Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Review Of Allen Tough, Intentional Changes: A Fresh Approach To Helping People Change, J. Scott Armstrong

J. Scott Armstrong

Intentional Changes is an important book. It suggests different approaches to the way in which we try to implement change. It provides, as do most important books, much that you will disagree with. Tough’s conclusions are based on studies that are likely to be unknown to you. The book is interesting, well written, and short.

The Natural Learning Project, J. Scott Armstrong

J. Scott Armstrong

In “natural learning” the learner takes responsibility for learning. This responsibility applies to setting objectives, selecting active learning tasks, obtaining feedback, and making applications. Self-oriented skill training (SOS) provides a highly structured procedure to help the learner through the above four phases of natural learning. Of particular importance in SOS is the experiential exercise; this can put the learner through the unfreezing, change, and refreezing steps. The design of SOS is based on substantial empirical evidence. Results from five crude field experiments were consistent with the hypothesis that SOS increases the efficiency of learning. In a 6-month follow-up, participants using …

Focus Group On Karst Hydrology - Conceptual Models, Aquifer Characterization, And Numerical Modeling, Martin Sauter, Lee J. Florea, Others

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Focus Group On Karst Hydrology - Conceptual Models, Aquifer Characterization, And Numerical Modeling, Martin Sauter, Lee J. Florea, Others

Lee J Florea, PhD, P.G.

No abstract provided.

The Crisis In Ict Education: An Academic Perspective, Tony J. Koppi, Fazel Naghdy, Joe F. Chicharo, Judy Sheard, Sylvia Edwards, David Wilson

Faculty of Informatics - Papers (Archive)

A national Discipline-Based Initiative project for ICT, funded by the ALTC, has sought to identify the issues and challenges facing the sector. The crisis in ICT education spans high schools, universities and industry. The demand for skilled ICT graduates is increasing yet enrolments are declining. Several factors contribute to this decline including the perceived quality of teaching and a poor perception of the ICT profession amongst the general public. This paper reports on a consultation process with the academic community. Academic concerns include the capacity of the sector to survive the downturn, and improving relationships with industry which should benefit …

Issues In Australian Ict Education, Tony J. Koppi, Fazel Naghdy, Joe F. Chicharo

Faculty of Informatics - Papers (Archive)

This session at the Australian Software Engineering Conference is concerned with ICT education from the holistic perspective of preparation in high schools, the university experience, transition to the workforce, and the contribution by industry, government, and professional bodies. The project to ascertain the issues and challenges facing the national ICT education sector is supported by the Carrick institute as a discipline-based initiative. Consultations to date with various stakeholders have revealed numerous concerns that include: the dispersed nature of the ICT sector; erroneous perceptions of ICT disciplines; decline in enrolments; gender imbalance; lack of industry involvement; and balancing knowledge with generic …

The Art Of Teaching Mathematics, Garikai Campbell, Jon T. Jacobsen, Aimee S A Johnson, Michael E. Orrison Jr.

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

On June 10–12, 2007, Harvey Mudd College hosted A Conference on the Art of Teaching Mathematics. The conference brought together approximately thirty mathematicians from the Claremont Colleges, Denison, DePauw, Furman, Middlebury, Penn State, Swarthmore, and Vassar to explore the topic of teaching as an art. Assuming there is an element of artistic creativity in teaching mathematics, in what ways does it surface and what should we be doing to develop this creativity?

Mathematicians Playing A Role In Math Education: What We Learned At The Ime/Mime Workshop, Anna Bargagliotti, Rama Chidambaram, Gizem Karaali

Pomona Faculty Publications and Research

In Hollywood, some actors are regularly cast as mean, others as sweet and endearing, and some typically play innocent big-eyed youths who inevitably succeed after awakening to the particular facts of life that their producer wants them to awaken to. It is unusual and difficult for actors to cross the bridge between different types on a regular basis. However, there are always exceptions to the rule.

In the seemingly unrelated world of academics, mathematics faculty may find themselves playing different roles. People with different skills and interests strive to balance their careers in ways that will be uniquely fulfilling to …

Expanding The Database Curriculum, Meg Murray, Mario Guimaraes

Faculty and Research Publications

As database concepts and technologies continue to evolve there exists a need to expand the topics included in database curricula. This is challenging given the restraints on the number of courses that can be included in a typical CS or IS program. While a set of commonly identified core concepts and principles exists, there is little consensus on what supplemental materials should be included in database courses. Through an NSF proof-of-concept grant, we designed and developed courseware incorporating the use of animations to deepen and enrich standard presentations of core database concepts and to complement database teachings as found in …

A New Approach To Community Flood Education, Neil Dufty

Neil Dufty

No abstract provided.

Building Community Resilience To Floods: The Role Of Education (Booklet), Neil Dufty

Neil Dufty

No abstract provided.

