computing environments. The source code, binaries and documentation are available under the GNU General Public License at http://nemo2.sourceforge.net.

eTOXlab, an open source modeling framework for implementing predictive models in production environments.

PubMed

Carrió, Pau; López, Oriol; Sanz, Ferran; Pastor, Manuel

2015-01-01

Computational models based in Quantitative-Structure Activity Relationship (QSAR) methodologies are widely used tools for predicting the biological properties of new compounds. In many instances, such models are used as a routine in the industry (e.g. food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical industry) for the early assessment of the biological properties of new compounds. However, most of the tools currently available for developing QSAR models are not well suited for supporting the whole QSAR model life cycle in production environments. We have developed eTOXlab; an open source modeling framework designed to be used at the core of a self-contained virtual machine that can be easily deployed in production environments, providing predictions as web services. eTOXlab consists on a collection of object-oriented Python modules with methods mapping common tasks of standard modeling workflows. This framework allows building and validating QSAR models as well as predicting the properties of new compounds using either a command line interface or a graphic user interface (GUI). Simple models can be easily generated by setting a few parameters, while more complex models can be implemented by overriding pieces of the original source code. eTOXlab benefits from the object-oriented capabilities of Python for providing high flexibility: any model implemented using eTOXlab inherits the features implemented in the parent model, like common tools and services or the automatic exposure of the models as prediction web services. The particular eTOXlab architecture as a self-contained, portable prediction engine allows building models with confidential information within corporate facilities, which can be safely exported and used for prediction without disclosing the structures of the training series. The software presented here provides full support to the specific needs of users that want to develop, use and maintain predictive models in corporate environments. The technologies used by eTOXlab (web services, VM, object-oriented programming) provide an elegant solution to common practical issues; the system can be installed easily in heterogeneous environments and integrates well with other software. Moreover, the system provides a simple and safe solution for building models with confidential structures that can be shared without disclosing sensitive information.

Parametric Analysis of Energy Consumption in Army Buildings by the Building Loads Analysis and System Thermodynamics (BLAST) Computer Program.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-08-01

orientation, and HVAC systems have on three Army buildings in five different climatic regions. f Optimization of EnerV Usage in Military Facilities...The clinic’s environment is maintained by a multizone air-handling unit served by its own boiler and chiller . The building was modeled with 30... setpoints for the space temperature. This type of throttling range allows the heating system to control around a throttling range of 67 to 69oF (19 to 200

Multimission Software Reuse in an Environment of Large Paradigm Shifts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Robert K.

1996-01-01

The ground data systems provided for NASA space mission support are discussed. As space missions expand, the ground systems requirements become more complex. Current ground data systems provide for telemetry, command, and uplink and downlink processing capabilities. The new millennium project (NMP) technology testbed for 21st century NASA missions is discussed. The program demonstrates spacecraft and ground system technologies. The paradigm shift from detailed ground sequencing to a goal oriented planning approach is considered. The work carried out to meet this paradigm for the Deep Space-1 (DS-1) mission is outlined.

GRASP/Ada: Graphical Representations of Algorithms, Structures, and Processes for Ada. The development of a program analysis environment for Ada: Reverse engineering tools for Ada, task 2, phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, James H., II

1991-01-01

The main objective is the investigation, formulation, and generation of graphical representations of algorithms, structures, and processes for Ada (GRASP/Ada). The presented task, in which various graphical representations that can be extracted or generated from source code are described and categorized, is focused on reverse engineering. The following subject areas are covered: the system model; control structure diagram generator; object oriented design diagram generator; user interface; and the GRASP library.

Forms of attention and attentional disorders.

PubMed

O'Donnell, Brian F

2002-05-01

Difficulties in attention or concentration are observed in many clinical syndromes. Cognitive studies of normal attention and neuropsychological studies of brain dysfunction indicate that attention reflects a variety of mechanisms. These processes include the startle response, the orienting response, selective attention, vigilance, and divided attention. Understanding the specific mechanisms involved in attention deficits or lapses may be helpful in planning and evaluating remediation programs and in altering patients' environments to compensate for specific attention deficits. In this article, forms of attention and disorders of attention are discussed, with emphasis on their importance to every day activities.

Development of a microcomputer based integrated design system for high altitude long endurance aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, David W.; Rogan, J. Edward

1989-01-01

A microcomputer-based integration of aircraft design disciplines has been applied theoretically to sailplane, microwave-powered aircraft, and High Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) aircraft configurational definition efforts. Attention is presently given to the further development of such integrated-discipline approaches through the incorporation of AI techniques; these are then applied to the aforementioned case of the HALE. The windFrame language used, which is based on HyperTalk, will allow designers to write programs using a highly graphical, user interface-oriented environment.

A Software Architecture for Intelligent Synthesis Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Filman, Robert E.; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The NASA's Intelligent Synthesis Environment (ISE) program is a grand attempt to develop a system to transform the way complex artifacts are engineered. This paper discusses a "middleware" architecture for enabling the development of ISE. Desirable elements of such an Intelligent Synthesis Architecture (ISA) include remote invocation; plug-and-play applications; scripting of applications; management of design artifacts, tools, and artifact and tool attributes; common system services; system management; and systematic enforcement of policies. This paper argues that the ISA extend conventional distributed object technology (DOT) such as CORBA and Product Data Managers with flexible repositories of product and tool annotations and "plug-and-play" mechanisms for inserting "ility" or orthogonal concerns into the system. I describe the Object Infrastructure Framework, an Aspect Oriented Programming (AOP) environment for developing distributed systems that provides utility insertion and enables consistent annotation maintenance. This technology can be used to enforce policies such as maintaining the annotations of artifacts, particularly the provenance and access control rules of artifacts-, performing automatic datatype transformations between representations; supplying alternative servers of the same service; reporting on the status of jobs and the system; conveying privileges throughout an application; supporting long-lived transactions; maintaining version consistency; and providing software redundancy and mobility.

Motivational Orientations of Non-Traditional Adult Students to Enroll in a Degree-Seeking Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francois, Emmanuel Jean

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate the motivational orientations of non-traditional adult students to enroll in a degree-seeking program based on their academic goal. The Education Participation Scale (EPS) was used to measure the motivational orientations of participants. Professional advancement, cognitive interest, and educational…

76 FR 77392 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Establishment of Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-13

... to protect CO-OP members against insurance industry involvement and interference. To ensure consumer... Protection and Affordable Care Act; Establishment of Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) Program... the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) program, which provides loans to foster the creation...

Social marketing: the family planning experience.

PubMed

El-ansary, A I; Kramer Oe, J

1973-07-01

The authors explore social marketing applications in the Louisiana model of statewide program for family planning. The marketing concept has 4 major elements: 1) consumer orientation; 2) social process; 3) integrated effort; 4) profitable operation. Success of program and continued growth are the results of defining services needed by consumer; determining market target; taking services to customer; and emphasizing concept of selling family planning rather than giving free birth control method. Another important facet is the recognition of many participants--community agencies, the church, the American Medical Association, funding sources, and hospitals. This project used anyaltical marketing tools and defined services as human services rather than the narrow family planning services. It also extended activities to multinational environment and adapted the product offering to meet these needs.

What is "Object-Oriented Programming"?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stroustrup, Bjarne

"Object-Oriented Programming" and "Data Abstraction" have become very common terms. Unfortunately, few people agree on what they mean. I will offer informal definitions that appear to make sense in the context of languages like Ada, C++, Modula-2, Simula67, and Smalltalk. The general idea is to equate "support for data abstraction" with the ability to define and use new types and equate "support for object-oriented programming" with the ability to express type hierarchies. Features necessary to support these programming styles in a general purpose programming language will be discussed. The presentation centers around C++ but is not limited to facilities provided by that language.

A PLAN FOR AN EMPLOYMENT ORIENTATION PROGRAM FOR RETARDED PUPILS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN NEW JERSEY.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Jersey State Dept. of Education, Trenton.

THE GENERAL NATURE OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORIENTATION PROGRAM AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFEGUARDING THE TRAINEES' EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND PERSONAL SAFETY ARE PRESENTED. THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR MENTALLY RETARDED STUDENTS AND DIFFERS FROM OTHER COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN OBJECTIVES AND OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES. OF PRIME IMPORTANCE…

Using the Wilderness to Facilitate Adjustment to College: An Updated Description of Wilderness Orientation Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis-Berman, Jennifer; Berman, Dene

1996-01-01

Updated description of 38 wilderness orientation programs currently affiliated with U.S. colleges and universities includes program enrollment, length, cost, types of leaders, training, and sponsorship. Discusses program philosophies, goals, reasons for using the wilderness, and critical and emerging issues. Compares data to previous research.…

The Role of New Hire Orientation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Steven; Jasinski, Dale

2009-01-01

A vital component of a firm's human resource management is its new hire orientation (NHO) program. The authors' review of extant literature suggests that NHO programs can be organized based on a reconceptualization of human capital. Using their typology, a firm can organize the role and scope of its NHO program, assign responsibility for the…

Seeking the Trace of Argumentation in Turkish Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cetin, Pinar Seda; Metin, Duygu; Capkinoglu, Esra; Leblebicioglu, Gulsen

2016-01-01

Providing students with inquiry-oriented learning environments is a major concern in science education. Argumentation discourse can enhance the effectiveness of inquiry-oriented learning environments. This study seeks the trace of argumentation in Turkish Elementary and Secondary Science Curriculum developed by the Turkish Ministry of Education…

The Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) Mission System (JMS) and the Advanced Research, Collaboration, and Application Development Environment (ARCADE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Runco, A.; Echeverry, J.; Kim, R.; Sabol, C.; Zetocha, P.; Murray-Krezan, J.

2014-09-01

The JSpOC Mission System is a modern service-oriented architecture (SOA) infrastructure with increased process automation and improved tools to enhance Space Situational Awareness (SSA). The JMS program has already delivered Increment 1 in April 2013 as initial capability to operations. The programs current focus, Increment 2, will be completed by 2016 and replace the legacy Space Defense Operations Center (SPADOC) and Astrodynamics Support Workstation (ASW) capabilities. Post 2016, JMS Increment 3 will continue to provide additional SSA and C2 capabilities that will require development of new applications and procedures as well as the exploitation of new data sources with more agility. In 2012, the JMS Program Office entered into a partnership with AFRL/RD (Directed Energy) and AFRL/RV (Space Vehicles) to create the Advanced Research, Collaboration, and Application Development Environment (ARCADE). The purpose of the ARCADE is to: (1) serve as a centralized testbed for all research and development (R&D) activities related to JMS applications, including algorithm development, data source exposure, service orchestration, and software services, and provide developers reciprocal access to relevant tools and data to accelerate technology development, (2) allow the JMS program to communicate user capability priorities and requirements to developers, (3) provide the JMS program with access to state-of-the-art research, development, and computing capabilities, and (4) support market research efforts by identifying outstanding performers that are available to shepherd into the formal transition process. AFRL/RV and AFRL/RD have created development environments at both unclassified and classified levels that together allow developers to develop applications and work with data sources. The unclassified ARCADE utilizes the Maui high performance computing (HPC) Portal, and can be accessed using a CAC or Kerberos using Yubikey. This environment gives developers a sandbox environment to test and benchmark algorithms and services. The classified environments allow these new applications to be integrated with the JMS SOA and other data sources to help mature the capability to TRL 6.

A Student Orientation Program to Build a Community of Learners

PubMed Central

Santanello, Cathy R.; Gupchup, Gireesh V.

2007-01-01

Objectives To describe and evaluate a new student orientation program designed to lay the foundations for a community of learners. Design A weeklong orientation program structured as the first week of an 18-week fall semester was held for the first-professional year class. Each of the activities supported program objectives and developed elements of a community of learners. Assessment Students' reflective portfolios, daily evaluations and final program evaluations provided evidence of development of a community of learners. Positive student observations included the use of technology, a discussion of the curriculum and experiential education, the use of reflective portfolios, and presentations from pharmacy practitioners. Students also appreciated becoming acquainted with the faculty, staff, and their peers in a non-threatening atmosphere. Some of the aspects rated as least helpful were the learning styles exercise, library tour, history of pharmacy session, and the overall length of the orientation. Summary A model for a new student orientation program that builds the foundations for the development of a community of learning, which is vital to preparing students to provide pharmaceutical care in interdisciplinary teams and become critical thinkers, was successfully established. This model could be implemented at other schools of pharmacy. PMID:17429513

Autonomous Quality Control of Joint Orientation Measured with Inertial Sensors.

PubMed

Lebel, Karina; Boissy, Patrick; Nguyen, Hung; Duval, Christian

2016-07-05

Clinical mobility assessment is traditionally performed in laboratories using complex and expensive equipment. The low accessibility to such equipment, combined with the emerging trend to assess mobility in a free-living environment, creates a need for body-worn sensors (e.g., inertial measurement units-IMUs) that are capable of measuring the complexity in motor performance using meaningful measurements, such as joint orientation. However, accuracy of joint orientation estimates using IMUs may be affected by environment, the joint tracked, type of motion performed and velocity. This study investigates a quality control (QC) process to assess the quality of orientation data based on features extracted from the raw inertial sensors' signals. Joint orientation (trunk, hip, knee, ankle) of twenty participants was acquired by an optical motion capture system and IMUs during a variety of tasks (sit, sit-to-stand transition, walking, turning) performed under varying conditions (speed, environment). An artificial neural network was used to classify good and bad sequences of joint orientation with a sensitivity and a specificity above 83%. This study confirms the possibility to perform QC on IMU joint orientation data based on raw signal features. This innovative QC approach may be of particular interest in a big data context, such as for remote-monitoring of patients' mobility.

