Digital Commons Network^™

Derivation Of Fuzzy Membership Functions Using One-Dimensional Self-Organizing Maps, Thomas E. Sandidge, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper discusses a system of self-organizing maps that approximate the fuzzy membership function for an arbitrary number of fuzzy classes. This is done through the ordering and clustering properties of one-dimensional self-organizing maps and iterative approximation of conditional probabilities of nodes in one map being the winner given that a node in the other map is the winner. Application of this system reduces fuzzy membership design time to that required to train the system of self-organizing maps.

Technology Acquisition And Utilization In Metal Goods, N. Alp, B. Alp, Yildirim Omurtag

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper analyzes the technology acquisition and utilization process in metal goods manufacturing organizations through a survey instrument which is conducted in the Mid-West region of the US. The goal of this study is to identify the channels, types, reasons, impacts, difficulties, and limitations of technology acquisition and utilization process in metal goods sector.

Innovative Applications Of Groupware For Solving Engineering Design Problems, Leslie F. Monplaisir, Colin Othniel Benjamin, Choayuan Lu

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In these case studies, groupware was used as a group decision-making environment to assist teams evaluating a quality function deployment framework for risk management and agile manufacturing system designs. In the first case, teams identified customers' requirements and risk categories for a research and development project. They then mapped the relationship between these customer requirements and the risk categories. In the second case, cross-functional teams collaborated in selecting the best layout for a cellular manufacturing facility. These experimental findings support the use of group decision systems by design and project teams required to manage R&D projects or to design agile …

The Effect Of Casting Shape And Size On Solidification Time: A New Approach, Murat Tiryakioǧlu, Ergin Tiryakioǧlu, Donald R. Askeland

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The limitations of Chvorinov's Rule for predicting the solidification time of a casting are discussed and previous studies intended to modify Chvorinov's Rule in order to express the effect of the size and shape of castings on solidification time are reviewed. A new model that introduces a shape factor is presented that predicts the solidification times of castings as well as or better than Chvorinov's Rule, particularly for more complex shapes. The validity of the new model is compared with the conventional Chvorinov's Rule by a statistical analysis of twelve sets of data obtained from the literature.

Ferroelectric Films As A Fashion Object For Polycrystalline Film Investigation, V. Petrovsky, Harlan U. Anderson, M. Shumsky

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

BaxSr1-xTiO3 (BST), PbZrxTi1-xO3 (PZT) and two-layer PZT-BST films were prepared on Pt, Si(100) and Si(111) substrates by a sol-gel method. XRD analysis shows that the PZT films on the Si(111) substrates tended to be preferentially oriented in the (110) direction. The nondestructive readout of the state of ferroelectric polarization was investigated by three methods: the pyroelectric effect, the non-linearity of the capacitance and the field effect in MOS structures. It is shown that all three methods provide nondestructive readout, and the choice between them depends on the intended use.

Hydro Unit Commitment In Hydro-Thermal Optimization, Chao-An Li, E. Hsu, Chung-Li Tseng, A. J. Svoboda, R. B. Johnson

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, the authors develop a model and technique for solving the combined hydro and thermal unit commitment problem, taking into full account the hydro unit dynamic constraints in achieving overall economy of power system operation. The combined hydrothermal unit commitment problem is solved by a decomposition and coordination approach. Thermal unit commitment is solved using a conventional Lagrangian relaxation technique. The hydro system is divided into watersheds, which are further broken down into reservoirs. The watersheds are optimized by network flow programming (NFP). Priority-list-based dynamic programming is used to solve the hydro unit commitment (HUC) problem at the …

Managing Cultural Differences For Engineers, Halvard E. Nystrom

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Understanding cultural issues, developing cross-cultural communication skills and recognizing the need to effectively apply these skills in the global arena are becoming critical success factors for an increasing number of engineers. To address these needs, an engineering management class has been developed at the University of Missouri-Rolla, USA, that uses a team project approach as the major method to achieve the learning objectives. The student teams develop training manuals for dealing with engineers from specific international cultures, based on the material learned in class as well as personal interactions with individuals of the specific ethnic background. An application of this …

Theory And Research In Social Education, Volume 25, No. 2, Spring 1997, E. Wayne Ross

Theory and Research in Social Education

No abstract provided.