Cascading Infrastructure Failures: Avoidance And Response, George H. Baker, Cheryl J. Elliott

George H Baker

No critical infrastructure is self-sufficient. The complexity inherent in the interdependent nature of infrastructure systems complicates planning and preparedness for system failures. Recent wide-scale disruption of infrastructure on the Gulf Coast due to weather, and in the Northeast due to electric power network failures, dramatically illustrate the problems associated with mitigating cascading effects and responding to cascading infrastructure failures once they have occurred.

The major challenge associated with preparedness for cascading failures is that they transcend system, corporate, and political boundaries and necessitate coordination among multiple, disparate experts and authorities. This symposium brought together concerned communities including government and industry …

Teaching Time Savers: The Exam Practically Wrote Itself!, Michael E. Orrison Jr.

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

When I first started teaching, creating an exam for my upper division courses was a genuinely exciting process. The material felt fresh and relatively unexplored (at least by me), and I remember often feeling pleasantly overwhelmed with what seemed like a vast supply of intriguing and engrossing exam-ready problems. Crafting the perfect exam, one that was noticeably inviting, exceedingly fair, and unavoidably illuminating, was a real joy.

Learner-Centered Assignments In Computer Literacy, Martha E. Myers, Meg C. Murray, Mario Guimaraes, Debra B. Geist

Faculty and Research Publications

Literacy is a concept that is understood to be the identifier of an educated populace. In today's world, literacy includes computer literacy, as well as language and quantitative literacy. This paper describes exercises developed to improve first year students' computer literacy through more learner-centered engagement. Exercises are designed to support learner-centered goals of independent and responsible learners, appropriate breadth and depth of content, teacher as facilitator, and assessment woven into learning. Exercise topics include purchase of a personal computer, basic logic via spreadsheets, an annotated bibliography built with electronic resources, and an integrated assignment customized by and for each student.

Roles And Responsiblities For Vicses In Flood Education (Report), Neil Dufty

Neil Dufty

No abstract provided.

Critical Thinking Traits Of Top-Tier Experts And Implications For Computer Science Education, Dean Bushey

All Dissertations

A documented shortage of technical leadership and top-tier performers in
computer science jeopardizes the technological edge, security, and economic well-being of the nation. The 2005 President's Information and Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC) Report on competitiveness in computational sciences highlights the major impact of science, technology, and innovation in keeping America competitive in the global marketplace. It stresses the fact that the supply of science, technology, and engineering experts is at the core
of America's technological edge, national competitiveness and security. However, recent data shows that both undergraduate and postgraduate production of computer scientists is falling.

Past research on expert performance …

Habitattitude™: Getting A Backbone About The Pet Release Pathway, Jamie K. Reaser, N. Marshall Meyers

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

Many people would not consider their family complete without a pet. Unfortunately, for some pet owners, circumstances arise that prevent them from being able to properly care for their companions and pet abandonment has become one of the most common pathways of vertebrate species introduction. It is also one of the most challenging pathways to address once the animals become established, eradication and control programs face significant public scrutiny and are often challenged by “animal rights” groups. Prevention measures are thus the key to minimizing the size and impacts of the “pet release pathway.” Habitattitude™ is a proactive campaign designed …

Custom Trucks, Radio Snake Jingles, And Temporary Tattoos: An Overview Of A Successful Public Awareness Campaign Related To Brown Treesnakes In The Commonwealth Of The Northern Mariana Islands, Nathaniel B. Hawley

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

The brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) was introduced on Guam during post World War II cargo movements. Brown treesnakes (BTS) have now become exceptionally abundant on Guam and pose a direct, significant, and growing threat to other areas outside of their historic range, including the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), the State of Hawaii, the United States mainland and other sites regionally and internationally. The CNMI is at high risk for a BTS introduction due to its close proximity and the types and amount of cargo received. Limited BTS awareness efforts between 1986 and 2002 in the …

Complexities Of Urban Coyote Management: Reaching The Unreachable, Teaching The Unteachable, And Touching The Untouchable, Robert H. Schmidt

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Urban coyote (Canis latrans) management is often complicated, but the technical portion of any management program is only one part of the equation. The use of lethal (traps, snares, shooting, toxicants) and non-lethal (exclusion, guard animals, husbandry practices, harassment) coyote management strategies can be successful, less than successful, or not successful depending on the appropriate match of technical skill and technology available in a particular situation. However, technical sophistication is only a portion of the management dilemma. Issues of policy, law, politics, and economics, as well as human values, attitudes, and ethics play an obvious and profound role …

Chemistry For A Sustainable Future, Julian Tyson

Chemistry Department Faculty Publication Series

No abstract provided.

Enabling P2p Cooperative Wms Proxy Caching And Prefetching In An Educational Environment, Jeffrey A. Bergamini, Michael Haungs

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Given the great demand and promise for educational use of GIS, real time access to massive remote geospatial datasets for pedagogical purposes would be immensely useful to educators and students. However, such access has remained elusive. In other work, we have demonstrated that a P2P distributed system of client-side proxies can address the challenges posed by the interactive, multiplicative, and exploratory nature of classroom GIS, and we described this system at a high level. In this paper, we present the details of several novel techniques that enable P2P cooperative caching and prefetching of OGC WMS data in an educational lab …

Teaching Time Savers: Is Homework Grading On Your Nerves?, Lisette G. De Pillis, Michael E. Orrison Jr.