Aspect-Oriented Programming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elrad, Tzilla (Editor); Filman, Robert E. (Editor); Bader, Atef (Editor)

2001-01-01

Computer science has experienced an evolution in programming languages and systems from the crude assembly and machine codes of the earliest computers through concepts such as formula translation, procedural programming, structured programming, functional programming, logic programming, and programming with abstract data types. Each of these steps in programming technology has advanced our ability to achieve clear separation of concerns at the source code level. Currently, the dominant programming paradigm is object-oriented programming - the idea that one builds a software system by decomposing a problem into objects and then writing the code of those objects. Such objects abstract together behavior and data into a single conceptual and physical entity. Object-orientation is reflected in the entire spectrum of current software development methodologies and tools - we have OO methodologies, analysis and design tools, and OO programming languages. Writing complex applications such as graphical user interfaces, operating systems, and distributed applications while maintaining comprehensible source code has been made possible with OOP. Success at developing simpler systems leads to aspirations for greater complexity. Object orientation is a clever idea, but has certain limitations. We are now seeing that many requirements do not decompose neatly into behavior centered on a single locus. Object technology has difficulty localizing concerns invoking global constraints and pandemic behaviors, appropriately segregating concerns, and applying domain-specific knowledge. Post-object programming (POP) mechanisms that look to increase the expressiveness of the OO paradigm are a fertile arena for current research. Examples of POP technologies include domain-specific languages, generative programming, generic programming, constraint languages, reflection and metaprogramming, feature-oriented development, views/viewpoints, and asynchronous message brokering. (Czarneclu and Eisenecker s book includes a good survey of many of these technologies).

Synthesizing Safety Conditions for Code Certification Using Meta-Level Programming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eusterbrock, Jutta

2004-01-01

In code certification the code consumer publishes a safety policy and the code producer generates a proof that the produced code is in compliance with the published safety policy. In this paper, a novel viewpoint approach towards an implementational re-use oriented framework for code certification is taken. It adopts ingredients from Necula's approach for proof-carrying code, but in this work safety properties can be analyzed on a higher code level than assembly language instructions. It consists of three parts: (1) The specification language is extended to include generic pre-conditions that shall ensure safety at all states that can be reached during program execution. Actual safety requirements can be expressed by providing domain-specific definitions for the generic predicates which act as interface to the environment. (2) The Floyd-Hoare inductive assertion method is refined to obtain proof rules that allow the derivation of the proof obligations in terms of the generic safety predicates. (3) A meta-interpreter is designed and experimentally implemented that enables automatic synthesis of proof obligations for submitted programs by applying the modified Floyd-Hoare rules. The proof obligations have two separate conjuncts, one for functional correctness and another for the generic safety obligations. Proof of the generic obligations, having provided the actual safety definitions as context, ensures domain-specific safety of program execution in a particular environment and is simpler than full program verification.

The Joint Space Operations Center Mission System and the Advanced Research, Collaboration, and Application Development Environment Status Update 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray-Krezan, Jeremy; Howard, Samantha; Sabol, Chris; Kim, Richard; Echeverry, Juan

2016-05-01

The Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) Mission System (JMS) is a service-oriented architecture (SOA) infrastructure with increased process automation and improved tools to enhance Space Situational Awareness (SSA) performed at the US-led JSpOC. The Advanced Research, Collaboration, and Application Development Environment (ARCADE) is a test-bed maintained and operated by the Air Force to (1) serve as a centralized test-bed for all research and development activities related to JMS applications, including algorithm development, data source exposure, service orchestration, and software services, and provide developers reciprocal access to relevant tools and data to accelerate technology development, (2) allow the JMS program to communicate user capability priorities and requirements to developers, (3) provide the JMS program with access to state-of-the-art research, development, and computing capabilities, and (4) support JMS Program Office-led market research efforts by identifying outstanding performers that are available to shepherd into the formal transition process. In this paper we will share with the international remote sensing community some of the recent JMS and ARCADE developments that may contribute to greater SSA at the JSpOC in the future, and share technical areas still in great need.

Structural testing of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Heat Source/Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generator shipping container

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

Bronowski, D.R.; Madsen, M.M.

The Heat Source/Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generator shipping container is a Type B packaging design currently under development by Los Alamos National Laboratory. Type B packaging for transporting radioactive material is required to maintain containment and shielding after being exposed to the normal and hypothetical accident environments defined in Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 71. A combination of testing and analysis is used to verify the adequacy of this package design. This report documents the test program portion of the design verification, using several prototype packages. Four types of testing were performed: 30-foot hypothetical accident condition drop tests in threemore » orientations, 40-inch hypothetical accident condition puncture tests in five orientations, a 21 psi external overpressure test, and a normal conditions of transport test consisting of a water spray and a 4 foot drop test. 18 refs., 104 figs., 13 tabs.« less

An integrated user-oriented laboratory for verification of digital flight control systems: Features and capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Defeo, P.; Doane, D.; Saito, J.

1982-01-01

A Digital Flight Control Systems Verification Laboratory (DFCSVL) has been established at NASA Ames Research Center. This report describes the major elements of the laboratory, the research activities that can be supported in the area of verification and validation of digital flight control systems (DFCS), and the operating scenarios within which these activities can be carried out. The DFCSVL consists of a palletized dual-dual flight-control system linked to a dedicated PDP-11/60 processor. Major software support programs are hosted in a remotely located UNIVAC 1100 accessible from the PDP-11/60 through a modem link. Important features of the DFCSVL include extensive hardware and software fault insertion capabilities, a real-time closed loop environment to exercise the DFCS, an integrated set of software verification tools, and a user-oriented interface to all the resources and capabilities.

Systematic and deliberate orientation and instruction for dedicated education unit staff.

PubMed

Smyer, Tish; Tejada, Marianne Bundalian; Tan, Rhigel Alforque

2015-03-01

On the basis of increasing complexity of the health care environment and recommended changes in how nurses are educated to meet these challenges, the University of Nevada Las Vegas, School of Nursing established an academic-practice partnership with Summerlin Hospital Medical Center to develop a dedicated education unit (DEU). When the DEU model was implemented, variables that were not discussed in the literature needed to be addressed. One such challenge was how to impart pedagogy related to clinical teaching to the DEU nursing staff who would be acting as clinical dedicated unit instructors (CDIs). Of chief concern was the evaluation and monitoring of the quality of CDI-student interactions to ensure optimal student learning outcomes. This article addresses the development of a deliberate, systematic approach to the orientation and continued education of CDIs in the DEU. This information will assist other nursing programs as they begin to implement DEUs. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

The Situation Oriented Approach to Preschool Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oertel, Frithjof M.

1987-01-01

Describes preschool education in West Germany in terms of the various aspects of reform that changed function-oriented classrooms to situation-oriented learning environments. Argues for the priority of social education in early childhood. (BSR)

Visual-vestibular integration as a function of adaptation to space flight and return to Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reschke, Millard R.; Bloomberg, Jacob J.; Harm, Deborah L.; Huebner, William P.; Krnavek, Jody M.; Paloski, William H.; Berthoz, Alan

1999-01-01

Research on perception and control of self-orientation and self-motion addresses interactions between action and perception . Self-orientation and self-motion, and the perception of that orientation and motion are required for and modified by goal-directed action. Detailed Supplementary Objective (DSO) 604 Operational Investigation-3 (OI-3) was designed to investigate the integrated coordination of head and eye movements within a structured environment where perception could modify responses and where response could be compensatory for perception. A full understanding of this coordination required definition of spatial orientation models for the microgravity environment encountered during spaceflight.

Developing Competence: A Qualitative Inquiry of College Student Leadership in University Outdoor Orientation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starbuck, J. David.

2013-01-01

Forty-nine formal research studies have been conducted on participants of college outdoor orientation programs. Although many variables have been examined for the incoming students, only one study has focused on the impact on the student leaders. The goal of this study was to understand how student leaders in outdoor orientation programs…

Exploring the Impact of an Outdoor Orientation Program on Adaptation to College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ribbe, Robert, Jr.; Cyrus, Rachael; Langan, Emily

2016-01-01

Outdoor orientation programming as a means for orientating students to college has experienced significant growth and expanded use over the past decade. An increase in rigorous research has accompanied this growth as colleges and universities seek to understand and meet the needs of young adults in transition. In this study, two research questions…

Library Orientation Methods, Mental Maps, and Public Services Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ridgeway, Trish

Two library orientation methods, a self-guided cassette walking tour and a slide-tape program, were administered to 202 freshmen students to determine if moving through the library increased students' ability to develop a mental map of the library. An effort was made to ensure that the two orientation programs were equivalent. Results from the 148…

Is the Library's Online Orientation Program Effective with English Language Learners?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albarillo, Frans

2017-01-01

In this paper, the author examines four years of assessment data (N = 4,786) from Brooklyn College's Library Online Orientation Program (LOOP; url: https://library.brooklyn.cuny.edu/resources/loop/loop.php), which is used to provide all English 1010 students with an orientation to the library, to see if English language learners (ELLs) are…

Postural and Spatial Orientation Driven by Virtual Reality

PubMed Central

Keshner, Emily A.; Kenyon, Robert V.

2009-01-01

Orientation in space is a perceptual variable intimately related to postural orientation that relies on visual and vestibular signals to correctly identify our position relative to vertical. We have combined a virtual environment with motion of a posture platform to produce visual-vestibular conditions that allow us to explore how motion of the visual environment may affect perception of vertical and, consequently, affect postural stabilizing responses. In order to involve a higher level perceptual process, we needed to create a visual environment that was immersive. We did this by developing visual scenes that possess contextual information using color, texture, and 3-dimensional structures. Update latency of the visual scene was close to physiological latencies of the vestibulo-ocular reflex. Using this system we found that even when healthy young adults stand and walk on a stable support surface, they are unable to ignore wide field of view visual motion and they adapt their postural orientation to the parameters of the visual motion. Balance training within our environment elicited measurable rehabilitation outcomes. Thus we believe that virtual environments can serve as a clinical tool for evaluation and training of movement in situations that closely reflect conditions found in the physical world. PMID:19592796

High-performance integrated virtual environment (HIVE): a robust infrastructure for next-generation sequence data analysis

PubMed Central

Simonyan, Vahan; Chumakov, Konstantin; Dingerdissen, Hayley; Faison, William; Goldweber, Scott; Golikov, Anton; Gulzar, Naila; Karagiannis, Konstantinos; Vinh Nguyen Lam, Phuc; Maudru, Thomas; Muravitskaja, Olesja; Osipova, Ekaterina; Pan, Yang; Pschenichnov, Alexey; Rostovtsev, Alexandre; Santana-Quintero, Luis; Smith, Krista; Thompson, Elaine E.; Tkachenko, Valery; Torcivia-Rodriguez, John; Wan, Quan; Wang, Jing; Wu, Tsung-Jung; Wilson, Carolyn; Mazumder, Raja

2016-01-01

The High-performance Integrated Virtual Environment (HIVE) is a distributed storage and compute environment designed primarily to handle next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. This multicomponent cloud infrastructure provides secure web access for authorized users to deposit, retrieve, annotate and compute on NGS data, and to analyse the outcomes using web interface visual environments appropriately built in collaboration with research and regulatory scientists and other end users. Unlike many massively parallel computing environments, HIVE uses a cloud control server which virtualizes services, not processes. It is both very robust and flexible due to the abstraction layer introduced between computational requests and operating system processes. The novel paradigm of moving computations to the data, instead of moving data to computational nodes, has proven to be significantly less taxing for both hardware and network infrastructure. The honeycomb data model developed for HIVE integrates metadata into an object-oriented model. Its distinction from other object-oriented databases is in the additional implementation of a unified application program interface to search, view and manipulate data of all types. This model simplifies the introduction of new data types, thereby minimizing the need for database restructuring and streamlining the development of new integrated information systems. The honeycomb model employs a highly secure hierarchical access control and permission system, allowing determination of data access privileges in a finely granular manner without flooding the security subsystem with a multiplicity of rules. HIVE infrastructure will allow engineers and scientists to perform NGS analysis in a manner that is both efficient and secure. HIVE is actively supported in public and private domains, and project collaborations are welcomed. Database URL: https://hive.biochemistry.gwu.edu PMID:26989153

High-performance integrated virtual environment (HIVE): a robust infrastructure for next-generation sequence data analysis.