Conference Proceedings, Floodplain Management In A Multi-Faceted World, April 28 - May 2, 1997, Association Of State Floodplain Managers. Conference

Natural Hazards Center Collection

Proceedings of the twenty-first annual conference of the Association of State Floodplain Managers held in Little Rock, Arkansas from April 28 to May 2, 1998

Teachers' Attitudes Toward Computer Technology And Factors Influencing Their Attitudes And Adoption Of Computer Technology In Classroom Instruction : A Literature Review, Huiping Ding

Graduate Research Papers

With the introduction of computer literacy into curriculum, teachers' attitudes toward computer technology and computer adoption in the classroom teaching remain major concerns for educators. This paper is intended to review the literature on teachers' attitudes toward the use of computer technology as an instructional tool in classroom teaching and factors influencing their attitudes toward their use of computers. Their attitudes differ but are positive about teaching with computers if some barriers are overcome and some problems are solved, such as lack of training and accessibility.

The literature review reveals that teachers have concerns and anxieties concerning computer technology, its …

Early Interventions In Learning To Read, Kathleen Duax

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review is to provide an insight into the world of creating readers; people who love to read and want to read. The review presents information about early interventions by parents and teachers that can increase a child's ability to learn to read. The intent is to help parents and teachers become more aware of the dimensions of literacy, to allow them to become more informed about literacy and the importance of early interventions, and to use this information in ways that can help children become readers.

The Benefits Of Word Processing In Process Writing, Renee Cecile Leimer Cuvelier

Graduate Research Papers

The word processor is a valuable writing tool that can have a notable impact on the writing process and on the social context for writing in today"s schools. The majority of the research on writing with a word processor has indicated the word processor does provide specific benefits for our students and may be used to develop skill in writing.

This review defines the process approach to writing, reviews the research on the benefits of using the word processor in process writing as well as the research which doesn't support its use, and discusses variables that affect the research results. …

An Effective Writing Program That Meets The Needs Of Lower Elementary Students, Marita R. Schroeder

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to examine current research on the writing process, to identify major elements of an effective writing program, and then implement a writing program for young children which encompasses the major elements. The elements of the writing program implemented within the classroom were: modeling (by the teacher, children and authors), daily writing, conferencing (mini-lessons), publishing, and special projects. It was found that a carefully structured writing program enhances the writing of students in the classroom. The process approach to writing values the students as well as the writing process. This approach is an ideal way …

Photographs To Enhance The Exhibits In Writing Portfolios, Carol R. Winterboer

Graduate Research Papers

Writing portfolios in a third grade classroom were used to more closely relate assessment to students' instructional needs. Photographs of students' involvement in experiences across the curriculum were offered for students to use with their writing. The photographs served to enhance the students' pieces of writing or were used in place of an artifact that was impractical to include in a portfolio. Writing samples related to two thematic units, one in science and the other in social studies, are discussed. Descriptions of the children's writing experiences, photographs that accompany student selected pieces, and students' self-reflections are presented. This portfolio experience …

Children's Literature As Parallel Readings In The Secondary Language Arts Curriculum: An Annotated Teaching Guide, Kelly Diller

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to match works of children's literature with works typically taught in secondary language arts curricula so that the matched sets may be taught as parallel readings. Selected works have parallels in character, mood or tone, plot, point of view, setting, subject, symbolism, and theme, and are presented as an annotated teaching guide. The matched sets selected were found to have significant parallel literary elements.

A Descriptive Analysis Of The Search Features Of General Electronic Encyclopedias, Barb Ehlers

Graduate Research Papers

This research study is a descriptive analysis of the search features of general electronic encyclopedias in the CD-ROM format. This study describes the browse, analytical and hierarchical search features commonly found in seven electronic encyclopedias. The study found that browse search features are a linear index of titles or subjects, analytical search features offer simple and complex options while the software searches full text, and hierarchical search features offer subject breakdown from broad categories to specific articles. Common trends and variations are described through the use of text, screen shots and tables.

A Summary Of Assessment Strategies For A Multi-Age Classroom, Tamera Frost

Graduate Research Papers

Many schools are implementing multi-age programs. This non-traditional teaching approach calls for methods of assessing students' learning that are consistent with the ways in which they are taught. The traditional methods of assessment require teachers to use the same assessment tool with every child. This is not consistent with the individualized approach to pedagogy that is fundamental in multi-age classrooms. Furthermore standardized assessment does not challenge some students, it frustrates other students, and does not provide the kinds of information needed for formative evaluation.

The author of this project has developed a summary of assessment tools to implement in eight-to …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Richard E. Wulf-Mcgrath

Graduate Research Papers

I embrace change. I think back to when I lived in Massachusetts with my parents during high school. I looked into colleges that I might want to attend. inquired into business colleges. ln the northeast region of the country there were plenty of them. But for some reason I applied to one school out west; The University of Denver. I did not know any friends in Denver. l did not have any relatives close-by. I wanted an adventure. I was accepted and I decided to attend. This decision changed my life.