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

You have probably heard it said that we learn mathematics best when we do mathematics, or that mathematics is not a spectator sport. For most of our students, this means that their mathematics courses will involve a fair amount of homework. This homework is often used to evaluate individual student progress, but it can also be used, for example, as a catalyst for discussion, to emphasize a point made in class, and to identify common misunderstandings throughout the class as a whole. There is, however, the matter of grading homework.

Collected Papers Vol. 1, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Risks And Responsibilities In Establishing A Wireless Network For An Educational Institution, Leigh Knights, Matt Fonceca, Georgina Mack, Andrew Woodward

Australian Information Security Management Conference

A wireless network solution is generally implemented when the bounds of walls of buildings and the constraints of wires need to be broken. Wireless technologies provide the potential for freedom of mobility which is undoubtedly a convenience for organisations in today’s market. The security of a wireless network is crucial for data integrity, especially when the data is not secured by the insulation of wires. While data is being transferred across a wireless network, it is vulnerable. There is no room for error, neglect or ignorance from an organisation, as a breech of data integrity can be devastating for both …

Teaching Time Savers: Some Advice On Giving Advice, Michael E. Orrison Jr.

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

There are always a lot of questions that need to be answered at the beginning of a course. When are office hours? What are the grading policies? How many exams will there be? Will late homework be accepted? We have all seen the answers to these sorts of questions form the bulk of a standard course syllabus, and most of us feel an obligation (and rightly so) to provide such information.

Don't Be A Phish: Steps In User Education, Stefan Robila, James W. Ragucci

Department of Computer Science Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Phishing, e-mails sent out by hackers to lure unsuspecting victims into giving up confidential information, has been the cause of countless security breaches and has experienced in the last year an increase in frequency and diversity. While regular phishing attacks are easily thwarted, designing the attack to include user context information could potentially increase the user's vulnerability. To prevent this, phishing education needs to be considered. In this paper we provide an overview of phishing education, focusing on context aware attacks and introduce a new strategy for educating users by combining phishing IQ tests and class discussions. The technique encompasses …

Serious Gordon Using Serious Games To Teach Food Safety In The Kitchen, Brian Mac Namee, Pauline Rooney, Patrick Lindstrom, Andrew Ritchie, Frances Boylan, Greg Burke

Conference papers

This paper will describe the development of Serious Gordon, an interactive digital game developed to tech the basics of kitchen food safety to workers in industries dealing with food. The motivations driving the development of the game will be described as will the development process itself. An initial evaluation of the game, from both a technical and pedagogical point of view, will be presented as will conclusions on the viability of using a commercial game engine for the purpose of developing educational games.

Growing Quality Stewardship For Natural Resources In Tennessee, Aubrey L. Deck, Craig Harper

11th Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference (2006)

A primary goal of Extension Wildlife in Tennessee is to steer youth in a direction that will increase their chance of successful recruitment into society and make a positive difference in the way the public views and manages our natural resources. Tennessee’s 4-H Wildlife Project is in its 35th year of growing quality stewardship by 1) teaching the basic principles of wildlife ecology and management, 2) helping students understand the importance of wildlife in our environment, and 3) promoting citizenship/leadership. These efforts may lead to informed participation in natural resource conservation and land-use decision making.

The University of Tennessee has …

Bass Management Symposia: Managing Ponds And Lakes For Better Fishing, Billy Higginbotham, Michael Masser, Peter Wood

11th Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference (2006)

Texas contains more than one million privately owned ponds and reservoirs comprising some one-half million surface acres. Interest in managing these ponds for recreational fishing, especially for largemouth bass is high. In order to respond to this educational need, a series of symposia designed to provide information on intensive largemouth bass management was conducted. Symposia were conducted in Athens (2001), San Marcos (2003), and Conroe (2005). The fee-based programs ($50 pre-registration, $75 at the door) attracted 601 participants from Texas and several other states. Each participant received a copy of the symposia proceedings. Exhibitors providing private water management products and …

An Introduction To The Revised Southern Region 4-H Wildlife Projects, Renee Strnad, Chris Moorman

11th Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference (2006)

During the 1970s, a partnership between the United States Department of Agriculture and the National 4-H Council led to the creation of the Southern Region Wildlife Project materials. Fifty-one publications, based on a variety of fish and wildlife-related subject matter, were created. In 1999, the North Carolina Department of 4-H and Youth Development received a grant from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to revise the publications. Twenty-four of the original 51 publications were selected for revision by Extension Specialists and other wildlife biologists in several southern states. Content and format for the projects were updated in the revised …