PubMed

Simonyan, Vahan; Chumakov, Konstantin; Dingerdissen, Hayley; Faison, William; Goldweber, Scott; Golikov, Anton; Gulzar, Naila; Karagiannis, Konstantinos; Vinh Nguyen Lam, Phuc; Maudru, Thomas; Muravitskaja, Olesja; Osipova, Ekaterina; Pan, Yang; Pschenichnov, Alexey; Rostovtsev, Alexandre; Santana-Quintero, Luis; Smith, Krista; Thompson, Elaine E; Tkachenko, Valery; Torcivia-Rodriguez, John; Voskanian, Alin; Wan, Quan; Wang, Jing; Wu, Tsung-Jung; Wilson, Carolyn; Mazumder, Raja

2016-01-01

The High-performance Integrated Virtual Environment (HIVE) is a distributed storage and compute environment designed primarily to handle next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. This multicomponent cloud infrastructure provides secure web access for authorized users to deposit, retrieve, annotate and compute on NGS data, and to analyse the outcomes using web interface visual environments appropriately built in collaboration with research and regulatory scientists and other end users. Unlike many massively parallel computing environments, HIVE uses a cloud control server which virtualizes services, not processes. It is both very robust and flexible due to the abstraction layer introduced between computational requests and operating system processes. The novel paradigm of moving computations to the data, instead of moving data to computational nodes, has proven to be significantly less taxing for both hardware and network infrastructure.The honeycomb data model developed for HIVE integrates metadata into an object-oriented model. Its distinction from other object-oriented databases is in the additional implementation of a unified application program interface to search, view and manipulate data of all types. This model simplifies the introduction of new data types, thereby minimizing the need for database restructuring and streamlining the development of new integrated information systems. The honeycomb model employs a highly secure hierarchical access control and permission system, allowing determination of data access privileges in a finely granular manner without flooding the security subsystem with a multiplicity of rules. HIVE infrastructure will allow engineers and scientists to perform NGS analysis in a manner that is both efficient and secure. HIVE is actively supported in public and private domains, and project collaborations are welcomed. Database URL: https://hive.biochemistry.gwu.edu. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Technology-Based Orientation Programs to Support Indoor Travel by Persons with Moderate Alzheimer's Disease: Impact Assessment and Social Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lancioni, Giulio E.; Perilli, Viviana; O'Reilly, Mark F.; Singh, Nirbhay N.; Sigafoos, Jeff; Bosco, Andrea; Caffo, Alessandro O.; Picucci, Luciana; Cassano, Germana; Groeneweg, Jop

2013-01-01

The present study (a) extended the assessment of an orientation program involving auditory cues (i.e., verbal messages automatically presented from the destinations) with five patients with Alzheimer's disease, (b) compared the effects of this program with those of a program with light cues (i.e., a program in which strobe lights were used instead…

A Study of the Development of Students' Visualizations of Program State during an Elementary Object-Oriented Programming Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sajaniemi, Jorma; Kuittinen, Marja; Tikansalo, Taina

2008-01-01

Students' understanding of object-oriented (OO) program execution was studied by asking students to draw a picture of a program state at a specific moment. Students were given minimal instructions on what to include in their drawings in order to see what they considered to be central concepts and relationships in program execution. Three drawing…

A Language Skills Orientation Program for Foreign Teaching Assistants and Graduate Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brinton, Donna; Gaskill, William

A one-week orientation program designed to increase the effectiveness of foreign teaching assistants (FTA) is described. As the program developed, a decision was made to include non-FTAs with the result that the English language proficiency of the participants covered a wide range and the objectives of the program were mixed. Because of the…

Final Report on the Development of the Long Beach Fire Department Company Officer Orientation Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rupe, Marvin L.; And Others

The Long Beach Fire Department (California), developed a program to foster and improve the development of future fire department managers who are promoted from within the department. A 10-day orientation program was developed. The competency-based program featured a mix of management-leadership training (the nature of leadership, personnel…

Putting the community back in community ecology and education: the role of field schools and private reserves in the ethical training of primatologists.

PubMed

Garber, P A; Molina, A; Molina, R L

2010-09-01

In 1993 and 1999, with the assistance of a Nicaraguan family, we founded La Suerte Biological Research Station in northeastern Costa Rica and Ometepe Biological Research Station in southern Nicaragua as a privately owned conservation-oriented business. Our goal was to develop a program of sustainable community ecology focused on education, research, and the conservation of primates and tropical forests. In order to accomplish this we developed field courses in which undergraduate and graduate students conduct scientific research, experience local cultures, and learn about conservation. Over 120 of these students have received doctoral degrees or are currently in graduate programs. Four doctoral dissertations, several MA theses, and some 20 scientific articles have been published based on research conducted at our field stations. In order to achieve our long-term goals of preserving the environment, we also needed to engage directly with local communities to address their needs and concerns. To this end, we developed a series of community-based initiatives related to health care, bilingual education, and conservation education using traditional and on-line teaching tools. In this article, we describe our efforts in Costa Rica and Nicaragua teaching conservation-oriented field courses and working with the local human communities. Building upon these experiences, we outline a set of ethical considerations and responsibilities for private reserves, conservation-oriented businesses, NGOs, and conservancies that help integrate members of the local community as stakeholders in conservation. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Simulation and Digitization of a Gas Electron Multiplier Detector Using Geant4 and an Object-Oriented Digitization Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMullen, Timothy; Liyanage, Nilanga; Xiong, Weizhi; Zhao, Zhiwen

2017-01-01

Our research has focused on simulating the response of a Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detector using computational methods. GEM detectors provide a cost effective solution for radiation detection in high rate environments. A detailed simulation of GEM detector response to radiation is essential for the successful adaption of these detectors to different applications. Using Geant4 Monte Carlo (GEMC), a wrapper around Geant4 which has been successfully used to simulate the Solenoidal Large Intensity Device (SoLID) at Jefferson Lab, we are developing a simulation of a GEM chamber similar to the detectors currently used in our lab. We are also refining an object-oriented digitization program, which translates energy deposition information from GEMC into electronic readout which resembles the readout from our physical detectors. We have run the simulation with beta particles produced by the simulated decay of a 90Sr source, as well as with a simulated bremsstrahlung spectrum. Comparing the simulation data with real GEM data taken under similar conditions is used to refine the simulation parameters. Comparisons between results from the simulations and results from detector tests will be presented.

The effects of reality-based television programming on diet and exercise motivation and self-efficacy in young adults.

PubMed

Nabi, Robin L; Thomas, Jenna

2013-01-01

Grounded in social cognitive theory, this research examines the effects of reality entertainment programming and embedded commercials on viewers' perceived motivations and efficacy to exercise and consume a healthy diet as well as on food preference. In a 3 (program type) × 2 (advertisement type) study design, 253 female undergraduates were randomly assigned to watch an episode of a health-oriented reality program, a non-heath-oriented reality program, or a health-themed sitcom in which commercials for either healthy or unhealthy foods were embedded. Results indicated that perceived realism of the health-oriented reality program generated greater confidence to eat more healthily and exercise, as well as greater motivation to exercise. Additionally, program viewing differentially affected motivations to eat healthily and to exercise, but only when type of advertisement (high vs. low calorie food ads) was taken into consideration. Finally, women who watched the health-oriented reality program were more likely to choose a healthy snack at the conclusion of the experiment than those exposed to other programs, thus supporting the assertion that reality programming may potentiate positive health behaviors. The role of the embedded advertisements in altering the interpretation and health impact of the programming is also discussed.

Code C# for chaos analysis of relativistic many-body systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grossu, I. V.; Besliu, C.; Jipa, Al.; Bordeianu, C. C.; Felea, D.; Stan, E.; Esanu, T.

2010-08-01

This work presents a new Microsoft Visual C# .NET code library, conceived as a general object oriented solution for chaos analysis of three-dimensional, relativistic many-body systems. In this context, we implemented the Lyapunov exponent and the “fragmentation level” (defined using the graph theory and the Shannon entropy). Inspired by existing studies on billiard nuclear models and clusters of galaxies, we tried to apply the virial theorem for a simplified many-body system composed by nucleons. A possible application of the “virial coefficient” to the stability analysis of chaotic systems is also discussed. Catalogue identifier: AEGH_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEGH_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 30 053 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 801 258 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Visual C# .NET 2005 Computer: PC Operating system: .Net Framework 2.0 running on MS Windows Has the code been vectorized or parallelized?: Each many-body system is simulated on a separate execution thread RAM: 128 Megabytes Classification: 6.2, 6.5 External routines: .Net Framework 2.0 Library Nature of problem: Chaos analysis of three-dimensional, relativistic many-body systems. Solution method: Second order Runge-Kutta algorithm for simulating relativistic many-body systems. Object oriented solution, easy to reuse, extend and customize, in any development environment which accepts .Net assemblies or COM components. Implementation of: Lyapunov exponent, “fragmentation level”, “average system radius”, “virial coefficient”, and energy conservation precision test. Additional comments: Easy copy/paste based deployment method. Running time: Quadratic complexity.

Expectancy violation in physics and mathematics classes in a student-centered classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarado, Carolina; Dominguez, Angeles; Rodriguez, Ruth; Zavala, Genaro

2012-02-01

This report analyzes the results of the implementation at a large private Mexican university of the Pedagogical Expectancy Violation Assessment (PEVA), developed by Gaffney, Gaffney and Beichner [1]. The PEVA was designed to evaluate shifts of the first student's expectations due to the initial orientation and experiences in the classroom. The data was collected at the Student-Centered Learning (ACE) classroom, based on the Student Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) classroom. Three professors participated with their groups during the first semester they implemented their courses in this environment. Participants were enrolled either in a Pre-Calculus, Differential Equations, or Electricity and Magnetism course. The results indicate shifts in students' expectations during the semester and reveals differences in shifts among the different courses.

Implementing NICU critical thinking programs: one unit's experience.

PubMed

Zimmerman, Denise; Pilcher, Jobeth

2008-01-01

Critical thinking is the hallmark of today's nursing practice environment. Nowhere is this more critical than in the high-tech environment of the NICU. Despite the importance of critical thinking in nursing practice, there is limited information on the process of teaching new NICU nurses to think critically. Based on the principles of adult education, orientation and continuing education for NICU nurses should be goal directed, build on the learner's prior experience, and build in opportunities for active participation, reflection, and experiential learning. This article reviews the principles of adult education and their application to the process of teaching critical thinking in the NICU. One unit's experience of critical thinking education is used to provide concrete examples of how NICU education can be transformed from a traditional didactic methodology to a more dynamic experiential approach.

C++, objected-oriented programming, and astronomical data models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farris, A.

1992-01-01

Contemporary astronomy is characterized by increasingly complex instruments and observational techniques, higher data collection rates, and large data archives, placing severe stress on software analysis systems. The object-oriented paradigm represents a significant new approach to software design and implementation that holds great promise for dealing with this increased complexity. The basic concepts of this approach will be characterized in contrast to more traditional procedure-oriented approaches. The fundamental features of objected-oriented programming will be discussed from a C++ programming language perspective, using examples familiar to astronomers. This discussion will focus on objects, classes and their relevance to the data type system; the principle of information hiding; and the use of inheritance to implement generalization/specialization relationships. Drawing on the object-oriented approach, features of a new database model to support astronomical data analysis will be presented.

A Comparison: Procurement Practices of Government-Oriented and Commercial-Oriented Businesses.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

businesses, in a technological environment , must be attuned to the rapidly changing technology to remain competitive. This alone is not sufficient...businesses’ preference for longer length contracts seems to be supported by the very nature of the environment in which they work. 3 "The typical weapon system...then may be con- cerned with maintaining their relationship with the Federal Government as dedicated suppliers. In such an environment they are not

Easy handling of tectonic data: the programs TectonicVB for Mac and TectonicsFP for Windows™

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortner, Hugo; Reiter, Franz; Acs, Peter

2002-12-01

TectonicVB for Macintosh and TectonicsFP for Windows TM operating systems are two menu-driven computer programs which allow the shared use of data on these environments. The programs can produce stereographic plots of orientation data (great circles, poles, lineations). Frequently used statistical procedures like calculation of eigenvalues and eigenvectors, calculation of mean vector with concentration parameters and confidence cone can be easily performed. Fault data can be plotted in stereographic projection (Angelier and Hoeppener plots). Sorting of datasets into homogeneous subsets and rotation of tectonic data can be performed in interactive two-diagram windows. The paleostress tensor can be calculated from fault data sets using graphical (calculation of kinematic axes and right dihedra method) or mathematical methods (direct inversion or numerical dynamical analysis). The calculations can be checked in dimensionless Mohr diagrams and fluctuation histograms.

Bringing the Flipped Classroom to Day 1: A Novel Didactic Curriculum for Emergency Medicine Intern Orientation

PubMed Central

Barrie, Michael G.; Amick, Christopher; Mitzman, Jennifer; Way, David P.; King, Andrew M.

2018-01-01

Most emergency medicine (EM) residency programs provide an orientation program for their incoming interns, with the lecture being the most common education activity during this period. Our orientation program is designed to bridge the gap between undergraduate and graduate medical education by ensuring that all learners demonstrate competency on Level 1 Milestones, including medical knowledge (MK). To teach interns core medical knowledge in EM, we reformulated orientation using the flipped-classroom model by replacing lectures with small group, case-based discussions. Interns demonstrated improvement in medical knowledge through higher scores on a posttest. Evaluation survey results were also favorable for the flipped-classroom teaching format. PMID:29383072

Bringing the Flipped Classroom to Day 1: A Novel Didactic Curriculum for Emergency Medicine Intern Orientation.

PubMed

Barrie, Michael G; Amick, Christopher; Mitzman, Jennifer; Way, David P; King, Andrew M

2018-01-01

Most emergency medicine (EM) residency programs provide an orientation program for their incoming interns, with the lecture being the most common education activity during this period. Our orientation program is designed to bridge the gap between undergraduate and graduate medical education by ensuring that all learners demonstrate competency on Level 1 Milestones, including medical knowledge (MK). To teach interns core medical knowledge in EM, we reformulated orientation using the flipped-classroom model by replacing lectures with small group, case-based discussions. Interns demonstrated improvement in medical knowledge through higher scores on a posttest. Evaluation survey results were also favorable for the flipped-classroom teaching format.

Evaluating Market Orientation of an Executive MBA Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dubas, Khalid M.; Ghani, Waqar I.; Davis, Stanley; Strong, James T.

1998-01-01

A study assessed the market orientation of the executive Master's in Business Administration (MBA) program at Saint Joseph's University (Pennsylvania) in terms of 12 skills and knowledge areas that reflect effective managerial performance and the student-executives' perceptions of program strengths and weaknesses in delivering these skills.…

In-School Youth Manpower: A Guide to Local Strategies and Methods. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Systems Research Inc., Lansing, MI.

Intended for use by individuals responsible for establishing and directing youth school/work programs, this manual presents the following ten functions important in any youth school/work program: enrollee entry, enrollee orientation; employer entry; employer orientation; matching and alignment; program monitoring; counseling; supportive services;…

Orientation Leaders: Followership Styles and Risk-Taking Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Ann Coombes

2015-01-01

Although researchers have investigated the role of new student orientation and transition programs on college campuses, the focus has been primarily on issues such as retention and persistence rates of program participants, academic preparation techniques, and program content or logistics. Little research has been reported on student volunteers or…

Technology-Oriented Job Preparation. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

One America, Inc., Washington, DC.