The Copyright Amendments Of 1997, David Vaver

Articles & Book Chapters

No abstract provided.

Globalization Of The Mind: Canadian Elites And The Restructuring Of Legal Fields, Harry W. Arthurs

Articles & Book Chapters

Globalization is not simply a matter of transnational trade, and of the state, non-state and supra-state legal regimes which facilitate, regulate or resist it; it also involves transnational social, cultural, intellectual and ideological forces. These forces play upon strategically located knowledge-based elites which play an important role in restructuring the legal fields by which public and public and private institutions are constituted. Canada's experience of globalization—unique because of proximity to the United States—has been both exemplified and, in part, shaped by the fate of its knowledge-based elites, including the business community (especially that part of it involved directly or indirectly …

Double Talk And Twisted Thought: Reflections On Incoherence, Elizabeth Fajans

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

A Connecticut Professor In Kurdistan, Robin Mcallister

Sacred Heart University Review

Robin McAllister is Associate Professor of English at Sacred Hearrt University. This is an edited version of a journal he kept during a project for a non-governmental organization working in Northern Iraq under NATO and U.N. protection.

Report From Zimbabwe, Joan K. Johnson

Sacred Heart University Review

Joan K. Johnson is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Communications Faculty at Sacred Heart University.

Diary Of A Backpacker Rockstar: A Uni Student's Guide To Traveling Western Europe, Jason James Joseph Sloan

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

During the summer of 1996 I dedicated two months of my life to backpacking Western Europe. It was the most incredible experience of my life. It is my belief that many students at UNI would love to have the opportunity to travel as I did. In fact, a journey across Europe is completely within the reaches of the typical UNI student. Planning such a trip is systematic and reasonably simple. From obtaining passports to buying airline tickets and train passes, all aspects of planning a European backpacking excursion can be accomplished easily.

Fatigue : Investigation Of A Human Factor For Aviation Curricula, Thomas R. Weitzel

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive study investigated the perceived problem of human fatigue as an operational consideration within the U.S. air carrier industry and the status of fatigue as content within U.S. aviation education/training curricula. An instrument was developed and expert-validated for self-completion by the following three groups (each with its sample size): (a) aviation higher education, represented by a mailing to 50 individuals; (b) air carrier training/management, represented by a mailing to 50 individuals; and (c) a professional training group of 58 general aviation flight instructors, with administration by the researcher during scheduled company meetings. The resultant SPSS data set consisted of …

Fortnightly - 1997

Fortnightly Collated by Year

No abstract provided.

An Experimental Exposure Of An Eight-Year Old To Tagalog, Maria Pilar Morrision

Honors Capstones

Language acquisition is a complex process that typically developing children seem to accomplish naturally at an early age. From the babbling of an infant to the multi-syllabic utterances of a toddler, language development occurs due the child's exposure and interaction to the sounds present in his or her environment. In an environment when two languages are spoken, a child has the opportunity to acquire two languages. In a case study conducted, an experimental exposure of an eight-year old male to the Tagalog language occurred. During a five-month period, the subject was taught vocabulary words of the Tagalog language and was …

Winter Commencement, December 14, 1997, Eastern Michigan University

Commencement Programs and Materials

No abstract provided.

Empowering The Next Generation: Girls Of The Maqattam Garbage Settlement, Marie Assaad, Judith Bruce

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This edition of SEEDS explores the challenge of extending earning opportunities and access to valued social roles to young women in the garbage settlement of Maqattam, Egypt. This edition furthermore underscores the degree to which livelihood programs must confront the social circumstances—such as health, marriage, and cultural and family traditions—that play a major role in shaping girls' current and future economic prospects.

Introducing Sexuality Within Family Planning: The Experience Of Three Hiv/Std Prevention Projects From Latin America And The Caribbean, Julie Becker, Elizabeth Leitman, Mahmoud F. Fathalla

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This edition of Quality/Calidad/Qualité relates the experience of three family planning associations affiliated with the International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region that have tried to incorporate an HIV/AIDS prevention strategy into their existing family planning programs and services. It examines how BEMFAM/Brazil, ASHONPLAFA/ Honduras, and FAMPLAN/Jamaica have made a transition toward a range of family planning services more focused on the clients themselves and more explicit in the treatment of sexual themes. In each of the three countries, the staff received special training that not only enabled them to provide information on HIV/AIDS, but also helped them adopt a broader …