An extensive review of literature dealing with 263 technology-oriented vocational training programs was conducted to gather current information on the state of such training. Particular emphasis was placed on links between programs and government bodies or private sector entities and programs that could serve as models for those wishing to…

Student Readiness: Examining the Impact of a University Outdoor Orientation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Eddie; Posey, Timothy; Gómez, Edwin; Shapiro, Stephen L.

2018-01-01

This study examined the impact of a university outdoor orientation program on participants' transition to higher education. Researchers focused on participants' experiences during the program, utilizing a mixed-methods approach to measure resilience and well-being. Pre- and posttest instruments consisted of two preestablished scales and a series…

How to get students to love (or not hate) MATLAB and programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reckinger, Shanon; Reckinger, Scott

2014-11-01

An effective programming course geared toward engineering students requires the utilization of modern teaching philosophies. A newly designed course that focuses on programming in MATLAB involves flipping the classroom and integrating various active teaching techniques. Vital aspects of the new course design include: lengthening in-class contact hours, Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) method worksheets (self-guided instruction), student created video content posted on YouTube, clicker questions (used in class to practice reading and debugging code), programming exams that don't require computers, integrating oral exams into the classroom, fostering an environment for formal and informal peer learning, and designing in a broader theme to tie together assignments. However, possibly the most important piece to this programming course puzzle: the instructor needs to be able to find programming mistakes very fast and then lead individuals and groups through the steps to find their mistakes themselves. The effectiveness of the new course design is demonstrated through pre- and post- concept exam results and student evaluation feedback. Students reported that the course was challenging and required a lot of effort, but left largely positive feedback.

Effects of Instruction-Supported Learning with Worked Examples in Quantitative Method Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Kai; Klein, Martin; Klopp, Eric; Puhl, Thomas; Stark, Robin

2013-01-01

An experimental field study at a German university was conducted in order to test the effectiveness of an integrated learning environment to improve the acquisition of knowledge about empirical research methods. The integrated learning environment was based on the combination of instruction-oriented and problem-oriented design principles and…

A Wheelchair User with Visual and Intellectual Disabilities Managing Simple Orientation Technology for Indoor Travel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lancioni, Giulio E.; O'Reilly, Mark F.; Singh, Nirbhay N.; Sigafoos, Jeff; Campodonico, Francesca; Oliva, Doretta

2009-01-01

Persons with profound visual impairments and other disabilities, such as neuromotor and intellectual disabilities, may encounter serious orientation and mobility problems even in familiar indoor environments, such as their homes. Teaching these persons to develop maps of their daily environment, using miniature replicas of the areas or some…

Influences of Formal Learning, Personal Learning Orientation, and Supportive Learning Environment on Informal Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Woojae; Jacobs, Ronald L.

2011-01-01

While workplace learning includes formal and informal learning, the relationship between the two has been overlooked, because they have been viewed as separate entities. This study investigated the effects of formal learning, personal learning orientation, and supportive learning environment on informal learning among 203 middle managers in Korean…

Cortisol Levels and Children's Orientation in Day Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reunamo, Jyrki; Sajaniemi, Nina; Suhonen, Eira; Kontu, Elina

2012-01-01

Children's stress in day care is related to the stressful qualities of the environment and to children's orientations in that environment. The study involved 55 children in five day centres in Finland. Baseline saliva samples for measuring cortisol (stress) levels were collected five times during the day. Children were interviewed to measure their…

Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Instantiation within a Hard Real-Time, Deterministic Combat System Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreland, James D., Jr

2013-01-01

This research investigates the instantiation of a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) within a hard real-time (stringent time constraints), deterministic (maximum predictability) combat system (CS) environment. There are numerous stakeholders across the U.S. Department of the Navy who are affected by this development, and therefore the system…

Study to validate the outcome goal, competencies and educational objectives for use in intensive care orientation programs.

PubMed

Boyle, M; Butcher, R; Kenney, C

1998-03-01

Intensive care orientation programs have become an accepted component of intensive care education. To date, however, there have been no Australian-based standards defining the appropriate level of competence to be attained upon completion of orientation. The aim of this study was to validate a set of aims, competencies and educational objectives that could form the basis of intensive care orientation and which would ensure an outcome standard of safe and effective practice. An initial document containing a statement of the desired outcome goal, six competency statements and 182 educational objectives was developed through a review of the orientation programs developed by the investigators. The Delphi technique was used to gain consensus among 13 nurses recognised for their expertise in intensive care education. The expert group rated the acceptability of each of the study items and provided suggestions for objectives to be included. An approval rating of 80 per cent was required to retain each of the study items, with the document refined through three Delphi rounds. The final document contains a validated statement of outcome goal, competencies and educational objectives for intensive care orientation programs.

A Rationale for Participant Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boody, Robert M.

2009-01-01

There are many different models or approaches to doing program evaluation. Fitzpatrick, Sanders, and Worthen classify them into five general approaches: (a) objectives oriented, (b) management oriented, (c) consumer oriented, (d) expertise oriented, and (e) participant oriented. Within each of these general categories, of course, reside many…

Object Oriented Programming Systems (OOPS) and frame representations: An investigation of programming paradigms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Auty, David

1988-01-01

The project was initiated to research Object Oriented Programming Systems (OOPS) and frame representation systems, their significance and applicability, and their implementation in or relationship to Ada. Object orientated is currently a very popular conceptual adjective. Object oriented programming, in particular, is promoted as a particularly productive approach to programming; an approach which maximizes opportunities for code reuse and lends itself to the definition of convenient and well-developed units. Such units are thus expected to be usable in a variety of situations, beyond the typical highly specific unit development of other approaches. Frame represenation systems share a common heritage and similar conceptual foundations. Together they represent a quickly emerging alternative approach to programming. The approach is to first define the terms, starting with relevant concepts and using these to put bounds on what is meant by OOPS and Frames. From this the possibilities were pursued to merge OOPS with Ada which will further elucidate the significant characteristics which make up this programming approach. Finally, some of the merits and demerits of OOPS were briefly considered as a way of addressing the applicability of OOPS to various programming tasks.

An analysis of the epistemic orientation of first- and third-year students in a physiotherapy program.

PubMed

Rancourt, R; Ballantine, C

1990-01-01

Previous research has demonstrated that practitioners within the same profession share a common approach to knowledge acquisition and transmission. A search for the identification of this common approach to knowledge in physiotherapy was undertaken using the Epistemic Orientation Model. The research reported was premised on the assumption that students admitted to physiotherapy programs in Canada possess an epistemic orientation that is similar to the epistemological structure of the knowledge base considered important to the program. Using a standardized instrument known as the Knowledge Accessing Modes Inventory (KAMI) to measure epistemic orientation, data were collected from a sample (N = 59) of first- and third-year students registered in a physiotherapy program in a central Canadian university. The data indicated that a high degree of association exists between the epistemological structure subsumed in the knowledge base deemed essential to gain admission to the program and the dominant rational epistemic mode of the practitioners-to-be. Based on the results, the article examines the usefulness of the epistemic orientation concept on activities within the profession. Implications for professional development are noted and avenues for further research are suggested.

The organizational impact of a new graduate pediatric nurse mentoring program.

PubMed

Halfer, Diana; Graf, Elaine; Sullivan, Christine

2008-01-01

Successful mentoring programs for new graduate nurses are designed to provide professional supports to ease the transition of these newcomers from student to practicing nurse. In the financially constrained health care environment, a resource-intensive program can be sustained only by leaders who see quantitative evidence of organizational impact over time. A descriptive study was undertaken at a pediatric academic medical center to compare the job satisfaction and retention rates of two cohorts of new graduate nurses: one before and one after the implementation of a Pediatric RN Internship Program. In this study overall job satisfaction was significantly higher in the post-internship group as compared to the pre-internship group. Improved job satisfaction was also reflected in a lower turnover rate (12% vs. 20% in the pre-internship group) that was sustained during the 2-year post-intervention study period. By lowering turnover rates, organizations avoid costs associated with recruitment, orientation, and temporary labor coverage for vacant RN positions.

Developing Signal-Pattern-Recognition Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shelton, Robert O.; Hammen, David

2006-01-01

Pattern Interpretation and Recognition Application Toolkit Environment (PIRATE) is a block-oriented software system that aids the development of application programs that analyze signals in real time in order to recognize signal patterns that are indicative of conditions or events of interest. PIRATE was originally intended for use in writing application programs to recognize patterns in space-shuttle telemetry signals received at Johnson Space Center's Mission Control Center: application programs were sought to (1) monitor electric currents on shuttle ac power busses to recognize activations of specific power-consuming devices, (2) monitor various pressures and infer the states of affected systems by applying a Kalman filter to the pressure signals, (3) determine fuel-leak rates from sensor data, (4) detect faults in gyroscopes through analysis of system measurements in the frequency domain, and (5) determine drift rates in inertial measurement units by regressing measurements against time. PIRATE can also be used to develop signal-pattern-recognition software for different purposes -- for example, to monitor and control manufacturing processes.

Community Involvement Components in Culturally-Oriented Teacher Preparation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahan, James M.

1982-01-01

Describes community involvement components in culturally oriented teacher education program, i.e., preservice and inservice community agency assignments, oncampus cultural preparation. Reveals that cultural immersion student teacher programs are attractive and professionally advantageous. (AH)

Computer Literacy Project. A General Orientation in Basic Computer Concepts and Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, David R.

This paper proposes a two-part, basic computer literacy program for university faculty, staff, and students with no prior exposure to computers. The program described would introduce basic computer concepts and computing center service programs and resources; provide fundamental preparation for other computer courses; and orient faculty towards…

Toward PPBS: Program Budgeting in a Small School District.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durstine, Richard M.; Howell, Robert A.

This publication reports the results of the design and development of a planning programming budgeting system for the Milford, New Hampshire, school system. The authors attempted to develop a program oriented budget rather than a line item or input oriented budget, and a model adaptable for general applications. The order of priority budgeting…

Sexual Orientation Topics in Elementary Teacher Preparation Programs in the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jennings, Todd; Sherwin, Gary

2008-01-01

This investigation is a descriptive study documenting the inclusion of sexual orientation (gay and lesbian) topics in a sample of 65 public university elementary teacher preparation programs across the USA (representing the preparation of 14,000-19,000 new teachers annually). Findings indicate that only 55.6% of programs address sexual orientation…

Development of an Occupational Orientation Program for Grades K-6. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kesler, Ray M.; Brown, Sandra

This report presents the development, methodology, and findings of an Occupational Orientation Program for Grades K-6 in Monongalia County, West Virginia. The objectives of the program were to develop a curriculum for an elementary school that would give students the assistance needed to make realistic, attainable career choices, to assist…

An Achievement Degree Analysis Approach to Identifying Learning Problems in Object-Oriented Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allinjawi, Arwa A.; Al-Nuaim, Hana A.; Krause, Paul

2014-01-01

Students often face difficulties while learning object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts. Many papers have presented various assessment methods for diagnosing learning problems to improve the teaching of programming in computer science (CS) higher education. The research presented in this article illustrates that although max-min composition is…

A Learning Research Informed Design and Evaluation of a Web-Enhanced Object Oriented Programming Seminar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgantaki, Stavroula C.; Retalis, Symeon D.

2007-01-01

"Object-Oriented Programming" subject is included in the ACM Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Programs in Computer Science as well as in Curriculum for K-12 Computer Science. In a few research studies learning problems and difficulties have been recorded, and therefore, specific pedagogical guidelines and…

Biology Intensive Orientation for Students (BIOS): A Biology "Boot Camp"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wischusen, Sheri Maples; Wischusen, E. William

2007-01-01

The Biology Intensive Orientation for Students (BIOS) Program was designed to assess the impact of a 5-d intensive prefreshman program on success and retention of biological science majors at Louisiana State University. The 2005 pilot program combined content lectures and examinations for BIOL 1201, Introductory Biology for Science Majors, as well…

The Implications of Learners' Goal Orientation in a Prior Learning Assessment Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClintock, Patricia

2013-01-01

This mixed methods sequential explanatory study was designed to investigate students' persistence in an online Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Program by researching the implications of goal orientation and other academic, institutional, and student-related factors of non-traditional students enrolled in such a program at the University of St.…

Handbook for Educators Involved in Vocationally Oriented Programming for Moderately Retarded Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pritchett, E. Milo; Pullman, Robert J.

The handbook is designed to help teachers and administrators develop or improve vocationally oriented programs for moderately retarded students. The major topics addressed in the book were identified through a Delphi data gathering approach. Seven sections are arranged in the order that activities should occur in program modification and/or…

Student Perceptions of a Comprehensive Orientation Program for Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robichaud, Wendy

2016-01-01

This dissertation presents a qualitative case study of students enrolled in online courses and how they perceived the orientation program they completed before starting these courses. The study was based on the perspectives of students enrolled in a fully online program at a small community college in western Maine. They were interviewed…

A Career-Oriented Foreign Language Program for Keystone Oaks School District, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grubesky, Marcia R.

A career-oriented foreign language program is discussed that takes into account marketable skills of foreign language majors for a number of careers. The program is threefold. First, it recognizes the need for language skills to supplement technical, business, and professional skills to expand educational knowledge; capabilities in diplomacy and…

Impact of Orientation Programs on Nontraditional Students' Perceived Academic Success in Adult Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, Marsha

2016-01-01

Many administrators and faculty within higher education institutions have grappled with identifying and employing effective strategies to facilitate student success and persistence. The current study focuses on assessing nontraditional students' self-efficacy beliefs and their perception of the orientation program at a 2-year continuing education…

Effectiveness of an Orientation and Counseling Program for Adult Evening Students at Drake University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCannon, Roger S.

Literature on counseling adult college students is extremely limited; few if any training programs are currently operating with the purpose of preparing counseling specialists in adult education. Moreover, college/university orientation programs for new entering adult part-time evening students are virtually nonexistent. Recognizing the need for…

Ability-Training-Oriented Automated Assessment in Introductory Programming Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Tiantian; Su, Xiaohong; Ma, Peijun; Wang, Yuying; Wang, Kuanquan

2011-01-01

Learning to program is a difficult process for novice programmers. AutoLEP, an automated learning and assessment system, was developed by us, to aid novice programmers to obtain programming skills. AutoLEP is ability-training-oriented. It adopts a novel assessment mechanism, which combines static analysis with dynamic testing to analyze student…

Orientation based on nursing diagnoses. Old concepts in today's practice.

PubMed

Anderson, L K; Vincent, N

1991-10-01

Although many operating room orientation programs contain content necessary to meet accrediting guidelines, very few tie the nursing process to the content. Our orientation is structured within a nursing framework (ie, Dr Gordon's "Eleven Functional Health Patterns") and emphasizes nursing diagnoses, theory, and clinical competencies. Although the new orientation program has been in effect for only two years, we feel the following list reflects the positive outcomes so far: decreased staff turnover (ie, one nurse out of 26 full-time equivalents in 18 months), increased success in recruiting nurses into the operating room (ie, multiple applicants as positions open), new nurses demonstrate comfort with basic perioperative nursing practice with-in six months, and nurses who did not complete new orientation program are requesting all or portions of the content. By using this plan, essential aspects of perioperative practice are consistent with hospital-wide nursing practice, practice standards for the operating room, and accrediting standards.

Development of a Model Competency-Based Orientation Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-01

S. (1938). Basic writings of Sigmund Freud . New York: Random House. Hagerty, B.K. (1986). A competency-based orientation program for psychiatric...education, and nursing will be presented. • ..... Beginning with the field of psychology, Freud (1938) described motivation using the concept of psychic...Gosnell, D.J. (1987). Comparing two methods of hospital orientation for cost effective- ness. Journal of Nursing Staff Development, 3 , 3-8. Freud

European Higher Education Area and the Introduction of a Quality Assurance Program in Greek Universities: Is Policy-Oriented Learning Present?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stamelos, George; Kavasakalis, Aggelos

2013-01-01

This paper aims to investigate the production (or not) of policy-oriented learning during the establishment and implementation of a specific policy program in the policy sub-system of the Greek university as well as the interpretation of the existence (or not) of policy-oriented learning. The theoretical tools were drawn mainly from the…

Critical early mission design considerations for lunar data systems architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hei, Donald J., Jr.; Stephens, Elaine

1992-01-01

This paper outlines recent early mission design activites for a lunar data systems architecture. Each major functional element is shown to be strikingly similar when viewed in a common reference system. While this similarity probably deviates with lower levels of decomposition, the sub-functions can always be arranged into similar and dissimilar categories. Similar functions can be implemented as objects - implemented once and reused several times like today's advanced integrated circuits. This approach to mission data systems, applied to other NASA programs, may result in substantial agency implementation and maintenance savings. In today's zero-sum-game budgetary environment, this approach could help to enable a lunar exploration program in the next decade. Several early mission studies leading to such an object-oriented data systems design are recommended.

Experiments in teleoperator and autonomous control of space robotic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, Harold L.

1991-01-01

A program of research embracing teleoperator and automatic navigational control of freely flying satellite robots is presented. Current research goals include: (1) developing visual operator interfaces for improved vehicle teleoperation; (2) determining the effects of different visual interface system designs on operator performance; and (3) achieving autonomous vision-based vehicle navigation and control. This research program combines virtual-environment teleoperation studies and neutral-buoyancy experiments using a space-robot simulator vehicle currently under development. Visual-interface design options under investigation include monoscopic versus stereoscopic displays and cameras, helmet-mounted versus panel-mounted display monitors, head-tracking versus fixed or manually steerable remote cameras, and the provision of vehicle-fixed visual cues, or markers, in the remote scene for improved sensing of vehicle position, orientation, and motion.

A comparative study of the influence of buoyancy driven fluid flow on GaAs crystal growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kafalas, J. A.; Bellows, A. H.

1988-01-01

A systematic investigation of the effect of gravity driven fluid flow on GaAs crystal growth was performed. It includes GaAs crystal growth in the microgravity environment aboard the Space Shuttle. The program involves a controlled comparative study of crystal growth under a variety of earth based conditions with variable orientation and applied magnetic field in addition to the microgravity growth. Earth based growth will be performed under stabilizing as well as destabilizing temperature gradients. The boules grown in space and on earth will be fully characterized to correlate the degree of convection with the distribution of impurities. Both macro- and micro-segregation will be determined. The space growth experiment will be flown in a self-contained payload container through NASA's Get Away Special program.

Leverage hadoop framework for large scale clinical informatics applications.

PubMed

Dong, Xiao; Bahroos, Neil; Sadhu, Eugene; Jackson, Tommie; Chukhman, Morris; Johnson, Robert; Boyd, Andrew; Hynes, Denise

2013-01-01

In this manuscript, we present our experiences using the Apache Hadoop framework for high data volume and computationally intensive applications, and discuss some best practice guidelines in a clinical informatics setting. There are three main aspects in our approach: (a) process and integrate diverse, heterogeneous data sources using standard Hadoop programming tools and customized MapReduce programs; (b) after fine-grained aggregate results are obtained, perform data analysis using the Mahout data mining library; (c) leverage the column oriented features in HBase for patient centric modeling and complex temporal reasoning. This framework provides a scalable solution to meet the rapidly increasing, imperative "Big Data" needs of clinical and translational research. The intrinsic advantage of fault tolerance, high availability and scalability of Hadoop platform makes these applications readily deployable at the enterprise level cluster environment.

"The Whole Is Greater Than the Sum of the Parts": Prison Staff Perceptions of Domestic Violence Rehabilitation Programs.

PubMed

Shoham, Efrat; Zelig, Anat; Hasisi, Badi; Weisburd, David; Haviv, Noam

2017-11-01

This qualitative study is part of a mixed methods research project that examined the effectiveness of the primary rehabilitation program for domestic violence offenders in the Israeli Prison Services-the "House of Hope." The quantitative part of the study showed that the "House of Hope" program was effective in reducing recidivism among participating inmates. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the rehabilitation program according to the perspectives of the program staff. For this purpose, semistructured interviews were conducted with the department staff during the study as well as with past directors. The qualitative findings suggested that the success of the program probably stemmed from a synergistic combination of several components, for example, identifying the characteristics of domestic violence offenders and adjusting treatment programs to their needs, along with exposure to psychological treatment in varied therapies (cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoeducational, and psychodynamic) and formats (group therapy and individual therapy) during a 1-year stay in a hierarchical therapeutic community. Other components mentioned are staff professionalism, stability, and the program's location in a therapeutic-oriented prison that is architecturally designed and built to create a less stressful environment for the inmates and the staff.

Student Retention and First-Year Programs: A Comparison of Students in Liberal Arts Colleges in the Mountain South

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Jeff S.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the retention rate and 9 first-year student programs at Liberal Arts Colleges in the Mountain South, a region in the southern Appalachian Mountains of the United States. Nine first-year programs were studied: Summer Bridge Programs, Preterm Orientation, Outdoor Adventure Orientation,…

Enhancing Interactivity and Productivity through Object-Oriented Authoring: An Instructional Designer's Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Bryan L.

1994-01-01

Discusses the effect of object-oriented programming on the evolution of authoring systems. Topics include the definition of an object; examples of object-oriented authoring interfaces; what object-orientation means to an instructional developer; how object orientation increases productivity and enhances interactivity; and the future of courseware…

Non-GPS full position and angular orientation onboard sensors for moving and stationary platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhadwal, Harbans S.; Rastegar, Jahangir; Feng, Dake; Kwok, Philip; Pereira, Carlos M.

2016-05-01

Angular orientation of both mobile and stationary objects continues to be an ongoing topic of interest for guidance and control as well as for non-GPS based solutions for geolocations of assets in any environment. Currently available sensors, which include inertia devices such as accelerometers and gyros; magnetometers; surface mounted antennas; radars; GPS; and optical line of sight devices, do not provide an acceptable solution for many applications, particularly for gun-fired munitions and for all-weather and all environment scenarios. A robust onboard full angular orientation sensor solution, based on a scanning polarized reference source and a polarized geometrical cavity orientation sensor, is presented. The full position of the object, in the reference source coordinate system, is determined by combining range data obtained using established time-of-flight techniques, with the angular orientation information.

The impact of transit-oriented development on housing prices in San Diego, CA.

PubMed

Duncan, Michael

2011-01-01

This research measures the influence of transit-oriented development (TOD) on the San Diego, CA, condominium market. Many view TOD as a key element in creating a less auto dependent and more sustainable transport system. Price premiums indicate a potential for a market-driven expansion of TOD inventory. A hedonic price model is estimated to isolate statistically the effect of TOD. This includes interaction terms between station distance and various measures of pedestrian orientation. The resulting model shows that station proximity has a significantly stronger impact when coupled with a pedestrian-oriented environment. Conversely, station area condominiums in more auto-oriented environments may sell at a discount. This indicates that TOD has a synergistic value greater than the sum of its parts. It also implies a healthy demand for more TOD housing in San Diego.

Describing the on-line graduate science student: An examination of learning style, learning strategy, and motivation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spevak, Arlene J.

Research in science education has presented investigations and findings related to the significance of particular learning variables. For example, the factors of learning style, learning strategy and motivational orientation have been shown to have considerable impact upon learning in a traditional classroom setting. Although these data have been somewhat generous for the face-to-face learning situation, this does not appear to be the case for distance education, particularly the Internet-based environment. The purpose of this study was to describe the on-line graduate science student, regarding the variables of learning style, learning strategy and motivational orientation. It was believed that by understanding the characteristics of adult science learners and by identifying their learning needs, Web course designers and science educators could create on-line learning programs that best utilized students' strengths in learning science. A case study method using a questionnaire, inventories, telephone interviews and documents was applied to nine graduate science students who participated for ten weeks in an asynchronous, exclusively Internet mediated graduate science course at a large, Northeastern university. Within-case and cross-case analysis indicated that these learners displayed several categories of learning styles as well as learning strategies. The students also demonstrated high levels of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and this, together with varying strategy use, may have compensated for any mismatch between their preferred learning styles and their learning environment. Recommendations include replicating this study in other online graduate science courses, administration of learning style and learning strategy inventories to perspective online graduate science students, incorporation of synchronous communication into on-line science courses, and implementation of appropriate technology that supports visual and kinesthetic learners. Although the study was limited to nine participants, the implications of the findings are clear. Most adult science students experience learning in an on-line environment. Those who are independent, highly motivated learners and utilize a variety of learning strategies can adapt their learning style to the situational aspects of the learning environment. This further indicates that Internet-based graduate science education institutions should become aware of different learning styles and strategies, and be prepared to address this variety when developing and delivering such programming.

The geomagnetic environment in which sea turtle eggs incubate affects subsequent magnetic navigation behaviour of hatchlings.

PubMed

Fuxjager, Matthew J; Davidoff, Kyla R; Mangiamele, Lisa A; Lohmann, Kenneth J

2014-09-22

Loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings (Caretta caretta) use regional magnetic fields as open-ocean navigational markers during trans-oceanic migrations. Little is known, however, about the ontogeny of this behaviour. As a first step towards investigating whether the magnetic environment in which hatchlings develop affects subsequent magnetic orientation behaviour, eggs deposited by nesting female loggerheads were permitted to develop in situ either in the natural ambient magnetic field or in a magnetic field distorted by magnets placed around the nest. In orientation experiments, hatchlings that developed in the normal ambient field oriented approximately south when exposed to a field that exists near the northern coast of Portugal, a direction consistent with their migratory route in the northeastern Atlantic. By contrast, hatchlings that developed in a distorted magnetic field had orientation indistinguishable from random when tested in the same north Portugal field. No differences existed between the two groups in orientation assays involving responses to orbital movements of waves or sea-finding, neither of which involves magnetic field perception. These findings, to our knowledge, demonstrate for the first time that the magnetic environment present during early development can influence the magnetic orientation behaviour of a neonatal migratory animal. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Microgravity vestibular investigations (10-IML-1)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reschke, Millard F.

1992-01-01

Our perception of how we are oriented in space is dependent on the interaction of virtually every sensory system. For example, to move about in our environment we integrate inputs in our brain from visual, haptic (kinesthetic, proprioceptive, and cutaneous), auditory systems, and labyrinths. In addition to this multimodal system for orientation, our expectations about the direction and speed of our chosen movement are also important. Changes in our environment and the way we interact with the new stimuli will result in a different interpretation by the nervous system of the incoming sensory information. We will adapt to the change in appropriate ways. Because our orientation system is adaptable and complex, it is often difficult to trace a response or change in behavior to any one source of information in this synergistic orientation system. However, with a carefully designed investigation, it is possible to measure signals at the appropriate level of response (both electrophysiological and perceptual) and determine the effect that stimulus rearrangement has on our sense of orientation. The environment of orbital flight represents the stimulus arrangement that is our immediate concern. The Microgravity Vestibular Investigations (MVI) represent a group of experiments designed to investigate the effects of orbital flight and a return to Earth on our orientation system.

Effect of Delay on Search Decisions in a Task-Oriented Reading Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mañá, Amelia; Vidal-Abarca, Eduardo; Salmerón, Ladislao

2017-01-01

The goal of this study was to determine the effect of setting a delay between reading a text and answering comprehension questions on "when"-to-search and "what"-to-search decisions in a task-oriented reading environment. Fifty-five eighth-grade students were randomly divided into two groups. One group read one text, answered…

The Effect of a Graph-Oriented Computer-Assisted Project-Based Learning Environment on Argumentation Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, P. -S.; Van Dyke, M.; Chen, Y.; Smith, T. J.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to explore how seventh graders in a suburban school in the United States developed argumentation skills and science knowledge in a project-based learning environment that incorporated a graph-oriented, computer-assisted application. A total of 54 students (three classes) comprised this treatment…

NCS-1 dependent learning bonus and behavior outputs of self-directed exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mun, Ho-Suk

Animals explore a new environment and learn about their surroundings. "Exploration" refers to all activities that increase the information obtained from an animal. For this study, I determined a molecule that mediates self-directed exploration, with a particular focus on rearing behavior and vocalization. Rearing can be either self-directed exploration or escape-oriented exploration. Self-directed exploration can be driven by the desire to gather information about environments while escape-oriented exploration can be driven by fear or anxiety. To differentiate between these two concepts, I compared rearing and other behaviors in three different conditions 1) novel dim (safe environment), which induces exploration based rearing; 2) novel bright (fearful environment), which elicits fear driven rearing; and 3) familiar environment as a control. First, I characterized the effects on two distinct types of environment in exploratory behavior and its effect on learning. From this, I determined that self-directed exploration enhances spatial learning while escape-oriented exploration does not produce a learning bonus. Second, I found that NCS-1 is involved in exploration, as well as learning and memory, by testing mice with reduced levels of Ncs-1 by point mutation and also siRNA injection. Finally, I illustrated other behavior outputs and neural substrate activities, which co-occurred during either self-directed or escape-oriented exploration. I found that high-frequency ultrasonic vocalizations occurred during self-directed exploration while low-frequency calls were emitted during escape-oriented exploration. Also, with immediate early gene imaging techniques, I found hippocampus and nucleus accumbens activation in self-directed exploration. This study is the first comprehensive molecular analysis of learning bonus in self-directed exploration. These results may be beneficial for studying underlying mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disease, and also reveal therapeutic targets for them.

An analysis of restructuring orientation to enhance nurse retention.

PubMed

Kiel, Joan M

2012-01-01

The nursing shortage has received much media attention; however, something that contributes to it-nurse turnover-has not received the same attention. Facilities spend time and money to train new employees only to have them leave within a few months. Staff morale, money, time, and quality of care are all affected by nurse turnover. The fact that it often occurs so soon after one takes a position makes it pertinent to look at the process of transition into the new position, namely, the orientation program. This article examines the turnover statistics, costs, rationale, and orientation programs that have proven positive results. It is hoped that the findings can assist health care facilities to replicate successful orientation programs and reduce nurse turnover.

A Behaviorally-Oriented Activities Therapy Program for Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chasanoff, Enid; Schrader, Carl

1979-01-01

A behaviorally-oriented activities therapy program was designed and implemented with adolescents who manifested problems at school, at home, and with peers. Techniques employed included: contingency contracting, assertiveness training, relaxation training, and cognitive restructuring. (Author/KC)

Orientation/Time Management Skill Training Lesson: Development and Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-07-01

instructional environment. This Orientation/ Time Management lesson provides students with appropriate role models for increasing acceptance of their...time savings can be obtained by a combination of this type of orientation and time management skill training with a computer-based progress targeting

Flight test techniques for validating simulated nuclear electromagnetic pulse aircraft responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winebarger, R. M.; Neely, W. R., Jr.

1984-01-01

An attempt has been made to determine the effects of nuclear EM pulses (NEMPs) on aircraft systems, using a highly instrumented NASA F-106B to document the simulated NEMP environment at the Kirtland Air Force Base's Vertically Polarized Dipole test facility. Several test positions were selected so that aircraft orientation relative to the test facility would be the same in flight as when on the stationary dielectric stand, in order to validate the dielectric stand's use in flight configuration simulations. Attention is given to the flight test portions of the documentation program.

Software for Engineering Simulations of a Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shireman, Kirk; McSwain, Gene; McCormick, Bernell; Fardelos, Panayiotis

2005-01-01

Spacecraft Engineering Simulation II (SES II) is a C-language computer program for simulating diverse aspects of operation of a spacecraft characterized by either three or six degrees of freedom. A functional model in SES can include a trajectory flight plan; a submodel of a flight computer running navigational and flight-control software; and submodels of the environment, the dynamics of the spacecraft, and sensor inputs and outputs. SES II features a modular, object-oriented programming style. SES II supports event-based simulations, which, in turn, create an easily adaptable simulation environment in which many different types of trajectories can be simulated by use of the same software. The simulation output consists largely of flight data. SES II can be used to perform optimization and Monte Carlo dispersion simulations. It can also be used to perform simulations for multiple spacecraft. In addition to its generic simulation capabilities, SES offers special capabilities for space-shuttle simulations: for this purpose, it incorporates submodels of the space-shuttle dynamics and a C-language version of the guidance, navigation, and control components of the space-shuttle flight software.

Using Python as a first programming environment for computational physics in developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akpojotor, Godfrey; Ehwerhemuepha, Louis; Echenim, Myron; Akpojotor, Famous

2011-03-01

Python unique features such its interpretative, multiplatform and object oriented nature as well as being a free and open source software creates the possibility that any user connected to the internet can download the entire package into any platform, install it and immediately begin to use it. Thus Python is gaining reputation as a preferred environment for introducing students and new beginners to programming. Therefore in Africa, the Python African Tour project has been launched and we are coordinating its use in computational science. We examine here the challenges and prospects of using Python for computational physics (CP) education in developing countries (DC). Then we present our project on using Python to simulate and aid the learning of laboratory experiments illustrated here by modeling of the simple pendulum and also to visualize phenomena in physics illustrated here by demonstrating the wave motion of a particle in a varying potential. This project which is to train both the teachers and our students on CP using Python can easily be adopted in other DC.

A pilot study exploring the relationship between lifelong learning and factors associated with evidence-based medicine.

PubMed

Mi, Misa; Halalau, Alexandra

2016-07-03

To explore possible relationships between residents' lifelong learning orientation, skills in practicing evidence-based medicine (EBM), and perceptions of the environment for learning and practicing EBM. This was a pilot study with a cross-sectional survey design. Out of 60 residents in a medical residency program, 29 participated in the study. Data were collected using a survey that comprised three sections: the JeffSPLL Scale, EBM Environment Scale, and an EBM skill questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS and were reported with descriptive and inferential statistics (mean, standard deviation, Pearson's correlation, and a two-sample t-test). Mean scores on the JeffSPLL Scale were significantly correlated with perceptions of the EBM Scale and use of EBM resources to keep up to date or solve a specific patient care problem. There was a significant correlation between mean scores on the EBM Scale and hours per week spent in reading medical literature to solve a patient care problem. Two-sample t-tests show that residents with previous training in research methods had significantly higher scores on the JeffSPLL Scale (p=0.04), EBM Scale (p=0.006), and self-efficacy scale (p =0.024). Given the fact that physicians are expected to be lifelong learners over the course of their professional career, developing residents' EBM skills and creating interventions to improve specific areas in the EBM environment would likely foster residents' lifelong learning orientation.

Money management, mental health, and psychiatric disability: a recovery-oriented model for improving financial skills.

PubMed

Elbogen, Eric B; Tiegreen, Joshua; Vaughan, Colleen; Bradford, Daniel W

2011-01-01

Although money management skills are essential for independent functioning in the community, when viewed from the framework of psychosocial rehabilitation, there have been few systematic models for teaching money management skills to consumers with psychiatric disabilities based on a recovery orientation. For those diagnosed with psychiatric disabilities, better money management has consistently been shown to be associated with superior quality of life, fewer hospitalizations, and greater self-efficacy. Consumers frequently indicate that learning how to budget and staying out of debt are among their top goals for recovery with mental illness. The current paper reviews the issues of money management and mental health among people with psychiatric disabilities and proposes a recovery-oriented approach to increasing money management skills to increase community functioning among consumers. Published literature, clinical cases, and financial literacy resources. Improving money management can lead to a number of benefits by helping consumers with psychiatric disabilities: 1) gain more knowledge about disability benefits, 2) improve basic financial skills, and 3) reduce vulnerability to financial exploitation. Future work on incorporating this model into psychiatric rehabilitation programs would address skills consumers can use in living, working, and social environments in a way that enhances consumer choice and promotes recovery.

Orientation Preferences and Motion Sickness Induced in a Virtual Reality Environment.

PubMed

Chen, Wei; Chao, Jian-Gang; Zhang, Yan; Wang, Jin-Kun; Chen, Xue-Wen; Tan, Cheng

2017-10-01

Astronauts' orientation preferences tend to correlate with their susceptibility to space motion sickness (SMS). Orientation preferences appear universally, since variable sensory cue priorities are used between individuals. However, SMS susceptibility changes after proper training, while orientation preferences seem to be intrinsic proclivities. The present study was conducted to investigate whether orientation preferences change if susceptibility is reduced after repeated exposure to a virtual reality (VR) stimulus environment that induces SMS. A horizontal supine posture was chosen to create a sensory context similar to weightlessness, and two VR devices were used to produce a highly immersive virtual scene. Subjects were randomly allocated to an experimental group (trained through exposure to a provocative rotating virtual scene) and a control group (untrained). All subjects' orientation preferences were measured twice with the same interval, but the experimental group was trained three times during the interval, while the control group was not. Trained subjects were less susceptible to SMS, with symptom scores reduced by 40%. Compared with untrained subjects, trained subjects' orientation preferences were significantly different between pre- and posttraining assessments. Trained subjects depended less on visual cues, whereas few subjects demonstrated the opposite tendency. Results suggest that visual information may be inefficient and unreliable for body orientation and stabilization in a rotating visual scene, while reprioritizing preferences for different sensory cues was dynamic and asymmetric between individuals. The present findings should facilitate customization of efficient and proper training for astronauts with different sensory prioritization preferences and dynamic characteristics.Chen W, Chao J-G, Zhang Y, Wang J-K, Chen X-W, Tan C. Orientation preferences and motion sickness induced in a virtual reality environment. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(10):903-910.

Plan, do, study, act model to improve an orientation program.

PubMed

Ragsdale, Mary Alice; Mueller, John

2005-01-01

The Franciscan Health System has designed a new employee orientation program that is both interactive and thought-provoking. The program has transitioned from a predominantly lecture-based format to one that consists of group discussion, role playing, lunch with senior leaders in the organization, and the utilization of adult learning principles. This article describes the shortcomings of the previous program, gaps identified in the needs assessment, and performance improvement methodology used to enhance the program.

Reorienting in Virtual 3D Environments: Do Adult Humans Use Principal Axes, Medial Axes or Local Geometry?

PubMed Central

Ambosta, Althea H.; Reichert, James F.; Kelly, Debbie M.

2013-01-01

Studies have shown that animals, including humans, use the geometric properties of environments to orient. It has been proposed that orientation is accomplished primarily by encoding the principal axes (i.e., global geometry) of an environment. However, recent research has shown that animals use local information such as wall length and corner angles as well as local shape parameters (i.e., medial axes) to orient. The goal of the current study was to determine whether adult humans reorient according to global geometry based on principal axes or whether reliance is on local geometry such as wall length and sense information or medial axes. Using a virtual environment task, participants were trained to select a response box located at one of two geometrically identical corners within a featureless rectangular-shaped environment. Participants were subsequently tested in a transformed L-shaped environment that allowed for a dissociation of strategies based on principal axes, medial axes and local geometry. Results showed that participants relied primarily on a medial axes strategy to reorient in the L-shaped test environment. Importantly, the search behaviour of participants could not be explained by a principal axes-based strategy. PMID:24223869

Design and implementation of a telecare information platform.

PubMed

Li, Shing-Han; Wang, Ching-Yao; Lu, Wen-Hui; Lin, Yuan-Yuan; Yen, David C

2012-06-01

For the aging population and for people with dominant chronic diseases, countries all over the world are promoting an "Aging in Place" program with its primary focus on the implementation of telecare. In 2009, Taiwan held a "Health Care Value-Added Platinum Program" with the goal of promoting the development of "Telecare" services by integrating medical treatment, healthcare, information communication, medical equipment and materials and by linking related cross-discipline professions to enable people to familiarize themselves with preventive healthcare services offered in their household and community environments. In addition, this program can be utilized to effectively provide diversified healthcare service benefitting society as a whole. This study aims to promote a diversified telecare service network in Taiwan's household and community environments, establish telecare information platforms, build an internal network of various healthcare service modes, standardize externally interfacing telecare information networks, effectively utilize related healthcare service resources, and complete reasonable service resource links forming an up-to-date health information exchange network. To this end, the telecare information platform based on service oriented architecture (SOA) is designed to promote an open telecare information interface and sharing environment to assist in such tasks as developing healthcare information exchange services, integrating service resources among various different healthcare service modes, accessing externally complex community affairs information, supporting remote physiological information transmissions, and providing diversified remote innovative services. Information system architecture and system monitoring indices of various types of healthcare service modes are used for system integrations for future development and/or expansions.

The Concert system - Compiler and runtime technology for efficient concurrent object-oriented programming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chien, Andrew A.; Karamcheti, Vijay; Plevyak, John; Sahrawat, Deepak

1993-01-01

Concurrent object-oriented languages, particularly fine-grained approaches, reduce the difficulty of large scale concurrent programming by providing modularity through encapsulation while exposing large degrees of concurrency. Despite these programmability advantages, such languages have historically suffered from poor efficiency. This paper describes the Concert project whose goal is to develop portable, efficient implementations of fine-grained concurrent object-oriented languages. Our approach incorporates aggressive program analysis and program transformation with careful information management at every stage from the compiler to the runtime system. The paper discusses the basic elements of the Concert approach along with a description of the potential payoffs. Initial performance results and specific plans for system development are also detailed.

Clinical orientation program for new medical registrars--a qualitative evaluation.

PubMed

Rosemergy, Ian; Bell, Damon A; Jayathissa, Sisira K

2009-02-01

We present a qualitative evaluation of a clinical orientation program for medical registrars within the Wellington region in New Zealand, designed and implemented by current advanced registrars. This program was intended to improve the transition from house officer to medical registrar. The program was qualitatively evaluated using focus groups comprising participants, presenters and senior nursing staff. Purposive samples were drawn from each of these groups. The most significant finding was the perception of enhanced professional collegiality among medical staff. There were benefits to participants and presenters with improved communication between medical registrars. We believe there are individual, institutional and patient care benefits with a region-specific, clinical orientation for new medical registrars.

Object-oriented models of cognitive processing.

PubMed

Mather, G

2001-05-01

Information-processing models of vision and cognition are inspired by procedural programming languages. Models that emphasize object-based representations are closely related to object-oriented programming languages. The concepts underlying object-oriented languages provide a theoretical framework for cognitive processing that differs markedly from that offered by procedural languages. This framework is well-suited to a system designed to deal flexibly with discrete objects and unpredictable events in the world.

Improved Mood State and Absence of Sex Differences in Response to the Stress of Army Basic Combat Training.

PubMed

Lieberman, Harris R; Karl, J Philip; McClung, James P; Williams, Kelly W; Cable, Sonya

2016-11-01

It is reported that women are more susceptible to stress than men but they have not been compared in stressful, real-world, team-centered, occupational/training environments. This study investigated effects of Army Basic Combat Training (BCT), a structured military training program, on the mood of young adult men and women. Using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire, 169 soldiers (98 men and 71 women) were assessed prior to starting BCT and after each phase of training. Significant improvements were found in five of six subscales over the course of BCT. Men and women responded positively and similarly to BCT. POMS scores attributable to an interaction of time and each factor of sex, age group, education level, ethnicity, and race were not significantly different. When studied in the same environment and exposed to the same stressors, men and women in this study responded similarly. The positive changes in mood in both sexes during BCT appear to result from the interaction of a structured physical and cognitive training program conducted in a team-oriented environment, and indicate that BCT enhances soldier mood similarly regardless of sex. © 2016 The Authors. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Association of Applied Psychology.

Multicamera polarized vision for the orientation with the skylight polarization patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Chen; Hu, Xiaoping; He, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Lilian; Wang, Yujie

2018-04-01

A robust orientation algorithm based on the skylight polarization patterns for the urban ground vehicle is presented. We present the orientation model with the Rayleigh scattering and propose the robust orientation algorithm with the total least square. The proposed algorithm can utilize the whole sky area polarization patterns for realizing a more robust and accurate orientation. To enhance the algorithm's robustness in the urban environment, we develop a real-time method that uses the gradient of the degree of the polarization to remove the obstacles in the polarization image. In addition, our algorithm can solve the ambiguity problem of the polarized orientation without any other sensors. We also conduct a static rotating and a dynamic car experiments to evaluate the algorithm. The results demonstrate that our proposed algorithm can provide an accurate orientation estimation for the ground vehicle in the open and urban environments-the root-mean-square error in the static experiment is 0.28 deg and in the dynamic experiment is 0.81 deg. Finally, we discuss insights gained with respect to further work in optics and robotics.

BlueJ Visual Debugger for Learning the Execution of Object-Oriented Programs?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennedsen, Jens; Schulte, Carsten

2010-01-01

This article reports on an experiment undertaken in order to evaluate the effect of a program visualization tool for helping students to better understand the dynamics of object-oriented programs. The concrete tool used was BlueJ's debugger and object inspector. The study was done as a control-group experiment in an introductory programming…

Orientation Programs and Student Retention in Distance Learning: The Case of University of Cape Coast

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arhin, Vera; Wang'eri, Tabitha

2018-01-01

This study investigated how orientation programs predict student retention in distance learning at the University of Cape Coast. A correlational research design was employed for the study. The target population was level-200 students in the distance education program at the university. Seven hundred and twenty-seven participants were selected from…

Engineering Outreach through College Pre-Orientation Programs: MIT Discover Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Mary Kathryn; Consi, Thomas R.

2007-01-01

Freshmen Pre-Orientation Programs (FPOPs) can be powerful outreach tools for incoming college students and provide an exciting introduction to the field of engineering. The benefits reach not only the first year students, but also the upperclassmen who help to run the programs and the departments that sponsor them. A family of three engineering…

Challenges of Creating an Online Doctoral Program: Panel Discussion of the Trials and Success of the Ohio State Nontraditional Doctor of Pharmacy Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mungall, Dennis; Green, Cable; Skunza, Barbara

This paper contains summaries of three presentations that explore critical issues that must be addressed before launching a non-traditional online degree program. "Student Orientation" (Cable Green) provides a comprehensive student orientation, including an introduction to technological infrastructure, pedagogical issues, communication…

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WORK ORIENTATION PROGRAM FOR HOME ECONOMICS RELATED OCCUPATIONS, 1964-1966.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FETTERMAN, ELSIE

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY, WHICH IS A SUMMARY OF A DOCTORAL DISSERTATION, WAS TO DEVELOP A WORK ORIENTATION PROGRAM FOR HOME ECONOMICS-RELATED OCCUPATIONS IN CONNECTICUT. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO 43 TEACHERS OF SUCH PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ALL RESPONDED, GIVING INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR OBJECTIVES, COURSES, TEACHERS' BACKGROUNDS,…

An Object-Oriented Python Implementation of an Intermediate-Level Atmospheric Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, J. W.

2008-12-01

The Neelin-Zeng Quasi-equilibrium Tropical Circulation Model (QTCM1) is a Fortran-based intermediate-level atmospheric model that includes simplified treatments of several physical processes, including a GCM-like convective scheme and a land-surface scheme with representations of different surface types, evaporation, and soil moisture. This model has been used in studies of the Madden-Julian oscillation, ENSO, and vegetation-atmosphere interaction effects on climate. Through the assumption of convective quasi-equilibrium in the troposphere, the QTCM1 is able to include full nonlinearity, resolve baroclinic disturbances, and generate a reasonable climatology, all at low computational cost. One year of simulation on a PC at 5.625 × 3.75 degree longitude-latitude resolution takes under three minutes of wall-clock time. The Python package qtcm implements the QTCM1 in a mixed-language environment that retains the speed of compiled Fortran while providing the benefits of Python's object-oriented framework and robust suite of utilities and datatypes. We describe key programming constructs used to create this modeling environment: the decomposition of model runs into Python objects, providing methods so visualization tools are attached to model runs, and the use of Python's mutable datatypes (lists and dictionaries) to implement the "run list" entity, which enables total runtime control of subroutine execution order and content. The result is an interactive modeling environment where the traditional sequence of "hypothesis → modeling → visualization and analysis" is opened up and made nonlinear and flexible. In this environment, science tasks such as parameter-space exploration and testing alternative parameterizations can be easily automated, without the need for multiple versions of the model code interacting with a bevy of makefiles and shell scripts. The environment also simplifies interfacing of the atmospheric model to other models (e.g., hydrologic models, statistical models) and analysis tools. The tools developed for this package can be adapted to create similar environments for hydrologic models.

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

None

Research is organized around two major programs: thermal and aquatic stress and mineral cycling. These programs are strengthened by a previously established foundation of basic ecological knowledge. Research in basic ecology continues to be a major component of all SREL environmental programs. Emphasis in all programs has been placed upon field-oriented research relating to regional and local problems having broad ecological significance. For example, extensive research has been conducted in the Par Pond reservoir system and the Savannah River swamp, both of which have received thermal effluent, heavy metals, and low levels of radioisotopes. Furthermore, the availability of low levelsmore » of plutonium and uranium in both terrestrial and aquatic environments on the Savannah River Plant (SRP) has provided an unusual opportunity for field research in this area. The studies seek to document the effects, to determine the extent of local environmental problems, and to establish predictable relationships which have general applicability. In order to accomplish this objective it has been imperative that studies be carried out in the natural, environmentally unaffected areas on the SRP as a vital part of the overall program. Progress is reported in forty-nine studies.« less

Perceived orientation in physical and virtual environments: changes in perceived orientation as a function of idiothetic information available

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lathrop, William B.; Kaiser, Mary K.

2002-01-01

Two experiments examined perceived spatial orientation in a small environment as a function of experiencing that environment under three conditions: real-world, desktop-display (DD), and head-mounted display (HMD). Across the three conditions, participants acquired two targets located on a perimeter surrounding them, and attempted to remember the relative locations of the targets. Subsequently, participants were tested on how accurately and consistently they could point in the remembered direction of a previously seen target. Results showed that participants were significantly more consistent in the real-world and HMD conditions than in the DD condition. Further, it is shown that the advantages observed in the HMD and real-world conditions were not simply due to nonspatial response strategies. These results suggest that the additional idiothetic information afforded in the real-world and HMD conditions is useful for orientation purposes in our presented task domain. Our results are relevant to interface design issues concerning tasks that require spatial search, navigation, and visualization.

Camera pose estimation to improve accuracy and reliability of joint angles assessed with attitude and heading reference systems.

PubMed

Lebel, Karina; Hamel, Mathieu; Duval, Christian; Nguyen, Hung; Boissy, Patrick

2018-01-01

Joint kinematics can be assessed using orientation estimates from Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS). However, magnetically-perturbed environments affect the accuracy of the estimated orientations. This study investigates, both in controlled and human mobility conditions, a trial calibration technic based on a 2D photograph with a pose estimation algorithm to correct initial difference in AHRS Inertial reference frames and improve joint angle accuracy. In controlled conditions, two AHRS were solidly affixed onto a wooden stick and a series of static and dynamic trials were performed in varying environments. Mean accuracy of relative orientation between the two AHRS was improved from 24.4° to 2.9° using the proposed correction method. In human conditions, AHRS were placed on the shank and the foot of a participant who performed repeated trials of straight walking and walking while turning, varying the level of magnetic perturbation in the starting environment and the walking speed. Mean joint orientation accuracy went from 6.7° to 2.8° using the correction algorithm. The impact of starting environment was also greatly reduced, up to a point where one could consider it as non-significant from a clinical point of view (maximum mean difference went from 8° to 0.6°). The results obtained demonstrate that the proposed method improves significantly the mean accuracy of AHRS joint orientation estimations in magnetically-perturbed environments and can be implemented in post processing of AHRS data collected during biomechanical evaluation of motion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pre-Service EFL Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Goal Orientations, and Participations in an Online Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ucar, Hasan; Yazici Bozkaya, Mujgan

2016-01-01

This study examined the pre-service EFL teachers' self-efficacy beliefs, goal orientations, and participations in an online learning environment. Embedded mixed design was used in the study. In the quantitative part of the study, the participants were 186 senior pre-service EFL teachers and data were collected on two scales and a questionnaire.…

C++ Programming Language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaykhian, Gholam Ali

2007-01-01

C++ Programming Language: The C++ seminar covers the fundamentals of C++ programming language. The C++ fundamentals are grouped into three parts where each part includes both concept and programming examples aimed at for hands-on practice. The first part covers the functional aspect of C++ programming language with emphasis on function parameters and efficient memory utilization. The second part covers the essential framework of C++ programming language, the object-oriented aspects. Information necessary to evaluate various features of object-oriented programming; including encapsulation, polymorphism and inheritance will be discussed. The last part of the seminar covers template and generic programming. Examples include both user defined and standard templates.

Industrial Orientation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasor, Leslie; Brooks, Valerie

These eight modules for an industrial orientation class were developed by a project to design an interdisciplinary program of basic skills training for disadvantaged students in a Construction Technology Program (see Note). The Drafting module overviews drafting career opportunities, job markets, salaries, educational requirements, and basic…

Effect of neurolinguistic programming training on self-actualization as measured by the Personal Orientation Inventory.

PubMed

Duncan, R C; Konefal, J; Spechler, M M

1990-06-01

Neurolinguistic programming training is based on principles that should enable the trainee to be more "present"-oriented, inner-directed, flexible, self-aware, and responsive to others, that is, more self-actualized. This study reports within-person changes on self-actualization measures of the Personal Orientation Inventory following a 24-day residential training in neurolinguistic programming. Significant positive mean changes were found for 18 master practitioners on nine of the 12 scales and for 36 practitioners on 10 of the 12 scales. Findings are consistent with the hypothesis that training increases individual self-actualization scores.

Agent planning in AgScala

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tošić, Saša; Mitrović, Dejan; Ivanović, Mirjana

2013-10-01

Agent-oriented programming languages are designed to simplify the development of software agents, especially those that exhibit complex, intelligent behavior. This paper presents recent improvements of AgScala, an agent-oriented programming language based on Scala. AgScala includes declarative constructs for managing beliefs, actions and goals of intelligent agents. Combined with object-oriented and functional programming paradigms offered by Scala, it aims to be an efficient framework for developing both purely reactive, and more complex, deliberate agents. Instead of the Prolog back-end used initially, the new version of AgScala relies on Agent Planning Package, a more advanced system for automated planning and reasoning.

Some influences of touch and pressure cues on human spatial orientation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lackner, J. R.; Graybiel, A.

1978-01-01

In order to evaluate the influences of touch and pressure cues on human spatial orientation, blindfolded subjects were exposed to 30 rmp rotation about the Z-axis of their bodies while the axis was horizontal or near horizontal. It was found that the manipulation of pressure patterns to which the subjects are exposed significantly influences apparent orientation. When provided with visual information about actual orientation the subjects will eliminate the postural illusions created by pressure-cue patterns. The localization of sounds is dependent of the apparent orientation and the actual pattern of auditory stimulation. The study provides a basis for investigating: (1) the postural illusions experienced by astronauts in orbital flight and subjects in the free-fall phase of parabolic flight, and (2) the spatial-constancy mechanisms distinguishing changes in sensory afflux conditioned by a subject's movements in relation to the environment, and those conditioned by movements of the environment.

Assessment of Parent Orientation towards Autonomy vs. Control in Promoting Children's Healthy Eating and Exercise.

PubMed

Chiang, Evelyn S; Padilla, Miguel A

2012-07-01

Self-determination theory has been widely applied to understanding individuals' health-related behaviors such as eating healthy foods and exercising. Different reasons for engagement are associated with varying levels of personal agency or autonomy. Authority figures in the environment can be supportive of autonomy or, in contrast, controlling. Although researchers have assessed individuals' perceptions of the autonomy-support in their environments, studies have not directly examined the authority figures' orientations to autonomy with respect to health contexts. A new scale, Parent Orientations to Health, was created to investigate parent orientation to autonomy and control with respect to healthy eating and exercise in children. One hundred and forty-three parents of elementary school-aged children responded to the scale. Scale validation and reliability results indicate that the scale successfully assessed parent orientation towards autonomy for children in health contexts. Furthermore, parent autonomy orientation varied according to child weight status and the healthiness of the child's diet. Parent orientation towards autonomy can be evaluated through the use of the Parent Orientations to Health scale. In addition, parent autonomy orientation is associated with both the healthiness of the child's diet (as perceived by the parent) and the child's body mass index. © 2012 The Authors. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being © 2012 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

The joint effects of person and situation factors on stress in spaceflight.

PubMed

Endler, Norman S

2004-07-01

Psychologists can play an important role in spaceflight and exploration. Indeed, their input at four specific stages in spaceflight can help to ensure successful missions. Psychologists have a role to play in: 1) Selection; 2) Training; 3) Real or Simulated Space Missions; and 4) Post-Flight Problems. During selection, psychologists can provide guidelines as to the appropriate coping styles for reacting to mission-related stressors. During training, psychologists can help astronauts to plan for, and cope with, problems (e.g., group conflict). Training in social sensitivity, or in specific coping styles (i.e., to be high in task-oriented coping), would be beneficial so that astronauts are able to deal with unforeseen problems. Task-oriented coping is related to control and efficiency, and reduces stress and anxiety. Emotion-oriented coping relates to anxiety for controllable situations, and task-oriented coping is most efficacious. A primary role for psychologists would be the investigation of what problems could arise from living with others in a limited space and for long periods of times. As such, investigations into group dynamics, physical and psychological stress caused by such an environment, and the lack of normal ways to deal with these problems should all be considered. It is also clear that the impact of spaceflight on an individual does not end with physical re-entry. On the contrary, the astronaut will also have to make a psychological post-flight "re-entry" readjustment to life on Earth. Psychologists have an important role to play during all four stages of the space program, especially in regards to person by situation interactions. That is, space is a novel environment for human beings, and we need to investigate how we can better improve the fit between astronauts and space situational stressors. Not only are person by situation interactions relevant for each of the four stages discussed above, but each of the stages interacts with one another bidirectionally and even multidirectionally.

Towards an agent-oriented programming language based on Scala

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitrović, Dejan; Ivanović, Mirjana; Budimac, Zoran

2012-09-01

Scala and its multi-threaded model based on actors represent an excellent framework for developing purely reactive agents. This paper presents an early research on extending Scala with declarative programming constructs, which would result in a new agent-oriented programming language suitable for developing more advanced, BDI agent architectures. The main advantage the new language over many other existing solutions for programming BDI agents is a natural and straightforward integration of imperative and declarative programming constructs, fitted under a single development framework.

Tactile Displays for Orientation, Navigation and Communication in Air, Sea and Land Environments (Les systemes d’affichage tactiles pour l’orientation, la navigation et la communication dans les environments aerien, maritime et terrestre)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-08-01

objects and “ feel ” the forces applied on the object by the other individual or object. Feedback including active touch or proprioceptive signals (e.g...observer will notice that certain touches will feel “bright” or “cold.” In fact, the “experimenter/observer” has just activated his/her tactile cold...2008). More than a feeling : bringing touch into astronauts’ spatial orientation. Microgravity Science and Technology. (In press). [11] Vos, W.K

SIMOGEN - An Object-Oriented Language for Simulation

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

program generator must also be written in the same prcgramming languaje . In this case, the C language was chosen, for the following main reasons...3), March 88. 4. PRESTO: A System for Object-Oriented Parallel Programing B N Bershad, E D Lazowska & H M Levy Software Practice and Experience, Vol...U.S. Depare nt of Defence ANSI/ML-STD 1815A. 7. Object-oriented Development Grady Booch Transactions on Software Engineering , February 86. 8. A

Distributed Object Oriented Programming

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-01

of the object oriented model of computation. Therefore, object oriented programming can provide the programmer with good conceptual tools to divide his...LABOR SALES-COMMISSION). The symbol + refers to the addition function and takes any number of numeric arguments. The third subtype of list forms is the...2) ’(:SEND-DONE) (SEWF (AREF OBJECT-i1-MESSAGES-SENT 2) ’(PROGN (FORMAT T "-s methd completely executed instr-ptr -s-V NAME %INSTR-PTR%) (INCF

Object-Oriented Scientific Programming with Fortran 90

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norton, C.

1998-01-01

Fortran 90 is a modern language that introduces many important new features beneficial for scientific programming. We discuss our experiences in plasma particle simulation and unstructured adaptive mesh refinement on supercomputers, illustrating the features of Fortran 90 that support the object-oriented methodology.

Science Software in High-Button Shoes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyrli, Odvard Egil

1984-01-01

Discusses inquiry-oriented science instruction and experientially based programs that support newer instructional strategies. Also provides examples of six process-oriented programs (Cat Lab, Geology Search, Rocky's Boots, Tell Star, Volcanoes, What's in Your Lunch?). Level, hardware needed, publisher, and description are provided for each…

General object-oriented software development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seidewitz, Edwin V.; Stark, Mike

1986-01-01

Object-oriented design techniques are gaining increasing popularity for use with the Ada programming language. A general approach to object-oriented design which synthesizes the principles of previous object-oriented methods into the overall software life-cycle, providing transitions from specification to design and from design to code. It therefore provides the basis for a general object-oriented development methodology.

Study of the Discipline-Based Education vs. Liberal Education in the Department of Social Sciences, S. P. J. C. [St. Petersburg Junior College, Florida].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCuskey, E. Scott; Worley, William E.

The heterogeneous nature of community college populations has resulted in an academic dichotomy within two-year institutions. Most institutions offer two types of programs: (1) discipline-based, university parallel programs, oriented toward transferring students to four-year institutions; (2) vocational/technical programs, oriented toward terminal…

Decreasing Heavy Drinking in First-Year Students: Evaluation of a Web-Based Personalized Feedback Program Administered during Orientation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doumas, Diana M.; Kane, Christina M.; Navarro, Tabitha B.; Roman, Jennifer

2011-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a web-based personalized normative feedback program, electronic Check-Up to Go (e-CHUG), in decreasing heavy drinking among 1st-year university students. Results indicated high-risk students receiving the e-CHUG program during 1st-year orientation activities reported significantly greater reductions in…

Indian Resources Development and Internship Program. Annual American Indian High School Student Orientation (4th, Las Cruces, New Mexico, June 8-14, 1980).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilgore, Russel E.; And Others

This orientation program is designed to acquaint American Indian high school sophomores and juniors with a wide variety of academic college majors, programs, careers, and job opportunities. Emphasis is placed on agriculture, business administration, economics, energy, engineering, management, and natural resources. Included in the week's…

Slicken 1.0: Program for calculating the orientation of shear on reactivated faults

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Hong; Xu, Shunshan; Nieto-Samaniego, Ángel F.; Alaniz-Álvarez, Susana A.

2017-07-01

The slip vector on a fault is an important parameter in the study of the movement history of a fault and its faulting mechanism. Although there exist many graphical programs to represent the shear stress (or slickenline) orientations on faults, programs to quantitatively calculate the orientation of fault slip based on a given stress field are scarce. In consequence, we develop Slicken 1.0, a software to rapidly calculate the orientation of maximum shear stress on any fault plane. For this direct method of calculating the resolved shear stress on a planar surface, the input data are the unit vector normal to the involved plane, the unit vectors of the three principal stress axes, and the stress ratio. The advantage of this program is that the vertical or horizontal principal stresses are not necessarily required. Due to its nimble design using Java SE 8.0, it runs on most operating systems with the corresponding Java VM. The software program will be practical for geoscience students, geologists and engineers and will help resolve a deficiency in field geology, and structural and engineering geology.

Core stability exercise is as effective as task-oriented motor training in improving motor proficiency in children with developmental coordination disorder: a randomized controlled pilot study.

PubMed

Au, Mei K; Chan, Wai M; Lee, Lin; Chen, Tracy Mk; Chau, Rosanna Mw; Pang, Marco Yc

2014-10-01

To compare the effectiveness of a core stability program with a task-oriented motor training program in improving motor proficiency in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Randomized controlled pilot trial. Outpatient unit in a hospital. Twenty-two children diagnosed with DCD aged 6-9 years were randomly allocated to the core stability program or the task-oriented motor program. Both groups underwent their respective face-to-face training session once per week for eight consecutive weeks. They were also instructed to carry out home exercises on a daily basis during the intervention period. Short Form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (Second Edition) and Sensory Organization Test at pre- and post-intervention. Intention-to-treat analysis revealed no significant between-group difference in the change of motor proficiency standard score (P=0.717), and composite equilibrium score derived from the Sensory Organization Test (P=0.100). Further analysis showed significant improvement in motor proficiency in both the core stability (mean change (SD)=6.3(5.4); p=0.008) and task-oriented training groups (mean change(SD)=5.1(4.0); P=0.007). The composite equilibrium score was significantly increased in the task-oriented training group (mean change (SD)=6.0(5.5); P=0.009), but not in the core stability group (mean change(SD) =0.0(9.6); P=0.812). In the task-oriented training group, compliance with the home program was positively correlated with change in motor proficiency (ρ=0.680, P=0.030) and composite equilibrium score (ρ=0.638, P=0.047). The core stability exercise program is as effective as task-oriented training in improving motor proficiency among children with DCD. © The Author(s) 2014.

Kaiser Permanente Georgia's Experience with Operation Zero: A Group Medical Appointment to Address Pediatric Overweight

PubMed Central

Hinchman, Josephine; Beno, Luke; Mims, Adrienne

2006-01-01

Context: The rate of overweight (OW) in children in the United States has more than tripled since 1980. The health consequences of pediatric OW include type 2 diabetes and significant illness later in life. Treating pediatric OW is a necessity; however, health care clinicians have minimal access to successful and comprehensive treatment modalities for addressing it. Objective: Kaiser Permanente of Georgia (KPGA) offers a group medical appointment clinic, Operation Zero (O.Z.), as a referral program for preadolescent and adolescent patients who are in the 85th or higher percentile for body mass index (BMI) for their age. The eight-session clinic uses a family-oriented approach and provides a supportive group environment with interactive learning, games, physical activity, and creative problem solving. The goal of the program is to improve lifestyle behaviors for nutrition and physical activity. Clinically, meeting these goals can manifest as reductions in body fat (BF), waist size, and BMI-for-age percentile. Two implementation models help improve dissemination of the program within KPGA. Design: Baseline and eight-week postclinical outcomes for O.Z. participants were analyzed to determine program effectiveness. A retrospective analysis with a control group looked at long-term clinical outcomes to determine weight maintenance. Main outcome measures were weight, BMI-for-age percentile, waist size, and percentage of body fat (%BF). Results: At eight weeks after program completion compared with baseline, there were significant reductions in %BF and waist size for the total sample and specifically for adolescents, preteens, and participants who attended six or more sessions. Among O.Z. participants, there were insignificant increases in weight at six months after program participation and BMI-for-age percentile at one year after participation. At six months, the mean change in weight and BMI in the O.Z. group was statistically less than the mean change in the control group. Conclusions: A structured, family-oriented weight management program is effective in changing measures consistent with improved weight management. PMID:21519478

Assessing Cultural Orientation, Cultural Fit, and Help-Seeking Attitudes of Latina Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gloria, Alberta M.; Castellanos, Jeanett; Segura-Herrera, Theresa A.; Mayorga, Melissa

2010-01-01

This study assessed the influence of cultural orientation and cultural ft of 121 Latina undergraduates' help-seeking attitudes. Mexican and Anglo orientation, cultural congruity, and perceptions of the university environment did not predict help-seeking attitudes; however, differences emerged by class standing and self-reported previous counseling…

The Development of an Objective Scale to Measure a Transpersonal Orientation to Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, Stewart B.; Fitzgerald, Louise F.

1989-01-01

A 40-item Likert scale, Transpersonal Orientation to Learning, was developed to investigate transpersonal (spiritual or mystical) orientation. The scale was validated via administration to 166 graduate students in education to determine their beliefs about the development of spiritual potential in learning environments. Satisfactory reliability…

Web Based Profession Orientation in Elementary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulbul, Halil Ibrahim; Sahin, Yasar Guneri; Yildiz, Turker Turan; Ercan, Tuncay

2007-01-01

In Turkey, the profession orientation programs for elementary education students have a critical importance. In the aspect of profession orientation application, the least dealt population is unfortunately the elementary school students. In this study, the problems caused by insufficient orientation and guidance of profession for those students…